What To Do On A Layover In Asheville North Carolina

Asheville’s regional airport is one of the best connected in America, with the added bonus of being a very easy airport to get in and out of. From its Mills River location, it sits only 15 minutes from downtown, so people who have a layover in Asheville should take advantage of the easy access to downtown, the Blue Ridge Parkway, or the splendors of the two national forests that border The Land of Sky.

If you have three hours…

The Asheville airport only has one main restaurant and a small shop, so if you find yourself with three hours, you’ll want to go and see one of the most beautiful breweries in America, Sierra Nevada. This 180-acre beer campus cost $175 million to build and sits only a couple of miles from the airport. Its striking copper stills, outdoor garden and amphitheater, and beautiful seating areas and decks make it worth a visit on their own. Add in amazing upscale pub grub and several of their small-batch brews that aren’t available anywhere else, and you’ll wish your layover was even longer.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bfm3HTjHZ36/?taken-at=1027248576

If you have five hours…

If you have seven hours…

With seven hours between flights, why not rent a car and drive the iconic Blue Ridge Parkway, touted as one of America’s Favorite Drives? Several entry points give drivers choices on whether to head south or north along this 469-mile (755-kilometer) drive that stretches into Virginia. Yet, some of the best views of the entire route exist between mileposts 431 and 349 as the road curves along the ridgeline, so hit this section if you can.

If you have 12 hours…

For the quintessential Asheville experience, combine all of the above—going to Sierra Nevada, exploring downtown, and driving the Blue Ridge Parkway—and add a hike. Choose from fairly easy trails with great rewards like the Rattlesnake Lodge Trail above downtown Asheville or Skinny Dip Falls at milepost 417. Or, go for more challenging jaunts and head to the Mount Mitchell High Loop or Mt. Pisgah.

landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.