Fun Weekend Trip to the Mountains | Activities Near Asheville, NC

I just got back from participating in a very adult-feeling event: a wedding. No worries because it was not mine; it was the wedding of a friend. It was pretty exciting because I had the opportunity to be a bridesmaid. The best thing was that this wedding gave my family and me the opportunity to make it into a weekend trip to the mountains around Asheville, NC.

So, of course, we had to extend our weekend stay and explore the surrounding area of Asheville, NC!

Here are some highlights from our weekend trip to the mountains of Asheville, NC!

Visiting Blowing Rock in NC

During our weekend trip to the mountains around Asheville, there was a lot of walking and gawking at the gorgeousness of nature around us.

Getting the chance to see all the mountains, trees, and plants was an amazing opportunity to get from this weekend trip.

There were some amazing sightseeing spots along the entrance of Blowing Rock, where you could really appreciate the lushness and spread mountain range of Asheville, NC.

We took a few pictures on the rocks at Blowing Rock and that was a little scary to do because it was not the most stable and secure position.

Native American Artifacts Museum at Mystery Hill, NC

This was so cool to walk around! This was one of the best stops from our weekend trip to the mountains.

I don’t really know much about arrowheads and I could only really recall simple facts about the lives of Native Americans but seeing all the arrowheads and learning about the history was eye-opening. I could see all the little variations in the arrowheads and other stone tools.

Visiting Linville Caverns

Man, this was such a cool experience to see during our weekend trip to the mountains!

No, literally; it was pretty cold. We even got to experience total darkness during the cavern tour, which was a really neat experience! Even though I knew my hand was right in front of my face, I couldn’t see it during the few minutes of total darkness.

The caverns are very wet and cold so I definitely recommend bringing a jacket and some good shoes.

Walking Around Downtown Asheville

Since the wedding location was very close to Asheville, we decided to add a stop during our trip and spend some time in the city since it was unlikely we would be in the area again.

We walked around downtown Asheville and got to see some fun sculptures and buildings around town.

After a few hours of walking around, we ended up grabbing dinner in downtown Asheville, NC.

After all that walking and exploring the streets of Asheville, I was ready for some good food (and fries, my favorite food)!

Walking around UNC-Asheville Botanical Gardens

We had such a great time walking through the Asheville Botanical Gardens. I ended up getting a children’s book from their gift shop because it was just too cute! This was a great stop during our weekend trip to see all kinds of flowers and greenery.

The Botanical Gardens were a pretty large area to walk through so if you’re into nature, this is definitely a must-visit. The gift shop also had some great educational materials about plants and animals, which would be especially useful if you’re homeschooling or teaching new topics.

Visiting Sierra Nevada Brewery

I’d had the opportunity to tour the Sierra Nevada Brewery to learn about its sustainability efforts through a University-sponsored trip last year. I’d had a fun time exploring the Sierra Nevada Brewery grounds and learning about their sustainability processes.

When I heard that my family would be traveling near Asheville, I told my parents that we needed to swing by the Sierra Nevada Brewery. I’m glad I was able to talk them into it because 1) they had a great time taking a tour and doing a tasting, and 2) I remember telling my stepdad that he needed to come by the Sierra Nevada Brewery after my University trip so my goal was accomplished!

Climbing Chimney Rock

So. Many. Steps. It was never-ending! I guess that’s what happens when you go to the mountains! However, the mountain view was definitely worth the climb of Chimney Rock!

I didn’t think I would be doing this much exercise during a fun wedding weekend trip but I guess that’s what happens when it’s a weekend trip to the mountains!

After all the walking and climbing steps and general exercise, everyone was hungry! We ate at a restaurant that had a view of Chimney Rock and we got to see where we had climbed while we ate. Those calories were well-earned, haha!

After so many years of wondering whether I’d be able to travel across my state, the country, and continents, I’m finally crossing off a major milestone of traveling across the state I call home! I’m happy to have made it to one end of the state and now it’s time to consider how to make it to the ocean!

I can’t wait to continue to explore the beautiful state of North Carolina, from the coast to the mountains and everywhere in between!

This was a travel post about
a Short Weekend Trip to the Mountains of Asheville, NC.