From painting easter eggs in soft pastels to sampling jelly beans and Cadbury eggs to easter egg hunting among the fresh spring grass and fragrant flowers, Easter is a delightful and hopeful time that encourages so many lighthearted activities that will inevitably make you feel like a spring chicken once again. Put the Spring back in your step by planning a springtime getaway with all your peeps to enjoy the mountain blooms and warm sunshine.
Easter Brunch in Asheville, NC
Which came first, the chicken and waffles or the egg’s benedict? In either case, delicious brunch is without a doubt the best way to start your Easter weekend on the right talon. Our top picks for a special and unique Easter Brunch are:
Hemingway’s Cuba, located on the fourth-floor terrace at Cambria Hotel in downtown Asheville, serves up authentic Cuban cuisine and stunning skyline views of the city. Their breakfast and brunch options include the Bistec a Caballo (seared flank steak with sunny side egg and potatoes) and traditional Cuban breakfast complete with ham croquettes. This brunch stop promises incredible spring views of the city along with robust flavor you won’t soon forget.
Season's at Highland Lake Inn, located in Flat Rock, offers an epic brunch buffet with an expansive menu that includes starters like the Garbanzo Bean Orzo Salad, seasonal side dishes like the Broccoli and Cauliflower Gratin, and brunch favorites like the omelet and carving stations. This heavenly brunch also includes chef-concocted desserts and seasonal pastries.
Isa’s French Bistro, a trendy restaurant in the heart of downtown Asheville will offer an Easter Special Surf & Turf Entrée featuring a 6 oz. Brasstown Beef Filet, Lobster Claw Tempura, Lobster Hollandaise, and Grilled Asparagus for $54. The Easter Surf & Turf Entrée will be available to order from 10 AM – 9 PM, but they will also have their regular Brunch and Dinner menus.
Blue Ridge Dining Room at Omni Grove Park Inn, is a farm-to-table artisanal buffet that offers breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. For their special Easter Brunch from 12-5 PM, there will be two big rooms filled with stations with many options. Adults/$58 and Children 6+/$30.
- Easter Sunday at The Monte Vista, a beautiful boutique hotel in Black Mountain. Hop on in this Easter Sunday to enjoy a buffet and an appearance from the Easter Bunny! The brunch will run from 11 AM- 4 PM. Pricing is $55 for adults and $20 for kids. The Easter Bunny will be there from 12-2 PM outside at the Gazebo for photos. They will also have fun lawn games and more set up all day.
Some additional brunch spots we'd recommend are Montford Rooftop, a centrally-located rooftop bar and restaurant in downtown Asheville within the Hyatt Place hotel that serves up gorgeous sunset views and unbeatable cocktails, and Sunny Point Cafe, an aptly-named spot in trendy West Asheville that sources several ingredients from their own backyard garden.
Note: Most, if not all, of the special brunch events require reservations. Visit the individual restaurant's website to reserve your table and find additional details and specific menu items.
Biltmore Blooms & Egg Hunt
The majestic Biltmore Estate is truly a gorgeous thing to behold any time of year, but in the Spring and early Summer, the expansive grounds provide the most colorful and vibrant spectacle of any other season. With events and holiday happenings all calendar year, Easter is no exception, and the annual Easter Egg Hunt remains a longtime favorite of tourists and locals alike. Registration begins two hours before the egg hunts, but you’ll certainly want to arrive early for activities. From sheep herding to grape stomping to blowing giant bubbles to taking photos with the Easter Bunny, there’s no shortage of family-friendly activities to enjoy in addition to the hunts. Best of all, at the end of the hunt, kids can exchange the eggs they found for a special treat bag.
While visiting, take some time to stop and literally smell the nearly 250 varieties of roses and the rest of the spectacular displays of blooms across the estate. Affectionately known as Biltmore Blooms or the Festival of Flowers, every year the first day of Spring ushers in Biltmore’s celebration of Frederick Law Olmsted’s legacy and final project—the magnificent Biltmore Gardens. The Walled Garden has the largest display of blooms with over 95,000 tulips, 18,000 daffodils, and 3,000 hyacinths, but like the easter egg hunt, you’re sure to stumble upon floral treasures like forsythia, azalea, and more around every corner.
Off to the Races
If you're looking for a unique and fun activity for the whole family, attend the 76th Tryon Block House Races Steeplechase on Saturday, April 13 at Tryon International Equestrian Center’s Green Creek Race Course. The ultimate tailgate experience, activities include an Easter Egg Hunt, contests and prizes, pony rides, face painting, balloon animals, carriage rides, caricatures, magician, Hobby Horse jumps, relays, corn hole, and bounce horse. In addition to an impressive tailgate setup, remember to break out your fancy hats, sundresses, or crazy pants to join the traditional garb worn by many attendees to the Tryon Block House Races. This Easter Weekend, load up your vehicle with your friends and family and head out for a day at the races!
Downtown Asheville Egg Hunt & Easter on the Green
Taking place in downtown Asheville’s Pack Square Park, Easter on the Green is a beloved family-friendly event that happens annually on the Saturday of Easter weekend. Enjoy this free festival with egg hunts by age groups (12 and under), photos with the Easter bunny, delicious food, and oversized games. Since Good Friday is a city holiday, enjoy free on-street parking, and don't feed the meters! All stores and restaurants will be open on Friday and Saturday, and while parking is always free on Sunday, take note that many stores will be closed that day.
