The North Carolina Arboretum Reviews

Really enjoyed this place on a dreary day. My five year old loves the scent/perfume exhibits. The bonsai collection is awesome. Well laid out and peaceful. The volunteers were wonderful and took the time to tell us about the box turtles that they were tracking.

Summer is wonderful and light event in winter is amazing! We enjoy the hot chocolate, Santa Clause, the fireplace outside, the music and lights, the snacks etc. During the summer, the flowers, train (when it's on), gift shop, and trails.

There were pretty container gardens but not a lot of blooming flower beds compared to other gardens I've visited. We did have a nice hike on a nature trail.

Pleasant stop on the way to Asheville. Beautiful gardens. Meadows, bonsai’s trees, flowers, pond and nice hiking trails. Also inside they had a nice little art gallery! Beautiful and well-maintained.

This is a beautifully landscaped park/nature preserve, a nice combination of wild and cultivated. There are multiple trails to hike, and many areas to sit and enjoy the landscape.

There is a good Bistro for lunch and snacks. When we were there, a small guitar folk trio was performing, and they were very good.

The arboretum is also very dog-friendly. There is no official entry ticket, but a $20 parking fee per car. While we were paying our fee, the woman in the booth saw our dog and, along with our change, included a cookie for her! Leashed dogs are allowed everywhere except the bonsai garden and inside the buildings. The Bistro has a terrace where dogs are allowed; they even have a water bowl for the dogs.

We took one of the 2+ hour educational walks. Jeff was our guide and he was great. He knew history, botany and also added personal stories that held the attention of our diverse group of people. The walk is without charge but, if you want, you can make a donation at the end, which we freely did. I would highly recommend taking one of these walks.

This is a detail not usually mentioned in reviews: both the Welcome and Education centers have immaculate bathrooms. There are even porta-potties along some of the trails. So no worries for parents w/children or older people w/weak bladders :)

The arboretum was definitely one of the highlights of our visit to Asheville.

Beautiful location and grounds, well taken care of, we volunteer at Leu Gardens in Orlando and appreciate the care that goes into maintaining the garden. Beautiful nature walk through a grove of trees. Nice on a hot summer day.

What gorgeous gardens. We loved wandering among the gorgeous displays. There was also a bonsai exhibit that was breathtaking.

There was a lot of hidden gems and attractions even though none were listed. It was so peaceful and relaxing.it had great little diners and shops. All the beautiful landscape ones heart could desire. I would highly recommend it if you need to unwind.

I learned so much while visiting this beautiful place in late spring. So much about native flora that I don't know, but what a lovely environment in which to learn! I'll be returning soon for the activities they've planned for the winter season.

A beautiful arboretum to visit! We look forward to seeing it again. We were in a 25' RV, staying at the Lake Powhatan NPS Campground, so we biked over. Great trails to bike.

We had the perfect day, weather wise, to explore these wonderful gardens. Anytime we are in the area we would go back to revel in this place of beauty, peace, and tranquility.

We visited here for many hours. Parking is 16 dollars per car but it's totally worth it. Lots of beautiful landscaping but honestly the best part were the hiking trails. Would definitely visit here again!

Informative and lovely. The main visitor center was open, bit the educational center was closed when we visited. The Arboretum size is actually smaller than I was expecting, but there are several trails you can take that looked interesting. The bonsai section is pretty cool.

We spent a lovely morning walking around the beautifully manicured gardens and natural paths of the arboretum. The paths are extensive and lovely, and you run into moms with strollers, joggers, as well as walkers out for their morning constitutional. There is a nice gift shop and an excellent cafeteria, where we had a nice snack while listening to a live band.

This place is worth the stop. The mum display and bonsai were beautiful as were the rest of the gardens displays.

We went in November so I can only imagine how beautiful it is during the regular season. The bonsai garden was a highlight.

This garden offered so many unique views and garden spaces. I loved how the sculpture was incorporated and there were labels to identify the plants. The Bonsai garden was inspiring!

Can't recommend enough the North Carolina Arboretum for their Christmas Light Show (Winter Lights). Spectacular. Be prepared for lots of walking, hot chocolate and gift shops. Dress for cold or cooler weather and lots of walking. Parking is not very close to entrance.

A gardeners paradise, the grounds offer a multitude of beautiful blooms and foliage. There was a special rose exhibit on the day we visited with table upon table of the many rose varieties and bouquets. I enjoyed the unique beauty and smell of each of them. There were master gardeners available to answer my questions. The time spent here left me with a peaceful, happy feeling and I would definitely buy a seasons pass if I lived closer.

Visited as tourists to see whst type of trees and plants are in this part of the country. Very nice and easy walkways. Also had a display of several bonsai plants.

Bonus was photography in visitors center of animals and landscape of places like Denali and grand tetons.

The trails here are beautiful and well maintained. We opted for the 4 mile hike in the trail map brochure. We were able to hike on several of the trails and were pleasantly surprised by how quiet it was in the morning. After lunchtime, as we were leaving, there were a lot more people coming in.

First trip and a great walk area for everyone. I enjoyed the greenhouse and the educational center and of course the gift shop with the art center of people who have shared their art work. Very talented artist. Thanks for sharing!

The landscaping and flowers/plants were beautiful with breathtaking views of the mountains. The bonsai garden was very impressive. The patchwork garden with the fountain and mountains in the background made the most memoriable picture to treasure forever.

We loved our visit to the arboretum. The leaves were changing and the garden beds were beautiful. We were able to bring the dog and the toddler loved running around the nature trails. The cost was $16 per car which we thought reasonable.

We spent a beautiful day at the NC Arboretum. If you are lucky enough to visit, be sure to go on a day with a tour for a 2 hour informative walk. We really appreciated Jeff's ability to weave information we now remember with personal anecdotes that everyone enjoyed hearing.

Winter Lights! What a wonderful night. The lights were amazing as we walked through the exhibits. A lovely Christmas experience. We are so glad we had the opportunity to enjoy the Winter Lights. Thank you to all the volunteers who helped make the evening extra special.

Place has some neat stuff. They had a really good bonsai exhibit and their quilt garden was pretty nice too. Probably not to interesting for small kids but they will like the large working train sets they have too.

The arboretum is beautiful. The Bonsai garden and quilt garden were amazing. The trails are well maintained and easy to follow. The staff was very friendly. Nice overview of the plants of the region. Recommend a visit.

Even in cold rainy weather, we had some beautiful hikes. One was prettier than the next! We did the 3 miles Carolina, Bent Creak, and hiked to the lake!

Visited twice during our latest trip to Asheville. As always, the gardens were gorgeous, well-maintained, and a pleasure to explore.

There are some trails to walk. Some shorter than others. If you are unable to hike there is a beautiful garden to walk around. The view is awesome of course. Its only $16 per car. We just decided to stop there on a whim and spent a couple of hours walking around.

This place is very well maintained. Nice gardens, esp the bonsai garden. Lots of walking trail. On a nice sunny day, it is very pleasant but would avoid if the weather is bad since everything worth looking is outdoor

Everything about the arboretum is beautiful. The entire area is meticulously maintained and the variety of plants in the garden is overwhelming. I loved everything about our visit here and would highly recommend it!

Our exploratory tour of Asheville brought us to the North Carolina Arboretum, and as someone who is absolutely spoiled living so close to the University of Minnesota Arboretum, I was duly impressed.

Walkers will find several miles of well-kept paths through the hilly terrain; displays include dozens of species arranged into individual collections; your exploration will also find flower quilts, fountains, and even a unique bonsai display with North American species. It is a marvelous way to spend a half day; photographers and gardeners will easily find ways to spend even more time.

The layout is excellent; the staff is friendly and knowledgeable.

IMPORTANT - most arboretum memberships from across the country have a reciprocity agreement, so your home membership will allow you entrance!

While in North Carolina we stopped to see the Arbortum. It was definitely worth it and we took a bunch of photos. What a fantastic place to visit and read up on its history. This is a must see. 🙌

Love the grounds. STop at the main visitor center and pickup a map. There are two main trails to pick from including just walking the gardens. Don't miss the Bonzai exhibit! The nature trail is easy to walk and trees and flowers are labeled for ease.

We arrived close to the close of some of the areas, and the woman in the visitor Center was very helpful in assisting us to plan a route through the gardens to see some of the highlights while they were still open. Excellent bonsai exhibit! Flower gardens were beautiful. Tons of trails to explore if you have time.

The lights are spectacular but this experience through in lots of little extra touches like Santa by the fire to make s’more with and giving tree where the kids could hang paper ornaments on. A great night out

We braved a visit to the Arboretum on a beautiful Sunday during foilage season. There was a long line of cars upon both entering and exiting the property. We found that the trail signs were a bit lacking and several people (including us) were confused and asking for directions. Otherwise, a beautiful visit.

The feature bonsai tree exhibit stood out. Tons of hiking trails covering acres of land. Wear comfortable shoes. Gardens is free just pay $20 for parking. The floral section was small.

Bonsai trees are very cool, the quilt garden changes regularly and is always a treat, great hiking along Bent Creek, lovely azalea garden. (And a great light show at Christmas.

I'm not sure that any of my words will do justice to the beauty of the flowers at this location, so just take a look at my pics!

They are open until 9 pm but what they don’t say is that the education center, the bonsai exhibit and the restaurant(no restrooms) close at 4 or 5 pm. Had I not been a member of a reciprocal botanical garden I would have had to pay the $20 parking fee. They had a number of trails but with a sister who had some back problems that was not an option. We saw what flowers, etc. that were open and left within an hour. We would have loved to see the bonsai exhibit. An open restroom would have been nice, too.

Very nice with beautiful gardens dotted with pieces of arts and sculptures with mountains in back view. Bonsai exhibition is very interesting. There is open air restaurant.
Parking fee is $16 per car. It is practically the entrance fee per car, not per person.

A great arboretum and a phenomenal bonsai collection. Now we are vaccinated and can get out, worth a trip. A short hop from Asheville, great gardens as well.

