My wife wants to visit the Biltmore in April. There will be the two of us and 2 adult kids for 2 days.

What other activities in the area would you suggest? I like historical places, good food and of course gun related places.

Maybe a cool place to enjoy an adult beverage after dinner.

A referral for a nice hotel would be appreciated. Should we stay near the Biltmore, downtown, etc.?

I’ve heard the Sierra Nevada facility/food is great.

https://sierranevada.com/visit/north-carolina/taproom/

You can get some good deals during the week to stay on the estate, I would check out their website, but it's still pretty pricey. The Brookstone Lodge hotel is pretty close by (1.5 mi), and the last time I had visitors they offered discount Biltmore tickets to people who stayed. Lots of good stuff right outside the estate in Biltmore village too, HiWire brewing, Wayside cafe, Standard Pizza (casual), Red Stag is fancy. they are all pretty close. IM me if you want more details.

Isis Music Hall

We like this place for music.

Jack of the Woods

They have bluegrass and Celtic music. Good to grab a pint, food is just ok.

Any good battlefields or forts to visit?

Any good gun and or knife shops?

A good Carolina BBQ joint? I want to compare it to the best BBQ in the world (Memphis BBQ).

You have to go to the other end of the state for good BBQ

I don't know of any battlefield in the area, maybe some small fights but civil war was in eastern part of the state (dam yankees trying to get our BBQ), There might be some Revolution sites within a few hours. Of course there's Biltmore house.

Good day trip- Ride a train, Highest point east of Miss River, visit a reservation and gamble

I really recommend doing The Gorge Zipline tour, and going to Chimney Rock for people coming in looking for something neat and fun to do.

WNC was pretty much left out of the action during the Revolution and Civil War.

Another area to visit in April would be the Pisgah NF down around Brevard. It’s pretty close to Asheville and there are many trails there.

Not really any battlefields around the area, I'd say Charleston SC is best for that.

On Target has an indoor pistol range, Carolina Guns and Gear is pretty cool too.  Non residents can buy long guns, pistols require a permit.

Barbecue is a mixed bag.  For real deal old school, about the only place left is Little Pigs BBQ, it's good and very reasonable (broasted chicken is delicious).  All of the "new" barbecue places include 12 Bones, Buxton Hall, Luella's, and Bonfire.  I like items at all of these places, but none of them really blow me away.  I prefer a place called Bear's Smokehouse that's co-located inside Sweeten Creek Brewing.  They have some bacon wrapped smoked meatballs that are fantastic and very good brisket.

Universal Joint has some fantastic burgers.

Either a placed based on 4x4 work or weed, either way i'm good. LOL.

I agree with you about Bear's its fantastic. If you go to 12 Bones get the blueberry chipolte ribs. Sierra Nevada is worth the visit. Avoid I-26 like the plague if you can they are doing road construction and its a nightmare.

It was OK. I went a few months back. Over priced really and not much of a selection. Good beer though.

I stayed in the village hotel on property last week, and it was ~$150 night for a king bed. The Inn has a much better view, but it is more expensive.

The hiking trail along side the river makes for a nice walk.

You have to go through a metal detector going into the main house. You can carry anywhere else on the property and in the hotels.

The Henderson County History Museum in the old courthouse on Main Street has a really nice if small Military display including several actual period pieces from the Rev War right up through the GWOT. The Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas is in the Transylvania County Courthouse just reopened and has some outstanding WWII and Viet Nam era displays as well. As far as WBTS battlefields The Battle of Asheville took place near the end of Broadway Street on what is now the UNC Asheville Arboretum although the only thing left from the battle are the remains of the defense works which were little more than small disturbances on the hills when I went looking for them 10 or 15 years ago. The Pack library downtown has a map of the defenses and a small book written by one the commanding officers possibly. The Vance birthplace is near Asheville in Reems Creek, Governor Vance was a remarkable man and a Company Commander in the war. The Smith-McDowell House Museum in located on the AB Tech campus, basically across the road from the Biltmore Estate was built in 1840 and is pretty interesting. Also in Flat Rock over in Henderson County what is now known as Connemara but was once known as Rock Hill and was built in 1836 by Christopher Memminger who was the Confederate Secretary of the Treasury. It was said Flat Rock was recommended as the seat of the Confederacy late in war but obviously that never happened. One of the very last engagements of the war took place in Waynesville over in Haywood County with a group of Union troops surrounded there when word came the war was over.

Another vote for Bear's. Brisket is amazing there.  We periodically cut out early for beer and BBQ there.  I work really close to there.

Buxton hall is the only place I have found around here that holds true to "Carolina style" or what we call "down east" (vinegar base) BBQ.  It's downtown in the "brewery district" but I'd avoid anything downtown, including anything on Haywood Rd., and this is coming from an Asheville native.  Downtown is absolutely infested with criminal behavior and tourists are easy targets.  Daytime is not too bad but I'd be somewhere else after dark.

Luella's on Merrimon is pretty dang good as its within a few miles of the house and their Sunday brunch hits the spot.  If you want to try some true local fare, and you like hurting yourself, check out Rocky's Hot Chicken.  You will probably want ice cream afterwards (not for your mouth) if you order anything over the medium.