Reviews of The North Carolina Arboretum. (Other) in Asheville (North Carolina).

The North Carolina Arboretum

0 Reviews

398 Comments

Other

Arboretum

100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, Asheville, NC 28806, United States

Description

Information of The North Carolina Arboretum, Other in Asheville (North Carolina)

Discover the opening times, the location, contact, popular times, photos and real reviews by internet users.

We still haven't received any review on this business.

Map

Open hours of The North Carolina Arboretum

Popular times

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Reviews of The North Carolina Arboretum

Emily Madrigal

So many different things to look at and the flowers are beautiful I went the second week of September and they all still had their colors. They have a very cute gift shop. There was a wedding going on while we were there which was very interesting to look at! Didn’t know they offered those kind of services there. But it is nice to know they do! Also, the cafe they have there was delicious. I believe I got the garden salad and it was so good. The ranch dressing was perfect. Staff is very friendly!

Dylan Ramsey

Such a beautiful and well maintained place. 16 bucks to park and the rest is free unless you decide to buy some $3 succulents. The bonsai exhibit was absolutely beautiful. A miniature redwood tree? One of the cutest things I've seen. The flowers are breathtaking as well. I highly recommend this place for its awe inspiring beauty.

Mountain Guide

This place is a steal with only a sixteen dollar parking fee. Everything else was free to enter and explore. Give yourself a few hours to walk and enjoy the gardens and trails. The bonsai exhibit was very well laid out. There is plenty of photo opportunities and great mountain views throughout the park. I would recommend a visit here.

Abby Smith

Excellent arboretum full of beautifully curated displays, fun for the entire family regardless of season! Wonderful outdoor trails to meander peacefully. Huge train exhibit with live plants was really neat and inspiring. Bonsai garden was pretty even though it’s off season. Lots of cool educational nature exhibits inside too. Absolutely stunning welcome center, though the staff totally ignored me, but that was fine because I was able to locate what I needed by myself. Also, great educational program with dedicated area for future outdoor enthusiasts. Overall, a great experience minus the lack of customer service inside the welcome center. Would recommend.

Kim Seese

A magical slice of heaven just outside Asheville. The beautiful gate itself sets the stage for an unforgettable experience. Take the drive slow and soak in the beautiful entrance. Make sure you go inside the visitors center to get a map and use the restroom before starting on the many STUNNING trails. Don't be in a hurry, let the forest energy wash away all your stress and anxiety. It's incredibly quiet.... so you can hear the symphony of nature in all its orchestrated beauty. Then after you're done with the nature trails, take your time to explore every beautiful garden and Vistas. Photo ops everywhere. Have a full charge before leaving your car....you will definitely want it. And DON'T MISS the bonsai garden and train garden on the weekend. Couldn't believe you can actually hear the buzzing of all the bees in several different themed gardens. Definitely don't miss the gift shop upstairs!

Jacqueline Telljohann

We were in Asheville for a long weekend and I was trying not to overdo the hiking since I was trying to recover from an injury. We decided to come here for the afternoon after a short hike in the morning. I had heard good things, but this place still surpassed my expectations! It's a pretty big place and there are even more traditional trails through the wooded area. It's $16 to park, but there is technically no entrance fee so you might be able to bike in for free. Unfortunately, we didn't plan ahead and the Bonsai exhibit was closed for the day (closes at 5 and everything else is open until 7 or 9 depending on the time of year). What we could see from the outside looked cool though. This is a great spot to spend a few hours exploring. It looks really cool in the winter with Christmas lights too from what I've seen online.

Para Un Tiempo Como Este Rosaly Guzman

Excellent place to vist. Lots of information, ample parking, good food (best coffee). Beautiful trails full of colors, they have a great animal photo display. The highlight of the place is their bonsai exhibition. Good for the whole family including your dogs!

Laura Foster

GORGEOUS arboretum!!! Absolutely lovely! We arrived later than we had hoped to (4pm) and only had an hour before they closed the greenhouse and bonsai exhibit (5pm). Their shop closes at 4pm so we couldn't check out the plants they have for sale in the gift shop, but I like that they sell plants that you can take home to your own green house or garden. The remaining open areas were open until 9pm when we were visiting, and we stayed until about 8pm (dusk). The bonsai exhibit is absolutely adorable, and had great educational material explaining how the art of bonsai is done and ways it could be applied to native Appalachian plants and not just Japanese plants. I also really love that they had examples of plants used in other art forms like dying, basket weaving, book arts, and other media. They had lots of information signs posted throughout the garden, just enough that you'd learn something new and have time to digest it while wandering the garden until you ran into the next sign. We went while there were still some flowering plants on the fall equinox, and I'm sure in the spring and summer the garden is also full of life! It looks like they have some lights set up for holiday lights in the winter already, so expect that the gardens are still beautiful even if they die back some for the winter. Landscaping is wonderful as well, and there was a good number of benches throughout to sit if you need to rest. I have a hard time walking for long periods so this was particularly helpful and much appreciated. They have easy to follow maps showing the different areas in the garden and it is small enough you can experience it in a day.

YT White

Visiting the NC Arboretum during the Fall was absolutely beautiful. We spent a lovely day walking the trails and enjoying the sights. The Bonsai Exhibit was like nothing else. The art demonstrated through the tiny landscapes was magnificent. The quilt garden is a very unique feature. And the images shared by the National Geographic Photo Ark was breathtaking. I can't wait to visit again during another season.

Lev Marushevskyi

This is a really nice park. I personally love walking so for me this place has plenty of trails. There are a ton of decorations around here for Christmas so I highly recommend coming here after dark during the Christmas season. They also had a really nice gift shop at the building that's past all of the decorations.

Julie Jackyra

Only fee is $16 to park. Nice visitor center and formal garden area. We went to explore the trails and were able to get a good walk in. Beautiful area. We would go back. Kids wished the model train was running, but it runs limited days and hours.

Julie Wine

As a member I get to enjoy this beautiful place all year round and each time I notice something different. I hike the trails with my friends and our dogs (always leashed), stroll through the gardens, and love the exhibits. The staff are friendly and seem to love working there.

Emerald Williams

Such a cool spot. The bonsai tree exhibit was why we came, but the rest of it was beautiful as well. Excellent place to meander or for more serious walkers/runners. Admission is free, but parking is $16. Wish we had time to do all of the trails.

Casey Nicole

I can't even say enough good things about this place. If you love nature, walking in nature, bonsai, flowers,.... Just go! Absolutely gorgeous and with spending hours here so plan it for the day! The bonsai garden was my absolute favorite!

Ray Zhong

Absolutely my FAVORITE place in Asheville! We initially planned to squeeze a quick trip before lunch and ended up spending 3 hours there and skipping lunch plan in the city. Bonsai is so pretty. Eating while listening to two men singing Yesterday and playing guitar is just beautiful. But what I like most is how serene and pleasant a strolling on the trail is. Love

Sylvia Balli

What a peaceful and beautiful way to spend the day. Stopped in for a morning walk around 9:30am and there was hardly anyone around. Had the change to roam freely without crowds and wow this place is so beautiful. Every corner has a special surprise tucked away.

Karen Bowen

The Winter Lights show was well organized. It was easy to walk around and view everything. Well worth the money spent for tickets. Very easy to buy them online before coming. Definitely plan to come to see the spring flowers. Became members in the fall because the park is so pretty. There is a lot to see. It is well maintained with many trails to explore. The Winter Lights will be a annual Christmas activity for us.

Bethany Souza

I really enjoyed my visit, and was blown away with the Bonsai Garden. We went at open and the grounds were so well kept and quiet. Such a wonderful place to enjoy nature, and I loved shopping for plants in the greenhouse.

Michelle Yezek

Very pretty! Definitely want to come back in the summer when the flowers are grown and the tress are bloomed. Also want to see the bonsai trees! Unfortunately, they were not out due to cold weather. The gentleman at the front gate was very friendly. We didn’t have a lot of time, because we were traveling, so we didn’t get to experience most of the trails, but definitely want to come back!

Nitin Mahindrakar

Loved the fact it has multiple hiking trails for all levels. Fun one day activity for family or friends. Great exhibits on display. Bonsai Garden was our favorite. Try the bistro. They serve local beer and wine. Hiking trails have call booths. Which is helpful. Some trails can be used for hiking and mountain bicycles.

Nichelle Nichols

They have a cute backpack for kids that you can check out. I wish they had a insect identification paper. Our 8 y.o. loved it though. Peaceful and plenty of trails and different plants to look at. Heads up, the Bonsai portion is closing for winter soon.

Jamie Martell

We went to the holiday light festival for the first time and had an amazing experience! The lights were beautiful! The hot chocolate was delicious and very fairly priced! There was smore kits for sale and several fire areas and fun chairs for smore roasting! Definitely recommend 10/10

Pam Clifford

Absolutely incredible place. Great gift shop, and amazing variety of flowers, trees, and gardens within the Arboretum. I would travel back to Asheville just to go to the Arboretum again. So much to see, and very well done.

Tu Gray

We went here with our small kiddos. It was easy to find. Plenty of parking. There’s a huge center where you park to use restrooms and gather information. The gardens are beautiful. There are plenty of trails, some stroller appropriate and many options for kids. We went on the Carolina, Bent creek and creek trail. They all connect and led back out to the gardens. My kids enjoyed it very much. The creek is beautiful! There’s also a cool photo booth in the center.

Sarah Shackett

We went for the Winter Lights event for the holidays and had a great time! For the event you are in a smaller section of the arboretum where they set up wonderful light displays, the polar express model train you can go see, a wishing tree to share your holiday wishes on, and a cool like story walk that leads up to the wishing trees. Great for all ages! We will be going back to experience the arboretum during the day forsure!! If you’re going to the Winter Lights event the last hour is really magical because there aren’t a lot of people there. We had a great time and spent about two hours there, they have hot coco stands, and if you go to the gift shop or coco stand you can get some glasses that really make the experience magical. The glasses make any light turn into a shape, they have stars, and holiday themed glasses. VERY fun with them!! & you can save the glasses to bring home and wear while looking at neighborhood lights too (:

Nick U. DPT

Love the arboretum, always well maintained and there’s consistently new exhibits being made. Well worth the membership if you’re a local to the area as it is consistently changing and there’s miles of hiking trails that you can visit.

The Ruby

If you ever in your life get the chance to come and see the Blue Ridge Parkway...do it. This was to most relaxing and eye opening experience my family has had in a long while. The sightseeing is breathtaking. The people are super hospitable. 10 out of 10 definitely going to go here again.

Lalima Sharda

It’s a really nice pleasant place. The Bonsai Garden is really cool and informative with funny captivating captions. The Natural Garden Trail is not recommended during day time in winter since all the trees there are barren and there are no flowers at all. But you should definitely visit for the Winter Lights show in the evening!

Elizabeth Hadden

Beautiful spot to visit for spending the day outdoors. It’s like a choose your own adventure, there are tons of trials to take here. The space is huge and there’s a lot to see. We stuck to the garden path which was a pretty quick walk to enjoy in the morning. Make sure to wear good walking shoes!

Lisa Choe Scott

We love going to the arboretum to look at the various plants and trees. But our favorite time to go is for the Winter Lights! Gorgeous displays, fire pits, s'mores and hot cocoa. The kids had fun time too

S U

Very unique park and lots of beautiful things to see and do. Trails as well so bring some comfortable walking shoes/boots. Will be lit for Christmas after 11/19 but we were told at gate the lights would be on that night so a bit disappointing there. At $16 to enter for all of us its not expensive and would make a great place for pictures, family outing, field trips etc.

Sam Franklin

They have Arbor Evenings on Fridays in the summer featuring live music in the garden. We recently packed a picnic and it was so nice. Surprised it’s not more crowded and seemed like mostly seniors in the crowd. Cool young AVLers need to get hip to this.