The gardens and landscape are meticulously kept and maintained and the $16 parking fee per carload is well worth it (this includes the free admission) the Bonsai Garden is not to be missed as well as the Quilt Garden. Lots of park benches to sit for those needing a rest from exploring the gardens or hiking and exploring the trails! The Bistro (Tues-Sunday) on-site offers a variety of salads and sandwiches (order and pay at window and they call your name - most things are homemade)! There is also a the Bakers Visitor’s and a gift shop on site! Hours are 9-5 daily
Wear comfortable walking shoes

Super friendly staff at the check in desk. Fully explained where to go to maximize our time there, and where to start, eat, etc. So friendly. Thank you!

Great displays, horticulture, exhibits, lego demonstration displays (very cool!), historic figures and great spots for family pics, etc.

They have a cafe that made INCREDIBLE food (deviled eggs, sandwiches, ice cream treats). Super friendly staff.

We were told by a local to visit and i am really glad we did. The drive there from Black Mountain was very nice and pretty too.

Excellent Winter walkthrough. YES there are several bldgs with bathrooms. So the Trolls (5)ARE also in the Winter lights exhibit, The Trolls you MUST see during day & pay , NOT wheelchair friendly since it’s a trail in the woods on chipped wood & day only the nice Bonsai exhibit. Then required to LEAVE & come back $45 per carload at a chosen time at night. No Jesus, no Santa & no Satan. If that matters. Lots of light up bugs & trees & a really nice model train running. Make sure to find the moving moose & bobcat! There IS a Bistro, light menu. Several big fire pits & WIDE areas to walk & wheelchair& strollers.

We were here in autumn splendor and winter dormancy and enjoyed both visits. A great place for a relaxing hike.

We had a relaxing afternoon strolling through the exhibits (never knew there were so many variations of Bonsai) and hiking on a short trail. It was peaceful, the trail nicely groomed. It was easy enough to take a baby in the stroller and a school aged child.

We have been to most of the large gardens on the east coast and this garden would be in our top ten favorites. Well kept. Beautiful woods and flowers. Woods would be beautiful even in the winter

Great place to explore trails and so many beautiful plants and flowers. We love to come here often and the flowers do change regularly. Bonsai area is impressive. We did come at Christmas for the lights and it was pretty!

This is the a gorgeous place. We loved strolling through the gardens at our leisure. There was music (a folk duet) in the patio area next to the cafe. A lovely plant sale (I brought some plants home for my own garden.) We loved it. The best attraction we've been to in Asheville (better than Biltmore Gardens for sure!)

I came for a business trip and conference. I stayed at the Marriott Renaisance Hotel .
The Arboretum is fantastic and a site that everyone from outside the area and everyone who lives near there should experience. The layout the beautiful plants and this time of year going into fall , make it a great experience either by yourself or with friends or family.

Okay for an Arboretum, bathrooms are closed. You can park down by the river and walk in to avoid fees. The bonsai is somewhat interesting, otherwise not much--doesn't compare well to Philadelphia, DC, etc.

We loved visiting the Arboretum! The gardens were so gorgeous and well maintained. Definitely lots of inspiration for those with green thumbs! It does cost $16 to enter, which is kind of expensive, but the gardens and the trails were worth it. The trails were fairly easy and well maintained. They are pet friendly and you can bring your dog but they can't go in the visitor center or in the bonsai garden exhibit. Loved the quilt garden! Very beautiful. Would visit again.

Beautiful lights display for the holidays! We could only drive through but it was still wonderful to see from the car

We had the pleasure of visiting the Arboretum while in Asheville. It was very nicely laid out and was an easy walk. There were additional trails for those who wished to walk more. The grounds were beautiful. I can only imagine how beautiful they are in the spring. I wish we lived in Asheville. We would definitely purchase a membership.

A very nice place for a stroll, whether you choose to take a longer, "forrest type" walk or decide to confine your stay to the actual park/garden side. Some paths are still not reopened. Lovely garden, bonsai exhibit, but it is Fall and not many plants are in bloom. Great place to come with kids.
Entry is free and you have to pay $20 per car for parking. The entrance to the Arboretum is about 1.5 - 2 miles from the road in case you decide to look for free parking, which may not be such a good idea.

I arrived shortly after the gardens opened the first sign that is was to be a good day was the women taking the parkway fee mention reciprocating gardens. My wife and I have a membership for Denver Botanical Gardens but my wife had the membership card at home. The attendant said she was going in a few weeks.

The entry way to the walkways were overflowing with blooms for their Annual “Blooms with a View” . There are more than enough benches and a few rockers to be found to take a moment to rest and meditate upon the beauty and serenity of formal gardens and woodland pathways which seemed to be endless. For a person of my age (73) it was a treasure to behold and see many new things I have not seen in the many gardens my wife to seen around the world over the years.

Although we visited in October the leaves had not yet reached their peak but the gardens were lovely. We spent 3 hours there and could have continued longer if we had the energy to keep hiking. There is alot to see!

Beautiful gardens and most of the plants are identified by markers. The hiking paths we did were all easy for an old mother and her daughter... Also had an interesting display for how to properly handle water run off after construction. Something for everyone, even a train display!

wish we had more time to hike around, but it is a very relaxing place to enjoy the day and see beautiful things.

Loved the Arboretum!! This was a hidden gem that we initially weren’t planning to visit but I’m so glad we did! Being that it was in early March, the gardens were not in their full glory but the trails were great! The weather was perfect for hiking too so an added bonus! Trails were well marked and easy to navigate! The staff was extremely friendly and helpful and their gift shop is five star!! Would strongly encourage anyone for a love of nature to make this a stop on their trip! Oh and we took an Uber there, so because we didn’t have a car there was no parking fee or admission!

The gardens were a little past peak since our visit was in October, but the Bonsai exhibit was fascinating and well worth the visit. The fall color in the leaves made up for some of the flower gardens having faded. Clearly this is a well-maintained place.

We always ensure we visit the arboretum when in Asheville. The trails are wonderful for hiking or running, featuring amazing rhododendrons. The garden and bonsai exhibition are exceptional, and we really enjoy the onsite bistro. On our most recent visit, our 4 year old granddaughter was mesmerized by the garden train (which runs noon to 4pm on weekends). Well worth visiting!

Very beautifully kept arboretum, lovely flowers and trees with labels on most. Nice big selection of bonsai. Nice offerings in the gift shop too.

Hundreds of well cared for acres of horticulture. All items have name tage. Many walking paths. Suggest you leave yourself plenty of time to see it all.

We walked along several trails here and had an enjoyable afternoon. It seems like a great place for kids because of the educational plaques we found along the trails. The trails were obviously well cleared and well cared for. Obviously indoor displays were closed due to the pandemic so would love to return to see them someday

We originally wanted to visit the Botanical Gardens on our trip to Asheville, but after looking at reviews, we opted to go the Arboretum instead and were happy with our choice. The grounds were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the father of modern landscape architecture in the U.S., who also designed Central Park and the gardens at Biltmore. It's a beautiful green space with some good hiking trails. The space is divided between a central landscaped area with nice touches like fountains, a bonsai exhibit, a small stream, an amphitheater, and manicured gardens, and the wilder areas that have trails winding through the woods. There wasn't a lot in bloom in late September, but we still enjoyed our day. There's even a miniature train setup that runs through an area of the garden. Lots of people when we visited, but the area is so spread out that it never felt crowded. There's no admission fee other than the $16 parking fee. If you enjoy nature, you would enjoy this peaceful spot.

Imaginative colorful displays, identification placards, ideas for home decor, musical entertainment on the weekend. easy to navigate. Great gift shop and associates.

Always enjoy the Arboretum. The trails are great for easy hiking and always beautiful. Wound up spending most of the day'

This place is a great place for an hour or three. Parking is $16 for cars (more for buses and vans), but that little amount gets you access to acres of gardens and views and miles of trails to hike. The shop and information center is open, but the Education Center and its restaurant/bistro is closed his month - due to COVID. They have a little train set up that is super cool.

Probably the best thing we did in Asheville. Big, beautiful gardens and forest with well-maintained walking trails.

We spent the morning walking around the beautifully manicured gardens. All of the paths are extensive and and well maintained !

There are lots of gardens and trails. It is easy to find your happy place and space. The volunteers are extraordinarily friendly and informative. Dogs are allowed. There’s a Bistro here. Indoors and outdoor exhibits exist. Come and visit.

Spending time with plants is like magic. It has amazing healing properties. Of course, I came here on my bike as an environmentally friendly person. You can feel the natural life in your bones

Really enjoyable touring the gardens with our dog. If you have time, try some of the longer trails through the woods. Well worth a visit if you are into the outdoors!

We really enjoyed the winter lights show at the Arboretum a few weeks ago. They did a spectacular job with creativity and displays...well worth the admission price.
Only one little challenge that many vehicles kept their headlights on and it made it hard to see some of the lights.
If you missed it this year make plans to go next year, my advice is to go a little later around 8:30 or so as the lines diminish by then. Also cell phone service is spotty so have a playlist of Christmas songs ready to go...this is all mentioned in the ad for the lights.

We went to see the winter light exhibit and it was simply amazing. Yes it’s crowded. Yes it’s cold, but the lights are simply amazing. It’s a walk-through not a drive-through, so prepare but I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to go see it. It’s a little pricey, but carpool because it’s by the car not by the person.

We loved this place! It is gorgeous! However, it is not quite free as have to buy a $16 parking pass.

You have to go to the Winter Lights. The artwork displayed is amazing, the atmosphere really makes you feel like you are in a winter wonderland. It is a good activity to go solo, as a couple, or as a family.

