When George Vanderbilt began purchasing land for his grand country estate in 1888, the tracts were rough and overworked. Vanderbilt wanted to create an European country setting to complement his grand chateau, but he knew that he needed help to accomplish his goal.   He hired Frederick Law Olmsted, the first American landscape architect, to fulfill his vision. It would be Olmsted’s final project and perhaps his most grand legacy.   A

Beautiful Vision for Biltmore
After visiting the estate for the first time in 1889, Olmsted wrote to Vanderbilt, “My advice would be to make a small park into which to look from your house; make a small pleasure ground and garden, farm your river bottom chiefly to keep and fatten livestock with view to manure; and make the rest a forest, improving the existing woods and planting the old fields.” Vanderbilt agreed with Olmsted’s recommendations, especially the suggestion that agricultural operations should be developed.  

Biltmore would be a working estate with a large farm carefully designed by Olmsted. But it would also be a place of beauty where impressive gardens would showcase nature’s glory. Olmsted included a combination of woodlands, fields and gardens, which blended European design with his signature naturalistic style.  

His plans were for several formal gardens – a four-acre Walled Garden, a 16th-century Italian Garden with three reflecting pools, and a dramatic Rampe Douce and Esplanade lined by an avenue of trees at the entrance to Biltmore House. In addition to these more formal touches, Olmsted also planned a Shrub Garden, a Lagoon and an elaborately designed three-mile Approach Road.  

The Creation of the Azalea Garden
To assist with the development of the gardens, Olmsted hired a Cornell-educated horticulturalist, Chauncey Beadle. Beadle was only hired temporarily in 1890, but ended up staying until his death in 1960.

During his time on the estate, Beadle developed a love for azaleas and amassed a personal collection containing 3,000 plants. In 1940, he donated the entire collection to Biltmore. The shrubs were planted in the Glen, which is now known as the Azalea Garden thanks to Beadle’s extraordinary generosity.  

Exploring Biltmore’s Gardens
Today, guests enjoy access to all of Biltmore’s gardens. Including: 

Library and South Terraces
The terraces were designed for Vanderbilt’s guests who preferred to stay close to Biltmore House. The South Terrace provides spectacular views, while the Library Terrace is shaded by an arbor of wisteria and trumpet creeper vines.  

Italian Garden
The Italian Garden features classical statuary and three formal water gardens. Designed for quiet moments of reflection, this area also hosted tennis and croquet matches on the grassy area near the house. In warm weather, koi and goldfish swim in the pools among large Victorian lilies, water lilies, Lotus and papyrus.  

Shrub Garden
A path leads you through the Shrub Garden, notable for two N.C. State Champion Trees: the golden rain tree and river birch. This garden consists of more than 500 different varieties of plants, shrubs, and trees, many of which were popular in the early 1900s.  

Spring Garden
This sheltered valley is surrounded by a grove of white pines and hemlocks. It is filled with an array of spring blooming shrubs including forsythia, spirea, deutzia and mock orange.  

Walled Garden
This four-acre formal garden features flowerbeds planted in the “bedding out” style popular in the late 1800s. Two arbors totaling 236 feet serve as its spine. The central beds feature thousands of tulips in the spring, vivid summer annuals and a kaleidoscope of mums in the fall. Themed areas include a Victorian border, winter border, scented border, butterfly garden and white border.  

Historic Rose Garden
More than 200 varieties of heirloom and hybrid roses bloom in the Rose Garden. This garden also features historically inspired rose displays with may poles, plus a selection of varieties that are undergoing trial.  

Conservatory
Designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt, this glass-roofed building nurtures exotic orchids, ferns, and palms and provides flowers and plants for the house just as it did in the Vanderbilts’ time.  

Azalea Garden
This 15-acre garden—the largest on the estate—contains one of the country’s largest selections of native azaleas. It represents 60 years of work by Chauncey Beadle, an avid azalea collector and horticulturist hired at Biltmore in 1890 and who later became the estate’s superintendent. Also notable are the evergreen China firs—often mistaken for pine trees but with wide, flat, sharp leaves rather than needles—and the Katsura trees that display brilliant foliage and a distinctive “cotton candy” fragrance in autumn.  

Bass Pond
Frederick Law Olmsted created this water feature from an old creek-fed millpond, adding a rustic boat house so the Vanderbilts’ guests could rest while enjoying the gardens. The arched brick bridge crossing the pond was featured in the 1991 film The Last of the Mohicans.

