Asheville for 3 days
 

I will be in Asheville for 3 1/2 days in mid April. Does anyone have any suggestions for me? I would like to do the Biltmore, the Blue Ridge Pkwy(some northern sights & some southern sights) and I'm thinking I would like to try and go to Dollywood! Is this all possible in 3 days?

I think so, though haven't done the Dollywood part of that.

Biltmore can be done in 1/2 day ?plus a meal? although you can take more than one tour (different areas) and make a day out of it -- recommend trying to get on a soon-after-opening tour. You can go as far as you want in either direction on the Pkway, but be aware it doesn't move fast (nor should it). You can get a really good flavor just by going 20-25 miles in either direction (favorite is north)./

Thanks Cassandra, my only interests south were Lake Lure(boat tour), Chimney rock, and Cherokee. Any of these worth it?

Buddy, keep an eye on distances out there, and remember the speed limit on the parkway itself is usually 40 MPH or less. If you want to spend your whole day in the car, that's fine, but then you want to keep track of services for food and gas.

Have not been to the 3 southward sights you mention -- but you might get out a map and think about your distances and time.

buddyk, I would allow most of a day for Biltmore. You could rush through in half a day but I wouldn't. In April, the gardens will be beautiful so you'll want to stroll through those. You would probably enjoy doing the wine tasting ... so it's about more than just touring the big house. They have good restaurants and a great gift shop there. (I would also recommend the Thomas Wolfe house while in Asheville, a really interesting place.)

I think Dollywood is one of those places where you could stay an hour or two days, depending on what you like to do with your time. My son said it was one huge mass of shops, and stayed there just a couple of hours.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is always a beautiful place to be, but once again, just depends on where and how long you like to linger.

IMHO, Cherokee would not be worth your time. I would spend more time around Asheville, with only three days in the area.

I can't imagine spending almost $50 to see Dollywood and only spending 2 hours there.
If you want to do the rides, you'll need all day. You won't need to buy the fast track option (probably) in April, but I can't imagine doing the rides and seeing a show or two in less than a day.
Dollywood does have a great section of shops selling homemade items - as well as the usual tshirt, camera, souvenir shops.

I've been several times over the years - with kids and without - but spending two hours would basically cover walking the park and not doing much in there. It's a small park compared to Disney and Universal, but not that small. :-)

To clarify: I didn't say Biltmore SHOULD be done in 1/2 day, I just said it COULD be done in 1/2 day-- which, for someone trying to do everything buddyk says he wants to do, is a useful bit of information. Seems to me, 3 1/2 days to do all that implies a preference for the taste-and-run type of visit to various places.

If I were doing it myself, I'd spend a full day -- actually, last time, I came for the evening Christmas tour and then came back the next day for other tours.

I live in this area. I would not try to drive from Asheville to Pigeon Forge for a day trip to Dollywood with such a short stay. Enjoy and soak up the beauty of the Asheville area! The Biltmore will be gorgeous in April!

We just returned yesterday from 4 days in and around Asheville. One morning we visited the shops in town. Had a great lunch @ 12 Bones -a fun and delicious barbeque restuarant in the River Arts District (go see the galleries after lunch), where the locals and tourists line up soon after 11 for barbeque and sides with corn bread, served on a tin plate like you'd use on a wagaon train! Drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway. We did a spa afternoon @ Shoji Retreat, just 5 minutes outside of Downtown, with private hot tubs looking out @ the mountains. Drove out to Chimney Rock and Lake Lure one morning. (It was less crowded than later in the day.) Lots of good restuarants in town. Nice shops, though very price-y so we viewed them more like museums! LOL. There is plenty to do. I wouldn't venture to Dollywood. Save that for a different trip. Just my opinion. Cocktails @ the Grove Park Inn. Stroll Biltmore. Lots to do.