My family and I arrived at the Biltmore Estate around noon on Monday and, after parking our cars in the parking lot, made the short walk to the house along beautiful shady trails. There is a shuttle option but I highly recommend walking if you’re able, as the trail opens up in front of the house and offers quite an impressive view and lots of wonderful photo opportunities.
We opted for the audio tour of the house which was more than worth it and offered the perfect amount of information about the estate. The device looked like a remote control and we simply held it up to our ears after pressing the designated numbers outside of each room. This allowed us total control so we could listen as long as we wanted, skip around or begin listening to information about upcoming rooms as we walked along the corridors.
I loved the way the tour included stories about the Vanderbilt family and really enjoyed learning more about the traditions and social formalities of the Gilded age. I was shocked to learn that George Vanderbilt was 32 years old and single when he moved into the 250-room mansion and his wife Edith was only 25 when she moved into the Biltmore House. Edith’s bedroom, the room where she and her daughter Cornelia gave birth to their children, the pool and the kitchen were my favorite rooms in the house.
The above picture is the indoor pool located in the basement of the Biltmore house and when the Vanderbilt family wanted to use the pool, they would fill it up and use it for a couple of days before draining it since there were no chemicals in the water. According to the audio tour, the pool would become a “giant biology experiment” after a couple of days. Eek!
It took us about two hours to make our way though the house and once we were done with the tour of the home, we ventured outside to walk around the gardens before driving to the winery on the property.
Ryan and I both said we’d love to come back to the Biltmore Estate for a weekend in the future to hike and take advantage of everything there is to do on the property. The staff was just beginning to bring out Christmas trees and lights to decorate the mansion and I can only imagine how beautiful it is over the holidays!
Our day at the Biltmore concluded at the winery located in the heart of Antler Hill Village.
We spent another couple of hours at the winery, sampling wines (the Biltmore Christmas white wine was my favorite), eating ice cream and lounging in the grass outside listening to live music. It was a gorgeous day with temperatures in the low 70s and it felt wonderful to spend some time in the sun.
We arrived back at our mountain house a little after 6 p.m. after a very fun and very full day at the Biltmore Estate. I highly recommend visiting the Biltmore Estate if you are ever in the Asheville area. It absolutely lives up to the hype and we had a wonderful time!
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I’ve always wanted to go. It looks incredible.
Visiting the Biltmore estate has always been on my bucket list! I’m glad to hear it lived up to it’s expectations 🙂
My husband proposed to me on the Estate and we got married there a year later. It’s so beautiful and is absolutely one of my favorite places. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
That’s amazing! What a gorgeous place for such a special memory!
How was the Biltmore with a toddler? We only live a couple of hours away, and it’s on our to-do list. But we also have a 16 month old.
Looks and sounds like you had an amazing time. Definitely can’t beat that weather! Sunny with a little bit of the fall feel – definitely the perfect day for the tour.
I’m incredibly impressed that the Biltmore estate looks like it was even fun for toddlers. The whole family looks like they’re having a ball! 🙂
Thanks for sharing!
XO, Jessica
http://www.semisweettooth.com
Wow this looks so beautiful.
I wonder if the ads that pop up on all your pictures is something that my computer is doing or if it’s a setting on your blog – it’s a little annoying on posts with a lot of pictures. I also noticed that there is sometimes a video that starts playing with audio from time to time.
I really enjoy your blog. Thanks for sharing.
Wow! Looks amazing. On longer day trips like this – Do you put chase in the stroller or a baby carrier?
We had the stroller and went back and forth from the stroller to simply holding him. Thankfully with 6 adults, someone always seemed to want to hold him when he was ready to be out of the stroller.
Julie, I love your sweater! Where did you find that? So hard to find cute, feminine sweater tops.
Thanks!
Looks like you guys had fun. I’d love to visit the Biltmore one day, it looks like it’s a beautiful building.
This looks so gorgeous!!! Wow I can only imagine how magical it is for the holidays!
Wow how gorgeous! Also, I love your sweater!
Glad you had a great time at Biltmore! It’s such a gorgeous place. I’ve been there before, and you’re right, that view when you walk in from the parking lots – wow! I also LOVED the winery, and the gardens were a favorite (I was there in June one year, so the gardens were amazing at that time). They have an AMAZING “wassail spice blend” that is so yummy mixed in with apple juice (or tea or anything). If you happen to go back at any point, I think you’d like it (based on your previous tea/coffee recommendations on the blog).
Have fun!
Oh my gosh YESSSS to the Wasail spice blend! We all ended up buying packets of it while we were there and it is SO, SO good!
Yessss! I knew you’d love it! It is so so so good! And even though I haven’t been to Asheville in awhile, your trip there has reminded me to order that stuff online!! MUST have it! NOW! Putting it in hot apple cider (but it’s great in everything, as you know!)
Loved this post! I love visiting the Biltmore and their lattes are to die for!
Loving your outfit as well!
xo
Definitely try go to back when it is decorated for Christmas–they have over 100 decorated Christmas trees!
Oh these pictures make me want to go back asap! My two best girlfriends and I took a trip to Asheville last year and seriously had the best time. It’s such a fun vacation spot! I know you’re in that area for a week and probably have everything planned out, but I did a quick blogpost about our trip last year if you want to browse it for additional ideas (it’s under my travel section. I don’t want to be all spammy and leave the link!). Anyway, have so much fun with your sweet fam!!
