Indoor Activities in Asheville Perfect For Rainy Days (& Snow)
Don’t let bad weather ruin your day. There’s still so much for families and adults to do in Asheville, NC. From foot soaks and niche museums to endless arcade and board games, these are the best indoor activities in Asheville – from locals. Catch up on the latest movies with pizza. Sip a warm bevie. Shop until you drop. Relax in a salt cave, and plop in a chair by a massive stone fireplace.
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While Asheville is known for its milder weather, the North Carolina mountains still see rain, fog, ice, and snow (and fall foliage!). In the summer, we’ll have a few oppressive heat waves in the upper 90s. If you seek shelter from the weather and are wondering what to do, we got you. Find two sections: rainy days with kids and indoor things to do for adults.
All photos are our own. We originally posted this article in 2023 and have since updated it. For more ideas, plan all of your Asheville adventures with this master guide.
Rainy Day Activities In Asheville With Kids
Along with these indoor activities, we have an entire list of things to do with kids in Asheville, including hiking, natural waterfall slides, interactive museum exhibits, and more.
Watch a movie in one of our special theaters
I am still devastated by the loss of RAD’s Grail Moviehouse (my favorite), but Asheville has multiple movie theaters, including Asheville Pizza and Brewing, Fine Arts Theatre, Regal Biltmore Grande, and The Carolina Cinemark Asheville.
Asheville Pizza and Brewing is a family-friendly restaurant that is great if you want to order pizza, pub grub, and local craft beer. They show new releases and the occasional vintage or discounted film. I also enjoy Regal Biltmore Grande in Biltmore Park Town Square for its cozy recliners – the only way to watch Wicked.
Play board and arcade games, bowl, jump on trampolines, & more
From our favorite games like Frogger and King Kong to Super Mario Kart, Pac-Man, and Duck Hunt, get your wristband and enjoy vintage arcade and pinball games all day at the Asheville Pinball Museum (Hendersonville has a similar Appalachian Pinball Museum). For adults, their old-school gaming consoles are quite nostalgic. Additionally, if you like skeeball and foosball, find over 5,000 games at the Asheville Retrocade.
For our board game lovers, head to Coxe Ave’s Well Played Board Game Café. Select from over 700 games to play while grabbing a bite to eat. Or, if you prefer Escape Rooms, try Breakout Games or FOX-N-OTTER. For families with older kids, axe throw at Axeville or Valhalla Indoor Axe Throwing.
Another one of my personal favorites, roller skate or rollerblade at Wayneville’s Smoky Mountain Sk8Way. For bowling, head to Sky Lanes or AMF Star Lanes.
If you are looking for indoor playgrounds and more, check out Mountain Play Lodge, We Rock The Spectrum, and Launch Family Entertainment Asheville (trampolines). Asheville still has a Chuck E. Cheese, and play laser tag in Black Mountain here.
Visit a niche museum or historic site
Just like coffee shops and breweries, Asheville has plenty of museums for all ages. The Asheville Art Museum specializes in American art from the 20th and 21st Centuries. It’s a beautifully renovated, airy building with special exhibits, Southern and Indigenous art, and blown glass displays great for college students, adults, and interested teens.
Or, perfect for younger children, the Asheville Museum of Science boasts dinosaur bones, exploration/play stations, and loads of fun geology exhibits. Tom and I most enjoy the free/donation and seasonal Estes-Winn Antique Car Museum in Grovewood Village, which features vintage cars and an old fire truck.
For plane lovers, head 45 minutes over to Hendersonville’s free Western North Carolina Air Museum (limited hours). You know pilot Tom loves that one. Of course, bibliophiles will love a tour of the Thomas Wolfe Memorial. Although I like visiting Biltmore Estate for the trails and gardens, touring Biltmore House and grabbing a bite to eat at Stable Cafe is fun on a rainy day too.
Warm up with hot chocolate, coffee, and tea (& dessert!)
