Asheville · Christmas in Asheville
Christmas in Asheville for Grown-Ups
Asheville is one of the best small cities in the country for a grown-up Christmas. Biltmore House by candlelight, a million lights in the Arboretum's gardens, hundreds of gingerbread houses in the stone halls of the Grove Park Inn, and a downtown full of fireside bars and good restaurants, all with the Blue Ridge as a backdrop.
- Biltmore
- Christmas at Biltmore, November 3, 2026-January 10, 2027
- Lights
- Winter Lights, NC Arboretum, November 13, 2026-January 3, 2027
- Gingerbread
- Grove Park Inn display, November 17, 2026-January 3, 2027
- Parade
- Asheville Holiday Parade, Saturday, November 21, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
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Christmas at Biltmore
Christmas at Biltmore runs from November 3, 2026 to January 10, 2027, with wreaths, garland and thousands of ornaments from Biltmore House to Antler Hill Village. The evening version is the one for grown-ups: Candlelight Christmas Evenings (November 3, 2026 to January 9, 2027) add candlelight, fires in the fireplaces and live music in the house. Evening visits are by reservation only, so book your date well ahead, and finish with a pint at Cedric's Tavern in the village.
Biltmore Estate
Biltmore Village entrance, south of downtown
George Vanderbilt's French Renaissance chateau, with a self-guided audio tour of the house, formal gardens and a winery in Antler Hill Village where admission includes a free tasting (21+). Timed tickets; buying online is cheaper.
Tip: Allow a full day; the house alone takes at least two hours at a gentle pace.
Cedric's Tavern
Antler Hill Village, Biltmore Estate
A British-style pub on the Biltmore grounds named after George Vanderbilt's St Bernard, pouring Biltmore's own ales and wines with hearty pub food.
Tip: You need an estate ticket (or a stay on the estate) to dine here.
Winter Lights
Winter Lights at The North Carolina Arboretum, a one-mile walk through gardens lit with more than a million lights, runs November 13, 2026 to January 3, 2027, with live music, cocoa and s'mores. Peak dates sell out, so book ahead.
Winter Lights at The North Carolina Arboretum
20 Frederick Law Olmsted Way (off the Blue Ridge Parkway, southwest Asheville)
Heads-up: Runs November 13, 2026 to January 3, 2027 only.
A one-mile walk through the Arboretum's gardens lit with more than a million lights, with live music, cocoa and s'mores. Runs November 13, 2026 to January 3, 2027.
Tip: Peak dates sell out; book a weeknight early in the season.
Gingerbread at the Grove Park Inn
The National Gingerbread House Competition at The Omni Grove Park Inn puts the year's entries on display from Tuesday, November 17, 2026 to Sunday, January 3, 2027. These dates come from the resort's own announcement, because its website blocked our check, so confirm viewing times and parking with the hotel before you go. Afterwards, take a seat by the huge stone fireplaces in the Great Hall Bar, or book the underground spa for a cold afternoon.
Great Hall Bar at The Omni Grove Park Inn
290 Macon Ave
The historic inn's lobby bar, with soaring ceilings, twin stone fireplaces and live music in the evenings.
The Spa at The Omni Grove Park Inn
290 Macon Ave
A 43,000-square-foot underground spa of stone arches and tunnels, with waterfall pools, a lap pool under 6,500 fibre-optic stars, saunas and eucalyptus steam rooms.
Tip: Book a treatment to use the pools and plan to linger for the afternoon.
Downtown in December
The Asheville Holiday Parade fills downtown on Saturday, November 21, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. In the evenings, book dinner at Chestnut, then find the green door of The Crow & Quill for whiskey by candlelight.
Chestnut
48 Biltmore Ave
A downtown favourite since 2012 for Southern-leaning American cooking with global twists and a menu that changes monthly. Dinner nightly from 5 p.m.; brunch Friday to Sunday.
The Crow & Quill
106 N Lexington Ave
A dim, antique-filled speakeasy behind a green door marked only "106", with theatrical cocktails and a collection of more than 800 whiskeys. Opens at 5 p.m.
Our advice
- Book your Candlelight Christmas evening first, then build the rest of the trip around it.
- Weekdays in early December are calmer than Thanksgiving weekend and the week before Christmas.
- Mountain roads can ice over; check the weather before driving the Blue Ridge Parkway, which closes in sections in winter.
- Check current hours, event dates and prices before you go.
Everything on this page was checked on October 1, 2026, on each organizer's official site. Holiday dates, show runs and prices change, so confirm before you go.
Questions people ask
When is Christmas at Biltmore 2026?
November 3, 2026 to January 10, 2027. Candlelight Christmas Evenings run November 3, 2026 to January 9, 2027, by reservation only.
When is Winter Lights at the NC Arboretum in 2026?
November 13, 2026 to January 3, 2027. Tickets sell out on peak dates.
When can you see the Grove Park Inn gingerbread houses in 2026?
The resort has announced the display for November 17, 2026 to January 3, 2027. Confirm viewing times and parking with the hotel before you go.
When is the Asheville Holiday Parade in 2026?
Saturday, November 21, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. downtown.