Fun Things!

Shoji Spa & Retreat is a Japanese-inspired, adults-only spa on Avondale Heights Road in East Asheville, about 10 minutes from downtown. The draw is a private outdoor saltwater hot tub looking out over the National Forest, $90 a person for an hour, with the 180-degree cedar sauna, open-air cold showers, a yukata and sandals included.

Add massage and bodywork, the Ashi sweet orange foot soak, or tub-side tea with the house blend, or book a package like The Buddha's Best. There's lodging on site too. It's open every day, with later hours Friday and Saturday.

It's an easy pick for a birthday or anniversary, or a quiet weeknight soak with nothing but trees around. Bathing suits are optional in the private tubs, and you get a robe for the walk over.

Shoji Spa & Retreat

Namaste in Nature runs outdoor yoga retreats near Asheville, called Micro Retreats, that mix hiking, meditation, forest bathing and yoga on trails in Pisgah National Forest and around Western North Carolina. Public tours run 2 or 3 hours on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, with waterfall, mountain vortex and sunset trips, and mats are provided.

Private bookings cover birthdays, bachelorette parties, weddings, reunions and corporate retreats. The team also offers private yoga classes, sound baths, cacao ceremonies, Yoga in the Park and mobile massage from 30 to 90 minutes, either at your rental or in a park along the river.

Visitors in town for a weekend and locals showing friends around both book it, and every trip helps plant trees, close to 5,000 since 2017.

Namaste in Nature

Step back in time and level up your night at Level 256, a classic arcade bar right in Asheville’s buzzing South Slope. This spot packs over 30 meticulously maintained arcade cabinets, pinball machines, and more than 300 authentic console games across all generations, from Atari to the latest PS5 and Nintendo Switch. 

Entry gets you unlimited play, so whether you’re chasing high scores or battling friends, every round is pure nostalgia and fun. The bar has a rotating selection of 16 craft beers on tap alongside curated cocktails, making it the perfect place to mix drinks with game wins.

Locals dig the seamless blend of gaming nostalgia and craft drinks that Level 256 nails. It’s where old-school gamers, casual players, and beer enthusiasts all find their spot to unwind and connect. Expect a friendly vibe, knowledgeable staff, and tournaments that bring out the competitive spirit with no shortage of laughs and high-fives. Plus, the option to step out for a bite from nearby eateries means the fun never has to pause.

Level 256 Classic Arcade Bar

Cultivate Climbing is Asheville's original indoor climbing gym, opened in 1993, and the only climbing gym inside city limits. Its Foundy Street gym is a 13,000-square-foot bouldering gym in a converted indoor skatepark in the River Arts District, with terrain inspired by Western North Carolina boulders. The Bunker at 45 South French Broad Avenue is a 7,000-square-foot training and wellness space with lifting racks, yoga classes, a sauna and a cold plunge. The River, its rope gym on Amboy Road, is being rebuilt after Hurricane Helene.

Asheville climbers treat it as a community hub, and regulars say there are new routes to try nearly every week.

Cultivate Climbing

Asheville is a good town for a day off your feet, and plenty of it is locally owned. Downtown, Spa Theology on College Street does massage, facials and beer soaks, and Wake Foot Sanctuary in the Grove Arcade does handmade foot soaks seven days a week. In East Asheville, Shoji Spa & Retreat rents private outdoor saltwater hot tubs that look out over the national forest, and Still Point Wellness on Tunnel Road has salt water float tanks and Esalen massage. West Asheville regulars book Ebb & Flow on Haywood Road for deep tissue and hot stone massage. For recovery, Asheville Cryotherapy and Recovery on Merrimon Avenue has whole-body cryo and infrared sauna, and Appalachian Beer Spa in Arden pairs hydro soaks with a tasting room. Yoga folks head to Asheville Yoga Center on South Liberty Street, Hot Yoga Asheville on Fairview Road or the donation-based classes at Asheville Community Yoga in North Asheville. For acupuncture, Blue Ridge Acupuncture Clinic on Merrimon and the Chinese Acupuncture & Herbology Clinic in Montford have both been at it for decades. In Black Mountain, Black Mountain Massage & Wellness is on South Ridgeway Avenue. Every spot below has hours, photos and directions.

Spas, Massage and Wellness in Asheville, NC: A Local Guide

Unlock the best of Asheville, NC through unforgettable tours and experiences that showcase the city’s natural beauty, vibrant arts scene, and local culture. Whether you want guided outdoor adventures, historic city tours, art crawls, or foodie explorations, Asheville offers a diverse array of activities for all interests. Find curated excursions that highlight waterfalls, mountain trails, local farms, breweries, and cultural landmarks. Perfect for visitors and locals alike, these experiences create lasting memories and deepen your connection to Asheville’s unique charm and character. Explore the latest tour options, event packages, and insider tips to make your visit extraordinary.

Tours in Asheville, NC: Food, Trolley, Walking and Pub Tours

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.

Fun Things!

Emmie Hayden

Some favorite things that make Asheville like no other place on the planet.

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