A quick guide to the Biltmore Estate
From the terraces just outside the Library the views from the Biltmore Home of the Blue Ridge Mountains are awe inspiring.
Do you remember the magic Lucy experienced going through the wardrobe into Narnia; how Dorothy felt when she woke up in Oz; or even how Harry Potter felt when he boarded the train to Hogwarts? A visit to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina can have a similar effect on you.
As soon as you pass through the stately brick arch at Biltmore Village, you are quickly transported to another world. The road up to the Biltmore Mansion passes through a pristine forest that seems like it’s straight out of a fairy tale. You might even picture the animals of the forests singing a happy tune. Then tucked away in a clearing just beyond the streams and tall trees is the castle where the real magic happens.
The Biltmore House opened in 1895 and remains the country’s largest private home with 250 rooms.
Biltmore is America’s largest home, drawing more than a million visitors each year. Opened on Christmas Eve 1895, this 250-room French Renaissance chateau was the dream of George Vanderbilt. Today, guests get more than just a chance to tour the home, they are offered an unforgettable experience in the middle of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Starting your visit to Biltmore
The ticketing center at Biltmore is a great place for first time visitors to begin their journey. Beyond this, tickets or passes are required to access other parts of the estate.
First time guests to Biltmore will likely begin their time on the estate with a visit to the ticketing center where they will get a map of the estate, information about parking & shuttles as well as the chance to watch a short film on the history of Biltmore. Beyond this center, tickets or passes are required.
*A couple of things to keep in mind for your visit. To tour the home you will need tickets with a specific time for entering. Also, be sure and allow for extra time for a security screening before you enter the main grounds of the home or the shuttles taking you there.
The drive up to the home only takes a few minutes and along the way guests get a taste of the area’s rich natural beauty. At the parking lot for the home, you can park your car and take a short walk to the gates or take a shuttle. If you are there before your assigned home tour, don’t worry, there is plenty to keep you busy.
Touring the Biltmore Mansion
Of the 250 rooms at the Biltmore Mansion, you’ll only tour about 50 of them, but don’t worry, that’s plenty to see. In fact, as I overheard one of the workers tell other guests, many of the rooms are “duplicated” as that number includes all the servant quarters and guest rooms.
The Biltmore Winter Garden is one of the first rooms guests see on the tour of the home.
*While you should have a printed guide with you, there are audio guides you can purchase along with your tickets. We have used them during a couple of visits, and they provide much more information than the printed guides. Children will especially enjoy the kids’ audio tour which features stories from the Vanderbilt’s beloved Saint Bernard, Cedric.
Since there are so many rooms on the tour, I think it’s probably easiest to just give you a few of the highlights in a photo gallery (below). Throughout the home there are four basic types of rooms you’ll see with treasures aplenty in each one. There are places to gather, places to sleep, recreation rooms and the servants’ quarters.
The Biltmore Gardens and Stable
Biltmore’s terraces and gardens provided plenty of opportunities for the Vanderbilt family to entertain people or just relax outside the home. Shaded by an arbor made of creeper vines and wisteria, the Library terrace sits just outside the doors on the south side of the home. From there and the South Terrace below, the views of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance can leave you in awe. The Italian Garden stretches out in the other direction and features exquisite sculptures and water features. (Round out the garden tours by working your way down to the Conservatory if you have time.)
Next door to the Biltmore House you’ll find several small shops and places to eat, all located in the old Stable and Carriage House.
There probably aren’t too many places where you can shop and dine in a place that used to be a stable, but that’s exactly what you’ll want to do on your trip to Biltmore. Adjacent to the home, the old stables and Carriage House now house specialty retailers like a candy shop, a book store and even a place with all things Christmas. Places to eat include the Stable Café, a Courtyard market, a bake shop and a dairy bar.
Antler Hill Village and the Winery
Growing up I remember being able to buy Biltmore Milk and Ice Cream in our local grocery stores and I’m pretty sure we visited the Biltmore Dairy on a couple of trips to the estate decades ago. I also remember as a teenager that dairy being transformed into a winery and how excited, being a fan of the TV show “Falcon Crest”, it was going to be to take a tour even if I wasn’t old enough to try the wine. Needless to say, it didn’t quite live up to my television fantasy, but the winery has definitely become a must visit part of a visit to the Biltmore Estate. While you can certainly try the wines (if you’re 21 or older) there is plenty to see, and plenty of snacks and dips to taste at the wine shop if you aren’t trying the wine.
Antler Hill Village is one of the places on the Estate you will find special exhibits like the one focused on the TV Show & Movie, Downton Abbey which I visited in early 2020.
I’ve been going to Biltmore since I was a kid and it is a unique experience every time I visit. Over the years the estate has continued to evolve into more of a resort than just a tour of a home and gardens. It’s something I wrote about several years ago for the Knoxville News-Sentinel. There are now two hotels and multiple restaurants on the Estate making it much easier to make Biltmore the center of your vacation. Of course, being in Asheville and next to the Blue Ridge Parkway there’s plenty more in the area you’ll want to explore.
For more information the Biltmore website has a wealth of information including ways to order your tickets online or book rooms for the hotel.
If you’ve been to Biltmore let me know what was your favorite part of the experience in the comments.
