10 Places to See Holiday Lights Near Asheville, NC

I love exploring new holiday traditions no matter where I travel. I was excited to check out the WNC scene after moving to Asheville. To me, nothing says the holidays have arrived quite like a beautiful light display. While WNC in general may not have the show stopping light displays frequently found in major cities, I have found several festive events that I would recommend adding to your bucket list.

Bundle up (it gets a lot colder here in the mountains than in Charlotte!), grab a hot cocoa, and enjoy a brisk night surrounded by dazzling Christmas lights. For anyone seeking some holiday cheer in the Blue Ridge mountains, I have highlighted a few of the best light displays I’ve come across since moving here.

I hope you enjoy and have a great holiday season! Note: For this article, I have focused specifically on light based events. You will want to check out my WNC holiday bucket list for more details on all the great Christmas festivals in the region.

Lake Julian Park

One of the best and most affordable light displays near the city is the Lake Julian drive-through Festival of Lights show. Thousands of colorful lights and themed character LED displays brighten up the dark winter skies. Admission is just ten bucks (update $15 as of 2025) and 20% of proceeds goes towards Buncombe County Special Olympics.

Compare this to the overpriced $30-40 fee typically charged at most drive through shows, and I would say it is a great deal. Typically, I avoid drive thru shows because they are overpriced but this one is pretty nice plus I give them bonus points for donating to charity. The lights are quite unique here – I saw a bit of everything including holiday, patriotic, and even fishing themed displays.

Note – typically one night each season is a walk through night. Also, only one loop around is allowed unless traffic is considerably light. Fortunately, we visited on a slow night and got to drive around a few times.

• 2025 Dates: Dec 2nd-23rd.
• Pricing: $10 per car
• Hours: 6pm-8:30pm (9 on Saturday and Sunday)

Omni Grove Park Inn

This 4 star resort offers picture-perfect views of the gorgeous Blue Ridge mountains. As a local, I enjoyed many breakfast buffets in the gorgeous Blue Ridge Dining Room. My favorite time to visit is in the weeks leading up to Christmas. This is hands down the nicest decorated resort I’ve ever been to. There are dozens of decorated trees, plus festive garland and 2 giant lobby fireplaces. I love sipping a coffee or cocoa (a seasonal gingerbread stand goes up each December) and cozying up on a rocking chair next to the gorgeous fireplace.

Most notably, the prestigious National Gingerbread competition is held here with winning creations on display to the public the entire month of December. I have seen some truly gorgeous and creative pieces here. You can check out some of the most impressive gingerbread creations in my post.

Note: As of 2025, non resort guests are limited to select weekday dates (check the Omni website for more details). There is a $30 parking fee but it is well worth it if you are dining at the buffet and checking out the houses and decor. Of course, if you have the funds (rooms typically range upwards of $500), a night at this beautiful resort is worth the splurge.

The Grove Arcade

One of the city’s most historic buildings, The Grove (est. 1929), dazzles each holiday season in an event known as Winter Wonderland. I really love browsing the independent shops and taking in the festive decor this time of year. This is the best place near downtown to get into the Christmas spirit. Sometimes, they have gingerbread houses on display from the Omni festival which makes it even more Christmassy.

Inside the Arcade, there is a great champagne bar/bookstore called Battery Park Book Exchange. I also love stopping by Bebbette’s for a delicious coffee and beignet (with chocolate dipping sauce). Also, it’s quite pricey, but a special foot soak at Wake Foot Sanctuary is totally worth it in my opinion especially if you have been doing a lot of hiking in the gorgeous Blue Ridge mountains.

Biltmore Park Town Square

This upscale outdoor shopping mall is home to a number of popular luxury shops (Athleta, Spice and Tea Exchange), plus common chains like P.F. Changs. OP Taylor’s is a fun toy shop to browse around. In keeping up with the local charm of the city, you will find many independent restaurants.

I recommend Nine Mile – a unique Caribbean style restaurant with plenty of creative pasta selections including a few vegetarian and gluten-free selections. The Ires Ites is fantastic pesto based pasta dish with just enough kick to spice things up.

Note – some of the shops close quite early. I would plan your dinner reservations after shopping. The vibe here is festive with a nice tree display in the middle of all the action.

Biltmore Park directory

Downtown Asheville

Most tourists visiting this time of year are more interested in exploring the foodie and art scene, rather than attending festive events. Thus, it’s no surprise that lights are a bit lacking in the city’s core. While The Grove is the main place to see Christmas lights, there are a few other displays, namely in Pack Square and Pritchard Park.

Additionally, there is a big Christmas tree in front of The Grove Arcade building.

A few of my recommended must-do’s this time of year are:

• Strolling through WoolWorth Walk. You can shop for local handcrafted artist goods from over 100 vendors. I found so many unique gifts here including a beautiful cat abbey road painting.
• Dinner at Chai Pani. This is a great Indian restaurant which originally opened in an Atlanta suburb and has since expanded. I love their Thali lunch specials.
• Enjoying a hot cocoa at French Broad Chocolate Lounge. I love their liquid truffles!

Check out the event lineup on the city website for more details.