In the heart of Biltmore’s Walled Garden is an architectural treasure, almost as beautiful as Biltmore House. The Conservatory, designed by Biltmore House architect Richard Morris Hunt, was built to provide Biltmore House and the gardens with flowers and tender bedding plants. Today, more than a century later, it still fulfills that role.  

Carefully placed at the lower end of the garden, so as not to obstruct the view from Biltmore House, the Conservatory consists of four main rooms. The central room is a “Palm House,” which contains a large collection of palms, ferns and other foliage plants. The annexes include a cool house, hot house and orchid house. The total heated space under glass in the Conservatory is over 7,000 square feet, making the structure an exotic escape in cooler months.  

The Conservatory was originally heated using a system that forced hot water through cast iron pipes placed under the plant benches. The hot water was heated by a coal-fired furnace and boiler in the basement. Ventilation and cooling was controlled using side and roof vents that were opened and closed manually using hand-turned cranks or chain pulleys. More than century later, these vents are still in use.  

When construction on the Conservatory was complete, George Vanderbilt and Frederick Law Olmsted created a list of plants that were suitable and desirable for the estate’s plant collection. The list included palms, ferns, orchids, azaleas, roses and violets.  

When Vanderbilt married Edith Stuyvesant Dresser and brought her to the estate in 1898, the Conservatory allowed Edith to indulge her passion for plants. Estate records show that she was especially fond of carnations, chrysanthemums, roses and sweet peas. The plant collection in the Conservatory expanded to include her favorite plants, with special orders placed to growers stateside and in Paris.  

During Vanderbilt’s lifetime, the Conservatory began providing plants and flowers to All Souls church in Biltmore Village. The tradition started in 1897 with a gift of palms for Palm Sunday and continued with flowers on holidays such as Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. The tradition still continues today as a sign of Vanderbilt’s lasting legacy.

About Biltmore
Located in Asheville, North Carolina, Biltmore was the vision of George W. Vanderbilt. Designed by Richard Morris Hunt, America’s largest home is a 250-room French Renaissance chateau, exhibiting the Vanderbilt family’s original collection of furnishings, art and antiques. Biltmore estate encompasses more than 8,000 acres including renowned gardens designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the father of American landscape architecture.  Today, Biltmore has grown to include Antler Hill Village, which features the award-winning Winery and Antler Hill Farm; the four-star Inn on Biltmore Estate; Equestrian Center; numerous restaurants; event and meeting venues;  and Biltmore For Your Home, the company’s licensed products division. To learn more about Biltmore, or book a visit to Biltmore, go to www.biltmore.com or call 877-BILTMORE

The mission statement of Biltmore is “The preservation of Biltmore as a privately-owned, profitable, working estate.” With an emphasis on preservation, it’s no surprise Biltmore prides itself on having an in-house conservation department.  

Putting Preservation First
The Museum Services department oversees all things regarding the preservation of Biltmore House and its contents. While the team works daily behind the scenes, its efforts are evident in every inch of Biltmore House and beyond.  

Members of the Museum Services department spend each day researching estate history, and often make new discoveries about the Vanderbilts and their friends, family and associates along the way. The same meticulous fact-finding goes into the work that the team’s preservationists and conservationists do when restoring objects from the family archives. These tasks are part of the ongoing mission to preserve and showcase Biltmore House in an authentic manner relevant to George Vanderbilt’s time.  

Playing Detective in America’s Largest Home
When restoring a room or area of Biltmore House, Museum Services team members play detective, poring over historical documents and scrutinizing the site’s details to confirm its original purpose. That information serves as the basis for restoration plans. The team’s goal is to present an accurate representation of Biltmore House during the time the Vanderbilt family lived in it.  

When it comes time to recreate decorative elements for a project, Museum Services goes to great lengths to ensure materials for the rooms are recreated in an authentic manner. For example, when restoring the Tyrolean Chimney Room, one of the most opulent guest bedrooms in Biltmore House, Biltmore commissioned Atelier d’Offard based in Tours, France, to reproduce the wallpaper. This company was one of the few in the world that could recreate the paper using the same techniques used to craft Biltmore’s wallpapers more than a century ago.

