Fall is one of the best times of year to experience the Asheville area, particularly for families.
Crisp mountain air greets the season with loads of festivals, family-friendly activities and one of the longest leaf-peeping seasons in the nation. From outdoor experiences and fall hikes to seasonal treats and spooky adventures, there are plenty of kid-friendly fall activities to do in Asheville, North Carolina.
Fall Festivals & Events
Asheville's fall calendar is packed full of harvest celebrations, craft fairs and more. Family favorites include:
ASAP Farm Tour | Sept. 20 & 21, 2025 – Learn how food is grown and raised in Western North Carolina during this annual event. Twenty-four working farms located within an hour of Asheville will be open to the public for guided tours, demonstrations, hands-on activities and tastings that are all family-friendly. Spanish language tours will be offered at several farms. It's a self-drive experience, so you map out your itinerary and don't forget the cooler, because there are lots of farm-fresh goods available for purchase. Passes, which include all passengers in a single vehicle, are $35 in advance and $45 during the weekend (pending availability).
Eliada Fall Festival and Corn Maze | Sept. 26 - Nov. 1, 2025 (Friday–Sunday) – Enjoy family fun and make memories all while helping the children at Eliada. One hundred percent of the proceeds from this event supports basic needs and developmental programming for local children of all ages. Families can explore the eight-acre corn maze and partake in fall-themed activities like corn cannons, a bouncy pillow, lawn games, and hayrides. Food trucks will be on site and pumpkins will be available for purchase.
Haunted Trail at Adventure Center of Asheville | October 3 & 4, 10 & 11, 17-19, 23-26, 2025 – Experience a family-friendly heart pumping walk with live actors, spooky sounds and spectacular props. Younger ghouls can enjoy the (actor-free) “Sweet Peek Tour” of the Trail at 6:30 p.m. In addition, families can take a climb on the Treetops Adventure Park Aerial Glow Trail, which is illuminated with thousands of colored twinkle and laser lights.
LEAF Global Arts Festival | Oct. 16-19, 2025 – The biannual LEAF festival is a spirited family-friendly celebration of Asheville's local and global communities. The weekend is filled with dozens of musical acts from around the world, kid-friendly activities, arts and crafts, water sports, giant slides and more. Plus, parents can drop off their little ones at the Elfhaven Childcare area to allow time for parents to go and play, too.
Outdoor Fall Adventures
One of best ways for families to experience fall in Asheville is by exploring the great outdoors. Fortunately, there are numerous opportunities to experience nature — all while enjoying Asheville's stunning fall foliage. For families with little ones or novice hikers, there are several easy hiking trails near Asheville, including the Asheville Botanical Gardens, Black Balsam and Pink Beds. Bring your own bikes or rent from a local bike shop and go for a ride at Richmond Hill Park. This newly upgraded park includes a community picnic shelter and restroom facilities, a disc golf course, as well as easy hiking and biking trails.
Immerse yourself in Asheville's fall glory by taking it to the trees. Zipline your way through the Blue Ridge Mountains on the Mountaintop Tour at Navitat Canopy Adventures, a side-by-side experience for ages five and older. Less than five minutes from downtown Asheville, the Adventure Center of Asheville offers family aerial fun with its Canopy Zipline Tours (ages 8+), Kid Zip (ages 4-10), and at its Treetops Park (ages 4+). The Adventure Center also is home to Kolo Bike Park. With four miles of rolling mountain bike trails with singletrack, pump tracks, and a dirt jump zone, there's something for every level of rider. They rent bikes as well.
Families can also go for a car ride along Asheville's iconic Blue Ridge Parkway, America's favorite drive. There are plenty of overlooks along the way, providing families easy access to see some of Asheville's incredible fall views. If you want to work in a little more exercise, take a scenic family walk along the Reed Creek Greenway near the historic Montford Neighborhood or go for a stroll around Lake Louise in Weaverville.
Family-friendly Autumn Attractions
There are plenty of things to do in Asheville year-round, but these attractions are especially fun for families to explore during fall:
LaZoom – Take a ride on Asheville's "Big Purple Bus!" This iconic bus tour combines history, comedy (and a few nuns) for an immersive experience throughout downtown Asheville. Every Saturday in October, LaZoom offers its Lil Boogers Kids Comedy Tour, appropriate for ages five and up.
Craggy Mountain Line – Go back in time on a historic train car on the Craggy Mountain Line in Woodfin. Featuring a single train car, families can purchase tickets for the weekly Saturday ride or book a private group experience. Throughout October, Craggy Mountain Line offers a special Hayride on the Rails program.
