North Carolina Arboretum 🌿

I absolutely have to recommend this wild little arboretum! At first glance, it looked a bit worn, but the second I saw squirrels jumping all over the place 🐿️, my disappointment totally vanished. It’s wonderfully untamed and full of life! My friend and I arrived around 3 PM. The place isn’t very big—you can easily explore it in about an hour. On our way back, we stumbled upon a French chocolate factory 🍫. They had a visible production line—so cool! I bought a jar of drinking chocolate for $17 and gifted it to my middle school teacher who lives in Norfolk. The walk back through the city was absolutely magical ✨. The sunset light hitting the streets looked just like golden hour over mountain peaks 🏔️. BTW, Westerners really aren’t afraid of the cold! ❄️👕 I saw so many people running in T-shirts. Also, they even have free dog waste bags along the paths—when will China get these too? 🐕💩 This local brewery is totally worth a visit! 🍻 Great vibe, affordable prices, tasty beer, and very dog-friendly. And the fried chicken we had at night? Surprisingly amazing! 🍗 I originally thought, “Meh, Western food,” but the sauce totally blew me away. #NatureLovers #HiddenGems #Asheville #TravelNC