Biltmore Estate

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July 6, 2010
On a sultry July morning we (and a few thousand others) toured America's largest house, the Biltmore, located in Ashville, North Carolina. Opened in 1895 by George Vanderbilt, the 250 room home was opened to the public in 1930.

It is not a cheap tour. We were able to get $40 tickets through AAA. You can also receive a small discount if you buy your tickets on line. On the day we went full price tickets were $60 each. Your ticket will allow you a self-guided tour of the house, gardens, winery, and farm. For an additional $10 you can rent an audio guide. There are also other specialty tours that range in price from $17-$19. All in all a visit to the Biltmore can set you back $60-$90 per person.

We opted for the self-guided tour without the audio guide. You are admitted to the house at assigned times. Luckily, we had a morning time. The line moved excruciatingly slow. My idea of self-guided and theirs are completely different. Meandering through the house in what amounts to one long cattle line was not fun. Our $80 admission ticket did not include the entire house. On the positive side, it is a beautiful house and it is interesting to see how the rich once lived.

After our tour we had lunch in the food court area near the home, and then drove one of the roads within the estate, before heading into downtown Ashville for more sightseeing.

Unlike the lady at AAA who spoke in glowing terms of her four visits to the Biltmore (and would go again), considering the lines, price, and limited access, I think one visit was enough for us.

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