Breathtaking Flowers of the NC Mountains, Asheville and Biltmore
Are you a romantic who dreams of beautiful, breath-taking views? Are you
an outdoor enthusiast who is always ready for your next encounter with
nature? There are places where romance and nature meet – along the
garden paths and wildflower trails in the Mountains of North Carolina.
Asheville snuggles between the graceful Blue Ridge Mountains and the
Great Smoky Mountains in the western region of North Carolina. Asheville
is conveniently accessed at the junction of Interstate 26 and Interstate 40.
Visitors may also arrive via the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway.
There are three inspiring gardens to visit in Asheville! Historic Biltmore
boasts beautiful formal and informal gardens and miles of walking trails.
The North Carolina Arboretum offers wildflower paths that range from
easy to challenging. If high-tech is your style, take a guided Segway Trail
Tour at Biltmore or the North Carolina Arboretum. For a downtown garden
retreat, visit the Botanical Gardens of Asheville to stroll among native
mountain wildflowers.
Please see our recommendations for the best places to stay eat at the bottom of this page!
Please see our recommendations for the best places to stay eat at the bottom of this page!
Three-Day Itinerary (Brief)
Day One
Biltmore, Biltmore House, Estate and Gardens
Day Two
North Carolina Arboretum, 434-acres of gardens and trails
Day Three
The Botanical Gardens at Asheville, over 600 species of native plants
Enjoy all the area has to offer by mixing and matching the garden tours
and other activities to suit your particular interest. Be sure to check the
website or call ahead for visitor information and hours of operation.
Day One
A Sweet Breakfast (1/2 hour)
West End Bakery & Café is a great place for handcrafted muffins, scones,
cinnamon rolls and coffee cake. How about a few brownies or cookies to
go? This local hangout is located on Haywood Road in West Asheville.
Don’t miss this funky little neighborhood that is just over the French Broad
River from downtown.
8,000 Acres of Backyard at Biltmore (2-3 hours, gardens)
The creation of Biltmore began in 1895 as a dream of George Vanderbilt.
Frederick Olmstead, the famous landscape designer of Central Park in New
York City, also designed the Biltmore Gardens.
There are acres of formal and informal gardens to explore, and miles of
walking trails on the estate. Four acres of Shrub Gardens are filled with
500 different plants, shrubs and trees. The 15-acre Azalea Garden includes
1,000 azaleas. The Walled Garden is a formal showcase that is planted for
a progression of blooms. The glass Conservatory houses tender palms and
ferns. It is still used to grow flowers for the Biltmore House.
Tip: Just beneath the Conservatory, you can buy garden décor as well as
live plants at A Gardener’s Place.
Stable Yourself With a Good Lunch (1 hour)
After enjoying the gardens, walk back to the Biltmore House to find the
Stable Café (to the right of the house). The converted 19th-century stable
is convenient for lunch between touring the gardens and the house. Start
your casual lunch with the Black-eyed Pea Cakes and follow with an entree
such as Chicken Pot Pie, or a Fried Green Tomato BLT. Enjoy a fabulous
dessert in the café, or go back outside for an ice cream from the Ice
Cream Parlor!
Tip: The Conservatory Café, located behind the glass Conservatory in the
gardens, sells light refreshments such as snacks, drinks and deli
sandwiches. Beverage carts are located throughout the Estate. If you want
to picnic on the estate, you can order a picnic basket from the Bake Shop
beside the stable area next to Biltmore House.
Take the Grand Tour (2-2½ hours, house)
It took six years to build America’s largest home. George Vanderbilt hired
architect Richard Morris Hunt to design the house based upon three
chateaux in France. The grand house was indeed a home for George and
Edith Vanderbilt who graciously entertained family and friends.
A tour of the 250-room Biltmore House allows you to step back into
history. Imagine the lifestyle of the Vanderbilt family in 1895 – from their
bedrooms to bowling in the basement. Meander through the original
kitchen, pantries and rooms of the household staff. Be sure to look out the
windows at the fabulous views of the grounds of the estate and the
backdrop of mountains.
Tip: When you first arrive at Biltmore, you can make reservations for the
restaurants or guided garden/house tours at any Guest Services desk. If
you decide you want to add a day to your visit, you can purchase a nextday
admission ticket for $10 per person.
Wine Down (1–2 hours)
Daily at 4:00 p.m., the Biltmore Winery offers a Red Wine and Chocolate
Seminar that is included as part of your estate admission. If you arrive
earlier, attend the free 3:00 p.m. cooking demonstration. Don’t miss the
wine tasting room or the shop full of gourmet foods and North Carolina
products.
Walk, Don’t Drive to Dinner (1-2 hours)
Next door to the Winery, the Bistro restaurant serves seasonal foods, fresh
from the Biltmore Kitchen Garden and local farmers. Soups, salads, steaks
and seafood creations are served in the casual, old world style restaurant.
