Asheville Is for Families

Presented in partnership with Explore Asheville.

You can include the kids in any of the nature activities in Asheville Is for Nature Lovers, but a few special experiences are tailor-made for families.

Head to the French River for a lazy river float with Zen Tubing at one of two locations. The average float town at Midtown/River Arts is 3-3.5 hours, and 2-2.5 hours at South Asheville, though your time will vary if you stop to swim or soak in the sunshine along the way. Everyone older than four is welcome.

Adventure Center of Asheville, located a mere five minutes from Downtown, is the home of KidZip, the first zipline in the United States created for adventurers between 4 and 10 years old. The nine ziplines are between 50 and 250 feet long and 25 feet at the highest point. Four climbing elements are also part of the experience. Asheville Treetops Adventure Park challenges guests (aged four and up) to climb, hula-hoop, roll, and swing through 77 activities in the trees. Back down on the ground is Kolo Bike Park, a series of mountain biking trails for beginner and advanced riders, with dirt/wood berms, bridges, tables, drops, rollers, and skinnies.

In the summer months, the family will love splashing around in Pisgah National Forest. Sliding Rock is a refreshing 60-foot natural waterslide that ends in a natural pool. Wheee!! A lifeguard is on duty between Memorial Day and Labor Day, and the best times to go to avoid the crowds, which can be heavy, are between 10 a.m. and noon, and 4 and 6 p.m. — and ideally on weekdays.

After the kids have learned about grand American families and the Gilded Age homes they built and seen a bounty of flowers and blooms in the greenhouse and gardens, let them visit the goats, chickens, horses, and sheep at a farmyard visit at Antler Hill Farm at Biltmore.

And this is just the beginning. Here are even more great ideas for unforgettable family fun in and around Asheville.

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