Fun Things to Do in Brevard NC for Outdoorsy People

Feb 22

A short 45-minute drive from Asheville, Brevard offers countless adventures from hiking, waterfalls, rock climbing, mountain biking, and fly fishing

There as so many things to do in Brevard NC for outdoor enthusiasts who also like the small-town feel and charm.

Brevard is located in Transylvania County “the land of waterfalls” between Pisgah National Forest, DuPont State Recreational Forest, and Gorges State Park.

Things to do in Brevard NC
- Looking Glass Waterfalls
- Hike Triple Falls
- Natural Water Slide
- French Broad & Mill Shoals Falls
- Attend a Music Festival
- Downtown Shops
- Visit PARI-NASA
- Experience the White Squirrels
- Hike Looking Glass Rock
Brevard NC Restaurants
Brevard NC Hotels
Brevard NC Campgrounds

Things to do in Brevard, NC

I highly recommend staying overnight in Brevard to experience a good amount of the town and a few of the 250 waterfalls, including those along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Downtown Brevard is full of boutique shops, mom-and-pop restaurants, and unique festivals throughout the year.

Looking Glass Falls - Brevard, NC

It’s hard to choose a favorite waterfall in Brevard since there are 250 waterfalls in total, but Looking Glass Falls is easily a top 3 pick since it’s right off the road and stunning year-round.

Because of its easy access, it is a very popular waterfall and you should try to go early in the morning or during off-season months (Dec-April).

This 60-foot waterfall can be seen from the viewing deck next to the side of the road, or you can walk to the base down 3 flights of stairs to see it close up and cascade into Looking Glass Creek.

Photographers will enjoy the afternoon sun or cloudy days for the best photos. The photo pictured is at 8am in November during peak fall foliage. Visiting during the winter months when the waterfall is surrounded by snow and massive icicles also makes for stunning photos!

Hike to Triple Falls, High Falls and Hooker Falls

The best hike in Brevard and Dupont State Forest is the 4.5-mile trail to see these 3 iconic waterfalls: Triple Falls, High Falls and Hooker Falls. I honestly cannot choose one of these falls to be my favorite, so I’m glad that you can park at one central parking lot and hike all three at once!

To get here, park at the Hooker Falls parking lot, it is free with 50+ parking spots but you can count on it to fill up by 10am.

I recommend hiking to Triple Falls first, then High Falls, and finally make your way back down and over to Hooker Falls where you can relax and enjoy a nice picnic lunch, or the serene view while journaling.

From the parking lot, take the trail towards Triple Falls for a steep half mile until you can peak through the trees and get an overview of the 120’ Triple Falls cascading down the mountain.

You can also walk a little further up the trail to where it splits off to the left and go down to the stairs to the viewing deck.

After Triple Falls, continue about 1/2-mile on the High Falls Trail to the largest waterfall, where it drops 150 feet down an inclined plane of granite.

Look for the "Base of Falls" spur trail off to your left that will take you 1/3 mile down to the river for an up close and personal view of High Falls. Don't attempt this section if the river is running high and be careful how slick the rocks are near the base of the waterfall.

I suggest continuing up the trail to the covered bridge and seeing the top of High Falls. After you’ve reached here, turn back around and go back the way you came instead of the loop. It’s quicker and has better views.

Once back to the parking lot, walk around the gate to get to Hooker Falls.

Hooker Falls isn’t very tall at just 13 feet, but it is majestic with its wide and ravenous yet peaceful downpour of water.

Hooker Falls is the perfect place to view fall foliage while soaking your feet in the water and taking a much-needed break in nature.

Fun fact! - Triple Falls is a filming location for The Hunger Games and The Last of the Mohicans

Sliding Rock (natural waterslide)

Sliding Rock is a 60 foot natural water slide that ends in an 8 foot deep pool of water. Nearly 11,000 gallons of water per minute power this natural wonder.

If you aren’t up for the challenge of sliding down this rock into the bitter cold pool, you can watch the fun from two observation platforms. The site is staffed from Memorial Day to Labor Day and is open 7 days a week.

Be sure to pay the $4 entry because if you try to park on the side of the road, outside of the designated parking area, you will be ticketed. Make sure you wear old shorts and old sneakers when sliding down the rock.

Before you go - Check out Sliding Rock on Instagram for any weather closure updates as it is common for the area to close due to heavy rainfall and increased water levels.

Attend a Music Festival at Brevard Music Center

One of the country’s premiere summer training programs for orchestral studies, piano, and opera is the Brevard Music Center.

Around 500 gifted students attend this renowned summer music school to learn and play alongside an artist faculty from world-renowned orchestras and universities.

Over the summer the faculty and students perform 100+ events ranging from opera, jazz, country, pop, bluegrass, and folk. It’s an exceptional experience not to be missed if you are visiting Brevard during the summer.

View the full line-up of upcoming events and dates for next summer.

