Explore Asheville

Asheville Trolly Tours

Asheville's Longest Running Trolley Line. Live Narration. Unlimited Hop-On & Hop-Off Privileges. You'll Tour Through: Montford Historic District, one of the largest historic districts in North Carolina! You'll see Asheville's impressive collection of Queen Ann style historic homes, the exquisite Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa where six U.S. presidents and countless celebrities and historical figures have visited, see the Thomas Wolfe Home & Museum, travel through Battery Park shopping and restaurant district and the Grove Arcade, Visit Pack Square cultural area, Biltmore Village, River Arts District, enjoy fabulous mountain views and so much more. Our professionally trained tour guides will relate the history and lore of Asheville… the Paris of the South. Your guide will combine humorous stories and historical information into a fun-filled tour.  Adults $19 AAA/AARP Student/Military $18 Children ages 6-17 $12 Family pack 2 adults and up to 3 children $45 Call Toll Free 888.667.3600

For Family Weekend visitors, tickets are $14.00 during those dates. Visitors must register for this special rate when they register online for Family Weekend. Tickets purchased during Family Weekend must be used during Family Weekend or the tickets are void. Online registration has closed, but we will gladly register you onsite!

Biltmore Estate

Visit George Vanderbilt’s opulent late-Victorian, French chateau-style country estate. America’s largest home has 250 rooms and showcases magnificent antiques and works of art, formal gardens, a winery and more!
Regular rate $64-69. Special UNC Asheville rate: $36 for adults, $18 for children 10-16 and free for children under 9 when tickets are purchased at the group ticket office. Tell your host that you are part of UNC Asheville Family Weekend

Chimney Rock Park

Visit Chimney Rock Park. See one of North America's great natural wonders. The Park is located 25 miles southeast of Asheville. Enjoy spectacular 75 mile views, hiking trails and see a 400 foot waterfall.
Adults $2.00 off adult admission, $1 off child admission (ages 6-15)

Colburn Earth Science Museum

Explore the treasures of the earth at the museum called “a mini-Smithsonian of gems” by the Washington Post. Discover the hidden treasures that lie beneath North Carolina, and see minerals and gemstones from around the world. Visit the Earth Center where you may erupt a volcano, move the continents to simulate plate tectonics, and examine volcanic ash under a microscope.  Saturday 10am – 5pm, Sunday 1pm – 5pm. Regular rate $6 adults; $5 seniors, students and children; free for children under 4.

Folk Art Center

The Folk Art Center is the most popular attraction on the Blue Ridge Parkway, welcoming 250,000 visitors each year. From March through December, visitors can observe craftspeople at work in daily craft demonstrations as well as a series of educational events held year round. The Folk Art Center also houses the Eastern National Bookstore and Information Center.  9 a.m. -6 p.m. daily. No charge.

Grove Arcade

This elegant landmark features shops, galleries and restaurants. Built in 1929, the Gothic revival Arcade was recently restored to its original splendor.

History At Hand

Just across Broadway from the University is the Montford historic district. A snapshot in time from 1880-1925 with a variety of architecture including Queen Anne Victorian and Arts and Crafts homes. You will get a chance to see the inside of two different style homes and hear lots of neighborhood stories.  $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for students. Wear comfortable walking shoes. 828.777.1014

The North Carolina Arboretum

Visit this 426-acre public garden with its 65 acres of cultivated gardens, 10 miles of hiking and biking trails, Segway tours, greenhouses and season exhibits. Don’t miss the popular Heritage Craft Weekend’s special demonstrations, plant sales and musical performances. Basket makers, broom makers, paper makers, natural dyers, weavers, jewelry makers and wood carvers will showcase their talents.  Located 8 miles from UNC Asheville in the Pisgah National Forest. Admission $8 per vehicle

Thomas Wolfe Memorial

Sit on the veranda and walk through the rooms of Thomas Wolfe’s childhood home to learn more about this great novelist’s life and literature. The circa-1883 Old Kentucky Home is restored as Julia Wolfe’s turn-of-the-last-century boarding house, made famous in Wolfe’s Look Homeward, Angel as Dixieland, one of literature’s most famous landmarks.  Adults $1 Students & Children 50 cents.