Free Things to Do in Asheville, NC (and What Isn't Free)

The best free things to do in Asheville, North Carolina, are driving the Blue Ridge Parkway, browsing the Folk Art Center, walking the downtown Urban Trail, wandering the River Arts District and strolling the Wilma Dykeman Greenway. None of them charges an entrance fee on its official site. Two of the city's most famous attractions, Biltmore Estate and the Asheville Art Museum, are not free, and we say so below.

Which famous Asheville attractions are actually free?

The Blue Ridge Parkway and the Folk Art Center cost nothing to enter, while Biltmore Estate and the Asheville Art Museum are paid attractions. Here is the honest sorting.

• Blue Ridge Parkway: free. The National Park Service states that no fee is charged to travel the Parkway and no entrance pass is required. Only camping carries a fee.
• Folk Art Center: no admission listed. The Southern Highland Craft Guild's official page lists no admission or parking charge, and the building sits on the fee-free Parkway at milepost 382.
• Biltmore Estate: not free. Biltmore's ticket page shows House & Grounds tickets starting at $70 and Grounds-only tickets at $85, with prices varying by date. Children 9 and under are free on those tickets. The page lists no free days.
• Asheville Art Museum: not free. General admission is $20 plus tax on the museum's official page. Children under 6, active-duty military with ID and members get in free, and Buncombe County residents can get 20% off. The museum has also listed free first-weekend admission for Bank of America cardholders through that bank's Museums on Us program, so check the museum's visit page for the current year before you count on it.
• Thomas Wolfe Memorial: not free. House tours cost $8 plus tax for adults at 52 North Market Street, per the memorial's own site.

How we chose

We kept only places inside Asheville, North Carolina, where the official site (a city page, the National Park Service, or the venue's own site) states no admission charge, or where the venue itself says entry is free. Where an official page was silent about cost, we say "lists no admission fee" instead of promising free. We left out anything we could not confirm is open. Always check the official site for hours and seasonal or storm-related closures before you go.

12 free things to do in Asheville

1. Blue Ridge Parkway and its Visitor Center (Parkway milepost 384)

The Blue Ridge Parkway is the free scenic road that runs along the mountains around Asheville, and it charges no fee to drive. The Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center at milepost 384, with a mailing address of 199 Hemphill Knob Road, Asheville, has exhibits, maps and rangers, plus a short loop that connects to the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. The Parkway is 469 miles long, per the National Park Service, and parts of it pass through and around Asheville. The NPS road-status page tells you which sections are open, so check it before you set out. Visitor center hours are not posted on the NPS page, so call 828-348-3400. Craggy Gardens, a favourite Parkway stop, is about 20 miles north near milepost 364, outside Asheville. Official site: nps.gov/blri.

2. Folk Art Center (Parkway milepost 382, East Asheville)

The Folk Art Center is the Southern Highland Craft Guild's gallery and craft shop at 382 Blue Ridge Parkway, Asheville, and its official page lists no admission charge. It is open daily, typically 10 am to 5 pm, with Guild artisans demonstrating crafts in the lobby from 10 am to 4 pm, March through December. The Guild's Allanstand Craft Shop, established in 1895, is recognized as the oldest craft shop in America. You can stand in a room full of handmade work and spend nothing. Official site: southernhighlandguild.org.

3. Asheville Urban Trail (Downtown)

The Asheville Urban Trail is a self-guided walk past 30 sculptural stations through Downtown Asheville, about 1.7 miles and about two hours according to Explore Asheville. Start at the first station in front of Pack Place on Pack Square. It works as the city's open-air history museum, and it is an outdoor sidewalk walk with no ticket booth. Official page: exploreasheville.com/urban-trail.

4. Pack Square Park (Downtown)

Pack Square Park, a City of Asheville park at 80 Court Plaza downtown, is open daily from 6 am to 10 pm and lists no usage fee. It has three sections: J. Rush Oates Plaza, Rueter Terrace and Roger McGuire Green. The Green holds the Splasheville splashpad and the WNC Veterans Memorial. It is the easiest place in the city to sit and watch downtown go by. Official page: ashevillenc.gov.

5. Shindig on the Green (Downtown, July)

Shindig on the Green is a free evening of traditional mountain music and dance on Roger McGuire Green in Pack Square Park. The Folk Heritage Committee's official page lists the cost as free, with shows on Saturdays from 7 pm to 10 pm in July, and the event has run since 1967. It is the one pick here that depends on the calendar, so check the official page for the season's dates. Official site: folkheritage.org.

6. Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center (Downtown)

The Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center at 120 College Street, downtown Asheville, is free with a suggested donation. It is typically open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 am to 5 pm, and closes on federal holidays and between exhibitions. It tells the story of the experimental art school and its influence on American art. It is our favourite free indoor art stop in town, and it sits one block from the Art Museum you would otherwise pay for. Official site: blackmountaincollege.org.

