The North Carolina Arboretum

Amazing first visit here. We will definitely return. It was one of the nicest gardens we've ever visited. The design and layout were obviously well thought out and painstakingly built. The Bonsai exhibit was extraordinary! We could have easily spent a whole day here. We can't wait to come back. $20 per vehicle for parking, no cost for the Arboretum. You can use your parking stub as $20 towards an annual membership.

One of the most beautiful and well kept gardens anywhere! Immaculate care of everything. Don't miss the Bonsai Garden or miniature train area with Thomas and amazing the Bonsai plants in railroad area. Amazing and varied walking trails. Great gift shop. Nearly every plant or tree has marker description. Just amazing for $20.00 car entry fee. Price for entry: $20.00

We’ve been here twice and we loved it both times. So much to see! There are easy and difficult hikes. Everything is well marked. The staff is always so helpful. We love the bonsai exhibit. First Tuesday of the month is half price!Visited onWeekdayWait timeNo waitReservation recommendedNo

The Arboretum is stunning! The gardens are so peaceful and beautiful to walk through. There were musicians playing music outside the bistro, which set such a fun mood. And when the heat gets to be too much, the visitor's center and gift shop have excellent air conditioning. There's also a water fountain with a water bottle filler. We appreciated that the Arboretum was dog and family friendly.

This garden has very good bonsais garden. It's worth to take a half day to visit this beautiful garden. Each bonsai has its own spiritual style and longevity, amazing!Visited onWeekendWait timeNo waitReservation recommendedNot surePrice for adult entryFree

This is an absolute “must” if you visit Asheville. It was very easy to jump right in and engage in some nature walks. The navigation MIGHT lead you to a side road through a neighborhood. In which case, the road to the arboretum is two lights over. We luckily had a very nice lady who was an attendant in the campsite parking help us with directions. You pay $20 per car, and go straight up to the parking. The parking lot is right near the main education center which leads right onto a “red” nature trail that isn’t that advanced. You can do the nature hike, or start with the Bonsai and Quilt garden as pictures, as well as other curated natural exhibits, right next to the education center. *we brought some binoculars, which was fun because you will spot some red squirrels and other birds. It can be fun to try to find these critters as you navigate the hikes. We watched a squirrel build a nest from the comfort of a bench!* Gotta go to the Arboretum!

This place is amazing. We visited as they were setting up for a flower show and it was beautiful. But there's so much to see here. The trails down by the creek were stunning; it's great for a walk but judging by the number of cyclists it's also a good place for a ride. The staff were really friendly and helpful and the amenities were clean and widely available. Mostly though we just loved the diversity of plants and the beauty of it all. The bonsai were particularly interesting.

We were looking for something low key to do when we found the Arboretum. I was blown away by the beauty! Perfectly curated gardens, trails to stretch your legs, even a bistro for a snack. You pay for parking, $20, and you can come and go, if needed, until 8:00 pm. I already can’t wait to go back.Visited onWeekendWait timeNo waitReservation recommendedNot surePrice for adult entry$16–20

It must see place to visit! Very thoughtfully laid out paths for wheelchairs and walkers. Staff out working in gardens were helpful with an occasional question. Plants labeled. A large variety of garden environs. We even met Arthur in the amazing Bonsai garden who's been doing it for 30 yrs! He patiently explained probably for the hundredth time to my spouse who's blind how he makes the trees from full grown species. We only saw us very small part of the Arboretum but it is pretty incredible all the different areas they have!

Very cool place. I’ve been here a few times over the past decade and I’ve always been impressed. The folks who manage the Arboretum do a great job of bringing through rotating exhibits to keep things interesting while also maintaining a solid collection for permanent exhibit. No matter what is on display though I am always drawn to the Bonsai Tree exhibit which I’m very happy is a permanent item. The staff here are fantastic and friendly and the concession options are solid as well. Definitely a worthwhile place to bring the entire family for a nice, subdued outing in the Asheville area.