Beautiful space for pictures like engagement or wedding pictures! A great place to visit and enjoy…read morea picnic or simply to enjoy some time by yourself or with friends and family or a significant others! It's a great place to walk too!

The Asheville Botanical Garden is on the smaller side but still a worthwhile visit. There is a…read morededicated parking lot and admission is free. Hurricane Helene did some major damage here and they are working on the damage and rebuilding. 45 large trees that were lost are still there and the size of the roots just shows how destructive the storm was. The main trail was open on my visit and the upper trail may have been as well. I just did the half mile loop and it was a nice walk and seeing the native plants.

When you're in Asheville, they say the Biltmore is a MUST! So we booked a couple tickets ($115 PP)…read morefor the regular grounds tour + wine tasting. It was the perfect day weather wise to tour through the estate inside and out. The place is massive! The closer you get the more small you feel and walking through from room to room you just can't believe how big and spacious it is. This was my first tour where they give you this phone that looks vintage or from the 80's and you click on each number and an audio guides you through each room and gives you the back story. It was quite amusing watching so many people walking around with these phones up to their ears while trying to take photos. Some of the rooms were so beautiful, the fireplaces and how well they preserved a lot of these super old things. It was a fairly busy afternoon but the pace was quite steady for a weekday so I'm glad we chose that over a weekend. After the tour inside we grab a bite and drink at the two places offered outside. Then we made our way through the gardens and just endless rows of tulips. Make sure you go through and down to go to the botanical gardens. Holy cow, this was place was insane and the plants and flowers were gorgeous. I gotta give it up for these landscapers and people that keep up with all of it. There were plants and flowers I've never seen before and then you get to one room where there's a violinist and that was such a nice touch. After that we hopped back into our car and strolled over to the wine tasting room and gift shop. They were very quick and efficient with how it was set up and with all these groups coming in at once. We got to taste 5 wines and ended up taking 2 bottles home. I would say be prepared to spend some money visiting the Biltmore Estate but it was totally worth it! We got some beautiful views and photos!

The Biltmore at Christmas is truly magical. The mansion is glowing with lights, and the…read morebeautifully manicured grounds make the entire property feel like a holiday dream. Inside, the decorations are absolutely stunning, with poinsettias and flowers everywhere and breathtaking Christmas trees in every room. Carolers and a harp player add to the festive atmosphere, making the experience even more special. The tour is very informative, and we loved learning about the history of the estate. There's also so much to enjoy around the property, including the gardens, winery, hotel, and restaurants. The gift shops are filled with wonderful keepsakes, too. This is one of my favorite places to visit and, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful examples of ornamental architecture--especially during the magic of Christmas.

Such amazing work by these local Asheville-based artists! Artist owned gallery! The gallery shows…read morethe work of both Jeremy Russell and Alicia Armstrong. They both are mid career artists and alumni of UNC Ashevilles' Art department. Jeremy's work is expressionistic (abstract and landscapes). Alicia's textural work is impressionistic and also abstract. It is very much about color relationships and is inspired by nature. Everyone here including the artists (who often come into the gallery) are very friendly. They love to work large so perfect for second home buyers who are looking for a statement piece for a large wall. Occasionally they work on smaller canvases which are very popular and are quickly claimed by collectors. Must stop here if your in town to discover the amazing contemporary art scene in Asheville!

The Mountain Gateway Museum is located in Old Fort, NC. It is easy to find from I-40 and has a…read moreparking area. Admission is also free. The museum is branch of the NC Museum of History in Raleigh. This branch of the museum focuses on Southern Appalachian and Western North Carolina history. The museum is in a 1936 stone building. You will find artifacts, photographs, and lots of material to read about mountain life and the people who live there. Some of the exhibits and permanent and other exhibits rotate in and out. The staff is very friendly and will add more background information as you explore. After you explore the museum, make sure to walk through the two log cabins outside to get a feel for what life would have been like in the 1800s. Mill Creek is behind the museum.

This is a very interesting small museum. They have visiting exhibits and some that stay. There were…read moresome interesting letters, photographs and tools. There are 2 log cabins on the property moved here with a nice history. You can walk through those. There is a stream running alongside of it which makes a lovely place to sit or have a snack. There is no fee, just donation, and no one asks for one. They have a few items for sale and I bought a hand tatted doily for $5 and a cute sized honey for $3. I think it's important to visit places like this that help support a community. There is a large antique store across the street that is worth a walk through.

Really nice history museum in downtown Black Mountain. This museum has 2 floors and full of…read morehistory. Pictures of early Black Mountain and actual items from over 100 years ago. Everything is spotless and artifacts are in excellent condition. Free admission, but donations are accepted. They also sell shirts and hats.

The Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center is located in downtown Black Mountain and is inside…read morethe 1921 Fire House. The museum is free to visit but donations are accepted. You either need to park on the street or in one of the city parking lots. When I first walked in, to your left is a Blue Ridge Mountain display so you can see where you have been driving on the parkway. The two story museum does have a lift to take those that need assistance to the second floor. Once you are at the top of the second floor, you will see the Seven Sisters from the window. The second floor focuses on the people of Swannanoa Valley region. It has a nice collection of exhibits and artifacts from the arts to business to medical to everyday life. There is a blanket from Beacon Blankets, a textile company that was the largest blanket maker in the world. I didn't expect to see a voting machine. It covers both the positive and negative history of the area. I am planning a return trip to explore this museum much more.

The Black Mountain Center for the Arts is located in Downtown Black Mountain. It is in the former…read moreCity Hall Building. Stairs are the only option to get to the second-floor gallery as the elevator got damaged by Hurricane Helene. Parking is on the street and in public lots. I found out about the Art in Bloom exhibit that was happening and made sure to fit it into my plans. The artwork and flower displays were upstairs. I was there the last day and they still looked amazing. I was thrilled I got to see the creativity. The staff was very friendly and welcoming here, and even provided me with a tour of the facility. The Center has performing arts so I joined the mailing list so I could find out about upcoming theatre performances and concerts. Classes and workshops are offered too. This is a great asset to the community.

Very nice people. Was invited into a painting studio along with a pottery studio. Would recommend.read more

Amazing art on the walls and even better art teachers. Has an eclectic art selection that ranges…read morefrom local jewelry and to great local painters in lots of different medias. Also offers art workshops to all levels.

Not sure what that nasty review is about, Fleta is extremely friendly and informative, the gallery…read moreis lovely, and there is a variety of different art styles and mediums to view and purchase. I have also taken several classes at 310 and the teachers are all very professional.