Asheville has to be one of my favorite trips to date. The number of dog-friendly establishments and a culture that encourages your furry friend to tag along was so much fun.
I want to start by saying our trip to Asheville had some added excitement which changed our plans some, but we were still able to take our pup pretty much anywhere we wanted in Asheville.
Let’s get right into it! (This is a long post because there are sooo many dog-friendly places and things to do in Asheville. We learned a lot of lessons on this trip!)
Day 1: Rainy Day in Asheville
We arrived on a Sunday, mid-afternoon, after a four-and-a-half-hour drive. And it was raining. Now, we knew this going in as we obsessively checked the weather leading up to the trip so we had some dog-friendly indoor plans.
But…they didn’t work out. And that is one of the most important lessons of traveling with a dog: be flexible.
We had planned to first stop at the Dog Door, but we were too late. They were closed by the time we got in town. We went later in the week, but I truly encourage you to make it one of your first stops in town if you can. The Dog Door is a behavioral center near the Grove Arcade that doubles as a dog welcome center. When you walk in, they give you a bunch of goodies in a branded cup including a map/list of all dog-friendly places in the city, dog baggies, and other fun stuff. If you haven’t done a ton of research on what places are dog-friendly before your trip, this list will be extremely helpful to you. Very well done and an awesome place!
Next, we had planned to go to the Asheville Pinball Museum but there were many conflicting reports about whether or not pups were allowed (their website said no). Plus, we were cutting it close on time there as well.
So instead, we took Magnus to Green Man Brewing for our first stop and it was awesome. A multi-floor brewery that is dog-friendly and has a great atmosphere and good beer.
At this point, it was still raining and we needed to have dinner. Luckily, Posana in downtown has the cutest patio that is all enclosed and protected us from the rain. Their food was wonderful but best of all…THEY HAVE A DOG MENU! That’s right, full entrees and desserts made specifically for dogs. Magnus had the bacon ice cream and he says 10/10 would recommend.
As for our accommodations, there are a ton of dog-friendly Airbnb listings (but I encourage you to book a couple months out from your trip, dog-friendly or not, because Asheville is a popular spot). We stayed at the Cooperglow Bungalow and really enjoyed the location and convenience of our home away from home for the trip. Our host, John, was very friendly and helpful and had a dog of his own that Magnus was able to play with. This place worked out really well for us and was very low-key with a prime location.
Day 2: The Biltmore and Dog-Friendly Lyft Rides
Logan planned out the morning of our second day. We got up early and went to the Biltmore as soon as it opened. I was really looking forward to a visit to the Biltmore as I knew it was a must-see and dogs are allowed on the grounds (which makes everything better to me)!
During our visit to the Biltmore, WE GOT ENGAGED!!!! Logan popped the question in the Walled Garden and Magnus was a huge part of the proposal as he got his own [toy] ring (first, I might add!), and a bandana he wore all day that said “Dad asked and mom said yes!”
I will tell you that if you plan to go on a tour of the Biltmore, you can do that even if you have your pup with you. They have crates on site where your dog can stay while you tour the house. However, we were a little too excited/overwhelmed for a tour after the proposal so we went to the Antler Hill Village on the Biltmore grounds.
We first went to the Antler Hill Winery where you can sit outside on the patio with your dog and enjoy a glass or bottle of wine. We then had lunch at Village Social in the same area where they had outdoor seating for pups and good food! We enjoyed our experience there and they made us feel very special and help celebrate our engagement with champagne and a fun dessert.
Later on Monday, we did something we’ve never done or even tried before…took Magnus in a Lyft ride. I was a little nervous at first, but online it says you just need to call the driver while they are on their way and make sure they’re okay with dogs in their car. This worked out really well and we had no issues at all! It is really nice to know that you can bring your dog along on your rides, especially in a town that’s new to you.
Before dinner, we went to Catawba Brewing where they have a designated dog-friendly area indoors and a good beer selection. We finished the night at Fig Restaurant where we had a great meal on their small patio that allows dogs.
Day 3: Hiking Fail and Downtown Asheville
There are so many different hiking trails and other outdoor adventures in Asheville that you can experience with your dog. We planned to take a hike on Craggy Gardens Trail Tuesday morning, but we didn’t realize there would be no gas stations on the way there and ended up turning around (amateur move but again, be flexible). Even though we didn’t go on the hike, we did get a good drive in on the Blue Ridge Parkway which is often noted as a must-do and offered some beautiful views.
After a quick wardrobe change, we had lunch at Asheville Brewing and Pizza (they have three locations, I believe all are dog-friendly) and sat outside with Magnus. They have a fun and unique vibe and a good menu.
We planned to walk around downtown following lunch to stop at a couple dog-friendly spots. We ended up going to Wicked Weed and enjoyed a beer on the patio (dogs are not allowed inside and only in certain parts of the outdoor space as they serve a full menu) and then to Burial Beer Co. Dogs can hang out inside and you can get a full feel for their eclectic life and death theme.
Here is where it gets interesting. Logan and I were getting tired and were planning to relax a bit before dinner. But then we noticed Magnus could not stop sneezing. The poor thing had a horrible allergic reaction to all the pollen around the city at the time of our visit. We stopped to get some Benadryl as we were not prepared for this. He has never had a bad allergic reaction like this. He continued to sneeze and cough a lot the rest of the trip but overall, he was fine. It’s a good lesson that things like this can happen while traveling!
Our dinner on day 3 was the only outing of the trip that was not dog-friendly. I made reservations at Curate in downtown ahead of the trip. We enjoyed the many different tapas plates during dinner while Magnus stayed back at our dog-friendly Airbnb and recovered from his sneezing fit. Curate was highly recommended to me and I would say it’s definitely worth a stop when you’re in town (get the sangria).
Day 4: Last Stop in Asheville
Before heading home, we wanted to have one more meal at a dog-friendly restaurant. So, we went to Sunny Point Café for breakfast as I had seen many good reviews online and looked forward to trying it out. (Biscuit Head was my runner up, also dog-friendly and I hear good things about it). Sunny Point Café was packed when we first got there but it didn’t take long to get a table in the enclosed patio space. We had a great meal and good service.
Final Thoughts
We will absolutely be back to Asheville. We have already been talking about getting a dog-friendly place with some of our best couple friends and heading back down soon.
While we went to so many dog-friendly places and had Magnus basically every single second of our trip, so many names remain on the list of dog-friendly places I want to check out in the city. So I cant wait to get back and explore again (I will add some shots of the list we got at The Dog Door to show you options outside what is listed above).
And, like I said, the trip also taught us some valuable lessons about going with the flow when it comes to dog-friendly travel and the possible complications you can encounter (like his unexpected allergies).
Overall, it was a trip we will never forget and we hope this post helps you plan your successful Asheville adventure!
Wigglebutt Wanderlust 