Remembering the Forest Fair 1908

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“Statesman! Lumberman! Engineer! Forester! Come! And be welcome!

Come as you are, and take us as we are! Come! Rejoice with us!

And join us in giving thanks on Thanksgiving Day, 1908″

― Dr. Carl Schenck’s Biltmore Forest Fair invitation, 1908

Dr. Schenck greeting guests at Biltmore plaza in 1908
Incoming guests were personally greeted at Biltmore Plaza by Dr. Schenck.

Cause for Celebration

Biltmore forester Dr. Carl Schenck had reason to celebrate in 1908. After 13 years at Biltmore, including a decade at the head of the Biltmore Forest School, he had helped to transform what was a barren landscape of overused terrain into America’s first managed forest, a model for the rest of the country. To increase public awareness of the revolutionary achievements on Biltmore’s 100,000-plus acres of forested land, Schenck orchestrated the Biltmore Forest Fair—a three-day extravaganza held over Thanksgiving weekend. “This event will mark an epoch in American forestry,” proclaimed The American Lumberman.

Attendees at the Forest Fair 1908 at Biltmore.
Botanists, forest engineers, lumbermen, state foresters, furniture manufacturers, statesmen, editors, university professors, paper company representatives, and many others attended the Forest Fair.

By Invitation Only

An invitation to the Forest Fair was extended to 400 guests, including President-elect William Howard Taft. “You may have heard something of the farms and of the forests found on the Biltmore Estate,” the invitation read. “Now we beg of you: Come and see them for yourself!” Although the president didn’t attend, about 100 people did, including educators, furniture manufacturers, and many timber industry executives from across the US.

Dr. Schenck overlooked no detail in the planning of the festival. He even advised guests on attire: “Do not don your best! Select a rough, comfortable suit of clothes and a pair of shoes in which you may walk a quarter of a mile without the sensation of ‘walking on a toothache.’” Each guest received a 55-page booklet detailing Schenck’s forest management techniques, including specifics on tree plantings and costs—proof of his dedication to transparency and education.

Forest Fair 1908 guests traveling on Biltmore Estate
Festival guests on the trail were escorted by a Biltmore Forest School student to the events.

The Forest Fair Begins

The fair kicked off on Thanksgiving Day, 1908, with a procession of 15 open carriages “decorated in the Biltmore Forest School colors of green and white,” that made its way from the swanky Battery Park Hotel in downtown Asheville to Biltmore Village. Once on the estate, attendees followed their “tireless leader up and down mountain trails” as he “brushed aside apparently impassible thickets.” What he said is lost to time as “the rapid movements of Dr. Schenck and the rustling of innumerable fallen leaves” made it hard to take exact notes.

The guests inspected tree plantings across the estate, then enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner at the Battery Park Inn, during which Schenck led a toast to George Vanderbilt: “a nobly spirited American and as high-principled a man as I ever met.” One attendee reported that the dinner was “in no case indecorous,” but had been “so thorough in a hospitable sense that most of the participants were disinclined to rise at a reasonable early hour” the next day.

Friday’s agenda included a visit to the Biltmore herbarium, plant nurseries, dairy, pig farm, and poultry farm, then enjoyed a possum hunt, capping off the evening with a lovely gala dinner. On Saturday, the group made their way to the lumber camps, enjoyed a fishing and shooting contest, and ended the day on Mt. Pisgah in time for sunset, then spent the night “under the stars” at Buck Spring Lodge. An attendee reported that the weather was “of that kind which no memory can recall any nearer perfection” and the scenery so beautiful that “none left the spot willingly.”

Guests Picnic at Biltmore circa 1908
Mrs. Schenck’s picnic in the wilderness provided guests with lovely hostesses, rest, food, and conversation.

Dr. Schenck’s Enduring Legacy

The Biltmore Forest School closed its doors in 1913, but Dr. Schenck’s legacy in Western North Carolina can still be felt today by all those who enjoy the pristine beauty of Pisgah National Forest, the forest he helped to establish.


Photos provided by Forest History Society of Durham, NC.

A Good Life for Wildlife

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Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC, welcomes more than a million guests each year—and those are just the ones who come through the gates! In addition to our visitors and Passholders, our 8,000-acre backyard is also home to a wide variety of wildlife and birds, including deer, rabbits, turkeys, and migratory waterfowl.