Karelys Rondon

Beautiful place to learn and relax or just take a good walk, you can take your dog although not to all areas. It is very well planned and designed. Do not forget to visit it

Randy Howell

It's way smaller than you think. We went because we thought the bonsai exhibit was open, but they don't open till May. The exhibit notes were unclear about this. Willow pond does not have willow trees and it's disgusting because it was filled with algae when we went. Beautiful gardens none the less. I'm a biologist and more than a few of the plants were incorrectly labeled. Also pretty sure there were invasive species running rampant. Is it worth it? Absolutely. Beautiful place to be. Just set your expectations accordingly. Also use the AAA discount on entry.

Michael Cordell

Beautifully done and maintained. Congratulations to the amazing people who work and support it. And thank you God for creating such beautiful diversity and wonders for us to marvel. We are obligated to provide these gifts and be good stewards of our home, Earth.

Gottfried Kibelka

The drive to the parking lot is already a treat but I wish that they would hide the asphalt desert of the parking lot underground. The garden that celebrates Olmsted this year has wonderful, guided views through framed lines of sight, blocked views to keep the visitor focused, while formal and natural designs are constantly communicating with each other. The garden is meticulously manicured, educational, interesting, and relaxing, There are plenty of name plates that are a great help for learning or to identify a new cultivar. A great experience for every naturalist. I met a regular walking the Natural Garden Trail with a bear bell and learned that she had seen a black bear with her cups twice in that trail.

Maria Purcell

A beautiful display of thousands (millions?) of lights. Even my grown children loved it. A wishing tree, hot chocolate, music, gift shops...a little bit of everything for everyone. I would advise getting there early to avoid long lines.

Mike

One of the best experiences in the entire East Coast area. From the trails, the info center to the gardens around the grounds. Nothing can get better! I implore people to check this area out with their families!

Johnny DuBose

Highly recommend coming here. It's 16 dollars per vehicle, and there's plenty to see. You'll definitely want to come see the Bonsai tree exhibit. They were amazing. All the trails were really beautiful as well.

Steven Beaudry

The immense and magnificent North Carolina Aboreteum is a must see. Best of all, they allow leashed dogs!! A steal at $16 for parking and no separate admission charged. Make sure you give yourself about 4 hours so you can also go on the nature trails. Everything you expect from a great aboretum: beautiful, tended botanical gardens, educational descriptions of trees and plants, majestic fountains and sculptures. But there’s so much more. How about a miniature train village? Or the history of landscape architecture and the role of Frederick Law Olmstead in it? And don’t forget those miles of nature trails. If I lived in Asheville, I would definitely become a member!!

Shawn Becker

Went for Winter Lights! Flow of foot traffic was a little confusing while walking around...people moving every which direction which made it a little more difficult for those with service animals, wheelchairs, or strollers to navigate. However, weather was great, atmosphere was festive, and the themed areas were spectacular!

Andrea Cothran

Brought the family here to kill some time while in Ashville and it was so beautiful. We walked the difficult path since uphill is not found to often in Florida and both kids, 9 and 17, had no problem with the 4 miles. It was winter so not everything was blooming, but there is always something to look at in nature. Thanks for the memories!

Jonathan Henley

Brought my family here for a fun couple of hours. The first reaction from the kids was,”it’s just trees?” But they ended up having a blast. Beautiful grounds, friendly staff, and no admission fee beyond parking. It’s a real gem of a place and always worth a visit if you’re in the area. The model train and lights was a highlight.

Alex Brown

Absolutely beautiful place! The layout of the gardens is so well done and the map to guide us was perfect. The staff was wonderful and so friendly. Very cute gift shop with a variety of items. We specifically went to see the bonsai exhibit and it was gorgeous. Their jade plant was AMAZING. Thank your for taking such good care of a beautiful place.

Cliff G.

One of the best arboretum/ nature exhibits we've experienced. Extremely well maintained with excellent paths and trails through the woods. Very impressed with the bonsai exhibit and watched the care and expertise of the caretakers first hand. Highly recommend if you're in the Asheville area.

D E Mullis

The NC Arboretum is a special outdoor treasure! So happy to see people drawn to the outdoors in this beautifully designed park. The views are worth the trip. I actually wasn’t expecting the Bonsai exhibit, so it really impressed me.

Abby W

GREAT EXPERIENCE! The second time I've been here. It's $16 per car for parking and admission is free ✨ the bonsai tree exhibit is incredible. Take your time!

Jason Farthing

Beautiful place to walk around and enjoy the landscape. Views of the mountains. The grounds are well taken care of a must see

Daniela Edwards

Beautiful arboretum. We purchased a membership and it comes with discounts for different gardens and museums around the US so totally worth it. My husband and I love it.

Jo Crooms

Visited to see the bonsai collection. I was surprised by just how big, lovely and well cared for the arboretum is! They have indoor and outdoor exhibits, lots of parking and the location is stunning! Not a leaf out of place when we were there. Heads up, it costs $16 to drive in.

Meghana Raja

The grounds are beautiful and there's so much to learn and see all over. The trails are really quiet and peaceful

Emily Gettys

Great trails and kid friendly. Just be aware that it says free entry but costs $16 for parking.

Laurie Lewis

The arboretum is a great place to stop in and walk the trails and gardens. There’s always something new to see and the holiday lights display is always wonderful.

Chris Hurst

What a cute little experience this is, with nature trails, a green house, a miniaturized train station with life like town and running trains, what seems like (and probably is) hundreds of different plant species and a great bit of walking paths, this is worth the $16 to park.

Hannah Morgan

We went to the arboretum this past Christmas, and it was gorgeous!! But what really made our night was the Santa at the fire pit. He was the absolute best!!! He MADE my kids’ Christmas. He asked them what they wanted for Christmas, sat and listened to them, told them what kind of carrots Rudolph liked best, and did a magic trick for them. They were in awe and seeing the magic in their eyes made my Christmas. I would pay him to be our Santa every year. We will be back this year and we’re hoping he will be there again.

Lindsey Michele

It's beautiful. If you want to stroll around and see all the different types of flora from the area. There's a little cafe too.

Susan Grogan

Beautiful gardens and woodland trails. The garden sculptures, trains and bonsai trees were awesome. We were disappointed to find part of the gardens blocked for a private event. Although only a parking fee, it's frustrating to pay the full $16.00 and not be allowed to have the full garden experience.

Marissa Monteith

The light show was amazing. We loved the smores and hot chocolate! Great way to spend a evening. Highly recommend for families to plan ahead and get there early.

Shafi Keisler

A beautiful, peaceful experience with excellent facilities. Bonsai exhibit was amazing. The metal art on display was some of the best I have seen in the Carolinas. Loved the model train exhibit depicting the town of Best NC circa 1875 before it became Biltmore Village. Bistro has great selection of fresh made sandwiches, local sourced cheese plates, desserts, and refreshments. You can walk off your lunch on the adjacent trails meandering through the beautiful forest and streams. A great value for the low entry price of parking at just $16 for a 4-6 hour day of art, food, nature, and exercise.

Jay Frigon

Despite what some people said about this place, the winter light display was pretty nice. It's $30 per car load if you buy online. There were several lit trails, several fire pits to warm up, a train display and 2 hot cocoa stands with S'more kits for the kids to make S'mores over one of the fire pits. There is also a Christmas shop.

Jenny McKee

The North Carolina Arboretum is a fabulous way to spend a few hours or a whole day, with lots of trails to walk through the gardens and connected forest. The LEGO exhibit is incredible and it was so fun to keep finding them scattered throughout the Arboretum. I highly recommend checking out the bonsai garden! Really appreciate their signage and efforts to encourage mask-wearing by all visitors, even outside. I would definitely return here again! Update: We visited again in May 2022 and can confirm it is beautiful anytime of the year, even on a cool, gray day! Azaleas were starting to open and we even walked by some pink lady slippers close to the nature trail! This is definitely worth the $16 parking fee and you can access the arboretum all day (until close) with that admission.

Susan G

Beautiful arboretum with a fantastic bonsai exhibit and numerous trails. Loved it! Be sure to check out the flower quilt.

Laura McKinney

Beautiful place. $16 parking fee for non-members. Will definitely be back again during different seasons and holidays!

Jason Ernst

Beautiful and reasonably priced to enter. Must see Bonsai trees! In good weather, you cant beat this place. Trails, dog friendly, bike friendly, visitor friendly! Restaurant on site to hold you over while enjoying the beauty.

Arthur Warlick

Very nice place. Lots to see. Beautiful place to take pictures.. walk.. or just relax

Bethzaida Cohen

Loved the arboretum! Gardens are beautiful. Loved the bonsai exhibit. Walked the Nature Trail which was also beautiful. Would sign up for their membership if we were locals.

Fricken Clutch

A unique and beautiful slice of an even greater ecosystem. The bonsai garden was my favorite. Highly recommend visiting. Good selection of items in the gift shop, and gallery.

James InOregon

The NC Arboretum is a treasure with exhibits for adults and kids. Beautiful gardens that are meticulously maintained in a super clean facility. Nice gift store and great restaurant. Go and have fun!

Luis Sandoval

Incredible we had to see it all took 3 hours walking. Also ride bicycles on one of the trails all the way to the lake nearby.

Donna Hoover

I wish there had been better instructions for a path through so that we were certain we saw everything. I really enjoyed walking through the lights however instead of driving past them, though there's some beautiful sights to see while driving too!

Joseph Davis

I haven't visited in 15-17 years. I really miss the way the Arboretum used to be, I have a lot of fond memories of taking my now adult daughter there. Everything, everything has changed, but... also, wow. It is a place of much beauty and careful thought. When it was time to leave my 4-year-old son, who usually just likes to hit things with sticks and yell, said he didn't want to ever leave.

Frank Y (Frank Y)

Great place for a couple hours if you take in some trails. Very impressed by the bonsai section. Not only are the displays fantastic the architecture of the setting is wonderful. Art is also well placed throughout the arboretum and everywhere I went was perfectly maintained. Plenty of seating to enjoy the views. Walked some trails as well, all well marked and maintained. The The price is by car load up and enjoy, well worth the price of admission.

Claire Landis

Lovely hiking/mountain biking trails on the perimeter. As well as good shorter trails and accessible gardens near the visitor center. Also have really good education resources.

Chun Yi Chan

The garden is well maintained and a wonderful place right on the blue ridge parkway. Too bad for us Fred dumped loads of rain. Otherwise it would have been a great visit. The bonsai garden is a must see! The model train seemed to run only specific time on weekends.

Michelle Turner

A great way to spend a day. Whether walking the trails, attending an orchid show or enjoying the holiday lights, fun for all ages.

Adam T.

Gorgeous, kid-friendly environment with good info on ecological stewardship. We enjoyed our visit. The ambiance of the whole garden area and a good distance into the woods was disrupted by the noise pollution form two back back leaf blowers. I appreciate all the work put into this place, but landscape managers should find ways to eliminate these noisy and heavily polluting engines, as more and more cities have been doing.

Will Huhn

Awesome arboretum with a variety of walking/hiking trails. The extensive and beautiful bonsai collection was our favorite part!

Frank Baker

This place is great to get out and enjoy the trails. Only wished it stayed open a little later.

Lexi Aagesen

I was a few weeks early to see it in full bloom, but the gardens were beautifully laid out.

Angela Gilliam

We had a wonderful day here seeing the plants and getting a little lost on the trails. Wish we lived closer to use more often.

patty hedges

Beautiful and well maintained. Great walking trails that are easily accessible; offering a wide variety of nature's best. Definitely worth your time. A yearly membership would be a must if we lived in the area.

