How to Get the Most out of Your Day Visiting the Biltmore Estate
Over 1.7 million visitors a year travel from all over the world to experience the Biltmore Estate and the grounds surrounding the area. Covering over 8,000 acres, you could easily spend several days exploring every inch of this architectural and historic masterpiece. But you can also see the highlights with just one day, and it is even easier if you stay nearby. Read below to plan your day at the Biltmore!
Getting to the Biltmore Estate
The Biltmore Estate is located in the charming town of Asheville, North Carolina in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Asheville is just an hour or so drive from Tennessee, Georgia, and South Carolina, which makes it a great place to plan a day trip or a long weekend if you live in the area.
Of course, there is so much to experience at the Biltmore and in Asheville that we recommend spending more than just one day here. There are cute Bed and Breakfasts in the area to choose from, as well as a few smaller hotels and inns. The Asheville airport is less than 20 minutes from downtown and makes for a quick way to get here if you are out of state!
While you can’t stay inside the Biltmore, here are the closest places to stay near the Estate:
LEARN MORE: The Best Things to Do with One Day in Asheville
Why you should visit the Biltmore Estate
The Biltmore Estate is not just about the (albeit huge) mansion. The property can be divided into four main parts: the house, the gardens and grounds including the conservatory, the winery, and Antler Hill Village.
So if history or architecture is not what interests you, there are also acres of flowers and plants that make the perfect muse for photographers and artists, or for someone wanting to get beautiful backdrops for photos. The village has shopping and fine dining. There is a farm area that is perfect for families. The Biltmore is definitely worth a day trip!
Note: Your ticket gives you entry into all of the sections of the estate.
Visit the Biltmore House
The Biltmore Estate was imagined, funded, and engineered by George Vanderbilt after visiting Asheville and falling in love with the area. Finished in 1895, this 250-room French Renaissance chateau is considered America’s largest home at 175,000 square feet.
The finished home contains 35 bedrooms (each one decorated with a different theme), 43 bathrooms, an indoor swimming pool and bowling alley, and 65 fireplaces. Funnily enough, George was a bachelor at the time! In 1898 he married Edith, and their daughter was born in 1900.
The house was lived in by generations of the Vanderbilts until the 1930’s, when it was opened to the public as a source of income for the family and the surrounding town. The estate remains owned by 5th- and 6th- generation Vanderbilts and is staffed by over 2,000 employees. It is a true marvel of a mansion, and we recommend taking the self-guided walking tour to truly learn about and experience the history of the space.
Tip: Adjacent to the Biltmore house is The Stable Café, previous horse stables that were converted (and well-cleaned) to become a restaurant. If you get hungry while touring the house and the grounds, grab a salad, a charcuterie board with house-smoked meats, or a hamburger before heading to the winery and Antler Hill Village!
The Biltmore Gardens
Surrounding the Biltmore House are 75 acres of formal and informal gardens. Be sure to check out the huge glass conservatory filled with all varieties of lush tropical plants. Roses and hydrangeas blossom outside in the summer, multicolored tulips and azaleas line the walkways in the spring, trees burst with reds and golds in the fall, and poinsettias and orchids are housed inside the conservatory in the winter.
For the hikers out there, the grounds of the Biltmore contain over 22 miles of hiking and bike trails. Visitors can walk along the French Broad River, through dense forests, and meander in open meadows. It is easy to devote several hours of your day at the Biltmore just in the house and the gardens. Just be sure to be save enough time to visit the winery!
The Biltmore Winery
George Vanderbilt’s grandson William A. V. Cecil began planting grapevines in the early 1970’s, paving the way for the establishment of Biltmore’s Winery in 1985. Currently the most visited winery in the United States, it is a definite place to visit during your day at the Biltmore.
Wine tastings are free (ages 21 and up only) and you get to try five of the Biltmore wines. This is a great place to spend an hour with your group after a morning of walking the grounds. Or you can take a behind-the-scenes private wine tour to really see how things are produced here!
Tip: Our personal favorite is the special “Christmas at the Biltmore” wine. We always come home with a bottle or two and serve them on special occasions!
Antler Hill Village
The winery is located in Antler Hill Village, 5 miles from the Biltmore house. You can drive your own vehicle or there is a shuttle running between each stop. The village has specialized shops, several restaurants, and seasonal exhibits.
This is also where the Antler Hill Barn and Farmyard is located, where kids can meet animals, milk and brush goats, and see live demonstrations from blacksmiths, woodworkers, and other craftspeople. Access to Antler Hill Village and the winery is included with your Biltmore admission ticket.
Tip: Be sure to check in advance, most restaurants in the village require reservations.
Nearby Attraction: The Blue Ridge Parkway
Any trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains should include a drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway, a beautiful two-lane winding road that starts in Cherokee, NC and ends in Virginia. This breathtaking drive has overlooks, waterfalls, stone bridges, and hikes, and is known as America’s favorite scenic drive. And it is completely free!
Start at the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center near downtown Asheville to choose your path, either head southwest towards the Smoky Mountain National Park, or northeast towards Beech Mountain and Blowing Rock. The parts of the parkway nearest Asheville have some of the highest peaks in the US east of the Mississippi River!
State and National Parks Near the Biltmore
- Lake Lure and Chimney Rock State Park – See where part of Last of the Mohicans was filmed, just 40 minutes southeast of Asheville
- Smoky Mountain National Park – About an hour drive brings you to the most visited National Park in the U.S.!
- Mount Mitchell State Park – The highest point east of the Mississippi River is less than an hour from Asheville along the Blue Ridge Parkway
- Grandfather Mountain – Drive along the BRP to this iconic park with outdoor animal habitats and a mile high swinging bridge!
Common Questions about Visiting the Biltmore Estate
Can you see the Biltmore Estate from outside for free?
Because the Biltmore Estate is nestled a few miles beyond the gates and the entrance to the property, it is not possible to see it without paying the entry fee. But the beauty of the Estate is seen up close and personal in order to have the best experience anyway!
Can you drive through the Biltmore Estate without buying a ticket?
No, there are employees posted at the entry gates and they will make sure you have a ticket before proceeding onto the property. Since the pandemic the Biltmore began having timed admissions as well, but this is just for entry to the house. Feel free to arrive early to start your day at the Estate and then head into the house at your scheduled time.
How long does it take to walk through the Biltmore house?
Walking through the Biltmore Estate is done at your own pace, so you can take as much or as little time as you want. We typically spend about 2 hours inside the house, and another 1-2 walking through the gardens.
When is the best time to visit the Biltmore Estate?
While the Biltmore Estate is always an architectural marvel, if you are visiting around Christmastime you are in for a treat. The house is absolutely stunning when it is all decked out for the holidays!
There are more than 100 decorated trees on display in every bedroom with the largest, a 35-foot-tall Fraser fir, displayed in the grand banquet hall. The entire Biltmore Village is decorated for the Christmas season and it truly is a magical place to visit this time of year.
We absolutely love visiting Asheville, the Biltmore Estate, and the Blue Ridge Mountains. We have visited the Estate several times and each time we find something else we really enjoy about it.
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Happy travels!
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