Biltmore
 

Looking into a quick Christmas time trip. Who's been and any advice?

Which Biltmore?

You’d like the Bitlmore in Miami. I lived in Boynton Beach and stayed on weekends. Christmas is great in South Florida .

In Ashville NC

Wear comfortable shoes. Spend the day. It is an amazing place. The gardens may not be so amazing at Christmas time but still nice. Look into the special tours like private quarters and upper rooms.

MrsWD and I are going there next week. I’ll report back.
No such thing as comfortable shoes for me Glenn. I’m planning on a double dose of Naproxin for the day and liquid pain killer in the evening.

Try to get there early. Of course a christmas trip might involve being there at night to see the lights- so this might not apply.

If your decide to eat in the carriage house for lunch (basically, the big garage to the right of the main house), get there before lunchtime. It gets pretty crowded around peak lunch hours. Perhaps try a brunch/earlier in the a.m. This may or may not apply during off season.

If you are into wine, there is a completely separate winery on another part of the lawns. It is surrounded by some other shops and exhibits. Consider allotting some time in the afternoon to go visit that site. It is not accessible by foot from the main house. You drive there.

Finally, check online to see what other events are happening on the grounds (if any) when you go. We went this summer, and by chance they were having a Ferrari convention that day. I lost count of the ferrari's driving in at about 15, and was bummed I hadn't allotted time to go visit that.

Do the rooftop tour.

Did Christmas there 2 years ago. Glad we went. I don't how they decorate the place. Incredible.

We were near Asheville this Summer, and looked into taking the tour. At $80 each for a whole family, we said no. It is an amazing place though.

We were there in July. I have done a day tour at Christmas. It is beautiful. Although the gardens are empty that time of year, the greenhouse is decorated and worth the walk. It doesn't feel as cold as you would think in the mountains but the wind can be brutal in the winter.

If you like wine: the Vine to Wine tour is very good. It takes you through the whole process of how they make wine and sparkling wine and the history of the estate. There are tastings through the entire tour and then with cheese and chocolates at the end. It sounds like the Behind the Scenes tour is similar without a visit to the vines. In Winter that may be a better choice.

The restaurant Cedric's Tavern is good. They make some of their own beer with hops grown on the estate. Pretty good. They also do an in house cured salmon that is excellent. Do not eat at the Dining Room at the Inn. Although the view is spectacular, the food is mediocre and the price is high for the taste.

Interesting fact: When you tour the house, stand on the balcony looking over the mountain range. When the Vanderbilts married, Mr Vanderbilt brought the new wife to the house to celebrate. Late the first night they stood on the balcony, a signal was lit on every peak you can see. This showed the new bride all the property they now owned.

Have Fun!

Pre-purchase all your tickets. It will be cheaper

Somebody has to pay for the electricity :). It's probably been 45 years since I visited though...

Yea, it is an expensive tour. I can't even imagine the cost to run the place now.

It is one of the places where a time machine would be cool. To go back to the heyday of the place in operation and be a valued guest and get to stay in a room and be served by the staff. Of course if I was somehow transported back in time to that place I would be stuck in the laundry or in the gardens working my butt off so maybe time travel is not a good thing.

It is just incredible that one man owned it all, and that it was a private house.

So those of you that have been there. Did you stay on the grounds or in a local hotel?

Asheville is a nice city and has a lot to offer.

If you want a more small town experience, I like Brevard, NC » Brevard NC, guide for visitors and locals. Everything you need to know about Brevard Visit Brevard NC

My sister has a mountain house there and we enjoy staying there, especially during the music festivals.

Have fun.

Christmas is awesome at the Biltmore. You won’t regret it. It’s worth a few bucks to get the tour audio headsets.

I've stayed at the Village Hotel on the grounds. If you are not planning on doing something at night, I would stay of site. Asheville is a neat mountain town. There are great hotels and restaurants in the area.

You might call and get advise from them on when crowds are less if they'll comment. My daughter lives in Asheville and at times its a traffic jam just getting off the main road to drive toward the gate. Its a small town with a big attraction right in the middle of it. Might be less crowded in the colder months.

We have a room at the Village. We’ll be there tomorrow. I’ll let you know how it works out.

Most of October and November are “Reservation Days.” You buy a ticket for admission at a specific day and time. I don’t know about the rest of the year. Buy on line a week ahead of time and tickets are $65.

Stay at the Grand Bohemian. Nothing in the area compares. Located just outside of Biltmore grounds. Trust me.

Just spent the day there. Had a great time. Pics and a full report when we get home.

Went at Christmas about 20 years ago..and enjoyed it very much. Lots of beautiful decorations. Didn't know tickets were so much. They were free for me/us (gift) from mother-in-law who earned them for selling Avon. May that wonderful woman rest in peace.

Did the Christmas tour via reservation in the evening. The following day was free. Definitely do the second day. You'll see things you missed or didn't have time to study. I've toured Biltmore 4 times and different seasons and see something new every time.

Just got back from there. Plan on spending a full day at Biltmore...there's lots to see. It still ranks as the largest privately-owned residence in the US. The audio tour is just OK but the guided tours are excellent and well worth considering. The docents are very knowledgeable and really bring the place to life. We did the self-guided tour in the morning, then booked two guided tours for the afternoon. As mentioned earlier, the roof tour is pretty cool and the views from up there are quite spectacular. In between, we left time for lunch at the Courtyard Market right there next to the house. Service at the bake shop was quicker but neither place is gourmet dining. The Stable Cafe (also right at the house) probably has the best food but you'll need a reservation and more time. All other dining options on the estate are either in Antler Hill Village or at the Inn, both of which are a ways from the house. Antler Hill Village looked very touristy and crowded.

Be sure to go down into the basement to see period photos of the estate under construction and the artworks painted on the walls of the Halloween Room.

Buy all your admission and tour tickets in advance. Crowds are lighter in the morning but the place was buzzing by early afternoon. Try to park in lots A or B and walk to the house...only takes a few minutes. The outer lots require a shuttle ride. If you wind up leaving in the late afternoon, be prepared for a VERY slow ride out of the estate due to limited routes and lots of traffic.


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The Halloween Room
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We stayed at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, about 20min. from the Biltmore estate.
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Rcooled thanks so much for the info. Very helpful

We stayed at the Inn on the Biltmore Estate several years ago, which is the top Biltmore hotel on the grounds. We stayed one night and did the night tour (and day tour as well). The place is quite deluxe as you can imagine. The hotel lobby had a huge Christmas tree, all decked out. They have a shuttle so you don't have to deal with parking at the mansion. There is a nearby winery on the estate for dinner if you don't go into Asheville for dinner (a bit of a hike).
The night tour at Christmas time was exceptional, complete with a string quartet playing on entry. My wife loved the tour. It is totally worth it if you are only going once.

Stayed there for three nights a few years ago and Mrs Jam has pestered me to go back for another visit every time holidays are being planned. Check for special deals, we got three nights for the price of two. :)

Paul, can you believe it was mid 2011 ... seven years ago!! when we camped in your basement on the way to Biltmore. Good memories, often recalled.

We were staying in Greenville and went to the Biltmore as a day trip, it worked out fine.

Holy cow!

You folks are welcomed back any time - kids are gone!!!

All the best.

I would think that it would take a minimum of three visits...during the holidays, in the fall, and in the summer, to even begin to imagine it all...

I bet even Tabs would approve of the ol' shack ;)