I am not a wine lover… but when we went to the Biltmore we also did the wine tasting and I LOVED the Christmas white wine!!! So good!
So good! We all bought some to enjoy over the holidays.
Oh I love Biltmore! We lived outside of Asheville for a decade and went many times. In fact, my husband proposed to me in the gardens there! ❤️ Many special memories.
If you have time and it’s not already on your list, check out WNC nature center. We had an annual pass when we lived there and my kids loved it! We were back in town visiting friends last year and made it a point to add it to our “asheville fun” to-do list. My kids ages 4 month, 4, and 8 at the time all had a blast. Lots of cool animals, petting zoo, gorgeous walking paths. It’s great!
Enjoy your vacay! You’re visiting one of my fave cities 🙂
Awesome!!! WNC Nature Center is on our to do list this week!
So excited you had a chance to visit biltmore. I like about 15 minutes down Hendersonville Road from the estate and I go frequently. I really do love it. Purchasing an anual pass is well worth it if you go multiple times in a year. I can’t wait for it to be decorated for Christmas! I’m a huge wine lover and now I’m excited to try their Christmas wines! I hope you’re enjoying your time here. It’s a really cool place!
That was supposed to say “live” not “like”!
We just went over Labor Day weekend and did a two-day span of the estate. Absolutely loved it and can’t imagine how amazing it is during Christmastime!
Could I ask where you and your sis got your leggings? So cute!
Leslie’s are from White Plum (her husband bought them for her for Christmas last year an they have fleece on the inside) and mine are lululemon!
I bet Chase loved running around there! Looks beautiful!
Their winery is so fun, and the common grounds area. We had a picnic out there before and loved it!
The Biltmore is a gorgeous place to visit and they really know how to decorate for the Christmas holidays. On your next visit I recommend taking the “Behind the Scenes Guided Tour, Upstairs and Downstairs”. My sister-in-law and I thought it was well worth the extra price. We also took the Gray Line Trolley Tour of Asheville. Glad that you could get away for a family vacation. Looks like all of you are having a great time.
Oooh! Thank you for the recommendation. We are considering coming back around Christmas and I’ll absolutely keep that tour in mind!
I wish I could travel as much as you do!
Looks so beautiful and such a beautiful day! Asheville is def on my list of places to visit =) Also, you have such a beautiful family!
Thank you, Leigh!
Have you been up to Newport, Rhode Island? There are a bunch of Vanderbilt Mansions- a really fun trip! I really really want to make a trip down to Charlotte and Asheville, this post is tempting me more!
I haven’t but that sounds so fun!
I follow the Biltmore on instagram just to look at the beautiful wedding photos on the grounds! It’s gorgeous, I would love to visit one day. Enjoy those wonderful Fall temperatures!
I am coming to Charlotte for a work trip the first week in November. I really only have 1 full day of sight-seeing. Looking at your photos of Asheville have made me wonder if going there would be possible. My husband and I would only have 1 full day to go, so I am wondering if it is worth the drive there and back in one day. Otherwise, is there somewhere else near Charlotte we should do or see in that day?
Thanks so much for sharing! I love the wide variety of topics you cover all the time! Your family is just beautiful!
Thank you so much, Marie! <3
You MUST stop by Battery Park Book Exchange! It’s a champagne bar & bookstore in downtown Asheville! It’s beautiful. It’s where my fiance proposed. 🙂 We are getting married in Asheville in a few weekends!
Also – In Black Mountain you should grab a smoothie from the Dripolator and drive 5 minutes into Montreat (GORGEOUS little town) and climb Lookout Mountain – A relatively easy, 20-30 minute hike up a mountain for the most INCREDIBLE views. Once you hit the rocks at the top – keep going until you clear the trees. Your pinky toe should make it just fine!
Red Rocker Inn in Black Mountain has an AWESOME brunch 🙂
Thank you for sharing this!! Dying to try that hike — maybe tomorrow!
Just had to report back that we did the Lookout Mountain hike and LOVED it! Gorgeous views. Thank you SO much for putting it on our radar!
Hi Julie,
Just wondering, what is your current method of storing photos. Has it changed? What do you do with a large amount of photos on your phone from a trip/event? I’m coming home from a trip where I took the large majority of my pictures on my iPhone and wondering how I am going to organize them!
As a blogger, I’m sure you have an endless supply of photos. Would love to know what method of choice work for you!! Thanks for any help!:)
Vanessa
I have always wanted to visit the Biltmore!! So gorgeous. When I was in college in nashville for a year, some of the social clubs would do their formals there!
I LOVE Ashville! Especially in the fall! It is beautiful!
We visited Biltmore Estate when I was about 8 (we are from Australia but were in the US visiting family at the time!)
My favorite thing about the house was learning that is where Richie Rich was filmed, haha! I was all excited to see the McDonald’s just like in the movie until my Mum informed me that wasn’t a real McDonalds. What?!?
I would love to visit as an adult and truly appreciate the history it has to offer.
I loved the zip lining on your Insta Stories yesterday! Looks like so much fun as do Catawba Falls and exploring Bilmore Estate!
I have never been but my parents have stayed there a few times and rave about it!
Thanks for the tour. Went to Biltmore many, many years ago and this brought back so many memories. It truly is magnificent. I too love the library!! Would love to spend a couple years there perusing the books and enjoying the beautiful fireplace! Happy Holidays!!