With Helene in the rear view mirror, Asheville is still beer, bluegrass, and all-day hikes
Asheville in
2025
By Eric Barton | March 12, 2025
If you’re like me, Asheville is one of those cities you’ll visit once and then spend the next 15 years trying to figure out how to move here. It’s got that mix of big-city food and small-town charm, plus more breweries per capita than just about anywhere else.
There’s hiking, there’s music, there’s the kind of arts scene that somehow still feels authentic. And while the tourists are here for the Biltmore, locals know the real Asheville is in live music venues, on its mountaintops, and somewhere inside a dimly lit bar, drinking a local stout. Here’s what to do while you’re here.
1. The Blue Ridge Mountains
If you’ve been to Asheville previously and found a favorite trail at Black Balsam or Graveyard Fields or Mount Mitchell, the bad news is that all of those are inaccessible right now. Fallen trees and washed-out sections along the Blue Ridge Parkway mean many of the most-traveled trails just simply can’t be reached and won’t be open possibly for years. The good news is that volunteer chainsaw crews and forest service workers have reopened enough trails to keep a serious hiker occupied for weeks. The hikes along North Carolina 276 in Brevard are largely reopened, most notably Looking Glass Falls and Sliding Rock. The hiking and biking trails in Bent Creek are also open. In the city, the trails on the University of North Carolina-Asheville campus have all been cleared. You’ll also find many of the best trails in Dupont State Forest and Great Smoky Mountains National Park are open—and just as pretty as ever. Check the Blue Ridge Hiking Company’s website for the most recent trail openings and the National Park Service for the Blue Ridge Parkway. Google maps has also been a handy resource: directions to your favorite trailhead will show whether there’s a route to get there. And while I wouldn’t normally say a guide is necessary for most hikes around Asheville, this might be a good time to bring in the pros, like Blue Ridge Hiking Company or Asheville HIking Tours. If all that sounds like a lot to consider, know this: Asheville still has access to some of the best hiking not just on the East Coast but quite simply anywhere.
2. Craft Breweries
One thing Helene definitely did not change: Asheville is Beer City USA, and no, that’s not just some tourism-board slogan. There are still more than 50 breweries in town, from the massive like New Belgium to the tiny South Slope startups. Start at Burial Beer Co., where the saisons are weird but fantastic, then move on to Green Man Brewery for something a little more classic. If you still have the stamina, hit up Hi-Wire, where, if you’re ready for something besides beer, there’s a secret tiki bar in the back. Once you’ve toured all of downtown’s breweries, head to east Asheville for the city’s grandaddy of beer, Highland Brewing, where you’ll find a campus of hiking trails, live music, frisbee golf, volleyball courts, and, the reason you told yourself you came, delicious beer.
3. Downtown Shopping
Downtown Asheville is full of the kind of places you want to stumble into: Battery Park Book Exchange, a combination bookstore and champagne bar, Malaprop’s, the kind of indie bookstore that actually survives Amazon, and Asheville Bee Charmer, which sells local honey and gives free samples because they know exactly how to turn you into a customer.
4. The Biltmore Estate
1 Lodge St | Website | Instagram
Luckily the Biltmore suffered only minor effects from Hurricane Helene and reopened a month after the October storm. The country’s largest private home was built by George Vanderbilt as a place to entertain guests, and, frankly, the rest of us have just been invited in for the tour. The house itself is staggering—250 rooms of over-the-top opulence—but what makes the visit worth it is wandering the grounds, stopping by the winery, and pretending for an afternoon that you, too, could be a Vanderbilt.
5. The Sauna House
230 Short Coxe Ave | Website | Instagram
If you're looking to sweat out all those indulgent meals, Sauna House is the spot. This Nordic-inspired bathhouse in the heart of Asheville offers both communal and private saunas, cold plunges, and relaxation rooms that will make you forget you’re in the middle of the city. The sauna-cold plunge cycle is invigorating, but mostly it's a great excuse to spend an hour or two doing absolutely nothing. Just imagine yourself alternating between sweating buckets and braving the cold, then reward yourself with a nap in one of their cozy lounges. You’ll walk out feeling like you’ve been reborn—or at least like you can handle another brewery visit.
6. The Orange Peel
101 Biltmore Ave | Website | Instagram
Yes, Asheville lost the much-loved Salvage Station from the floods, but this is a city that still punches above its weight class when it comes to live music. And The Orange Peel? The crown jewel of this scene. It’s got that perfect standing-room-only vibe—big enough to bring in great bands, but small enough that you don’t feel like you’re watching a concert on TV. If you’re not into what the Orange Peel is throwing down when you’re here, check the schedule at the jazz bar 5 Walnut, the newly rebranded Asheville Yards Amphitheater, or the eclectic lineup at the Grey Eagle.
7. The River Arts District
Map | Website | Instagram
No Asheville neighborhood got hit harder from the Helene floods than the River Arts District, and there’s still many signs of the destruction along the banks of the French Broad. But there are still plenty of coffee houses, art galleries, and working studios to make for one of the more entertaining Asheville afternoons. This former industrial area is home to over 200 artists working in everything from painting to pottery. Wander through the studios, chat with the artists, and maybe even pick up a piece of original art that won’t fit in your carry-on. If you’re feeling fancy, some of the studios even offer classes so you can channel your inner Picasso. Or at least try.
8. Float the French Broad
When the weather’s nice, grab a tube, crack a beer, and float lazily down the French Broad River for a couple of hours. While the flooding led to the closure of some outfitters, Zen Tubing is still going strong. All you have to do is show up and enjoy the fact that, for at least a little while, your biggest problem is making sure your cooler doesn’t tip over.
9. North Carolina Arboretum
100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way | Website | Instagram
Even if you don’t think you’re into flowers, the North Carolina Arboretum might change your mind. It’s got acres of gardens, walking trails, and a bonsai exhibit that is honestly more impressive than it should be. If you’re looking for a low-key way to spend an afternoon outdoors, this is it.
10. Asheville Salt Cave
16 N Liberty St | Website | Instagram
Yes, you read that right—a salt cave. Asheville’s got one, and it’s exactly what you didn’t know you needed. Imagine sitting in a room made entirely of Himalayan salt while soft music plays in the background. The idea is that the salt air is supposed to help with everything from stress to respiratory issues. There’s traditional spa services here like massages and salt scrubs and also a Turkish Hammam package with deeply cleansing and exfoliating. Whether or not the salt actually works is beside the point—it’s a uniquely Asheville experience that’s perfect for when you need a break from all the outdoor adventuring.
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