Les and Marcia's Bohemian Life: Biltmore Estate

US 40W is clear. The sky is blue and the colors of the trees are beginning to change. We set our sights on Asheville NC for a visit to The Biltmore Mansion.

We have set aside one day for our visit. Admittance is $50.00 plus $10.00 (optional) ea for headphones. The house is crowded on a Tuesday. The tour is self guided. The headphones really help you feel and understand the lifestyle of the Vanderbilts, plus it creates a bubble between you and the people in your way. Spend the money on the headphones. For only $10.00 you can add an extra day. This would be great to do in the spring or summer when the gardens are full.

The Biltmore is an 8000 acre privately owned property. The 175,000 square foot home was built between 1885 – 1895. Take your time with this place. Everything here is special and you will come away with something that is special to you. I loved the back portico that overlooks the landscape and mountains. You would think that this is just natural beauty. However, every tree you see is part of the design of Fredrick Law Olmsted. He designed Central Park in New York. Les was impressed with the swimming pool in the basement and the bowling alley (remember this is 1895). The whole exercise area in the basement had dressing rooms so the servants could bring clothing changes for their employers. Heaven forbid you walk through the house in a beach cover up. Ok, so you have this magnificent house and I am talking about the basement again. A storage room was painted by guests in the 1920s with ghost, witch and gypsy scenes. The “Halloween” room was then used for parties. This room, made this super rich family become real to me by showing a sense of fun. You can take pictures outside but it is a big no no inside. There are plenty of trails and paths through and to the many gardens. All deserve a look see. To leave you must drive past the mansion and out the gates. This helps me continue with my fairytale thoughts. Still on the property you drive by ponds, rivers, lagoons and farmed fields to get to Antler Village. All you need to know here is gift shops and wine tasting. Two perfect reasons to stop and take your time. After a very non-hurried opportunity to sample wines and dips you continue to The Biltmore Estate Inn. To the left is the stable and Deerpark restaurant. Then after your five mile drive from the parking lot, poof you are back out on the street. We loved this stop. It is pricy so make sure you take a lot of time and pick a nice day.