We stayed at one of the nicest VRBO's we've ever stayed at in a place 15 mins outside of town called "Swannoa" Or something like that
Swannanoa. Yeah, if you're doing the VRBO/AirBnB thing and don't have a compulsion to be in the city for "nightlife" or what have you, look at Swannanoa, Black Mountain or Weaverville. West Asheville is gentrifying rapidly but still the hipstery side of town (it'll be kid friendly, just for the record). Biltmore village hotels are all going to be family friendly.
Maybe part time resident Julian can give you some more leisure ideas. What do you like to do for fun other than go to shows?
Yeah, I'll help but with a few obvious provisos: (1) 95% of the appeal of Asheville is outdoor hiking style activities, breweries/distilleries, and a foodie scene. If you don't like that, why are you going? (2) I do not have children so I probably am not plugged into as many child-activities as others and I don't know the level of functioning your one son on the spectrum is at so some of these may not be viable but here we go:
- whitewater rafting. This is not WV style class 5 rapids. Lots of people take pre-teens on this.
- Ziplining
- The Pinball museum Space mentioned -- this is a blast
- The Moogseum -- if there is one thing I would think Starsky must do in Asheville its see this.
- La Zoom -- a comedy bus tour that drives around and shows people sights. I recall the humor being mostly child appropriate. There will be a man in a nun costume and if that offends you, don't go.
- Horseback riding: there's this one place where you do a trail ride to a mine Tiffany + Co used to mine for garnett and you can do that if you want. Again, this might be terrible for your kids, IDK.
- Biltmore -- I'll defend going to this although yes, its wildly expensive and touristy.
- Ashville Botanical Gardens -- free. On UNCA's campus.
- River Arts District -- cool half mile or so of little art galleries/restaurants along the French Broad. Real lowkey, not bougie like Broadway downtown.
-Grove Park Inn -- see if you can tour this? Might have to make a dinner/brunch reservation to do so
- Lake Lure -- about 25 min out of town. Cool lake. Paddleboats. Dirty Dancing was filmed there.
Asheville Science Museum -- I have never been here but its adjacent to the Pinball museum and for kids so check it out
Restaurants, and again, what my wife and I like may not overlap with what people with kids want to go to:
- Curate: Space is spot on here. Pricey tapas.
- Chestnut: everyone will tell you to go here but don't. It gets worse every year.
- Plant: maybe the best vegan restaurant I've ever been to
- Battery Park Book Exchange: a champagne bar/multi-floor bookstore that's really cool. Probably not kid friendly.
- White duck tacos: good cheap eats
- Hemingway's Cuba: the rum drinks here are insane
- Red Stagg Grill: inside the Grand Bohemian. Pricey but wow what an experience.
- The Admiral: out in W Asheville. Great relatively good priced eats.
- Cucina 24: got the chef's table here for my wife's bday one year and it was an incredible meal
- Limones: Really inventive mexican (not Tex Mex)
