You don’t have to be traveling with your significant other to find romance in Asheville. This North Carolina tourist destination has it in spades. We’re talking about trails tripping over waterfalls, Instagram-flawless food, flowers galore and those beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains.
It’s hard to cram it all in a weekend, but if you must, here’s how to do it while keeping things relaxed.
1. Pack a Gourmet Picnic
If you’re going to be out in that gorgeous nature all day, you’ll be hungry, but you don’t necessarily want to cut your hike short. Plan ahead by bringing a picnic.
The Rhu has already figured this out. They offer picnic baskets that you can pick up that morning and enjoy in the mountains.
This is truly the perfect scenario: you indulging in a gourmet feast against the backdrop of a waterfall or valley or some other scenic spot. Many of the trailheads have picnic tables, though I find the food tastes even better after a bit of a hike.
Whether you want to savor olives and cheese or dig into a sandwich, The Rhu can put it together for you, tucked neatly away in an adorable picnic basket (you can request a disposable bag if preferred). Their incredible breads, like levain, brioche and baguette, are a highlight — it is a bakery, after all. If you get the brunch basket, ask for the bagel with smoked trout. It tastes a bit like smoked salmon, salty, contrasting nicely with the sweets you’ll be loading up on.
Above, see a sample of some of the baked treasures found inside the Rhu’s brunch basket: a deeply buttery biscuit with prosciutto, a seasonal fruit galette, a savory scone and, most unusual, the croixette, a cross between a croissant and a baguette. Sparkling water on the side. Rushing water in the background. Enjoyed in our own shady nook we found off the popular Catawba Falls trail, this was one of the best picnics we’ve ever had.
2. Hit the Trails
If you look at a map of greater Asheville, it looks like two giant swathes of green are about to converge on the city. One comes in from the northeast and the other from the southwest, the same diagonal path the Blue Ridge Parkway takes through Asheville.
You can’t go both directions at once if you just have a day. Pick one area and hit a couple trails near there.
For killer views, head southwest to Mt. Pigsah, a three-mile roundtrip with some serious elevation gain that’s all worth it at the end. Then climb Frying Pan Tower, a 70-foot-tower on a nearby trail that lets you see for miles.
Or go northeast for waterfalls. The three-mile hike to Crabtree Falls is fairly moderate and you’re rewarded with a massive cascade eye-level from the bridge. If you have time, stop by Catawba Falls on the way back into town. This popular hike is less than 1.5 miles with a wide path to accommodate the high volume of foot traffic.
3. Play Like You’re a Kid Again
Unwind from your hike downtown. There are plenty of places to play: breweries, shops, theaters. There’s the French Broad Chocolate, a longstanding “chocolate lounge” with lines out the door and, on occasion, street performers outside plying their trade.
But no place combines food with fun quite like the Well Played Board Game Café. For only $7 per person ($10 on the weekends), you can enjoy unlimited games — classics like Jenga and Clue and so much more. In their collection of over 700, you’ll find games themed for pretty much anything you want, whether that’s Disney, zombies, or sushi. Plus, it’s a great opportunity for some quality couple time.
Games are marked with stickers to show how quick you can learn them if they’re new to you, but gamemasters are on hand to help whenever you need it.
Game cafe food can be mediocre, but this is a restaurant that’s right at home in the foodie town of Asheville. They’ve got craft beers, espresso, local cheeses, and seasonal pies. I can vouch for the chicken wrap, not greasy and thoroughly delicious. They also serve tea, cider, cocktails, slushies, and Cheerwine (an NC-homegrown cherry soda).
These aren’t the only nostalgic games downtown that you can pair with libations. Head over to the Asheville Pinball Museum for the ultimate retro experience. As museums go, it’s hands-on. Play some 80 games from pinball machines to old-fashioned video games. Minus a couple that cost 50 cents, all are set to free play, so once you pay at the bar for your wristband, it’s yours to explore.