Hilary Burgess

What a delightful spot for an hour or an afternoon. Beautiful gardens and lots of hiking trails.

Mike Campbell

Beautiful, well maintained gardens. Lots of places to sit and enjoy or talk. Fantastic bonsai display. Interesting exhibits often on display in the main building. Hiking and biking (MTB or gravel) options right from the property.

Jay DeBard

Great place tucked away in the trees. Lots of nice gardens and especially the bonsai garden. Good hiking trails as well.

Meagan Ingram

Great experience. Family friendly and fun for the kids. My son loved the train exhibit with Thomas and James the train. I enjoyed the Bonsai trees. We also played in a small outdoor play area. The trails were well maintained and relatively simple to navigate. We only went on a short trail, but were able to get a baby stroller over it pretty easily. The restrooms were all clean and port a potties throughout the park were maintained.

Jim Y

Great place to stroll or hike, with kids, pets etc. Beautiful fall foliage is in abundance seasonally and the Christmas display is not to be missed!

Bryan Restrepo

Such a lovely area to walk and take in the fresh air with just the sounds of nature. I wish I had more time to walk the trails on my visit but overall a fantastic experience.

Stacy Hagberg

Beautiful all year. Affordable and fun way to spend the day. During the holidays they have Winter Lights and the blooms and plants for the rest of the year are beautiful. Tons of walking/hiking trails.

Eileen Everhart

We thoroughly enjoyed the Christmas light show and want to come back to visit in the spring.

April Tinker

Beautiful grounds. Love to go with our dog fur walks. Christmas lights were also beautiful this year.

Jess Rogers

This is a fun activity for locals when the trails are full from tourists. My partner is obsessed with bonsai trees so of course I brought him here.

Adriana Marsh

Magical place. The attention to details is evident in everything, from the plants selected for each garden to the architecture. The charts with information are very helpful and it's a great gesture to have them available in Spanish. The bistro had wonderful food. The bonsai exhibition was beautiful and the volunteers were very attentive. If you are a visitor to the area this place is a must. If you have a full day, adventure outside the upper gardens and enjoy the hiking areas.

Caleb Lloyd

We went and saw the Christmas lights, they were fantastic! There were lots of different displays and types of lights. There were bonfires dispersed in a few places for s'mores. It also was not expensive if you split up the cost per car between a few people.

Talal Zraik

Close to Blue Ridge Parkway with mountains in back ground. Beautiful trail, and gardens with scattered pieces of art/sculpturs. Interesting Bonsai exhibition. Baker Center has a nice collection of beautiful impressive pictures of nature/landscapes. There is open air restaurant. Large parking lot. Entrance fee which is technically parking fee charged per car is $16 per car, not person.

Essie Soleil

The Arboretum is my second home. I am so grateful for the ways the land is cultivated and cared for. As a local and a member, I use my membership mostly for the trails; I appreciate the safe and constant place to walk. The trails are easy to learn, but varied enough that one can design a course for themselves that has a variety of length, difficulty or ease; one is never far from a call box, facilities or portable toilet, or a friendly face. The gardens are lovely, the facilities are beautiful, the staff are friendly. There is so much to enjoy from this wonderful place!

Kevin Travers

The North Carolina Arboretum is just a short drive outside of downtown Asheville but well worth it for a serene and peaceful getaway. Boasting a wide array of botanical gardens, walking trails, and exhibits, there's plenty to do here to fill your Asheville adventures. There's ample parking, which while paid, is you entrance fee to the park ($16 per car) so load up and have a great time! We made it to the park later in the day (past 5 PM) so a few bigger items were closed like the cafe, info center, and bonsai exhibit, but they all looked wonderful and we'll be back to experience them soon. This was a stop that was definitely well worth our time and money!

Carol Etgen

The Christmas light show was incredible. Such a fun place for families and adults. Just beautiful.

Julie Ewbank

Beautiful gardens and hiking trails. The gift shop has great plants that are very inexpensive and healthy! The bonsai exhibit was amazing!

Brii Camacho

We visited for the winter lights and it was absolutely amazing amad adorable ! Highly recommend!

Kellye Pikul

We walk here at least twice a week. The trails are well maintained and very peaceful. It's easy to walk to Lake Powhatan or toward Sleepy Gap on the Blue Ridge Parkway. For small dog owners, it's a good option because as far as we can tell, everyone obeys the leash law. There's more visibility to monitor the ground for anything that might be a hazard. (there are snakes in the forest) Watch out for cyclists. Not all of them can be heard before they are seen, and sometimes they appear around a bend very quickly.

Crystal Rose

Really beautiful grounds! Well maintained paths and wheelchair accessible. The Lego exhibit was wonderful! My kids loved it as much as I did. They are hiking/biking trails as well. Wonderful place to visit!

Jamie Wilhelm

We spent an wonderful day in the gardens and on the trails. This place was fantastic! My daughter found several great deals at the plant sale in the greenhouse. The kids enjoyed the interactive maps to search for things. The kids map kept us all busy looking for all the items on the list. The bonsai exhibit really wowed us all! The trails are very well maintained. The gardens are absolutely beautiful. Lots of great places to sit and enjoy the day. This was the perfect place to spend time outside together.

Andi Peterson

There are so many beautiful plants! It's a pretty big garden with a fountain, a G scale model train that goes around a track and a bonsai exhibit.

Tammie Larsen

A must do when you visit this area! The Bistro was perfect and we enjoyed the flowers ,plants, trees and everything else. You could easily spend hours here .

Carla Wilson

Went for the Winter Lights, it was beautiful. I can't wait to go back in spring and summer

Lori Fenty

The Winter Lights was fabulous. Amazing displays and lights. Highly recommend.

Anna Walters

Great gardens. Nice walking trails. Cool miniature train set up.

Mac

Christmas lights are beautiful and had a great time. Though they did forget the nativity story. Five stars otherwise…

Kassandra Larivee

Even on a gloomy day this place is beautiful. Very well manicured and cared for. Cafe is a nice touch so you can sit and enjoy the views or refresh before a trail. A little pricey to go in but if it’s a gloomy and not rainy day, the flowers really shine.

Bizzie Hall

The arboretum was so beautiful! We were there for a few hours and didn't get to see everything. The bonsai exhibit is a must see. They have a decent number of trails, we even saw a few bikers. There was a $16 ($15 with AAA) parking fee to get into the park.

Zulema Seguel

Stunning place to visit. Spontaneous mood took us to go for the afternoon and we left with an annual membership and plans for many future adventures. The whole space is beautifully laid out and we learned so much about native plant life. The Bonsai exhibit is exceptional. Definitely worth a visit!!

Jay Butterfield

Worth coming from the bike/hiking paths to visit. $16 to park a car and do the same, not so much. Should be more like half that.

Tanya Sharadamba

Fantastic light display! Love how Olmsted is honored here! Can't wait to become members & visit with our dogs in the spring. Completely wonderful treasure of our community! Props to the very thoughtful staff for handling the water outage gracefully & staying open. Well done!

Martin Coady

Beautiful gardens. We include a visit every time we go to the western part of the state.

Speed4tu

In the area for the holidays and stumbled up the light show at the Arboretum. Was a very nice light show with access to a portion of the place. There are numberous light displays and lots of photo opportunities with the lights and other exhibits.

Bee Shell

Absolutely Lovely!!! Peaceful. Ladies in the gift shop were divinely wonderful! They were so helpful to my husband and I looking for this cute camouflage hat w/ the light. The cafe employees were so kind. The fresh aroma of hot apple cider was so nostalgic!

D KIMBERLY REALI

Beautiful grounds. It was $16 to park. It’s $8 the first Tuesday of the month. Free to get in. There are trails along the river. We went in April and not everything was blooming and they don’t put the bonsai trees out on display until May.

Jacob Blankenship

The Blue Ridge Parkway and the arboretum are our two favorite places. There is an excellent bonsai exhibition. For the kids, there is a huge outdoor train set that runs on the weekends for April thru October. There is quite a bit to the gardens with trails going way back onto the property. You could spend three to five hours and still not see everything.

Eric Davis

The arboretum has always been a favorite of mine to go visit the hiking trails. The nature is just beautiful up there. This particular trip. We actually saw a couple of bear cubs just outside of the arboretum walking around so be careful if you decide to go walking through there. There are bears and snakes and other wildlife in the area but it is breathtaking.

Patricia Torres

Very nice & relaxing place, the flowers were beautiful! There’s a lot to explore, really good place to just walk around and spent time with family. A lot of places to sit & just enjoy nature all around, so it’s definitely good for kids and older folks.... We made the mistake of using our regular stroller to explore since I thought it was mostly paved. But it definitely hindered us from seeing a whole lot more stuff. We should’ve just used our baby carrier so that we can enjoy the trails. Overall relaxing experience with my family.

Ausiya “Ausiya Baksh Mohamed” Mohamed

I love gardens, and I truly enjoyed this garden. I went there with my teenage daughter, husband and elderly Mom. The walking trails were great, plus they had several places to sit, relax and enjoy the view. We visited in the autumn and spent most of our time in the bonsai area. The fall foliage could also be seen when visiting this area. I liked the Lego display seen interspersed throughout the park, and the train display, and the fountain. There are even flowers there in the autumn. The gift shop is worth a visit, and we bought a couple items, which is unusual for us. I found the staff members to be friendly and helpful. I would definitely return for a visit if I'm ever in the area again. If I lived near the NC Arboretum I would get an annual membership, because based on the layout of the garden there would be different plants blooming at different times of the year.

David Shuler

Wonderful experience. First time there. We were there for the summer lights concert. 07AUGUST2019 We ended up buying a season pass. We went over yesterday and hike one of the trails and took the dogs. It was a relaxing way to spend the day. The dogs enjoyed it. We saw a deer. It is a must see when you visit Asheville, NC. 28 May 2022 I got over to the Arboretum just before 9AM this morning. I bright my 2 6-months pups over to hike the trail at the Arboretum. It was their first time there and on a leash. It was a learning experience fir sure. The Arboretum was hosting its annual plant sale. I didnt get to go through because of the pups and I am a little bummed about that. We hiked a little over a mile. Try did pretty good for the most part. I always love going to the Arboretum. It is so beautiful and relaxing

Tonda MacLeod

Lovely gardens, trails and visitor center. Nice cafe. Multiple options from short easy walks to running/biking trails.

Paul Bush

Wonderful place to see holiday lights and spend time with family members.

Katie Smith

Flowers and trees galore! The quilt garden (pictured) was such a unique and beautiful feature. The grounds were large and equipped with nicer bathrooms. Such a gorgeous site. 4 stars for expensive parking and visitation. Worth it to do once. Perhaps consider the membership if you want to visit frequently. This allows you to bring guests for free. Very lovely and diverse area.

Megan Rokoski

Plenty of parking available. Great trails that are challenging for the casual hiker to the more advanced. Definitely worth it to get a season pass if you plan to go more than three times in a year because it is $16 for parking. A season pass is good for a whole car load of people. The bonsai tree area was a unique and special thing to experience. There was also an area inside of the building with a lot of different art to look at. They have seasonal events year round as well. My friend and I got a good workout and a cool experience with the bonsai trees and art.

Mitch Green

The North Carolina Arboretum it’s a great place to spend a few hours with your family. It is very dog friendly. There are many hiking trails along the way of various lengths. The plants and flowers are plentiful! The next few Sundays they have a model railroad display from noon-4 PM.

Pauline “Polly” Yurko

The lights at the arboretum were so much fun! It was well decorated and definitely would go back!

Fredo Andre Narcius

A Gorgeous place to walk and forget all your matters at home haha. Cool bruise and lot of diversities.

Zuri Gebert

Went for Winter Lights... for as busy as it was, the car line went quickly, shop lines too. Lights were beautiful, just really crowded.

