Dear Fodorites:
My husband and I are planning an almost 2-week trip in Savannah, Charleston, Asheville, and Nashville. We're spending about 3 days in each location, which I think will be about right. Our interests are walking, history, good food, hiking, and country music (Nashville). My question is about Asheville. We want to get a feel for the city, but also spend some time hiking in the Blue Ridge Parkway. Is. Asheville a good base for that? Are we close to some good moderate hikes from our base in Asheville or should we be spending a night elsewhere to more easily access trails?
We're not knowledgable at all about the geography in this part of the U.S. so any suggestions are welcome.
Thank you!

You don't say what time of year....

Not the Blue Ridge Parkway, but we did a hike from Asheville in Pisgah National Forest near the very cute town of Brevard. It was the trail to Twin Falls, and it crosses a dozen small footbridges, so it is an unusual hike. We did it in the Fall when it was dazzling.

Sorry, I meant to add that we will be there mid-late April.
Shelemm - thanks for your hiking suggestion!

Hi joangk,

I did trip reports on Asheville and Nashville...hope these below help for ideas. Please share your adventures!

Arty Asheville NC

Chasing Sargent in Nashville

Here are some nearby trails including on Mt. Mitchell which is the highest mt. east of the Mississippi. https://www.exploreburnsville.com/hi...edium=referral

Asheville is a great place to stay if you want to explore the area. Many good, moderate hikes along the Blue Ridge Parkway are just a 30 to 45 minute drive away. Most people find that staying in town and taking day trips works well, unless you plan to start very early or want to hike in more remote spots.

ps....The art area we visited was destroyed in the flooding.

Thank you everyone for your suggestions; much appreciated!

Asheville is a great base for the Blue Ridge Parkway 👍 — you’ll be super close to lots of beautiful, moderate hikes and still have a fun, walkable city with great food and history to come back to in the evenings. You don’t really need to stay elsewhere unless you want a more remote, cabin-in-the-woods vibe; day trips from Asheville work perfectly for hiking and scenic drives.