The games are as recent as this millennium but stretch all the way back to the 1950s, including a few so historic they’re display only. If you played arcade games in the ’80s or ’90s, this trip down memory lane is obligatory. You’ll rediscover old favorites like Pac-Man, and you can play as a couple for some additional bonding — just don’t get too competitive!
Fun fact: You can also pick up some fascinating trivia by reading the nearby placards. Did you know the Twilight Zone pinball maker hired a voice actor?
4. Lounge in Comfort
Asheville has plenty of hotels to choose from, whether you want a local B&B or a name brand where you can rack up reward points. The Hampton Inn & Suites Asheville Biltmore Area was perfect for us because it was convenient to downtown, Biltmore, and the interstate, which you’ll be hopping on and off of as you explore the greater Asheville area and all those waterfalls. As a bonus, it’s less than three miles from the North Carolina Arboretum and next door to the Asheville Outlets.
Opened in 2018, the hotel is modern with a chic lobby and convenient bedside outlets for your devices.
And the complimentary breakfast is solid, a step above ordinary continental fare with Greek yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, waffles, and fresh fruit like berries and pineapple.
Rooms are comfortable and quiet, though after a day of hiking, you won’t have trouble falling asleep anyway. The indoor pool is nice, if hard to share with an enthusiastic baseball team, but the amenity I liked the most was the water bottle filling station. Hydration is key for all that hiking we were doing!
5. Bliss out at Biltmore
It’s America’s grandest estate, but superlatives really don’t do it justice. The gardens are overflowing with blooms right now. Hydrangeas, magnolias, rhododendrons, dogwood, begonias — it’s not so much the profusion of color that’s dizzying as the sheer scale and artistry that underpins it. Plan to spend at least one full day here.
The beauty helps you overlook the heat if you go in summer. If you’re going on a day where you need a timed entry for the house, reserve your slot midday to get a break from the sun.
Indoors, the panoramas are no less impressive. The medieval-style banquet room is seven stories tall. The library contains some 10,000 volumes on its rich walnut shelves. And the loggia opens onto views of the Deerpark and distant mountains that go on forever. Allow at least two hours for your self-guided tour (audio guide optional).
And you can’t ignore Antler Hill Village & Winery. They sometimes have exhibits there as well as a wine tasting, included with admission. If that sounds like a lot, it is. Although you can leave the estate and come back the same day with your ticket, it’s better to stay on the property to maximize your time.
Local tip: Nearby, Historic Biltmore Village, a turn-of-the-century planned community originally created for estate workers, has been beloved for years as a shopping and dining destination with an Old World aesthetic. Since Hurricane Helene devastated this area in September 2024, most of the shops and restaurants remain closed, but they’re rebuilding. First on the list is the world’s classiest McDonald’s, once sporting a baby grand piano and copper ceiling. I remember loving the village’s graceful architecture and wide brick sidewalks. I look forward to its rebirth!
Biltmore has plenty of dining options on site, but they do allow outside food in designated areas, so you can grab lunch to enjoy on the grounds of the estate. I do love a good picnic.
Tickets are cheapest ordered ahead, so I recommend booking online before you go.
6. Wander Through a Floral Arboretum
I like trees as much as the next person, but I’m here for the flowers.
Despite its name, the North Carolina Arboretum includes several manicured gardens that make for a pleasant evening stroll — they’re open as late as 9 p.m. in the summer.
They even have art exhibits. When we visited, they were hosting a summer celebration about color theory, nature, art and science in the Baker Exhibit Center.
There’s a parking fee, but admission to the 434-acre public garden is free. Hiking and biking trails meander across the property. The gardens blend artistic touches like topiary and fountains with carefully selected flowers.
Enjoy the changing shades as dusk sets in. The best view is from Blue Ridge Court, which, as you’d expect, looks out toward the mountains. It’s a perfect ending to a truly romantic weekend in Asheville.