Biltmore House

The Biltmore Estate is a breathtaking sight to see. While you drive throught the Entrance, you are welcomed by a stream to the right of you. The water flows beautifully down the stream. The trees' loom over the entrance of the Estate. The information center is to the left of the Entrance. In the information center, there is a film that you can view before going up to the house. You can buy your ticket here to visit the house or purchase tickets for a private carriage ride, or a private behind the house tour. The behind the house tour lets you see how the house is ran.
The parking lot is to the right of the Entrance. A bus picks you up and drops you off at the front door of the Estate. You can walk from the parking lot to view the beautiful wooded scenery, if you do not want to ride the bus.
When you enter the black iron gate, a Gazebo sits on top of a hill to the left. The middle of the Biltmore yard is beautifully landscaped.
The house is full of history and heritage. The Winter Garden is beautifully lit by gorgeous over head windows. The winter garden has live plants from one of the 5 gardens on the Estate. The feature of this area is the "Boy steeling geese sculpture." The Vanderbilt's had one daughter, there are pictures of her reception in the Winter Garden.
The library is so gorgeous. The painting of "Chariot of Aurora" views down from the floor to the ceiling. Volumes and volumes of books with titles from Sculpturing, Paris, Spain, Ect. have been used for generations in this room.
Giant fireplaces warmed the house many years ago, as the family sat in the formal living rooms, on all of the four floors. The Pipe Organ was played at different times. The stairways of the house are enormous. The excitement of the climb to each floor is over whelming at times, the house is so large. The living room on the 4th floor was for the servants. The servants quarters have been left in their original condition. Each room has a bed, dresser, rocking chair, bed side table, a closet, and bed linens on the beds. There was a bathroom at the end of the hall. The closet at the end of the hall, had servant hats and clothes to match.
Formal dining rooms are located all over the house. The tapestries and gorgeous rugs accent the China patterns on the oversized tables.
Husbands and wives did not sleep together in the 1800's. Mr. Vanderbilt's room is lined in gold. The Portuguese walnut furniture is very beautifully designed.
Mrs. Vanderbilt's room is also gorgeous. With purple and gold filled bed linens. The room is a sight to behold. Gold curtains and walls line the room. Mr. and Mrs. Vanderbilt's Oak sitting room was a place for the couple to relax and get away by themselves for a while. The sitting room had a small oak table, chairs to match, and china for the table. This room is set up like a small informal dining room.
The Vanderbilt's entertained a large number of guests. Several of the rooms are set up with beds, dressers, and chairs for their visitors.
The huge house has a bowling alley in the basement. Several dressing rooms line a hallway that leads to the indoor pool. The pool has lights in the bottom of it. It is amazing how far advanced the engineering of the Biltmore House is in comparison to the year it was built. The engineering of this house has to be at least 50 years ahead of itself.
The Mountain view is beautiful, as you look out over the Estate. To the left of the house is a flower garden.
The main floor has a hallway leading to the kitchen, it is set up just like a store front. This is where the vegetables were brought in from the garden and stored. The kitchen has dumbwaiter in it, to send food up to the four floors above.
This is such a beatiful place to see. Words cannot describe all there is to see here. I hope that you will take a day or two to come and visit Biltmore House is Asheville, N.C.
Admission price for 9 and younger is free through the year. Ages 10-18 are admitted free January and February. Admission price for an adult is $29.00. You can contact Bitmore at Biltmore.com or 1-877-Biltmore.