Western North Carolina daytrips: 10 for the bucket list
Disclaimer: We are not paid to promote any restaurant, hotel, activity, product, or attraction. All opinions are subjective and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
Despite being surrounded by the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains, Asheville has become a tourist destination in and of itself thanks to a trendy assortment of foodie restaurants, a thriving craft beer scene, numerous artsy offerings, and an eccentric lineup of events throughout the year. People come from all over the country to enjoy the highly touted arts and food & drink scene. Nevertheless, the main highlight of the city is actually its’ close proximity to so many beautiful places. I lived in this region for 2 years and really enjoyed all the gorgeous daytrips to waterfalls, charming small towns, and of course, the Blue Ridge Parkway. I have put so much time and effort (nearly every weekend) exploring the best of the Blue Ridge region. In my guide, you will discover the best daytrips from Asheville when you tire of the tourist crowds.
Daytrip 1: Greenville, South Carolina
- Highlights: A thriving Main St. with local shops and restaurants, a beautiful waterfall in the midst of downtown, located within close proximity to numerous waterfalls & state parks, great art museum and local theaters, excellent year-round events, diverse choice of local coffeehouses, 20+ mile multi-use bike path
- How to get here: Greenville is located about an hour south of Asheville via I-26 West. Start your day off exploring Main St.
- My Greenville guide
By now, you have probably heard of this bustling city in Upstate, SC. Like Asheville, it has become very popular due to its’ emerging foodie scene and thriving downtown district. The trendy city even has its’ own slogan, “YeathatGreeville,” and continues to draw more and more tourists to its tree-lined Main Street. From a summer Shakespeare festival, to a winter ice rink, to an extremely popular Saturday Farmer’s Market, interesting events are on the lineup all year round.
All this aside, what draws most people back is the beautiful natural centerpiece of Main St: Falls Park on the Reedy. Home to lush gardens and a beautiful waterfall, this is the main congregation point which has influenced both repeat visitors and transplants.
A few local restaurant gems to check out
- Kitchen Sync: Eclectic restaurant specializing in diverse homemade fare. Try the Southern style tomato pie and treat yourself to the S’mores for dessert!
- Handi Indian: Great Indian food (although a tad on the spicy side for my taste). Best lunch buffet in town! I love the options as a vegetarian. Update: Handi moved location to The Promenade of aHaywood.
- Greektown Grille: Delicious authentic Greek fare. Excellent spanakopitas and great lunch specials. I love the veggie pita and they serve the best fries in town.
- Soby’s: Popular Southern style restaurant with an excellent Sunday brunch buffet featuring made-to-order omelets, breakfast & lunch fare, and a full dessert table.
In terms of activities, consider stopping by the Greenville Museum of Art (featuring the largest collection of watercolors by Andrew Wyeth), a bike ride along the Swamp Rabbit trail (a multi-purpose recreational trail with numerous starting points throughout town), and swinging by the Shoeless Joe Jackson museum (a must for baseball fans!).
Sample itinerary: Enjoy quick steamed bagel (really, they are addictive) and cup of joe at Sully’s, take a stroll around Falls Park, visit the Greenville Art Museum or Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum, Lunch at Greektown Grille, Browse the boutique shops (be sure to check out Mast General Store, the Spice and Tea Exchange, and Poppington’s), Take a bike ride or walk along the Swamp Rabbit trail, and then treat yourself to a gelato at Luna Rossa. For dinner check out Kitchen Sync, Jianna (great Italian), or Yellow Ginger (great Asian fusion cuisine).
Daytrip 2: Chimney Rock & Lake Lure
- Highlights: Home to one of the tallest waterfalls in the East, gorgeous views of the Blue Ridge mountains, fun shops and a quirky ambiance, beautiful scenery around town, a great place to get in a workout, just a short drive from beautiful Lake Lure (where much of Dirty Dancing was filmed).
- How to get here: Chimney Rock is located about 45 min southeast of Asheville via US-74. The state park is located at: 431 Main St, Chimney Rock, NC.
- My guide to hiking Chimney Rock
Chimney Rock State Park
Chimney Rock is the place to go if you seeking the best-of-the-best in terms of Blue Ridge mountain scenery. Although the trek to this oddly shaped rock outcropping is quite a challenge at 1000 steps RT, the panoramic views definitely make all that sweating & post workout muscle soreness worth it! For those who would prefer to save their lower body the stress, you can opt for an elevator ride up the mountain (one of the few of its’ kind in the world!).
Get ready for hundreds of stairs (499 to be exact)…fortunately the views along the way will keep you motivated!
The park is quite expensive compared to others in the region at $17 per person. To make your trip more worthwhile, be sure to take advantage of other park amenities besides the Chimney Rock climb. Hickory Nut Falls, a towering 404 foot waterfall, is absolutely spectacular and accessible via an easy 1 mile nature stroll. While it may seem undesirable to set off on another hike right after the monster stairclimb, this is more of an easy stroll where you can recover a bit and enjoy the natural surroundings.
Chimney Rock Village
Post-hike, take a stroll around Chimney Rock Village, conveniently located right outside the entrance to the park. The vibe is a bit on the weird side considering all the Bigfoot memorabilia and wacky Southern souvenir shops, although this really is just part of the fun. Stop by Bubba O’Leary’s General Store for the old-fashioned candy bar, grab a cup of joe at Coffee on the Rocks, browse around the various tourist shops and pick up a few unique southern souvenirs, and stop by any local cafe for a healthy post-hike lunch.
