Spring is when Asheville wakes up in color, with fresh green on the Blue Ridge Mountains, bright blooms in the gardens, and a little extra energy in the air.
Spring is also an invitation to reset your pace. Wander through gardens filled with thousands of flowers, book a wellness experience that gets you outside, and taste the season through restaurants and markets that keep things local. Whether you’re returning for another round or seeing Asheville with fresh eyes, this is a season made for reconnecting with nature, creativity, and a city that’s always evolving.
What are the best things to do in spring in Asheville?
Spring at Biltmore
Spring arrives in style in the Biltmore gardens, where over 100,000 flowers roll out in waves—daffodils first, then tulips, with azaleas stealing the show as the season unfolds. Stroll through the Conservatory, a stately greenhouse in the Walled Garden, to see countless varieties of elegant orchids. Designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted (also known for Central Park), the gardens are an easy way to spend a spring day.
Spring at Biltmore runs March 26–May 21, 2026, and garden access is included with admission. For more details, see our full guide to Spring at Biltmore.
Gardens in Asheville
In a garden-lover’s paradise, the North Carolina Arboretum is a must, especially in spring, when the Quilt Garden turns local craft heritage into living patterns of color. It’s also conveniently close to the Blue Ridge Parkway, making it easy to pair gardens with a scenic drive.
Just five minutes from downtown Asheville, step into an urban oasis at the Asheville Botanical Garden. Located adjacent to the campus of the University of North Carolina at Asheville, you’ll find dozens of wildflowers along the well-maintained trails.
And don’t skip Asheville’s “secret gardens,” many hidden in plain sight—community spaces and historic-home gardens that reward slow wandering.
Spring Hikes
Hiking at Craggy Pinnacle by Jared Kay
More species of plants can be found in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Asheville than in any other area of similar size in North America, which means spring shows up on the trail in full color—painted trillium, pink shell azaleas, redbuds, and plenty more if you keep your eyes open. Use our list of top spring hikes to chase wildflowers, or jump into the Asheville Hike Finder to filter routes by difficulty, trail length, and distance from downtown.
Whether you’re hiking or driving the Blue Ridge Parkway, spring is prime picnic season. Pick up a basket of local goods from The Rhu or book a curated setup with Parkway Picnics and let the views do the rest.
Photo Tours
Spring in Asheville is camera-ready—blooms, misty ridgelines, and that soft light that makes everything feel a little more alive. On a photo tour, WNC Photo Tours guides you into the season at its best, with tips and perspective most visitors won’t find on their own.
See our guide to top spring tours in Asheville for more ways to explore with a local expert.
Soak in Asheville’s Wellness Culture
Spring is a good time to come back to yourself. Join Asheville Wellness Tours for a forest bathing experience with a certified guide, designed to help you slow down, tune in, and leave the noise behind.
If you want movement with your views, Asheville Wellness Tours and Namaste in Nature both offer yoga hikes that blend gentle effort with mountain air—sometimes with waterfalls, sometimes with wide-open overlooks.
Prefer a less active reset? Book time at Shoji Spa—outdoors in the treetops—or visit a local salt cave like Asheville Salt Cave or Salt Spa of Asheville. For a quick refresh, Recline & Unwind Social Spa offers short, focused treatments that fit easily into a day of exploring.
See our guide to spas and wellness in Asheville for more ways to treat yourself.
Walking Trails
Spring doesn’t only live in the mountains—it shows up in town, too. Redbuds bloom along the Asheville Urban Trail, a 1.7-mile self-guided walk through the city’s history and architecture. As you explore, purchase a one-of-kind gift at a local shop, savor a meal on an outdoor dining patio at a restaurant or stroll through the museums and galleries.
To learn more about Asheville’s Black history and culture, join a walking tour with Hood Huggers or explore the Asheville Black Cultural Heritage Trail.
Where should you eat in spring in Asheville?
Taste the Season
Asheville is known as Foodtopia for a reason. Farm-to-table isn’t a trend here; it’s the baseline. Restaurants like Neng Jr.'s, Corner Kitchen, and Red Stag Grill lean into local ingredients, while Biltmore’s gardens and fields help supply the estate’s restaurants with produce and meats. Breweries such as Turgua Brewing Company and Zebulon Artisan Ales, and cocktail bar Red Ribbon Society, even tap into the local harvest for their drinks.
Want to take the season ... literally? No Taste Like Home offers foraging tours that end with a chef-prepared meal built around what you gathered, bringing spring from the forest to the table.
Al Fresco Dining
When the weather softens, Asheville takes its meals outside. Patios fill up, rooftop bars open, and tables spill onto sidewalks. Sidewalk tables around Pack Square fill up fast (Posana is a favorite for prime people-watching), and cozy patios like Battery Park Book Exchange make a glass of bubbles feel like a little discovery.
In Biltmore Village, Corner Kitchen’s patio turns spring evenings into a slow ritual, and if you’re chasing views with your dinner, rooftops like Hemingway’s Cuba, the Flat Iron Rooftop, Soprana, and The Roof at The Radical put the skyline—and sometimes the French Broad—right in the frame. It’s the kind of dining that pairs naturally with spring: long lunches, unhurried dinners, and the luxury of lingering while the mountains do what they do in the background.
Shop Local Spring Harvest
Spring’s not just flowers. It’s markets, honey, and the first big wave of local produce. Taste your way through all of the area's farmers markets, from the large WNC Farmers Market to local markets in West Asheville, North Asheville and more.
For something sweet (and very Asheville), stop by The Bee Charmer for honey varieties and bee-inspired gifts. And if you’re up for a scenic tasting trail, the Western North Carolina Cheese Trail makes a great spring daytrip.
Where should you stay in Asheville this spring?
No matter the season, you have your pick of great places to stay in Asheville.
Wake up in the heart of it all at one of the city's hotels and resorts, find a home away from home by staying at a cabin or other unique rental, or pair fresh local food and hospitality at at a bed & breakfast inn.
