The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, the largest of the Vanderbilt mansions, had been on our list of historic houses to visit for a while. Spring Break of 2002 provided an opportunity for a family road trip to see this American castle and the natural scenery of Western North Carolina. Off down I-95 from Northern Virginia we headed on a Monday morning, then diverged to I-85 south of Richmond. This was a more direct route across Virginia to the heart of North Carolina. At Durham, I-40 took us straight through to Asheville. We stayed at the Hampton Inn near Biltmore Village, not far from the Biltmore Estate we would visit the following day. The entry is at the Gate House off of Hendersonville Road. Then it is a drive of some distance over a winding
... read more