Row Crops at Biltmore
In addition to the colorful sunflowers that bloom in the summer, soybeans, wheat, legumes, and millet are planted in our rich fields on the west side of the estate.

Cultivating care across the estate

We caught up with Kyle Mayberry, Director of Agriculture, and Vince Helton, Senior Director of Facility Operations, to get the ‘outside’ scoop. “We average about 450 acres of field crops each year and 29 of those acres are designated for wildlife food plots,” Kyle explained.

While most of these crops are harvested to feed our cattle, sheep, and other farm animals, there’s still plenty left for wildlife and birds. Smaller plantings of radishes, canola, soybeans, corn, and sorghum are grown around the estate to provide nourishment through the harsh winter months, for our four-legged and feathered friends.

Chimney Swift Tower at Biltmore
Chimney Swifts spend nearly their entire lives in the air, eating, drinking, bathing, and gathering nesting material, landing only to roost and nest.

A new home for Chimney Swifts

Our dedication to creating a welcoming environment extends far beyond our fields and into some unique conservation projects. One such initiative focused on chimney swifts, a small migratory bird renowned for its spectacular flight patterns and distinctive roosting habits. These birds have been facing challenges as traditional nesting sites become inaccessible. To help, we built a custom-designed chimney swift tower on the estate, providing them with the perfect roosting spot.

Biltmore Grown Honey and Sunflower Oil
Biltmore® Grown honey and sunflower oil can be purchased at the Farmyard and in estate shops.

The buzz behind Biltmore® Grown

Our commitment to the environment extends to our smallest residents too! Busy bees play a key role in producing Biltmore® Grown sunflower oil. They stay hard at work buzzing more than 140,000 blooms, their tireless efforts transforming each blossom into a seed of potential.

“We take pride in providing these pollinators with abundant nectar sources across the estate,” Kyle said, “ensuring they have everything they need to create high-quality products, like our sunflower oil and honey, for use in our restaurants and for guests to purchase in our shops.”

Group of people bird watching from a rafting tour at Biltmore.
Strap on your life jackets and get your binoculars ready for a trip down the French Broad on our river birding tour.

Discover the call of the wild

“Being good stewards of the land applies to the natural wildlife that exists here, and it’s just as important to maintain healthy populations—something we have been committed to since the days of George Vanderbilt,” said Vince. “We follow the NC Wildlife Resources Commission’s recommendations for monitoring and managing wildlife to ensure the safety of our guests, grounds, and wildlife.”

As always, our guests’ safety is of paramount concern, and we remind you not to approach estate wildlife or birds. In addition, while dogs are welcomed on estate grounds as long as they are securely leashed, state law prohibits pets from entering fenced enclosures protecting farm animals. Visit our complete wildlife viewing policy here.

Interested in learning more? We’ve got plenty of outdoor activities aimed at educating our guests about our wildlife friends and their diverse habitats! Consider going on a guided bird walk or getting up close and personal in our falconry class!

Behind Biltmore’s Hidden Doors

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Designed both for aesthetics and hospitality, Biltmore’s hidden doors were designed to create a seamless appearance but provide access for staff providing service and convenience for guests.

Discover a few of the often overlooked doors throughout America’s Largest Home.

Concealed servant's entrance in the Breakfast Room
Concealed servant’s entrance in the Breakfast Room

When you’re in the Breakfast Room, your attention is bound to be drawn to the two Renoir portraits “Young Algerian Girl” and “Child with an Orange.” If you look just below “Child with an Orange,” you’ll notice the doorknob to the concealed door, designed to create a seamless appearance on the wall but allow servants to enter with hot meals.

Biltmore House Library Hidden Door
Doors in the Library lead to a passageway connected to the Second Floor Living Hall.

Have you ever wondered what’s behind the hidden doors on the top floor of the Library? Here’s your peek. The doors located on both sides of the overmantel lead to a passageway connected to the Second Floor Living Hall.

