Visit Itinerary: Family Fun Guide to Biltmore Posted on June 1, 2024 at 9:00 am.Written by Amy Dangelico Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC, is a family-friendly destination all year long. Every visit to our 8,000-acre retreat unveils new wonders and activities to enjoy. Whether you’re strolling through our historic gardens or exploring the halls of Biltmore House, endless opportunities to create lifelong memories await. Make the most of your vacation with our Top 5 Biltmore Family Favorite Activities that are sure to please your entire clan, from grandparents to grandchildren. Try all the ice cream treats, including this delicious Winkie Bar Sundae served in a waffle bowl 5. Savor Our Favorite Flavors Did you know that the vanilla ice cream served on the estate is based on a delicious original Biltmore Dairy recipe? With a visit to the Biltmore Dairy Bar® near Biltmore House and the Creamery in Antler Hill Village, you and your family can cool off while enjoying the same richly-flavored frozen treat savored by estate guests more than a century ago! Tip: Take your treats — like ice cream sundaes, smoked barbeque sandwiches, or even some Biltmore Wine for the grownups — to-go from the Creamery or other restaurants in Antler Hill Village and enjoy on the nearby Village Green where you can cut a rug to live music at the bandstand! Bring the whole family along on your next biking adventure at Biltmore 4. Biking for All Ages Ready to explore our wide-open spaces on two wheels? You’re welcome to bring your own bikes in tow or visit the Outdoor Adventure Center or Bike Barn in Antler Hill Village and choose from a selection of rentable mountain bikes for rugged trails or comfort cruisers for paved paths. Tandem rentals are also available so the younger members of the family can join the fun. Tip: Consider a guided bike ride or other outdoor activities for more exciting ways to explore our 8,000-acre estate! Installation from Chihuly at Biltmore, March 25, 2024 – February 2, 2025 at Amherst. Dale Chihuly, Persian Ceiling, 2012, 25 x 15′, Biltmore, Asheville, North Carolina, installed 2024 © 2012 Chihuly Studio. All rights reserved. 3. An Artistic Escape Ignite your family’s imaginations as you explore the castle-like halls of America’s Largest Home® and the awe-inspiring art installations on view inside Amherst during Chihuly at Biltmore, ending February 2, 2025. Chihuly’s mesmerizing work is sure to captivate young minds and inspire a love for creativity! Tip: Chihuly at Biltmore is an awe-inspiring experience for families and guests of all ages. That said, due to the nature of the exhibition, all guests under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Meet our working farm animals at the Farmyard in Antler Hill Village! 2. Family Fun at the Farmyard Bring your kids to meet our kids at the Farmyard in Antler Hill Village! From learning about the working farm animals that are a part of our agricultural history at the Farmyard to handicrafts demonstrations and seasonal activities offered at The Barn nearby, your kiddos will have plenty to choose from for engaging and educational fun. Our Farm to Table Tour & Taste experience (available exclusively to overnight guests and Passholders) offers even more in-depth discovery of Biltmore’s farming legacy and how that connects to our modern field-to-table philosophy. Tip: Did you know that Biltmore Annual Passholders can bring their kids ages 16 and younger to enjoy Antler Hill Village for free year-round? If adventure is calling your name, check out our guided river activities! 1. All-Time Family Favorite: Exploring Our 8,000-acre Backyard! With 8,000-acres of Blue Ridge Mountain backyard, you’ll never run out of places to explore at Biltmore! Enjoy more than 22-miles of hiking trails along the French Broad River, through lush green forests, or in the open meadows of the estate. Whether you’re up for a Vanderbilt-era-inspired game of croquet, rafting on the French Broad River, or venturing out on guided nature experiences (or all three!), our Outdoor Adventure Center in Antler Hill Village boasts an ever-changing variety of activities that are fun for the whole family. Tip: Activities offered may sell out or have specific dates and times offered, so we strongly recommend checking our current offerings online and making reservations in advance to ensure availability during your visit. Visit the Bike Barn or Outdoor Adventure Center for a detailed trail map and orientation to the trails. Explore Biltmore’s 8,000-acre Blue Ridge Mountain backyard! Discover Even More of Biltmore Every day’s an invitation to vacation like a Vanderbilt at Biltmore! Embrace the vibrant blooms of spring, soak up the leisurely days of summer, marvel at the rich tapestry of fall’s changing leaves, and bask in the warm, twinkling glow of Christmas. Each season invites you to experience its own unique magic. Share must-see experiences, like Chihuly at Biltmore, with the whole family when booking our “best value” House, Exhibit & 2-Day Grounds ticket, which features free admission for kids (9 and under), discounted admission for youth (10-16), plus access to explore the estate gardens and grounds the next day for free! In addition to our top 5 family-favorite activities, we invite you to explore all of our activities currently offered so you can make the most of your quick getaway, family vacation, or long holiday weekends to Biltmore! Make a splash at Village Hotel on Biltmore Estate Make it a Family Getaway to Remember Truly getaway by extending your Biltmore visit with an overnight stay at The Inn on Biltmore Estate, Village Hotel on Biltmore Estate, or our private historic Cottages on Biltmore Estate. Become a Biltmore Annual Passholder and enjoy year-round visits and exclusive member discounts on special events, dining, and more.
