Rooftop Tour

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Limited Capacity: 12 Guests per Tour
A truly memorable experience featuring rare photo opportunities, this exclusive guided tour offers a behind-the-scenes look at the design and construction of Biltmore House in areas unavailable on the regular house visit. Imagine yourself a Vanderbilt (or cherished Vanderbilt guest) as you take in stunning views seen only from the house’s rooftop and balconies.

Advance reservation required. Tour includes 250 stairs with no elevator access. Wheelchairs, strollers, and baby backpacks are prohibited. Backpacks are not allowed on any guided tours. Guests are required to leave backpacks in a locker or in their vehicle. To participate in this tour, guest must have a daytime ticket, a Biltmore Annual Pass, or a stay at one of the estate’s splendid overnight properties.

Guided Raft Trip

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Sit back, relax, and take in the breathtaking beauty of the estate while your knowledgeable guide paddles your raft down the French Broad River.

Maximum of six participants per raft, 12 participants per time slot. To participate in this activity, guest must have a daytime ticket, a Biltmore Annual Pass, or a stay at one of the estate’s splendid overnight properties.

Farm to Table Tour & Taste

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Join us for an unforgettable experience that features a fascinating tour of Biltmore’s rarely-seen West Side, plus an opportunity to taste farm-fresh estate-grown artisanal fare!

As you ride aboard a comfortable air-conditioned estate shuttle, Biltmore’s agricultural experts will share the history of our working farm’s agricultural operations, as well as the innovative farming practices in use today. This experience—the only tour that offers guest access to the estate’s pastoral West Side—includes “behind-the-scenes” looks at the estate’s Black Angus beef cattle and Berkshire hog facilities, hydroponic greenhouses, and picturesque vineyards.

After hearing how we continue to fulfill George Vanderbilt’s original vision of Biltmore as a self-sustaining estate, you’ll enjoy a relaxing respite under the trees. Here you’ll savor a glass of handcrafted Biltmore Wine and taste such estate-grown delights as a salad comprised of artisanal lettuces, creamy goat cheese, thyme-infused olive oil cake, and wildflower honey!

Maximum of 20 participants per tour. Advance reservations required. To participate in this activity, guest must have a Biltmore Annual Pass, or a stay at one of the estate’s splendid overnight properties.

Majority of tour is aboard an estate shuttle with minimal walking (10-20 minutes). Dress comfortably for the season and wear closed-toe shoes.

Biltmore Wine and bottled water provided, plus sampling of fresh, estate-grown artisanal fare, and a keepsake Biltmore acrylic stemless wine glass.

Menu and tour details subject to change seasonally based on harvest and product availability.

Complimentary Wine Tastings

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Hosted in our inviting Tasting Room, our Complimentary Wine Tastings are yet another extension of the Vanderbilts’ signature gracious hospitality.

Our knowledgeable wine hosts will introduce you to some of our Winery’s most popular and award-winning vintages, while also sharing a brief history of Biltmore’s vineyards and wine operations.

Reservations are required for all wine tastings and must be made on the day of your visit.

Because our complimentary wine tastings fill up quickly, we recommend you reserve your tasting when you arrive at the estate at any Guest Services location.

Minimum age of 21 to be served wine. Grape juice available for underage guests!

Kids’ Nature Quest

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Can you help Cedric, the Vanderbilts’ beloved St. Bernard dog, locate his wild animal buddies? Armed with a map and accompanied by an Outdoor Adventure Center guide, participants will embark upon an engaging navigational quest to find Cedric’s animal and bird friends. An enjoyable exploration of Biltmore’s great outdoors, this scavenger hunt activity includes scouting out hidden locations, solving riddles, practicing wayfinding skills… and a wonderful sense of accomplishment at adventure’s end!

Maximum of 5 participants. Each participant must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Advance reservations required. To participate in this activity, guest must have a daytime ticket, a Biltmore Annual Pass, or a stay at one of the estate’s splendid overnight properties. Participants are encouraged bring water, dress for the weather, and wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes.

