The Ultimate Biltmore Estate Guide: What to Know Before You Go

I have wanted to go to the Biltmore Estate since I was a kid, so when we were planning our Smoky Mountains road trip, a stop in Asheville was on the top of my list. I’ve always loved history, beautiful architecture, and extravagant homes, so I knew I would love the largest privately owned house in the United States! I’ve been wanting to write a guide to the Biltmore Estate since we visited, so I’m super excited to share this stunning home with y’all today.

Before You Go

Buy Your Tickets
Tickets to the Biltmore Estate can be purchased here (https://www.biltmore.com/visit/plan-your-visit/buy-tickets/daytime). Not only do you save $10 per ticket by buying it online more than a week in advance, but you also skip the usually long line once you get to the reception & ticketing sales center. Keep in mind that if you are going to the property during a busy time (holidays, school breaks, and most weekends), you will be required to make a reservation. With your reservation, you will receive a specific time to enter the Biltmore House.

Purchase Your Tour Tickets
Unfortunately, the price of admission to the Biltmore Estate does not include a tour. You are welcome to take a self-guided tour, but in this case, I would strongly encourage taking a guided tour. I’m usually a big fan of audio tours, but due to the size of the house and the amount of people visiting at the same time, I think a guided tour is the way to go.

Tour Options
We did two tours while visiting the mansion, so I wanted to share what I liked about each one.

Guided Biltmore House Tour
This was the standard 90-minute tour of the house, which provides a very detailed overview over many rooms. I loved learning interesting facts such as the most guests that were at the house at one time was 38. If you only have time for one tour, you will receive a fantastic overview of the house with this one.

Rooftop Tour
I absolutely loved this tour. If you are interested in stunning views and amazing architecture, this tour is a must. The rooftop tour explains all the little details about the intricate architecture. For example, the two gargoyles are different because the tail broke off on one of them (so they added a butt). Plus, the views from the balcony were absolutely stunning! I personally preferred the rooftop tour to the house tour, but I would still do the house tour to see more of the rooms.

Plan to Get to the House Early
Plan to get to the Biltmore Estate as early as you can, even if you have a reservation. The drive to the entrance can get really backed up. The Biltmore Estate recommends getting there at least 45 minutes before your reservation time, so you have enough time to park and take the shuttle to the house. We got to the house around 8:30 a.m., and I noticed that it was already getting crowded by 10 a.m.

Once You Get There

Go on a Tour
I’ve already shared about the two tours we did, but I think a guided tour is the best way to experience Biltmore. We learned so much about the Vanderbilts and everything that went into building the estate.

Visit the Gardens
The gardens are a must! I really enjoyed the beautiful mixture of flowers and plants, and I could have walked around the area for hours. I especially loved the Rose Garden and Conservatory.

Visit the Antler Hill Village and Winery
A wine tasting is included with your ticket to the Biltmore Estate, and it’s worth checking out! The Antler Hill Village also includes temporary exhibits, a farm with a historic barn, trails and outdoor adventures, and several places to shop and dine.

Eat Lunch at Stable Café
The food at the Biltmore Estate was surprisingly good! I really enjoyed my burger, and I’m still dreaming about that peanut butter cake with raspberry jam.

When Should You Visit?

The Biltmore Estate is beautiful throughout the year. We went to the Biltmore during the fall, and the fall color was spectacular (though it would have been even better if we had gone a few weeks later). They had already started to set up for Christmas while we were there in October because it takes them that long to decorate the whole house, and I would love to visit during Christmas someday to see all of the gorgeous decorations. The gardens are also stunning to see in the spring, but if you go during the spring, try to avoid Spring Break weeks to minimize the crowds.

Where to Stay

I honestly wouldn’t stay at any of the hotels on property. The prices are really high, and they don’t add anything to the experience. If you are looking for a luxury stay in Asheville, I would pick the Omni Park Grove Inn, which has a fantastic spa and stunning views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Other Smoky Mountains Road Trip Posts:

Quick Thoughts

Little River Canyon National Preserve in Fort Payne, Alabama
Five Reasons You Should Visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Stunning Views at Chimney Rock, North Carolina

Have you ever been to the Biltmore Estate? Tell me about your visit!

Stunning Views at Chimney Rock, North Carolina

I’ve always wanted to visit North Carolina, so I was excited we could fit in a few days of exploring the state during our Smoky Mountains road trip last October. The trip was important to me for a lot of reasons, but the biggest need was to relax after many difficult months before and after my surgery. For that reason, our itinerary was a little less packed than usual: we spent more time driving and stopping at lookouts than climbing rocks and going on strenuous hikes. The day we hiked to Chimney Rock was one of the exceptions to that rule.