Conservation is the Key

Another key component of the Museum Services department is the conservation team. Three professional conservators and three conservation technicians spend hours each day documenting the condition of objects in Biltmore House’s collection and restoring them to their original beauty or preserving them as they are.  There are approximately 50,000 objects in Biltmore House’s collection, which includes an extraordinary collection of fine art, antiques and books. This vast collection, paired with the seasonal needs of care and cleaning, ensures the team stays busy keeping Biltmore’s priceless collection in pristine condition.

It started off as an innocent family vacation with his mother, but George Vanderbilt’s trip to Asheville, N.C., in 1888 was more than just a simple getaway. It was the first step in a journey that culminated with the completion of the 250-room Biltmore House, America’s largest privately owned-home.  

The Dream Begins
When Vanderbilt arrived in Asheville, he immediately fell in love with the rustic beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The area was already popular among the wealthy for its healing springs and reviving mountain air. Away from the hustle and bustle of New York society, Vanderbilt saw a place where he could give life to his dream of recreating an English country estate.   An avid traveler, Vanderbilt was captivated by European country estates. He commissioned Richard Morris Hunt, the unofficial Vanderbilt family architect, to help design his new home.  

Building a European Estate in America
Work began on Biltmore House in 1889. The construction process required around 1,000 workers ranging from local laborers to internationally known artists such as Viennese sculptor Karl Bitter and Spanish architect Rafael Guastavino.  

To accomplish the seemingly impossible feat of building a European chateau in rural North Carolina, Hunt focused on efficiency. The land in front of the home site was transformed into a mini-town with buildings and small factories that produced materials necessary for the construction of the house. An on-site kiln produced up to 32,000 bricks daily, and a woodworking factory supplied oak and walnut for the house’s floors and walls.  

Indiana limestone, Italian marble and other supplies were shipped into Asheville by rail. Vanderbilt built a private railroad track from the village depot up to the construction site. The 3-mile route eventually became what is now the Approach Road that leads guests to Biltmore House.  

A Home for the Ages
Once the house was completed in 1895, it was easy to see the European influence. Vanderbilt and Hunt traveled through Europe while in the early planning stages of the home’s construction. They found inspiration for the house’s exterior in the 16th-century chateaux of Loire Valley, France. The stair tower and steeply pitched roofline were inspired by three specific chateaux: Blois, Chenonceau and Chambord.  

Inside, the house was distinctively English. The country estates of Knole, Hatfield House and Haddon Hall provided guidance for the design of the interiors:

• Winter Garden: This glass-roofed room was considered stylish in the Victoria era and provided a place to display exotic plants. The marble and bronze fountain sculpture by artist Karl Bitter, Boy Stealing Geese, is the centerpiece.
• Banquet Hall: Measuring 42 feet wide by 72 feet long, and boasting a 70-foot high ceiling, this room features three fireplaces and an organ gallery. Artist Karl Bitter carved murals into the fireplaces’ overmantel and the organ gallery.
• Tapestry Gallery: This 90-foot-long room served as a sitting room and a ballroom. It was designed to display three 16th-century Flemish tapestries, which currently adorn the walls.
• Library: The dramatic ceiling painting, The Chariot of Aurora, adorns this massive room. Approximately half of Vanderbilt’s 23,000-volume book collection resides here.

When George Vanderbilt arrived in Asheville, N.C., for the first time in 1888, it was a monumental moment in his personal history. Soon, this modest western North Carolina city would capture his heart with its rugged beauty and become his new home. He would shape a new life here by purchasing 125,000 acres, building a magnificent 250-room chateau, and creating grand gardens and nurturing forests on the property. Later, the house would become a home with his marriage to Edith Stuyvesant Dresser and the birth of his daughter, Cornelia. The Vanderbilt family tree would expand and dig deep roots in Asheville with a second and third generation that would call the estate “home” and take over the management of Biltmore.  

A Modest Beginning in Staten Island
But before Vanderbilt’s arrival in North Carolina, the Vanderbilt family hailed from Staten Island, New York. George’s grandfather, Cornelius “Commodore” Vanderbilt, created the family fortune through sheer determination and will. With a $100 loan from his mother, he launched a modest ferry service that grew into a fleet of more than 100 steamboats that crossed the globe. The success of his business created uncommon wealth and parlayed the family into high society.   The Commodore was the patriarch of a large family that included 13 children, 37 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren. Upon his death, he left his $100 million estate to his eldest son, William Henry.  

