Are our guests enjoying the Quiet Season in the Asheville/Black Mountain area? We’re seeing a lot of smiles at breakfast, so we’re going to guess the answer is a big yes. One of the comments we hear the most during the wintertime is that the lack of crowds, zero traffic, and the ease of getting into restaurants and local attractions is a big plus to visiting the mountains of Western North Carolina this time of year.
One such local attraction is Biltmore Estate, which offers not only the comfort of being indoors during a time when weather can be a bit unpredictable, but also offers three behind-the-scenes tours inside Biltmore House:
- Architect’s Tour: This tour focuses on the construction of the house. You’ll get to visit areas of the house not on the regular self-guided tour that showcase the design of the house, and head out on the rooftop and balconies (weather permitting).
- Butler’s Tour: You’ll see unrestored rooms and mechanical areas of the house in this tour that highlights the history of work that went on at Biltmore by the Vanderbilt family’s valued domestic staff.
- Family and Friends Tour: This tour is all about the relatives and close friends who stayed at Biltmore House. It’s our favorite of the tours. You’ll walk through bedrooms not on the self-guided tour, see period clothing and items from the early 1900s, and learn about what it was like to be a houseguest at Biltmore.
The best thing about these tours is that it really brings a human aspect on Biltmore. To see the inner workings of the house and to hear about the people who lived and worked there when Mr. Vanderbilt and his family did is just fascinating and brings the house to life.Guests of the Inn on Mill Creek can pick up two-day tickets at Biltmore Estate for $29/person — a $10 discount off of the regular single day admission of $39 PLUS a free second day! The tickets give you full access to the grounds, including Biltmore House and Gardens, Winery, Antler Hill Village and restaurants on the Estate.Think there’s not much to do at Biltmore in wintertime? Think again. At Mother Nature’s discretion, daytime temperatures at our elevation can sometimes reach into the upper 40s on a winter afternoon, and sunny days are the norm. So… even though you might not see abundant gardens in full bloom, you’ll be able to walk beautiful nature trails through evergreen rhododendren and azalea down to the Bass Pond. And you can always venture into the huge glassed-roofed [and warm!] Conservatory to get your flower fix, like this gorgeous orchid:
Photo Credit for this pretty pic: Biltmore Facebook Page
Then there’s the Winery with free wine tastings, Antler Hill Village with its great English tavern called Cedric’s…we could go on.You can pick up Biltmore two-day tickets at the Inn on Mill Creek on the day of your arrival. Please do keep in mind that all specialty tours (there are also tours at the Winery and the Farm) have an extra cost beyond the admission ticket price. You can make reservations for specialty tours by calling Biltmore at 800.411.3812.