Guess which city Airbnb named “the most hospitable city in America?” Asheville. Visitors were most likely to describe their Asheville Airbnb hosts as warm, helpful + inviting.
There’s a reason that Asheville has been named a top-10 music city by National Geographic, top vacation destination for 2018 by CNN Travel, and one of the best pet-friendly vacation spots. It’s for the same reasons we love our own city.
And while tourism season is in full swing (hello, summer), there is no reason we locals can’t enjoy our city like those visiting do. If anything, we deserve it after fighting for that parking spot downtown.
So, we rounded up 10 of the most unique staycation spots around WNC for when you want to get away, but still stay home.*
*All of the Airbnbs within city limits have been permitted by the City of Asheville and new full-home, short-term rentals are currently not being permitted downtown. We love our city and it’s locals – And also love sleeping in a treehouse in our city, once in awhile. 👏
Staycation or vacation? You decide.
Romantic bus in the forest
👪 Sleeps 2 | 🛏 1 bedroom, 1 bath | 💰 $50/night |⏱ 17 minutes to downtown Asheville
✔ Lean into your 1960s hippie bus fantasies with a night or two in this cool rental located on a farm in Weaverville, just twenty minutes outside of downtown. Extra cool points: the funds generated from the Airbnb are used to sponsor artist residencies on the farm.
Treetop Teepee Tent
👪 Sleeps 6 | 🛏 1 bedroom, 1 bath | 💰 $79/night | ⏱ 29 minutes to downtown
✔ Maybe I’m going out on a limb here, but this is the kind of thing you can only find in WNC. This will definitely make your friends back home jealous.
Downtown Artist Loft
👪 Sleeps 4 | 🛏 1 bedroom, 1 bath | 💰 $101/night | ⏱ 0 minutes to downtown
✔ Be above it all with a bird’s eye view of downtown Asheville. There’s nothing like a loft space for people watching, snoozing + checking out the city on a moment’s notice.
West Asheville Rad Pad
👪 Sleeps 2 | 🛏 1 bedroom, 1 bath |💰 $90/night | ⏱ 10 minutes to downtown
✔ This adorable studio space is just two blocks away from Haywood Rd. and everything West Asheville has to offer. So Instagrammable.
A-Frame Treehouse
👪 Sleeps 6 | 🛏 2 bedroom, 2 bath | 💰 $150/night | ⏱ 26 minutes to downtown
✔ Any rental with the word “treehouse” in the title has us sold. This one is a gorgeous option with enough beds that you and your friends can each claim a little corner of the forest as your own. Bonus: Your rental comes with two kayaks and two bikes.
Mountain View Cottage with Hot Tub
👪 Sleeps 7 | 🛏 3 bedroom, 1 bath |💰 $120/night | ⏱ 15 minutes to downtown
✔ This cottage is next door neighbors with Pisgah National Forest, which means great hiking is mere minutes away, but even more importantly, it has a hot tub. 🙏
Heaven on Lake Lure
👪 Sleeps 6 | 🛏 3 bedroom, 1 bath |💰 $112/night | ⏱ 50 minutes to downtown
✔ Umm, yes. Get in the Dirty Dancing state of mind with this gorgeous lakefront spot.
Haywood Haven
👪 Sleeps 8 | 🛏 3 bedroom, 2 bath |💰 $109/night | ⏱ 10 minutes to downtown
✔ If that swoon-worthy, mid-century modern kitchen didn’t already convince you, we have four words for you: six-person hot tub.
Downtown Loft with Balcony
👪 Sleeps 4 | 🛏 1 bedroom, 1 bath |💰 $138/night | ⏱ 0 minutes to downtown
✔ The best pad for people-watching, this loft’s balcony overlooks College St. Don’t worry, light sleepers: This spot comes with a white noise machine, so you can catch up on your beauty sleep even when the downtown party is raging.
Airstream on the French Broad River
👪 Sleeps 4 | 🛏 1 bedroom, 1 bath |💰 $89/night | ⏱ 5 minutes to downtown
✔ 34 feet of vintage goodness with private river access sounds like heaven to us.
I gotta say, some of these Airbnbs have me daydreaming about an AVL stay-cation for the Fourth of July. Lake Lure, fireworks + friends? I’m so in.
I’ve also been wondering if I could Airbnb out my closet for extra cash, but that might not be the best idea, since I’m pretty sure there are regulations against that. 😉
–Stephanie + the AVLtoday team
