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Holiday trip · USA

Asheville Holiday Getaway: 4 Days

Candlelight Christmas at Biltmore and a walkable downtown, in one cozy long weekend, with Winter Lights at the Arboretum and a food tour as optional add-ons.

  • 4 days / 3 nights
  • Downtown Asheville
  • Nov 13 – Jan 3
Christmas tree and grand staircase decorated for the holidays at Biltmore House

Attractions

What you will see as you travel the route, day by day, and how to make the most of each stop.

3sights on the route
1Candlelight Christmas Evening at Biltmore
1Biltmore grounds day
3nights downtown
Downtown AshevilleBiltmoreDowntown Asheville
1Day 1

Arrival

An easy first evening

Downtown Asheville

On your own

Why it is worth itArt Deco buildings, galleries and local shops, dressed up for the holidays.

Insider tipWear comfortable shoes; downtown is hillier than it looks.

2Day 2

Downtown and Candlelight Christmas

Downtown by day, candlelight by night

Candlelight Christmas Evening at Biltmore House

Why it is worth itBiltmore House, the largest privately owned home in the United States, decorated for Christmas and lit by candlelight and firelight, with live music.

Insider tipDress warmly for the walk from the parking area and arrive at your entry time.

Optional add-on

Eating Asheville Classic Food Tour

A guided walking food tour of downtown Asheville with tastings at local restaurants. About 3 hours.

$135 per person

Optional. Not included in the trip price.

3Day 3

Biltmore by day

Biltmore by day, lights after dark

Biltmore gardens and Antler Hill Village

Why it is worth itYour ticket includes next-day grounds access, so you see the gardens by daylight and visit Antler Hill Village, with a complimentary wine tasting.

Insider tipThe tasting is at the winery in Antler Hill Village; bring ID.

Optional add-on

Winter Lights at the NC Arboretum

A mile of glowing gardens on the Winter Lights trail at the Arboretum in Asheville. You drive in, and one ticket covers your car.

$120 per booking

Optional. Not included in the trip price.

The order of stops can shift with the weather, and access to some sites can change with the season or local conditions. See Day by day for the full plan.

Why this trip

Asheville at Christmas is pure magic: an evening at Biltmore House dressed for the holidays and a walkable downtown full of great food, with a mile of glowing gardens at the Arboretum as an optional add-on. It's a long weekend that feels like a real holiday, without a long flight.

  • Candlelight Christmas EveningAn evening visit to Biltmore House, with an audio guide.
  • Biltmore by dayNext-day access to the gardens, grounds and Antler Hill Village, with a complimentary wine tasting.
  • Winter Lights, if you likeA one-mile trail through the Arboretum gardens with more than a million lights (optional add-on).
  • Downtown AshevilleA walkable downtown of restaurants and galleries, with a guided food tour as an optional add-on.

Trip at a glance

Length
4 days / 3 nights
Starts / ends
Downtown Asheville. Drive in, or fly into Asheville Regional Airport (AVL)
Pace
One downtown hotel, with short drives
Best time to go
November 13, 2026 to January 3, 2027, when Candlelight Christmas Evenings and Winter Lights both run
Great for
Couples, families and friend getaways
Accommodations
Comfort Plus
Flights
Not included. You book; timing tips in your pre-trip guide

Day by day

Days 1 and 4 are travel days. Ticket times for Biltmore (and Winter Lights, if you add it) are set at booking, so the order of days 2 and 3 can swap.

Day 1Arrival
Arrive in Asheville and check in to your downtown hotel. Take an easy evening stroll through downtown.
Day 2Downtown and Candlelight Christmas
Spend the afternoon downtown, or add a guided walking food tour (optional add-on). In the evening, visit Biltmore House for a Candlelight Christmas Evening.
Day 3Biltmore by day
Use your next-day grounds access to explore the Biltmore gardens and Antler Hill Village, with a complimentary wine tasting. After dark, you can add the Winter Lights trail at the Arboretum in Asheville (optional add-on).
Day 4Departure
Enjoy a slow breakfast downtown, then head home.

What’s included

Included

  • 3 hotel nights in downtown Asheville
  • Biltmore Candlelight Christmas Evenings tickets, with free next-day grounds access
  • A day-by-day itinerary
  • Every hotel and experience in your trip, booked for you
  • A pre-trip guide covering travel insurance, packing, money and getting around
  • One point of contact, from booking to landing

Not included

  • Flights
  • Your car or rental car, fuel and parking
  • Meals
  • Travel insurance
  • Personal spending and tips

Optional add-ons: Eating Asheville Classic Food Tour ($135 per person), Winter Lights at the NC Arboretum ($120 per booking). Add them in the booking box or in Attractions.

Getting around: Drive in with your own car, or fly into Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) and pick up a rental car, which you book yourself. If you add Winter Lights, it is entered by car: one ticket covers everyone in the vehicle.

Questions

What if I need to cancel?
Plans change. If you need to cancel, you'll receive trip credit toward another itsTripEasy trip: within 24 hours of payment, 100% trip credit, so you can swap to a different destination; 90 or more days before your trip start date, 100% trip credit; less than 90 days before, no trip credit, unless you added Flexible Cancellation: with it, you get 100% trip credit if you cancel at least 10 days before your trip start date, for a trip you take within 12 months. Other trip credits never expire. To cancel or change your dates, use the cancellation request form. For a date change, choose the reason "I'd like to change my dates".
Do I need a car?
Yes. Plan on driving in or renting a car at the airport, which you book yourself. Biltmore is a short drive from downtown, and Winter Lights, if you add it, is entered by car.
Which dates work?
November 13, 2026 to January 3, 2027, when Candlelight Christmas Evenings and Winter Lights both run. Weekends and the week before Christmas sell out first, so book early.
Can the trip be customized?
Yes, right in the booking box: add up to 3 extra nights at the start or end of your trip and choose how many travelers share each room.

Good to know

  • Weather and nature. Weather, road and natural conditions are outside anyone’s control and can change quickly. They may change the plan, close roads, or delay, shorten or cancel tours and activities, and the order of days may shift.
  • Your choices. You are responsible for your own decisions, safety and choices while traveling, including how and when you drive, which activities you take part in, and following local guidance, posted warnings and your guides’ instructions.
  • Photos. Photos on this page are for inspiration. They may not show the exact location, hotel, season or conditions of your trip.
  • Not included. Flights and your car or rental car aren’t included; you book those yourself.
$2,298
2 travelers · 4 days / 3 nights
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