The Vanderbilt Family Grows
William Henry Vanderbilt doubled the family wealth and settled his family into a mansion on the prestigious Fifth Avenue in New York City. George Vanderbilt was the youngest of William’s eight children and had a fondness for learning and travel.  

He appreciated his father’s extensive art collection and began collecting art and books at an early age. He journeyed across Europe, Asia and Africa as a young man in search of new experiences and culture. Although he eventually owned four other homes in Bar Harbor, Maine; Washington D.C.; New York City; and Paris, France, it was western North Carolina that captured Vanderbilt’s heart.

Discovering Western North Carolina
Vanderbilt arrived in Asheville, N.C., in the late 19th century as his mother’s traveling companion. At the time, the southern Appalachian Mountains were famous for their restorative health claims. Tourists flocked to the region to enjoy its mineral springs and mild climate.  

While exploring the area, Vanderbilt decided to build a home here and enlisted the help of architect Richard Morris Hunt and landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. In 1895, his vision was complete when Biltmore House opened to family and friends on Christmas Eve.  

The Next Generation Arrives
Today, George Vanderbilt’s great-grandson William (Bill) A.V. Cecil, Jr. serves as CEO and president of Biltmore. His great-granddaughter, Diana “Dini” Cecil Pickering, serves as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, is a member of the company’s Executive Committee, and acts as the Family Office President. Together, they ensure Biltmore will exist for future generations to come.

Today, Biltmore House is known as America’s largest private residence and a National Historic Landmark. But before it became one of North Carolina’s most popular tourist destinations, it was simply “home” to the Vanderbilt family.  

George Vanderbilt visited Asheville, NC, in 1888 and was captivated by the area’s natural beauty. He slowly began purchasing land and ended up with 125,000 acre estate. Determined to make this rustic community his home, Vanderbilt enlisted architect Richard Morris Hunt to design and build a 250-room chateau. Landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted was also hired to create formal gardens and transform the former farmland into a beautiful pastoral landscape.  

Biltmore House officially opened to family and friends on Christmas Eve, 1895. George Vanderbilt had a beautiful family home, but as America’s most eligible bachelor of his time, no one to share it with.  

A Legendary Romance
That all changed on April 28, 1898, when Vanderbilt proposed to Edith Stuyvesant Dresser. A family friend, Edith was 10 years younger than Vanderbilt but admired for her beauty and personality. She was hailed as cosmopolitan and cultured yet humble and down to earth. The pair shared a passion for learning and travel that they indulged throughout their marriage.  

On June 1, 1898, the pair was joined as husband and wife in a private 15-minute civil ceremony in a town hall in Paris, France. The next day, they followed French tradition with a religious ceremony at the American Church of the Holy Trinity in Paris. Close friends and family were invited to this ceremony, which was surprisingly simple and modest considering the media fanfare that surrounded the event.  

A quiet Italian honeymoon followed, and then the couple returned to Biltmore House. Estate employees welcomed the bride to her new home by lining up along the Approach Road. A giant horseshoe made out of goldenrod flowers with the phrase “Welcome Home” spelled out in more flowers greeted the couple as they arrived at Biltmore House.  

Biltmore House Becomes a Family Home
The happy couple added to their family on August 22, 1900, with the birth of their daughter Cornelia. It was a joyous occasion celebrated among the family and recorded by local newspapers. The Spartanburg Journal wrote, “A new star has appeared at famous Biltmore, and the charming mistress of this most gorgeous home is smiling upon her first born, a tiny girl called Cornelia Stuyvesant Vanderbilt, and the world shares in her new found happiness.”  

Cornelia spent her childhood on the estate, and often played with the local children whose families lived and worked on the estate. When Cornelia was 13, tragedy struck when George Vanderbilt unexpectedly died following an emergency appendectomy in Washington, D.C., in March 1914. Mrs. Vanderbilt returned to the estate after her husband’s death, but eventually consolidated the family businesses and properties.  

The Arrival of a New Generation
A decade later, wedding bells rang as Cornelia married the Honorable John Francis Amherst Cecil at All Souls Church in Biltmore Village on April 29, 1924. It was a joyous occasion as guests from around the world descended upon the quiet little town of Asheville. Mr. Cecil was a British diplomat and a descendant of Lord Burghley who was High Treasurer to Queen Elizabeth I.  