This is an excellent place to visit in Asheville if you are looking for a leisurely morning or afternoon experiencing some of nature‘s beauty. The staff was very friendly and you could tell that they have a passion for working here. Cellular service is iffy, but they do provide free Wi-Fi throughout the buildings. The gardens are beautiful, however, I do wish they were a bit bigger and that the experience took a little longer. There were trails that you could walk on that we chose not to do, while we were here we mainly just toured the gardens. There is a little café that you can eat at in the building at the top of the walk, but they were very busy when we got there so do plan on a little bit of a wait. The food did look good though! This is a nice stop to get pictures and to experience some of Asheville‘s natural beauty, however, I did find the $20 per car parking fee to be a little high, especially since it was only two of us. You would be better off bringing one vehicle with four or five people to get the maximum value. Overall, if you have already done everything else there is to do in Asheville or want to try something a little different. This is definitely worth checking out.

The Arboretum was very nice. Bring water, snacks and good walking shoes because it is somewhat spread out.

Th trails are fantastic for the whole family. The only difference we found between east and difficult was incline. The paths are well marked and well maintained. This was our 3rd consecutive year at winter lights and it’s alway a great visit.

This is almost in my backyard and a regular haunt for me and my spouse. However, the nuisance of dogs is becoming greater by the day. The silly A m e r i c a n s cannot seem to step out without their beasts in tow and increasingly there are multiples with each person. This is a shame that is prevailing more and more in the Asheville area.

Beautiful gardens and exhilarating walks through nature at its best. Loved the way the gardens had been set out and the clear labelling of the walks to keep you on track. The small cafe was good too - would highly recommend the tomato bisque.

Given the time of year, we didn’t expect this place to be so beautiful with lots of blooms and color, it’s SO much better than the botanical gardens, not to be missed.

Beautiful gardens!!

I have been a Frederick Law Olmsted fan for years and this did not disappoint.

The Bonsai items were very cool. See pictures!!! Beautiful flowers, pathways and designs

What an incredible day and such well tended beautiful grounds! So much to look at and interesting sculptures, benches and features throughout the property too.

First night visit to the Arboretum and it was worth waiting for. The light display was tasteful and well planned so one could view all feature without an extended time in the winter chill of the evening. The best thing, it wasn't crowded on a weekday evening.

Just wow! Been driving past this wonder for 30 years - who knew? What an amazing experience! Top notch arboretum for sure. Stop and spend a few hours exploring. Adm8sion is cheap too.

This place is so beautiful! The gardens offer beautiful vistas anywhere you look. It's great for those with mobility issues, offering plenty of ramps and places to sit along the beautiful gardens. We went with a two- and four-year-old, and they loved it. We ate a nice lunch at the Bistro, too. Very enjoyable!

We spent several hours here and loved it. We wished we'd have come here before spending $160 to visit the not-well-maintained gardens of Biltmore House.

The gardens are well built out with various small theme gardens. The bonsai garden in particular is extensive and lovely. We also really enjoyed walking the trails on the property which would through the woods and by a stream.

So much to see here and it doesn't cost a dime! (Free parking too.)

First of all, $20 to park but free admission….so forgetting the semantics it’s $20 admission. The parking lot is over a mile from the entrance gate.

The flowers and tree are beautiful and the education center is worth visiting.

I stopped by to see the Thomas Dambo Trolls and it was worth the visit. I've only seen Big Rusty in New Jersey and the family of trolls in Kentucky before seeing these. The ones here are smaller but there are so many of them. I'm glad I got to see them!
Being that I was here in winter, most of the plants were dead for the season but that's to be expected. I bet this place is even cooler in the warmer months. I'd certainly go back to check it out in Springtime.

We visited in October-prime leaf season. There were 2 fabulous exhibits there: a special bonsai garden exhibit and an amazing Nat Geo animal photography exhibit. The grounds were breathtakingly beautiful, well laid out and accessible. There were several stunning gates throughout the garden. And the garden cafe was amazing!

I've given the NC Arboretum "two stars." I recognize this probably is unfair because it likely would have received a much higher rating if we had gone at a different time of the year. I imagine the Christmas lights display is quite good. I imagine when bulb plants and other flowers are blooming, it would be beautiful. I imagine on the two or three days when the stinky plant first blooms, it would be pleasantly horrible. I imagine when the bonsai garden is open and on full display, it would be interesting. But on March 11, 2024, our visit was a bust.

It's also a little irritating that the Arboretum's website proclaims in bold print, " . . . no other admission charge . . ." Mind you, the $20 admission charge (through a ridiculously high parking fee) is more than fair, but let's be honest, shall we? A web search for "free things to do in Asheville, NC" turns up a number of web sites that list the Arboretum. But it ain't free.

I suppose if we wanted to pay $20 for miles of hiking trails, this would be the perfect spot. For non-hikers, though, especially at a time when almost the only things to see are a bevy of placards that identify various non-blooming plants and leafless trees, it simply isn't worth the cost. At least I was able to rationalize my $20 loss as a charitable contribution to a worthwhile cause.

We stopped by here while visiting Ashville to take advantage of a nice day with great weather they charge a little pricey parking fee but once you learn that it includes admission to the gardens and facilities it was all worth it. The gardens are wonderfully maintained and very colorful with both native and non native plants that are very well shown.
There are also several walking/Hiking trails on the property that made for a nice walk in the woods the gift shop was nice but we could not use the snack shop as they were closed during our visit (looks like due to staffing issues)
Overall a very enjoyable couple hours spent and we would visit again during other seasons to see changes to plantings.

Parking is $16 for cars, no matter how many visitors are in the car (buses and vans are more). After paying for parking, admission is free. We spent a few hours walking the trails and looking at the gardens. The trails were beautiful and the gardens were, too. Loved the quilt garden and the bonsai exhibit. The only reason for making this four stars rather than five was the restaurant. We got a veggie sandwich and it was $9 and was one of the lamest sandwiches I have ever eaten. Other than that, we had a great visit and would go back in a heartbeat. Advice - definitely visit this place but skip the food.

We enjoyed the trail and gardens on a beautiful June day. The trees, shrubs and flowers were well marked and maintained, as well as the nature trail, and it is nice to see future projects going on.

Really enjoyed the trolls during the day and also my lunch (curry chicken salad sandwich). I would have gone for the evening winter lights but it was $60/car and it was just me. I wish they either gave discounts for solos or charged per person.

This was our second trip to the gardens. Lovely, Peaceful, and informative as the plants are labeled. Recommend for all ages.

We have lived in NC for some time and never been to the Arboretum. We learned about the Thomas Dambo Trolls on exhibit there and decided to go. The Troll were fun but just walking through the Arboretum on a sunny but cold day was very nice. A beautiful place which we will revisit when the weather is warmer and things are blooming. They are working really hard to clean up still after Helene but it is worth a trip to hike the trails-- just lovely.

Large well thought out, beautiful, well cared for Arboretum. We came early in the morning to spend a few hours perusing the sites. We found a lot of people coming for their morning walk. Who could blame them, nice, safe, place to enjoy while getting your exercise in. The flowers were beautiful, the sculptures were fascinating. Loved the Native American, & the Frederick Olmsted (Father of American Landscaping). Worth the trip.

After a visit to downtown Asheville, we decided to stop by the Arboretum. There are beautiful gardens and walking/hiking trails. I could definitely see bringing a picnic lunch and enjoying the day here.

Arrived just at opening and what an experience!! Beautiful setting with peace and quiet. Lots to see and wander around without the sound of traffic and people talking. Interesting art exhibit in the gift shop building and a plant sale underway in the greenhouse. Wish we had been there when the trains were running. As a member of the American Horticultural Society Reciprocal Admissions Program the parking fee was waived. One of the best things we did during Labe Day weekend in Asheville.

Not sure if it is new or due to covid re-opening but there was not alot on to view. Even Bonsai was all closed up and there was only one in the hot house. There is so much potential

This is a definite place to visit. Beautiful, tranquil, reasonable, wonderful bonsai collection. You can wonder for hours and while we were there in summer, I am sure that each season would be glorious.

Absolutely enchanting! My visit to the Carolina Arboretum was a journey through breathtaking natural beauty. The meticulously curated gardens, diverse plant species, and serene walking paths created a peaceful oasis that left me feeling rejuvenated and connected to nature. The Arboretum's commitment to education and conservation is evident in every corner, making it not only a stunning escape but also an opportunity to learn and appreciate the wonders of our natural world.

I'm writing a second review for the arboretum because I just got to visit it at a dramatically different time of year. The arboretum is great in the late spring through early fall because it's gorgeous and you can see all kinds of great things (the bonsai trees are a big hit with our family) outside, but this is my first time going in winter, this time to enjoy the special Christmas lights display. It was wonderful: this isn't some cheap grab for holiday revenue by tossing out inflatable reindeer; it's a rich, beautiful, unique, and stylishly arranged light display with something different around every corner, from the playful to the inspiring.

No Christmastime trip to Asheville with children would be complete without a visit to the Arboretum. Experiencing the lights at Christmas is a must-see!

Went to The Biltmore to tour the beautiful estate! It was incredible! You have to go there if you go to Asheville! The grounds are amazing , the gardens, the farm.. the winery!

It is aesthetically pleasing. There are trails leading to the grounds So if you are willing to walk you don’t have to pay for the parking.

We just love visiting the arboretum and have had a membership for several years. Besides being an excellent value to have a membership, we can wander through the garden to see the most recent sculptures and flowers or we can park close to the entrance and walk the extensive trails whenever we would like to. Either way, it's a great place to visit.

This is a truly beautiful over 400 acre spot with great parking, wooded trails, paved trails and lots to see. Great views along the creek. The gift shop is really nice with lots of goodies to buy.

Toured the Arboretum during day and viewed winter season of plants and trees; returned at night to view Winter Lights which were spectacular. LIghts open from 6-10; no need to get there at 6, if you wait until a little later there are less crowds.

It's a bit early for fall colors, but even a drizzling, damp day didn't ruin the beauty of the thoughtfully designed gardens. The bonsai collection was the finest I have ever seen. The tribute to Olmstead is well deserved. By all means...just go.

I visited to see the Bonsai exhibit at the arboretum museum. It was outstanding as was the presentation of the trees. The gift shop is very nice but needs a few books on Bonsai and other plants. $16 to park is a bit much I thought but the grounds are excellent to walk and explore. Will visit again in the fall.

