Asheville’s mountain appeal and laid-back vibe make it an incredible place to journey with a toddler. My husband and I’ve lived right here for a little bit over 8 years. Since that point, I’ve been refining an inventory of my favourite parks, breweries, eating places, and museums.
I received extra specific about this checklist as soon as I had children. My 10-month-old and 3-year-old are energetic and curious, so we like locations which might be spacious, protected to discover, and enjoyable for all of us.
We additionally love locations that pay a residing wage and provides again to communities in varied methods. We attempt to help these locations as a lot as attainable — and we encourage guests to do the identical after they come!
In the event you plan to go to Asheville with a child and/or a toddler, this information covers all the pieces from the place to remain to the very best toddler actions in Asheville.
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Getting from the Airport to your Lodging
The Asheville airport (AVL) is small, and there aren’t many direct flights into it. You would take into account flying into Charlotte, North Carolina (CLT), which is a 2-hour drive from Asheville, or Greenville-Spartanburg in South Carolina (GSP), which is a 1-hour drive from Asheville. Sadly, there are only a few public transit choices to get between these cities and Asheville as of writing, so renting a automotive is probably going your greatest guess.
We typically favor flying into AVL, because it’s solely a 15-minute drive to the downtown space. For households visiting Asheville with a toddler or child, I like to recommend renting a automotive when visiting Asheville, because it affords essentially the most flexibility.
In the event you favor public transit, there’s a bus that goes straight from the airport to downtown (bus quantity S3), however be sure you verify the schedule, because it runs solely as soon as an hour, or much less.
I virtually all the time carry my very own journey automotive seat. Nonetheless, should you’re flying with a child, and wish to chop down on baggage, you possibly can lease automotive seats and different child tools in Asheville (extra information beneath).
Asheville’s a small airport, and not one of the airport rental automotive corporations that I talked to provided automotive seats within the Asheville location. Alamo’s web site mentions that they’ve toddler seats, however they’re topic to availability.
The place to Keep in Asheville with a Child or Toddler
For these with no automotive, downtown’s an incredible place to remain for walkability (and it’s the simplest to get to through bus from the airport) and to seek out child pleasant accommodations in Asheville.
Renaissance Asheville Downtown Lodge has an indoor saltwater pool. They provide cribs and highchairs in keeping with their website.
Renting a spot by means of Airbnb or VRBO can also be an incredible choice. If you would like extra of a laid-back native really feel, West Asheville or Montford are nice neighborhoods to remain in, they usually comprise lots of the greatest eating places and bars on the town.
When you’ve got a automotive and don’t thoughts driving, there are extra choices farther exterior of Asheville, like Mills River, Weaverville, and Black Mountain. Whereas a bit extra distant, these areas are pretty locations with their very own particular eating places and appeal.
Many accommodations downtown have rooftop bars that make a superb setting for feeding a child, together with AC Lodge by Marriott. Be aware that parking might be costly when provided by the accommodations, so vacationers who’ve a automotive might wish to take into account staying in a close-by neighborhood as an alternative.
Getting Round
A rental automotive is greatest if touring exterior of downtown. Nonetheless, most neighborhoods in Asheville (particularly Montford and West Asheville) are very walkable. Carry a sturdy journey stroller and a child service!
What to Carry for Asheville with a Child or Toddler
When visiting Asheville, you’ll possible wish to carry a automotive seat, service, journey stroller, mountaineering footwear, and any regular journey gear.
In the event you’re staying in a lodge, there’s an excellent probability they’ll have a crib, however positively affirm simply to be protected. In the event you’re staying in a rental unit, it’s possible you’ll wish to carry your personal journey crib on your child and a toddler journey mattress. I take advantage of a PeaPod journey mattress from KidCo and adore it.
When touring with little infants, I favor to make use of a child service for journey, however downtown Asheville and most neighborhoods are stroller-friendly. My go-to journey stroller when child will get too heavy is the Besrey Child Stroller — it’s a light-weight journey stroller and tremendous simple to open.
Almost all eating places I’ve visited have excessive chairs, however should you favor to carry your personal — or should you want one whereas staying in your rental unit — there are nice transportable excessive chair choices that weigh lower than a pound.
Some eating places and breweries have altering tables, however it’s most likely greatest to carry a transportable altering pad, as you’ll possible run into locations with out one.
Asheville has many grocery shops for child provides. In the event you want child formulation or a selected model of child provides, your greatest guess is likely one of the bigger grocery shops like Harris Teeter, Ingles, or Publix, that are sprinkled all through city.