Friday Night Bikes

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Light up the summer night with Biltmore’s most unique biking adventure!

This leisurely guided ride—the only bike ride offered in the evening hours—is a relaxing 3- to 6-mile cruise along mostly flat gravel and paved trails from the Bike Barn in Antler Hill Village to the Lagoon. Participants will experience the estate at sunset as dusk settles over Biltmore House and the reflection pool. When darkness falls, the bikes, each outfitted with their very own set of light-up wheels and frames, come to vivid, luminous life for the ride back to the Bike Barn. An entirely new way to enjoy the estate is yours with this one-of-kind adventure!

Maximum of 12 participants. Advance reservations are required. To make reservations for this activity, guest must have a daytime ticket, a Biltmore Annual Pass, or an overnight stay booked at Village Hotel, The Inn, or Cottages on Biltmore Estate.

Croquet

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Discover one of the most authentic Vanderbilt-era activities Biltmore has to offer! Your experienced Outdoor Adventure Center guide provides croquet equipment, course setup, plus coaching, captaining, or simply supervising teams as they navigate the course. Regardless of experience or skill level, all will delight in the fun, friendly sport enjoyed by the Vanderbilts and their guests more than a century ago.

Croquet equipment provided for use.

Maximum of 8 participants. Advance reservations required. To participate in this activity, guest must have a daytime ticket, a Biltmore Annual Pass, or a stay at one of the estate’s splendid overnight properties. Must be 8 years of age or older to participate. Participants are encouraged to bring water, dress for the weather, and wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes.

House & Gardens Loop e-Bike Ride

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Tour the estate’s most iconic locations during this one-of-a-kind 10-mile morning ride aboard one of our e-Bikes. After meeting your expert guide at the Bike Barn in Antler Hill Village, you’ll embark upon a leisurely-paced journey that includes Amherst at Deerpark®, the Approach Road, Biltmore House, the Walled Garden, the Bass Pond, and the Lagoon! Enjoy an abundance of stunning photo opportunities as you traverse paved and gravel roads amid lush summer-blooming meadows, fields, and gardens.

This ride also includes a support vehicle: not only is it equipped with snacks and beverages, there’s also space to stow your e-Bike should you need a break.

Maximum of 8 participants. Advance reservations are required. To make reservations for this activity, guest must have a daytime ticket, a Biltmore Annual Pass, or an overnight stay booked at Village Hotel, The Inn, or Cottages on Biltmore Estate.

Afternoon Tea in The Dining Room

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Inspired by the Vanderbilt tradition of sharing afternoon tea with guests, The Dining Room’s unique take on this elegant experience features Newby Teas, renowned as one of the world’s finest tea purveyors. Tea is served with such delights as fresh-baked scones with clotted cream, honey, and preserves, artfully prepared sweet and savory canapés, and finely cut tea sandwiches. To further enhance this welcome moment of leisure, indulge in a carefully crafted tea-infused cocktail, Mimosa, or Kir Royale.

Resort Elegant attire (slacks, dress shirt, dress) is recommended and encouraged for Afternoon Tea in The Dining Room. Shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, and faded denims are not appropriate nor permitted.

To participate in this activity guest must have a daytime ticket, a Biltmore Annual Pass, or a stay at one of the estate’s splendid overnight properties.

Naturalist Talks

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Join our knowledgeable Outdoor Adventure Center Guides for engaging and informative talks about some of the wildlife that call our 8,000-acre estate home!

Hosted in Antler Hill Village’s historic Horse Barn, these brief presentations introduce you to different wild Biltmore inhabitants each month:

  • June: Bears
  • July: Turtles

Find out where they live, what they eat, and what (if anything!) eats them. You’ll also learn about their life cycles and behaviors, including how they interact (or not!) with humans. Full of fascinating facts about each creature profiled, these talks inspire a deeper connection to the natural world around us.

No reservation required. No minimum age required; parent or guardian must accompany guests under age 18. To participate in this activity, guest must have a daytime ticket, a Biltmore Annual Pass, or a stay at one of the estate’s splendid overnight properties.