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Is the breathtaking Biltmore Estate on your travel bucket list?
When I started planning my Biltmore getaway, I quickly realized there is a lot more to see and do at the 8,000-acre estate in Asheville, N.C. than just tour the grand Gilded Age mansion.
If you want to make the most of your day (or two!) exploring the dreamy estate, it helps to plan your Biltmore Estate itinerary in advance.
What is So Special About Biltmore Estate?
A French Renaissance castle perched in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the 250-room Biltmore House is America’s largest home. Designed for George Vanderbilt by architect Richard Morris Hunt, Biltmore House is an architectural wonder built with incredible attention to elegant detail.
At 175,000 square feet, Biltmore House has more than four acres of floor space. The 250-room château includes 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces.
Vanderbilt envisioned Biltmore to be a place for loved ones to gather and escape the everyday in the crisp, clear mountain air. He first opened the doors of his magnificent mountain retreat to family and friends in 1895 just in time to celebrate Christmas.
Nearly 130 years later, Biltmore continues to evoke a sense of serenity and wonder for all who pass through its gates.
What Does the Biltmore Experience Include Today?
George Vanderbilt’s legacy of hospitality lives on today as guests are invited to enjoy a self-guided tour of Biltmore House, as well as the beautiful gardens, grounds and village surrounding it.
Biltmore’s 8,000-acre backyard features six formal and informal gardens, a Conservatory, 22 miles of nature trails, woodlands and more. The estate’s landscape was designed by renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted.
Admission to Biltmore also includes access to the estate’s European-inspired Antler Hill Village, which is home to Biltmore Winery as well as a farmyard, playground, shops and restaurants.
With an upgraded admission ticket, Biltmore guests can also enjoy a stunning art exhibition at the estate’s Amherst at Deerpark galleries.
Through Jan. 5, 2025, guests can marvel at a specially curated Chihuly at Biltmore art exhibition featuring the incredible works of master glass artist Dale Chihuly.
10 Tips for Planning Your Biltmore Estate Itinerary
To make the most of our Biltmore getaway, I did quite a bit of research and planning. My goal was to create a Biltmore Estate itinerary that would allow us to cover a lot of ground at a leisurely pace, allowing time to slow down and enjoy the beauty of the estate as George Vanderbilt intended.
Here are my top 10 tips for planning your Biltmore Estate itinerary from what I learned along the way:
1. The 2-day ticket option is worth the upgrade. During Summer 2024, the 2-day Biltmore ticket includes the Chihuly at Biltmore art exhibition and gives you free next-day access to explore more of Biltmore’s gardens, grounds, Antler Hill Village and winery.
2. If you want to take your kids to Biltmore, plan to visit during summer. In Summer 2024, kids 9 and younger receive free admission and youth tickets are just $10 each for ages 10 – 16.
3. Check with your hotel for Biltmore ticket discounts. Whether you stay in one of the hotels near Biltmore Estate in Biltmore Village or in downtown Asheville, a number of hotels partner with Biltmore to offer a ticket discount for their guests. Also note that ticket prices are lower on weekdays.
4. Arrive early! It’s so nice to stroll around the gardens in the quiet of the morning before the estate got busy. Don’t skip the Conservatory, a glass-enclosed oasis of lush tropical foliage located at the bottom of the Walled Garden.
5. Don’t miss the Biltmore wine tasting included with your admission. Located in Antler Hill Village, Biltmore Winery welcomes guests to its tasting room by way of a cool wine tunnel strewn with twinkle lights.
Winery guests have the opportunity to choose six wines to sample from the tasting menu of red, rosé and white wines. The winery also offers a delicious grape juice for kids or non-wine drinkers to sample.
6. While in Antler Hill Village, make sure to check out The Biltmore Legacy museum, also included with your admission. The small museum features some remarkable Vanderbilt family treasures including Napoleon’s chess set.
7. For a taste of Biltmore’s agricultural heritage, treat yourself to the ice cream available at Biltmore Dairy Bar® and at the Creamery in Antler Hill Village. Biltmore was once well-known for its Biltmore Dairy and the buildings that now house Biltmore Winery were originally the estate’s main dairy barn.
8. For lunch, the Stable Café is a unique option. It serves Appalachian comfort food including house-smoked meats in what was once the estate’s horse stables.
9. If you like horses, stop by the horse stable in the Deerpark area of the estate to say hi to Biltmore’s beautiful Belgian draft horses. You can also book a horseback trail ride or carriage ride as an add-on to your experience at Biltmore.
10. If you take kids to Biltmore, plan a play break at the Barn and Farmyard in Antler Hill Village where they can pet farm animals, make crafts and play on the adjacent Pisgah Playground.
Hotels Near Biltmore Estate
Biltmore offers some lovely hotel options to stay on the estate grounds. Just outside Biltmore’s gates, highly-rated Biltmore Village hotels near Biltmore Estate provide a cozy stay in a charming historic village setting.
For my Biltmore getaway, I was drawn to stay in nearby downtown Asheville. If you’re planning a trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains, downtown Asheville is worth visiting for its unique new boutique hotels, Art Deco architecture and exciting dining options.
Stay in Roaring ’20s Style at This Art Deco Hotel in Downtown Asheville
For our Biltmore getaway, I chose the Flat Iron Hotel, a new adaptive reuse boutique hotel that opened in Asheville’s NYC-inspired 1920s Flatiron Building. Historic charm meets modern amenities, this Art Deco hotel is a tribute to Asheville’s boomtown beginnings and artistic soul.
Before check-in, I was happy to find out from the hotel concierge that a Biltmore ticket discount was available for Flat Iron Hotel guests.
After a long day of travel from Florida to Asheville, arriving at a gorgeous Art Deco hotel with an extraordinarily comfortable bed was a wonderful start to our Biltmore getaway.
Once we settled in with a glass of complimentary prosecco in hand, we were glad that we didn’t need to venture out again since the Flat Iron had an on-site restaurant, plus a rooftop bar and speakeasy.
One glimpse of the view from the rooftop bar and I understood why Asheville is known as the Land of the Sky. It’s easy to see why George Vanderbilt was enchanted by the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The Flat Iron Hotel’s rooftop bar is a perfect spot for drinks before dinner in the hotel’s restaurant Luminosa.
Serving modern, rustic Italian-inspired Appalachian cuisine, Luminosa emphasizes local ingredients cooked with a “touch of fire” in a wood-burning oven. I recommend the flavorful lemon pizza with sides of Evan’s Tomatoes and locally-sourced vegetables.
After dinner, you can head downstairs for a nightcap in the former boiler room turned chic speakeasy, Red Ribbon Society.
More Things To Do in Asheville During Your Biltmore Getaway
The Flatiron Building is just one of the many striking Art Deco buildings that make Asheville unique. An Asheville guided walking tour offers a wonderful way to learn more about the city’s history, culture and architectural treasures.
Literature lovers will be intrigued by Asheville’s highly-rated literary tour offering an intimate look at the “Paris of the South.”
Curious about Asheville’s haunted history? Take a spooky stroll through the city on a guided Asheville ghost tour.
Looking for outdoor adventure? Book an Asheville kayak tour on the French Broad River or take a guided waterfall hiking tour to three scenic waterfalls along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Even if you don’t have time for waterfall hiking, make sure to set aside some time for a scenic drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
More Dreamy Destinations for Your Travel Bucket List
Looking for more inspiration for your travel bucket list? Check out more of our travel destination guides like our weekend getaway guide to historic St. Augustine.
Follow along on Instagram for even more bucket list adventure inspiration.
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