A second generation arrived at Biltmore House a year later. George Henry Vanderbilt Cecil was born in Biltmore House in 1925. Three years later in 1928, William Amherst Vanderbilt Cecil was born in Biltmore House. George and William were educated abroad in Switzerland and England, but always returned home to Biltmore for holidays and summer vacations.  

The brothers were instrumental in caring for the estate as adults.  William especially was involved in overseeing the care of Biltmore House, the estate and the current Biltmore Company. Today, his son, William A.V. Cecil, Jr, is CEO of Biltmore.

While daytime admission to Biltmore ensures an enjoyable visit with access to Biltmore House, the gardens, Antler Hill Village and Winery, extra details that hallmark the estate’s specialty guided tours make a difference.  

Dig Deeper Into History
Biltmore House is more than just America’s largest home. It’s also a treasure trove of fascinating stories and lively history. These specialty guided tours offer fascinating snippets from Biltmore’s archives and glimpses into areas of the House not open on the self-guided tour:

• Guided Biltmore House Tour: This 90-minute tour pulls back the velvet curtain. History comes alive with dramatic stories about house parties, insight into George Vanderbilt’s closest friends and details about daily life on the estate.
• Biltmore House Rooftop Tour: See the House from a fresh perspective with a 60-minute tour that goes to areas not normally open the estate guests. Travel to the roof for sweeping panoramic views, linger on the upper Observatory’s balcony and parapet and learn more about the construction of the house.
• Behind-the-Scenes Guided Upstairs – Downstairs Tour: In this 60-minute guided tour, descend the back stairs to explore servant life at Biltmore. Discover cutting-edge technology that kept America’s largest home humming. Visit the domains of the butler, head housekeeper, and lady’s maid, then continue on to a suite of guest rooms to learn about grand house parties hosted by the Vanderbilts.
• Legacy of the Land Tour: History isn’t confined to the estate’s structures. Biltmore’s grounds are also rich with stories from the past. Enjoy a guided motor coach ride across the estate and discover the remnants of a community church, tracks from a forgotten railroad trestle and other important archeological findings.

Uncork Something Special
In addition to the Winery’s complimentary wine tasting, Biltmore offers more opportunities to quench your thirst for knowledge with one of these exclusive experiences.

• Red Wine & Chocolate Seminar: Biltmore’s wine experts reveal the science and romance behind the pairing of chocolate with red wine. Samples are, of course, included. Guests must be 21 to attend.
• Biltmore Bubbles Tour: Learn why everyone loves sparkling wine with a tour of Biltmore’s champagne bottling room, a quick lesson on the wine making process and samples of Biltmore’s six sparkling wines. Guests must be 21 to attend.
• Vine to Wine Tour: Explore how Biltmore grapes become our award-winning wines. Visit areas on the estate not normally seen by guests, including a trip to the vineyards and a walking production tour. Sample wine tastings throughout the tour and conclude with a grand tasting. Guests must be 21 to attend. Pricing for these “extras” vary and are in addition to the daytime admission price.

Come Play in Our 8,000-Acre Backyard

Nature takes center stage with an assortment of outdoor activities from the Outdoor Center and Trail Ride Barn.

• Bike Rental and Trail Pass: Guests may bring a bike or rent one from the Bike Barn to explore miles of trails ranging from easy to difficult.
• Carriage Rides: Enjoy a relaxing ride through meadows and woods on a 12-person wagonette, or a more intimate journey in a two-person carriage.
• Orvis-Endorsed Fly-Fishing School: Plan for a two-hour, half-day, or full-day fly-fishing excursion. Orvis equipment and world-class instruction provided.
• Horseback Rides: Novice and experienced riders alike will enjoy relaxing trail rides through peaceful woods and pastures. Guided group and private trail rides are available. 
• Land Rover Experience Driving School: Tap into your sense of adventure with off-road driving lessons in a Land Rover.  Experienced instructors offer lessons, trail drives and a full-day experience.
• River Float Trips:  Float down the peaceful French Broad River and enjoy riverbank wildlife and incredible views of the estate. Guided raft trips and self-guided kayak trips available. Offered April through October.
• Segway Tours: Travel in a new way with guided Segway tours of the estate. Options include basic rides down paved estate paths, off-road tours, advanced off-road tours, and tours on the west side of the estate. 
• Sporting Clays: Take your best shot and learn precision shooting techniques from our experience instructors using a Beretta shotgun.