In the event you simply want diapers or wipes, you will discover them — together with an incredible choice of bulk meals and native produce — on the superb French Broad Co-op downtown.
In the event you plan to do some mountaineering round Asheville with a child or toddler, an excellent child mountaineering service will allow you to discover all the paths. You’ll additionally need to have a look by means of our recommendations on mountaineering with a child or our recommendations on mountaineering with toddlers.
We’ve got a whole packing checklist for journey with a child, however in case you are seeking to pack gentle, you possibly can simply lease your child tools in Asheville from BabyQuip.
Greatest Parks for Visiting Asheville with a Toddler
In case you are touring to Asheville with a toddler, add playgrounds to your checklist of issues to do with toddlers in Asheville. Playgrounds are a vital place to expend vitality. Listed here are my prime Asheville playgrounds:
Tempie Avery Montford Middle
This playground is most fun for older toddlers — I’d say 3 and up — however there’s a bit for youthful children as nicely (34 Pearson Dr, Montford).
Roy Pope Memorial Park
This playground ticks all the bins. It’s practically absolutely enclosed, so you possibly can let your toddler roam when you loosen up on one of many many picnic benches. There are additionally a number of playground constructions, an enormous sand pit, and a coated pagoda if it occurs to rain.
Whereas the playground itself isn’t in a scenic location, should you drive about 4 minutes east, you’ll discover a great espresso store (Excessive 5 Espresso on Riverside) proper on the river with loads of house for youths to play. And should you drive 5 minutes west, you’ll discover the Beaver Lake Chook Sanctuary, which is an excellent place to go for a brief stroll (45 Jonestown Rd, Woodfin).
Provider Park
That is an old-school picket playground that’s hidden throughout the large Provider Park. In the event you’re seeking to kill a while, go right here and luxuriate in a pleasant stroll close to the French Broad river. Be aware that you need to stroll up and down a bridgeway to get to the playground itself, which sits in the course of a big oval bike monitor (220 Amboy Rd, West Asheville).
Kenilworth Park, Malvern Hills Park, and Herb Watts Park even have nice playgrounds!
Greatest Issues to do in Asheville with a Toddler
Visiting breweries and artwork museums are a few of our favourite issues to do right here with our youngsters. These may not sound like sometimes kid-friendly actions, however Asheville’s nice in the best way that they cater to households, and that’s why it’s so enjoyable to go to! Canine are additionally very welcome right here.
Under is an inventory of issues to do with toddlers and infants whereas visiting Asheville:
Toddler-friendly Breweries in Asheville
If it’s good climate exterior and also you’re seeking to loosen up, it’s onerous to beat hanging exterior at one of many dozens of breweries. A number of of our favourite kid-friendly breweries embody Hello-Wire (Massive High location and RAD Beer Backyard areas), Wedge Brewing Firm (all areas), Sweeten Creek Brewing, Asheville Brewing Firm (each areas), and Highland Brewing (the oldest brewery on the town!).
New Belgium is one among our favorites, because it sits on a spacious discipline that’s principally fenced in, so children can roam round freely. New Belgium can also be an authorized B Corp, and all of their suggestions go to a charity.
In the event you’re prepared to go exterior of metropolis limits, there are extra improbable family-friendly breweries between 20 – 60 minutes away which might be much more spacious and infrequently much less crowded: Fonta Flora Farm, Daring Rock, and Sierra Nevada.
When you’ve got a child who’s crawling or a toddler, I might go for breweries on grassy fields like New Belgium, Sweeten Creek, and Fonta Flora (they’ll get very soiled in the event that they crawl across the Hello-Wire ground or Asheville Brewing Firm ground).
Asheville Household Photoshoot
A household photoshoot is a wonderful method to protect reminiscences out of your journey to Asheville! Get $25 off your first Flytographer picture shoot.
Toddler-friendly Museums in Asheville
The museums make glorious Asheville toddler actions and are locations we frequent usually!
Asheville Artwork Museum
If it’s chilly or wet out, one among my favourite issues to do is take my 3-year-old to the Asheville Artwork Museum. In case your child likes to attract or construct with blocks, they’ll love the youngsters’ room there. Or in case your child is like mine, they’ll like to press all of the buttons within the art-filled elevators and spend the remainder of the time consuming cookies within the café.
Asheville Museum of Science
One other nice museum for youths is the Asheville Museum of Science (AMOS), which is true downtown. It’s small, however my toddler has entertained himself on the water station for a beautiful stretch of time.