Biltmore Gardens Railway: A Structural Comparison Posted on July 7, 2019 at 1:10 pm.Written by designsensory Twice a year, the Conservatory is transformed into a wonderland of creativity. Discover Biltmore Gardens Railway, featuring miniature estate landmark replicas made of all-natural materials gathered from Biltmore’s grounds. Biltmore Gardens Railway brings an elaborate G-scale railway with locomotives, rail cars, and handmade buildings to life by connecting them to Biltmore and its founder George Vanderbilt. Working from original plans, drawings, and photographs of the estate, a team from Applied Imagination constructs the replicas in a stunningly accurate reimagining of Biltmore. Let’s take an up-close look at the attention to detail paid to the recreations of these historic structures. Image 1: Photograph of the Lodge Gate from George Vanderbilt’s collection, ca. 1900 Image 2: Applied Imagination’s recreation, on display in the Conservatory’s Exhibition Room About the Lodge Gate Recreation Materials collected from the estate: horse chestnut, magnolia leaves, pine bark, hickory nuts, lotus pods, contorted Filbert, bamboo, winged bean, pine cone scales, and acorn caps Dimensions: 28”x22”x15” Time to complete: 275+ hours Image 1: Photograph of the Conservatory from George Vanderbilt’s collection, ca. 1910 Image 2: Applied Imagination’s recreation, on display in the Conservatory’s Orchid Room About the Conservatory Recreation Materials collected from the estate: horse chestnut, pine bark, anise, honeysuckle, ash, winged euonymus, contorted Filbert, and oak bark Dimensions: 21”x52”x14” Time to complete: 350+ hours Image 1: Photograph of Biltmore House from George Vanderbilt’s collection, ca. 1910 Image 2: Applied Imagination’s recreation, on display in the Conservatory’s Palm House About the Biltmore House Recreation Materials collected from the estate: baby acorns, acorn caps, star anise, pine cone, contorted Filbert, grapevine, honeysuckle, eucalyptus leaves, bamboo, ash bark, oak bark, and elm bark Dimensions: 66”x122”x55” Time to complete: 1700+ hours Visit Biltmore Gardens Railway The enchantment of Biltmore Gardens Railway is a semi-annual event at Biltmore. Check our event listing for upcoming dates and plan your visit today!
Keeping Track of Biltmore Gardens Railway Posted on May 29, 2019 at 12:00 am.Written by Amy Dangelico Please enjoy this archived exhibition article. Twice a year, Biltmore’s Conservatory is home to Biltmore Gardens Railway, an elaborate G-scale railway with locomotives and rail cars weaving through the historic greenhouse’s exotic botanicals and miniature replicas of estate landmarks – even one of the Conservatory itself! A second railway display is located in Antler Hill Village where trains travel past replicas of the Eiffel Tower, London’s Tower Bridge, and other European landmarks visited by George Vanderbilt during his world travels. “Luxuriant” bamboo, as Frederick Law Olmsted called it when planning George Vanderbilt’s gardens and grounds, was harvested and used as the roofing material on the Biltmore House replica. Grapevine was also collected and fashioned into Biltmore’s iconic gargoyles. Scaling down Biltmore House Working from original floor plans, drawings with elevations, and photographs of Biltmore House and other estate structures, a team with Applied Imagination constructed the Biltmore replicas using natural materials they gathered from estate grounds. The result is a stunningly accurate version of Biltmore. Some fun facts to consider: 1,700 – The number of hours it took to construct the 10-foot-long replica of Biltmore House, compared to… the 6 years it took to build the 250-room Biltmore House in the late 1800s. 6 – The number of artists it took to build the scale model of Biltmore House, compared to… the 1,000 workers it took to build Biltmore House in the late 1800s. 5,000 – The number of tons of Indiana limestone used to build Biltmore House in the late 1800s, compared to… the 25 types of items harvested from estate grounds to create replicas of Biltmore House and other buildings. This included horse chestnut, magnolia leaves, hickory nuts, lotus pods, bamboo, pine cone scales, acorn caps, winged bean, star anise, grapevine, honeysuckle, ash bark, oak bark, pine bark, elm bark, hickory bark, eucalyptus leaves, day lily stem, rose of sharon, cedar branch, walnuts, stewartia, wisteria, turkey tail fungus, and contorted Filbert. Artists from Applied Imagination suited up in waders to snip a few treasures from the Italian Garden pools. The lotus pods growing there were just too perfect to pass up, and ended up in the creation of the Stables. Inside the Conservatory 6 – The number of separate railroad tracks running through the Conservatory carrying locomotives and rail cars around the buildings. The trains cross bridges and trestles on varied levels and through multiple rooms. 8 – The number of estate building replicas in the Conservatory. 7 – The number of artists it took to create all of the replicas in the Conservatory. 3,745 –The number of combined hours it took to construct eight estate building replicas for the Conservatory exhibition. Attention to detail is paramount, even down to the conductor’s facial features! Tracking progress 8 – The number of buildings in the display at Antler Hill Village. 1,050 – Amount of railroad track in feet required for the displays. 1 – Amount of weeks to install Biltmore Gardens Railway at two locations on the estate. Biltmore Gardens Railway is a wonderful, fun-for-all-ages feature at Biltmore this summer. Plan your visit now!