Olivia Affuso

Beautifully maintained grounds. Lots of trails to explore.

Taylor Hodges

Fantastic lights and we enjoyed the s'mores and hot coffee.

Mistie Cogbill

We love the arboretum. We go to get ideas for drainage, plants that might do well in this area, etc. In regular times we love their programs. As of March 2021- there are only porta-potties available. We saw some amazing things in bloom already, and people were being very careful to social distance and wear masks as needed. Felt very safe. I'll include some photos of what was in bloom.

Morgs

Lovely property suitable for all ages and appropriate for any season! $16 for daily parking. Super cute gift shop with affordable prices, hosting a diverse assortment of merchandise crafted by locals. Overall, quite charming and a perfect place to spend half a day with loved ones meandering.

Dorothy Dennett

This has been my go-to nature place for over 20 years. I walk/hike there 3 times a week on average. I always feel safe and uplifted by the beautiful surroundings. I enjoy the rotating exhibits, classes, cafe and Winter Lights!

Mary Buzan

We were here in December, which isn't optimal arboretum viewing, but its a pretty place for a walk. Take the trail to the creek!

Helen Pace

I am a member at the Arboretum and go there often to photograph clients! It is such a beautiful location with so many different exhibits and gardens, it is endlessly beautiful.

Joe Barrett

Last night 12/16/22 our family visited the holiday lights. The timed entry was peaceful, tranquil, and loving. This scheduled entry is a wonderful improvement, really allows us visitors to stay heart 💜❤️💜 focused. Please continue this intention. …

Michael Callahan

Amazing place to take the family all kinds of different plants to see

Chip Freund

Lovely arboretum and facilities any time of the year. Our most recent trip was for what is becoming an annual tradition, Winter Lights.

Wayne (Southernbacon)

Took the family for Festival of Lights tour. Early times are pretty crowded, so it can be difficult to get photos, so I would suggest selecting a later time. It really starts to thin out around 8. This should go without saying but this is mainly an outside event, and there are several fire pits if you need warm up. There is also a hot chocolate stand. Also at the wildlife center they have hot chocolate, snacks, an a small selection of craft beers.

Katrina Neal

There's something for every age and ability here. They share reciprocal privileges with 300 other gardens who are part of the American Horticulture Society, so I used my annual Texas arboretum membership to visit/park for free. The trails are well maintained.

Dwight House

We saw the winter lights, and had a great time.

Callie Phelps

I have a hard time seeing what all the hype is about here. To me, it was like a really well kept park...that you had to pay to park at. I was expecting the arboretum to be free, so I found the $16 parking fee pretty steep and not quite worth it. We also must have missed the bonsai exhibit; tried following the signs, but made a wrong turn somewhere!

Natalie Weston

The Winter Lights event did not disappoint! Will definitely do this again.

BILLIE CRAMER

Most of the flowers were finished flowering. It was still nice relaxing walk around the sidewalks and trails. The bonsai area was very interesting. We had a great time here.

Erin Kelosky

We didn't get there until after the visitor center closed but beautiful flowers and nice hiking trails. Definitely needed more time to explore everything.

j h

The arboretum was beautiful. It was fun getting lost on the different trails to explore and see all the flowers. The only negative side is the main building closes at 5 pm but visitors can still wander around the hardens until 7 pm. If you need to go to the bathroom....be one with nature. Maybe thats why the flowers are growing so well?

Brandon Courtney

Beautiful place with wonderful artwork and landscaping. The flowers were in bloom and a sight to behold. The little bistro has delicious sandwiches. The walking trails were perfectly manicured and taken care of.

Tony Smith

A walk in the morning woods with friends or a skip through a garden with grandchildren in the afternoon, the NC Arboretum is a beautiful escape for any day. I personally enjoyed the diversity of trees and flowers thay charm birds to this unique habitat. But you will discover that ONE THING that makes this place special to you. It's a wonderful place to make the day a memory.

jane miller

The Arboretum is fantastic! If you need to ask this question, how was the arboretum, then you have never been there. If you want to feel alive and at peace, this is the place. If you want to feel like you have been on vacation, this is the place. If you want to be inspired by artist, this is the place. Just go. How fortunate we are to live in such a beautiful place.

Leslie Dubs

If in Asheville I definitely recommend visiting here. The cost per vehicle is 16 dollars but well worth it. The grounds are dog friendly except for the bonsai tree exhibit. There is a café located within the grounds. We didn't go inside so I can't speak to the quality or price of said café. There is a little gift shop inside the visitor center. People 5 and over have to wear masks inside the center as of May 2021. I purchase a very cute mug. All in all, it was a great time.

Nancy Nesbitt

Love it! Festival of Lights is breathtaking! I also enjoy other events throughout the year; Dahlia show, Quilt show Rose show etc... the walking trails are far superior to everything else in Buncombe county! Clean, friendly, easy to navigate!

Michael Rivera

We came here as a family to view the lights for Christmas time. While it was impressive it was too short. We spent less than an hour a this location. I am interested in the trails and may venture this location in the future

RoniDesh

I would 1000% recommend going here! It is absolutely STUNNING from the Levi structures to the bonsai exhibition. It has beautiful picture spots and pretty flowers to smell. I really enjoyed my time here but I would suggest setting aside a few hours to see everything. I love how it has some trails and very unique artwork (structures). It has something for everyone to enjoy!

John Scheermeijer

Examples of great Landscape Architecture, all well explained. Beautiful bonsai.

Alissa Owle

The arboretum is beautiful. It is relaxing and a nice walk. There are so many flowers, plants, and fun things to see. The lego exhibit and Christmas lights are a must! There's a a neat train with a huge track with a town set up. You can view it from the top. There's 2 education buildings, a bonsai area, a flower quilt. Just go and enjoy the day.

Irene Ulloa Dobles

We went to the Winter Lights the night before Thanksgiving and it was full of people!! Still I enjoyed very much the Christmas lights and the place is juts gorgeous. They have a cool wildlife photo exhibition by Joel Sartore and it was amazing! They sell food, beer, wine and hot beverages, the apple cider was just awful, don’t buy it. They had fire pits with s’mores! It was lovely for the most part

Jennifer Schwieterman

What a gorgeous place. Price to get in is pretty reasonable. You get $1 off if you show you have AAA card. Very beautiful in the fall. Bonsai is great! My toddler loves to run around here.

Lee Gandy

This place is amazing! Well-maintained trail system with beautiful scenery and plenty of benches along the way. Prepare to stay for several hours!

John Glessner

Loved the Arboretum and the grounds. We hiked, saw a beautiful and large Blue Heron. Trail are easy to do and well marked. It was a beautiful day to be outdoors and getting some exercise.

Travelling First

This is a really beautiful garden. Lots of beautiful flowers around! Amazing place for nature lovers! Nicely maintained. The Bonsai garden is one of the unique exhibit we saw in this place and it was amazing! Most of the exhibits closes around 4 or 5 pm. The garden closes at 9 pm and the entrance closes at 8 pm. So plan ahead if you wanna visit the exhibits that closes at 4-5 pm. Visitor center also closes around that time. Entrance is $15 for each vehicle and $1 off for AAA members. In overall this is great location to spent some relax time.

Vipul Agarwal

Decoration is good.. but the design is not in a single path or direction. It becomes random or u have to go back again to see a portion of lights as you came from the other side.. but still we including kids liked it

Donald Grunzweig

Tonight was Winter Lights. I go every year. So very cool and beautiful. Kids galore, happy folks. The total best. Please support this arboretum.

Jen & Ray Dunham

Beautiful outdoor space with lots of trails and gorgeous plants. Protocols were in place to enjoy safely. Inexpensive for all the things to see and do. Not far from the interstate and easy to find. The Lego creations were spectacular.

Alec Boykin

Beautiful trails that have a variety of trees and plants to observe. Signs inform you what you are looking at, and there are benches along the way. The gardens have interesting exhibits to walk around and see. The main building features an art exhibit and souvenir shop. Unfortunately the education center was closed. A great spot to come for a stroll or nice day.

Elaine W. Miller

Precious peace and awe at Creator God and creator man working together to create masterpieces.

Joelle Allen

This place was amazing! It had awesome lego sculptures all throughout, gorgeous plants etc. We went the morning of our last day here and wish we would have been sooner and had more time to explore the trails. We will definitely be back there is so much to see and do!

Angie Schirck

Nice garden, nice place to walk around. There's a nature trail available which is about 3/4 of a mile long and the gardens to walk around in. There's also a place to eat in case you get hungry. Good place to waste a few hours, which is what I did, on the way to the airport.

Ursula Bare

We love this place. The trails are great. We enjoyed the Christmas Light show in Dec, as well. Can’t wait for spring to see the azaleas on the native azalea trail.

Kristina B

Beautiful to be place with wonderful artwork and landscaping. Small bonsai collection, All walking trails were perfectly manicured and taken care of.

Timothy Raney

Awesome arboretum. Beautiful wooded walking trails. The visitors center has a bistro, gift shop and clean restrooms. This arboretum has a top notch bonsai exhibit too. The staff was courteous and helpful. Highly recommended.

ryan burwell

Plenty of trails for a short or long hike. The gardens are just starting to bloom, but still not full yet. Could easily spend a half or full day exploring. Kids liked the salamander ponds which did have some fun creatures!

Elizabeth Ashira

I just moved to the area this year in 2019 and when I found out about the Arboretum I immediately knew I would get a membership. It’s been so worth it. I’ve enjoyed the free tours, talks, summer events, member events, cute little cafe, exhibits and the grounds are always well kept and maintained. There are lots of watering holes, running streams, and paths to walk and hike. Bonus, the grounds smell amazing after a fresh rainfall. Below I’ve taken pictures of the Bonsai exhibit, Christmas lights during the daytime and a few of the paths.

Claudia F

Beautiful scenes, bonsai gardens were cute, gift shop have something for everyone at reasonable prices. Staff was friendly and helpful. Facility is clean and accessible. This place is great for any venue, for a nice walk and relax, for learning too. At this time of our visit there was a nice and colorful paper exposition . Very enjoyable. Only fee is parking .

Annebritt Birkeland

Wonderful! The Winter Lights this year are fabulous! Definitely worth making part of your annual holiday traditions! EASY parking, great traffic flow & friendly staff; hot cocoa shack with homemade marshmallows & adult libations as well. Plenty of restrooms which are easy to find. Everything is wheelchair accessible. Fun for the entire family- the adults were all as thrilled with the lights as the kids!

Elizabeth Sheppard

Visited multiple times in various seasons. No matter when visiting it is always beautiful.

Kate Bramigk

Nice to stroll the natural and landscaped grounds while visiting family in winter. Experiencing the beauty of the area is a real treat here. Friendly staff and the bonsai area are my fav!

Virginia Stockwell

Love love! Possibly the most well maintained public gardens I've ever visited. I feel like you would go numerous times and see something new each visit. There's also bike trails and hiking. Did I mention that I loved it! Pet and kid friendly.

Adina R.

Love the arboretum one my favorite places since I moved beautifully .

Kyle Manuel

The grounds are beautiful. The bonsai are amazing. Most of it is dog friendly. We walked some of the shorter, easy trails. There are miles of trails that range from easy to moderate to difficult. They were setting up for their winter lights and we want to come back in a few weeks to see that. Some of the buildings were closed due to COVID, but there was enough to keep us busy. Most people were good about masks and social distancing.

John Mark Carrico

We visited this place to check out the Lego exhibit and that was awesome. There was alot of time put into the lego sculptures. There was plenty of hiking trails and exhibits to see. My favorite part was the bonsai exhibit.

Chae

We went to the Winter Lights and it's absolutely gorgeous there! Totally worth it!