About Biltmore
Located in Asheville, N.C., Biltmore was the vision of George W. Vanderbilt.  Designed by Richard Morris Hunt, America’s largest home is a 250-room French Renaissance chateau, exhibiting the Vanderbilt family’s original collection of furnishings, art and antiques. Biltmore estate encompasses more than 8,000 acres including renowned gardens designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the father of American landscape architecture. Today, Biltmore includes Antler Hill Village, which features the award-winning Winery and Antler Hill Farm; four-star The Inn on Biltmore Estate; the new Village Hotel on Biltmore Estate; Equestrian Center; numerous restaurants; event and meeting venues; and Biltmore For Your Home, the company’s licensed products division. To learn more about Biltmore, go to www.biltmore.com or call 877-BILTMORE

One of America’s greatest love stories transpired more than 100 years ago when George Washington Vanderbilt wed Edith Stuyvesant Dresser and brought her home to his 250-room Biltmore House in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains.  

With its fairytale setting and the home’s French Renaissance style, Biltmore has inspired many proposals, serves as a wedding location nearly every weekend of the year and led CNN.com to feature Biltmore as a place to have a romantic adventure.  

If you’re planning to pop the question, consider this list of romantic spots on the estate for your big moment.

1. In a Horse-Drawn Carriage – Couples wishing for some privacy (and a very discreet driver) may take one of our horse-drawn carriages for a gentle journey through forests and pastures, and stopping at the top of a hill that features a stunning view of the back of Biltmore House.
2. At the Statue of Diana, Goddess of the Hunt – After an easy hike to the top of the hill where The Statue of Diana stands, catch your breath and take in the majestic view of Biltmore House with sky and the Blue Ridge Mountains in the background. Then proceed!
3. In the South Terrace Tea House, with its gorgeous views of Mount Pisgah, and the southern end of Biltmore House. The Tea House is an open-air structure.
4. On top of Biltmore House – The guided Rooftop Tour takes you to the roof for up-close inspections of the home’s structure and intricate carvings. Don’t let the gargoyles and grotesques scare you. They’re harmless.
5. Along the bridge over the waterfall near the Bass Pond. This is a more secluded location, below the formal gardens. This location is great in springtime or during October when the leaves are changing colors.
6. During a candlelight dinner at Bistro or the Dining Room at The Inn. Our estate chefs create incredible meals using fresh ingredients grown right on the estate.
7. Sitting on the rocking chairs on The Inn’s wide verandah, where the estate’s sparkling wine can be delivered for your big moment.
8. Under the Pergola next to the South Terrace at Biltmore House, particularly in springtime when Wisteria vines are blooming.
9. On one of the semi-secluded benches in the Italian Gardens. The reflecting pools full of lily pads and other exotic blooms set a soothing tone for an early summer evening proposal.
10. If you like to bike or hike, you can pack a picnic, rent bikes or take one of our many hiking trails for an exciting adventure. Stop at the Lagoon to picnic and pop the question.

Biltmore’s first-time visitors often realize that once they arrive there’s more to see and do than they expected. Perhaps that was George Vanderbilt’s grand plan when he created the estate in the late 1800s.  

Wowing guests for more than 100 years, Biltmore offers a full menu of activities to keep guests intrigued as they discover Vanderbilt’s 8,000-acre mountain estate.  

A visit to Biltmore includes access to the 250-room Biltmore House; 80-plus acres of formal gardens; Antler Hill Village and Farm; and the estate’s award-winning Winery. Exploring each part can take a full day – or even more. Guests wishing to extend their visit to two or more days often choose to stay at The Inn on Biltmore Estate or the Village Hotel at Biltmore Estate.  

Discovering America’s Largest Home

The Biltmore House visit is a self-guided tour through three floors and the basement of America’s largest home. Every room on the tour has been carefully conserved by Biltmore’s Museum Services staff. Displays of the Vanderbilts’ original artwork collection and furniture beautifully illustrate life at Biltmore as it was during the time when George and Edith Vanderbilt lived in the home with their only child, daughter Cornelia.  Many of the rooms offer panoramic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.  

An audio tour of the House is the perfect companion in that it reveals fascinating details about the Vanderbilt family, their guests and entertaining stories about life on the estate. A guest host is posted in each of the main rooms, ready to answer questions and provide insight into the life and times of the Vanderbilts.  

