Hey everyone! Another recent trip going on the blog today – Asheville, North Carolina! I loved this trip because it was the first time in a LONG time that I went somewhere within driving distance. While I absolutely love flying, I will admit… there’s something to driving! One of the big items on our list for this trip was to visit Biltmore House. There is SO much to do and see there that we ended up missing out on a lot because I was honestly a little overwhelmed and we didn’t maximize our time. I wanted to share with you all some quick tips so that you don’t make the same mistakes I did!
1. Biltmore has seasonal changes.
Make sure you do your research ahead of time to determine what time of year you want to visit Biltmore. The experience differs vastly based on when you go. For example: Biltmore at Christmas is truly something spectacular – the Christmas decorations are amazing! Each spring you can experience “Biltmore Blooms” where the gardens are in full blossom and are stunningly picturesque. It’s important to figure out what you want to see and make sure to plan your trip during that season!
2. If you live close to Asheville, buy a season pass!
You can visit Biltmore twice and it would justify the cost of a season pass – regular Biltmore House admission starts at $86 and can go up to $339. An annual pass is $199 per person. If you live close enough to justify multiple trips, it might be in your best interest to get a pass so that you can see every season at Biltmore!
3. Make sure to study a map of the whole estate.
A lot of people go to Biltmore thinking it’s just a tour of a big house and that’s all there is to it. That couldn’t be further from the truth! While the house tour is the most fascinating part in my opinion, the Biltmore has much more to offer: expansive gardens, hiking trails, a winery, a creamery, a restaurant, on site hotels, and stables just to name a few of the other things you can see there.
4. Make a reservation if you want to eat at the Stable Café.
Based on reviews, this restaurant is the most popular, but you will definitely not be eating there same-day without reservations. I didn’t know this before my visit and missed out on trying the meatloaf, which I hear is to die for!
5. Don’t wait until your reservation time to come onto the property!
When you buy your tickets, you will be asked to pick a reservation time. The very first time I visited, I made a reservation for 3pm and made the mistake of not arriving on site until 2:45. In actuality, the reservation you make is only your entrance time for the house itself, but you can be on the property from open to close! Don’t miss out on time you could spend exploring the massive estate by not getting the most bang for your buck.
And a BONUS which applies to Asheville as a whole:
6. Make sure you research the food and bar scene in Asheville before you visit!
Asheville is an AMAZING city that has a lot more to offer than just Biltmore. Research ahead of time and make plans for two reasons: 1) most places in Asheville require reservations most nights of the week. Going there without reservations would result in missing out on some fantastic dining opportunities. 2) the sheer number of restaurants in Asheville is so extremely expansive that if you don’t decide ahead of time, you could suffer from analysis paralysis. It’s worth it to decide ahead of time!