7. Grove Arcade (Downtown)

Grove Arcade at 1 Page Avenue is a downtown landmark that you can walk through at no charge, though the official site does not state a cost, so we treat it as open browsing. Developer E. W. Grove built it in 1928 and its own site says it was designed as America's first indoor shopping mall. Hours are typically Monday to Saturday 9 am to 7 pm and Sunday 10 am to 5 pm, though merchants vary. A small outdoor Makers Market sits on the south side. Official site: grovearcade.com.

8. River Arts District (River Arts District)

The River Arts District is Asheville's studio neighbourhood along the French Broad River, and its official site lists no admission fee for visiting studios and galleries. The district's site says more than 500 artists work in studios, galleries and collectives, and addresses include Roberts Street, Depot Street and Riverside Drive. Studio hours differ, so check the official site, riverartsdistrict.com, before you go. Watching a glassblower or potter work costs nothing.

9. Wilma Dykeman Greenway (River Arts District)

The Wilma Dykeman Greenway is a City of Asheville riverfront path of about 2 miles, open 6 am to 10 pm, with no fee listed. It runs through the River Arts District past the 13 Bones pedestrian bridge. The city page notes recovery work along some French Broad riverfront parks, so check it for detours. Official page: ashevillenc.gov.

10. Riverside Cemetery (Montford area, near downtown)

Riverside Cemetery at 53 Birch Street is run by the City of Asheville, is open daily 7 am to 6 pm, and lists no admission fee. The city's page names writers Thomas Wolfe and O. Henry among the people buried there, and says walking tours are available through the cemetery office. Tour cost is not listed, so ask. Official page: ashevillenc.gov.

11. Richmond Hill Park (North Asheville)

Richmond Hill Park at 300 Richmond Hill Drive is a City of Asheville park with an 18-hole disc golf course and a trail network that Pisgah Area SORBA has maintained and expanded. It lists no fee and is open 6 am to 10 pm. The city notes some trail conditions have changed, so read the page for current alerts. Official page: ashevillenc.gov.

12. Carrier Park (West Asheville)

Carrier Park at 220 Amboy Road, in the West Asheville area along the river, is a City of Asheville park that lists no entry fee and is open 6 am to 10 pm. The site was once the New Asheville Speedway, which hosted NASCAR Grand National races from 1962 to 1971, according to the city; its old asphalt track is now Carrier Park's velodrome for biking and skating. The park also has a wetlands education area, and the French Broad River Greenway runs through it. Some facilities have been closed for storm recovery, so check the city's page for what is open. Official page: ashevillenc.gov.

What does a free day in Asheville look like?

This route strings the picks together in a loop that costs nothing except gas and your own lunch.

1. 10 am: Folk Art Center on the Parkway (milepost 382). Catch a crafts demonstration in the lobby, open 10 am to 4 pm from March through December.
2. 11:30 am: Drive the Parkway two miles south to the Visitor Center at milepost 384 and ask a ranger which overlooks are open.
3. 1 pm: Drive to downtown. Walk the Urban Trail from Pack Place, stopping at Pack Square Park.
4. 3 pm: Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center on College Street, then a loop through Grove Arcade.
5. 4:30 pm: Head to the River Arts District for open studios, then walk the Wilma Dykeman Greenway until sunset.

In Asheville, the mountain road, the craft gallery and the city's best sidewalk walk all cost nothing, and the famous estate is the one that doesn't.

Where can you find more free things in Asheville?

For what is on around town, see the events calendar. To pair a free day with a meal, browse food and dining. If you do decide to splurge on Biltmore, Biltmore Village is at the gate.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Blue Ridge Parkway free in Asheville?

Yes. The National Park Service says no fee is charged to travel the Blue Ridge Parkway and no entrance pass is required. Only camping on the Parkway carries a fee.

Is Biltmore Estate free?

No. Biltmore's official ticket page shows House & Grounds tickets starting at $70 and Grounds-only tickets at $85, with prices varying by date. Children 9 and under are free on those tickets, and the page lists no free days.

Is the Asheville Art Museum free?

No, general admission is $20 plus tax per the museum's official page. Members, active-duty military with ID and children under 6 are free, and Buncombe County residents can get 20% off. Check the museum's visit page for any current free-day offers.

Is the Folk Art Center in Asheville free?

The Southern Highland Craft Guild's official page lists no admission charge for the Folk Art Center. It is open daily, typically 10 am to 5 pm, at milepost 382 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, which itself charges no entrance fee.

What is a free thing to do in downtown Asheville?

Walk the Asheville Urban Trail, a self-guided route of 30 sculptural stations covering about 1.7 miles, per Explore Asheville. Pair it with Pack Square Park and the Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center, which is free with a suggested donation.