Asheville with Toddlers: Baby-Friendly Tips

Asheville’s mountain charm and laid-back vibe make it a great place to travel with a toddler. My husband and I have lived here for a little over 8 years. Since that time, I’ve been refining a list of my favorite parks, breweries, restaurants, and museums. If you plan to visit Asheville with a toddler or baby, this guide covers everything from where to stay to the best toddler activities in Asheville.

I got more particular about this list once I had kids. My 10-month-old and 3-year-old are active and curious, so we like places that are spacious, safe to explore, and fun for all of us. We also try to support places that pay a living wage and give back to the community, and we encourage visitors to do the same when they can.

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Getting to Asheville with a Baby or Toddler

Flying into Asheville Regional Airport

The Asheville airport (AVL) is small, and there aren’t many direct flights into it. You could also consider flying into Charlotte, North Carolina (CLT), or Greenville-Spartanburg in South Carolina (GSP). Both are within driving distance of Asheville.

Unfortunately, there are very few public transit options to get between these cities and Asheville as of writing, so renting a car is likely your best bet. We generally prefer flying into AVL, since it’s only a 15-minute drive to the downtown area.

Renting a Car, Transit, and Car Seats

For families visiting Asheville with a baby or toddler, I recommend renting a car for the most flexibility.

If you prefer public transit, ART’s S3 South 3 route connects the airport area with ART Station in downtown Asheville. Check the current schedule before relying on it, since frequency can be limited.

I almost always bring my own travel car seat. However, if you’re flying with a baby, and need to cut down on luggage, you can rent car seats and other baby equipment in Asheville (more info on your rental options below).

When I checked, the airport rental car companies I contacted did not offer car seats at their Asheville location. Alamo’s website mentions that they have toddler seats, but they are subject to availability.

Where to Stay in Asheville with a Baby or Toddler

Downtown Asheville

Without a car, downtown is the easiest place to stay. It’s walkable, easier to reach by bus from the airport, and has several baby-friendly hotels.

Renaissance Asheville Downtown Hotel has an indoor saltwater pool which also offers cribs and highchairs.

West Asheville and Montford

Getting a vacation rental in Asheville is also a great option for families. If you want more of a laid-back local feel, West Asheville or Montford are great neighborhoods to stay in, and they contain many of the best restaurants and bars in town.

Nearby Towns with More Space

If you have a car and don’t mind driving, there are more options farther outside of Asheville, like Mills River, Weaverville, and Black Mountain. While a bit more remote, these areas are lovely places with their own special restaurants and charm.

Getting Around Asheville with a Toddler

A rental car is best if you plan to explore outside downtown. That said, many Asheville neighbourhoods, especially Montford and West Asheville, are very walkable. Bring a sturdy travel stroller and a baby carrier.

What to Bring for Asheville with a Baby or Toddler

Car Seats, Strollers, and Carriers

When visiting Asheville, you’ll likely want to bring a car seat, carrier, travel stroller, hiking shoes, and your usual baby or toddler travel gear.

When travelling with a young baby, I prefer using a baby carrier for travel, but downtown Asheville and many neighbourhoods are stroller-friendly. My go-to travel stroller once my baby gets too heavy to carry is the Besrey Baby Stroller, which is a lightweight travel stroller and super easy to open.

Sleep Gear, High Chairs, and Baby Supplies

If you’re staying in a hotel, there’s a good chance they’ll have a crib, but definitely confirm just to be safe. If you’re staying in a rental unit, you may want to bring your own travel crib for your baby and a toddler travel bed. I use a PeaPod travel bed from KidCo and love it.

Nearly all restaurants I’ve visited in Asheville have high chairs, but if you prefer to bring your own, or if you need one while staying in your rental unit, there are great portable high chair options that weigh less than a pound.

Some restaurants and breweries have changing tables, but it’s probably best to bring a portable changing pad, as you’ll likely run into places without one.

Asheville has many grocery stores for baby supplies. If you need baby formula or a specific brand of baby supplies, your best bet is one of the larger grocery stores like Harris Teeter, Ingles, or Publix, which are sprinkled throughout town.

If you just need diapers or wipes, you can find them, along with a great selection of bulk foods and local produce, at the amazing French Broad Co-op downtown.  

If you plan to do some hiking around Asheville with a baby or toddler, a good baby hiking carrier will let you explore all the trails. You’ll also want to take a look through our tips on hiking with a baby or our tips on hiking with toddlers.

Baby Gear Rentals in Asheville

We have a complete packing list for travel with a baby, but if you are looking to pack light, you can easily rent your baby equipment in Asheville from BabyQuip.

Best Parks and Playgrounds for Toddlers in Asheville

If you’re travelling to Asheville with a toddler, add a few playgrounds to your itinerary. They’re one of the easiest ways to let little kids burn off energy between meals, museums, and sightseeing. Here are my top Asheville playgrounds:

Tempie Avery Montford Center

This playground is most exciting for older toddlers, ages 3 and up, but there’s a section for younger kids as well (34 Pearson Dr, Montford).

Roy Pope Memorial Park

This playground ticks all of the boxes. It’s nearly fully enclosed, so you can let your toddler roam while you relax on one of the many picnic benches. There are also several playground structures, a giant sand pit, and a covered picnic shelter if it happens to rain.

While the playground itself isn’t in a scenic location, if you drive about 4 minutes east, you’ll find a wonderful coffee shop (High Five Coffee on Riverside) right on the river with plenty of space for kids to play. And if you drive 5 minutes west, you’ll find the Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary, which is a wonderful place to go for a short walk (45 Jonestown Rd, Woodfin).

