They say that the trail to happiness begins in the mountains, which is why we couldn’t wait for our first camping trip in Asheville, North Carolina!
We were excited to mark more items off of our Fort Bragg and North Carolina bucket list, but if you know anything about Asheville, then you know that finding an affordable (& decent) place to stay during the busy fall months is nearly impossible.
Unless, you’re sleeping in a tent!
And I found THE perfect campground for our trip. Asheville KOA East was affordable, beautiful, and located near all of the attractions we wanted to see.
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6 Reasons to Stay at Asheville KOA East:
1. It’s Beautiful
This is probably the most beautiful campground we have ever stayed at!
Surrounded by the southern Appalachian Mountains, Asheville KOA East is full of lush hardwoods and native plants. The Swannanoa River, a clear, rocky bottomed mountain stream, runs right through the campground in addition to two small lakes also on the premises.
We woke up to beautiful views of the lake and drifted off to sleep to the sounds of the bubbling river behind us.
2. It’s in a Great Location
I had an impossibly long list of things to do during our trip to Asheville. I knew that we could never do it all in one weekend. But I also wanted to make our trip worth the 4-hour drive from Fort Bragg.
From this spot, we were able to:
- visited downtown Asheville – 19 minutes away
- saw waterfalls – less than an hour away
- drove down the Blue Ridge Parkway – less than an hour away
- picked our own apples: 45 minutes away
This campground is close to both North Carolina’s most beautiful natural wonders and to Asheville with it’s incredible restaurants and eclectic vibes.
3. You Can Go Fishing
Fishing is allowed in the river and the lakes at the campground.
The website states, “Fish in the lakes include bass, brim, bluegill, crappie, and catfish. Catch and release on the bass only.” Just make sure you bring your North Carolina State Fishing License and make sure that it has a trout stamp.
My husband was bummed that we didn’t think to bring our fishing gear. He could have easily cast a line in the lake from his spot by the fire at our campsite.
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4. The Bike, Boat, and Golf Cart Rentals
There are bikes available for rent at the campground store. And my girls would NOT rest until we rented some and went for a ride. The girls rode over to the playground and around the big loop of RVs and campers. They loved it! (And I loved that they were getting all of their energy out!)
You can also rent paddle boats, Jon boats, and golf carts. You can see the rental prices here.
5. There are Fun Events
When we checked in, the ladies in the office gave us a list of events that were happening over the weekend, including a pumpkin carving contest and bingo.
We were busy picking apples and chasing waterfalls, but it was nice to know that there was something to entertain us if we had any downtime at the campground.
Asheville KOA East offers themed weekend events from May to October. Make sure you check their event calendar to see what’s going on during your visit.
6. There are SO MANY Amenities!
Campsites & Cabins
Asheville KOA East offers sites for tents, pop-ups, campers, and RVs. They also offer cabins….affordable ones!
We decided to camp in a tent during this trip. However, our campsite was right next to a 2-room camping cabin and we decided that if we ever plan another fall camping trip, we will stay in one of those. They are cheaper than a hotel room, but a definitely upgrade from our cold tent, since they offer heat and air conditioning!
Bath Houses
There are 3 different bath houses located throughout the campground. I used 2 of them during our stay and they were both clean and well-kept. I especially liked the bath house that offered separate shower rooms, instead of just the stalls.
Dog Park
Pets are welcome at Asheville KOA East! They even have a Kamp K-9 dog park at the campground where your puppies can play safely, off of their leash.
Water & Electricity at Tent Sites
We enjoy tent camping and we loved that our girls get to experience ‘real camping’. However, that doesn’t mean that we don’t enjoy some creature comforts, such as a fan in the summer or charging our phones. It’s hard to find campgrounds that offer water and electricity at tent sites, but Asheville KOA East does!
Free Wi-Fi
Wi-fi is offered throughout the campground for all of the campers. We were given a wi-fi password at check-in and were able to update our Facebook and Instagram feeds all weekend long.
Game Room
There is a small game room beside the office at the campground. We gave the girls a couple dollars each to play with and they both came back with a handful of prizes and a smile!
Games and Playgrounds
There are lots of games available at the campground for both kids and adults. The website gives this list of available games: ping pong, poly pong, gaga ball, horseshoes, ladder ball, cornhole, basketball, volleyball, soccer, and football.
We loved that there were 2 playgrounds on-site at Asheville KOA East. The girls loved playing and making new friends.
Swimming Pool
The pool was closed for the season during our stay in October. But when we return in the summer, we plan to take full advantage of the campground pool.
Store & Snack Bar
We were very thankful for the store at the campground, since we forgot to bring fire wood and lighter fluid with us. Because of the store, we were able to buy some without ever leaving the campground.
The store keeps some commonly forgotten items and snacks in stock for situations like this. You can also buy propane there, so you don’t have to lug around your own tank.
There is also a seasonal snack bar at Asheville KOA East. It wasn’t open during our October trip, but we can’t wait to try it out when we return in the summer.
The Asheville KOA East campground was everything we could have asked for and more! We even ditched our plans for Saturday evening just to hang out at the campground and ride bikes.
I would recommend this campground to anyone. It’s absolutely beautiful, it’s in a great location, and it offers plenty of amenities and activities!
We will definitely be returning to Asheville in the future and KOA East will be our go-to place to stay.
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