Any advice on going to Biltmore Estate? I'll be in town with my girlfriend Saturday. While there seems to be crowd-control admission policies, it seems to me it ought to be packed. I've never been and am expecting great things.. especially due to the time of year.

5/22/2010 9:49:51 PM

my advice: go do any of the hundreds of things in asheville that don't cost out the ass instead

5/22/2010 10:05:21 PM

I've been 7-8 times and it has never been packed in there. They only allow a certain number of folks inside at a time, so it spreads out the crowd. I have been able to take my time each time I've gone.
I would suggest getting in line at the gate (down at the bottom of the mountain) as soon as they will let you. I think it is around 9AM. You can tour the house early in the morning and then have the rest of the day to tour the gardens, grounds, and winery.

Also, I would suggest getting the audio tour. They give you a personal device with headphones to wear. Each room you enter has a number that you input into the device and it gives you detailed information about the room and what is inside each room. I was against it the first several times I went, but I finally broke down and got it. I was glad I did, as I learned a bunch of stuff about the rooms that I didn't know before (including hidden passages, famous paintings, and such).

5/22/2010 10:22:14 PM

What is the policy on indoor photography at the Biltmore? I'd assume there isnt any strict rules, but I could be wrong

5/22/2010 11:20:57 PM

even i snuck a snapshot inside the Sistine Chapel ... im sure you'll be fine

5/22/2010 11:59:30 PM

Quote :

"my advice: go do any of the hundreds of things in asheville that don't cost out the ass instead"

Yep. The one time I went it was like, "Big house. Check!"

5/23/2010 12:07:18 AM

If you are going to the Biltmore I have 1 bit of advice

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6Oc3WizIRg

5/23/2010 12:56:53 AM

i suggest going on one of the guided tours at least once...there are several to choose from. (rooftop, behind the scenes, etc)...I did the behind the scenes one and it wasnt only the behind the scenes where the employees work, but it was also many parts of the building that were closed off for repairs, or just weren't included in the regular tour at all....I have actually stood amongst the organ pipes as it played...1 word...AWESOME!

5/23/2010 12:59:43 AM

I've never been, but I just don't really see the appeal of spending a day and money to look at a house. Maybe it's just me.

Okay that's not helpful at all, just my .02

5/23/2010 7:24:51 AM

indoor photography is strictly prohibited. they have people stationed in every room, so good luck trying to sneak a picture.

i'm not even a big fan of architecture and history, but i could literally spend all day in the biltmore estate. the fact that they could build something of that magnitude that long ago is amazing. the amount of detail on every single thing in that house is incredible.

5/23/2010 9:10:34 AM

Here's a tip. When you get your ticket they will guide your vehichle to the parking areas which are way up this hill. At the end of the day the climb back to parking is brutal. So...when the guy directs you to parking tell him you are exiting instead. what you will do then is drive across the front of the mansion, loop above the huge gardens then past the garden center, where there is plenty of parking for shopping. Park there where it is closer AND at the end of the day you are strolling downhill to get to your car, passing all of these tired people and screaming cranky children
that have like a mile walk uphill

Also, if you've never seen it I think it's worth it. I grew up in the shadow of Kykuit, the Rockefeller mansion and it doesn't hold a candle to Biltmore. What a time to be rich! no labor laws, no anti-trust laws, no income tax!!!!

5/23/2010 9:40:59 AM

some great advice here. for some reason I never got to go on a field trip to biltmore growing up and yet my little sister, the year round school experiment of the family, went like 3 times.

5/23/2010 10:01:35 AM

Quote :

"I've never been and am expecting great things."

Eh, be careful. If you have a fetish for bedrooms then this place is for you. However, it gets old and repetitive after awhile.

5/23/2010 10:03:28 AM

I should change that to "I expect my girlfriend to have a wonderful time."

5/23/2010 10:04:34 AM

Yeah, there is a hotel right outside the main gate (at the bottom of the mountain) that has a package deal. you can get a 2 night stay, tickets to biltmore, etc... for one price and it tends to be cheaper

i want to say the hotel is the comfort inn or something like that.

5/23/2010 10:59:12 AM

hopefully the gardens will be blooming some. I visited in fall and everything was dead. I'm a plant person so that was a bummer .

5/23/2010 11:12:57 AM

Biltmore house is worth the money. If u haveing domestic drama i recommend split up and explore separately so u can concentrate and relax, u just spent hours jammed together in car bored. Meet up to drink wine and eat food and maybe some fondling on picnic blanket. Strategic separation make relationship so much richer and allow love. i recommend something interesting u not hear about anywhere else, there is a 19th century large insane asylum about a mile or two from biltmore house on top of a hill called Appalachian Hall very interesting history mostly secret and unknown but u explore and maybe u finding something meaningful. Was in operation for 100years.

5/23/2010 11:29:13 AM

We went there on a field trip and have been several times since. My sister also worked there for like 5yrs.

when in the rooms, look carefully for hidden doorways. there are a lot! especially in the library and dining rooms. the hallways are also color coded for who stayed on the floor, from servants to family and guests. That way if you got lost, it would tell you around where you are.

Go earlier in the day, otherwise the line to get in will stretch all the way to the front gate which is several miles.

They have places to stay on the estate that celebrities stayed in. When Obama visited, he was supposed to stay in the cottage but Tommy Lee Jones was there and refused to leave. Tim McGraw and Faith Hill and their kids stayed at the hotel, Condoleeza Rice, Mel Gibson, Rachel Ray, and so on.

My friends dad is the estate head landscaper, so he lives in a house on the estate free of charge.

There are trails all over for horses, bikes, and off road vehicles, but youre SUPPOSED to rent one of their vehicles to go offroad. If you do damage your car, just threaten to sue and they will let you have all kinds of free stuff. (its happened in the past.)

5/23/2010 12:40:11 PM

Quote :

" If u haveing domestic drama i recommend split up and explore separately so u can concentrate and relax"

very funny you say this. gf at the time and i got into a HUGE arguement in the middle of house. sucked big time. good luck asking a woman in her 20's to wander around alone though !!!1

5/23/2010 1:22:32 PM

Right off of that same exit is a restaurant called Apollo Flame. Get their Famous Greek Salad and thank me later!

5/23/2010 1:36:29 PM

I remember there was an awesome billiards room with a secret entrance behind a bookcase or something. And the gym/indoor pool was pretty neat, given how primitive the workout equipment seemed compared to modern day.

Biltmore Estate is cool, but I don't think I'd want to go back anytime soon. It just doesn't have repeat entertainment value once you've seen it once before. Idk maybe thats just me.


Oh yeah, and obviously wear comfortable walking shoes.

5/23/2010 10:09:29 PM

again, go for a special guided tour instead of a regular ticket if you've been before the "behind the scenes was great"

5/24/2010 1:27:01 AM

Visited last weekend. Enjoyed the audio tour very much!

10/28/2013 9:42:05 AM