nc mountains

Boone, NC

Boone is a cute little mountain town in northwest north carolina!

Boone Tips: 

  • You can definitely see this small town in a weekend! Fall is absolutely the best time to visit so you can leaf peep your heart out, but it is also the most crowded time to visit so keep that in mind!

  • Boone is also home to Appalachian State University so just be aware of things like Homecoming and football games that can lead to traffic.

Lost Province Brewing

Adventures & Ales Top Boone Recommendations: ​

  • Stay at Glamping Unplugged: I have stayed here twice and absolutely loved it! They have secluded domes on a peaceful river just 20 minutes from Boone!

  • Lost Province Brewing: A great brewery right downtown with delicious food options! I love their pizza and that they have a dog-friendly enclosed patio space. They have a rooftop seating area as well with a fun atmosphere.

    • Their second taproom, Lost Province Hardin Creek, is home to their production facility and a small taproom. Coyote Kitchen is also owned by Lost Province with their beers on tap and Southwest Caribbean Soul Food.

  • Stick Boy Kitchen: The best spot for breakfast in town! Get there early or order ahead online to avoid a wait.

  • Drive the Blue Ridge Parkway: This gorgeous drive has numerous viewpoints, picnic areas, and trails to explore.

    • Rough Ridge via Tanawaha Trail: 5.5 miles long with 839ft of elevation and takes just under 3 hours. The Linn Cove Viaduct and Rough Ridge are both gorgeous but they are at the start and end of the trail, the rest of the time you’re just in the forest with no views.

    • Flat Top Mountain Trail: 5 miles with 593ft of elevation gain and takes just under 2 hours. It is only 13 minutes from downtown Boone. This trail is rated moderate but not bad at all, just a moderate incline the whole way up to a fire tower.

    • Bass Lake: There is a 1 mile flat loop trail around the lake or you can just stop for a good spot for a picnic or beer.

    • Skip: Green Knob Loop Trail which is 2 miles long with 528ft of elevation gain and takes just under an hour. There are no views aside from the pond at the trailhead (AllTrails address is incorrect, it is the next pull-off west of AllTrails). It is buggy and boring.

  • Hike at Elk Knob State Park: I did the Summit Trail that was a little over 4 miles—2 of which are straight up and 2 of which are straight down. There were great views throughout the trail and at both viewpoints. The trailhead is about 25 minutes north of Boone.

  • Booneshine Brewing: A solid brewery right on the edge of town with a full food menu and beer garden.

Glamping Unplugged

Other Boone Things to Do:​​

  • Appalachian Mountain Brewery: Another brewery option located near ASU’s campus with a large tap list.

  • Local Lion: A cute coffee shop with baked goods selection as well!

  • Visit Blowing Rock! This is another cute mountain town just a few minutes from Boone. The picturesque downtown is full of restaurants and shops. Parking here can be awful as a forewarning.

    • Blowing Rock Brewing Company: A cute brewery in downtown Blowing Rock with a full food menu and outdoor seating. If the main taproom has a wait they have a back window for beer and snacks too.

    • Hike the Boone Fork Trail! This trail is less than 10 minutes from downtown Blowing Rock and right off the Blue Ridge Parkway. It ended up being about 6.5 miles and there were a couple of ladders and steep stairs to keep in mind for dogs/kids.

Want to explore more of the area? Here is my guide to a weekend along the Blue Ridge Parkway! It includes nearby Banner Elk and other great stops!

Asheville, NC

Asheville has repeatedly been ranked Beer City USA and is a cute little beer-centric town in the middle of the mountains.

AVL Tips: 

  • Wear layers! The weather here fluctuates quite a bit with the elevation so be prepared to be hot one minute and chilly the next.

  • The downtown area can get quickly overwhelmed with tourists and bachelor/bachelorette parties. Be sure to get out of ‘South Slope’ and see more of the city, you won’t regret it.

