Breweries are the great equalizer in Asheville. Certainly, there are spots that are for dancing and listening to music, popular with a young crowd, and there are other spots that are so sedate that you’ll see folks of all ages catching up with a friend or playing a leisurely game of darts. 

Traditionally, the age group you wouldn’t see at breweries was the under-21 crowd, but increasingly that’s changing, especially with so many breweries including live music and food as part of their draw. 

While the under-21 folks can’t partake in the beer itself, many of the best breweries in Asheville realize that being family-friendly allows them to provide a valuable service to visitors and locals alike: an easy-going hangout space where parents will stay and enjoy beer and a meal if there’s enough space or amusement for their kids to enjoy their time there too. 

The recipe is pretty simple – while no kid would turn down a kid corner full of toys, most kids are just happy to not have to whisper, to have space to move around, and to have interesting things to look at. I’ve found most kids find brewing equipment fascinating, and from a distance, they can’t get too hands-on. 

If you find that getting out of the house is a must, some of the many Asheville breweries with larger taprooms offer a great way to have a whole-family outing that everyone enjoys – especially if you meet up with other families there, too! Here are just a few of the spots to consider if you’re looking for the best kid-friendly breweries in Asheville!

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10 Kid-Friendly Breweries in Asheville

1. Visit Asheville’s Original Brewery, Highland Brewing

The grandfather of all craft breweries in Asheville, Highland Brewing’s large campus features plenty of outdoor seating if you don’t want to be in the busy and loud taproom, as well as a huge meadow where bands play and, when there isn’t a band, kiddos run free and wild. 

Older kids will love the hiking trails and disc golf course that are right on-site, and anyone can jump in for a lawn game like cornhole. It’s such a big space, and so embedded in the hillside that I think you can easily find the right mix of busy, quiet, indoor, or outdoor for your family’s needs. 

I also like that they have a substantial merch store where you can pick up souvenirs if you’re in from out of town or need some gifts for the beer lovers in your life.

Location: 12 Old Charlotte Hwy #200, Asheville.

2. Get Quirky Seating Options at Burial Beer 

While Burial Beer South Slope isn’t particularly kid-focused, I’d argue it’s a pretty sweet setup for a family with well-behaved kids. The outdoor seating area features a few different vintage cars/vans that have been turned into seating, and the novelty of sitting in a van rather than a typical picnic table might be a strong memory for some kids. 

More than that, it’s just a well-located brewery, not far from downtown in the South Slope brewery district. The beers themselves are incredibly diverse, and you can always buy a bottle for home if you realize that it’s time to go see one of the downtown parks or do some window-shopping. 

Nearby breweries like Twin Leaf and Wicked Weed are good options if your kids tend not to want to settle into a particular place and instead want to keep moving on y’alls tour of South Slope. Another plus is that it is just down the street from one of my favorite hidden treasures of South Slope: PIE.ZAA is a pizza shop selling enormous single slices of pizza that will thrill your family. 

Location: 40 Collier Ave, Asheville.

3. Leave the Station with Whistle Hop 

While there are a lot of kid-friendly breweries in the Asheville area, few can truly compare with Whistle Hop Brewing in Fairview for the sheer variety of entertainment available. 

The main taproom is literally inside a train car, so while kiddos won’t care about the fascinating list of brews on tap, they will like getting to climb up into a second-story seating area to get a panoramic view or just pretend to be a train conductor in the merch shop. 

Below the train, you’ll find a mini-golf course (I know! They have committed to this!), an ultra-long slide going down the hill, and space to play a variety of yard games, in addition to lots of seating in their tiered outdoor seating area. 

Many popular local food trucks frequent this spot, so you can read on their website about what food will be available. They frequently have live music as well, which my son was also mesmerized by. 

While I’d say the amusements here actually skew older (my kid isn’t ready for mini golf), younger siblings can easily keep themselves busy while the family enjoys some relaxation and recreation. 

Location: 1288 Charlotte Hwy, Fairview.

4. Go for a Wander at Hi-Wire Beer Garden in the RAD

Hi-Wire Beer Garden in the River Arts District long featured the Foothills Local Meats Food truck and now rotates their food truck. They have an interior area for games like cornhole and a truly enormous seating area in the beer garden. 

Hi-Wire is a great fit for anyone who wants to bring their kids but knows that they need a little space to roam. I found it fairly easy, even with a 2-year-old, to set my things at a table in the early evening, let my husband enjoy his food truck fare and beer, and wander around exploring with my little guy before swapping out who did the wandering. 

It’s also just a space that’s big enough for some boisterous sound, and it carries less than it would inside an echo-filled warehouse-like space like those most popular with breweries in Asheville. 

While Hi-Wire’s Big Top location in South Slope also has some space outdoors and is a fun spot, if you’re specifically wanting to try Hi-Wire’s brews but want the top kid-friendly brewery location, we recommend heading to the River Arts District instead. 

Location: 289 Lyman St, Asheville.

