Having just visited for the first time, I thought I would share some Biltmore Estate tips for anyone else planning a trip.
Biltmore Estate Tips
For those who don’t know, the Biltmore Estate is the largest privately-owned residence in the United States! It’s located in the Blue Ride Mountains of North Carolina in Asheville! The estate actually consists of the 100,000+ square foot mansion in addition to the grounds and gardens. There’s so much to see here, you can easily spend several days here without leaving the estate. That being said, there were a few things I wish we had known before arriving. So, here are a few tips to help make your trip better!
Tips for Visiting the Biltmore Estate
- Pay attention to the hours – We arrived around 9 AM on our full house day because the site’s hours of operations said that’s when the admission gate opened. However, we realized upon arrival that meant just the gate and gardens were open. The house and shops didn’t open until 10 AM. So, if you want to know when the house opens, look at the shop hours.
- You can walk around the gardens before and after a house tour – Since we arrived an hour early, we roamed the Italian Gardens, which were mostly empty. The gardens are also open later than the house and shops. So, you can view them at your leisure.
- Pre-purchase tickets – We actually had a hotel package that included breakfast and tickets that didn’t require house reservations. However, if you buy a one day ticket, then you will need to make a reservation for the time you plan to enter the home. Those reservations can sell out. So, buy your tickets and reserve your time as soon as you know what works best for your schedule.
- You can’t carry much inside the house – They have free storage lockers outside the home. However, I left my hat in the car when we were touring the home. Also, pay attention to the bag size allowance of 19″ x 14″ x 9″. It’s best to just leave most things at home, in a locker, or in the car.
- Bring a hat for the gardens – I strongly recommend having a hat to wear while roaming the gardens. There’s very little shade available, so you will be happy to have a hat.
- Visit the house when it’s cooler – The house does NOT have air conditioning. So, plan to visit the house early in the morning before it gets too hot.
- The estate is cashless – The front desk at the hotels are about the only places that will accept cash on property.
- Stay for a few days – We spent two nights here and still didn’t see everything. Although, it was in spring with plenty of plants to see. I’m not sure that the colder times of the year would offer as much to see. However, I can see staying for several days during the warmer months.
Visiting the Estate
So, have you ever visited the Biltmore Estate? Do you have any tips that I didn’t mention?
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