When we started planning our trip in November, I told my parents we would be near Asheville, NC since Samantha was going to attend the Conference on National Affairs (CONA) at the Blue Ridge Assembly on Black Mountain. My mom noted that she was very interested in touring Biltmore. George Vanderbilt was the grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt who made his fortune as a shipping entrepreneur. Biltmore was built as a country retreat for George Vanderbilt’s friends and family and looks like a French Renaissance chateau. The house took six years to build and was finished in 1895. The house has 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms and 65 fireplaces. Biltmore is now a National Historic Landmark.
When the house came into view, I felt like I was transported to some château in Europe. We stopped to take some pictures and then made our way down the long green in front of the house. The audio tour was interesting and informative. We made our way through the main level, second and third stories and finished in the basement. At one point in the tour, Samantha got teary eyed as she looked at some original Monet paintings while Eli simultaneously stated that he was walking around an old stinky house as slow as possible! After the house tour, we ate our packed lunches in an outdoor area in front of the stables. It felt very European, and we reminisced about the trip to Carcassonne, France we had taken with my parents ten years ago.
Next up we walked through the beautiful gardens which included Italian, shrub, spring, walled, rose, and azalea gardens. Matt and Eli walked all the way to the bass pond while Samantha and I went through the conservatory and enjoyed the orchid room.
Overall, the house and gardens were quite impressive. We enjoyed learning about the Vanderbilts and spending time together.
Love reading about your adventures and looking at the pictures at the Vanderbilt mansion.
Thanks Juanita! You should check the mansion out now that you have more time!