Hidden closet door in Mr. Vanderbilt's Bedroom in Biltmore House
Concealed closet door in Mr. Vanderbilt’s Bedroom

Every detail of the architecture at Biltmore was carefully considered. To avoid the break in symmetry that would be required by a door frame, closet doors were concealed in certain rooms, such as this one in Mr. Vanderbilt’s Bedroom.

Trap door in the floor of the Winter Garden
This hidden door in the floor of the Winter Garden in Biltmore House allowed plants to be brought back and forth from the Conservatory without disturbing guests.

Although early plans indicate that there was to be an elevator in the Winter Garden, one was never installed and instead, there’s a ladder. The door is covered in marble slabs and is rarely opened except to allow for ventilation in the employee break room below it in the summer.

This hidden door leads to the Smoking and Gun Rooms inside Biltmore House.

Be sure to look for these secret doors inside Biltmore House during your next visit, like this door designed for gentlemen to retire to the Smoking Room after a game of billiards.

An outdoor sculpture comes clean

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An outdoor sculpture comes clean, with help from the expert conservators at Biltmore.

“From the iconic marble lions in front of Biltmore House to terra cotta figures, bronzes, and more, the estate features 37 pieces of outdoor sculpture and historic plaques,” said Kara Warren, Preventive Conservation Specialist.

Marble lion sculpture in front of Biltmore House.
One of the two grand marble lion sculptures that guard the Front Door of Biltmore House.

According to Kara, each piece of outdoor sculpture is carefully examined and photographed every six months to determine its “health” and what type of cleaning, stabilization, or repairs might be needed.

There are four sphinx sculptures atop stone pillars guarding the massive iron entry and exit gates through which guests pass to get their first glimpse of Biltmore House.

The sphinx appears in Egyptian and Greek mythology as a creature with a human head and torso–usually female–and the hindquarters of a lion. Egypt’s massive Great Sphinx of Giza sculpture is probably the best-known example in the world.

The following photos illustrate how important Biltmore’s process is and what a difference cleaning and preservation make:

An outdoor sphinx statue at Biltmore before the cleaning process.
This elegant sphinx guards the right side of the North Gate entrance to Biltmore House.

This sphinx is turned as if to watch the Approach Road while the sphinx on the opposite side of the North Gate looks toward Biltmore House. The sculpture was in need of a thorough cleansing to rid it of biological growth. Scaffolding was built around the sphinx so our conservators could clean it in place.

Half of an outdoor sphinx sculpture at Biltmore has been carefully cleaned to show the remarkable difference proper cleaning makes.
Conservators carefully cleaned half of the sphinx to show the remarkable difference proper care makes.

Biltmore’s preservation experts worked on half of the sculpture at a time to illustrate different stages of the cleaning process. Note how much detail is revealed when the dark biological growth was removed from the hindquarters of this sphinx.

One of four outdoor sphinx statues at Biltmore
This outdoor sphinx sculpture at Biltmore’s North Gate has been cleaned and restored to her full glory.

After a thorough cleaning, the classic sphinx sculpture once again welcomes guests to Biltmore House in regal style. 

Learn more about our extensive process to document, clean, and preserve our outdoor sculpture collection.

A legacy of loving care

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At Biltmore in Asheville, NC, our legacy of loving care extends across the estate, encompassing each piece of the collection, from art and furnishings inside America’s Largest Home® to outdoor sculptures and more.

Iconic lions at Biltmore House

Archival image of a marble lion in front of Biltmore House
One of the two marble lions out of its shipping crate and awaiting placement in front of Biltmore House, circa 1895.

When George Vanderbilt moved into Biltmore House in October 1895, he wasn’t alone—a stately pair of lions was already there, flanking the entrance to his new home.

While the lions may appear to be made of terra cotta, closer inspection reveals the unique and beautiful color patterns of Italian rose marble (Rosso di Verona) ranging from beige to orange to red. Today’s visitors may notice some areas where the surface has been polished to a high sheen.

Our staff at work

Two women clean an outdoor sculpture of Pan at Biltmore Estate.
Museum Services staff members Genevieve Bieniosek (left) and Kara Warren (right) work together to clean an outdoor statue of Pan on the South Terrace of Biltmore House.

“For more than a century, these friendly beasts have greeted guests as they enter Biltmore House,” said Kara Warren, Preventive Conservation Specialist. “So that sheen is actually the result of millions of hands rubbing the marble away through the years.”

