Photo from lastradaatlakelure.com
A beautiful house with breathtaking gardens, a winery, an inn and even a farm located near Asheville, NC. George Vanderbilt had the Biltmore House built as a retreat for himself, his wife and his daughter. The house was completed and revealed in 1895 with 250 rooms including a banquet hall, indoor pool, library, gymnasium and bowling alley. As beautiful as the house is, the gardens are just as astonishing. You pay admission and you can either take a guided tour or a self guided tour. I have always done the self guided tour because you are able to spend as much time as you want in each room. It's a great place to visit if you've never been!! There are shops and restaurants and tons to see and do. You can stay in the inn, visit the winery and enjoy wine tasting, visit the farm, go horseback riding, fishing, hiking or even go on a carriage ride. You can even get married there!! Imagine how ridiculously beautiful and expensive that would be.
Photos from biltmore.com
The Biltmore House is sight to see any time of the year. In April and May, they have the Festival of Flowers. You can enjoy acres of gardens carpeted with beautiful blooms, live music, and unique floral displays.
Photo from biltmore.com
During the summer, they host many concerts. You can listen to some awesome music with a view of the beautiful Biltmore House and lovely North Carolina mountains in the background. I've never been to a concert there but I have wanted to! They had a christian concert there last year but I wasn't able to make it. I hope I can make one this year!!
Photo from biltmore.com
Starting in August, you can see their amazing Flower Carpet. It's basically a huge garden with bright, colorful plants weaved around each other to create a beautiful living carpet on the grounds.
photo from romanticasheville.com
Then comes the best part! Christmas!!! Christmas at Biltmore is something you just have to see for yourself. You have to get your reservations way ahead of time because it fills up fast. You will see tons of beautiful Christmas trees, decorations, and even a 35 foot Frasier fir. During the evenings in November and December, the house is lighted with warm fires and candlelight while choirs are singing heavenly carols to get you in the holiday spirit. Sound magical doesn't it??
Photo from romanticasheville.com
My first trip to the Biltmore House was in the 6th grade. We visited on a field trip. What fun we had!! When we got back, we watched the movie, The Private Eyes. It is a HILARIOUS movie starring Tim Conway and Don Knotts and was filmed in the Biltmore House. If you haven't seen the movie, you really need to go rent it! You will LOVE it! I have seen it a million times and I never get tired of it and still laugh like crazy at all of the corny jokes.
Have y'all ever visited the Biltmore House?? What was your favorite part?
we're spending christmas in asheville this year and i absolutely cannot wait!
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous place. For Christmas it has to be a dream!
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend!
Oh my gosh! What great images! I LOVE the Biltmore House. Every time I visit, I always imagine myself living there, and which room I would choose. Wow, that would be awesome. Haha!
ReplyDeleteYou're right, Christmas time is definitely the best time to go! I still remember the story of how Mrs. Vanderbilt would personally pick out and personally wrap every Christmas present for every person that worked at the house, and their children. I think they said she would start her shopping like right after Christmas.
My favorite part of the house is either the Light room they just recently opened up, at the top of the house, it's like an observatory of sorts, or the basement that they let their daughter decorate. The one with the weird painting on the wall, and all her weird parties she had down there. So so odd to me. Maybe that's why I like it so much!
I had no idea Private Eyes was filmed at the Biltmore, then again, I've never heard of this movie before either. So neat!
never been there...really wanna go...
ReplyDeleteHappy Friday Follow, I am following you:) I would love for you to visit and follow back if you like!
ReplyDeleteJennette
Smart and Trendy Moms
http://www.smartandtrendymoms.com/
What a mansion! I need to tour and wine taste at some point...put it on the bucket list. You were missed yesterday, but I hope you snagged that cute iphone case!!
ReplyDeletewhat amazing images! I wish my house looked like that!
ReplyDeletexo
It has been for.ev.er since I've been there but the thing I remember most is the beautiful rose gardens. That could be because I was with my mom and she's really into gardens and flowers. It's not that far from us though so we really should go back.
ReplyDeleteThis place looks like a European estate. It is on my bucket list as a place to visit. Isn't there a fancy McDonalds a nearby?
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend!
Marcie
I have never been, but people are always telling me that I need to go. I would LOVE to make it up there soon, as Asheville is not that far away.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fabulous post! I love houses/mansions with lots of history! What a fun 6th grade field trip - we never did anything like that! Thanks for the history lesson, especially since I'm not from the area!
ReplyDeleteI went with my family several years ago at Christmastime and it was so beautiful!
ReplyDeletesounds amazing
ReplyDeletefrom FF and wanted to say hi.
Take a minute an check my blog out if you haven't already.
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ethertonphotography.blogspot.com
Would love to visit Biltmore - thanks for sharing the beautiful photos.
ReplyDeleteStopping by from Friday Follow - and so glad I found you! Now following, and looking forward to getting to know you better.
Susan
Beautiful! Following from Friday Follow. Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteHoly crap, this place is amazing!! When can I move in?? ;-)
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the Biltmore House! I went a few years ago in the fall and it was beautiful :) We talked about going up there for Christmas last year but couldn't make it so maybe this year!
ReplyDeleteSO gorgeous! i have NEVER been! my parents have, since they live down south. However, i've been to all the mansions in Newport, RI and the Vanderbilt "summer" house is amazing as well.
ReplyDeleteI went at Christmas too. I was like a child in the candy store. It was breathtaking, incredible...something everybody needs to see.
ReplyDeleteCalled you out in my blog :-)
How beautiful! I can't imagine what it must look like at Christmas!
ReplyDeleteIf your into the real history of Biltmore unedited by the Biltmore Company join us at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BiltmoreEstate/
ReplyDeleteWe talk about the real George Vanderbilt and his scandalous daughter who married 3 times......I also loved Private Eyes.......also like the quirky Being There and in Biltmore Houses collection they have a chair from the movie that Peter Sellers stained with his hair gel and they are keeping it that way. Todd
I love that house! Do you know, that during World War II, they used the house house works of art from the National Art Gallery? Pretty cool! I live in Spartanburg, SC...about 45 minutes away, so I have gone MANY times and never tire of it!
ReplyDeleteI am visiting from Friday Follow! I am now a follower. Have a great weekend!
Amanda @ The Modern Brady Bunch
www.thebradybunchfamilyblogspot.com
We're supposed to go there for our pre-deployment getaway next month. I really hope it works out because I have been dying to go every since my parents went about 6 or 7 years ago! Now I'm even more excited after seeing all of the beautiful photos you posted :)
ReplyDeleteOhhh this place is beautiful! Especially at Christmas.
ReplyDeleteSorry I haven't been by in a couple days...Perfectionism is totally an issue for me, esp. since I've had kids, but I can mentally handle it alright ;o). Loved the monogrammed vases, and Biltmore is beautiful...how awesome a wedding would be there!!! :-D Thanks for always swinging by my page and leaving such sweet comments!! :-D
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful estate! Thanks for posting about this and I’ll be certain to pay the Biltmore House a visit if I ever go down to North Carolina. I can imagine that a wedding would be simply breathtaking there.
ReplyDeleteThe Flower Carpet is gorgeous and Christmas there sounds incredible!
P.S. I left you an award on my blog ;)
I've never been to the Biltmore House, but it looks incredibly stunning! I'd love to visit and go wine tasting or horseback riding there! Oooh, and the pictures of Christmas time look so festive and beautiful. I can see why this is one of your favorite places!
ReplyDeletexo
Valerie