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Top 5 things to do in and around Asheville, North Carolina
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The Blue Ridge Parkway...Surprises Around Every Bend
May and June are the perfect months to visit lovely Asheville and the beautiful mountains surrounding it. After your visit downtown, you may want to expand to tour famous Smoky Mountain peaks, brilliant floral gardens and the one-of-a-kind Biltmore House.
5. Drive the Blue Ridge Parkway
Nearby Blue Ridge Parkway is a scenic feast anytime of the year, but takes on a dazzling ambience at leaf-changing time in October. The scenery is simply outstanding as the Parkway winds nearly 500 miles from the Smoky Mountains to the great Shenandoah Valley. The Parkway was begun in Depression times as a public works project and it is justly famous for the architectural-structural innovations of its bridges and tunnels. Access from Asheville is easy as The Parkway swings just to the east of the city.
4. Take a Hike and Find Some Waterfalls
Hiking is a popular pastime any time of year near Asheville, and there is no end to the opportunities. About 30 miles southwest is Transylvania County which boasts over 250 waterfalls in and around the Blue Ridge Parkway. Near Brevard, North Carolina, are plentiful trails and cascades. To download a brochure about the Land of Waterfalls, click here.
3. Take a Trolley Tour of Asheville
Hop on and off any time you like on Asheville’s motor trolleys which tour downtown and most of the town’s famous sites. Your $19 adult ticket includes a tour of Thomas Wolfe’s house, as well as a visit to Grove Park Inn, the River Arts District and Biltmore Village. Save a buck with your AAA or AARP card.
2. Visit the Asheville Botanical Gardens and NC Arboretum—both Free
Late spring and early summer is the absolute perfect time to tour two of Asheville’s best no-charge sites. The North Carolina Arboretum is a 400+ acre public garden with 65 acres beautifully cultivated. The Arboretum is located on the aforementioned Blue Ridge Parkway at milepost 393. Go south on Hwy 193 to the parkway entrance. 
Another excellent floral setting to explore is the Asheville Botanical Gardens, a free, 10-acre site filled with over 600 species native to the Southern Appalachians. Blooms galore can be found this time of year.
1. See the World-Famous Biltmore House and Gardens
Book your tickets to the Biltmore online at Biltmore.com and save an extra $10 till June 30. That makes Sunday-Friday tickets for adults just $40 to this world-class attraction. The ticket includes admission to Biltmore House itself, plus the gardens, winery, River Bend Farm and free parking. Most feel it is worth every penny, because this is more than a rich man’s mansion. The Biltmore, in all its glory, is a true historical treasure.
For more info: Western Carolina tourism Western Carolina part 1 Western Carolina Part 2 Western Carolina Part 3 Western Carolina Part 4 Asheville 1
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