Kara oversees the care for the lions and 37 other outdoor statues and historic plaques through the implementation of the estate’s ongoing preventive conservation program. The job requires a combined knowledge of material science and artistic skill in order to properly analyze, treat, and restore the sculptures.

According to Kara, the longevity of any outdoor statue depends on the nature of its construction, environmental exposure, and the maintenance it receives. Records in our archives indicate restoration to the garden statuary began as early as 1934.The descriptions of repair work have become part of the history of each piece, documenting the care it received over the years.

Preserving each piece

Woman cleans an outdoor bust at Biltmore Estate.
A member of the Museum Services team cleaning the marble plinth of a bust under the Pergola below the Italian Garden.

To help preserve our collection of outdoor statuary, each piece is examined, photographed, cleaned, and stabilized as needed every six months. Sometimes the statues simply need a gentle spray of water and an antimicrobial wash to reduce biological growth. Other times, patching or repair is required.

“Outdoor sculptures are vulnerable because they are exposed to so many types of deterioration,” said Kara. “Our preventive maintenance program is important because pollution, biological growth, and even repeated touching can damage these vulnerable objects. Cyclical maintenance allows us to gently clean, repair, and stabilize the original material before severe damage occurs.”

Our legacy of loving care

Two women clean a bronze tortoise sculpture at Biltmore Estate.
Staff members clean one of three bronze tortoise fountain sculptures below the Rampe Deuce at Biltmore House.

Most of Biltmore’s outdoor sculptures were purchased from France and Italy in the late 1800s, and some date to earlier times. The collection includes bronze, marble, limestone, granite, and terra cotta sculptures. As with all our efforts to preserve Biltmore, the loving care our statuary receives allows these sculptures to be enjoyed by today’s guests, our Annual Passholders, and future generations.

Fashionable Romance: Wedding Gowns in Film

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This wedding dress worn by Emma Thompson in “Sense and Sensibility” will appear in “Fashionable Romance: Wedding Gowns in Film,” an exhibition of film costumes at Biltmore House in 2016. SENSE AND SENSIBILITY ©1995 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Courtesy of Columbia Pictures.

Save the date! Exhibition of wedding gowns in film coming in February 2016.

Just a couple of days before Valentine’s Day next year, brides from an array of eras will fill the rooms of Biltmore House. Not quite time travel, and no, not 250 brides (that would be one per room, you see), but our guests may feel as if they’ve stepped onto a movie set.

“Fashionable Romance: Wedding Gowns in Film,” an exhibition of wedding attire worn in some of the film industry’s most iconic movies, will grace the rooms of George and Edith Vanderbilt’s house beginning Feb. 12, 2016, for a stay through July 4, 2016.

Biltmore has been a location for weddings and romantic getaways since the Vanderbilts married in 1898. Bringing these gowns to such a romantic place seems like a natural match.

Displayed throughout Biltmore House, the award-winning costumes from span 300 years of wedding fashion from films set in the years 1645 to 1935. The exhibition features 19 classic films, including the iconic Jane Austen romances of “Sense and Sensibility,” “Emma,” and “Pride and Prejudice.”

Elaborate floral arrangements will complement each film’s era and costume. Biltmore’s renowned floral design team is already making plans!

The exhibition will continue in the Legacy building in Antler Hill Village with stories of Vanderbilt and Cecil Family weddings, along with the first-ever display of the wedding veil worn by Mary Lee Ryan Cecil and her cousin Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy. Mrs.  Cecil is married to William A.V. Cecil, grandson of George Vanderbilt.

To recognize the artistry of costume design, renowned costumiers Cosprop, Ltd., London will recreate the wedding gown worn by Cornelia Vanderbilt in her marriage to John Cecil in 1924. The gown will be on display.

Admission to “Fashionable Romance: Wedding Gowns in Film” will be included in the general admission ticket price. 

Preserving Generations of Biltmore China and Crystal

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Preserving generations of Biltmore china and crystal is a delicate job.

If you have fine china or crystal handed down in your family, you can imagine the care it takes to clean and preserve all the fragile place settings and glassware in the Biltmore collection!