  • Hiking isn’t as close as you would initially expect, you’ll need to drive a bit to hit the trails even though the city is nestled in the mountains

  • Asheville is unique in that there are ~30 breweries, but there are multiple outposts of some breweries that make that number as high as it is. Burial, Hi-Wire, Wedge, Wicked Weed, Green Man, Asheville Pizza & Brewing, Thirsty Monk, One World, and Catawba each have more than one location all within five or so miles, something that is not common in other cities. I would definitely recommend checking out each location individually if you have time because each atmosphere can be very different!

  • Looking for more of a small town vibe? Hendersonville is a cute area just south of Asheville.

Adventures & Ales Top Asheville Recommendations: ​

  • Burial Beer: The mecca of Asheville beer! This is a MUST. Expect it to be busy as a result of how fantastic the beers are, so try to visit on a weekday if you can. They are constantly changing things up but 100% of what they make is fantastic, especially their IPAs. Their original taproom is in South Slope with patio seating and a small food menu.

    • Forestry Camp is their second venture in the city. It is in the Biltmore Village neighborhood a bit south of downtown. They’ve got a food menu, cocktails and wine, guest taps, a rooftop patio, and chill vibes.

    • Eulogy is their music venue next to the South Slope taprooms. On Saturday afternoons it is open as a beer hall. The space has Burial beers, occasional guest beers, cocktails, Visuals wine, and Good Hot Fish inside. On top of Eulogy is Visuals Wine and Cocktail Bar. This rooftop bar is home to Burial’s wine line, cocktails, a handful of their beers, and a small food menu.

  • Cellarest Beer Project: A great brewery in West Asheville. They are particularly focused on Farmhouse Ales and Lagers. Cassia is their onsite food truck with incredibly delicious Asian eats.

  • Dssolvr: A killer brewery with delicious beers. They are located right downtown and you can get food delivered from nearby restaurants as well.

  • The Whale: An awesome craft beer bar with a variety of taps, cans and bottles. They have three locations in the Asheville area: West Asheville, South Slope, and The Outpost in Haw Creek.

    • The Masters Park to Haw Creek Valley Overlook trail is located 3 minutes from their Outpost location. It is a great way to get in a quick workout with a view before your brew. The trail is 2.3 miles long with 551ft of elevation gain and takes about an hour to complete.

  • Stay at The Glamping Collective: This is an amazing property with geodomes and glass cabins located 30 minutes west of Asheville in Clyde. The domes are incredibly luxurious with kitchens, full bathrooms, hot tubs, fire tables, air conditioning & heat, and so much more. The property has three onsite trails as well, so you don’t even have to get in your car to go for a beautiful hike. The Sunset Summit Trail was my favorite—the views are incredible, even not during sunset! Plus they even have Adirondack chairs at the summit to sit and relax.

    • Another great lodging option is Asheville River Cabins: These are cozy stays on the French Broad River right off the Blue Ridge Parkway. The cabins are complete with full kitchens, grills, hot tubs, fire pits, coffee nooks, and everything you could need for your stay. They are located 15 minutes south of Asheville proper. In addition to the cabins they have A-frames and RV spots.

  • Taco Boy is a great spot for tacos, nachos and cocktails next to The Whale in West Asheville and in Biltmore Park.

  • TRVE Brewing: A metal-themed brewery coming out of Denver with solid beers.

  • Terra Nova Beer Co.: A solid brewery with two locations in the Asheville area: South Slope and Swannanoa. At their South Slope location they have Mission Pizza inside serving up ‘za, a nice patio, and a large variety of taps including 4 Czech side pulls.

Dssolvr

  • Summit Coffee: An extremely cute coffee shop located in The Foundation, a complex covered in 14 acres of street art that is super trendy. Get the lavender latte & don’t look back!

  • Zillicoah Beer: Located right on the French Broad River, this is the perfect spot north of town to relax on a beautiful day. It’s super chill, family friendly, and dog friendly outside. They specialize in fantastic Lagers.

  • Sunny Point Café: A delicious spot for brunch every day of the week! This spot is incredibly popular so expect a wait and try to avoid it on Sundays. They are also open for dinner Tuesday-Saturday. Located in West Asheville.

