The hol­i­day sea­son this year in Asheville, North Carolina will be espe­cially busy with plenty to see and do. Here are the Top 10 Asheville Holiday Outings accord­ing to www.RomanticAsheville.com, an online travel guide to this Blue Ridge Mountains area.

1. Christmas at Biltmore Estate: This is Asheville’s biggest hol­i­day event. Starting on November 6, America’s largest home is decked out in fes­tive fin­ery. Candlelight Evenings are espe­cially magical.

2. Downtown Asheville: Make hol­i­day shop­ping more fun and relax­ing while find­ing truly spe­cial gifts. Browse 200+ local shops and 30 art gal­leries. For a break, stop at one of the 50 restau­rants or many cof­fee shops. Don’t miss the “Seasonal Sizzle” fire­works down­town at 7 PM on December 5, 12 and 19.

3. Gingerbread Houses at Grove Park Inn: For a real treat, see the amaz­ing dis­play of gin­ger­bread houses from the National Gingerbread House Competition at the famous Grove Park Inn Resort on November 18-January 3.

4. Biltmore Village: Located across from the entrance to Biltmore Estate, the Village is home to more than 40 unique shops. Visit the first week­end of December for Dickens in the Village.

5. Art: Asheville is a mecca for artists, so this is the place to find one-of-a-kind gifts. In addi­tion to the gal­leries down­town and Biltmore Village, head to the Folk Art Center and the River Arts District.

6. Antiques: The best area in Asheville to find antiques is the Biltmore Antiques District with 13 stores within a mile and a half of the Biltmore Estate.

7. Winter Hiking: For the best views of the year, take a win­ter hike. With leaf­less trees, cool tem­per­a­tures, less crowds and fre­quent bright blue skies, it may become your favorite time of the year to hit the trail.

8. Holiday Saving Packages: Stay in a home away from home, com­plete with the sights, sounds and smells of the hol­i­days, at ele­gant bed and break­fast inns, many with spe­cial deals and packages.

9. Cabin Fever: For a quiet retreat from the hol­i­day mad­ness, escape to a roman­tic cabin or cottage.

10. Holiday Events: Catch one of the many hol­i­day events in Asheville, from the Nutcracker to the Holiday Pops.

For more details on these, visit the 350-page free online travel guide at www.romanticasheville.com.

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3. Create Your Own Biltmore Christmas at Home
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