THE DESTINATION
OVERVIEW
You don't have to go all the way to Europe to see a chateau that feels pulled straight out of a storybook. At the height of the Gilded Age, the Vanderbilt family built their very own fairytale castle in the hills of North Carolina, which remains America's Largest Home. The extravagant French-style estate was designed by rockstar architect Richard Morris Hunt, and the expansive surrounding grounds were sculpted by fellow rockstar Frederick Law Olmstead. Since 1930, the estate has been open to the public to enjoy its history, architecture, nature, and seasonal traditions. It's a must see for any trip to Asheville or the Blue Ridge Mountains!
MOST RECENT VISIT: Christmas 2021
Click here to read about our personal experience!
THE BOTTOM LINE
So what's the big deal? Here's why Biltmore is worthy of a stop on your itinerary:
IF YOU LOVE THE GILDED AGE & ITS EXTRAVAGANT ARCHITECTURE
Perhaps you're a history buff, or maybe you're just a fan of the HBO series The Gilded Age - either way it's easy to feel captivated by the Gilded Age. The architecture reflects the extravagance of the time with both opulent nods to the past and revolutionary technological advances, which can all be seen here at Biltmore.
IF YOU WANT SOME SERIOUS INSPIRATION FOR CHRISTMAS DECOR
Biltmore house was first opened with much pomp and circumstance on Christmas Eve 1895. Christmas has been celebrated in style ever since. The house alone features ~45k lights and ~15k ornaments on 60 Christmas trees, including one that's 35 feet tall. The entire property is home to ~1 million lights and over 100 trees. If you like what you see, you can actually buy Biltmore style ornaments through their partnership with Balsam Hill.
IF YOU WANT TO EXPLORE THE PRISTINE GROUNDS
The house may be the leading lady, but the grounds are a strong co-star. You will be taken aback by the natural beauty of the land. It's easy to get lost in the outdoors here whether you want to stroll manicured gardens, hike and bike along trails, or get more adventurous with horseback rides, fly fishing or floating trips on the river, or off-road excursions.
TRAVEL TOOLKIT:
FULL GUIDE ON THE GO
FAST FACTS
PRIORITY
MUST-SEE
TIME TO SPEND
FULL DAY
POPULARITY
VERY POPULAR
WHEN TO VISIT
WARMER MONTHS & HOLIDAY SEASON
COST
$70 OR MORE
FOUNDED
FINISHED IN 1895
PUBLIC OPENING IN 1930
ACTIVITY LEVEL
SEMI-ACTIVE
NEIGHBORHOOD
BILTMORE VILLAGE
BEST FOR
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Architecture aficionados
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Gilded Age fans
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Nature lovers & garden inspiration
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Anyone who loves over the top Christmas cheer
ADDRESS & PHONE
One Lodge Street
Asheville, NC 28803
(800) 411-3812
HOURS
Open daily, with varying hours
Click here to see more: Hours of Operation - Biltmore
TOP TIPS
The most important things to know before your visit
BOOK AT LEAST A WEEK IN ADVANCE
While the property has pretty broad hours, you'll need timed reservations for the house and for any special exhibits, which can book up. You'll also need reservations for restaurants and wine tastings. During the busiest times (holiday weekends and Christmas season), plan even further in advance!
HAVE A PLAN FOR YOUR DAY
The property is huge! So you aren't running back and forth wasting a bunch of time, think about your flow for the day. Think about what you really want to do, and use those reservations as anchor points to plan other activities along the way.
CONSIDER STAYING ON PROPERTY
By staying on property, you'll have complete access to the grounds for the length of your stay. You'll also have access to the grounds with a ticket to the house, but your time will be more limited. To really explore the property, you'll want more time than that.
POINTS OF INTEREST
WHAT TO SEE
GUIDED TOUR
A STEP-BY-STEP WALKTHROUGH
See how we spent our day at Biltmore, stop-by-stop with an estimate of how much time we spent where. Click on the map below to get your bearings, then scroll through the photos to see a visual of some of the highlights of the estate.