Great trails, interesting plants - Education Center was closed, and we were limited on what we could see because we had our dog with us.

Lots of hiking/walking trails (mostly easy), and a very cool bonsai exhibit--not at all what you'd expect bonsai trees to look like. We visited in September, so unfortunately, not much was in bloom, and it was just a tad too soon for fall mums etc. But still some great trails. There is a bistro, but I'd advise packing your own lunch and picnicking.

There is lots to see here, you can hike or bike any length trail you want. There is a model train setup, bonsai displays, quilt garden, and it goes on & on. Very nicely kept up, clean area.

The formal gardens are beautiful and well maintained. The design layout maximizes the visitors appreciation of the planning that went into these gardens. There are short walking paths and longer walks through wooded areas. The variety of trees I thought was extraordinary. There are plenty of benches to sit down and take a break out of the sun.

Two days before my son, his teenage daughters and I were to meet in Asheville, the area was hit w/flash flooding, and then Helene hit. We thought it best not to attempt a trip even w/just a flood in all the areas we had selected to go to Arboretum, The Chihuly exhibit at Biltmore Village, miniature golf and the Adventure park. So sad we missed out but even sadder to see what has become of the whole ares from Lake Lure to the TN line. Emotionally upset of the loss of life and the plight so many find themselves in. Our vacation fund is going to be donated in part by sending needed supplies via trucks leaving Va Beach, and headed south

Beautiful grounds. Nice walking trails and amazing bonsai collection. Great place to stop and rest and breathe in fresh mountain air and take in the gardens. There is also a small eatery with tasty treats and kombucha.

I love the arboretum and wanted to see the light display in winter...an exuberance of lights--but probably even better with kids in tow.

We came here because of the multiple trail options in the woods. It was a beautiful morning and we enjoyed three of the trails for about a 4-mile hike.

This is a very beautiful place - perfect for a beautiful stroll through a garden and lunch on a beautiful patio. Also walking trails through the NC forest and along a stream - as short or as long as you are interested in. Well worth the admissions fee.

Beautiful grounds with great bonsai exhibit. LEGO sculptures were a surprise bonus. Fabulous fall foliage on the drive there.

Well organized and displayed gardens. We especiall enjoyed the tribute to Olmsted, the landscape designer.

Great place to see beautiful flowers and other plants, scenery, stroll, have lunch outside, and relax. We enjoyed our walk through the arboretum. Bonsai exhibit was cool, and many of the garden areas were pretty and engaging.

This was one of our favorite afternoons while visiting Asheville.

If you are a member of another botanical garden or arboretum, check if it offers reciprocal privileges. We got in free with a membership card from another garden in New England.

What a GEM this place is!!! Absolutely Beautiful!!! The bonsai exhibit was spectacular, as were the LEGO sculptures.

A couple hours went by very quickly and we wished we had allotted ourselves more time. We definitely plan on going back the next time we're in Asheville.

Heard from our Biltmore tour guide about the drive through lights so we went last minute. $25 per car online, $30 at the gate. The line to get in was longer than the time to go through. They said it would take 45 mins to go through. It took 10 and when it was done we couldn’t believe we just paid $30 for 10 minutes (and we are going slow) It was pretty but not worth $30. The radio station that was supposed to go with it was scratchy so we turned on our own music.

We loved it so much that we became annual pass holders even though we are seasonal residents. Great gardens and hiking trails. Beautiful nature!

AWFUL! Do NOT go in Winter. You pay to see nothing but dead landscape. We felt totally robbed and were beyond disappointed!

This place is wonderful! Great natural beauty, well kept, awesome trails, peaceful. Dogs allowed. My husband and my dog really enjoyed the walks - the trails are not very strenuous. There is a nice cafe to get some sandwiches and muchies. Staff is polite and helpful. Clean bathrooms. Great way to get some easy exercise. Only pay to park ($16; $15 if you have AAA).

Spent a couple of hours here angering the gardens and walking nature trail. Had lunch at the bistro and it was very good. They are currently requiring masks indoors due to COVID surge. The gardens are well labeled and lovely. Our favorite is the bonsai exhibit.

We had a great time visiting and walking the trails! Everything is beautiful even in the winter. Will come back next time we are in town.

Beautiful gardens and walking trails. There is a coffee shop and cafe out in the gardens.We enjoyed our afternoon!

Beautiful setting. Concert was a nice bonus. It was a great experience and we would definitely return.

The arboretum is a mix of cultivated spaces - think botanical gardens - and natural hiking trails. I spent several hours here and had a lovely time.

The bonsai exhibit was my favorite and larger than expected. There were water refill stations in several locations. Gift shop was cute and reasonable prices.

We came for one of the easy hikes through the woods, and that was nice. But we stopped in at the bonsai collection (right next to the parking lot), and that was amazing. Such a beautiful set of bonsai, in all different formats.

It was easy to negotiate with a 99 yo in wc. Everyone was helpful. You can inly stay in the main part, but we were happy with what we saw in December.

Beautiful scenery, even though it was raining. The hikes were great and we saw a ton of birds and small animals. The Bonsai Garden was my favorite, it was a neat concept of trees of the area made into bonsai styled trees. The sculpture exhibits currently on display were also great. The cafe had great fresh food, the salad and chicken salad were both great.

So many acres of beautiful trees, flowers and walking trails. Also, the bonsai tree exhibit was amazing. They also had beautiful artwork.

Although I enjoyed the quiet and beautiful day the exhibits lacked luster and the Winter exhibits had not begun

The arboretum is always a favorite place to visit. We visited this time during the sculpture and photography exhibits. Simply stunning artwork. The grounds are well kept, staff friendly and helpful too. Just a way to spend a relaxing few hours touring the gardens

Nice place to visit and spend time walking. But it is not exactly free as advertised. Super expensive parking even though the lot is huge. That’s fine if you’re charging to get in, just do that. But if you say free but if you’re going to park it’s gonna cost you. Still giving it a 5

We recently visited the NC Arboretum in May. It was not on our list of things to do but given the current situation with gas, we were limiting our driving distances and the Arboretum was fairly close to where we were staying. I am glad we decided to give this a try. It is a beautiful place with many wonderful exhibits along with several hiking trails. (trails were complete with a mother bear and 3 cubs!) This park is definitely worth a visit, you will not be disappointed.

The garden area is much smaller than say a botanical garden but it is well done. As others have said the bonsai exhibit is particularly good. Our biggest issue is that the walking trails could be better marked and better done. Even with a map we struggled to figure out where we were so more signage would be very useful. The oaths are in good condition but there are no easily accessible loop trails and only 2 parking areas where you can start. When you are making a short visit, 2-3 mile trails that loop back to parking is ideal so you are not retraining what you have always seen.

Great leisurely walk through the gardens today. Not the best time to go as the trees are loosing leaves and winter is coming. Lots of employees putting Christmas decorations up. But nice to visit. May need to come back at a better time. Love all the garden artwork. Nice employees. There was restaurant that had good options but we just weren’t hungry. Gift store is typical for this type of venue and local artists show there wears there. Hike behind visitors center was well groomed and just 3/4 miles. Overall great day.

We parked at the visitors center, got a map, and asked the staff about hikes at the arboretum. The arboretum is GORGEOUS but we wanted to grab a picnic and hike a bit. We found a short 2-mile easy hike, grabbed a charcuterie box and a couple of wines from the concession, and headed out. It was stunning and the walk (hike) we choose was perfect. There are lots of benches along the path to stop and have a moment of peace. We found a bench near a stream and it was just lovely! It was truly a beautiful day and I would recommend the Arboretum during any season. They were decorating for Christmas and I so want to see it now at Christmas! Wear comfy clothes and comfy shoes, pack a lunch or buy one, and enjoy this magical place. We spent about 5 hours here. The only fee was the parking fee which was $16. You do not need a ticket to enter the park after the parking fee.

An incredibly beautiful place. Nestled in the Blue Ridge mountains of western NC, the North Carolina Arboretum is a gem! The Bonzai Garden itself is worth the visit, however, the surrounding gardens and woods are spectacular. Inexpensive, beautiful and peaceful ☺️

Booked this for a free night after visiting Biltmore House. Parking was easy and lights were awesome. Would definitely recommend for all ages.

We 4 adults enjoyed this beautiful arboretum. Many shady trails through tall trees. signage near the cafe a bit confusing to find trail head, but they gave maps. A bonsai exhibit. Ponds & creeks. A welcome center. Fee to enter. Good food at the cafe which had patio & indoor seating, plus more around the back.

The arboretum is beautiful, very relaxing and well kept. We enjoyed strolling around, relaxing on a bench and seeing the Lego sculptures.

This is an outstanding garden and can hold its own with any of the great ones - We try to get many of the great Arboretums and Botanical Gardens when we travel (Brooklyn Botanical, NYBG, Longwood Gardens, Coastal Maine, Dublin Ireland, Royal Botanical - Edinburgh Scotland) ... and this is another great one.

The flow is great here and leads from one great area to the next. We went early May and lots of flowers in bloom. They charged $16 per car load - good deal .... get there early as there is lots of walking and I am sure gets warm later in day

I thoroughly enjoy trips to the Arboretum. There is beauty in each season and I come away with a desire to plant something in my own small garden.

Winter Lights by car was a good replacement during COVID for the walking event. There were some beautiful new installations and some old familiar ones, particularly the big changing tree and the chandeliers. We hope next year will be back to normal. We have appreciated having this lovely place for walks.

We went for the Winter Lights display. It was simply amazing and I would highly recommend it. I would love to go back again in the summer.

Walking through the Christmas lights with the grandkids was a great way to celebrate the end of the holiday season. The lights were magical. Kids loved all of the light displays. It was easy to get in and not too crowded on the paths while walking around. Nice fires along the route to warm up on a chilly night. Highly recommend if you are into Christmas lights. Great job!

It was smaller than I thought. Biltmore has more to see. Have been to better places. After seeing Butchard Gardens in Victoria no comparison. The Japanese Gardens in Rockford Illinois is way better. Enjoyed the nature trail.