We just love Asheville’s coffee shop scene, and you can even drop into a chocolate shop serving goodies. French Broad Chocolate is great on a rainy day in Ashville with kids for two reasons. One, they have vegan and dairy hot chocolate along with their famous bonbons and ice cream, and two, their River Arts District location offers chocolate factory tours.
Dip into Asheville Chocolate, Pollen, Retro Coffee (baked goodies from Back Porch Baking Co.), Ultra Cofeebar (lunch!), and Old Europe too. See all the best places to grab dessert.
Indoor Things To Do In Asheville For Adults
For more adult activities, be sure to check out our list perfect for date night filled with romantic things to do. We also have weekend and 36-hour itineraries.
Read local literature from a local bookstore
As an English/History double-major and rogue MLIS-degreed librarian, I love reading books, especially on a snowy or rainy day. If you don’t have a book to read, I recommend any of Asheville’s best indie bookshops like Malaprop’s, Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar, or Downtown Books & News. For movies and gaming, head to Orbit DVD. I’m sneaking in my all-time area favorite, M. Judson Booksellers, in Greenville, SC if you are road tripping away from the bad weather.
Here are a few destination reading lists to get you started: Books set in Asheville and at Biltmore, books set in and about North Carolina, great Southern Gothic literature, and local Asheville authors you don’t want to miss.
Soak your feet at Wake Foot Sanctuary
If you’ve had a long week and want to treat yourself, Wake Foot Sanctuary is a transcendent experience. I especially enjoy their 45-minute foot soak – filled with botanicals and salts – with a 20-minute massage of my feet/legs or hands/arms. The staff even reheat your water throughout your session.
Did I mention their cozy armchairs with heated neck pillows and wine, truffles, or a pot of tea? Make advanced reservations. This is a great solo, friends, family, or partner indoor Asheville activity. Everyone can appreciate a little spa day.
Shop across Asheville
Whether you head to the Historic Grove Arcade, Historic Downtown Asheville, or the River Arts District (as the area rebuilds), shop for unique clothing, gifts, and more. Asheville has a ton of shopping neighborhoods, malls, artists’ galleries, and stores.
Find anything from t-shirts saying, “Sorry, I’m late; I didn’t want to come,” to shark print dresses, star earrings, and vintage candy. Buy boozy scented candles and retro shades. Or, stock up on bear – or beer – themed souvenirs. Eat local popcorn, and find vintage candy. There’s always the Asheville Mall or you can brave the outlets in the rain.
Relax in a salt cave
One of my favorite rainy-day things to do in Asheville is sit (or lay) surrounded by 30 tons of pink salt. Grab a blanket and cozy up into your chair as water features lull you into a deep state of relaxation. The Asheville Salt Cave offers a variety of services, including sound baths and massages. After a community salt cave session, I like popping upstairs for their shop and a healthy beverage on the deck.
Cozy up at The Omni Grove Park Inn
Warm up in front of floor-to-ceiling stone fireplaces in a historic 1913 luxury – and haunted – hotel. Treat yourself to a rooftop dining experience at Edison (they have enclosed dining for those bad weather days) or charcuterie and drinks at the Great Hall Bar.
The Omni Grove Park Inn boasts a world-class spa, cute little stores for shopping, and a nighttime piano bar. We appreciate the cozy ambiance and highly recommend their annual gingerbread competition if you are visiting Asheville in the winter.
Christine Frascarelli
Christine (pronouns: she/her) is the owner of Uncorked Asheville. After falling in love with those gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains, Christine and her husband Tom decided to call Asheville, North Carolina home. When her pointy Italian nose isn’t stuck in a book, Christine is adopting all of the kitties, getting lost in the forest, and drinking an ESB. She has a BA in English and History from Smith College, her MLIS from USF-Tampa, and is a former U.S. Fulbright Scholar - Indonesia. Christine also owns The Uncorked Librarian LLC with books and movies to inspire travel.
Also consider testing your skills at one of the family friendly escape rooms in/near Asheville! Fox N Otter has 3 locations with many fantastic games. A-Escapes is cute and campy. Black Mountain Escape has amazing set designs. Breakout Games is conveniently downtown if you don’t have transportation.
Thanks for sharing!