  • New Origin Brewing: A small brewery with a large variety of beers that are all great. They have a nice patio space and 900 Degreez food truck onsite for pizza.

  • Cursus Keme: The “secret brewery” in Asheville that’s not quite a secret anymore. This spot used to be a tractor trailer repair shop and is now a large bright and airy taproom. The outside seating near the river is lovely as well. They have a limited number of beers on tap that are usually quite unique and delicious. Located a block past New Origin at the end of the road.

  • Biscuit Head: A tasty spot for—you guessed it—biscuits! They have sweet or savory options as well as drinks. There are 3 locations in Asheville: downtown, West Asheville, and Biltmore Park.

  • Catawba Falls: Another great spot to hike just 30 minutes from downtown. This is very family friendly and relatively flat to the falls. If you’re feeling adventurous you can climb up the falls via a rope on the right-hand side. The trail is short and sweet but still provides great views!

  • Taco Billy: Delicious tacos! Highly recommend their breakfast tacos but they’ve also got beers if you go for lunch or dinner. You can order online to avoid a line as well.

Summit Coffee Asheville

Top Touristy Spots Actually Worth Visiting in Asheville:​

  • Blue Ridge Parkway: An amazing scenic drive with viewpoints to pull over and admire from. Bring snacks, take your time, and enjoy!

  • Float the river with Zen Tubing! Bring your cooler and speaker and enjoy the relaxing journey along the river.

  • Sierra Nevada Mills River: This is a HUGE outpost of the California-based brewery with a private drive, full kitchen and taproom, and concert space. The outdoor space is great, with a firepit, game space, dog space, kid space, and all nestled in the forest. Do not miss the pretzels with pimento beer cheese! The staff here is also super friendly and great!

    • Located right next to the airport so it’s a perfect spot on your way in or out of town if you’re flying! Driving distance from downtown Asheville is about 20 minutes.

  • Highland Brewing: Asheville’s first brewery! This is a unique spot with shipping containers inside and out, frequent live music, cool artwork, and a meadow onsite. The also have hiking trails on their property and chill vibes all around.

  • North Carolina Arboretum: A lovely outdoor space with gardens, trails, educational programs and events. It is $16 to enter the parking area.

  • New Belgium Brewing: Based in Fort Collins, CO., New Belgium calls Asheville its second home. They are located right on the Catawba River and have a fantastic outdoor space. You can also tour the incredibly massive brewery.

  • LaZoom: Bus comedy tours that share a bit of Asheville history, comedy skits, and a stop at a local brewery. They also offer haunted tours, band tours, and kids tours.

Sierra Nevada

Other Things to do in Asheville:

  • Lookout Mountain & Rattlesnake Mountain: Most of the hiking near Asheville is a solid hour drive from the city, but these trails are just 25 minutes away in Black Mountain, NC. Lookout is crowded and there are a lot of manmade steps, but the views are good from the top. I would highly recommend going over the back end of Lookout and continuing up to Rattlesnake where there is generally no one else on the trail and the views are even better.

    • Montreat Rainbow Road, Toll Road, Lookout Mountain Trail: This trail is 4.3 miles long with 889ft of elevation gain. If you go straight up to the Lookout Rocks you’ll gain all of that elevation in about half of a mile, if you end with the rocks it’s a gradual ascent. This trail is a bit boring at times but the Lookout Rocks are great—most folks just go straight up and back down. Parking is limited so avoid this trail on weekends if possible.

  • Pop up to Weaverville, 10 minutes north of town and visit Leveller Brewing Company and Zebulon Artisan Ales. Leveller has a cute patio space and stellar Farmhouse-focused beers. Zebulon has funkier styles in a tucked away taproom a block away.

  • Trombatore Trail: A solid hike up to a pasture-style view of the surrounding mountains. AllTrails listed it at 4.7 miles but it is actually more like 6 as a heads up.

  • Hillman Beer Co: Lots of outdoor seating and a full food menu. They’ve also got a location in Old Fort, east of Asheville.

  • Mountain Madre: A great Mexican restaurant and Agave bar in downtown AVL. Their food and drinks are delicious and their patio is very cute.