This place is fantastic and we are so glad we had the opportunity to visit. Staff were very helpful and knowledgeable. We love all the gardens but especially the Bonsai garden.

Beautiful gardens. Loads of hiking and biking trails. A great outdoor adventure for the whole family. No admission fee, just a fee to park.

We and our friends spent a wonderful morning here.....cannot begin to say how much we enjoyed the grounds and the wonderful variety of plants, shrubs, & trees. The bonsai section was one of our favorites.

A bonus??? The great signage that is posted throughout the gardens...thanks so much for that!

We also enjoyed our lunch at the bistro here........good food at fair prices..........and who can resist their wonderful gift shop?

Kudos to the staff and volunteers for making this property one to really enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!

I was disappointed. Its supposed to be free. Its not! When you drive into the front entrance, there is a $16 "parking" fee.

We had a fabulous morning at the Arboretum. We toured the gardens and hiked the Carolina mountain trail (I think that is the right trail?) We had hikers of all ages, including a toddler, a six-year-old and adults from the ages of 29-70. The hike was beautiful with great views, followed a creek for a while, and was easily followed with the signs. Fun for all ages! They gave us great advice for what trails to take when we walked in. And you gotta love their museum store!

This facility and grounds were well-kept with beautiful spring flowers everywhere. Nice G scale train layout also. The only exhibit that wasn't available when we visited was the bonsai area.

We visited on a summer afternoon after a hailstorm. The gardens are expansive, lush, and peaceful. We could get lost for days among the trails

Fabulous holiday light display! Tickets need to be purchased in advanced and it is well worth it! Very enjoyable and beautiful!

Very pretty area!! Took a lot of pictures and was a great place to walk around and look at the beautiful plants and scenery. Staff was very friendly, too!

My spouse & I are actually locals, and were members until we saw some terrible conditions of animals in the so-called learning center. Plexiglass cages with PLASTIC foliage, one black snake, one tiny frog with hands pressed against the front of her cage, no barriers, no ROOM, no enrichment; and then the pelts of dead animals as some kind of educational experience? It's 2023. We have technology and observation in the wild that can teach kids how to experience nature. We wrote the director of the Arboretum, the director of membership, and the director of education/learning programs with our concerns back in September, and 2 & 1/2 months later they don't care enough about the animals or their members to reply (our budget is somewhat limited, but my spouse and I enjoyed the place and felt it important enough to support it -- until we saw the animal cruelty).

Very beautiful- lots of variety. Nice formal beds and lots of hiking and biking trails. Cute gift shop. The cafe had delicious food!

The Bloom with a View event offered beautiful displays of flowers and plants in time for spring. The trails were very easy as well. We spent about 4 to 5 hours here on a late weekday morning. Most of the visitors were older until a school bus came with about 30 kids, but they had a staff and a few other adults guiding them so they did not get in the way of the visitors.

It was good. Definitely worth a visit. It would be good if you know what is blooming before going. Also remember to take your garden membership card from any place. It might help you save some money. About 2 hours is good here....and then go on a drive on the skyline drive.

Beautiful area with plenty of variety to see. Just as much manicured gardens as trees, so don't let "arboretum" dissuade you. Gift shop was nice enough, but I wish the shirts were 100% cotton. Also, more bee merch please!

Bonsai trees and model train were my fav.

Ample parking
Didn't do trails

Beautiful gardens and plants were well marked. Lots of places to sit down and enjoy the gardens. Hiking trails were well marked and well maintained. We had a picnic lunch at the tables near the educational center.

Please take the time to visit the Arboretum when you're in Asheville. The grounds are beautiful and there is so much to see. We enjoyed the Lego exhibit and the gardens were so pretty. I'd like to see it in the summer when the gardens are in full bloom. The facilities and grounds are exceptionally clean. We were so glad we took the time to visit.

Amazing gardens! I took so many photos and even got to see a deer. It was a very lovely walk. I wish I lived close enough to walk this daily. Meticulous care is given daily.

This place is beautiful! I couldn’t stop taking pictures. Everywhere you look is another beautiful flower or tree! We barely missed the Bonsai trees (which I really wanted to see). They’ll come out for display in a couple of weeks. Take time to stop and smell the flowers by planning a visit here today!

Our first time here and won't be the last! The trails and gardens are beautiful and the learning centers are well done. I wish we were closer to take advantage of special events.

My mom, sister and I drove down after visiting the Biltmore and their gardens. The Arboretum did not disappoint! There is a per person “parking“ fee but we felt it was worth every penny. We grabbed a quick bite at the bistro which was very good, then slowly strolled through all the exhibits. When we were there they had a lily exhibit that was gorgeous. Beautiful raised beds overflowing with all types and colors. Plan to take lots of pictures 😊

Not worth the $20 entry fee. Currently, mid-March, they have no food available. So if you drive all the way in there there is nothing to eat. Just one junk food vending machine. They said the cafe will be opening soon but I would call first and bring snacks/lunch especially if you have kids.

Friendly, helpful team here. A very enjoyable time looking for the DamboTrolls ( many spots along the trail to sit, relax and enjoy the outdoors), viewing the Bonsai exhibit and we fortunate to experience the holiday lights.

We visited the arboretum twice in one day using our receipt to reenter. We walked most of the trails which are beautiful and have a lot of helpful information on the trees in the forest along the walk. We also walked through the exhibits which were interesting. We didn't get to the mountain trail or drive the roads so there are many things to do there.

We waited 2 very long hours in a car line to see 5 minutes of lights. They either oversold or should have spaced cars by time but this was so not worth the 2 hour long slow crawl with 2 small children. We are just lucky one was still awake by the time we made it in.

We visited the NC Arboretum with our dog and little girl to see the Dambo Trolls. There are 12 trolls in the arboretum as part of Trolls: A Field Study exhibit during winter 2025/26. All 12 are a short walk from the parking lot and easy to visit, even for a little one. Besides the trolls, the gardens are beautiful and lots of trails to explore and connect with Bent Creek Forest. Lovely place to visit, if you want to see the trolls, hurry as I believe they'll be leaving in February.

We went in summer and it was hot but there are lots of places to sit and rest in the shade. The grounds are beautifully kept and there is much to see. We went when the Lego exhibit was there and that was truly amazing. We also saw hummingbirds which are my favorite! Take a walk in the woods too. Its very peaceful.

A gorgeous garden. Love the Bonsai and statues. Became a member so I can visit every season. Looking forward to the Winter Lights. A must see.

You get exactly what is advertised. A break from the city without being too far away. Nicely maintained trails with plenty of trail markers so you don't get lost. Great for the new hiker.
The bonsai exhibit is fantastic.
If you get an uber/lyft, you don't have to pay to get in.

I absolutely love the arboretum. It is one of my favorite places to walk with my dog and bike. I have been an annual member for many years. The flowers are also pretty when in season. You can walk to lake Powaton from the arboretum and vice versa. There are many unique trails and beautiful wild life.

Went for the evening Christmas lights. Was a bit pricey to park ($60 per car), but it was still worth it. Beautiful decorations. Not super busy, so we were able to get around.

Beautiful, Dog friendly, do at your own pace. Multiple places for a picnic, we love places like this

Beautiful Christmas lights experience that can be enjoyed by any age and with any size group. Walk through the lights at your own pace and end up at gift shop for a cup of hot chocolate.

Incredible place for the whole family. The NC Arboretum was our first stop on our family trip to Asheville. There are several trails for walking or hiking. Peaceful and pleasant walks through the forest. Gardens are amazing, and the staff is great.

Love the bonsai garden! The arboretum was amazing. Beautiful time of year. Our first visit. Laid out really well. Easy to walk the paths and trails. Everything well marked. Plants and areas. Lots of families and couples. Lovely place to visit.

Such a beautiful place to visit during December! Winter Lights is their version of Christmas lights with all things flowers, butterflies, rainbows, Christmas Trees, and more! Fire pits and heating posts all over the place to warm up if you get cold. Beautiful place. My only reason for four stars is that I think $75 for three people in our car (it's by the car load) was a little much for just an hour of walking around seeing the lights. It is beautiful and we are glad we experienced it...but felt the price was a little much.

Lovely gardens. Helpful staff. Great trails. What a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. The grounds were beautiful! Well manicured and cared for. There were benches for sitting throughout the gardens. Plenty of well marked trails. It would be fun to take a bike for the long ones. Pet friendly.

In April you can see so many gorgeous blooms. My kids were amazed by the garden quilt. We also loved that it's stroller-friendly and dog-friendly. My kids loved the hiking paths that had fun additions like a log you can crawl through, a teepee fort made of sticks, and hidden painted rocks.

We are members in spite of living elsewhere, great trails, well maintained, wonderful gardens, looking forward to repeat visits

The Bonsai exhibit was our favorite, with the train village a close second (it runs only on weekends and winter festival). Beautiful grounds with wide, flat walkways and plenty of space. Some uphill but gentle grade and easy exists to parking lot all along the path. Lots of seating as well. Good experience for elders and there are loaner wheelchairs at the visitors center for checkout if needed. Small gift shop for mementos, plus plants for purchase. You can carry your water or purchase some at the cafe located at the top of the garden (it's pricey). We also had a sandwich with great bread. The garden is free but you pay for parking ($16)

The Christmas light display at the arboretum didn’t disappoint. It was very well thought out and enjoyable for those young and old. Watching the kids making S’mores around the fire pit was quite enjoy. Great job!

I live locally and hold a season pass to the Arboretum. I love the many trails, the gardens, exhibits, children’s programs, and special events. My girlfriends and I especially like that the trails are private and offer some safety that other trails don’t when going alone. The cafe is a nice spot to stop after walking with friends and catch up. Everything is well maintained and there is an option for every fitness and ability level trail wise. My son loves the model trains that they run on the weekends.

