Activity Bent Creek, Asheville
Winter Lights
An activity in Bent Creek, Asheville, moderately priced ($$) and worth about 1.5 hours. Best time to go: After dark.
Why go
Walking trail of lit gardens and light displays at the North Carolina Arboretum, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway.
It is one of 17 curated places we feature in Asheville, alongside 4 sights, 3 bars & cafés and 3 shops. The closest of our other picks is Biltmore Estate, 4.3 mi away as the crow flies.
- Type
- Activity · Nature
- Neighborhood
- Bent Creek
- Price
- $$
- Time needed
- 1.5 hr
- Best time
- After dark
Nearby
The 6 closest curated picks in Asheville, measured as straight-line distance.
- 1Biltmore Estate
Vanderbilt mansion with gardens, winery and miles of grounds.
Sight · 4.3 mi straight-line - 2Antler Hill Village
Biltmore's village of shops, restaurants and the Biltmore Winery, which offers tastings in the old dairy barn.
Drinks · 4.3 mi straight-line - 3Christmas at Biltmore
George Vanderbilt's 250-room chateau decorated with dozens of trees, including a 35-foot Fraser fir in the Banquet Hall.
Sight · 4.3 mi straight-line - 4The Inn on Biltmore Estate
Hotel on the Biltmore grounds above Antler Hill Village, with a stay that includes estate admission.
Stay · 4.5 mi straight-line - 5Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Mills River
Big brewery with tours, a taproom restaurant and lawn music.
Drinks · 5.6 mi straight-line - 612 Bones Smokehouse
Barbecue joint in the River Arts District, lunch only.
Food · 5.7 mi straight-line
On these curated routes
Winter Lights is a stop on our Asheville, Blowing Rock & Boone route. Open it to see the full day-by-day plan.
More to do in Asheville
Winter Lights is our only activity pick in Asheville; here is what else we recommend there. See the full Asheville guide.
-
Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center
Parkway headquarters with a film, interactive map and ranger info.
-
Folk Art Center
Southern Highland Craft Guild gallery with Appalachian crafts and demonstrations.
-
Craggy Gardens
Rhododendron-covered balds with a short trail to a summit shelter.
-
Mount Pisgah
1.6-mile hike to a summit with a broadcast tower and wide views.
-
Grove Arcade
Restored 1929 market building with local shops and cafés.
-
Curaté
Chef Katie Button's Spanish tapas bar downtown.
When to go
Average daily highs in Asheville run from 44°F in January to 84°F in July; July is usually the wettest month. For Winter Lights itself, we suggest: After dark.
Modelled monthly averages for Asheville from NASA POWER, not a forecast. Full Asheville weather by month.
Getting there
Map links open a live search for Winter Lights, so hours and directions come straight from the map app.
- Coordinates
- 35.49760, -82.60900
- Destination
- Asheville, North Carolina
- Website
- ncarboretum.org
Winter Lights: quick answers
How much time do you need at Winter Lights?
Plan on about 1.5 hours at Winter Lights. That is our curated estimate for a typical visit; groups that linger will want more.
When is the best time to visit Winter Lights?
Our pick: After dark. Insider tip: Dress warmly; it is noticeably colder than downtown.
Which TripsCircle routes include Winter Lights?
Winter Lights appears on Asheville, Blowing Rock & Boone, a curated route you can open on TripsCircle and plan with your group.
Add Winter Lights to your crew's plan
Save it to a shared TripsCircle itinerary, settle the timing with a quick poll, and split the costs with everyone going to Asheville.
Plan Asheville
- Asheville travel guide 17 places
- Best time to visit Asheville weather by month
- Asheville to Cherokee 44 mi straight-line
- Asheville to Blowing Rock 62 mi straight-line
- Shenandoah to Asheville 284 mi straight-line
Lists & regions
Also in Asheville
- Folk Art Center Shopping
- Craggy Gardens Outdoors
- Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center Sight
- Wedge Brewing Co. Drinks
- Curaté Food
- Omni Grove Park Inn Stay
Curated recommendation, not live listing data. Confirm hours, prices, bookings and access before you go.