This elaborate gingerbread replica of Biltmore is found in the elaborate maze of kitchen and service rooms.
A
ENTRANCE & GROUNDS DRIVE
~30 Minutes
C
ANTLER HILL VILLAGE & WINERY
~2 Hours
E
GARDENS & CONSERVATORY
~1H 15M
G
CHRISTMAS TOUR OF HOUSE
~1H 30M
2
THE BILLIARDS ROOM
Main Floor
4
THE TAPESTRY ROOM
Main Floor
6
THE VANDERBILTS' BEDROOMS
Upstairs
8
THE INDOOR SWIMMING POOL
Downstairs
B
IMMERSIVE ART EXHIBIT
~1 Hour
D
LATE LUNCH AT STABLE CAFE
~1H 30M
F
SUNSET AT LIBRARY TERRACE
~30M
1
THE WINTER GARDEN
Main Floor
3
THE GRAND HALL
Main Floor
5
THE LIBRARY
Main Floor
7
THE BOWLING ALLEY
Downstairs
9
THE KITCHEN & SERVICE AREAS
Downstairs
TRIVIA TOPICS
Get to know Biltmore before you go! Did you know?
BILTMORE IS ENORMOUS
This is America's Largest Home, but calling it a home feels a little off. It's more in line with the great chateaux and castles of Europe. The house has 250 rooms with 65 fireplaces. It comes in at 175,000 square feet, which means there are 4 acres of floor space. The property is also expansive, with over 8,000 acres to explore. It's hard to believe this is just a fraction of the original estate; 87,000 acres were sold to become Pisgah Forest.
BILTMORE HELPED PROTECT MASTERPIECES DURING WWII
Fearing an attack and knowing how Hitler had hoarded and damaged European art, David Finley, Director of the National Gallery of Art, reached out to the Vanderbilts for help. Biltmore was an ideal choice due to its fireproofed construction and remote location. Ultimately, 62 paintings and 17 sculptures, including works by Botticelli and Rembrandt were stored in the estate's unfinished music room until the war ended.
CELEBRITY ARCHITECTS WERE HIRED TO BUILD THE ESTATE
The Vanderbilt's didn't hire just anyone to build their estate. Richard Morris Hunt was the mastermind behind the house while Frederick Law Olmsted was responsible for the grounds. Both were architectural rockstars of the time. Hunt was known for his work at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Statue of Liberty's Pedestal, and the homes of the rich and famous including other Vanderbilt homes in Newport, RI. Meanwhile, Olmsted was known for designing both New York's Central Park and the grounds of the United States Capitol.
THERE'S MEANING BEHIND THE NAME
Even the name of the estate was well thought out, combining two words meaningful to the Vanderbilt family. Bilt- references the Vanderbilt's ancestral Dutch hometown of Bildt, while -more comes from an Old English word meaning open, rolling land - a fitting descriptor of the property.
CHECKLISTS
DON'T FORGET
Leave large bags behind
Leave bags bigger than 19″ x 14″ x 9″ in the car.
Follow all photography rules
To protect the art & artifacts in the house and to preserve the experience for all guests, several key rules are in place for photography:
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No flash
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No tripods, selfie sticks, etc. inside the buildings
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No commercial photography without permission
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No drones
For the full policy, click here: Policies & Rights - Biltmore
Wear comfortable shoes
You'll be able to see a lot of the estate from your car, but between the house and gardens, you'll also do plenty of walking. Comfortable shoes can make the day a lot more enjoyable!
Leashed pets are allowed on the grounds, but not in any of the buildings. This restriction does not apply to service animals.
The estate can be challenging for strollers & wheelchairs
It's an old house, so you'll encounter stairs, uneven floors, and other challenges. Strollers are permitted, but you'll have to navigate stairs. There is an elevator between the 1st and 2nd floors for guests with limited mobility, but it does not access the 3rd floor or the basement. If you can't get to those floors physically, a video tour is available. Discounted tickets are available for those with limited mobility.