Paul and Lillian Bruns

We weren't sure to to expect here, but this was a great place to visit for half a day. We stopped at the information center and they were very helpful explaining it all. The gardens were barren when we visited in winter, but there were still great views. We hiked several miles through trails that were well marked and maintained. We saw tons of children at the learning center for an event. The gift shop was very crafty. We visited for half of a day and had a good time and got to see a good mix of things.

Erin Urban

Nice place! Pretty quiet on the weekdays. It's a good spot to walk with the family or take a quick break outdoors. The trails connect to longer hiking opportunities as well.

Christopher Davis

Great trails, neat exhibits and lovely flowers. Signs up to educate you on the flowers, trees and other plants. Highly recommend for a great afternoon. Take a lunch and enjoy the outdoors.

Korey McWilliams

Lights! Lights! Lights! Great way to spend some time with family over the holiday.

Andrew Karnowski

Great job on Christmas lights, not super crowded. $70 bucks was a little steep, especially when website indicated less. Website timed out on me during booking process, don’t cut it close on the cutoff time.

Dave Tinker

This place is unbelievably beautiful. Quiet trails, beautiful horticulture, lots of room to explore nature on groomed pathways. While you're near the city you're immersed in an environment that feels like you're a thousand miles from nowhere. If you're looking for a great place to relax and enjoy the beauty of Western North Carolina, the Arboretum is a must visit attraction during your stay in Asheville.

nuke2102 nuke

Very beautiful place where to dive into nature between wonderful flowers and unknown plants and a variety of butterflies and birds. Also an incredible bonsai exhibit ... for only $16 for parking.

Dr. T

The North Carolina Arboretum was our first stop on a recent trip to Asheville. My husband and I used our reciprocal membership benefits to receive free parking and admission. The art exhibit was an unexpected treat - Cory Trépanier’s Into the Arctic series of paintings were breathtaking. As we went outside and made our way to the trails, we discovered sculptures, streams, azalea bushes, and amazing views of the Blueridge Mountains. We are so happy to have visited here!

Jocelyn Au

The garden is beautiful and I especially love the Bonsai garden. But the facilities close quite early and there is no redtrooms when the information or educational centers are closed. I wish they are more considering when managing the garden.

Max Upp

Beautiful. We will be back! Stopped in here on our way through town and loved it. The bonsai garden was amazing and the general layout was just so cool. They had a plant sale too and we got to leave with a couple great lil plant babies! The staff was very helpful. Parking is a lil steep but the actual arboretum is free. We made the mistake of parking at the back of the parking lot as well. You enter from the back so make sure to drive all the way up.

Deron Levine

Great easy trails and manicured gardens.

Carole Barr

Absolutely gorgeous place to visit and hike! We wished we could have gone back for another day. We will definitely return the next time we visit NC!

Rahatul Erbe

Really cool place and much bigger than I expected. Lots of trails and things to see. We set aside about 2-3 hours and didn’t get to go through all the trails and see everything.

Myra Mainz

Great place. $14.00 to park but then you have access to the whole place. We elected to do the household membership for $70. Well worth it for us. Nice grounds. Bonsai exhibit was cool and flowers were great. Trials and biking trails. Great place for the kids to run. There are several trails to choose from and they aren't terribly crowded. They do have a small snack bar that you can get a bite to eat...including ice cream! Please like if this was helpful.

Bogdan Dusa

If you enjoy acres of gardens, you'll love this place. It's also a nice place to walk, places to sit and even have a picnic lunch. Very quiet and peaceful place. Loved the G-Scale (garden scale) model train Rocky Cove Railroad Exhibit. Don't miss the Bonsai Garden.

David Williams

Will be a nice place to visit in summer. We visited in winter and the flowers are done for the season. But plenty of walking trails to explore. A nice miniature railway system to watch as well.

Kahuna Design Tech Graphics

Love, love, LOVED our visit! Took our son to see the Lego creations on display, but they weren't up to the standards we've seen on previous Lego events we've seen there. Maybe it's a covid thing, I dunno. But - the grounds were very well kept, signage (plant names, info, etc...) seemed more visible and descriptive and the variety of plants were pretty awesome! At the end of the day, the Lego Letdown was no biggie, because we all had a great time exploring. Thanks for being open!

Kathleen C

Wonderful dog friendly wooded paths, well marked. Landscaping was well maintained and designed. We enjoyed the informative Bonsai exhibit and the amazing Lego creations throughout the park. Gift shop was open. Bathrooms available throughout the park ( yes, porta potties on the far side of park). Eduactional building was closed. Great family outing to enjoy Nature.

Wyatt Goodman

The Arboretum provides spectacular hiking through many, many acres of pristine forest. With well upkept trails, several rivers and creeks, and a nice trail to Catawba National Forest, every trip is a of great enjoyment.

Manisit Das

The arboretum is a lovely place, and perfect for short hikes and for seeing gorgeous flowers while having a safer outdoor experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. Especially recommend checking out the Quilt Garden, which incorporates “carpet bedding” or floral plantings in masses of harmonious or contrasting colored foliage and flowers.

Rinku Kalita

It was a thorough experience. Although it was a scorching afternoon, we managed a couple of hours in the arboretum and then went for a trail to the stream. The hikes are pebbly and one need good shoes not the regular sports ones as there are climbs in certain hikes. There is a mini train just for viewing and ot depicts the how that area was served and connected in 1900's. The shop inside the visitor building sells many hand made products and souvenirs. The gardens next to the visitor building showcased many local flowering plants and non-stop flowering shrubs. The trails are pretty naturistic and the stream that we went along was flowing in full form. There is enough parking but the parking fees for one are us $14 which I felt is on the higher side. We would have enjoyed the place more if it wasn't that hot. Go on the morning or later in the evening . Better to go in early spring or early fall. Since we were traveling by, we didn't have a choice but it was worth the effort.

Denisse Montoya

One of the most beautiful natural gardens surrounded by fun hiking trails with tons of opportunities to view the Appalachian mountains and diverse flora and fauna. With roughly a dozen trails, pick your adventure with all easy, moderate, and difficult hikes. Pet and child friendly. Beautiful in all weathers.

sharon barnette

The Christmas lights display was fantastic. There were many types of displays from the trees and on the ground. Walking was easy on sidewalks. Everything was handicap accessible. Refreshments, gifts, and restrooms were found a couple places. Reservations were needed for admission but our wait time was short on a Sunday.

Tiffany Buckner (Tiffany Leigh)

What can I say? It's a huge garden that's really pretty. They've done a great job with this place and have decent programs for children... This was our first time visiting the Arboretum although we live in the area... We first entered the Baker Exhibit Center to borrow some backpacks with nature "discovery" tools in them and get a map of the gardens. We were warned we'd have to return the backpack in an hour (by 4:30) because the buildings closed at 5... We were unaware of that but proceeded anyway because our kids wanted them so bad. They each had binoculars, a butterfly net, and a plastic container with magnifying glass for bugs. There may have been other things but that's all that the 3 of them took out. We first came to a gift shop with things for sale and an area with beautiful nature inspired artwork for sale... Outside this building was a greenhouse with plants for sale. All of this being our first stop made us a little concerned about whether this would actually be a beautiful garden to enjoy or just a marketing and sales effort. PROS: It ended up being a lot of beautiful gardens after all and some nice hiking trails. Our kids LOVED the "Play Garden" which was an open area in the woods with lots of sticks, bamboo, cool stumps, a 'balance beam', TP's, wooden benches, and what our kids called a par core course. They liked this area, the trails, and the fountains the best. CONS: The map was a bit confusing so we went back and forth from the standard map to the child's "hotspot" map to find our way around. Otherwise we would have missed a lot. The little train set with Thomas the Train was cute... Not nearly as big of a setup as I had imagined but cute... Our kids enjoyed the woods more than the gardens but we didn't stay on the trails long so they were upset. We LIVE in the mountains so we can play in the woods and hike trails in our backyard all day long... That wasn't what we came for. If you aren't from the area you might enjoy this with your kids though! Our kids were so excited to see and catch some butterflies with their nets. Somehow we only saw 1 the whole time though. We saw a few lizards near the Bonsai Garden but the only other things we saw were bees. The timing on our end was horrible... It was way too hot out there and the buildings were closing so we could only cool off once (while returning the backpacks).

Yvonne Harrison

We love strolling through the gardens in various seasons and taking hikes on the trails. We always try to catch each exhibit too. They are always beautiful and interesting.

Max Dawson

Place is huge. Can literally spend almost a full day here if you do all the trails. Best to come in spring though when it's nicer out.

Sara Barrett

I would give 10 stars if I could!!! What a beautiful place to spend the day for the entire family. So much more to see and do than you would expect. The highlight for our 9 year old daughter was the exploration back pack they loan kids upon request at the info desk. It had a butterfly net, a big cage, binoculars, and check lists for a nature scavenger hunt. She used all of the supplies and had a ball! Endless trails with sculptures nestled among beautiful landscaping. AND, dont worry about your appetite, because their cafe has delectable lunch options including a grilled ham and cheese sandwich with local preserves as the topper!! I WOULD suggest more menu options for kiddos, but that is the only suggestion. Dont change anything else!!!! We truly loved our experience! Clean bathrooms, too, and the gift shop has VERY reasonably priced items. AND they have great art exhibits!!!!

Daniel Troup

I went at the end of January so of course everything that wasn't of pine verity was bare, but it was still a gorgeous sight to see. I definitely want to go back both during early or summer or any time during the fall so its not too hot to go on one of the longer trails next time.

Anna Otis

This place is cool. Enjoyed the bonsai exhibit and this flower quilt patchwork design. Really enjoyed it during Christmas too. Took me a good hour to walk around. Enjoyed the lights.

Brian Saravia

I would say that this season recent, the Winter Lights, brings out the best of this carefully designed and well mantained park. Eventhough right now it's freezing the event is so beautiful you will literally forget it. Anyway the park features bonfires and cocoa shop for those who just need a little help with staying warm. Everything is so beautiful well placed is like walking on a colorful dream. And tickets are not so expensive. Just make sure to bring your winter kit so you can enjoy the most out of it and make sure to arrive early to get good parking spots. Check out the pictures for your excitement.

Frank Luther

Excellent resource to community! Great place for afternoon exploration or amazing learning center. Holiday visit is a MUST! Nice venue with amazing access to everything. Grab a meal while their enjoy the views!

Ben Pullins

Fantastic! A well maintained collection of gardens and trails. The staff should be proud. Even a few exhibits to mix things up. The $14 "parking fee" (entry fee) is well worth the cost. I visited by myself and spent a couple hours wandering around the gardens, you could probably make a whole day out of it if you wanted to do a bunch of trail hikes. If you are visiting Asheville make sure to set aside a few hours for a visit to the Arboretum.

Keshia Best-Barnes

Today was my first visit to the NC Arboretum and it exceeded my expectations. The gardens were amazing. I even saw a hummingbird feeding at one of the plants which really made the visit even more memorable. I plan to become a member to take advantage of future visits.

Nate Nelly

Had a great time exploring the garden! This is a great place for a date or really any occasion! It does cost $15 per car to get in, which seems a bit steep. But still an amazing place to visit.

Samm.I. Ammy

Great trails for biking, hiking, or a nice dog walk. Any level of experience with outdoors. Easily accessible. We park at the free parking areas and walk/hike/bike in. Fun for all ages. Our daughter and fur boy love it. Beautiful scenenery, and a short drive from Asheville/ surrounding areas. Been visiting my whole life as I am a native. Superb little ankle/knee width creeks to play in. Highly recommend!

