Dream Come True – A Trip to Biltmore

It has long been a dream for my mom and me to visit Biltmore Estate, the famed mansion of George Vanderbilt. When we had the opportunity to visit over Thanksgiving this year, we could not wait to get there!

Biltmore Estate, known as America’s Largest Home, was built between 1889 and 1895, and is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Asheville, North Carolina. The Biltmore Estate property is approximately 8,000 acres and the estate home spans 175,000 square feet with 250 rooms. 

Our adventure began at the front gate as we made the three-mile, winding drive to the estate home. The property was beautiful with streams and stone bridges, original to Mr. Vanderbilt’s era. As we arrived in front of the Biltmore Estate, the grandeur was breathtaking and all we had imagined!

Anyone who knows me, knows I LOVE Christmas! Seeing Biltmore in all of its Christmas glory was a sight to behold and spoke to this girl’s holiday decorating heart! You could not help but feel the magic of Christmas with 67 beautiful Christmas trees and garland displays beginning in the foyer and continuing throughout the entire home.

During the tour, we learned that the estate opened on Christmas Eve, 1895, with a grand party. My favorite room in the house was the Banquet Hall. The largest tree in the home was in this room, standing 35 feet tall and featuring 500 ornaments. At the opposite end of this room was a magnificent fireplace, which somehow made this expansive space seem cozy. As we stood in the Banquet Hall, it was fun to think about the holiday parties that had taken place here and the splendor of the attire worn and the meals presented.

My second-favorite room was Mr. Vanderbilt’s library. This two-story, open room holds over 23,000 books as well as a substantial fireplace. It was in this room where scenes of the recently released Hallmark movie, A Biltmore Christmas, were filmed. As a Hallmark Christmas movie enthusiast, I was pretty excited to see a movie set first-hand!

Each room of the estate featured art and furniture original to the Vanderbilt family. The tour gave us details on each room, explaining the décor and what the room was used for. Two interesting sights in the basement were two of the first Brunswick bowling lanes ever built and a brick-lined pool that was used by the Vanderbilt family and their guests. The pool no longer holds water due to leaks but was fun to see. 

We wrapped up our visit with a meal in the Stable Café and a little shopping for special ornaments to commemorate our trip. It was certainly a day to remember!

Sharing a love of flower gardening, my mom and I hope to visit Biltmore again during the summertime when we can see the flowers and landscaping in full bloom!

Amanda Rink

Director of Administrative Support