It's Turkey Time! Adventures in Asheville for Thanksgiving Weekend

You know what to do on Thanksgiving, right? Watch the Macy's Day Parade and eat a ton of food, of course. But what else is there to do during your Asheville, North Carolina, holiday vacation?

The National Gingerbread House Competition at the Grove Park Inn is an absolute must for any Asheville vacation. You'll be surprised by the artistry of the entries, and how many there are! Select gingerbread houses will be featured on Good Morning America on December 23rd; this is your chance to see these wonderful creations in person. Public viewing days are Sunday through Thursday. Also, the Biltmore Estate, all dressed up in fabulous holiday splendor, is open for the entire holiday weekend.

Crazy Gingerbread Houses at Grove Park Inn

Need to balance out all that indulgence? There's a 5K Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day that starts at 9 a.m. at the French Broad River Park off Amboy Road. The first 1,200 runners to finish the run get a commemorative T-shirt! If you'd rather ride than run, LaZoom is offering their Happy Jollidays Tour, but you'll need to make reservations soon to ride on this funny bus, they sell out quick!

When you're out hitting the stores over the weekend, you'll want to do some shopping at Biltmore Park Town Square. The majestic 25-foot Christmas tree is worth the visit. But if you're in town before Thanksgiving on Wednesday, November 23rd, you'll have a chance to Buy Local! City Market South will be set up at Biltmore Park Town Square from 2 to 5 p.m., with dozens of vendors selling locally-made and locally-grown products.

And before you head back home, don't forget to pick up a Christmas tree right from the farm where it was grown; the North Carolina mountains are the #2 producing region for Fraser firs (second only to Oregon). Take a little bit of mountain magic home with you!

Relax by the Fire at Reem's Creek

Carolina Mornings has Asheville vacation rental cabins still available for Thanksgiving weekend. Reem's Creek is a relaxing place to spend the weekend, with rocking chairs on the front porch where you can take in the wide lawn and mountain view, and a wood fireplace in the comfortable family room. Just across the street from Vance Birthplace, a North Carolina State Historic Site, Reem's Creek sleeps 10, plenty of room for the whole family. Wouldn't it be just perfect to escape for Thanksgiving to a Asheville vacation rental home?