Generations of fragile china and crystal

Preserving generations of Biltmore china and crystal
Gevevieve Bieniosek opens the china cabinet in the Butler’s Pantry

There are three generations of china and crystal stored in Biltmore House, and much of it is more than 100 years old.

These fragile pieces of the collection are stored in glass-front cabinets in the two-story Butler’s Pantry, and a comprehensive inventory system helps our conservators keep track of each object.

A unique identification number is assigned to every dish and glass, the location of the piece is recorded, and a digital photo of it is included in an inventory database.

Cleaning generations of Biltmore china and crystal
Genevieve cleans saucers that bear George Vanderbilt’s monogram, while the floral patterned plates on the left were chosen by Vanderbilt’s grandson, William A.V. Cecil, for Biltmore’s centennial celebration in 1995

Cleaning all the china and crystal in the Butler’s Pantry is a process that takes several weeks to complete. Each piece is dusted, wiped with a mixture of ethanol and water, and dried with lint-free cloths. All the objects are inspected for unstable cracks.

“Most of the cleaning and dusting is done in the Butler’s Pantry, because the less we move such fragile pieces, the better,” said Genevieve Bieniosek, Furniture Conservator.

Preventing problems

Caring for a fragile part of Biltmore history--crystal glassware
Delicate crystal glassware with George Vanderbilt’s monogram in the Butler’s Pantry

During a recent cleaning project, the conservators noticed that some of the crystal on display was suffering from ‘glass disease.’ According to Genevieve, this is a condition where components in the glass structure leach out over time, causing the glass to appear cloudy.

“If left untreated,” Genevieve explained, “it will eventually create a fine network of cracks over the piece.”

The glasses were treated by washing them with mild soap and water, drying them with soft towels, and letting them air dry for several hours.

“By treating them now, we avoid permanent damage from the glass disease,” said Genevieve.

Improving the process of storing crystal and china

China cup with Cornelia Vanderbilt's monogram
This fluted cup and saucer bear Cornelia Vanderbilt’s monogram

In addition to careful cleaning of these fragile pieces, our conservators are always looking for ways to improve the overall process for preserving the china and crystal.

“We recently looked into different types of padding material to keep the china safer, and placed sheets of polyethylene foam between each dish. The material is very stable, so the sheets don’t break down and create chemicals that could harm the china,” noted Genevieve.

Take a behind-the-scenes guided tour

Biltmore House Butler's Pantry
The Butler’s Pantry, as seen on The Biltmore House Backstairs Tour

Plan a visit to America’s Largest Home today, and treat yourself to The Biltmore House Backstairs Tour. You’ll experience an in-depth look at servant life at Biltmore with this 60-minute guided tour, including rarely-seen areas such as the Butler’s Pantry as you hear fascinating stories of those who worked and lived on the estate in the Vanderbilts’ era.

Featured blog image: Biltmore conservators Genevieve Bieniosek and Renee Jolly clean china and crystal in the Butler’s Pantry of Biltmore House

The Art of Biltmore’s Open-Air Museum

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Frederick Law Olmsted selected the major plantings at Biltmore with the utmost attention. Each had a specific purpose: to provide a certain color, texture or function, such as shade or height. But the manmade features of the gardens−statuary and planters−are more like the icing on the cake, hitting graceful notes throughout the landscape. So, what do we know about the artwork in Biltmore’s open air museum?

“To our knowledge, Olmsted did not specify any statuary at Biltmore,” says Bill Alexander, Biltmore’s Landscape and Forest Historian. Research shows most of the statues were purchased in the late 1800s in France and Italy by George Vanderbilt and Richard Morris Hunt, Biltmore’s architect. It’s likely that Olmsted did play a role in the placement of the statues because the three men worked so closely on every aspect of the design of Biltmore House and Gardens.

Classic Influences

Walking through the gardens, you’ll notice a number of statues featuring characters from Greek myth. The four terra cotta figures on the South Terrace—Faun, Adonis, Venus, and Hamadryad—are modeled after originals created by Antoine Coysevox, a prolific sculptor from the 17th century. If you look closely at the figure at the far right end of the Terrace, you’ll see Coysevox’s maker’s mark.