  • Vortex Donuts: A great spot to grab a donut and coffee! If you go close to closing time it’s buy one get one free donuts! Highly recommend the peanut butter chocolate.

  • Hi-Wire South Slope: A small little taproom with fun vibes and good beers.

  • White Labs Kitchen and Tap: A production facility, education hub, and brewery based in San Diego with a second location in Asheville. This taproom has a variety of beers on tap and each style has two beers to choose from using different yeasts which is fun! They’ve also got a full food menu with wood fired pizzas that are delicious. Service is mediocre.

  • Diatribe Brewing: This is a chill spot in West Asheville where the tap list is Lager and old-school styles heavy.

  • One World Brewing: Two taprooms, one in West Asheville and the original is downtown in a basement setting.

  • Green Man Dirty Jack’s: The historic original Green Man location with semi-grunge vibes (hence the name).

  • Asheville Pizza and Brewing: 3 locations in town, each with solid pizza and solid beer. Their South Slope location also has a cute little outdoor patio. Their location on the north side of town has a full movie theater!

  • Wedge Brewing at Wedge Studios: The original Wedge outpost. They have a large outdoor space but a small indoor space. Be sure to ask for peanuts.

Highland Brewing

  • Hi-Wire Big Top: A really chill spot compared to their South Slope location. This is where their production happens so it is pretty industrial. They’ve got a permanent food truck onsite, Foothills Meats. The 10W-40 Stout series is delicious!

    • Hungry & don’t love the food truck options? Standard Pizza is a one minute walk away and has great pizza! The slices are huge!

  • Archetype Brewing: A brewery in West Asheville with average beers. They have a nice rooftop patio and Pizza Mind is located next door for some ‘za.

  • Asheville Retrocade: A game bar with craft beer! They’ve got Dance Dance Revolution, Pac-Man, Skee-Ball, and so much more! If you go after 9pm it is 21+

  • The Brew Pump: A craft beer bar in a gas station! No, really. They’ve got $3 specials and well…gas!

  • All Sevens Brewing: Another brewery in West Asheville, they’ve got a full food menu, a pool table, and basic beers that you can get pitchers of.

  • Rattlesnake Lodge Trail: This is a close to town but pretty boring hike that is 4.3 miles long with 882ft of elevation gain and takes 2 hours to complete.

  • Wicked Weed Funkatorium: Wicked Weed was bought out by Anheuser-Busch so I try to avoid their beers and drink small/craft. The Funkatorium specializes in farmhouse ales and barrel aged sour beers that are small batch.

  • Thirsty Monk: Overhyped Belgian brewery and seltzery where neither the beer nor the seltzer is good.

Hendersonville, NC

Hendersonville is a cute little mountain town south of Asheville, NC. It is a popular area for retirees and has a classic “main street” to bop around. HVL is a great spot for a weekend getaway with more small town vibes and less crowds. The surrounding small towns also offer great eats, drinks and hikes. Check out my recommendations below!

See my Asheville guide here.

Oklawaha Brewing Company

Downtown Hendersonville

Pro-Tip: Most of the main streets of downtown Hendersonville have paid parking requirements, but if you go over just a block or two to the side streets the parking is free.

Beer + food recommendations—in ranking order:

  • The Blue Door Bottle Shop and Beer Hall: A great spot with 20 taps and a wide selection of cans and bottles. My favorite spot I visited in HVL.

  • Blue Ridge Beer Garden: A cute spot with a turf patio, string lights and picnic tables. They have 25 taps with a good variety of options. There is often a food truck parked out front and the vibes are great.

  • Oklawaha Brewing Company: A solid brewery with a wide offering of beers. They have a kitchen and frequent live music.

  • HenDough: A delicious spot for donuts, breakfast biscuits, and chicken biscuits.

  • West First Wood-Fired: A cute spot for pizza and pasta in a cozy environment. Tasty!

  • The 2nd Act: A coffee shop and bar with a small food menu and frequent live music and events. A great place to start or end your day!