Dillsboro Egg Hunt & Easter Hat Parade
Stationed in the artsy town of Dillsboro, the annual Easter Hat Parade is without a doubt the most charming, unique, and quirky of all the events happening Easter weekend. Taking place on the Saturday before Easter, the parade showcases a variety of eccentric and colorful hats atop people and pets of all ages. You can bring your own hat or fashion one at Dogwood Crafters on Webster Street from 10:00 am—1:30 pm. With plenty of open-air fun, you'll have the chance to meet the Easter Bunny and compete in an old-fashioned Egg hunt at noon. Registration for the parade begins at 11 am, and the parade starts from Dillsboro Town Hall at 2:00 pm. Antique cars from the Old Timers Model A Club lead the parade.
With judging in close to 20 categories, there are plenty of prizes announced after the Parade. Ribbons are given to hats designated as the Prettiest, Funniest, Largest, Smallest, Most Unusual, Most Easter-like, Best Smelling, Cutest, Most Outrageous, Best In Show, and "Poofiest" among other odd and jolly categories. There is even a ribbon awarded to the Best Animal in Show so feel free to bring your adorable pup along for the fun.
Springtime in a Small Town
Make the most of your time by spending the entire day in this quaint small town known for its local art and craft scene. Within its few short blocks, you’ll find works from hundreds of creators across various artistic mediums. A tourist destination since the late 1800s, the many visitors that flocked here used to arrive primarily by train. Keeping with that tradition, many tourists follow suit and travel via the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. The scenic trail will host The Bunny Hopper Express Easter Train on Friday, March 29th, and Saturday, March 30th. The nearly 4.5-hour round trip special event train ride departs the historic Bryson City Depot, just 20 minutes from the small town of Dillsboro, at 10:30 am and will travel along the Nantahala Gorge River to a picturesque layover destination for Easter-themed activities and Egg Hunt.
The town of Dillsboro is also less than 10 minutes from downtown Sylva, where you’ll find the "all-American" Main Street packed with local restaurants, novelty shops, unique galleries, and charming bookshops. Sylva is also home to 4 breweries, 3 of which can be found on Main Street:
Asheville-Area Craft Breweries
Nantahala Brewing Company Outpost, a cool craft venue that offers delicious food and entertainment, is the sister location to the main taproom in the large Quonset Hut in downtown Bryson City across the street from the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad. Both locations are home to award-winning brews like their flagship Noon Day IPA, Little Tennessee Logger, Bryson City Brown Ale, and App Trail Xtra Pale Ale. Just 20 minutes apart, you can visit either or both depending on which small town you choose to explore.
Innovation Brewing has over 35 brews on tap ranging from creamy stouts like Nitro Chocolate and Nitro Irish to experimental sours like Catamount Sour and Sour Red to bright and hoppy IPAs like their Hoppy Camper and Soul-vation Tropical. Their outdoor seating overlooks the river and is the perfect spot to soak up the sun and have a cold beer.
Balsam Falls Brewing has over 30 beers on tap with a unique selection of ciders including the Quartz Branch Balsam Mule Perry Cider and Fire Agate Cider along with the Petrified Dragonfly Red Ale and Into the Mist Southern IPA. Embrace the buzz as you enjoy your beer and brewpub bites along with the bustling downtown atmosphere.
Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva Taproom) is home to a wide selection of rotating brews with scenic packaging guaranteed to inspire the hiker within. From the refreshing and drinkable Trail Mate Golden Ale to The Darkening Black Cherry Sour Ale inspired by the Solar Eclipse in recent years, this laidback spot is further complemented by the Mad Batter Kitchen, game lounge, and outdoor patio on site.
As the last brewery suggests, the hiking options in this treasured small corner of North Carolina will have outdoor lovers rejoicing. The town is known for its epic Pinnacle Park hike, a 7-mile round-trip trek that climbs the often overlooked Plott Balsam Mountains to a 5,000-ft. peak with breathtaking views. Another option is Browning Knob and Waterrock Knob, a moderate 1.8 mile out and back trail where you have the chance to see wildlife and the wreckage site of a plane crash from the 1980s. There’s also Yellow Face Trail, a moderate 1.6-mile trail that is designated pet-friendly and features beautiful wildflowers. In addition to hiking, there are also swimming holes and waterfalls, fishing, and biking to enjoy in the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains and Nantahala National Forest.
While Greybeard doesn’t have any stays within the Dillsboro limits, it’s just under an hour away from most of our vacation homes in Asheville and Black Mountain Cabins, making it the perfect day trip destination that’s slightly off the beaten path.
Family-friendly Spring Break in Asheville, NC
As the events above attest to, Easter Weekend and Asheville Spring in general are great times to bring the whole family along (kiddos and pups included). Luckily, Greybeard offers a great selection of pet-friendly properties that range from cozy one bedroom cabins to huge 6 bedroom homes that can suit every kind of travel group.
If you bring your dog and want to sightsee without them, our Guest Services division can suggest a dog care center where your dog can have their own outing while you take yours. With March Madness, Biltmore Blooms, and Easter Egg hunts galore, there is truly something for everybunny in the family to enjoy.