The Magical Experience of Visiting The Biltmore Estate

Here's why The Biltmore Estate should be on every traveler's itinerary

Image by Dennis Elliott on Pixabay

Millions of people visit Asheville, N.C. each year and return home to their friends and neighbors raving about their travels to this thriving city in Western North Carolina. They mention the Blue Ridge Mountains' scenic views and the multitude of cultural and natural wonders at the heart of the region.

But around 1.7 million of them save their highest praises of the city till the end. They stop and say, “No matter what you do there, you have to visit Biltmore Estate.”

And they’re right.

Take it from someone who’s been there.

After all, who doesn’t want to see the largest house in America? Who doesn’t want to see a National Historic Landmark, drink fine wine, and explore the stunning beauty of nature all at the same time?

And that’s exactly what you'll get all in one place at the beautiful Biltmore Estate.

Biltmore Estate

In 1887 George W. Vanderbilt, son of the prestigious Vanderbilt family, visited the city of Asheville and fell in love with its grandeur. He decided he wanted to place a country house in the area and paid prestigious American architect Richard Morris Hunt to design the magnificent estate he envisioned.

Boasting a value of over thirty-seven million dollars and spanning over 135,00 thousand square feet, even tourists who have already visited the glorious French Chateau still find themselves in awe of its majesty. The estate itself is massive in scope. To help you envision the immensity of the estate, imagine a home whose area is the size of four football fields.

The article “The Business of Owning America’s Biggest Home” details the specifics of the estate, citing that it has “two hundred and fifty rooms with all the original furniture, thirty-five bedrooms, forty-three bathrooms, sixty-five fireplaces, two elevators, three kitchens, a banquet hall with a table that can seat sixty-four diners, and an indoor pool.”

Adults who want to view the estate can pay anywhere from sixty to eighty dollars a ticket (prices vary based on season and day of the week) to see this amazing place and its surrounding glories.

And the admission is well worth the money because the expansive estate is only one of the site’s attractions. Visitors will be almost as awed by its breathtaking gardens, conservatory, and winery as they are by the home itself.

Biltmore Gardens

Biltmore Gardens was designed by well-known landscape architect Frederick Law Olmstead (the same man who designed Central Park in the 1850s). The gardens comprise more than thirty acres and are only a small distance from the estate.

In the spring, tourists can see the tulip garden, which contains over 75,000 of these exquisite flowers. In the summer, one of the garden’s most stunning sites is the rose garden, which holds more than 250 beautiful variations of roses. The most exotic flora is housed in the estate’s conservatory, another site provided in the admission fee.

Right now, from April1-May 27, 2021, the estate event known as Biltmore Blooms is taking place. Explore Ashville details the floral wonderland tourists can view, citing that visitors can see more than 110,000 thousand flowers in all their glory. They state that some of the striking things tourists will view are almost 1,000 orchids in full bloom along with a “sea of bright yellow daffodils.”

Image by mrb197999 on Pixabay

But the fantastic experience of Biltmore doesn’t stop there.

Biltmore Winery

This addition to the Biltmore attraction was first conceived in the 1970s, when William A. V. Cecil, grandson of Geoge Vanderbilt, decided to try his hand at growing grapes. Today, the winery on the estate is the most frequented in America. Visitors can taste test the wines at no cost, as the winery is included in the admission fee. The wines are served at the Wine Bar, where tourists can indulge in “delectable cheeses and locally-made truffles” that pair well with their favorite vintages.

Image by Wikimedia Commons

The Bottom Line:

These attractions are only a handful of things that visiting Biltmore entails. There are many more wonderful things to see and do, so if you decide to plan a trip there, I promise you won’t be disappointed.

My personal advice?

Try to go at Christmas. Many say this is when the estate is at its most splendid.

However, whenever you go, I’m betting you return home raving to your friends too.

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