Table of Contents
INTRO & LOGISTICS
Asheville, NC, located ~250 miles west of Raleigh in the Blue Ridge Mountains, is one of our favorite US vacation destinations. The city, which has a population of 91,560, offers easy access to outdoor activities, has the most breweries per-capita in the US, and houses wonderful art galleries and delicious, yet diverse, restaurants. Perhaps the city’s best quality is its openness to letting well-behaved dogs accompany their owners on just about any adventure.
If you are traveling to Asheville without a fluffy companion, this guide will still serve you well. There are a handful of restaurants not mentioned, simply because they’re not as dog friendly, that are worth checking out. Nevertheless, the below reviewed restaurants are some of the best in the city (Admiral is arguably the best in the city).
**We highly recommend taking your dog to these spots only if they are well-behaved in public.
Asheville has a very small regional airport, so flying into Charlotte International and driving the 2-hours to Asheville is the best option. When we lived in Michigan, we would drive from Ann Arbor, ~10 hours, to bring Leia. If you’re in the south, or are bringing your pup, I’d recommend road tripping there. Having a car to get you to the mountains is a must. If you plan to stay within Asheville proper, Ubers are easy to come by.
We typically spend ~5 days-1 week in Asheville when we visit. You can spend less time, but with a few dedicated “outdoorsy days,” two+ days of exploring the art galleries, museums and downtown space, and a day of relaxing, we’ve found this to be the ample amount of time. Account for all of the eating and brewery hopping that SHOULD happen in-between.
LODGING
Quality lodging options in Asheville are abundant and tend to be reasonably priced when compared to other desirable travel destinations (maybe the rest of the world hasn’t caught onto how cool Asheville is). We’ve used Airbnb for all of our Asheville trips, but there are also numerous hotels that are worthwhile, i.e., offer a unique experience that justify a higher cost for a smaller space.
My recommendation is to create an itinerary that blends outdoorsy activities with city activities (the city part is THAT worthwhile). Thus, I recommend selecting lodging that is either walkable, or a short drive or Uber ride (~10-15 minutes tops) away from downtown. We’ve stayed in West Asheville, which has given us a yard and larger space, yet is walkable to great eateries and a quick drive to downtown. Personally, I would only stay further out if the lodging has a special mountain escape “feel” to it. Otherwise, the convenience of being close to everything wins.
For airbnbs, I’d recommend this Charming 1-Bedroom, 1 bath guesthouse in West Asheville. While it’s not dog friendly, it’s walking distance to many wonderful neighborhood eateries and shops. Pricing is ~$139/night. Another 1-bedroom, 1 bath option is this home in Historic Montford, which is walkable to Downtown Asheville and the river district. The space is thoughtfully decorated and pet friendly. Pricing is ~$200-$350/night, depending on the season. Finally, for a larger option, I’d book this 3-bedroom, 3 baths “Privacy by The City House,” which offers a country-side feel right in the city. Pups are allowed and it’s priced at ~$335/night.
I’ve listed a few other unique experiences below:
Wrong Way River Lodge & Cabins
Urban setting for the outdoor enthusiasts. Offers cabin Style A-frames, 1-Bedroom, 1 bath. Some dog friendly rooms, Pricing is $150-$230/night
Because why not? Stay on the historic, luxury property. Rooms range & no dogs. Pricing is ~$350-$600/night
Treehouse Airbnb with 1-Bedroom, 1 bath layout that’s ~10-minutes from downtown. No dogs. Pricing is ~$320/night.
BRUNCH
Biscuit Head
Simply a must for everyone. There are two locations, one is on Haywood Road in West Asheville, and the other is on Biltmore Ave. Biscuit Head is the type of place that reminds you of what you’re missing out on if you don’t live in the South. These are real biscuits. Patio seating is good, but can fill up fast, so we always try to arrive early. There’s also ample indoor seating for those without furballs (dogs). AD’s Review: 4.75.
Sunny Point Cafe
Sunny Point Café is a family-owned, comfort food stable in Asheville. The joint uses the freshest ingredients, quite literally… their garden is right behind the restaurant, and has an expansive, fun (dog-friendly) patio space. I usually get the Huevos Rancheros and Nick usually opts for one of their Fried Chicken dishes; however, you cannot go wrong here. Also arrive early before lines form. AD’s Review: 4.5.
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
We visit Asheville in the summer, when it is unbearably hot, which means that we take precaution to ensure that Leia doesn’t overheat. We usually stick to shorter, less intensive hikes and begin early in the morning to avoid peak temperatures (and crowds). Below are some of our favorites. If you go during cooler months, or without a heat sensitive, furry dog, then your options and ability to take on more will be greater.
The Mountains to Sea Trail: Cavern Gap to Haw Creek Valley is a 5.7M, moderate hike that features unique tree patterns and beautiful views. The Daniel Ridge Loop trek is a 5.1M, moderate loop that is fairly easy, not crowded and features a beautiful waterfall and stream. The Art Loeb Little Sam, and Flat Laurel Creek Trail is similar in landscape to Daniel Ridge and is also fairly easy at 5M, and a moderate AllTrails rating. It also has a nice swimming stream.