In the Italian Garden, you’ll find several variations of late-19th-century putti—winged figures that were popular in both statuary and painting during the Italian Renaissance. The small terra cotta angel located at the end of the Italian Garden is based on a work of art that’s housed in the Louvre. Although there’s a fountain bowl in front of this putto, Kara Warren, Preventive Conservation Specialist, says there is no record that water was ever used in the fountain.

Aging Naturally

Whether made from bronze, marble, limestone, granite, or terra cotta, each outdoor statue has to weather the elements. Storms and environmental pollutants have taken their toll of them over the last century. According to Kara, some repairs and restorations date back to 1934.

“Reading the descriptions of repair work from our archival records is like having a mini history lesson. Each repair documents the care the statue received over the year. Today, we occasionally need to repair the repairs, replacing corroded iron elements with stainless steel or replacing mortar that has crumbled over time,” she continues.

Near the stairway leading from the house to the Italian Garden, you’ll notice the Italian white marble statue that’s known as “The Dancing Lesson.” The original, made of terra cotta, was replaced by this copy in the 1970s after it was damaged in a storm.

Perhaps Biltmore’s most famous statue, Diana, goddess of the hunt, located on the hill overlooking the house, met a similar fate. The original terra cotta work, based on a marble housed in the Louvre, was replaced with today’s marble version carved by H. Whinery Oppice in the 1970s.

In Harmony with Nature

As you walk through the gardens, statuary sometimes plays a supporting role to the ever-changing natural beauty that takes center stage. But each garden element is an important part of this living landscape that has been recognized as a National Historic Landmark.

Exploring George Vanderbilt’s Library

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Even in Biltmore House, where so many rooms are filled with amazing collections of beautiful things, the Library still shines as a special place. George Vanderbilt was a remarkable man, and it’s fascinating to learn more about him through the creation of his magnificent and enduring library at Biltmore.

Learn more about George Vanderbilt’s tastes and interests with this look at some noteworthy books that form the Biltmore House Library collection.

An up-close look at leather-bound books in the collection
An up-close look at leather-bound books in the collection

Logging literary pursuits

When he was 12, George Vanderbilt began recording the names of each book he read in a journal, and he continued that habit throughout his life. If we look at any representative year, we get a sense of the breadth of his intellect. In 1899, Mr. Vanderbilt read a total of 51 books: 31 were novels, including The Two Magies and The Awkward Age by Henry James and Antonia or the Fall of Rome by Wilkie Collins. 

Detailed look at a large bookpress in Library in Biltmore House

A man of many interests

By the time of his death, George Vanderbilt had collected more than 23,000 volumes. Approximately one-third of the volumes were antiquarian purchases, with the oldest appearing to be an Italian work published in 1561. The major strengths of the collection are 19th-century English and American literature, art and architecture; travel, philosophy and religion; history; and French fiction and non-fiction reflecting both his and his wife’s interest in France and their fluency in the French language.

Most of the books George Vanderbilt collected were sent to one of the great bookbinders of the period, such as Riviere, Stikeman, Lortic, or David.  A few months later they would be returned beautifully bound in Moroccan leather, with gilt lettering and decoration, to be placed on the shelves of the Biltmore House Library.

Lithograph from Thomas McKenney and James Hall's History of the Indian Tribes of North America, 1844.
Lithograph from Thomas McKenney and James Hall’s History of the Indian Tribes of North America, 1844.

Rare Biltmore Library collections

The Biltmore House Library contains Thomas McKenney and James Hall’s History of the Indian Tribes of North America. Our volumes are the original large folio edition, published in 1844, and contain a full set of the original 120 hand-colored lithographs, which have remarkably retained their vibrancy despite being 180 years old.

This work is widely regarded as one of the most significant publications on Native Americans ever produced, as well as one of the most important color plate books of the 19th century. It provides a remarkable glimpse into the lives and appearances of Native American leaders during a pivotal time in American history and of Biltmore’s earliest inhabitants.

Tragically, many of Charles Bird King’s original oil paintings, from which these folio prints were created, were destroyed in a fire at the Smithsonian in 1865. The rarity of the original folio printing, combined with its historical significance and the unfortunate destruction of the source material, makes this set an invaluable part of our collection.

