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Fun and Facts for North Carolina Mountains, North Carolina
Know Before You Go
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At a Glance
The North Carolina Mountains boast spectacular views and encourage active involvement. Hiking, swimming, rafting, skiing, and more are all available. Asheville is the largest city in the mountain region and serves as a hub for visitors during all four seasons. Kids of all ages will appreciate Asheville's quirkiness. Street performers make music on every corner, and shop windows are filled with items ranging from traditional Appalachian crafts to new age crystals.
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When to Go
The Technicolor hues of the autumn leaves bring the biggest crowds to the North Carolina Mountains, but other seasons have their share of wonders. Spring boasts gorgeous blooming flowers along the Blue Ridge Parkway, and summer is perfect for diving into natural swimming holes and scooting down whitewater rapids. The surrounding mountains get snow in the winter, but Asheville, in a valley, rarely does. It can be a great home base for a ski or tubing trip. Arts and music festivals draw visitors to the area year round.
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Weather
The daytime highs in spring and autumn are a comfortable 68 degrees, and in summer the mercury climbs to around 83 degrees. The mountains keep Asheville's winter temperature moderate. Even in January, the low temperatures are around 24 degrees and highs reach 47 degrees on average during the day. The higher elevations in the surrounding mountains can get quite a bit colder. Mountain roads can quickly ascend more than 1,000 feet and the weather can change dramatically. View more weather info.
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Getting There
Visitors to the North Carolina Mountains typically fly into Asheville Regional Airport (AVL), which is just 15 minutes from downtown and is serviced by many major airlines. Asheville is located right next to I-26 and just five minutes from I-40. Greyhound buses also service this area.
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Getting Around
Touring the mountains requires a car. Keep in mind that distances in the mountains take longer to get to than you might think from looking on a map, and the Blue Ridge Parkway and other mountain roads are long and twisty.
Driving in Asheville is generally easy, and parking is readily available except during major festivals. Downtown Asheville is small enough that you can walk from place to place, and bus service is available to areas outside of downtown. Learn more on the Asheville website.
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Festivals & Events
Many festivals in Asheville focus on music, art, and traditional Appalachian culture, including the following fetes. Check each one's website or ExploreAsheville.com for exact dates and information.
- Bele Chere (July)
- Shindig on the Green (July-Sept.)
- Mountain Dance and Folk Festival (Aug.)
- Craft Fairs of the Southern Highlands (July; Oct.)
- Goombay! (Aug.)
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Helpful Info
Asheville's official tourism site, ExploreAsheville.com, has information to help with visits.
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Deals & Discounts
The Adventure Coupon Book contains coupons for some of Asheville's popular attractions, as well as hotels and restaurants.
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Fun Facts
- Celebrities Andy McDowell and Harry Anderson live in Asheville.
- Zelda Fitzgerald, artist and wife of F. Scott Fitzgerald, died in a fire in a mental hospital in Asheville in 1948.
- Asheville was the home of writer Thomas Wolfe.
- The 1800 census shows that Asheville included 25 free people and 13 slaves.
Pre-Trip Fun
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Watch
"Richie Rich" -- This movie, based on the cartoon and comic of the same name, was filmed in and around the four-acre Biltmore Estate. Take the tour, but don't expect to see the poor little rich boy. (Preschoolers and Up)
"The Adventures of Ociee Nash" -- Get inspired by Ociee's spirited nature, then check out Charlotte Street in Asheville (where the real "Ociee" lived in 1898) and nearby Manor Inn. (School Age and Up)
"Forrest Gump" -- If any of the surrounding mountains or the road approaching Biltmore in Asheville seem familiar, your kids may recognize it from this well-known film. (School Age and Up)
"A Walk to Remember" -- Check the local listings for school plays -- a main plot point in this screen version of Nicholas Sparks' popular teen novel -- while you're in town; the kids will like seeing their peers perform and it's a great way to get a sense of local living. (School Age and Up)
"Thunder Road" -- After seeing the car-chase scene of this Robert Mitchum movie filmed entirely in Asheville, the kids will beg you to go faster on those mountain roads. (Pre-Teens and Up)
"The Last of the Mohicans" -- Give kids a glimpse of the epic scenery that awaits them. James Fenimore Cooper's epic tale (though set in upstate New York) was actually filmed in the Blue Ridge Mountains and various locales in and around Asheville. Once there, head to Looking Glass Falls for rock climbing and waterfall fun. (Pre-Teens and Up)
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Eat
Pan-Fried Trout -- Your family's biggest decision will be whether to try fly fishing or combine a float and hike for a fishing tour.
Cookie Apple Cobbler -- Visit an orchard or keep your eyes peeled for an apple festival; they, like the state's delicious apples, are in abundance.
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Read
"T Is for Tar Heel: A North Carolina Alphabet" by Carol Crane -- Accompanied by beautiful watercolor illustrations, this book will excite kids to see all that North Carolina has to offer, from the Appalachian Mountains to the Vanderbilt-built Biltmore mansion. (Ages 4 to 8)
"When I Was Young in the Mountains" by Cynthia Rylant -- Kids will be ready for life in the mountains after reading this lovely story with illustrations that are just as sweet. (Ages 4 to 8)
"North Carolina (Hello USA)" by Andrea Schulz -- This easy-to-read book filled with maps and photographs is the perfect introduction to North Carolina; have your kids look through it and make a list of places they'd like to visit. (Ages 8 to 12)
"The Jack Tales" by Richard Chase -- Introduce your kids to the oral tradition of storytelling with these tales, handed down from generation to generation in the mountains of North Carolina. Then ask them to recount a highlight of the trip during the car trip home. (Ages 9 to 12)
"The Mystery of the Biltmore House" by Carole Marsh -- Part of the "Real Kids, Real Places" series, this book will hold your kids captive and excite them about seeing the actual house (okay, mansion) with their own eyes. (Ages 9 to 12)
"Ghost Girl: A Blue Ridge Mountain Story" by Delia Ray -- Before your kids go swimming in that stream, give them a better understanding of what it's like to grow up in a small mountain community. (Ages 9 to 12)
"Dovey Coe" by Frances O'Roark Dowell -- Meet Dovey, the 12-year-old narrator, who tells it like it is. It's a great story and your kids will love her mountain drawl and cadence of speech. (Ages 9 to 12)
"Cold Mountain" by Charles Frazier -- Your teen will be glued to this piece of historical fiction, a heartbreaking book about a journey through the mountains of North Carolina. If you see Inman along your travels, give him a ride, would ya? (Ages 13 and Up)
"Fashionable Asheville: Volumes One and Two" by David Coleman Bailey -- Older kids will enjoy exploring this social and architectural history of the Asheville it was before it became the trendy town it is. (Ages 15 and Up)
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Make
Slinky Drum -- Your kids will be ready to join in Asheville's Friday night drum circle with this little number.
Paper Quilt Square -- After making one of these, your kids will have a better appreciation for the handmade quilts they'll see.
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