Western North Carolina is known for a lot more than its outdoor adventure opportunities. While we are happy to quench your thirst for adventure, we also want you to enjoy all that Asheville, Marshall, and Hot Springs have to offer. We’ve listed some of our favorites below.
For recommendations on where to say, visit our Accommodations page.
Some businesses may still be affected by Hurricane Helene. Please be sure to call ahead to confirm hours of operation.
General Information
The following links take you to the official tourism associations for the cities and towns you’ll come across while adventuring with us. Each website shares top recommendations for things to do, seasonal events, where to stay, and, generally, what not to miss.
But we can’t leave it all to the tourism authorities. French Broad Adventures has been running trips for over 30 years, and we most certainly have our own top picks for favorite area experiences - after rafting, of course.
Not to Miss
If you have a few days in Western NC, here are our top picks for local attractions and experiences that are not to miss.
- Mad Co Tubing - Whitewater Tubing on Section 7 of the French Broad River
- Hot Springs Resort & Spa
- LaZoom Comedy Tours
- Sandy Bottom Trail Rides
- The Biltmore Estate
- Blue Ridge Parkway
- Asheville Tourists Baseball
We Eat Here
Our favorite restaurants. If you are looking for a quick bite between trips, or for after, here are some of our favorite spots.
- Big Pillow Brewing / Grey Eagle Taqueria (Hot Springs)
- Grocery - Ingles Markets has Hot bar, Salad Bar, Deli and Full Grocery Store (Marshall, Mars Hill and Hot Springs)
- MadCo. Brew House & Pizza (Marshall)
- Hickory Nut Gorge Brewing (Mars Hill)
- Star * Dinner (Marshall)
- Sweet Monkey (Marshall)
- Main Street Cafe (Marshall)
- Zadie/s Kitchen (Marshall)
- 828 Family Pizzeria (Asheville)
- The Lobster Trap (Asheville)
- The Hop Ice Cream Shop (Asheville)
- Avenue M (Asheville)
Cheers!
As you may be already aware, after outdoor adventure, Western NC is known for its craft breweries. The Asheville Ale Trail is the most comprehensive and up-to-date guide to breweries and craft beer in Western NC. Use their digital map to plan your visit. They also have printed brewery field guides available for free at hundreds of locations throughout WNC.
Where to stay
Though we don’t have accommodations for lodging on our property, we have good relationships with local campgrounds, cabins and RV sites. Go to our partner accommodations or camping and RV list for recommendations on where to stay while in the area.
Listen to This
We also boast an incredible music scene. If you’re looking for a night out, check the calendars of the following Asheville venues.
For the Whole Family
If you brought a raft-full of kiddos, there’s plenty more Asheville and WNC has to offer families. Here are our top picks for not-to-miss family-specific activities.
