BILTMORE ESTATE

Occasionally we would get off the parkway for something special.  The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, is one of those things.

George Vanderbilt, grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt (the shipping and railroad tycoon), built the Biltmore House in the 1890s.  Still owned by a Vanderbilt descendant, the mansion has been beautifully preserved and is nicely furnished with original period pieces, tapestries, family photos, and art by famous masters.

The tour is extensive, including four floors and the basement.  We rented the audio tour and as we wandered through the entrance hall, billiard room, banquet hall, breakfast room, salon, music room, library, numerous bedrooms, sitting rooms, and servant’s quarters, the life of the 1890s vividly came to life.  In the basement we found the bowling alley, swimming pool and pantries and kitchens.

The estate gardens have also been maintained.  We missed the azalea garden at its height of bloom, but found the many gardens, terraces, ponds, fountains and the conservatory colorful and pleasant.

Next we toured the estate winery and sipped several vintages in the tasting room.  There is also a farm village to explore.

The Biltmore estate has been fashioned into a destination resort and there is an inn offering sumptuous rooms with views and service to make you feel just like a Vanderbilt guest.  Many activities are offered, including trail rides, carriage rides, bicycling, fly fishing, river floats, and wagon rides.  In the summer there are concerts in the evening.