Greatest Hikes round Asheville with a Child or Toddler
I’ll be sincere. I don’t get very far on my hikes with my 3-year-old. However after we want a break from being inside, one among our favourite locations to go is Bent Creek.
Bent Creek is near downtown and free to enter. My child likes to throw rocks within the creek, and I really like to sit down and benefit from the peacefulness.
In case your child or toddler stays in a mountaineering service, you may need success with longer hikes exterior of the town. One among my favorites is the Craggy Pinnacle Path off the Blue Ridge Parkway.
The WNC Nature Middle is one other good spot to go to, particularly in case your child loves animals! There’s a close-by playground as nicely.
Asheville Vacationers Minor League Baseball Staff
One among our favourite issues to do within the spring and summer time is watch our native minor league baseball staff, the Asheville Vacationers.
Whereas it’s practically unimaginable that we get by means of all 9 innings with the youngsters (we’re fortunate if we get by means of 3) it’s enjoyable to spend any period of time there. You may stroll as much as the stadium on the day of the sport and get tickets for lower than $8.
Lots of the video games supply promotions or a particular theme — like Household Enjoyable Day or Doggies on the Diamond — so verify the schedule forward of time.
Greatest Household Eating places in Asheville
Asheville is thought for its scrumptious meals. Now that we’ve got a not-so-quiet toddler, we are inclined to eat on the breweries, since they’re spacious and children can run round and be loud. All of the breweries talked about above both have meals vehicles or in-house menus.
In the event you’re touring to Asheville with a child, or somebody who can sit by means of a meal, these are our prime picks of kid-friendly eating places in Asheville with scrumptious meals.
Greatest pizza: 828 Household Pizzeria or White Labs Brewing Co
Greatest pub meals with TVs: Daring Rock (downtown) or WALK (West Asheville Lounge & Kitchen)
Greatest tacos: Taco Billy, Zia’s meals truck (240 Depot Avenue), or Zia’s
Greatest breakfast meals: Liberty Home Café or Zia’s meals truck (240 Depot Avenue)
Greatest curry: Blue Dream Curry Home – an incredible place that pledges to all the time pay staff a residing wage
Greatest coated & outside eating places: Zia’s for New Mexican meals or Tupelo Honey (south location on Hendersonville Rd) for conventional Southern meals. Asheville Brewing Firm downtown additionally has an incredible coated outside part.
The northern location of Asheville Brewing Firm on Merrimon Ave. has dozens of arcades and even a movie show, so should you’re OK with indoors, that’s additionally an incredible place for youths — even when they’re loud.)
Remaining Journey Ideas: The Biltmore with Infants
The Biltmore home is likely one of the extra well-known vacationer points of interest in Asheville and all the time well-liked on the Asheville household actions lists. Whereas we love sometimes visiting the encircling property space, I’ve to confess I’ve by no means really been inside the home itself.
In the event you plan to go to the 250-room mansion with a toddler or child, know that it will possibly get crowded, and different vacationers have famous that it isn’t very stroller-friendly. Nonetheless, the Biltmore gardens and the encircling panorama are completely stunning, and probably well worth the costly entrance payment you probably have time.
I might suggest devoting a lot of the day to exploring the gardens and the inexperienced home. You may simply use an toddler journey stroller across the strolling paths. We additionally discovered the vineyard to be baby-friendly — though I don’t plan to take my toddler there anytime quickly.
And at last, earlier than leaving city, I like to recommend choosing up some treats from French Broad Goodies. Their truffles and chocolate bars are completely scrumptious and responsibly sourced!
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Megan Zehnder
Megan Zehnder is a content material strategist primarily based out of Asheville, North Carolina. She spends most of her days making content material extra accessible and clear for readers. Exterior of labor, she likes to find new areas together with her household, charge playgrounds, and conceal greens in cookies.
Celine Brewer is the proprietor of Child Can Journey. Not solely does she have years of expertise touring with infants & toddlers, however she’s helped tens of millions of recent mother and father journey with their infants and toddlers for over a decade. Along with writing on her child journey weblog, she has shared her experience on touring with a child or toddler by contributing to articles about touring with a child with the Washington Submit, USA At this time, the Lonely Planet journal and Being pregnant & New child journal.
Celine additionally writes about household journey on the location FamilyCanTravel.com, which she co-owns together with her husband. Being from the Canadian Rockies, she shares her ardour about her house and journey to Banff Nationwide Park and space on their website TravelBanffCanada.com.