Cade Anderson

The price for parking seems pretty overpriced, but I guess that makes sense as actual admission to the arboretum is free. Other than that, it is an awesome experience that I’d recommend to anyone. It’s very clean and well-maintained, and definitely bigger than I expected—I found myself frequently looking at the map just to figure out where I wanted to go next. It felt like an adventure! I easily spent almost two hours here just being entertained by experiencing such a wide variety of beautiful plants. The arboretum is a perfect spot to take your kids, go on a date, or enjoy some time alone.

F

Beautiful. Can't wait to go back in spring and summer! Parking fee was a bit of a surprise. $16 for a car. Don't recall seeing that on the website so be prepared.

Natalie Thornton

Loved the views and the hike! The gardens were amazing and they had a great legos display while we were there!

Lauren V

Great exhibits, trails, and gardens. Clean facilities, restrooms and a small cafe in one if the buildings. Reasonable daily and anual pass pricing. Access to blue ridge parkway trails and research forest. Some of the evening and special events are not very financially accessible.

Nina J

Our family had a lovely fall visit here. You pay by car to enter only $14 for a private vehicle. My 4 & 2 year olds had a blast running around and exploring the trails. It's a great place to enjoy the fall foliage.

Tabitha Hunter

Went for the Winter Lights. It was well done and beautiful! Had Smores kits to purchase and a fire pit to roast your marshmallows. They had other fire pits to warm yourself by and Christmas music playing. A pleasant experience. Looking to go back in the spring or summer and see the gardens

Micky Gordon

Awesome!!! Had a beautiful day soaking up the area. Christmas lights were going up as we walked the grounds. Just a little surprised by the $14 parking fee. Admission is "free" -- but actually worth the parking fee!

James Bristol

The North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville is a must see destination for your vacation in beautiful Asheville, NC. On-site, there is a fairly large curated garden and greenhouse complete with a nature trail, an indoor exhibit space with a gift shop and a separate education center. There is no price for admission but there is a price for parking, which for us was $14. Once inside you are free to roam the grounds which are massive and definitely worth the price of parking. We visited in the fall which made the views incredible because of the leaves but we did not see many birds or butterflies. I imagine in the spiring you can see much more wildlife and flowers. The gift shop is a decent size and has some beautiful offerings even if they are a bit pricey. Just remember that the extra bit you may have to pay goes to a good cause which helps preserve this space for future generations. If you are looking for a family friendly outdoor activity that won't break the bank, look no further.

Karen Tracy

Such a beautiful and relaxing place to visit. Gardens are beautiful. Great paths for walking and exploring. Winter lights was a wonderful holiday experience; hot chocolate and other treats while you explore all the twinkling lights.

Sunil Banathia

This is a great place to visit with family and some trekking. There is day parking charge of 14 $ for car. There are large number of flowers and trees and best time to visit is in last week of April to first week of Mat. At this time the flowers are at peak bloom. In month of apr, there are exhibition of orchids and sale as well. You can check schedule and buy them if you love to. Nice cafeteria that offers nice food and drinks. There are many decorative plants on sale around the year in greenhouse nursery. There is a great bonsai collection you must see and a beautiful and amazing miNiature town with rail track.

David Mitchusson

I typically don't have high expectations for winter lights at places like this after an underwhelming visit to one in Savannah, BUT! this place was awesome! Very well decorated. Beautiful lights and venue. Highly recommend! We even did it in the rain and it was still great!

Jeffrey DeCristofaro

A beautiful place to visit and explore - good trails, beautiful gardens, unique exhibitions, and more! Great for family activities, weddings, modeling shoots, and other social activities! Best times to visit are the spring and fall!!

Aimee Kuelling

Tickets were sold out for the Winter Lights, so we opted to stop by during the day. It was raining, so we kept our visit short. The lights must be incredible. My tips would be to get tickets early. The bonsai exhibit is amazing.

Maria Granados

It seems like it has some nice trails However, the day we went it was super windy and cold we couldn’t explore the trails.

Thomas Payne

This is truly a gem of a place. We were able to checkout backpacks for the kids that had gear for them to see and identify different plants, animals, and birds. The grounds are stunning. The mini train station in the bonsai garden was gorgeous. The butterfly beds were amazing. This is a fantastic place and the concept of education while having fun out in nature is absolutely perfect. I am hoping to get some of my local nature centers in austin to add some of the features that they provide!

Kelly Nguyen

Its a long hike. But it truly is beautiful. If you have the time and energy I definitely recommend going! Bring some water. And prepare for tired legs!

Shelia Williams

Absolutely fabulous place! I had been by it several times but never stopped. Finally did and loved it! So much more to see than I imagined. Wonderful Bonsai collection, unexpected model train exhibit, fountains and gardens. It's not expensive either. There is a place to eat lunch but that is expensive. Next time I will pack food and picnic.

Sarah Kilgore

One of my favorite places in Asheville! Great place to spend a day outdoors with a huge assortment of plants and trees. The bonsai exhibit is one of my favorites! Pack a picnic or plan to eat at the on-site cafe (they actually have great food + plus they have wine and beer).

Doug MacLeod

What a great time we had walking around seeing all the lights and check out each and every path. Definitely recommend visiting the NC Arboretum.

Crystal A. Boyd

Must-do if you are in the Asheville area! Butterfly exhibit, Bonsai Tree exhibit, miles of beautiful gardens and hiking trails. Dogs on leashes welcome everywhere outdoors. There is a cafe on-site. Will come again when we have more time to spend. $14 parking fee.

Jason

Honestly much better than the biltmore gardens. There were some walled gardens and a ton of natural gardens. Great walking trails and a cool folky vibe. And honestly paying $100 to get into Biltmore I expected more from their gardens. I'd you go here don't miss the trails and the promenade. Also their huge pergola is a great place to relax and kill some time. Definitely a must see

Alejandra Yepes

Omg! This place is amazing. There are lego sculptures that are so detailed, bonsai exhibition, gardens and fountains. We enjoyed so much our visit here.

Sandi C

Beautiful place ! Explore the gardens, or go for a walk in the woods. Nice trails. Bathrooms, gift shop and a cafe. Great time for $14 for a personal vehicle (that's per car, not per person.)

Angela Staton

We attended the light show. Staff and volunteers were wonderful. Suggest getting the tickets for the 6:00 event as it fills up very quickly.

Shaktidancer

A must at Christmas/Winter attraction - The Winter Lights! It's fun for all - big and small, youngins to elders. Say hello to Ol'Saint Nick who is likely from the South Pole with that precious southern accent. You can find Santa outside the Bistro near the fire where you can make s'mores AND Reese's peanut butter cups style s'mores. My favorite decorations, aside from the obvious - LIGHTS - are the Gnomes, Unicorn, and mushrooms! Who doesn't love a Winter fantasy fun land full of magical beings 🦄🍄

Rory Mattheisen

Fun place good layout, gift shop staff could learn some manners though and the basics of customer service. Pretty lucky I didn't hear them ushering my family out the door while I was at the register buying things. Would have been a 4 star trip if it wasn't for the way it ended.

Arley Smith

Great short light ride! Im glad we finally went! I've been wanting to go for years but we finally got to this year. Buy tickets online if you can, and go later versus early so you have less traffic. Im glad in the year 2020 that there is something that the kids can still enjoy!

Food Wine Travel

Loved this place and want to recommend every my friends and families. Everything looks so amazing and pretty. But don't forget to wear mask!!!

Mubarak Alhassan

Simply a lovely place to reflect and enjoy beautiful plants and trees. Definitely worth a visit.

Mary Baker

Absolutely most beautiful, The North Carolina Arboretum is most definitely a peaceful place for a stroll. Upon entry, one sees a babbling little brook following the road to the entrance parking lot. There's a beautiful display of rotating art upon entering the building. The gift shop is more adorable with several nice parting gifts. The grounds are well laid out and designed. It's a place we shall visit year after year.

Daniel Jones

The Winter Lights drive-thru event was fantastic. Perhaps a little pricey for the amount of time involved. On the other hand, if you load up your family or friends and take some hot cocoa and cookies along, you’re all but guaranteed a fun experience.

Jonathon Greene

Very beautiful. Didn't get to see it all due to covid (that's on me) but the $16 parking/entrance fee is a bit steep considering the Clemson SC arboretum is free AND in my opinion, better. Still, a fun time non the less.

Afton Lorenz

Beautiful and so peaceful! I could spend all day here! The Bistro on the property is absolutely amazing as well! Plenty of places just sit and relax as well as so many different plants to look at.

Calvin Myers

This is a great place but you need a map, or you can get lost. Lots of hiking trails and gardens and exhibits. A truly excellent collection of bonsai trees.

c. randall

This place is always fun year round. We don't mind paying the $14 parking fee. Our gang is adventurous and there is always an event/ exhibit to see or trail to hike.

Rachita Mutha

Great place to spend quality time

Victoria Estes

The NC Arboretum is such a beautiful place to visit no matter what season it is. From the nature trails in the warmer seasons, to the art expos all year long, and the winter lights displays during Christmas time. There is something here for everyone. The entire place is packed with the natural beauty of the blue ridge mountains. And there is tonsof useful information about the region and its wildlife everywhere to be found. Not to mention there is lovely local and recycled art displayed throughout. The employees were absolute joys to be around as well. We thoroughly enjoy our visit everytime we pass through the area. Highly recommend this place, especially for families.

Dave Barrett

Great visit here! Will visit again I'm sure. Right off the blue ridge parkway, so easy visit if you are traveling thru on that. Easy to spend all day here, need to see all seasons. Good kid activities from time to time so check when you go.

Corey Goldstone

Really nice place, but I won’t return again in the winter. Better to visit once the garden is in bloom again in the spring.

Matt Coalmer

The north Carolina arboretum is a great place to enjoy nature. The admission price is $14 for a car. There are well kept trails and walkways. The arboretum also has a visitor center where you can learn more about the park and get trail maps. Additionally there is a great model train set near the visitor center.

aleah morrison

We were so impressed with the Arboretum! Could easily spend hours and hours here without feeling bored.We have visited a number of similar facilities in the US but among all this one is the best so far.

Tim Wheaton

This place you can walk around for hours and not see everything. The flowers are beautiful as well as a bonsai garden with numerous bonsai trees to see. Birds are abundant as well as squirrels. I'll definitely be back again. I highly recommend stopping here.

Lilly

Beautiful place to take in nature. Spent a couple of hours here taking tons of pictures. Parking was $14 and the only fee for entry. Many trails to explore. Will definitely come back!

Bonnie Thompson

This is a beautifully laid out garden. There are sections of bonsai, water, trailing, herbs and floral gardens. There are also art sculptures place throughout the grounds for which a separate map is provided. The grounds also have forest trails and the entire area is dog friendly to leashed pups. As we visited early spring enough floral plants were in bloom to enjoy the color. I'd love to return in summertime for those displays.

L Evans

I go on weekly walks with my 75 year old mom here for the past several years. Immaculate gardens and well maintained trails. The annual membership is worth it if you're local.

Lee Marmor

The grounds are very beautiful. All of the gardens were great but the Bonsai Garden stood out out as particularly amazing. It was very well done and the signs gave a lot of good information on the history and practice of Bonsai.

Annika Leigh

Beautiful Place! Better gardens than The Biltmore! The Arboridum closes at 9pm. But the information center, gift shop and bonsai exhibit closes at 5pm.

Sue McQueen

Season pass is the way to go. Lots of trails to hike. Gardens to contemplate in, bistro to feed the belly. Dogs allowed on all trails but not in gardens. Bent Creek runs through property, nice to take a break and get your toes wet. Maps and call boxes on well maintained trails. Located off Brevard road entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Love this place.

mari edrevalliv

So cool. $14 a car so we packed my whole family in one car. It was really hot out so we weren't there very long. Gift shop was pricey but so cool. Lots of beautiful plants and scent stations.

Jen R.