  • Arabella: A cute spot for breakfast and brunch! The food is tasty and they have a small patio out front that is open seasonally.

  • Dry Falls Brewing Co.: A nice little brewery with a wide variety of beers on tap. They have a small patio and average beers.

  • White Duck Taco Shop: A Carolinas chain for great tacos! They have a large patio out front and delicious eats—don’t skip the queso.

  • Trailside Brewing Co: A solid brewery in a renovated factory space. They have a large patio and they are dog friendly inside and out.

  • Mikes on Main: An old school diner offering breakfast and lunch on Main Street.

  • Postero: A solid spot for lunch and dinner downtown.

  • Southern Appalachian Brewery: Hendersonville’s first brewery! They have frequent live music and a patio space. The beer here is mediocre.

  • Guidon Brewing: A German brewery with a German-inspired beer list and kitchen. Located directly next door to Southern Appalachian Brewing. The beer here is below average.

  • Skip Boodas Brewing Company: They don’t have any of their own beers available and the guest tap selection is mediocre.

12 Bones South

12 Bones South

Surrounding Towns:

  • Burning Blush Brewery: A stellar spot in Mills River. The Lagers are great and the space is unique. There is usually a food truck outside if you are hungry.

  • Whistle Hop Brewing Company: A great brewery located in Fairview, NC. They have a huge outdoor space with a ton of yard games. They are housed in a literal train car which is unique and fun. Highly recommend!

  • 12 Bones South: A great BBQ restaurant and brewery located in Arden. They have another location in the River Arts District of Asheville as well. They have both indoor and outdoor seating with cute murals and little mason jar glasses for flights. The beers are tasty and the food is delicious. The “damn good corn pudding” is in fact damn good.

  • Sierra Nevada Mills River: This is a huge outpost of the California-based brewery with a private drive, full kitchen and taproom, and concert space. The outdoor space is great, with a firepit, game space, dog space, kid space, and all nestled in the forest. The staff here is also super friendly and great! Located in Mills River near the airport.

  • Mills River Brewing Company: A spacious brewery in Mills River with a fantastic outdoor space. They are located near the airport and offer cocktails, wine and beer. They have a permanent food truck onsite with a large menu and frequent live music.

  • Sideways Farm and Brewery: This farm brewery is located in Etowah. The beers can be great but they have only 4 taps so it’s a bit unreliable.

  • Turgua Brewing: An average brewery on the creek with a nice outdoor space. They are advertised as a farmhouse brewery but they have a large variety of beers. They are located 3 minutes from Whistle Hop Brewing in Fairview.

  • Blue Ghost Brewing Company: A mediocre brewery located in Fletcher near the airport. They also have an onsite food truck but the hours are limited.

  • Skip Joey’s New York Bagels: A bagel shop with two locations in the area—Hendersonville and Fletcher. 0/10 experience here twice.

Rainbow Falls

Get Into Nature:

  • Rainbow Falls Trail: This is a great hike that is 5.4 miles long with 1,181ft of elevation gain and takes about 2 hours and 15 minutes to complete. It is located in Jones Gap State Park in Marietta, SC, just across the border. Reservations are required on holidays and weekends, the park closes by 5, and there is a $6 entrance fee. It is a very nice trail that is steep at times but the falls at the end are fantastic.

  • High Falls and Triple Falls Tour: A popular trail in DuPont State Recreational Forest. This is 20 minutes from downtown Hendersonville and overall 3.7 miles long with 511ft of elevation gain. Both sets of waterfalls are very cool and there is also a fun old covered bridge.

  • Bearwallow Mountain Trail: This trail is directly across the road from Trombatore. It is a quick 1 hour trail that is about 2.5 miles long with 587ft of elevation gain. Skip walking up the fire tower road, the views are nothing.

  • Trombatore Trail: A solid hike up to a pasture-style view of the surrounding mountains. AllTrails listed it at 4.7 miles but it is actually more like 6 as a heads up.

  • Explore Green River Game Lands: This nature area is just 20 minutes from downtown and has a few different trails to explore.

