Including Biltmore House, Biltmore Winery, and the Gardens
The Latest: Festival of Flowers | Antler Village Opening Spring 2010
TIPS FOR VISITING BILTMORE ESTATE
1. Take your time exploring. Plan to spend the day, or perhaps two.
2. Wear very comfortable walking shoes.
3. Arrive early (9 a.m.) to avoid crowds.
4. Saturdays are the busiest days. The most crowded days of the year are Saturdays in April, May, October, November, and December.
5. Be sure to have an automobile since the drive to the Biltmore House from the entrance gate is three miles. It's another two miles to the Winery.
6. Bring a picnic or stop by the Ice Cream Shop outside the Biltmore House to purchase a picnic to go. There are many great picnic spots on the Estate.
7. If you arrive on the estate after 3 p.m., your ticket can be validated for the next day at the Reception & Ticket Center.
8. The grounds of Biltmore Estate are perfect for walking your pets, but please make sure to keep them securely leashed at all times. Pets are not allowed inside Biltmore House or other estate buildings such as the winery, restaurants, and shops.
9. Each guest is assigned a reservation time to tour the Biltmore House.
10. Go to the Biltmore Estate Web site for very detailed information and to purchase discounted tickets online.
11. Read more about Biltmore's current deals and specials!
OVERVIEW OF BILTMORE ESTATE
Biltmore Estate provides the ideal location for romance with a century old French Renaissance chateau. George W. Vanderbilt's 8,000-acre estate with its 250-room Biltmore House, 75 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens, and the nation's most visited winery offers plenty of opportunities.
BILTMORE HOUSE: Share the wonder of Biltmore House, the largest privately owned home in America, with a priceless collection of arts and antiques original to the Vanderbilt home. Since the house is a self-guided tour, pay the little extra for the audio companion tour as soon as you enter the house. Excellent guided tours may be purchased to go "behind the scenes" like the Rooftop Tour. After touring more than 60 rooms in the house, stop at the Stable Courtyard for refreshments or a visit to several quaint shops (and one large souvenir shop). The Stable Café is great for sandwiches, burgers, and salads. Allow at least two hours for a house tour. Download and print a PDF guide of Biltmore House.
New in 2010
Antler Hill Village opens March 2010: See our Antler Hill Village Guide.
Biltmore House Tour Updates: Biltmore introduces new guest experiences revealing more about the lives of people who lived, worked and visited Biltmore House during George Vanderbilt’s day. This represents a shift in focus for Biltmore – from largely object-based interpretation to a dynamic, story-based experience centered on Biltmore as a family home. Now, the self-guided house tour infuses more stories about the Vanderbilts, plus, the following:
• The First and Second Floors, plus the Basement, will include displays of vintage clothing, storytelling elements and period props to show what it was like to live in or visit America’s largest home. The Museum Services team recently acquired these items from around the country, including the Brooklyn Museum in New York.
• Guests on the self-guided tour will be able to step into the Bowling Alley, as well as see Mr. Vanderbilt’s concealed walk-in closet fully furnished.
• A new guided specialty tour – the Family & Friends Tour– will focus on Biltmore’s legendary hospitality and stories of family and friends who came to stay here. This tour includes the Louis XVI Room, the Tower Suite, the Artists’ Suite and the Fourth Floor. The theme of this tour is gracious hospitality. It will provide a closer look at the lifestyles of Vanderbilt’s guests, as well as exploring the lives of the servants and the behind-the-scenes work that made it all possible. Most of the rooms on this tour will feature authentic antique clothing on mannequins and will be identified with a particular character. Some of the featured costumes include a brown walking suit that characterizes author Edith Wharton; a cream-and-gold gown for Gertrude Vanderbilt, George Vanderbilt’s niece, to support the story of her Christmas visit to Biltmore in 1895; and a riding jacket and boots for Vanderbilt’s friend Willie Field.
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GARDENS: Spectacular gardens and woodlands are perfect for leisurely strolls. From the house, walk hand-in-hand through gardens designed by renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, best known for designing Central Park in New York City. The lush and beautiful reflecting ponds of the Italian Gardens are a fitting entry into a stunning world of garden paths. A short walk takes you to the four-acre Walled Garden and adjacent Conservatory.