We spent the day looking at beautiful plants, nature inspired sculptures, and a collection of bonsai trees. We loved the idea of a quilt garden and want to try one in our home gardens. I got to see a Japanese paper tree in bloom for the first time. The only other place I've seen a collection of bonsai trees was at Disney World Epicot Center. We would have walked and seen more but wore out. It was beautiful and a wonderful day. If we lived closer, we would get a membership and come see all the seasons. The Japanese garden makes me want to try to grow a bonsai tree (with some help or training).

Rebecca Steiner

very pretty, well-maintained. quilt garden still being planted. parking was easy to find. $1 off parking with a Triple A card. It was pretty hot the day we went but still fun to walk around. Kid friendly. Not dog friendly. Do not miss the Bonsai garden. Volunteers/garden staff friendly, answered questions.

Michelle Handy

Winter lights is just a magical experience and done so well. A night of complete joy. I highly recommend going.

Lauren

Amazing bonsai garden! I really enjoyed the quilt garden, I can't wait to come back and visit in the spring!

Laura Bennet

Beautiful grounds. Great hiking trails. Couldn't see it all - need at least a few hours if you hike.

Stacey Hughes

Beautiful gardens and views. Accessible for my 88 year old Mom. They have wheelchairs to borrow - no charge. Wonderful day with my family. Much more to explore!

Barbara Cryer

This is one of the most beautiful arboretums we have ever visited. Absolutely wonderful way to spend an afternoon

Amelia Rousseau

Cool place to stroll around and learn the names of trees, shrubs, and plants. Very cool bonsai exhibit as well. Fun place to bring kids if you have them.

Magnus Michael

A really good place to get education and relaxation in one spot! The whole set up is just beautiful and the hikes, walks and bike lane is just great for a getaway or your workout. You have tons of stuff to show your kids of all ages or just have a great couple time.

David Gray

Great stop for a half day trip, full day if taking longer hikes

Connie Peterson

There's so much to explore. The gardens are beautiful, but the many walking and biking trails add to the enjoyment. The bonsai exhibit is not to be missed.

Renia Carsillo

Wonderful place to spend a day! Well-maintained hikes and the bonsai garden is not to be missed.

Stephen Linder

A marvelous place. Way better than the Biltmore gardens. The bonsai collection is fabulous. Even at the end of October there were many flowers to be seen.

Jim Mast

Great place to hike. Lovely flowers, plants and grounds. Just wish they had a place to charge EV's.

Cynthia Edmonds

Beautiful arboretum beauty walking trails and multiple gardens. $16 parking fee.

Pamela Machia

Beautiful day for hike and picnic !! Flowers, trees, bushes and a lot of metal sculptures. Will go back soon!!!

Lauren Miranda

Breathtaking manicured garden. Colorful, full of flowers and sculptures, easy to navigate. Would recommend for a day trip with or without kids.

Spartan Photography

Holiday lights are amazing! Hot cocoa or cider to keep you warm and get you in the spirit!

IPR

I think we missed the bloom of spring with the recent weather. The bonsáis were not out yet. I would recommend since I’ll probably be returning back myself.

Ruth Burrus

I went to the Christmas lights display. Great job. So many lights and things to do. Absolutely loved the big chairs that looked overstuffed. Also music, s'mores, firepits... Just really well done. And the hot chocolate was amazing

Daniel Mayeux

Spent more time here than expected!?. Very clean bathrooms. Plenty of parking. Well a few people in our group were not thinking this would not hold our attention long. But a pleasant surprise was before us. The walks were pleasent with seating along the way. Wheel chair accessible throughout. Views were beautiful. The facilities are easy on the eyes and gift shop was small but packed. Snack shop was air-conditioned with plenty of seating. This property you could spend a couple of hours if you take your time and enjoy.

Pamela Stroud

A beautiful place to walk and get immersed in nature. The bonsai exhibit was our favorite. The actual gardens are not super large and don't take long to walk through. I didn't have enough time on the day I visited, but I would walk some of the trails to make the most of the visit.

Tim Langlois

Easy parking and great hiking/biking trails! Pleasant walk through the gardens with all the different plants and trees and they're all labeled so you know what they are. And don't miss the bonsai tree section which is always available during the warm weather seasons. Then you can just wander off through all the trails and walk down by Bent Creek. We love to take walks on the weekends there.

martin R

My wife and I loved seeing all the lights beautifully displayed. It was a nice way to spend with the family. Please check this place out if your in the area.

Jacque Dundas

Such a beautiful place anytime of the year. Wonderful education programs for youth and adults.

Hiker Shirl

I hike here at least once a week, often with Asheville Humane’s shelter dogs in the Mountain Mutts group. I have had a family membership for the past 6 years. So worth it ! Their educational programs are great and special exhibits are wonderful as well as the Winter Lights. Just to stop in and see what’s in bloom interests me as well. The restaurant and gift shop are both worth a visit too.

Julie Schneider

A very beautiful place to visit! Nice gardens and paths to walk! The fall colors were so pretty!! I wish I could get back for the winter lights!

Rohan Patil

Awesome place with some nice hikes, great Bonsai exhibit and "Thomas and Friends" 🚂 ☺️ …

Donna Smith

Beautiful place for a hike and the gardens are well laid out and beautiful. We want to the Christmas light show. I highly recommend seeing it

Susan Kagey

Lovely gardens, bonsai exhibit, sculptures. Also took an easy walk on the Natural Garden trail. Our dogs enjoyed it!

Jeff Kurzner

Perfect day for our annual Thanksgiving morning hike. Worth the price of admission

Ann Dodge

Beautiful and worth the trip. The Bonsai exhibit was awesome and the flower and tree species were so cool. Bonus the cafe on the grounds was delicious and there's a nice gift shop. In the same building as the cafe they have a super small discovery area for little kids - my toddler loved it.

Jeremy Cochran

A wonderful place for a family outing. Plenty of parking and a kind and helpful staff. The exhibits are an amazing display of human ingenuity and the views of the mountains reveal God's majisty.

GJ The Gman

Very quiet and beautiful place. Loved it!

Mark Bailey

We had an enjoyable stroll around the arboretum finding the special exhibit sculptures and seeing the beautiful flowers and bonsai trees.

Sandy Patton

Beautiful gardens. Enjoyed walking them.

Cathie Bales

An enjoyable visit to the various gardens. An exceptional bonsai display. A statue honors Frederick Law Olmsted, the father of American landscape architecture who designed Central Park and the nearby Biltmore Estate gardens.

Chris Brunton

Went to see the winter lights at the arboretum and had a good time. My little one really enjoyed the train and the talking bears. I also spent the $2 on the glasses that transform Christmas lights to reindeer shapes (see the pics with the post) and I definitely got my money's worth. If you go, buy the 6 pm tickets, then you can enter any time that evening (with later tickets you have to wait till the designated start time).

Clare Deyo

Beautiful garden, several different lovely hikes to choose from. Definitely worth the price of parking.

Heather Bateman

We had a great time walking through the arboretum. Great location for pictures.

Leland Edwards

What a beautiful ever growing, ever changing place. The trails, the gardens, the cafe. Just a very great way to spend a day or a few hours.

Jessica “Jay” Dibella

Great trails and lush trees. 👌😊 Facilities were clean and staff was very helpful. …

Joel Seymour

You can spend hours here!!!! Amazing walking trails, beautiful displays, well marked, clean accommodations.

Fany Villatoro

Peaceful and beautiful place. You only pay $16 for parking.

Travis Eacona

First time here and will surly be back! We were heading back to atlanta after a weekend getaway in Asheville and only had about an hour here. The gardens are amazing and the trails are super fun! I wonder if fishing is allowed in the creeks or why there are so many trails that lead into the waters. The elevation changes are fun and we cannot wait to come back!

Paul L

A very nice and tranquil garden full of variety of flowers and plants.

Divine Mamita

Beautiful views. Cost $15 to enter lots to see and lots of trails.

J C

Enjoyed our early morning walk here. There was a well curated bonsai exhibit and sculptural artwork around the grounds. The entire family was able to enjoy the space. We did not get a chance to walk the trails.

Vivek Francis

A must visit place if you’re in Asheville. I liked the flower garden and Bonsai displays. The park itself is huge with a lot of trails to explore. Some of the trails also provide access for biking. There is no entry fee, however cars are charged a parking fee of $16

kirtana suresh

A lovely place to spend a few hours. The bonsai garden was amazing! The parking fee is $16 but general admission is free.

Prixila Garcia

AWESOMEE place, I just got to see the gardens, the bonsai display and that areas because is really big and I recommend you to go an entire day.

A Diaz

A beautiful setting to take a leisurely walk around the grounds. The on-site eatery was moderately priced, had a friendly staff and delicious but unexpected flavor combinations like a curry chicken salad sandwich and a ham and deviled eggs sandwich.

Amber G.

The light display is $20 per person for adults but it's totally worth it! I debated doing this but ultimately decided to go and I'm glad we went! My 4 year old loved it!

L

Beautiful! Lovely live music played at the bistro stage. Definitely worth the trip!

Paul Goodman

So convenient and one of our favorite places! Hiking, biking, beautiful plant life, the Arboretum has it all. The cafe is a great place to grab a lunch or quick snack too!

Angela Wilkins-Springs

Beautiful location next to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Lots to see - and places to sit and enjoy the views.

David Cardwell

The Bonzai Exhibit was worth the visit. Friendly staff. Gorgeous trails.

Doyle Summerlin

Beautiful gardens and multiple hiking trails near the Blue Ridge Pkwy. One of our favorite stops when we visit the area. Bonsai display, well maintained gardens, and a model train area for youngsters. Parking is $16.

Linda Craig

The bonsai collection is beautiful. The grounds are well suited for easy walking and are very beautiful

Hammer J. Helmer

Went here for the lights at Christmas with my family. Was very well organized, and they deliver a great evening for a fair ticket price. The parking was easy and close, with attendants that kept it fast moving and orderly. The grounds were beautiful, the lights are all led and are bright and vibrant. They have two places you can buy light snacks and hot coffee or hot chocolate. The miniature outdoor model train is turned into the polar express, nice touch!

sharon tutt

I can't believe how long it took me to visit the Arboretum. It is beautiful! I would encourage people to go for lots of reasons like the bonsai exhibit, the photography exhibit or just to relax and enjoy another perk of living in or visiting Avl!

Deanne Cooper

Beautiful facilities that show a variety of quality techniques for sustainable solutions featuring greenroofs, rainwater capture techniques for irrigation and cityscape cooling through water diversion. An inexpensive visit with a lot to offer for a variety of guests. Complete with hiking trails, a nod to the local outdoor community and a setting in the surrounding gorgeous mountain scenery.

Jason Watkins

I love this place my wife and I take our dogs and kids or there all the time. Great exhibits. Awesome trails. My kids love their summer camps. We can not get enough of this place.

Linda Benthall Zelnik

Beautiful Asheville gem: Visited for the day with our young children (2 & 6) and enjoyed the combo of art, curated gardens and nature walks. The price was very reasonable for a day of exploring beauty.

John Anderson

This is a must visit feature of Asheville, facilities, paths, gardens are done wonderfully. And oh yeah, model trains and Lego displays!

Julie Withers

We've been here twice now, we are not from Asheville. It's $16 per car if you're not a member, but certainly worth it. This is a beautiful, peaceful place. From noon to 4pm they run model trains which are a highlight for kids and train enthusiasts.

J Wulff

Hundreds of acres of beautifully maintained gardens, incredible Bonsai exhibit, rotating exhibitions in the visitor center ( always really good ), delightful cafe with indoor and outdoor seating, beautiful views. Can't say enough good things!

