Richmond to Asheville road trip: Drive time, distance & attractions
The best road trip stops on the Richmond to Asheville drive are Durham NC, Greensboro NC and Hickory NC. By car, the distance from Richmond VA to Asheville NC is 373 miles, with a 5h24m driving time.
Planning a Richmond to Asheville road trip itinerary
The Richmond to Asheville drive connects the capital of Virginia with a mountain city in North Carolina.
Once the capital of the Confederacy, Richmond VA is not entirely weighed down by its history. The surprisingly wild James River runs through it, and the west end feels energetic and more of the North than the South.
The top attraction, though, is the huge American Civil War Museum at the historic Tredegar Ironworks. After that, walk the suspension bridge to Belle Isle in the middle of the James River, see the dubious Confederate monuments on Monument Avenue, or see the grandiose tombs of the Hollywood Cemetery.
Other good Richmond experiences include food tours of the Arts District or Church Hill, Segway tours of the city landmarks, nighttime ghost walks and guided hikes along the James River.
For Richmond accommodation, the Moxy Richmond Downtown brims with fun, youthful energy. The Residence Inn by Marriott, meanwhile, is a short walk from the lively Shockoe Bottom neighbourhood.
In the Blue Ridge Mountains, Asheville NC is one of the main gateways to the Blue Ridge Parkway. This is one of America’s best road trip routes.
But there’s more to Asheville than the mountains. It’s a buzzy city of arty shops, restaurants, breweries and live music venues. The River Arts District is particularly strong on the studios and galleries front. The lavish Biltmore Estate, meanwhile, is the country’s biggest privately-owned home.
Top Asheville experiences include after dark ghost walks, Blue Ridge Parkway hiking tours and Jeep adventures, plus Segway tours and scenic helicopter rides.
You can also do guided e-bike tours either downtown or in the mountains, then take a guided visit to several craft breweries.
Richmond VA to Asheville distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Richmond VA to Asheville is 373 miles. You can expect a driving time of around five hours and 24 minutes. The quickest route is along the I-40.
The best stops to add to a Richmond VA to Asheville road trip itinerary are Durham NC, Greensboro NC and Hickory NC.
Richmond VA to Asheville drive: Durham NC
Durham NC is a big tech research center, and home to Duke University. The latter is home to the Nasher Museum of Art and the soaring Gothic Duke Chapel.
Nature-lovers can go walking through the Sarah P Duke Gardens and take a tour of the Duke Lemur Center. The biggest crowd-pleaser, however, is the Museum of Life and Science. There are several sections to this, both indoor and outdoor. It’s mainly button-pushing, kid-friendly science indoors and black bears, butterflies and red wolves outside.
Richmond VA to Asheville road trip attractions: Greensboro NC
Greensboro NC has a handful of strong cultural attractions. The first port of call should be the International Civil Rights Center and Museum, which houses the original FW Woolworth’s lunch counter. This was where four college freshmen staged a sit-in at the whites-only venue – a key moment of non-violent direct action in the Civil Rights struggle.
There are more backstories at the Greensboro History Museum, and the Guildford Courthouse National Military Park focuses on a Revolutionary War turning point.
- For more suggestions, see the guide for the Greensboro to Asheville drive.
Best stops between Richmond VA and Asheville: Hickory NC
The Hickory Museum of Art, the Hickory History Center at Harper House and the hands-on Catawba Science Center all cluster together in town, but much of Hickory NC’s appeal comes from the parks around Lake Hickory. Of these, the Glenn Hilton Park has a canoe launch, nature boardwalk and disc golf course.
The trail-lined, waterfall-centered South Mountains State Park is just to the south of the city.
More Richmond VA road trips
Richmond VA to Atlanta | Baltimore to Richmond VA | Boston to Richmond VA | Richmond VA to Charlotte | Chicago to Richmond VA | Richmond VA to Durham NC | Richmond VA to Fayetteville NC | Richmond VA to Greensboro NC | Richmond to Lynchburg VA | New York City to Richmond VA | Philadelphia to Richmond VA | Richmond VA to Raleigh NC | Richmond VA to Roanoke | Washington DC to Richmond VA | Richmond VA to Wilmington NC.
More Asheville NC road trips
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