During a two-night stop in Asheville as part of a longer road trip, my wife and I visited the North Carolina Arboretum. The gardens and trails were all very nice. The gardens around the Visitor's Center were exceptional. We especially enjoyed the extensive Bonsai section. The dwarfed trees and plants were truly amazing. We took one of the trails, about 2 miles, through the neighboring forest. The trail was good, having wood chips added so it was not muddy. There were a few uneven places and several up and down grades such that it would not be suitable for wheelchairs or walkers, however. Native trees and some other plants were nicely identified with plaques giving their names and other info. A totally unexpected bonus was a great photography exhibit in the Visitor's Center. It was by Thomas D Mangelsen, a world renowned wildlife and natural scenery photographer. His work is truly amazing. Admission to the Arboretum is free, but there is $16 per vehicle parking fee. I would highly recommend this attraction.

The arboretum was the highlight of our trip. The grounds are absolutely stunning and the bonsai exhibit was fabulous. There are hiking trails and a beautiful sculpture garden. A complete delight and a total bargain. You pay only $16 to park your car.

Gorgeous! One of the most beautiful gardens I’ve visited. There are manicured gardens and natural spaces with most plants and trees marked. A wonderful bonsai garden, visual outdoor garden art, educational spaces and a cute gift shop. A must see if you’re visiting Asheville.

Absolutely beautiful place! The price was minimal as you are charged for the car, not by the number of people. If you like to hike, they have trails through the woods. It is also pet friendly! We saw many dogs hiking with their owners.

Entry is free, except for $16 per car entrance fee.

Very well maintained, lots of different areas to explore, many shady paths, good for hot days.

There is an excellent cafe on the premises, popular for lunch.

We spent a lovely day at the Arboretum enjoying the trails and the various other amenities at the facility. The trails are beautiful, easy, and have a variety of short options. Gardens are gorgeous. This time of year the foliage was spectacular and there were numerous displays of autumn mums. The bistro Café offers excellent food and is worth a visit. We had fresh turkey sandwiches made with some sort of local homemade jam ( fig & raspberry) that was memorable. Someone from the kitchen came out and went to all the café tables to check to make sure everyone was happy with their meal. What a nice touch! The bonsai exhibit is also worth a visit; it was quite nice.

This is a perfect place to spend the day, easy walking paths lots of different plants, clean and has a cute gift shop where you can buy plants and a cafe.

What a great way to spend Christmas at NC Arboretum. The light show is incredible I don't think you could see a better one anywhere in the world. $60 per vehicle is a little steep so pack as many people in your vehicle as possible.

The best part was a guided tour from Mark. He was super knowledgeable about every type of tree and plant along the way, and I learned so much. The guided tours are no extra charge, and you should try to get signed up for one of those. I suspect even without a guide, we would have enjoyed the extensive trails, and the beautiful plants.

Some of the most beautiful and breath-taking trails I have ever been on. The scenery is beautiful beyond belief, and the trails are diverse and well-maintained by a superior staff.

A hidden treasure in western NC (Asheville area). The NC Arboretum had been on my "To Do" list for a couple of years. The Arboretum was much more than expected. There are beautiful gardens including a bonsai section and a miniature train track. If you are looking for a walk along a creek, there are a few trails. It is worth a visit whether you want a walk in the woods or sometime in the gardens.

Had tried to go to the Arboretum several years ago for the Holiday display but there was a snowstorm and it shut things down in and around Asheville.
Didn't miss it this time! Beautiful June day. The Arboretum did not disappoint. It had rained earlier that day so there were some slick spots so I didn't get to do everything. Stunning gardens. Beautiful sculpting's.
Definitely worth making a trip there.

Beautiful light display for their Winter Lights. Plan a couple of hours to see the unique lights and what they've made out of the lights. Lots to see

My grandson (18) and I (73) visited the Arboretum on August 31, 2022. Initially we had planned to go to Biltmore Estate however we did not have a car. Instead we opted for a Tumblestone Blue Ridge Waterfall Tour and a trip to the North Carolina Arboretum. We loved walking the trails through the woods. We especially like seeing natural settings. Seeing so many different kinds of trees with flowers mingling in was beautiful. Signage on the trails could be better as we got turned around at a couple crossroads. Although the flowers in the garden were not spectacular they were still beautiful. The train setup, bonsai garden and sculptures throughout were wonderful. The gift store was nice just wish we could have bought a plant at the plant sale but wouldn't work on the airplane. Thanks!

The Arboretum is beautiful and has enough walking trails to keep one busy over the course of a couple of hours. Just be aware this isn’t a location that has much color or various garden sections- it is a true arboretum. We enjoyed our time, but it wasn’t as spectacular as I would have hoped. Granted, we were recently at the Denver Botanic gardens (which are exceptional), so this was a bit of a letdown.

My wife and I went for the Christmas Lights in the Garden. Asheville area was hit very hard by Hurricane Helene. The people at the arboretum have worked very hard to clean up the grounds and get this show up and running for 2024. It was very nice-we have been there in previous years and it has always been a fun time.

Want a pleasant surprise! Walked about 4 miles on the trails while weaving along Bent Creek Trail & Mountain Creek Trail. People friendly throughout. Wish we would have packed a lunch and sat along the creek.

We will be back at night to see the Winter Lights. It would be nice to walk the distance.

I can see why Our State Magazine has written about this gem.

This was very nice. The only thing I did not like was we did not know where to go it was very confusing. Yes they had maps but there should have been better signs. As soon as you pull in to the parking lot we see people going in several different ways. So again did not understand were to go.

We came on a rainy day although the sun eventually came out. I took my 7-year old granddaughter and we really enjoyed the gardens and photo exhibit. Friendly staff. Cute gift shop.
I'm glad we picked this place to go to with our limited time. I dare say the grounds are as nice or nicer than the Biltmore Gardens and at $16 per car also cheaper.
Was not impressed with the Bistro food though

Love the lego exhibit, the alaska paintings and bonzi.. great walking area and safe from the virus. Highly recommend

We visited the NC Arboretum while visiting Asheville. There is an indoor center that was exhibiting some high quality nature photographs by a well known nature photographer. There are various cultivated and arranged gardens of various types, with an educational facility and cafe. Best of all are the extensive 7-8 miles of paved, graveled, mulched, or natural trails winding and looping throughout the property. A friend who lives locally accompanied us and guided us on 3-4 miles of the trails. Many of the trails run alongside some lovely creeks. Others are suitable for bicycles. Many people were walking dogs (on leashes). This is also a great place for kids. The terrain is not very rugged. Although the trails are often intersecting they don't feel at all crowded. A very quiet and naturalistic setting. A day pass is $16 per car.

Beautiful gardens. Don't miss the bonsai exhibit. There is a very relaxing short hike along the creek with benches for sitting and enjoying the experience.

We visited here on our first day in town. It was absolutely beautiful! Free to get in and we only had to pay for parking. There is ample parking available. Beautiful plants and flowers, very well spaced and decorated. Definitely recommend.

The Arboretum is great place to visit and chill.Beautiful gardens,usually nice special exhibits,well marked walking trails with plenty of places to relax or contemplate.Admission is by the car or by a very reasonable yearly rate.Bonsai displays and a nice gift shop.

It is a small botanical garden with trails to explore. The bonsai exhibit was lovely. There is a minuture town with trains. Unfortunately, it doesn't run every day. Trails range from fairly easy to more difficult. Spent a few hours there.

Beautiful place with a great variety of gardens as well as some beautiful trails. Easy access to property and gardens. If we lived closer would definitely get an annual pass.

It was ok. The trail was the best part. Was not engaging enough for the kids. The Bonsai were away for the season.

This was honestly just as engaging to me as the Biltmore and we could have spent the whole day here hiking/biking the grounds. We went on a weekday so there was very little other foot traffic so we could meander and enjoy everything. The bonsai exhibit was extremely impressive, we would absolutely go back again, but leave more time to explore.

From the drive off the Blue Ridge Parkway until leaving the Gardens, the arboretum is simply stunning.

We went in the late afternoon and enjoyed the gardens both before and after sunset. Next time we'll be taking dinner.

A couple notes: Many GPS devices take you to the wrong gate. Fortunately, there is a large sign telling you how to get to the correct gate, only a few minutes away.

Next, there is no entry fee, but there is a parking fee of $16.00 per car. When I asked if there was a military discount, they told me Memorial Day and Veterans Day are free parking for active duty and retired military. (I got the impression if one had a VA ID card indicating prior service, that would work on those 2 days also). There is a $1.00 parking fee discount for AAA members.

Anyhow, a beautiful location for a leisurely walk among plants and trees. There are more difficult trails, too. There also is an outdoor model train exhibit which, sadly, was not in operation when we were there. They were decorating for Christmas already in late October.

Once again I have selected family with teens as there is no choice for adult family members only. There were three of us, all well over 70.

The Mystic Jewel is a gem of a shop! It features beautiful gemstone and silver jewelry at reasonable prices. Everything from rings, earrings, bracelets, necklaces, pendants... the store is loaded with artistic pieces. The owner and her daughter are there to help! They are located on the Outer Banks in Corolla and Duck.

While we really enjoyed our visit today, the $20 parking fee was pretty steep for seniors. We spent about 1.5 hours walking around and really appreciated the excellent signage. Obviously two of the highlights were the bonsai exhibit and the quilt gardens. Other than mums, not a lot in bloom in late September.

Sadly, we never encountered a single docent to answer any questions.

The arboretum is essentially a set of nature trails (the gardens are quite small). The trails are very poorly marked. The lack of signage was somewhat shocking. Not worth the parking fee.

Went on a grey sky day in march and was still not disappointed. Great walking trails. Gardens were pretty but I expect they would be way better in the summer.
Would recommend

We took the guided walk which was wonderful. We learned about the trees, shrubs and wildflowers from a very knowledgeable guide. Beautiful place. Wish we had more time to spend.

What a gem! The grounds are lovely, with lots of areas for strolling or sitting. Many of the specimens clearly marked and identified , which is a nice plus for curious gardeners. We were there during the special Blooms with a View show, which was spectacular. We’ve also visited in the Fall and found that beautiful as well.

