Nestled between the Great Smoky Mountains and the Blue Ridge Mountains, this city offers the most beautiful natural sites, breathtaking landscapes, and plenty of recreational activities for your family to enjoy. So, to help you with planning the perfect summer itinerary, we narrowed down the list of the most fun things to do in Asheville with kids this summer.
How to Make the Most of the Last Few Weeks of Summer
1. Take a Tour of Biltmore Estate
If you're thinking that America's largest private home isn't going to make your Asheville with kids itinerary, you may be surprised to learn just how kid-friendly the Vanderbilt's Biltmore Estate really is.
The whole family can spend an entire day at the estate, starting with touring the main house. While young children may not appreciate the architecture, they will love the basement bowling alley, pool, and oversized children's nursery.
For older children, it's a great learning experience and there's an audio tour narrated by Cedric, the Vanderbilt family's Saint Bernard. Beyond the house tour, your family can spend time visiting the gardens and Biltmore trails.
In the Antler Hill Village, kids can enjoy the Pisgah Playground and Biltmore Farmyard. While Biltmore Estate is a more expensive kids' activity, it's worth the ticket price for the abundance of things you can do on the estate.
2. Zipline, Mountain Bike, and Obstacle Course
Just five minutes from downtown, the Adventure Center of Asheville offers some of the top-rated adventurous activities in Asheville for kids and teens. Take in the sites of Asheville from a new perspective by soaring hundreds of feet above the ground at some of Asheville's best tree-based courses fit for kids.
KidsZip is a fun course for kids ages four to ten years old that includes nine zip lines ranging in length from 50 to 250 feet and height from ground level to 25 feet. There are also four self-guided climbing elements to enjoy.
Other activities kids can enjoy in Asheville are learning how to mountain bike, climbing through trees on an elevated obstacle course, and various white water rafting tours.
3. Spend a Weekend Hiking
Families who love an adventure know that there is no shortage of kid-friendly hikes in Asheville. Asheville is an outdoor lover's paradise because of its many scenic hiking trails, waterfalls, and mountain views. However, if you're hesitant about taking your kids on a hike, there are plenty of kid-friendly hiking trails that are fun for the whole family.
Located on the Pisgah National Forest near Old Fort, just south of I-40 is Catawba Fall. It's a beginner hiking trail along the Catawba River with a gradual uphill climb leading to one of western North Carolina's most beautiful waterfalls.
Another popular and adaptable hiking trail is DuPont State Forest which offers a multitude of hikes, including three waterfall hikes. Hooker Falls is a short hike leading down to a waterfall where kids may splash in the river and cool off during a warm summer day.
4. Visit the NC Arboretum
The NC Arboretum is a beautiful, serene, and kid-friendly Asheville spot to spend a day with the entire family. Explore the floral and tree exhibits, enjoy a hike through Bent Creek, geocaching, or explore the Nature Discover Room.
Kids can join the Arboretum's activity, ecoEXPLORE, which allows kids to discover and document plants and animals at the arboretum. If you're staying the entire day, pack a picnic lunch and check out the special events!
5. Explore the WNC Nature and Wildlife Park
Do you want to experience wildlife up close? WNC Nature Center is a family-friendly place that provides a one-of-a-kind adventure for the whole family.
Located just 10 minutes from downtown Asheville, your family can experience the 42-acre wildlife park that features award-winning exhibits that are home to 60 species of wild and domestic animals and hundreds of species of plants.
Everything that you will see is native to the Asheville area and the southern Appalachian Mountains. While you visit with the animals, enjoy the beautiful scenery from the paved, forested trails along the Swannanoa River.
Asheville Summer Camp at ELS
Summer days are long, and they should be packed with thrilling adventures and enriching outdoor activities. Summertime in Asheville and the surrounding mountains is jam-packed with family-friendly activities that will keep your youngster engaged, entertained, and knowledgeable.
One of the ways you can involve your child in fun summer activities is at Emmanuel Lutheran School. Every year from mid-June to mid-August, we offer a Christ-centered summer day camp.
We provide fun day programs for your child to grow and play throughout the summer break in a caring and safe Christian atmosphere. For more information about our summer camps or school year admissions, contact us.