Asheville’s business community continues to find creative ways for residents and visitors alike to discover and enjoy what makes this unique and charming place so unlike any other. With increased precautions and restrictions due to COVID-19, Wildberry Lodge and the greater Asheville area are doing everything we can so that our guests can stay safely, and experience everything our special region offers in a safe and responsible way. Whether it’s virtual or live, you can experience the holidays in Asheville NC.

*The latest North Carolina mandate as of Friday, December 11, 2020 stipulates that restaurants, bars, entertainment venues, attractions and other non-essential businesses can remain open-but will be required to close at 10pm and end alcohol service at 9pm.

Holiday Activities You Can Experience LIVE

• Your Stay At Wildberry Lodge: Whether you are the type who hates planning and prefers spontaneity, or you are already planning ahead for 2021, Wildberry Lodge has specials and packages to suit you. For those who are seasoned “procrastinators”, our Last Minute Special allows you to book your room literally while you’re driving to Wildberry-and save 17%! Stay tuned for news on our upcoming Valentine’s Weekend special!
• Dining and Libations: Nearly all of Asheville’s brewery and cidery locations are open, with the majority having outdoor seating. The Asheville Independent Restaurant Association (AIR) is your guide for locating restaurants with take out as well as dine-in, including outdoor dining options.
• The Biltmore: The Estate and its’ 8,000+ acres of grounds, trails and gardens are open, and the annual Christmas at Biltmore celebration is also open. Want your decorations to look as good as Biltmore’s? Check out this feature article in the December 10, 2020 Washington Post which describes in great detail the planning and effort exuded by the Biltmore’s staff that goes into decorating a “home” with 250 rooms. In addition to hand-decorating 55 trees, the staff also plans the stories that each tree’s decorations will tell, along with a myriad of bows, fabrics, and other seasonal elements such as sleds, skies, ice skates. All of this and more can be seen when you purchase tickets for the Christmas at Biltmore celebration which runs through January 10, 2021.
• Grove Arcade Winter Wonderland 2020: Through January 4, 2021. This historic architectural landmark in the center of downtown Asheville was the brainchild of developer E.W. Grove, who also built the Grove Park Inn (now known as the Omni Grove Park Inn). Grove was a visionary, as he intended the Arcade as “the new future of retail”, with shops, offices and living spaces all under one roof-a practice that is in vogue in today’s retail environment. Since 2006, The Grove Arcade has hosted its’ Winter Wonderland, and 2020 is no exception! Browse the offerings of dozens of local artisans, enjoy holiday treats and beverages from local eateries, and take in the intricate holiday decorations and displays. You can also help those less fortunate by bringing donations for the MANNA Food Bank Holiday Food Drive.

• Cookies For Charity: Through December 18, 2020.  Also located in The Grove Arcade is Asheville Proper, one of Asheville’s newer restaurants hoping to make the holidays a little brighter for the less fortunate-and you can participate! Asheville Proper launched Cookies for Charity, featuring decorating kits prepared by their pastry chef. Your $10 donation buys a kit with four cookies, three icing bags and sprinkles – a great activity for family members of all ages. All proceeds benefit Asheville-Buncombe Community Christian Ministry, a non-profit organization helping Buncombe County’s less fortunate. Email ashevilleproper@gmail.com with your name, phone number, number of kits you’d like to purchase and date and time for pick-up.

Virtual & Online Holiday Activities

Experience live music in Asheville via livestream

• Handmade Holiday From Asheville Makers: Over 50 local vendors and craftspeople have banded together in conjunction with ExploreAsheville.com to offer their wares both online and in person, so you can share your love of #AVL!
• IAMAVL Streaming: Independent Arts & Music Asheville, aka IAMAVL, is an Asheville company that provides high-quality video and audio streaming for musicians, with a mission to “make some great music and art, and to have a great time while doing it.” Every day during this holiday season, IAMAVL is “re-streaming” video performances of favorite Asheville musicians and performers. You can also help a good cause by making a donation to the performers through the Musician Relief Fund.
• Asheville Music Guide: The Asheville Music Guide has created a Spotify playlist featuring songs and albums by Asheville area musicians. Even though many venues still remain closed, you can support #AVL artists by giving a listen.

Wildberry Lodge is your home away from home in Western North Carolina. Who doesn’t want extreme relaxation in spacious and well-appointed guest rooms with luxurious private baths, cozy couches and fireside libations, topped off with a complimentary Blue Ridge Breakfast in the morning? Reserve your room today online or call 828-683-2525.