A 3-Day Asheville Itinerary: Biltmore, The Grove Park Inn, Great Food & Spa Time
I recently spent a long weekend in Asheville, North Carolina, and it turned out to be the perfect combination of things I love about a getaway: a beautiful hotel, great food, a little history and culture, and plenty of time to relax.
We spent three nights at the Omni Grove Park Inn, visited the Biltmore Estate, had some really memorable meals, wandered around downtown Asheville, and spent an entire afternoon at the Grove Park Inn spa. We also did it all without renting a car, which worked surprisingly well for this particular itinerary.
This isn't an Asheville itinerary where I tried to squeeze every possible attraction into three days. One of my favorite things about the trip was actually having enough downtime to enjoy where we were.
If you're planning a long weekend in Asheville, here's how I would do it.
Where to Stay: Omni Grove Park Inn
For this trip, we stayed at the Omni Grove Park Inn, and overall, I thought it was a great choice.
The hotel itself is an experience. It's enormous, historic and has beautiful mountain views, with plenty of places to sit and have a drink or simply enjoy the property.
One of my favorite spots was the Great Hall, especially the enormous fireplace. It's such a beautiful, cozy space and one of those places where you can easily linger for a while.
I also loved the President's Lounge. It's roughly between Vue 1913 and The Edison and is a much calmer place to watch the sunset. It isn't outdoors like Sunset Terrace, but I actually preferred it for a more relaxed drink.
The one downside? The Grove Park Inn gets busy. The hotel hosts a lot of weddings, conferences and other events, so there can be a lot going on. If you're looking for a quiet, intimate boutique hotel, this probably isn't it. But if you want a destination hotel with plenty to do and don't mind a little activity, I think it's a great option.
And if you're staying here, definitely make time for the spa.
Our 3-Day Asheville Itinerary
Thursday: Check In, Explore the Grove Park Inn & Dinner at Vue 1913
We arrived in Asheville Thursday afternoon and headed straight to the Omni Grove Park Inn.
After checking in, we spent some time exploring the property and taking in the mountain views. One of my favorite things about a hotel like this is that you don't necessarily need a packed agenda right away. Grab a drink, walk around, find a comfortable chair and settle in.
For our first night, we had dinner at Vue 1913, and I'm very glad we did. It was a great way to start the trip.
After dinner, we stopped by Elaine's Dueling Piano Bar, which was a fun way to end the evening.
If you want to sit close to the pianos, I'd recommend getting there early or trying to reserve seating. Otherwise, you end up somewhat separate from the main piano area.
Friday: The Grove Park Inn Spa, Downtown Asheville & Cúrate
Friday was the day I was most excited about—and it ended up being the highlight of the trip.
Start with the Grove Park Inn Spa
I booked the classic massage at the Grove Park Inn Spa, and I would absolutely do this again.
Book the spa well in advance. We booked about four months ahead and still had limited availability when trying to schedule appointments.
One of the biggest advantages is that your spa appointment gives you access to the spa facilities for the entire day, so take advantage of it. We spent four-plus hours going from pool to pool, relaxing and enjoying the outdoor hot-tub-style pool. We also had lunch there and spent some time sitting by the fire.
The weather was perfect—cool in the morning and in the 70s in the afternoon—which made the outdoor pools especially enjoyable.
A few things I was glad I brought:
A book
Sunglasses
A swimsuit
The spa provides towels, water, sunscreen and robes, so you really don't need to bring much.
My biggest Asheville recommendation: If you stay at the Grove Park Inn, don't just book a massage and leave. Give yourself several hours to enjoy the spa.
It was easily my favorite part of the trip.
Downtown Asheville
After the spa, we headed downtown and spent some time wandering around. We didn't have a huge amount of time before dinner, but it was enough to get a feel for downtown and check out some of the shops and architecture.
We also stopped for a cocktail at The Crow & Quill, which was a fun spot for a drink.
Then it was time for one of my favorite meals of the trip: Cúrate.
Dinner at Cúrate
Cúrate was outstanding.
It's a tapas restaurant, so you can try a lot of different things, and there were plenty of the traditional Spanish dishes you'd expect.
A few of my favorites were the Cerdo Ibérico and the sautéed seasonal greens. The fried eggplant was also excellent and a little more unexpected.
If Cúrate is on your Asheville list, I would make a reservation well in advance.
Saturday: Brunch, Biltmore Estate & Wine at 5 Walnut
Saturday was our Biltmore day.
We started with brunch at Corner Kitchen, which worked particularly well because it's on the way to the Biltmore Estate.
Visiting Biltmore Estate
This was my first visit to Biltmore, and the estate is huge.
We did the house tour and explored the gardens. The house tour was worth doing, but it was longer than I expected. You can move through some areas fairly quickly, particularly the third floor, which is primarily bedrooms. If it's crowded, though, you may not have much choice but to move at the pace of others.