Click here for more details: Accessibility FAQ - Biltmore
ITINERARY BUILDER
HOW TO PLAN YOUR DAY
WHEN SHOULD YOU PLAN TO EXPLORE AND FOR HOW LONG?
TIME TO SPEND
FULL DAY
WHEN TO VISIT
WARMER MONTHS & HOLIDAY SEASON
NEARBY STOPS
SOME NEARBY
TIME TO SPEND
There's a lot to do at the estate, so you could easily spend a couple of days here enjoying it all. It's easy to take advantage of the grounds if you're staying at one of the on-site lodging options. For most visitors, I'd recommend at least a full day. Now it's easier to explore because all tickets include free next-day grounds access.
The house and manicured gardens alone will take several hours to explore thoroughly. We spent about an hour or so at the immersive art exhibit and 2 hours at the Village. Also, keep in mind, the estate is very large so it takes a bit of time to get from place to place.
You'll want to plan ahead and think through how long you'll want to spend at each stop because you'll timed reservations for everything. This is a little more work upfront but prevents standing in long lines and overcrowding.
NEARBY STOPS
Within Biltmore Village:
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Visit All Souls' Cathedral, the historic church where Cornelia Vanderbilt was married
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Explore a variety of antique stores, art galleries, and other shops
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Kick back at one of the breweries including Catawba, Hi-Wire, Hillman, Burial Beer, and others
Everything to explore downtown is also relatively close.
BEST TIME TO GO
Biltmore is really a year-round destination, it just depends what you would like to see. Check out the chart below for the highlights of each season from the spring blooms to the fall foliage to the spectacular Christmas decor.
LOGISTICS PLANNER
WHAT TO BOOK
WHAT PESKY DETAILS SHOULD YOU TACKLE BEFORE YOU ARRIVE?
TRANSIT STOP
NONE NEARBY
TICKET NEEDED
REQUIRED
TOUR NEEDED
AUDIO GUIDE INCLUDED, LIVE AVAILABLE
GETTING THERE
You'll want a car not only to get to the estate, but to drive around within the expansive estate. Alternatively, there is a shuttle available, but it is not complimentary. You can either use the shuttle by staying at the Inn on Biltmore estate or purchasing a daily ticket for the shuttle for $15 / day. I'd still recommend a car for the flexibility and convenience.
Once you get near the main house, there are five parking lots to choose from. All of the lots are convenient because A & B are very near the house and C, D, & E have a convenient, complimentary shuttle.
TICKETS & TOURS
TICKETS
Yes, tickets are needed! Book in advance during popular events (especially Christmas)
Prices vary based on the season and start at $70 during the early months, then rise to $80 or $90 during the late spring through fall, and then to $100 during the Christmas season.
There are varying ticket types, so you may spend more depending on what you want to see. To help understand better, this is what all ticket types include:
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Access to the house with an audio tour
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Access to the grounds, including free next-day access
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Access to Antler Hill Village & Winery
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Complimentary wine tasting
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Complimentary parking
You may choose to upgrade your ticket if you wish to experience the following:
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Special exhibits including immersive art experiences at Deerpark
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In-person guided tours
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Candlelight Christmas (evening access)
If you are a local or plan on visiting multiple times, you can investigate purchasing a pass. If you are just looking for grounds access, you can also purchase grounds-only tickets.
Lastly, if you decide to stay on-property, you can select a package that includes House tickets, tours, exhibition entrance, breakfast, etc.
TOURS
Since your ticket includes an audio tour of the house (which is quite good), you don't technically need a tour. However, a guided tour can be an interesting add-on!
Types of guided tours include:
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Rooftop tour
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Backstairs tour
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Guests of the Vanderbilts tour
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A Vanderbilt Christmas tour
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Behind-the-scenes winery tour & tasting
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And more
MORE TO SEE
Asheville: Unsplash* | Most Festive Holiday Destinations: PTO Travel Pro* | Newport: PTO Travel Pro* | Best Long Weekend Trips in the US: PTO Travel Pro* | St. Louis: PTO Travel Pro* | Best Castles & Estates in the World: Unsplash* | Charleston: PTO Travel Pro*
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