Looking Glass Rock Trail is an exceptional, not to be missed 6.2M, moderate hike. It’s elevation gain is slightly more than the other hikes listed and the views are superb. The trail gets crowded, so go early. And, Looking Glass Falls is a simple, 0.2M, walk-in, walk-out epic waterfall. We like bringing Leia here to swim early in the morning. We wade downstream, where it’s less crowded.
Be sure to look into a white water rafting trip with French Board Adventures, which offers half and full-day options, starting at $65 per person and a slew of other outdoor activities.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Not listed below is the requirement that you spend time wandering around downtown. There are tons of cool shops, interesting record and book stores, etc. Around DSSOLVR (a brewery listed under my DRINK section), there are plenty of “fun” shop options.
The North Carolina Arboretum
Checkout the North Carolina Arb, ~20 minutes outside of downtown, on your way to or from the Sierra Nevada Brewery, which is also listed under my DRINK section. The Arb is located within the Bent Creek Experimental Forest on 434 acres. It houses incredible botanical gardens, statues, and peaceful walking trails. It is also dog friendly.
Asheville River Arts District (RAD)
Checkout RAD before or after lunch at 12 Bones Smokehouse, which is listed below. Asheville’s RAD is home to 185+ artists with studios and art galleries in 25 different buildings along the French Broad River. Most, if not all, of the studios and galleries will let furry companions in; however, these places can be costly if your dog is not well-behaved (i.e., don’t let your dog break something).
Biltmore Estate
We had a blast touring the Biltmore’s expansive grounds with Leia over the course of ~4 hours, which made the entry fee well worth it (note, dogs are not allowed inside, but can tour the entire outside). My hunch is that touring the inside is totally worthwhile. The Biltmore Estate, built by George Vanderbilt, sits on 8,000 acres. It has incredible gardens, a greenhouse, historic village, winery, etc., and is stunningly maintained. There are also drinking fountains specifically for the dogs on hot days.
LUNCH
12 Bones Smokehouse
12 Bones Smokehouse is so good. Seriously, if I was doing a food tour of my favorite spots in the US, particularly bbq spots, this place would make the cut. Go to the RAD location so that you can check out all the galleries while digesting your food. AD’s Review: 4.9 (it’s that good and President Barack Obama agrees).
White Duck Taco Shop
White Duck Taco Shop offers a twist on your traditional taco. From combinations like Bangkok Shrimp to Korean Beef Bulgogi, to Duck w/ Mole, to Mushroom Potato w/ Romesco, it’s safe to say that you’ve probably never had a taco like a White Duck taco. We recommend the Riverside location, in West Asheville, for its fun outdoor area, trendy beer bus, and views of the river. Also, the margaritas are solid. AD’s Review: 4.8.
DINNER
The Admiral
I absolutely adore The Admiral. There is casual picnic table seating outside of the restaurant, but there is also a terrific screened in porch that qualifies as “outdoor seating,” aka Leia friendly. The screened in porch has a beautiful stone fireplace and warm, rustic, up-scale feel (it remains one of my favorite outdoor patios ever). The indoor space matches. The menu changes based on what’s in season and every dish is thoughtfully executed. The cocktails are delicious. During our meal here, Leia was so exhausted from a full day of hiking that she peacefully passed out (lots of snoring) while we chowed down. The meal remains one of my favorite memories from our various Asheville trips. AD’s Review: 4.79.
Jargon
Like The Admiral, Jargon has a beautiful, enclosed “upper-scale” patio. The inside is trendy. Jargon is a true farm-to-table place that features ingredients within a 50-mile radius of Asheville, so the menu changes often. You cannot go wrong here. AD’s Review: 4.7.
Vinnie’s Neighborhood Restaurant
Vinnie’s also has a great, perhaps more casual, patio (and interior). The food is traditional east-coast, red sauce Italian, so get the red sauce stuff. The Garlic Knots are to die for, the Penne Vodka is wonderful, and I dream about the Chicken Parmesan. AD’s Review: 4.75.
DRINK
Asheville is beer capital of the U.S. Not only do Asheville breweries have great drinks, but many also have fantastic elevated-bar food, great ambiances, and a love for furry animals. While what is listed below are our favorites (and guaranteed to be dog friendly), if you start in Downtown Asheville and work your way down the South Slope, you will find countless other fantastic options.
The Funkatorium
The Funkatorium is most famous for its Wicked Weed sours. However, I, as a non-beer drinker, enjoy this spot’s urban-made wine, great smash burgers, and creative appetizers. The patio is huge and overall super cool. I legit rank the Funkatorium as my favorite “bar” type spot in all the U.S.
Sierra Nevada Brewery
The Sierra Nevada Brewery is Nick’s favorite brewery in the U.S. The brewery is committed to Zero Waste, promotes sustainability, and is situated in Mills River, just outside of Asheville. It has expansive gardens, hiking trails, outdoor games, a restaurant, and a stage for concerts. It is also located close(ish) to the Arb.
DSSOLVR
Dissolvr does not have food, but it serves the most creative funky beers and sours in an awesome downtown atmosphere.
Urban Cider Co
Urban Cider Co was ranked Food & Wine Magazine’s #1 Place to Drink Cider in American in 2017. Need I say more?