Other notable works include the complete set of James Audubon’s The Birds of America and The Quadrapeds of America. The copies are unusual in that they are the smaller octavo edition, not the very large elephant folio edition so prized by print collectors. What makes Biltmore’s set particularly interesting is that they are bound with the original paper wrappers that accompanied each part as Audubon’s publisher issued them.

Must-do rainy day activities at Biltmore

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What’s the best way to enjoy all that our sprawling, 8,000-acre private mountain estate has to offer on a rainy day when Mother Nature isn’t cooperating? 

In George and Edith Vanderbilt’s day, you could curl up in the Library with a good book, enjoy a dip in the indoor pool, warm up with a brisk workout in the Gymnasium, or even spend the afternoon bowling—all without ever leaving Biltmore House! Fast-forward over a century, and there’s still plenty to do to ensure a rainy day doesn’t dampen your vacation to Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina!

Inside Biltmore's Conservatory
Biltmore’s historic Conservatory is a tropical getaway all year long, but an especially nice retreat during a rainy day at Biltmore!

Explore our historic Conservatory

Situated down the hill from Biltmore House and past the Walled Garden, this glorious garden-under-glass is a fascinating place to explore in any weather, but it’s especially nice to enjoy all the benefits of a lush garden full of tropical plants without getting drenched in a downpour!

Butler's Pantry
Step inside the Bulter’s Pantry of Biltmore House with a specialty tour.

Upgrade your visit to include a Biltmore House specialty tour

Let the rain fall while you experience a different side of Biltmore House and its surroundings. Specialty tours such as the Biltmore House Backstairs Tour offer a behind-the-scenes look at the rarely-seen domestic staff’s areas and what it was like to work at America’s Largest Home over a century ago.

Tip: Specialty tours offered in Biltmore House will change periodically and may have limited capacity. For our most current offerings, please visit our Tours page online.

Guests at The Vanderbilts at Home and Abroad exhibbition
Learn about the Vanderbilt family and their travels, including their fateful decision to not board the Titanic as planned.

Learn more about the Vanderbilts at The Biltmore Legacy

Antler Hill Village is home to The Biltmore Legacy, an exhibition space that features a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the Vanderbilt family and their treasures with our The Vanderbilts at Home and Abroad exhibition. Exploring this guest-favorite exhibition is a perfect rainy-day activity at Biltmore!

Stay dry while sipping our estate-crafted wines

Let it pour outside while you enjoy the “pours” inside at America’s most-visited winery! This original estate dairy barn was converted to a winery in 1985, and you can experience a complimentary wine tasting (included with any admission type!) and other delicious offerings! Plus, Biltmore’s Winery recently welcomed a stunning Chandelier by world-renowned artist, Dale Chihuly, which is on display daily inside our Wine Shop.

Stable Cafe
Savor field-to-table seasonal dining at Biltmore’s restaurants.

Shop, savor, and stay cozy

What better way to wait out a rain shower than to savor decadent farm-to-table meals or pick out mementos from your time at Biltmore? With over 20 unique shops and restaurants on the estate available only to Biltmore guests and Passholders, you’ll have plenty to choose from!

Make your time on George Vanderbilt’s visionary estate even more memorable with a cozy overnight stay at one of our unique lodging properties, including our four-star Inn on Biltmore Estate, cozy Village Hotel on Biltmore Estate, or a historic, private Cottage on Biltmore Estate.

Raindrops settle on coneflowers in Biltmore's gardens.
Summer rain showers leave glistening drops on native coneflowers in Biltmore’s gardens.

Pack an umbrella and explore our gardens and grounds

The weather in the mountains changes frequently, so much so that the locals in Asheville often say “If you don’t like the weather, just wait ten minutes.” During light showers, you might even enjoy grabbing your umbrella or rain poncho for a peaceful stroll through our historic gardens.

Tip: Be sure to check the local weather radar and have a backup plan in case the forecasts predict more severe weather than a mild sprinkle. The weather in our region can change quickly, which may result in unexpected temporary closures of our trails or outdoor activities during severe weather. We appreciate your understanding!

What are your favorite ways to enjoy Biltmore during the rain? Let us know by sharing on social and tagging #Biltmore @biltmoreestate.