Explore the Shops of Downtown Brevard

Downtown Brevard is a quaint downtown with picture-perfect streets full of unique shops, toy stores, and restaurants.

Some of my favorite shops are:

D.D. Bullwinkel’s Outdoor Gear - think of REI, but the service of shopping local. My favorite store in Brevard since it is an outdoor lovers paradise!

MANtiques - if you love antique shops then don’t miss stopping at MANtiques, there are some hidden gems in here.

Hunters & Gatherers - is a very unique gift shop and one you should at least take a quick peek at for yourself.

Theophilus - ladies if you want to find a trendy clothing store, with unique finds and exceptional customer service then make sure to stop by here while downtown.

Visit PARI - NASA Learning Center

PARI, or Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute, is an observatory located near French Broad Falls about 30 minutes from downtown Brevard.

If you or someone in your family is a science or astronomy lover than this is a must-visit!

This complex was initially developed by NASA in 1962 and once home to the birth of modern satellite technology, PARI now is a non-profit center specializing in STEM education and remains a world-class research facility.

You will need to schedule a tour which is a minimum of $150 for up to 10 people, or there are open houses where you can walk around and explore on your own.

Experience the White Squirrels of Brevard

A very rare sight is to see the white squirrels that run around downtown Brevard and the nearby campus, Brevard College.

The legend goes that Brevard’s white squirrels originated from a carnival animal truck.

The Brevard white squirrels, with dark eyes and sometimes gray streaked fur, are not albinos but a white variant of the eastern gray squirrel and account for a third of Brevard's squirrel population.

However they originated here, the white squirrels should not be missed so keep your eyes out for them as you walk along the streets of downtown Brevard.

Hike or Climb Looking Glass Rock

Whether you’re a climber or hiker, summiting Looking Glass Rock and seeing those expansive rolling hill views are worth the moderate 6.2 mile roundtrip hike.

Most have viewed this obvious and abnormally-shaped rock from driving down the Blue Ridge Parkway, but not many would think they could actually hike it given it’s dome like shape.

For climbers, this is a must if in the Pisgah National Forest, and for hikers there is a nice trail with switchbacks along the back with endless views along the way. This trail is also dog-friendly.

➜ Related: Fun Things to do in Black Mountain, NC

Best Restaurants in Brevard, NC

For being a small downtown there is quite a variety of restaurants, coffee shops, chocolate factories and breweries to choose from.

Here are the top places to eat in Brevard:

Cup and Saucer: this review says it all, "Quaint coffee shop on Main Street in downtown Brevard. Excellent Java selection and the baristas are super friendly. They do have WiFi available too!"

Brevard NC restaurants — **Sully’s Steamers:** hands down my favorite for a quick bite to eat! These aren’t your typical bagel sandwiches, think more gourmet and oh so delicious. Eat here for breakfast and/or lunch.

Rocky's Grill & Soda Shop: if your a fan like us about trying every small town’s burger and shake joint then Rocky’s is the place to go.

Noblebräu Brewing: a great local spot with live music from 185 King Street. They also serve food here!

UpCountry Brewing Brevard - another great brewery with 15 beers on tap. Games to play inside or a nice patio with a fire pit outside. Also, dogs are allowed inside and out!

Brevard, NC Hotels

Sunset Motel - we stayed here for a weekend while visiting Brevard and loved it! You can walk a half mile along a paved sidewalk to downtown Brevard. While there aren’t any frills here, it’s very clean and dog-friendly!
Holiday Inn Express Brevard City Center: another option just north of downtown Brevard is the Holiday Inn. There are more rooms here as well as a fitness center and complimentary buffet breakfast.
VRBO 3 bed/ 1bath home: if you’re bringing the family or going for a couples trip I suggest renting this VRBO home right next to downtown. It is recently remodeled, affordable and dog-friendly!

Brevard, NC Campgrounds

Davidson River Campground: this campground is open year-round with 161 sites for tents and RVs. There are showers and restrooms too. Reservations can be made up to 6 months in advance. The nightly rate costs $22-$44/night depending on the site. It is a short 5 miles/ 9 minute drive to downtown Brevard.
The Land of Waterfalls RV Campground: located inside the Pisgah national forest, about 10 minutes from downtown Brevard is this quaint RV park. They only have 12 RV sites, but they are full hook-ups and big enough for any rig. They are open year round from $50-$60/night, and they offer weekly discounts.

Getting to Brevard, NC

Whether you are taking a roadtrip throughout the Blue Ridge Parkway, Great Smokey Mountains or flying in, here are a few options:

via Asheville, NC: the Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) is the closest airport to fly into. The airport is located 30 minutes from downtown Brevard.
via Greenville, SC: you can fly in Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport, and drive 1 hour 20 min/55 miles to Brevard, NC.
via Charlotte, SC: you can fly into Charlotte Douglas International Airport and drive 2.5 hours/120 miles to Brevard, NC.