The North Carolina Arboretum – Located just 15 minutes from downtown, the NC Arboretum provides families with a variety of ways to explore nature. There are multiple trails suitable for various ages as well as formal gardens to discover native wildflowers and learn about pollinators. The newly opened Play Woods is a dedicated area near the Education Center where little ones can build a shelter, hop stumps, walk beams, and explore, improvise, and interact. Children (ages 2-5) and their parents can sign up for the Wee Naturalists program, involving short nature walks, stories, crafts, and animal encounters; it takes place on Fridays in the fall. And opening on November 17, Danish artist Thomas Dambo's larger-than-life, interactive troll sculptures will be on display through February, 2026.
Hickory Nut Gap Farm – Take in the majestic scenery of Fairview on your way to Hickory Nut Gap Fram, which hosts a slew of family-friendly activities, including hayrides, pony rides, a trike track and sound silo with instruments for all ages. There are also pigs and piglets, chicks, and a bee observatory. In the fall, local apples, pumpkins and fresh-pressed cider are available for sale alongside the farm's house-butchered meats, locally sourced groceries and gifts.
Asheville Museum of Science – Families can incorporate a bit of science and discovery at the Asheville Museum of Science (AMOS). Located in downtown Asheville, children can discover gems, minerals, and extraterrestrial rocks, dig for fossils, learn about forest ecology through an immersive playground exhibit, and more. On Saturday afternoons, AMOS' STEAM Lab program offers hands-on learning experiences that complements the museum's exhibits and other current scientific topics.
Fall Eats & Treats
Nothing says fall like pumpkins, apples and spice. Asheville's food and beverage scene is packed full of fall flavors that will please everyone's palates.
Start your day (and bellies) off right with breakfast at Biscuit Head in West Asheville or Biltmore Village. Dig into one of their famous cathead biscuits and cover it with one of their five specialty gravies or lather it with their homemade jams, like peach rosemary or apple pie. If you're looking for something sweeter, grab some specialty doughnuts at Vortex downtown or Hole in West Asheville.
Head over to the WNC Farmer's Market to get a full fall experience. You can purchase local produce, including pumpkins, gourds and apples, as well as specialty jellies, jams and honey. You'll also find local artisans selling handcrafted goods. If you're hungry, grab a bite at the Moose Cafe for a true Southern farm-to-table dining experience.
In the afternoon, treat your kiddos to some of Asheville's best ice cream. In the fall, The Hop (with locations in North Asheville, West Asheville, Black Mountain and downtown) offers several fall flavors, including Purple Sweet Potato, Asian Pear Miso Caramel, Pumpkin, and Pawpaw. And October 24-31, 2025, The Haunted Hop Ice Cream Halloween Spooktacular serves up haunted-themed ice cream and bubble tea flavors like "Shattered Glass" (crème brûlee ice cream with brûleed sugar) and Vampire's Blood sparkling strawberry lemonade tea. There's also a costume contest.
Round out your evening with some homemade pizza – and catch a movie, too! Asheville Pizza & Brewing's North Asheville location offers pizza, sandwiches, salads and of course, craft beer. With a large game room in the back, as well as a dine-in movie theater playing kid-friendly matinees and free showings, Asheville Brewing is one of Asheville's top family-friendly spots. If you need a larger space for the kids to run, check out Creekside Taphouse in East Asheville. This family-friendly local restaurant has a volleyball court, a kids play area, outdoor seating and shallow creek that runs along the property.
Know Before You Go
For families traveling, it's always important to plan ahead. Check out these inside tips to ensure you have the best fall experience in Asheville:
Dress in layers – Temperatures can vary throughout the day in Asheville, particularly when you are hiking in higher elevations. Bring extra layers, including a rain jacket, socks and sunscreen.
Start early – The fall season in Asheville is very busy. Beat the crowds by hitting the trails early. Get to the trailhead by 9 a.m. or earlier.
Go during the week – Another way to beat the crowds during fall is by visiting during the week. Many local breweries and restaurants also offer weekday-only trivia and game nights, too.
Visit local parks and playgrounds – Grab a snack and take a break at one of Asheville's parks and playgrounds. There is still plenty of fall foliage to explore nearby and you can avoid larger crowds. Pick up a charcuterie box from South Slope Cheese or visit French Broad Co-op for locally-sourced foods and goodies.
