Arden, NC, is a popular destination for luxury buyers looking to settle down in a suburban part of Asheville, NC. The area itself is within Asheville city limits and is unincorporated, part of a growing area sometimes referred to as "South Asheville" which houses many new developments. Arden itself is anything but a city, boasting stunning long- and short-range mountain views, lush woodland, and luxury communities like The Cliffs at Walnut Cove and Arabella Heights, which offer homes and homesites accompanied by a spread of helpful amenities, from broadband internet to national-calibre golf.
In this post, we'll answer some of the most common questions about Arden, NC, and what it has to offer luxury buyers.
Arden, NC, is about 13 miles away from downtown Asheville, NC, and about 12 miles from the growing community of Hendersonville, NC, known for its annual North Carolina Apple Festival and fine dining.
Yes, it is in the Asheville Metropolitan Area.
While Arden, NC, is unincorporated and part of Asheville in a technical sense, it is more suburban in look and feel.
Arden is 2,218 feet above sea level.
Possibly the most popular destination in Arden is Lake Julian Park, which features a lovely beach, 300-acre lake stocked with bass, catfish, bream, and crappie, 18-basket disc golf course, volleyball court, and hiking trails.
Arden is an excellent place to live if you're seeking luxury living in a suburban environment surrounded by lush mountain scenery while still living within easy driving distance of urban amenities. Arden also enjoys Western North Carolina's mild year-round climate, which affords four seasons without the intense heat of further south or the sharp cold of further north.
Here are some of the commute times from Arden, NC, to amenities commonly used by residents.
Arden is about three miles from AVL, or approximately 11 minutes.
Arden is about nine miles from Mission Hospital (about 22 minutes) the flagship of Mission Health named number one "Best Hospital" by Business North Carolina in 2020. It is also about 11 miles from the VA Medical Center just four miles from Blue Ridge Premier Medicine, a concierge offering.
Arden is about 115 miles (about two hours) from the capitol of North Carolina, Charlotte.
For those seeking another degree or a little intellectual exercise at the OLLI (Center for Lifelong Learning), the University is about 14 miles from Arden, or about 26 minutes.
The famous Omni Grove Park Inn, which has played host to presidents and diplomats over the century its been open—featuring a spa and fine dining—is about 14 miles from Arden, or around 26 minutes away.
Arden is about six miles from an access point to the famous Blue Ridge Parkway National Scenic Drive, or about fifteen minutes, although parts of Arden are much closer.
While Arden itself includes part of Pisgah National Forest, the nearest entrance from Arden, broadly, is
Arden is about 46 miles, or about one hour from Great Smoky Mountains National Park, entered via the Cataloochee Divide Trail in Cataloochee, NC. However, if you'd prefer a more civilized entrance, the nearest visitor center to the park is in Cherokee, NC, about an hour and 20 minutes away, or 70 miles.
Arden is about 26 miles or 41 minutes from DuPont State Forest, a filming location for both The Hunger Games and Last of the Mohicans, famed for its stunning Bridal Veil Falls.
Just 3.5 miles (about 8 minutes) away from Arden is the Biltmore Park community's shopping and entertainment district, part of its master-planned community. The pedestrian-friendly area features local shops and restaurants as well as a Regal movie theater, YMCA, REI, and Barnes and Noble.
The North Carolina Arboretum is about 7 miles away (around 15 minutes) from Arden: a nice place for a garden walk or to take the kids on an outing.
The historic Vanderbilt mansion (once called "America's largest home") is a popular tourist destination for their gilded age decadence and history, but also features beautiful gardens, stables and shopping, events, and grounds that can be on foot or bicycle. It is about 7.5 miles, or 15 minutes away from Arden.
About 12.5 miles (21 minutes away) from Arden, Asheville's Symphony Orchestra is a popular destination for local music lovers who wish to enjoy a concert or volunteer.
Arden is about 19 miles away or around 30 minutes from historic Flat Rock, NC, a charming small mountain town home to North Carolina's official theater, the Flat Rock Playhouse.
The home of the famous 20th century author and poet, Carl Sandburg, is another popular Flat Rock attraction, about 19 miles or 30 minutes away.
About 11 miles (20 minutes) from Arden, this famous handicraft gallery on the Blue Ridge Parkway showcases the area's deep traditions around functional and folk art, from quilts to carved wood, pottery, glass, baskets and jewelry. Its Allanstand Craft Shop, established in 1895, is an excellent place to find beautiful, one-of-a-kind objects for your home.
While you have probably encountered smaller, lower-end luxury communities in your research, the finest luxury community in Arden is The Cliffs at Walnut Cove, a gated golf community.
The Cliffs at Walnut Cove is a private community in Arden that is just five miles from the airport, three miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway, and adjacent to Pisgah National Forest, which its private golf course brushes, giving the feeling of playing through a National Park—to paraphrase architect Jack Nicklaus. The community is about 11.5 miles from downtown Asheville and 10.5 from Mission Hospital.
This breathtaking mountain community is set within a rich landscape of cultivated gardens and thousands of acres of land, including preserved woodlands with miles of hiking trails featuring views of surrounding mountains, valleys, and waterfalls. They even adjoin Turtleback Falls Preserve, located within the National Forest.
Of course, being in Arden, Walnut Cove residents are within easy driving distance of all the best things about living in western North Carolina: fine dining in areas like Asheville and Hendersonville, entertainment venues like the Biltmore Estate and Flat Rock Playhouse, arts and crafts culture in Black Mountain and Weaverville, outdoor recreation like hiking at DuPont State Forest and kayaking on the French Broad River.
The Cliffs communities were ranked among Golf Magazine’s "25 Best Golf Communities in North America." From single-family homes to townhomes to lots and acreage with long-range mountain, ridgetop, woodland, or golfside views, there are many property options available within The Cliffs at Walnut Cove community.
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Walnut Cove Realty’s real estate experts have been a trusted and valued partner for individuals seeking luxury properties in western North Carolina since 2006. Learn about our custom, private tours of Asheville area luxury real estate and communities.
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