Best of Asheville

Sky Lanes is a bowling alley in West Asheville at 1477 Patton Avenue, open since 1963 and still bowling seven days a week. Daily open lanes, cosmic bowling nights, and a full arcade make it a reliable family destination, while the bar and grill serves wings, pizza, burgers, and cold drafts for bowlers of all ages. Bumpers and lightweight balls keep the kids happy, and league nights keep the regulars coming back.

West Asheville locals pick Sky Lanes over the bigger chain alleys for its old-school feel, and families like that kids can bowl with bumpers and lighter balls while parents grab wings at the grill.

Sky Lanes Bar, Grill & Bowling

The Hop Ice Cream has been an Asheville institution since 1978, with imaginative and locally-influenced flavors. Owners Ashley and Greg Garrison opened their first downtown location at S&W Market. The menu features homemade dairy and vegan ice creams, classic milkshakes, sundaes, desserts, and made-from-scratch waffle cones. The Hop’s flagship flavors (Salted Caramel, Vanilla Bean, and Chocolate) will be offered alongside a variety of staples and rotates flavors, often featuring local ingredients and collaborations with Asheville businesses.

Locals call The Hop their favorite ice cream shop in Buncombe County, for the homemade flavors, the friendly counter and how much it gives back to the community.

The Hop Ice Cream

Enjoy Asheville, NC’s vibrant recreational scene with a wide variety of outdoor activities, sports leagues, parks, and family-friendly fun. Whether you love hiking, biking, paddleboarding, or playing sports, Asheville offers endless ways to stay active and engaged. Discover parks, recreational centers, and hidden outdoor gems that encourage community involvement and outdoor exploration. Perfect for locals and visitors alike, Asheville’s recreation options foster wellness, fun, and connection to nature and community. Find the best spots to unwind, get active, and make lasting memories in this dynamic mountain town.

Things to Do in Asheville, NC: Recreation and Activities

Looking for things to do with kids in Asheville? Find wildlife, hands-on museums, farm days, arcades, bowling and outdoor theater. In East Asheville, the WNC Nature Center has black bears, red wolves, river otters and red pandas on Gashes Creek Road. Near downtown, the Asheville Tourists play minor league baseball at HomeTrust Park, long known as McCormick Field. Downtown, the Asheville Art Museum on Pack Square has a makerspace where kids and grown-ups make art together, and Asheville Community Theatre on Walnut Street stages youth productions. In West Asheville, Sky Lanes has been bowling on Patton Avenue since 1963, with bumpers and an arcade, and Asheville Retrocade on Haywood Road is packed with vintage arcade games and pinball. South of town, Claying Around on Hendersonville Road is a paint-your-own pottery studio, and Sweeten Creek Brewing has a big creekside lawn with cornhole and barbecue. Out in Fairview, Hickory Nut Gap Farms runs hay rides and pony rides on fall weekends. Each summer, Montford Park Players stage free outdoor Shakespeare in Montford. Asheville Parks & Recreation runs more than 50 parks with playgrounds, swimming, trails and community centers.

Things to Do with Kids in Asheville, NC: Family Fun Guide

Asheville's food scene is mostly local, and this guide walks it neighborhood by neighborhood. Many of these spots post their daily specials, happy hours and events on Dig Local, so check a profile before you go. Downtown, Posana on Biltmore Avenue builds its menu around local farms, The Rhu on South Lexington Avenue is known for its cruffin, Old Europe Pastries has made Hungarian pastries since 1994 and now sits on Broadway, and Capella on 9 serves tapas on the roof of the AC Hotel. On the South Slope, Tiger Bay Cafe cooks Latin and West Indian food inside Ben's Tune Up, and the Funkatorium on Coxe Avenue pours sour beer. Haywood Road in West Asheville has Biscuit Head, Thai Pearl, Finest and Westville Pub. Merrimon Avenue in North Asheville has plant, Mountain Madre, Mother Ocean Seafood Market and 828 Family Pizzeria. In East Asheville, RendezVous serves French bistro food on New Haw Creek Road. Rocky's Hot Chicken Shack fries Nashville-style hot chicken on Patton Avenue in West Asheville and on Sweeten Creek Road in South Asheville. For fully vegan kitchens, restaurants with real meat-free menus and answers to common questions, see our Dig Deeper guide to vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Asheville.

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