Celebrating our 25th Anniversary: Reaching the Next Peak
The Falls at DuPont State Forest - Guided Waterfall Hike
Friday, May 3 | 12:45 p.m.
$130 per person
Located between the charming towns of Hendersonville and Brevard – the 10,000 acre DuPont State Forest is home to over 90 miles of trails, leading adventurous hikers to beautiful waterfalls, tranquil mountain lakes and beside rushing streams. On this moderate hike (mostly downhill) friendly guides will take you to three splendid waterfalls (High Falls, Triple Falls and Hooker Falls). Several of the waterfalls you will see were filmed in the movie Last of the Mohicans and the first Hunger Games movie was also shot in the DuPont State Forest. Make sure to bring your camera, because this place is truly a photographer’s dream! Also, please wear appropriate shoes for light hiking.
Downtown Asheville Microbrewery Tour
Friday, May 3 | 12:45 p.m.
$175 per person
This fun and informative tour will take you to a brewpub for an all-inclusive beer tasting lunch, then through several other Downtown Asheville microbreweries, where you will be provided with brew-master access, insight into the beer brewing process, tastings of many local craft brews and seasonal varieties on tap, and an educated introduction to the diverse brewing scene of Asheville and its history. Not only will you sample some of Asheville’s greatest craft beers, you will also get to immerse yourself in the eclectic ambiance that is the local beer scene of Asheville.
Biltmore Estate Day Tour
Friday, May 3 | 12:45 p.m.
$245 per person
Lunch in Biltmore Estate’s Deerpark Restaurant (or other Biltmore Estate Restaurant)
Deerpark Restaurant is part of a series of handsome outbuildings designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt in the 1890s for Vanderbilt’s farm operations. Originally a dairy barn, Deerpark has been renovated into a unique openair restaurant in a beautiful pastoral setting.
Biltmore House & Estate Gardens
America’s largest home is the centerpiece of Biltmore Estate. George Vanderbilt, the youngest son of an American family famous for its wealth, opened his country retreat in 1895. His guests marveled at the magnificent residence containing 34 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces covering four acres of floor space. Vanderbilt traveled the world to furnish his home: art by Renoir, Whistler, and Sargent; exquisite 16th-century tapestries; and 24,000 books in seven languages. This afternoon, you can enjoy a self-guided visit through more than 60 rooms carefully preserved by Vanderbilt’s descendants, rooms appearing as they did a century ago. After exiting the Biltmore House, individuals in the group can choose between walking through the Biltmore Estate Gardens or shop in the Stable Arcade adjacent to the Biltmore House.
Please note: There is a minimum number of 10 people required for each tour. It is critical you register for a tour choice as soon as possible! All tours must be pre-paid and the number of participants confirmed before Wednesday, April 3. No refunds for tours will be processed after April 3. You will be notified if any of these tours must be cancelled. In case of cancellation, you will have the option to join another tour (based on availability) or get a full refund of the tour cost. On-site registration for tours will be based on availability and an additional processing fee may apply. If you sign up for a tour on-site during the Conference and there is availability, you must present a credit card for payment; no checks will be accepted for onsite registration of tours.
Spouse Tours
Getting to Know Asheville City Tour with Lunch
Wednesday, May 1 | 10:30 a.m.
Cost is included in the Spouse/Guest Evening + Activities registration
Asheville is that type of unique, special place that lingers sweetly in your mind and memories for years to come. The city's rich architectural legacy with its mix of Art Deco, Beaux Arts and Neoclassical styles is the perfect retro-urban backdrop to the edgy energy that emanates from the locally owned-shops and art galleries, distinctive restaurants and exciting entertainment venues.
Attendees are in control of this tour - there are several stops and the length of stay at each is customized, based on participant input. There's something special about Asheville, and the world is just beginning to discover it!
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North Carolina Arboretum & WNC Market Walking Tour
Thursday, May 2 | 10 a.m.
Cost is included in the Spouse/Guest Evening + Activities registration
The North Carolina Arboretum is a 434-acre public garden located within the Bent Creek Experimental Forest of the Pisgah National Forest. Surrounded by the dense folds of the botanically diverse Southern Appalachian Mountains, the Arboretum is nestled in one of the most beautiful natural garden settings in America.
Here you will enjoy a one-hour self-guided tour of the Arboretum’s core garden areas. Features include native plants, new cultivars that grow well in mountain gardens, streamside plants, a profusion of flowering container gardens and the Quilt Garden, featuring a variable star quilt pattern in blooming flowers.
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One of the most significant of the core garden areas is the newly developed Bonsai Exhibition Garden, which features a selection of the Arboretum’s extensive bonsai collection. After the tour, you will have an opportunity to explore the Arboretum’s hiking trails and greenhouses.
This regional farmer’s market is a one-stop destination for an incredible cornucopia of locally grown fresh fruits & vegetables, plants, flowers, lawn & garden supplies and local crafts.
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