5. Dance and Play at Sweeten Creek Brewing

When my toddler was about 2 and a half, he started talking about his music teacher from school and playing any musical instruments he could get his hands on at home. We looked up the music teacher’s name and learned he was part of a kid-friendly band that, of all things, held kids’ music and dance parties at Sweeten Creek Brewing! 

We had to try it out. The atmosphere is great at this brewery – while there’s the main building with a full barbecue menu inside from Bears Smokehouse BBQ, we stayed out in the big grassy area with two sand volleyball courts, a beer shack where you can order a limited set of the options available indoors, and a stage. 

Watching my son’s eyes go wide when he recognized his music teacher on stage was a bit like watching someone receive front-row tickets to their favorite band’s concert by surprise. Even when you’re not visiting for a special event like a kids’ music and dance party, the space is perfect for roaming kids. 

There’s a sandbox with some trucks and supplies to play with, and there’s lots of room just to explore and wander. The picnic tables under the trees are a great spot for a shaded snack or a picnic made up of barbecue from inside the brewery. The beer just tastes even better when you know your kids are having a nice time, too. 

Locaiton: 1127 Sweeten Creek Rd, Asheville.

6. Hit a Hole-in-One at Salt Face Mule Brewing 

Salt Face Mule Brewing is a labor of love that turned an arcade and mini-golf business into a sprawling brewery that retains much of the same fun atmosphere. They have on-site pub grub, beers brewed in-house (as well as other drinks), and 36 holes of mini golf on-site! 

While the brewery is quick to remind you that this isn’t just a mini golf business, children are welcome as long as they’re accompanied by an adult, pay to play, and don’t treat the space with disrespect. 

In general, this brewery is large on the inside and located up in Weaverville/Woodfin, so it’s less likely to be utterly crowded the way some of the South Slope spots can get even during early hours when you might want your family to come along with you. If your kids are big sports fans, there’s often big games on the televisions in the main taproom as well. 

Location: 450 Weaverville Hwy, Asheville.

7. Experience the RAD Community at the Wedge

Tucked behind the storefronts of the River Arts District and sandwiched between streets, the Wedge is both hard to find and park at and, therefore, kind of perfect for hanging out with little kids. 

There’s outdoor games and lots of umbrella-shaded picnic tables, plus an interesting little sculpture-clad area that’s a bit shaded from the summer sun. My own kid is in awe of the industrial-inspired art that adorns the Wedge, so I imagine other kids who spend a lot of time reading about construction equipment will also get a kick out of it. 

They usually have a food truck on-site, so kids aren’t limited to just watching you drink beer, and there’s frequently a band or singer to further engage everyone, making it a real family hang on many early evenings.

Location: 37 Paynes Way, Asheville.

8. See Movies at Asheville Pizza and Brewing

Asheville Pizza and Brewing’s original location features two movie theaters and a few classic arcade games, making it a great destination. Plus, pizza is a kid crowd-pleaser. They often play low-ticket-price classic movies that you know will be acceptable for children but may be first-time experiences for your own kids. 

The fact that the theaters feature separate bars where you can pick up your food and also order a drink really makes it a perfect spot for entertaining children while having a relaxing evening yourself. 

Keep an ear to the ground for special events, too, like when the World Cup soccer games were featured on the big screen – your soccer-loving middle schooler might be up for some bonding if it involves pizza and their favorite national team players larger-than-life on a movie screen. 

Location: 675 Merrimon Ave, Asheville.

9. Go Exploring at Sierra Nevada Brewery

Ever taken a brew on a hike? We won’t tell if you won’t, but given the expansive campus of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., there’s literally a walking path where you’re allowed to carry a brew down to the French Broad River. 

Calling the Sierra Nevada campus a brewery is a bit of a misrepresentation because it is huge: there are multiple places to eat, a kids’ sandbox play area for little kids, a huge music area for dancing around and getting the wiggles out, and a variety of other events held on-site. 

There’s lovely nature nearby, tours for kids interested in the industrial-scale work done in the facility, and plenty of recognizable food favorites for kids alongside chef-curated flavors for the more foodie types in your party. 

Location: 100 Sierra Nevada Way, Mills River.

10. Scoop Some Dirt at Foothills Grange

I first tried Foothills Local Meats at the aforementioned Hi-Wire River Arts District Beer Garden when it was their permanent food truck, and when I realized they had their own location in Black Mountain, Foothills Grange, I realized it doubles as a bit of a kid-friendly bar/restaurant even though it isn’t technically a brewery. 

The food is all the high-quality-sourced meats and tasty tallow fries that Foothills is known for, but on a campus that features a patio, a huge kids’ play space full of trucks and dirt to be moved, a covered picnic area, and plenty of space to roam. While more technically a kid-friendly restaurant, the bar and outdoor space are what make me want this spot not to be missed on a list of kid-friendly breweries in Asheville! 

Location: 120 Broadway Ave, Black Mountain.

There you have it! The 10 best kid-friendly breweries in Asheville, NC. What are your favorite Asheville breweries to visit with kids? Let us know so we can check them out!

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