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Biltmore Estate, Asheville, NC

Photo: Blake Lewis, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingIconicHistory BuffDate Night

Biltmore Estate

1 Lodge Street · Asheville, NC

Why you should go…

Biltmore House was built for George Washington Vanderbilt II between 1889 and 1895 to a design by architect Richard Morris Hunt. The mansion has 250 rooms, including 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms and 65 fireplaces. Frederick Law Olmsted laid out the gardens and grounds, and the estate now covers about 8,000 acres. Your ticket also covers Antler Hill Village and the winery, housed in the former dairy barn, where a wine tasting is included.

  • #historic mansion
  • #gardens
  • #winery
  • #gilded age
  • #house tour

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Biltmore Estate, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Iconic

    Great Smoky Mountains National Park

    Free

    Drive, hike and camp among forested ridges, waterfalls and preserved mountain homesteads on the Tennessee and North Carolina line.

    49 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor

  • Sightseeing
    Outdoor Adventure

    Newfound Gap

    Free

    The lowest drivable pass across the Smokies, straddling the Tennessee-North Carolina line.

    49 mi awayMore like this

  • Tours
    History Buff

    Great Smoky Mountains Railroad

    $50+

    Vintage steam and diesel excursions roll along the Tuckasegee River from Bryson City.

    51 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Sightseeing
    Outdoor Adventure

    Bryson City, North Carolina

    Free

    A mountain town bordering Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a gateway for rafting, hiking, and the Cherokee reservation.

    51 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Clingmans Dome

    Free

    The highest point in the Smokies, with a 360-degree observation tower above the treeline.

    53 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Gatlinburg Space Needle

    Under $25

    A 407-foot observation tower with a glass elevator ride to a 360-degree viewing deck.

    55 mi awayMore like this