Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C.
The North Carolina Arboretum’s 434-acre campus is nestled off the Blue Ridge Parkway minutes from downtown Asheville and offers beautiful gardens and natural areas, including the Bonsai Exhibition Garden, 10 miles of forested hiking and biking trails, garden tours, nature activities for families, changing science, art and cultural history exhibits, an on-site bistro and gift shop.
Daytime admission into the Arboretum is free; however, a $16 parking fee applies for personal vehicles. To view full listing of parking fees and hours, click here.
We are a dairy goat farm located in Blck Mountain, North Carolina. We produce a variety of goat cheeses year-round. We offer farm tours and cheese tastings by appointment on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Call or contact us through our website to schedule.
Randall Glen is a hundred-acre farm with its own mountainside, creeks, and wildflower meadows. Here you can experience the simple Smoky Mountain lifestyle that Southern Highlanders have known for hundreds of years. You can celebrate an unforgettable North Carolina mountain vacation. You can also just plain have fun. Spend your day with the animals at our interactive farm, mining for gems and gold in our creek-side sluice, or hop on a horse and enjoy the mountain views from a whole new perspective. For extra adventure and a truly memorable mountain experience, we offer deluxe overnight trail rides.
The Western North Carolina Nature Center connects people with the animals and plants of the Southern Appalachian Mountain region by inspiring appreciation, nurturing understanding, and advancing conservation of the region’s rich biodiversity. Home to over 60 species of animals native to Southern Appalachia as well as a pair of red pandas – introducing our new Prehistoric Appalachia exhibit. The Center is one of only three zoos in North Carolina to be accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Visit the WNC Nature Center for some WILD fun!
Offering visitors easy access to its towering peaks, Grandfather Mountain is one of the most biologically diverse mountains and in the world designated by the United Nations as an International Biosphere Reserve. Feel the rush when you cross the Swinging Bridge; marvel at 360-degree views from one-mile above sea level; photograph bears, otters, cougars, eagles and deer in natural habitats; hike rugged back-country trails or stroll gentle nature paths; eat in our restaurant or take your order out to one of many scenic picnic areas; chat with our entertaining, knowledgeable staff and let us help you find your own perfect mountain adventure.
A carefully tended wilderness preserve, Grandfather Mountain is home to many rare North American wildflowers and to displays of such naturalized plants as native azaleas, rhododendrons, mosses and lichens, heathers, and other beautiful species. Parts of the mountain are steep and rocky, but much is accessible to anyone: an excellent nature center, dramatic mountain vistas, and wildlife habitat areas.