    • Little Bradley Falls Trail which is 2.2 miles long with 164ft of elevation gain and takes about 50 minutes to complete. There are 3 river crossings but it is worth it to get to a very cool waterfall at the end. There is a little swimming hole as well.

    • Across the street is the Big Bradley Falls Overlook Trail which has some threatening signage and a very high and wide river to cross so I opted to turnback, but would try again in the summer months.

    • Lower Big Hungry Falls is another good option that is short at .8 mile with 170ft of elevation gain and takes 20 minutes. It leads to a nice waterfall with a beach area.

Have you explored the Hendersonville area of North Carolina? Let me know your favorite spots in the comments below!
Cheers—Alexis

Bryson City, NC

Bryson City is a small mountain town in Western North Carolina. It is nestled between Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Nantahala National Forest. This is a beautiful area to explore, especially in the fall with changing leaves.

Bryson City is about 1 hour west of Asheville, NC and 1 hour and 15 minutes south of Gatlinburg TN. Check out my Asheville guide here and my Gatlinburg guide here.

Tom Branch Falls

Bryson City Recommendations:

  • Bryson City Outdoors: A beer bar and gear shop with a nice patio and daily food trucks.

  • Explore Great Smoky Mountains National Park! Deep Creek Waterfall Loop is a popular option very close to town with 3 waterfalls on a 2.4 mile long trail with 426ft of elevation gain. You’ll encounter Tom Branch Falls, Indian Creek Falls and Juney Whank Falls.

  • Mountain Layers Brewing: A nice brewery in the heart of downtown with a rooftop deck. They also have a Hawaiian food truck out back The Rice Wagon. You can see all of town from the roof and offer wine and cider for non-beer fans.

  • Zipline, whitewater raft, or stay in a yurt with WildWater! Whitewater rafting is very popular on the Nantahala and super fun. It is 8 miles of class 1 and class 2 rapids with one class 3 rapid. Their ziplining course goes through the gorge and has a couple of spots with great views.

  • High Test Deli: A delicious sandwich shop in the heart of downtown. They are also known for their frozen ice cream sandwiches.

  • The Road to Nowhere: Drive this historic road and be sure to check out the Lake Fontana overlook and the Road to Nowhere Tunnel. Just be prepared, the road does indeed go to nowhere.

  • Meander the many shops throughout downtown.

  • Take a scenic drive:

    • The Hellbender 28 is full of hairpin turns and right near Bryson City

    • The Tail of the Dragon takes you towards Tennessee with 300 turns in 11 miles

    • The Blue Ridge Parkway is a popular route with numerous viewpoints and hiking trails along the way

      • Waterrock Knob Trail is a popular, quick choice that is 1 mile long with 439ft of elevation gain so it’s quite steep!

      • Mount Pisgah Trail: 4 miles long with 1077ft of elevation gain. This trail is about halfway between Bryson City and Asheville off the Blue Ridge Parkway in Pisgah National Forest. I would park at the Google Maps trailhead, not AllTrails trailhead. The last section of the trail is pretty steep and leads up to a TV tower.

  • Honey Bear’s Cupcakery: Grab cupcakes and other sweets from this local bakery on the main strip!

  • Cardinal Coffee: A cute spot for coffee, bagels, and smoothies off the highway a bit outside of downtown.

  • Darnell Farms: A large farm with produce, pumpkins, hay rides and festivals. Located in Bryson City on the river.

  • Explore nearby Waynesville:

    • Boojum Brewing: A popular brewery with a full food menu. Expect a wait during lunch and dinner times, but their food is super tasty and worth it!

    • Sauced: An average spot for pizza and beer

    • Check out the cute shops throughout downtown

  • Explore nearby Sylva:

  • Skip: Bryson City Brewing This spot was formally Nantahala Brewing. They have all guest taps and zero of their own beers, the food is not good and the service quite frankly sucks (the bartenders were wasted). It’s a bummer to see this formerly great space go downhill so quickly.

What are your favorite spots in Western North Carolina? Let me know in the comments! Cheers—ALexis