Kenilworth Park, Malvern Hills Park, and Herb Watts Park also have great playgrounds!

Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary

Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary is a lovely place to skip rocks and walk around the lake. Note that the paths are flat, but they are NOT paved. Our double stroller manages fine, but a lightweight travel stroller might cause frustration.

Best Things to Do in Asheville with Toddlers

Breweries and art museums are some of our favourite places to visit in Asheville with our kids. Those might not sound like typically kid-friendly activities, but one thing I love about Asheville is that many places are genuinely welcoming to families, which makes it a fun city to visit with little kids. Dogs are also very welcome here.  

Below is a list of things to do with toddlers and babies while visiting Asheville:

Toddler-Friendly Museums in Asheville

The museums make excellent Asheville toddler activities and are places we frequent often!

Asheville Art Museum

If it’s cold or rainy out, one of my favorite things to do is take my 3-year-old to the Asheville Art Museum. If your kid likes to draw or build with blocks, they will love the kids’ room there. Or if your kid is like mine, they’ll love to press all the buttons in the art-filled elevators and spend the rest of the time eating cookies in the café.

 Asheville Museum of Science

Another great museum for kids is the Asheville Museum of Science (AMOS), which is right downtown. It’s small, but my toddler has entertained himself at the water station for a lovely stretch of time.

Easy Hikes Around Asheville with a Baby or Toddler

I’ll be honest: I don’t get very far on hikes with my 3-year-old. But when we need a break from being inside, one of our favorite places to go is Bent Creek.

Bent Creek is close to downtown and free to enter. My kid loves to throw rocks in the creek, and I love to sit and enjoy the quiet.

If your baby or toddler stays in a hiking carrier, you might have success with longer hikes outside of the city. One of my favorites is the Craggy Pinnacle Trail off the Blue Ridge Parkway.

WNC Nature Center

The WNC Nature Center is another great place to visit, especially if your kid loves animals! There’s a nearby playground as well.

Asheville Tourists Baseball Game

One of our favorite things to do in the spring and summer is watch our local minor league baseball team, the Asheville Tourists.

We rarely make it through all nine innings with the kids, we’re lucky if we get through three, but it’s still fun to spend part of the game there. You can walk up to the stadium on the day of the game and get tickets.

Many of the games offer promotions or a special theme, like Family Fun Day or Doggies at the Diamond, so check the schedule ahead of time.  

Toddler-Friendly Breweries in Asheville

If it’s nice weather outside and you’re looking to relax, it’s hard to beat hanging outside at one of the dozens of breweries. Several of our favorite kid-friendly breweries include Hi-Wire (Big Top location and RAD Beer Garden locations), Wedge Brewing Company (all locations), Sweeten Creek Brewing, Asheville Brewing Company (both locations), and Highland Brewing (the oldest brewery in town!).

New Belgium is one of our favorites, as it sits on a spacious field that is mostly fenced in, so kids can roam around freely. New Belgium is also a certified B Corp, and all of their tips go to a charity.

If you’re willing to go outside of city limits, there are more fantastic family-friendly breweries between 20 – 60 minutes away that are even more spacious and often less crowded: Fonta Flora Farm, Bold Rock, and Sierra Nevada. 

If you have a crawling baby or toddler, I’d choose breweries with grassy areas, like New Belgium, Sweeten Creek, or Fonta Flora. They’ll get very dirty crawling around places with concrete or brewery floors.

Best Family Restaurants in Asheville

Asheville is known for its delicious food. Now that we have a not-so-quiet toddler, we tend to eat at the breweries, since they’re spacious and kids can run around and be loud. All the breweries mentioned above either have food trucks or in-house menus.

If you’re travelling with a baby or a toddler who can sit through a meal, these are our favourite kid-friendly restaurants in Asheville:

• Best pizza: 828 Family Pizzeria or White Labs Brewing Co
• Best pub food with TVs: Bold Rock (downtown) or WALK (West Asheville Lounge & Kitchen)
• Best tacos: Taco Billy, Zia’s food truck (240 Depot Street), or Zia’s
• Best breakfast food: Liberty House Café or Zia’s food truck (240 Depot Street)
• Best curry: Blue Dream Curry House – an amazing place that pledges to always pay employees a living wage
• Best covered & outdoor restaurants: Zia’s for New Mexican food or Tupelo Honey (south location on Hendersonville Rd) for traditional Southern food. Asheville Brewing Company downtown also has a great covered outdoor section.

Visiting Biltmore with a Baby or Toddler

Biltmore House is one of Asheville’s best-known tourist attractions and often appears on family-friendly Asheville itineraries. While we love occasionally visiting the surrounding estate area, I have to admit I’ve never actually been inside the house itself.

If you plan to visit the 250-room mansion with a toddler or baby, know that it can get crowded, and it may not be the easiest place to navigate with a stroller. However, the Biltmore gardens and the surrounding landscape are absolutely beautiful, and possibly worth the expensive entrance fee if you have time.

I would recommend devoting most of the day to exploring the gardens and the Conservatory. You can easily use an infant travel stroller around the walking paths. We also found the winery to be baby-friendly, although I don’t plan to take my toddler there anytime soon.

And finally, before leaving town, I recommend picking up some treats from French Broad Chocolates. Their truffles and chocolate bars are absolutely delicious and responsibly sourced!

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