For a longer walk, follow signs to the Bass Pond to find a more secluded (and romantic) area, especially in the Boat House (above). In spring and summer, the Meadow Trail features wildflowers and grasses, while the Woodland Trail is ablaze with azaleas in spring. Stop by A Gardener's Place to shop or check into a guided garden walks during special events. For the best photo vista of the front of the house, walk up to the statue of Diana atop the hill facing the house.
OUR FAVORITE PHOTO SPOT: The most dramatic view of Biltmore House is en route from the house to the winery. Look for the small lake (Lagoon) on your left. There is a narrow unpaved road at the far end that crosses a small bridge and takes you around the lake for a stunning view of back of the Biltmore House. Add a blanket and a bottle of Biltmore Estate wine for an especially romantic outing.
BILTMORE ESTATE WINERY: At the winery, enjoy a self-guided "behind the scenes" tour and sample Biltmore Estate wines in the Tasting Room. Browse the Wine Shop. The Bistro Restaurant is an excellent choice for dinner, with its welcoming European atmosphere. Other culinary activities include cooking demonstrations, seminars, guest chef programs, introductory wine classes and daylong cooking classes featuring the estate's own chefs. Read more about the Biltmore Winery.
ANTLER HILL VILLAGE: New for 2010 is Antler Hill Village, connecting the estate's present and past, providing a relaxing place for dining, shopping, historical exhibit and people watching. Antler Hill Village includes the new entrance to the Winery and adjacent Antler Hill Farm. You can also enjoy live entertainment on the Village Green and get ready to explore our 8,000-acre backyard at the Outdoor Adventure Center. Read and see more about Antler Hill Village.
LIFE ON THE FARM: For those interested in learning about Biltmore's agricultural heritage, there's Antler Hill Farm (formerly River Bend Farm), adjacent to Antler Hill Village. The village includes the Historic Horse Barn, built in 1902 and restored to communicate the rich farm life that the estate has supported for more than a century. In addition to displays of historic farm equipment, guests can explore the Kitchen Garden and meet draft horses, calves, lambs and chickens at the Farmyard. On select dates throughout the year, visitors can enjoy mountain music and see artisans including a blacksmith and woodworkers practice their craft. You'll also find.an old-fashioned Mercantile shop offering Appalachian crafts, dry good, and old-fashioned candy; a Smokehouse offering Carolina barbeque, quick sandwiches, and Southern favorites in addition cold drinks, snacks, and sweets.
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES: There is much to explore outdoors, including several great hiking trails (free) and a host of paid activities. Read more about hiking and Biltmore outdoors. In Antler Hill Village, you will find Biltmore "Outdoor Adventure Center" where you sign up for an array of outdoor fun including:
• Biking
• Carriage Rides
• Fly-fishing School
• Guided Segway Tours
• Guided Horseback Trail Rides
• Land Rover Experience Driving School
• Land Rover Ride-Along Expedition
• Kids' Land Rover Adventure Course
• River Float Trips
• Sporting Clays School
Go to the Biltmore Estate Web site for more details.
Download and print a PDF of the official Biltmore Estate Guidebook.
HOW TO GET THERE
- From Interstate 40: Biltmore Estate is located just north of exit 50 on U.S. Highway 25.
- From Interstate 26: take Interstate 40 East, then take exit 50.
- From the Blue Ridge Parkway: take the U.S. Highway 25-North exit; Biltmore Estate is approximately 4 miles from the parkway.
HOURS AND ADMISSION
- Your daytime admission of $35-65/person includes a self-guided tour of Biltmore House, gardens, Antler Hill and winery. If you are a AAA member, check with them for discounted tickets.
TIP: Reserve a specialty tour for the next day and enjoy another full day on the estate at no charge. Or add a day for $10.
- You may purchase tickets at many of the inns and hotels in town. Tickets purchased at most B&Bs and vacation rentals are good for two days - for the price of one day.
- Save up to $5 per ticket by purchasing online in advance on the Biltmore web site.
- Save by purchaseing a Twelve-Month Premium Pass or a Go Blue Ridge Card.
- The Estate is open seven days a week, 365 days a year.
For the hours of operation for the various areas of Biltmore, go to the Biltmore Estate Web site.
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