We loved going to the arboretum. We are celebrating our baby moon and have already been to NC in the past so we were taking it easy, it was great weather, lots of shade, and beautiful flowers, my husband ate at the bistro on site which had fresh ingredients and wasn’t overpriced. Great stop!

The gardens are incredible. There is currently a sculpture exhibit in the gardens that is breathtaking. There is also a bistro where you can enjoy a sandwich. We were impressed enough to become members. This might be one of the best uses of taxpayer money in North Carolina.

Fabulous arboretum! Was absolutely charmed with the outdoors model train layout (large, garden-sized layout) with living vegetation and charming model buildings. The star of the show was the bonsai collection. Located outdoors, this bonsai collection has large plants, pots with multiple examples, mini-landscapes, and unique examples. All of the plants are in stunning condition and the outdoor setting is purpose-built to display the plants in the best possible light.

While not huge, the arboretum was a great place and very well done. Due to the time of the year that I was there, not much was in bloom; I'll be back sometime in the spring or summer.

This was incredibly relaxing and a great way to spend a morning on a recent visit. Highly suggest budgeting 90 min-2 hours although with 10 miles of trails you can spend a lot more time there. The area immediately close to the visitor center has great sculptures and different areas to explore before taking any of the trails to the rest of the Arboretum. Nice way to take a break from the downtown area (which is also great).

Spent two hours hiking, just latching on from one trail to the next, which were well marked. Lovely and peaceful

I've been to arboretums in a number of locations, but the one in Asheville really stood out. In fact, we probably had our best experience there. To be candid, we went during the holidays and there were lovely lights featured everywhere, so it wasn't an average visit. Nonetheless, our time was spectacular, we had a great time, admired what all we were able to see (it's pretty large for an oldster like me to try to take in on one visit), got some lovely photos, hope to return and recommend it to all heading to Asheville.

Loved walking through the paths and visiting the grounds that included a Bonsai exhibit. Just gorgeous!

Great place for a walk in nature. My expectations may have been too high, but I was expecting many more flowers.

We enjoyed our visit to the NC Arboretum and even saw a bear! We walked a few of the trails and visited the gardens. All well-maintained, but not exactly easy to find your way. We were handed a map at the entrance, but found ourselves lost many times during our hike. Fortunately, people coming from opposite directions were very kind and helpful.

News of a black bear outside the visitor center spread quickly and we were able to catch site of him as he meandered away. Glad we spotted him there and not on a trail.

My wife and I decided to go check it out. Very nice gardens, but also a few miles of nice walking paths. The trails are well maintained and easy to follow, well shaded with markers along the way to learn about the trees and plants.

What I really enjoyed was the bonsai garden. An exhibit like I not seen anywhere else.

There is a model railroad outdoors. It appeared they may have been setting it up for the coming holidays. I suspect that is something the kids really love. There is also a bistro on site for some lunch. It was a very nice place to wander and enjoy some nature.

We enjoyed 3 full days in Asheville. Would highly recommend Grey Line Hop On and Off trolley. The drivers are so helpful and knowledgeable. We learned and saw so much we would have missed on our own. Also recommend the Thomas Wolfe museum. The tour was very interesting and such a part of Asheville’s past
Wonderful short stay designation

Stopped here after walking a lot and visiting other sites in Asheville. We had a reciprocal pass for certain arboretums so parking was free. I was pretty tired of walking, so we did the 3/4 mile walk and looked at the plants closer to the welcome center (still plenty of steps for me!) The bonsai section will have more plants out later in the season. The model railroad train was a pleasant surprise to see here and running on the weekend. There is a pollinator/butterfly garden section that we may have been a bit early for this too. As a quilter, I really enjoyed the quilt garden too. There was plenty more to see, we were only there 1-2 hours. Lots more paths and apparently quite dog friendly too.

I recently moved to the Asheville area and was excited to find the arboretum nearby as a nice place to walk. I was walking in the evening around 7pm, on the Bent Creek road, coming back from the lake. I looked up and saw a mother bear staring at me about 50 to 75 feet ahead on the road! She had three babies with her. I was very startled and a little unnerved. I stopped and started backing up, watching her, but not staring her in the eyes. She went back to her shuffling in the grass and shrubs. I was about 0.5 miles from my car and ended up walking up the hill to the visitors center with a nice young couple who offered me a ride down the road to my car. It was exciting, but I’m unfortunately nervous about hiking there again by myself. Apparently she’s hanging around because someone from work also saw them at the nature ponds, nearby.

We went twice, first in the daytime to visit the Thomas Dambo Trolls that are visiting there. the weather was good; Arboretum was very nice and the lady at the front desk was friendly and helpful. A large place with trails in several directions, we visited the gift shops and walked around, following a map provided at the desk. Loved seeing the trolls scattered throughout the grounds, spent little more than an hour or so walking about.
We returned that evening for Winter lights there. It was very well decorated and pretty, but quite crowded. We were very disappointed at the number of children climbing and jumping around on the trolls, it's an art exhibit not a jungle gym, there was probably 8 kids on one at one time. We didn't stay very long. Nice place, and I'd recommend it but parents should better control there children at the winter light show.

We were visiting the Biltmore Candlelight Christmas and planned to come for their "walk through" Winter Lights display and thought surely the drive through would be a disappointment - but not at all! We've seen a lot of Christmas light drive throughs and this was one of the best for sure. Not just the typical metal figures covered in lights but real effort went into these displays. We were so pleased! Totally worth the $25 for the car load. Highly recommend! Either way - walk through hopefully for next year or another drive through. Thanks for all the hard work that surely went into this display!

BDI g this review comparing this to Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square Pa and Morris Arboretum in Pharmacy PA. Don't miss this place if you are visiting Ashville . Worth returning multiple times. Staff very friendly.bourncavodite was the Bonsai exhibit with its collection of native species. There is a nice lunch spot with beer/wine and reasonably priced sandwiches. We didn't realize and brought our own food and ate on the lovely Veranda of the Education center in the rockers. Sooooo relaxing! Kid friendly and handicapped friendly. A great slow paced activity with lots of shade if needed.

My Daughter and I really enjoyed our visit! Beautiful grounds, loved the little shop too! If we lived in the area I would definitely get a membership! While there it rained for a bit and we took cover on the porch of the education building and sat in wonderful wooden rocking chairs. Staff were very nice. $16 a car to park is the only entrance fee.

Took the family to Winter Lights, a magical light show featuring holiday lighting and Trolls for the kids. Hot cocoa, beautiful lights, easy parking nearby, a cold winter night with fun for all. We had to navigate with a stroller, and could access almost everything. It was a nice evening, less crowded towards closing time. Takes about 2 hours to see it all, and enjoy some indoor science interactive exhibits for the 3-7 year old grandchildren. Our 5-month old grandson stayed awake the entire time, so even he was enthralled. All bundled up.

Went for the Christmas lights...was amazing and fun. My grandkids smiled all night, especially when the singing animatronics were on. Good hot chocolate too!

This is a very, very beautiful place to get away, relax, and enjoy nature. It has hiking trails (easy, moderate and difficult), phenomenal gardens, and beautifully done exhibits. A great place to unwind. It's $16 per car to get in, regardless of how many people are in the car. It's pet friendly, so bring your dog! The whole place is immaculately maintained, and it's a wonderful way to just forget about the world for a while.

We spent about 1.5 hours of walking the grounds. It is beautiful! The paths were paved, gravel, and wood chips depending on where you wanted to walk.

We enjoy visiting botanical gardens, and we were impressed by this one! It's not huge but is presented very well. The main promenade is a pleasure to visit, but the bonsai stole the show. We had just come from Japan, and we saw more bonsai in NC than in Japan, lol! It's a fantastic exhibit, and we learned a lot. We ended up buying a membership, because you get the $20 parking fee deducted, and you can use it at gardens all over the country.

This is a Must See when in Asheville. And when you become an annual member, you get a refund on the entrance fee! Be sure to see the bonsai exhibit. And Christmas lights begin in November!

Highly recommend if you love the outdoors and beautiful gardens. Hiking paths (wish I had know and changed out of my tennis shoes into hiking boots) along the creek. Beautiful gardens which were being replanted with annuals in a "Quilt" pattern. The facility was gearing up for their Winter Lights event, which I will plan to travel back to see in a year or so.

The arboretum makes it easier for slightly disabled folk to get around this mid-sized but charming and nicely laid-out arboretum. It is certainly worth one stop in your visit to Asheville, and costs a LOT less than a visit to the Biltmore property.

We always enjoy going to the North Carolina Arboretum. The exhibits within the arboretum are fun and interesting, and the trails are easy to enjoy. Lots of plants, rocks, and other goodies to find.

Decided to visit for spring break. 3 adults. 4 kids, 12, 10, 7, & 4. $16/car to park other than that everything is free. Tons of walking trails at all different difficulty levels. The bistro offers lite selections. The gardens are breathtaking. Disappointed the bonsai exhibit was closed due to the season. Definitely a place to visit more than once.

What an amazing place and wonderful way to spend a few hours! We learned they have "Meditative Mornings" on Tuesdays from 8-10 a.m. during which no machines are used in maintenance so visitors can have a quieter experience...PLUS it is half price, so the normal $20 entrance for a car was only $10. We were the first guests to arrive, and having that quietness was so soothing! Their quilt garden and bonsai gardens were magnificent. Their gift shop is temporarily closed for inventory, but they still have plants available for purchase. If we lived nearby, we would use this place every opportunity.

I’m a local resident and did the Blue Ridge Naturalist program at the NC Arboretum. I’ve been a member there for years and always take my visitors there. They never fail to give rave reviews!

This was my first fall visit to the arboretum and it was beautiful. It was a rainy day but that didn’t detract from the Beaty of these gardens. I always marvel at the fantastic bonsai trees on display - so well maintained. They also have a great gift shop that has many interesting things that I also enjoy. I’ll be back!1. It’s a great place for a hike or a walk.