Beautiful Gardens for Every Season

Beyond the House, acres of formal gardens beckon. Biltmore’s gardens were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the father of American landscape architecture. The formal Italian Garden offers a quiet place to relax with its classic statuary and three symmetrical reflecting pools, while the Shrub Garden entices with a stroll along secluded paths. The 4-acre Walled Garden teems with seasonal color and symmetrical design. The historic Rose Garden is filled with multiple varieties of roses, some of the very same types first grown in the garden during Vanderbilt’s day. The soaring Conservatory, designed by Biltmore House architect Richard Morris Hunt, is a showcase filled with tropical palms, ferns and orchids.  

Beyond the formal gardens are more than 20 miles of hiking and walking paths.  

Family Fun at Antler Hill Village & Winery

Casual fun is the order of the day at Antler Hill Village and the Winery with fascinating historical exhibits at The Biltmore Legacy, live seasonal entertainment at the Village Green, and farm exhibits and animals at the Farm. At the Winery, enjoy complimentary samples of Biltmore’s award-winning wines and tours of the facility, once home to the original Biltmore Dairy.   

Extend fun with a stay at The Inn on Biltmore Estate or Village Hotel on Biltmore Estate

Stay a night or two and dig deeper into the Biltmore visit. The Inn on Biltmore Estate features graciously appointed rooms and warm hospitality in honor of Vanderbilt’s lasting legacy of hospitality. The Inn is rated Four Diamonds by AAA and Four Diamonds by Forbes Travel Guide.

Village Hotel is the estate’s second accommodation property, joining The Inn on Biltmore Estate to provide a range of options for guests who want to stay overnight on the estate.  Village Hotel’s location is set in a casual and social atmosphere in the heart of Antler Hill Village, while The Inn offers four-star accommodations in a luxurious, private hill-top setting.

About Biltmore

Located in Asheville, N.C., Biltmore was the vision of George W. Vanderbilt.  Designed by Richard Morris Hunt, America’s largest home is a 250-room French Renaissance chateau, exhibiting the Vanderbilt family’s original collection of furnishings, art and antiques. Biltmore estate encompasses more than 8,000 acres including renowned gardens designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the father of American landscape architecture. Today, Biltmore includes Antler Hill Village, which features the award-winning Winery and Antler Hill Farm; four-star The Inn on Biltmore Estate; the new Village Hotel on Biltmore Estate; Equestrian Center; numerous restaurants; event and meeting venues; and Biltmore For Your Home, the company’s licensed products division. To learn more about Biltmore, go to www.biltmore.com or call 877-BILTMORE.

When George Vanderbilt opened Biltmore House for the first time to family and friends on Christmas Eve 1895, it was a special day. The grand celebration began a treasured estate tradition that continues more than a century later.

The First Christmas at Biltmore House

The first Christmas at Biltmore House was a joyous occasion. Estate records show that Vanderbilt paid close attention to every detail to ensure a memorable holiday experience for his guests. Requests were placed for a large Christmas tree in the Banquet Hall; mistletoe and holly were gathered; and hand-made garlands were hung throughout the house.

Vanderbilt also held a Christmas party for estate employees. Workers and their families were invited to Biltmore House on Christmas morning for a grand party that included cake, ice cream and gifts galore. The Cecil family – Vanderbilt’s descendants and present-day owners of the estate – continues that tradition today, and hosts a holiday celebration for employees and their families.

Christmas at Biltmore Today

The magic of the holidays continues today with Christmas at Biltmore, a special celebration offered in November and December. Known as one of the Southeast’s most elegant and awe-inspiring holiday travel destinations,  the modern-day celebration is modeled after the estate’s first Christmas, with miles of garlan, hundreds of poinsettias, dozens of Christmas trees and an elaborately decorated 35-foot Fraser fir Christmas tree in the Banquet Hall.

Other festivities around the estate during the holiday season include visits with Santa in Antler Hill Village, and the release of Biltmore’s special Christmas wines.

The Magic of Candlelight Christmas Evenings

In the evening, the enchantment continues with Candlelight Christmas Evenings. Luminaries dot the Front Lawn of Biltmore House and thousands of tiny white lights adorn the Front Lawn’s 55-foot tall Norway Spruce. Inside the House, soloists and choirs perform traditional Christmas music, with the rooms taking on a magical glow as candles illuminate holiday decor.

Special holiday menus at estate restaurants and holiday packages at the four-star Inn on Biltmore Estate and cozy Village Hotel on Biltmore Estate complete the experience and promise a memorable visit.