A few years ago, my family had the privilege of experiencing Biltmore, located in Asheville, NC. Approximately three months before we were scheduled to leave for Biltmore, I started visiting the website weekly, trying to fathom all that this escapade could entail. By the time we started packing for our trip, I felt I knew everything there was to know when visiting Biltmore. However, once we entered the estate, I realized nothing could have prepared me for this trek. The Biltmore Estate sits on 8,000 acres, has a magnificent view of multiple gardens and the mountains, numerous shops, concerts on the lawn, hotels on the property, an area for the Land Rover experience, horseback riding, bike riding, a museum and a winery.

Based on my visits to the website, I predetermined a two day visit was in order. The first day was devoted to exploring the property and visiting the gardens. We walked for hours just taking in the grandeur of the gardens while taking tons of pictures. On day two, we started with the house tour. I opted for the audio guided tour of the house while the rest of the family did the self-guided tour. The house consisted of 250 rooms which included an indoor swimming pool, bowling alley, the most admirable dining room ever and a rooftop with a splendid view of the mountains. It took us approximately three hours to complete the house tour. The impressiveness of the house could not be put into words. We rounded the day off with the wine tour, wine tasting, a trip to the gift shop, the Biltmore museum and continuous strolling of the trails while taking in the sights.

The Biltmore was truly one for the books. It is my desire to one day return during the holiday season and enjoy “Christmas at Biltmore”.