Beautiful place. Came to have pictures taken. The main building was clean, bathrooms were clean. Plenty of parking. Friendly staff. All the dogs

There is no charge for entry, but parking is $16/vehicle.

The trees and plants are set out in great arrangement. The labeling is very detailed.

Large artwork is found throughout the place.

This is a must for anyone visiting Asheville.

Nice grounds, decent handicap accessibility. The trails are really nice. I suspect if you are going to become a member its a great place to keep going for the annual fee, but the daily parking fee was rather steep considering that there wasn't a ton to do there for a couple when one could only go where it was wheelchair friendly.

It was very good but we were there to early in the spring and a lot of things were not blooming
Not their vault my and I would go back

We went on kind of a drizzly morning but it was still fun to walk the trails and see the gardens. Also there was an interesting exhibit on fragrance.

I've toured this place more than once over the decades, and I'm so pleased to see that it keeps improving. It started out as a simple arboretum, a place for nearby universities to grow things and learn about them, but it has turned into a place that delves into the culture and nature of the area. There's also a large indoor space now for exhibits, and the one currently up was eye-opening as well as arresting.

We happened to be nearby as we are driving south on Blue Ridge pkwy and stopped at the arboretum. It costs $20 for parking and then you can visit the gardens, the lovely bonsai exhibition and/or hike the numerous trails.
They planted seasonal flowers which looked lovely.
We only stayed a short time but are glad we stopped in.

The gardens are very bare in February but that was expected. It's still a lovely area and worth a wander on a nice day. Some of the the trails and paths are open again after the Helene damage.
I will go back with things are in bloom again.

This place is beautiful 🤩 but everything was closed. I understand must be for the COVID-19 but anyway...

So much fun. The plants were beautiful. We loved the bonsai exhibit, the artwork, letting our son explore and run around, and the bistro had great food and warm beverages to help us extend our stay. The pricing was great, and we all loved it so much that we planned to go back a second time. I would recommend going on weekends to get to see the train exhibit, since apparently it wasn't running during the week.

I visited the Arboretum with my parents and daughter. It is beautiful, even in July! I highly recommend visiting if you're in the Asheville area. However, you should visit the Arboretum before visiting the Biltmore's incredible gardens and conservatory!!

It's really nice that you just pay to park and everyone in your car can tour the gardens.

They have the best bonsai exhibit I have ever seen. Incredible! There is a beautiful quilted garden and a really fun outdoor miniature train city with bonsai trees as well. If you want to see the trains running on the track, check ahead to see what days they'll be running.

Plenty of shaded and sunny areas with wonderful views of the surrounding hills and mountains.

Very nice place to visit. Lots of low impact walking trails. Nice shade and very peaceful. If you like plant and nature, this is the place for you!

This was our first time to visit Winter Lights and we were so glad we went! We LOVED the lights! You can’t miss this if you’re in Asheville during the month of December!

This was not a great experience. Paying $30 for 10 minute of lights (if that) was a waste. The lights also didn’t have much theme. It was really just thrown together on some trees, made some deer, and put some icicles. We were looking forward to these because we read a lot about it. But we are super disappointed. We are glad to at least know the money is going somewhere useful. But it’s still sad that we didn’t get to see good lights.
For those of you reading this, if you’re ever in Concord, NC, the speedway motor lights are the best lights to pay $30 a car for.

Didn’t see much of the gardens this time, but plenty of very nice nature trails ranging from easy to moderate. Very pretty creek, and nice walk to Powhatan lake.

We explored the trails with our dog and were not disappointed! Trails are well-maintained, well-marked, and not overly crowded. It was nice to enjoy some shaded natural beauty on a hot July day! Parking is easy and access to the trails is easy to find, along with many maps to view along the way. Definitely recommend if you're a local or just visiting, you won't be disappointed.

We loved our visit here! The flowers are all nicely displayed- including a quilt and the bonsai display which is very informational. We did not go on the walking trails but they looked very nice and an easy to follow map showing each one.
The thing I was most impressed with is how they infused art with their plants. The art at this place, both outside and the display inside, was phenomenal. I know that $16 for parking seems a bit high but you get what you pay for and this place is well-kept and very clean.

I like coming down to the Arboretum to Hike, Access to the Shut in Ridge Trail to Mount Pisgah as well as Lake Powhatan camping area nearby. Beautiful landscaped facility featuring natural inventories. 2 miles from the Biltmore Outlets and the bus route. No admission fee if you don't have a car. Scenic views close to the Blue Ridge Parkway where the high bridge crosses the French Broad River.

Definitely not too miss! This aboretum probably re-florals itself depending on the season. We were here in the fall and on a rainy overcast day! It finally cleared enough but we were able to really enjoy the aboretum in spite of the light rain. Our group even believed it enhanced the experience! There are many trails to enjoy and stroll. A cafe is also available for light snacks. The bonsai exhibit is not to be missed.

The Arboretum is a waste of $20. Everything was closed, and when we walked through the gardens, there was not much to see at all, or even a clean bathroom. We ended up using the porta potty.

I have never had the opportunity to visit in the daytime (which I hope to do in the spring), but this is a beautiful place. They have a very well done, distinguished, approach to decorating for the holiday season. The fire pits, sitting areas, Santa, and s’mores are all very nice. This is definitely worth a visit if you are in the area.

Not what I had planned for our final day in the mountains but it was delightful. I didn't think gardens after a hard frost would be anything to see. We found a lovely visitors center and great hiking opportunities. The "gardens" are so nice as well with interesting paths and structures and the mums were still impressive. There is a parking fee of $16.00 which seems a little steep for the amount of time we chose to be there but they offer memberships which I would consider if I lived in the area.

Our experience was a 0-1 because they do not bother to tell you that even though the hours are posted as open until 9 pm, the gate closes an hour before that, the gift shop closes at 4 and the Baker center with the restrooms closes at 5, the Bistro in the Education Center closes at 4 . After you pay $ 16 to park. Yes, the grounds are beautiful to walk but if you need or want to visit the other areas, make sure you arrive sufficiently early. It would be greatly appreciated for tourists who have driven a long way to tell them at the parking gate if they arrive at 3 pm or after, what closes when and have a sign there also. I hope this helps someone else who might want to have the full experience here.

Loved the Arboretum. Visited Oct 28 after years of driving past this place whenever I drove the Blue Ridge Parkway. Car entry fee is $16, but we paid $15 with AAA discount. While we did consult the map they give you, we were lost most of the time. I know they want you to tour the park freestyle, but I would prefer if there were arrows posted on the sidewalk showing me a direction to go (and numbers to follow in sequence) because we ended up in the same place 3 times after walking around. I was getting tuckered out. Thus, I give 4 stars instead of 5. I would suggest more signage. For example, the map showed #3, then you had to look at the map legend to figure out what #3 represented. Instead of cross referencing with a legend, just type in small print by the #3 on the map the name of the exhibit. Also, we got confused on the Carolina trail and didn't know how far we had been or how much further we had to walk as we were running out of time and needed to get on the road. Mile markers every quarter mile on the trails and colored blazes would be helpful. I would love to come back and visit the Arboretum again because I feel I missed alot of it wandering around in circles. Overall, I was impressed with this place and highly recommend not driving past it on your way to the Parkway.

Headed south and saw that there would be a traveling exhibit of the Dambo trolls so detoured to the gardens. The walkable trolls, light displays and other exhibits were very well done. I was particularly impressed with the staff at check-in, parking, gift shop, and even when leaving. They were helpful, knowledgeable, personable and seemed genuinely happy to welcome tourists and show off their gardens. Kudos to finding such great staff! Some suggestions - obvious one - dress for the weather. I went on a cold night( less than 32 degrees) and surprise! It was cold so warm boots, gloves, hat, warm coat made it a more enjoyable experience. They do have some buildings you can go into, hot drinks and some warmers/fires. I also recommend going later if your group is just adults.it is easier to park after the first rush/ groups have left which is usually younger families and it makes it easier for pictures with the trolls.

The Arboretum was just lovely! Nice trails, good maps, plenty of wildlife. This is a beautiful place to visit. We spent a couple of hours there, and didn't come close to seeing everything. Bring your walking shoes and your camera.

This is a large arboretum with several walking paths through the woods. Trees are well marked, and there was an interesting exhibit on Frederick Law Olmsted. We were a little disappointed at the lack of flowering shrubs and plants. Those who come for the trees alone will be happy, but we were hoping for a wider variety of plants. The walking paths could be better marked.

We stopped here while on vacation and enjoyed our time. One thing I didn't understand is the parking fee is also the admission fee.

Beautiful gardens. We did not have time to explore the trails since we arrived after dinner and didn't want to be out on a trail after dark.

The best thing about my personal experience was the setting, the beauty of the gardens was enhanced significantly by the surrounding mountains.

We had a pleasant surprise when we saw a group of 4-5 groundhogs munching on grass. One even posed on a fence long enough for us to take photos.

Two reasons why I could not give a five rating. One, there are not bathrooms available after 5pm - only a few porta potties- no thanks!

My second "complaint" is the high cost of entry! $16 to park - even when the buildings and bonsai garden are locked. They do offer a AAA discount , but you must show a valid membership card or no discount! The man at the gate is quite the stickler, mine was a year out of date(I could not find my current card) so no discount for me.

It is definately a beautiful place, but I would not pay to see it again,

We went to see the exhibit Trolls: A Field Study. It was a very cold morning, so we went in the information center to warm up for a few minutes. Linda greeted us at the desk and gave us information to help us locate the trolls we hadn't seen yet, but also offered us suggestions on things to do while in the area. She was the first person we had encountered in NC, that was truly helpful. We checked out a few places she recommended and really enjoyed them.

We loved the Trolls. The details on the trolls were incredible. At the desk in the first building we got a little booklet with all the trolls in it listing their name, their story and a map of where they are located. This was a tremendous help in making sure we didn't miss any.

Their fingers, toes and hair were some of my favorite features on them. I am glad we made time to visit this exhibit while we were in town!