Tip: If you stay at the Inn on Biltmore, you may choose to have dinner in
the elegant dining room. Or, have light fare from the bar while enjoying a
rocking chair on the veranda. Too tired? Order room service!
Day Two
Keep on the Sunny Side (1 hour)
Start out with a MGB (Mighty Good Breakfast) of free range eggs, nitratefree
sausage and a choice of roasted spuds or chipotle cheese grits served
with an angel biscuit or warm focaccia. Whew – what a mouthful! Okay, if
you really must eat less, then BYOB (Build Your Own Biscuit)! These
breakfast wonders are served all day at Sunny Point Café on Haywood
Road in West Asheville.
Happy Trails and Bonsai (2-3 hours, including lunch)
The North Carolina Arboretum is set among the natural beauty of the
mountains. The 434-acre gardens are part of the inter-institutional facility
of the University of North Carolina and used for education, research and
conservation.
A collection of Bonsai includes over 100 display specimens while another
hundred are at different stages of design. The diverse display includes
Asian, as well as American designs.
Arboretum Trails provide the opportunity to walk, hike, bike or even ride a
Segway among the native plants. Azaleas, rhododendrons and other native
wildflowers grow along the trails. The nine trails vary in length and
difficulty. The Azalea Repository Trail is easy and the Natural Garden Trail
is easy to moderate walking.
Don’t miss the beautiful flower garden planted in the pattern of a Southern
Appalachian quilt. The Quilt Garden represents the rich craft heritage of
the Western North Carolina Mountains.
Grab a convenient lunch at the Savory Thyme Café at the Arboretum.
Soups, sandwiches and salads are served. Have your lunch in the atrium
for a wonderful view of the Bent Creek watershed.
By the Way, Drive the Parkway (2-3 hours)
After walking the trails, take a scenic drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway,
one of the top five places to see wildflowers near Asheville. The Arboretum
is located just off the ramp to the Parkway milepost 393, so you are less
than a mile from accessing this famous roadway.
The North Carolina segment of this famous scenic byway runs 252 miles
from Cherokee to the Virginia border. (Always check for road closures
before driving the parkway.)
The Craggy Gardens Visitor Center is at milepost 364, just 29 miles north.
The beautiful, native rhododendron bloom here in June and July and fall
colors are gorgeous! If you miss the summer bloom, the short 0.7-mile
hike will reward you with jaw-dropping 360-degree views of mountain
peaks and valleys. Even in summer you’ll want a jacket, as this 5,000-foot
high elevation can be twenty degrees cooler than the lower elevations!
Tip: If you have time, drive another nine miles north to milepost 355 to
Mount Mitchell State Park. Rising 6,684-feet above sea level, this is the
highest mountain east of the Mississippi! A new observation deck was
completed in January 2009.
Have Your Cup of Tea (1 hour)
If you prefer to drive the Parkway on another day, then have Afternoon
Tea (3:30–4:30 p.m.) overlooking the gardens at Richmond Hill Inn. The
beautiful Victorian gardens were featured in Southern Living Magazine. Be
sure to make reservations for tea – or stay here for a romantic getaway at
this AAA Four Diamond inn!
Dinner Downtown (2 hours)
Tonight, enjoy downtown Asheville with dinner at Tupelo Honey Cafe on
College Street. Described as “southern favorites with a creative twist,” the
executive chef established a 12-acre organic farm to supply produce to the
restaurant. Gourmet burgers and sandwiches are available while tempting
entrees include Cajun Skillet Catfish and Nutty Fried Chicken.
Day Three
Moose and Market (2 hours)
Serving country cooking seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and
dinner, the Moose Café is another local favorite. The café is located on the
grounds of the Western North Carolina Farmer’s Market. Show up early for
a great breakfast and then take your time touring the Farmer’s Market.
Homemade apple butter and hot biscuits are made from scratch in the
kitchen and brought to every table.
The Farmer’s Market is packed with Western North Carolina produce,
products and crafts. The Jesse Israel & Sons Garden Center is on the
grounds for those who want to shop for garden plants and bonsai.
Our Wildflowers are Tame (1-2 hours)
The ten-acre Botanical Gardens of Asheville are located within two miles of
downtown. This wonderful retreat is the home of over 600 species of
plants that are native to the Southern Appalachians. Bloom times vary
from early March through December. The rare plants include Mountain
Camellia, Mountain Sweet Pitcher and terrestrial orchids. A half-mile trail
loops over streams, meadows and woodland. A “dog trot” Appalachian
cabin, springhouse and a pavilion add to the authenticity and enjoyment of
the native gardens.
Dine with a View (2 hours)
Linger over lunch or dinner to enjoy the Blue Ridge Mountain vistas from
the fabulous Sunset Terrace at the historic Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa.
Built in 1913, famous guests such as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Harry Houdini and
Eleanor Roosevelt stayed at the Grove Park Inn. Listed as one of the
Historic Hotels of America, make sure you explore the massive lobby with
its two gigantic 14-foot stone fireplaces.
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