We spent the morning and early afternoon driving all over the area exploring waterfalls (post to come!), so by the time we headed to Chimney Rock State Park, we were exhausted. I knew it was the only day we would be able to fit in the hike, so I was determined to make it happen.

Usually, there is an elevator that will take you to the top of Chimney Rock, but we knew it was broken (and it’s still broken to this day), so our only option was to climb over 500 steps to get to the overlook. I’m not going to lie: it wasn’t easy for me. There were a few times I wanted to quit because I just wasn’t sure how far I could push my body in one day. Thankfully, there are several lookouts on the way where you can rest and see plenty of gorgeous views.

The views at the top were worth every single step. Once you reach the rock, you are at 2,280 feet above sea level, so you get incredible panoramic views of Lake Lure and Hickory Nut Gorge. It’s truly breathtaking to see the gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance while standing on a 535-million-year-old rock! I honestly could have sat there and enjoyed the view for hours.

Other Smoky Mountains Road Trip Posts:

Quick Thoughts

Little River Canyon National Preserve in Fort Payne, Alabama
Five Reasons You Should Visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

What's the best hike you've ever done?

Five Reasons You Should Visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

I have mentioned our trip to the Smokies about a million times in passing, so it’s about time I share more about our latest adventure. There’s a reason why the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited park in the United States. It actually gets twice as many visitors as the second place park, the Grand Canyon. Today I wanted to share five reasons I think you should visit the park as soon as you can.

Amazing Views
The minute you drive into the Smokies, there is a stunning view at every corner. My favorite view was of Newfound Gap, which is also the border of Tennessee and North Carolina.

Gorgeous Hikes
Christopher and I love to hike, and the Smoky Mountains are filled with amazing options. My favorite hike was to Clingman’s Dome. It is very steep (you gain 332 feet in half a mile!), but the view at the top is so worth it.

Waterfalls
I am obsessed with waterfalls, so, of course, I loved the ones in the Smokies. You could spend a month in the mountains and still have waterfalls to visit. We did a hike to the Laurel Falls, which I can’t wait to share!

Gatlinburg
Gatlinburg is the cutest mountain town! We loved walking around the shops and trying some delicious food in a gorgeous mountain setting. Out of all the towns near the Smokies, Gatlinburg was my favorite.

Cade’s Cove
Cade’s Cove is a historic valley featuring several 19th century historical structures. It’s a one-way 11-mile loop that includes beautiful views and plenty of historical significance. I’m excited to share more about this area with y’all in the future.

I hope this post spikes your interest for all the amazing things about the Smoky Mountains because I will be writing individual posts on all of these in the future!

Other Smoky Mountains Road Trip Posts:

Quick Thoughts

Little River Canyon National Preserve in Fort Payne, Alabama 

Have you been to the Smoky Mountains? What was your favorite part? If you haven’t been, what would you most like to do?

Little River Canyon National Preserve: Fort Payne, Alabama

One of my favorite parts about road trips is getting to stop at interesting destinations along the way. On our Lake Michigan Circle Tour, that meant lighthouses. On our recent road trip to the Smoky Mountains, we were all about beautiful spots with nature and fall foliage.

To get to Tennessee and North Carolina from Texas, we had one long driving day and spent he night in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The goal for the next day was to spend most of it in Chattanooga, Tennessee and get to Gatlinburg in the evening. Chris and I had done tons of research before this trip, and Little River Canyon National Preserve kept popping up when we looked into what to do in Alabama. Since it was on our way from Tuscaloosa to Chattanooga, we knew we had to stop by.

The biggest reason we wanted to visit the preserve was for the Little River Falls. Unfortunately, Alabama has been really dry this year, and the falls were non-existent. It didn’t spoil our fun, though, as we still got to see some pretty fall color and gorgeous views. Plus, we knew there were many waterfalls to come on this trip!

We love mini stops to break up hours of dropping, and Little River Canyon National Preserve was worth a visit. I would love to explore the area more if we ever come that way again.

Do you love mini stops on your road trips? What was one of your favorites?

Quick Thoughts: Smoky Mountains Road Trip

Today, I feel thankful. Our trip was even better than I expected. The weather was perfect, and the Smoky Mountains were simply stunning. The fall color hadn’t peaked yet, but we still saw some gorgeous color. Surprisingly, the best color was on our drive from Knoxville to Nashville.

I didn’t talk about it much before we left, but one of my big concerns was how my body would take such an active trip. At first, it was really hard. Hikes that I could normally do easily were a struggle. It did get easier, though. I’m definitely not back to myself yet, but I am getting stronger. I was able to eat more and walk more on this trip, and I could push myself without feeling like there would be major consequences (other than sore legs!).

I think a road trip is the best way to see the Smoky Mountains. We stopped by so many interesting places on the way, and I can’t wait to start sharing them with y’all.