One of my favorite holiday memories as a child was going for a ride to see the holiday light displays on Christmas Eve. I would “oh” and “ah” at the lights, convinced if I looked hard enough I would catch a glimpse of Santa’s sleigh flying through the air. This year we experienced something new; Winter Lights at The North Carolina Arboretum, one of Asheville, North Carolina’s holiday traditions. A perfect family activity with something for everyone to enjoy, the Winter Lights exhibit is truly a winter wonderland with over 500,000 LED lights displayed throughout seventeen stations set up throughout the gardens.
You’ll be greeted with glimpses of the light displays from the moment you enter the gate. As you wind your way up the path to park, a “forest” of lighted trees await. Once parked it’s only a short walk to the Winter Welcome Center to start the adventure.
Some of Our Favorite Features:
For Kids
*StoryTime at Woodland Cove & Craft Station– Enter the magical forest of Woodland Cove where animatronic animals move and tell a story of their life. Stop by and pet the “bears” who line the edge of the display and then make a glow in the dark butterfly craft. This is a good place to stop and warm up on those chilly evenings. Plus, the kids will be captivated by the displays. A snack bar is located inside the building as well as restrooms.
*Rock Candy Cottage– Like stepping into the pages of Hansel and Gretel, these walkways are covered arbors of lights flanked by gingerbread men. A line of “candy gumdrop” lights and peppermint swirl lollipops entice children to come closer.
*Rocky Cove Railroad- Travel down the short flight of stairs and up the platform to the model trains. The “conductor” stops by for a word with the kids and a train sticker. The large railway with two working trains was a hit with kids of all ages, especially when the whistle sounded.
For Adults
*Plantasia Light Show & Wishing Tree– Remember watching scenes from Fantasia? This is the same concept, except with plants shapes on the wall.
*The Dream Quilt– A rocking display set up to look like a quilt, this exhibit features flashing light patterns to the sounds of holiday carols.
*The Tree of Light– a massive Christmas tree with a spectacular light show. Sit in one of the colorful chairs that look straight out of a scene in Alice to Wonderland and watch the lights.
Who am I kidding? I think the baby and I were equally fascinated by all of the exhibits! We weren’t the only ones to feel this way. I overheard someone on the steps behind me tell their family members, “I am so glad we came! I think this is the best Christmas exhibit in Asheville.”
Of course, you don’t want to miss any of the exhibits. Everywhere we looked we found something new. We spent our time saying things like, “Is that Winnie the Pooh made from Christmas lights?” to “I want to see the Wishing Tree!” If you have attended in the past, there’s two new exhibits this year; Reindeer Games and the Feature Exhibit, “Wicked Plants.”
Tips: The temperature drops rapidly in the mountains after the sun sets. Although there are fire pits scattered around the park, it’s a good idea to dress warmly!
Don’t trust your GPS. After winding through a curvy road, we found ourselves at a back entrance where a sign greeted us with the message our GPS had brought us to the wrong place and instructions to the main entrance. This must be a common occurrence because five cars followed us out. Instead, follow the clearly marked green signs on the roadway.
Things to Know Before You Go:
*This is a walking tour, but most areas of the garden were handicapped accessible.
*Tickets are not sold at the gate. All tickets must be purchased in advance.
*Winter Wonderland Hours are 6:00 PM until 10:00 PM each night from November 17th until December 31st. All patrons must enter by 9:00 PM. The gates close at this time.
*Tickets are $18 for adults, $12 for children ages five to eleven, and four and under are free. Group discounts are available.
*Each Tuesday is Friends and Family Day. Tickets are discounted to $15 for adults and $10 for children.
*Parking is free!
Have you attended Winter Lights at The North Carolina Arboretum?
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Oh so so pretty!! what a delightful way to spend time with your family.
Oh wow. That is one amazing sight to see. I love how the trees were decorated and lit up beautifully by those beautiful lights. I would love to visit this arboretum, if I only lived close!
I just love light shows and/or light displays. They are all so wonderful to look at! That Christmas tree is massive! I love how the lights were set up and illuminated the tree so beautifully. We have not been to North Carolina Winter Light show and Arboretum. but I sure wish we will next year!
Very festive and family friendly. I love this
Nice holiday settings and your photos capture some nice lights. I would love to visit there.
What a beautiful walking tour. Seeing all those beautiful holiday lights sure does add an extra special touch of magic to the holidays.
What a beautiful site. We have a few places that offer a holiday light tour here.
I love looking at all the holiday lights. This would be something I would love to see.
Christmas is my favorite time of the year. I would love to see the Winter Lights at The North Carolina Arboretum in person.
I love that they allow 4 and under to get in free. This is so fun for kids and adults alike.
I just love festive lights for the holidays. I wish i lived closer to this!
This looks so incredible! I would love to take the family to see this! What a fun idea for a Christmas outing.
The Rock Candy Cottage brought back memories for me. We used to go buy rock candy every Christmas when I was younger.
Gosh this is gorgeous. Places like this are one of my favourite parts of Christmas. I would love to see this in person.
This looks like such a cute place to visit with the kids. I know my 3 would enjoy looking around here.
I always look forward to places like this during the Holidays! There are so many activities that you can enjoy and the kids have their fair share of fun too!
I love this time of year, so many great light shows to choose from. This one would make a great yearly tradition with the family.
Asheville is on my list of places I’d like to visit and it looks like Christmas is a great time to go! That light display looks beautiful!
I love to go see the Christmas light displays at this time. There are a couple places here in CT that are cool but looks like you have an amazing display there!
Wow these are some pretty cool lights I am all about Christmas lights. It is my favorite thing to do this time of year!
I have never been to North Carolina maybe just to pass through on the way to Florida. That winter arboretum seems like a great experience and a reason to go south.
Wow, this is too pretty! My daughter will be heading that way soon. I’ll have to tell her about the light show and the exhibits.
One of my favorite things to do this time of year is to drive around and look at the lights. I love big area displays like this!
It looks gorgeous. I love Asheville- I need to get there soon!
I need to go there! One of my favorite things about Christmas is the lights! I love arboretums, too – they are always so magical.
I am totally going to check this place out! It is not too far from us and we love seeing all the lights that make Christmas, Christmas to me!
What gorgeous lights! I love taking my family to our local arboretum for their Christmas lights. It’s a great way to get into the holiday spirit and to get my kids interested in learning about our world.
What a beautiful Christmas setting! I love what the arboretum did with their lights! They are so gorgeous!