Tony Bell

This is a very nice arboretum. We mainly stayed in the gardens. The bonsais were very interesting and worth a trip by itself.

b t

Beautiful place, but it lacks variety; for 16 dollars entrance fee, I was hoping for more

John Melo

I really enjoyed this place alongside with my family. It had a great scenery and an abundance of attractions. This place is of a pretty good size, bit towards the smaller end of things but considering the price is $14 (per car) then it becomes clear that it's a great price and experience.

Benjamin Urness

The North Carolina Arboretum is a beautiful property, you can tell that the gardeners and curators take pride in their work. We attended a concert in the park, the acoustics were great. It was also enjoyable to consume a beverage while strolling the gardens.

Natasha Groden

The entire property is absolutely beautiful and a joy to experience. We walked on several trails and enjoyed the different gardens. The care that is taken by the staff is clear to see in every outdoor and indoor location. Highly recommend taking the family and spending a morning exploring and enjoying nature.

Mike Barton

Great place to stop when driving the BRP.... Just off hy 191 at I-26 exit 33.. There is a $ 14 parking fee for cars.. Grounds are well kept with beautiful exhibIts, flowers and other plant stuff . the property has a nice cafe with some tasty food.. Be sure to bring your walking shoes....

Sharon Bollinger

We visited at Christmas... such a sparkling wonder to see. We took the Trolley Tour and loved it. So many other options throughout the year.. but there is something special about the lights and cocoa at Christmas.

Christina Quetel

Always beautiful! With ever changing flowers and displays, there's always something new to see. The trails are also a great getaway but bring walking shoes!

Eliza Alden

Gorgeous grounds with a well-planned holiday lights display that's perfect for people of all ages. Definitely don't miss this beautiful and unique local treasure.

John Stevenson

Wonderful community resource and a definite stop for travelers. Beautiful water features, gardens, and exhibits. Extensive hiking available through bent Creek and surrounding areas.

Donovan And Lorie Tomlinson

Place is absolutely beautiful. Feels like another world

Catherine Sweaney

Lovely place to visit! There was plenty to see, even for someone in a wheelchair. I would not have been able to navigate it alone though. Glad my husband was there to push me up the ramps.

A. Randall

I am a volunteer at the information desk. The arboretum is a wonderful place to spend from an hour to a day. Beautiful landscaped garden, fantastic bonsai collection and 10 miles of trails. There is a $14 entrance fee per vehicle. Check the website for times, dependent on time of the year. There is a very nice cafe (closed Mondays) and on a nice day, eating on the patio is great. Fun kids backpacks and GPS units are available for free check out. FAQs that I get: 1) Is there indoor activity? A little, but mostly it's the gardens and hiking. There are always rotating special exhibits in the buildings ( check website) 2). Are dogs allowed? Yes, except buildings and the bonsai exhibit. 3). Stroller friendly? Trails, you need one with large tires, but the landscaped garden area is paved. Hiking maps are on the website, it takes a little searching. This is fairly natural. In the winter, things go dormant, but it's always beautiful. You will be glad to made the trip.

nrndf

Fun visit to this beautifully landscaped arboretum. There are trails but we did not have time to walk them rough them

coolangatta wollongong

It was one of the fanciest places in the world for one who likes plants and flowers. If you're a member of AAA, you may get a discounted price. The location is not far from a big city like Atlanta, GA.

Star god

This place is absolutely amazing. If I could go here every weekend and walk around I would. I think everybody should at least visit this place once whether you're a local or a tourist just wanting to find something fun to do

Richard Schaffer

Outstanding place to take friends and family for a hike! Beautiful facilities. Make a point to see the Bonsais. Multiple trails of varying difficulty, but plenty for all to enjoy. Cafe has nice snacks, sandwiches, and even local brews for purchase.

Gretchen Black

Lovely spot to stroll. The spring blooming trees were at it's peak. A few trails to choose from, very walkable.

Corsair

What a wonderful beautiful place. All the lovely flowers and trees. And the fact that they labeled all of them makes it extra special. Just a lovely place to walk around for a few hours. The Bonsai Garden is an absolute must.

Linda Ross

My first time there. It was awesome!The trails, the flowers and my favorite trees. This is the best time to visit!

Kyle Morgan

Beautiful holiday lights on display right now! I went with my family while my wife and I were in town and we had an amazing time. Plenty for kids to do (crafts, roast s'mores, interactive light displays). It was an awesome family outing.

classycrochet12345

Went to see the lights for $30. It is well worth it! There’s a ton of lights! It is however, not worth the $60 it costs on some days, so I’d plan accordingly to go on a cheaper day!

Sammi Burke

I always love the Arboretum. Amazing walking trails, gorgeous gardens and easy connection to Bent Creek. Well worth my annual membership!

Andrew Hutzel

I've spent a lot of time at the arboretum over the years, it's different and in many good ways.

Brayden NesSmith

Very cool bonsai trees. very calming place to

Roland

Always a wonderful place to spend time. Throughout the year a good place to hike and enjoy nature. Also, during Christmas season the whole place is lit up with several Christmas lights.

Jane DuBois

Today was our 1st visit and already became annual members. A wonderful place to visit.

Kimberly Drexel

We brought our dog and had a fabulous time. There's tons of trails to explore and even several areas to wade in a creek. The gardens were beautiful as well. I really enjoyed seeing Carolina native plants being showcased. A must see!

Mandie Lawrence

A gorgeous place to spend the day outdoors in Asheville. Prepare to walk around and wear comfy shoes. $14 for a personal car to park. We ate at the cafe. Yummy food (sandwiches and salads... the bulgur wheat salad was delicious). We loved the Bonsai garden and the miniature train! We will likely go back the next time we are in Asheville. There is a cute little shop here, too.

Sherry Skeens

Beautiful place. Entrance fee was high tho and website doesnt tell you that.

Natalie Mckenney

What a nice little treasure. Innovative and fun displays, nice hiking through the woods…I would not miss visiting, if you are on a trip near Asheville.

Trina Lyn (Trina is Artsy)

Little bit mad at these guys. First of all, the address listed here on google as of Feb 23rd 2017 is Incorrect! When we arrived at the address there was a sign that said our "GPS must be out of date." It was kind enough to direct us to the new entrance, however. So, call ahead to get the correct address. The welcome center was huge but did not have much going on, just an exhibit on ancient canoes. Outside I suppose was the garden, but there were hardly any flowers! I understand it's cold in winter but they didn't have any other exhibits or showcases either. This is disappointing especially considering how highly rated they are. Do an outdoor sculpture contest, a cactus or rock garden, something, anything guys! We spent a big chunk of our day trying to come here, and I have to admit it left us wanting more. I bet it's beautiful in the summer though...

Maresa Ricoca

It is a very beautiful and peaceful place, I am glad I went, I will have to go again, I strongly recommend it

Ambrosia W

This place is very pretty. We went during Christmas time and saw the lights drive-thru. There was a lot to look at. My chief complaint is that traffic management was awful. Cars kept stopping to take pictures and holding up the flow of everything so we would be stuck in some places for 5-10 since everything was backed up.

Earl McGinley

Nice place to visit. Wish it had been a little warmer so as to take full advantage of the property. Staff was so friendly, and the bistro was excellent.

Dawn Korth

The North Carolina Aboritum is a beautiful place to visit!!!! The native plants are gorgeous!!!! There are hiking trails galore and they are in excellent condition!!! You can even bring your 4 legged kids for a day of family fun!!! They are just not allowed in the buildings.....😥😥 …

Jerry Chilik

Fantastic garden with beautiful plants, very nice walking trails, and a large bonsai collection. Purchased an annual pass that we can use in Orlando and other locations.

Ricardo Davila

We paid $16 to enter the arboretum ... well worth it. Plenty of hikes to choose and very well maintained.

Aaron Rudolph

Nice peaceful, pretty walk to unwind.

Cory H

The North Carolina Arboretum is a beautiful place to visit, well worth the parking fee. The gardens are beautifully maintained, it's easy to get around, and very educational.

Ramona Santiago

Absolutely love this place I'm currently now a member

Leighann Breeze

Well-maintained hiking, running and biking trails. Dog friendly too! We made a loop running and biking with our dog from the running cedar trail to hard times road to Owl Ridge Trail to Bent Creek Road. Map with our highlighted route included in photos. Don't need to run hard times road more than once: the hill killed me. But it was a great loop for a hike! After the first round we just back tracked on Bent Creek Trail back and forth. It's beautiful though! You won't get bored even when back tracking!

Donna Cannone

This is a great place to take a walk on a beautiful day, or head inside for the exhibits on a rainy day. I especially enjoy the bonsai display.

Tj Rutherford

I enjoy the exhibits, hiking trails, and natural beauty. The annual fee is very reasonable and I enjoy each trip we make to the Arboretum.

Chelsea Johnson

A little underwhelming. I'm sure it's much better in the summer but there wasn't many things out and bloomed in March. Some exhibits closed. One of the buildings closed.

Preston Abadie

Absolutely a must see attraction. The Bonsai trees, the trails, the gardens are not to be missed.

Anastasia Blaszczyk

We enjoyed the Bonsai Exhibition here this weekend. Also an unexpected surprise-a Reclaimation Art Exhibition. You will never look at a spatula the same way again.

Donna Smith

Christmas lights were awesome and amazing. My family really enjoyed ourselves. Beautiful place to visit

Jonathan Frantz

Visited during the Christmas light show. It was pretty amazing especially if you have kids. Maybe a little pricey for the amount of time you spend there but worth it to me.

thrillerMJ 6767

Love the winter lights!!!!

Stephen Norton

love this place. there is a entrance fee but it all goes to support the UNC programs . the winter light show is great.

Ravi Vaswani

Spend a peaceful, uplifting day passing through the floral beauty of the arboretum. The bonsai arrangement is terrific.

B J

We went during the lights festival. It was a little crowded but the lights were fun and the train display was exciting. The staff were friendly and interactive.

Leonard Maglio

The light show was well done but the price of admission was exorbitant. 50+ dollars for me and my wife is way too much to pay. Once is enough.

linda henegar

Great Christmas lights display. Very friendly employees. Clean well kept. Worth the trip.

Sylvia Santaballa

Shady hiking trails with a variety of foliage. I can't wait to return in fall when the colors will be changing and then in the spring when flowers will bloom (there is a great variety of azaleas and rhododendrons.)

Tara Noid

Winter lights were as beautiful as advertised. Even on a cool, foggy night. Spent an hour wandering around.

Lucas Wheeler

Was there for the annual Western North Orchid show. The show was super. The Arboretum is always a wonderful place for a good walk, hike, biking or just relaxing among the beauty of Western North Carolina.

Michele Simmons

Although the Education Center and Gift Shop are closed, the Bistro is open for outdoor dining and the restrooms are open. Beautiful gardens with incredible Lego sculptures on display now. Lots of trails to walk around the property.

Scott Caudell

Winter lights was beautiful, and very well done. Parking was orderly, and well managed. Not too crowded.

Jill Carter

Very fun and relaxing for a good picnic, or great for losing energy on a hike. They offer free rental backpacks for children full of bug collector things, ropes, maps, magnify glasses, etc. A great way to relax for parents too. The flowers are gorgeous and the area is nice. Plus the staff was great too!

Stephanie Lanzel

Beautiful gardens and lots of walking trails. Love that it's dog friendly and there were several pups walking around. $16 per car to park but no entrance fee per person. Spent about 90 minutes strolling around and could have stayed longer!

Julio Perez

Such a beautiful place, magical. Would strongly recommend a visit. What really did it for me is that it is dog friendly.

Marlana Beck

Beautiful place! I had about 4 hours to pass while waiting for a friend to finish training in town. I happily hiked the trails totaling about 10 miles. Nothing was too strenuous and there was a great combination of shaded trails and those with sun.

Contact

Photos