We didn't make it to the winery or spend much time at Antler Hill Village—not because we didn't want to, but simply because there is so much to see. You really could spend an entire day here.
There is a trolley that can help you get around the property, although my understanding is that there is now an additional charge for it.
One practical tip: You need a ticket to get onto the Biltmore grounds, so don't just show up. We actually purchased our tickets the day we visited, and that worked well for us. If you know your dates and want a specific tour time, I'd still recommend planning ahead.
If you're visiting Biltmore for the first time, I'd give yourself most of a day if possible. There is more here than you can realistically see in a couple of hours.
Wine, Cheese & Live Music at 5 Walnut
After Biltmore, we headed downtown and stopped at 5 Walnut Wine Bar.
This ended up being one of my favorite little stops of the weekend. We had wine, ordered a cheese plate (always a good idea in my book), and there was a local band playing live music.
It was exactly the kind of low-key Asheville experience I enjoy—good wine, good food and live music without having to make a whole production out of it.
Dinner: Chestnut
We originally had dinner reservations at Rhubarb, but after getting recommendations from two different people, we decided to switch to Chestnut.
And this is where I'm going to be honest: Chestnut was probably our least favorite meal of the weekend.
There was absolutely nothing wrong with it. We had a perfectly good meal. It just wasn't as memorable as Vue 1913 and Cúrate, which were both excellent.
Sunday: Brunch & Head Home
Our last morning was intentionally easy.
If you have time before your flight, Asheville has plenty of good brunch options. We had considered Blue Ridge, but with our departure time, we kept the morning fairly relaxed.
Then it was off to Asheville Regional Airport.
And just like that, our long weekend was over.
My Favorite Parts of Asheville
If I had to narrow the weekend down to the things I'd absolutely repeat, my list would be:
1. The Grove Park Inn Spa
This was the highlight. The combination of the massage, pools, outdoor relaxation areas and mountain setting made it feel like a real getaway rather than simply a hotel amenity.
2. Cúrate
One of the best meals of the trip. Come hungry and order dishes to share.
3. Biltmore Estate
Even though we didn't get to everything, I'm glad we went. The house and gardens were beautiful, and it's one of those places that is genuinely worth seeing at least once.
4. 5 Walnut Wine Bar
Wine + cheese + live music = a pretty perfect afternoon stop.
5. Simply enjoying the Grove Park Inn
The hotel is busy, but it's also beautiful. I really enjoyed having time to wander around the property, sit by the fireplace in the Great Hall and find different places to enjoy the views.
Can You Visit Asheville Without a Car?
For this itinerary, yes.
We used Uber throughout the weekend and had no problems getting around. Downtown Asheville is close enough to the Grove Park Inn that rides were easy, and Biltmore was also a straightforward Uber ride.
That said, I'd rent a car if your goal is to explore more of the surrounding area.
If you want to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway, visit more of the mountains, or hike somewhere farther outside Asheville, having a car would give you much more flexibility.
For a long weekend focused on the Grove Park Inn, downtown Asheville and Biltmore, though, I didn't miss having one.
A Few Asheville Tips Before You Go
Book the Grove Park Inn Spa early
We booked about four months in advance and still had limited appointment availability. If the spa is important to your trip, book it as soon as you know your dates.
Bring layers
We visited in late September and had cool mornings followed by afternoons in the 70s. The weather was fantastic, but there was a noticeable temperature difference throughout the day.
Give Biltmore more time than you think
The estate is enormous. We did the house and gardens but didn't make it to the winery, simply because there wasn't enough time.
If Biltmore is a priority, I'd plan for most of a day.
Don't over plan your Asheville itinerary
This is probably my biggest takeaway.
There is plenty to do in Asheville—breweries, restaurants, hiking, the Blue Ridge Parkway, Biltmore and more—but you don't need to do all of it in one weekend.
We actually had a pretty relaxed schedule, and that meant we had time to enjoy the hotel, spend four-plus hours at the spa, have leisurely meals and wander without constantly checking the clock.
And for me, that's a much better vacation.
Would I Go Back to Asheville?
Yes.
I think Asheville works particularly well for a long weekend because you can make the trip as active or relaxed as you want. You can spend your days hiking and exploring the Blue Ridge Parkway, or you can spend half a day at a spa and then go out for an excellent dinner.
For this trip, we chose a little bit of both.
I loved the combination of the Grove Park Inn, Biltmore, great food and plenty of downtime. And while there are definitely more things I'd like to see and do in Asheville, I never felt like we were racing from one activity to the next.
Sometimes that's exactly what you want from a three-day getaway.
Planning your own Asheville escape? Reach out to plan your journey today.