Lake Lure
You will likely be wondering why there is so much Dirty Dancing memorabilia around town. Not surprisingly, the small town decided to capitalize on nearby Lake Lure’s famous movie filming sites. The Carolina lake was used as the setting for the famous dance lift water scenes. For Dirty Dancing fans, you can hop aboard a narrated cruise and “have the time of your life” seeing several movie hotspots including the steps which Baby practiced her dance moves on! You can sign up for a narrated boat tour where you can enjoy the lake scenery plus a few iconic movie filming locations. I really enjoyed the scenery here.
Fans of the 80’s classic will love exploring the small town which has many mementos as well as a small museum. It’s fun to stroll around taking all sorts of photos. The cast actually stayed in the 1927 Lake Lure in during the filming. You can read more about my experience visiting this beautiful lake.
Daytrip 3: Carowinds
- Highlights: Best theme park in North Carolina, Best waterpark in the Carolinas, awesome winter fest, relatively cheap in comparison to other theme parks, located just a short drive from Charlotte if you want to do any shopping/dining
- How to get here: Carowinds is located about 2 hours east of Asheville via I-26E and US-74E. Admission: Tickets vary in price, depending on time of the year. Discount tickets and special packages available online.
- My guide to Winterfest
Carowinds is a popular theme park located on the border of the Carolinas. From carnival favorites like the Zephyr and Himalayan, to family favorites like the Scrambler, to thrilling coasters, Carowinds offers a bit of something for everyone depending on just how much adrenaline you are seeking. I couldn’t get on that many rides as I was too busy enjoying the wonderful shows (seriously, they hire some talented performers here).
The park is easily walkable and not as exhausting as most other theme parks. However, due to the intense summer heat and humidity, is best visited during the cooler fall and spring seasons. If you do visit during the heat of a Carolina summer, opt for a day cooling down at Carolina Harbor water park. Featuring numerous slides, a wave pool, and a lazy river, it’s one of the best places to cool off in the Carolinas.
Winterfest
The best time to visit is during the holiday extravaganza known as Winterfest. A massive Christmas tree, spirited holiday shows & dance numbers, and over-the-top decor give the park a fun and cheery holiday ambiance not really found elsewhere in the state. A fun place to visit if your visit coincides with the holiday season.
There are numerous dining choices within the park including popular name brands like Chick-Fil-A, Edy’s Ice Cream, and Starbucks. The Juke Box Diner with its’ 60’s theme is a cute place for a quick lunch. Of course, after your visit to the theme park you can opt to make the half hour drive over to Charlotte which offers no shortage of luxury dining.
Daytrip 4: Triple Falls trailhead at Dupont State Forest
- Highlights: 3 incredible waterfalls via 1 hike, amazing fall foliage, Hunger Games filming site.
- How to get here: Dupont State Forest is located about an hour south of Asheville via I-26E. Free parking is available at 89 Buck Forest Rd.
- My guide to hiking Triple Falls
Driving out to a waterfall or 2 should definitely top your bucket list when visiting Asheville. This region is home to some of the most spectacular waterfalls on the East coast. Asheville is located just an hour away from Transylvania County, appropriately nicknamed “Land of the Waterfalls.”
One of the highlights in the region (a big feat considering the multitude of natural wonders) is the Triple Falls trail within Dupont State Forest. Along this trail you will have access to three wonderful falls, all viewable via a moderate trek of just over 2 miles each way. Hunger Games fans will likely recognize Triple Falls as it was featured in one of the scenes.
3 for 1: the best bang-for-your-buck waterfall hike!
Despite the immense crowding & lack of parking on nice days, the forest itself remains surprisingly tranquil. Autumn is the time to enjoy the beautiful colors & crisp weather of the season, while winter offers you the opportunity to enjoy the barren desolate ambiance and possibly see a frozen waterfall. While spring is the best time temperature-wise to hike, it’s also the most crowded, so be sure to arrive early in the morning preferably on a weekday if visiting this time of year.
You can check out my full guide to easy waterfalls hikes near Asheville for more beautiful suggestions.
Note: there is not much out this way in terms of dining. I recommend grabbing a bite before leaving Asheville (Biscuit Head, Green Sage Cafe) or stopping in nearby Hendersonville (grab a bagel and cup of joe at Black Bear Coffee on Main St.) for breakfast.
Daytrip 5: Grandfather Mountain
- Highlights: Incredible views via a mile high pedestrian bridge, beautiful scenic drive, easy hiking trails, great visitor’s center, amazing foliage in the fall.
- How to get here: Grandfather Mountain is located about an hour and a half north of Asheville via I-40E and US-221N. Admission: $24 per adult, $22 senior, $10 youth (ages 4-12).
- My guide to visiting Grandfather
Grandfather Mountain is known to be the granddaddy of Western North Carolina natural attractions. In an area loaded with mesmerizing trails, waterfalls, and natural wonders, Grandfather Mountain stands out as one of the most iconic on the Parkway. If you have the time, it’s a worthy day trip for the nature lover/photographer/hiker. Asides a number of great hiking trails and a beautiful scenic drive, the highlight here is walking across the Mile High Swinging Pedestrian bridge.
I love the tranquil views of the Blue Ridge Mountains from up so high. I was lucky enough to visit for my first time on a desolate winter day. Thousands and thousands of nature lovers have crossed the mile high bridge since its inception in 1952. If you can brave the cold, winter is quite desolate, thus, enabling you to enjoy the scenery all to yourself.
Other on-site activities include a nature museum, a wildlife habitat, and 11 trails including a variety of backcountry options for avid hikers. All in all, the scenery is pretty incredible here, thus making this one of the best bang-for-your-buck daytrips via Asheville.
In terms of dining, there is a grill and snack shop on-site, in addition to 100 picnicking sites. Pack a lunch and enjoy the beautiful natural surroundings!
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