the north carolina arboretum

We love the garden, the trails and the exhibits. What a great place to be outside and enjoy the blue sky and lovely mountains. This is truly a treasure.

Asheville can be quite expensive for weddings ... especially if you decide to rent a building for your event. The Arboretum is the perfect place to avoid all that. They have beautiful gardens for your ceremony and a small outdoor ampitheater for smaller gatherings. If you want something indoors, they have a large pretty place that can probably hold 20 tables with room for a small band and dancing. You pictures will be lovely and natural and every one will have a great time!

We took a lovely hike through the woods and near a creek. The formal gardens were largely dormant due to the season but still impressive. I would highly recommend this to visitors to Asheville.

Over the past 12 years, this has been one of my favorite places to visit when the weather is nice. I enjoy the hiking trails, the flower gardens, and the rotations of shows/exhibits. An annual pass has been well-worth the investment over the years. I suggest reviewing their website so you do not miss the orchid & rose shows.

Was invited to visit for an "Orchid Show" spend a few hours and was a nice learning experience. Will go back soon.

My wife and I frequently walk the trails at the Arboretum with our Yellow Lab Daisy. We like to look at the different changes over the year with the foliage. It is really peaceful and pretty. I would highly reccomend visiting here to everyone coming to Asheville as a place to see.

A great place to learn all about trees and plants. Displays are carefully laid out and well planned. They have wonderful programs for the whole family, especially at Christmas time - lots of colorful lights and decorations and things to do. Sort of Mother Nature's museum. Very unique.

this is a great place to hike, ride a bike, take your children, eat a picnic lunch. So many different trails with varying difficulty.

Gardens & bonsai display are great! Seasonal craft displays are fun & winter light display was fantastic

We're members and come to visit/bike here often. I'm amazed at how frequently indoor exhibits get changed and the outdoor gardens (especially the 'Quilt Garden' has a new look every season.) The Bonsai collection is fabulous & we think it best in the fall as some of the miniature trees change color! Don't miss the café & quilt collection in the 'Expo' building. If you're lucky, you'll stumble on a Carnation or Orchid show, like we do sometimes.

My niece was married there last summer, a lovely time was had by all. The staff was quite accommodating.

Cool light show during the holidays. There was also a textile showing and science exhibits that the kids loved. Live music, so even in the cold, we had a great time dancing, and drinking hot drinks.

This was our third or fourth time to visit the Arboretum, and always have a great time. There are a wide variety of trails, from very easy to challenging, so you can spend as much or as little time and effort as you choose. We do find the paper maps a little confusing (at least for getting from the Visitors Center onto the trails - after that, we found our way around pretty easily), so a stop by the information desk for guidance would be an excellent idea. The exhibit area is always fascinating - the exhibits change regularly. This time we found an exhibit of time-lapse photos that focus on plants as living, moving organisms.

I have a season pass to the Arboretum and go there about twice a month. Seeing this 400 acre park in the various seasons is always a treat. Well maintained trails, a little gift shop, educational classes, local display of art, it's all there. Lovely for locals and tourists alike.

We make a point of visiting the Arboretum whenever we are in Asheville. We have watched evolve over the last few years into a larger attraction. The Bonsai Collection cannot be missed. Just beautiful. Lovely sculptures and art works. Also it gives you great ideas you can use in your own garden.