We aren’t really big gift people.
For birthdays and anniversaries, I’d much rather go somewhere, try something new and make a memory than unwrap another thing that eventually ends up shoved in a closet.
So for my birthday one April, Sean and I did exactly that.
We handed the kids over to the grandparents, got up early Saturday morning and snuck away to Asheville for one night.
I’d never been to Biltmore.
Everyone seemed to have been except me, and I kept hearing the same thing:
“You HAVE to go.”
I wasn’t totally convinced.
I mean…it’s an old house.
A very, very, very large old house—but still.
And with kids, I’d always wondered how much fun we’d have spending hours wandering through rooms where the primary rule is essentially:
Look with your eyes. Please don’t touch the Vanderbilt stuff. 😂
So this felt like the perfect trip to try without them.
What I didn’t realize yet was that Biltmore is SO much more than the house.
And spring?
Spring might be one of the prettiest times imaginable to discover it.
Tiny Trip Snapshot 🚆
Where: Asheville, North Carolina
When: April
Who: Just the two of us ❤️
Occasion: My birthday
Length: Saturday–Sunday, one night
Drive: About 3–3½ hours from home
Stayed: The Inn on Biltmore Estate
Trip style: Couples getaway / birthday splurge
Favorite surprises: The gardens, rooftop tour, spa, winery and farm animals
Best meal: Bone & Broth. No contest.
Would I do it again? Absolutely—and we eventually did. 😉
Getting There Without Flying 🚗
One of the best things about Asheville for us is that it’s close enough to make a one-night trip worthwhile.
It’s only about a 3–3½-hour drive, and because we didn’t have kids to wrangle, we could get up early Saturday morning, get in the car and GO.
No airport.
No security line.
No luggage drama.
No wasting half the day getting somewhere.
By the time we arrived, we still had almost an entire day ahead of us.
And Asheville “traffic”?
Coming from Atlanta…
That’s adorable. 😂
First Impression: This Place Is HUGE
I knew Biltmore was big.
I did not understand Biltmore big.
The estate today encompasses about 8,000 acres, with the house and gardens, Antler Hill Village and Winery, farm areas, trails, restaurants, lodging and other activities spread throughout the property. Biltmore itself currently recommends at least a full day to explore and says two days gives visitors a more complete experience. Biltmore
Once you’re there, you understand why.
This isn’t a mansion with a pretty lawn.
It’s an entire destination.
There are acres and acres to explore, and in April, it felt like everything was waking up at once.
I Came for the House. I Stayed for the Tulips. 🌷
Oh, the flowers.
If you’re a garden person—or even if you’re apparently a garden person who just hadn’t realized it yet—spring at Biltmore is gorgeous.
The mornings were chilly, but once the sun came out, the afternoons warmed up beautifully.
And there were flowers everywhere.
Tulips were my favorite.
The azaleas were blooming.
The formal gardens were full of color.
And behind all of it were those gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountain views.
You could spend hours simply walking around outside.
And honestly?
You should.
Don’t buy a ticket to Biltmore, tour the house and leave.
The grounds are part of the experience.
DO NOT Skip the Conservatory 🌿
The Conservatory was one of my favorite stops.
It’s this beautiful glass-roofed greenhouse filled with tropical plants, orchids and greenery, and it feels completely different from the gardens outside. It’s still part of the Biltmore garden experience today and remains open year-round. Biltmore
Go inside.
Even if you think you aren’t particularly interested in plants.
The orchids were my favorite!
I could have wandered around in there forever.
Of course, eventually something else caught my attention…
Oh Look! Animals! 🐐🐖🐇
Baby goats.
Chickens.
Rabbits.
Pigs.
And wild turkeys wandering around like they owned the place.
So naturally…
I went and said hello to everyone. 😂
At this point, if you’ve read more than one post on this blog, you should know that putting animals somewhere basically guarantees that I will find them.
The Farmyard is still part of Antler Hill Village today, with Biltmore currently listing animals including goats, pigs, chickens, ducks and others. Biltmore
Apparently George Vanderbilt built an estate specifically tailored to my interests:
Beautiful architecture.
Mountains.
Wine.
Good food.
Gardens.
Goats.
Then There’s the House 🏰
Okay.
Everyone was right.
You have to see the house.
Biltmore House was completed in 1895 for George Vanderbilt, and it contains 250 rooms. Biltmore
But numbers don’t really prepare you for walking into it.
It’s magnificent.
Everywhere you look, there’s another detail.
The architecture.
Furniture.
Artwork.
Woodwork.
Decorations.
Rooms that somehow keep appearing.
We spent probably three hours inside the house, and I never felt like we were searching for things to look at.
The audio tour was absolutely worth doing because it wasn’t simply a list of architectural facts.
You learn about the Vanderbilt family.
Their guests.
The people who worked there.
How the rooms were used.
What life inside the house would have looked like.
It makes the building feel less like a museum and more like a home that once had an entire world operating inside it.
The current self-guided visit still takes guests through three floors and the basement, and the audio guide remains part of the house experience. Biltmore
And then you get downstairs…
Can We Talk About That Swimming Pool? 😳
The indoor swimming pool is WILD.
There are certain things inside Biltmore that make you remember exactly when this house was built.
And then there are things that make you think:
They had WHAT in the 1890s?!
The pool was one of those for me.
But surprisingly, it wasn’t my favorite part.
That came when we went up.
The Rooftop Tour Was Worth It
We added the Rooftop Tour to our visit, and I’m really glad we did.
It takes you into areas you don’t see during the regular house tour and gives you a completely different perspective on the architecture.
And the views…
That balcony. ❤️
Standing outside this enormous historic home and looking across the sprawling estate with the mountains in the background was probably one of my favorite moments of the entire Biltmore experience.
It made me realize that the landscape isn’t just something surrounding the house.
It’s part of what makes the house spectacular.
Biltmore still offers the Rooftop Tour today as a 60-minute guided experience through rooftops and balconies not included on the standard house visit. Biltmore
Would I Do the Rooftop Tour Again?
No.
But hear me out. 😂
I absolutely recommend it.
I’m glad we did it, and I think it’s a fantastic first-time add-on.
I just wouldn’t personally repeat it because there are so many other specialty tours available.
Next time, I’d spend that money getting a backstage look at a completely different part of Biltmore.
There is simply too much here to keep seeing the same thing.
And Then We Found the Wine 🍷
You didn’t think I’d tour 8,000 acres and skip the winery, did you?
The winery experience was so much fun.
Even getting there was cool because you walk through this tunnel before entering the tasting area.
And then…
wine tasting!
This is a must-do.
The wines were good, and you actually get enough samples that I will simply say:
Plan accordingly. 😂
This isn’t a two-sip situation.
We were staying on the property, which made the whole thing even easier.
Biltmore’s complimentary wine tasting is still included with estate admission today and takes place at the winery in Antler Hill Village. Biltmore
We also had bottles of Biltmore wine waiting in our suite.
At this point, my birthday was going quite well.
Would I Stay at The Inn Again? 🏨
For a couples trip?
Yes.
Our room at The Inn was comfortable and quaint, parking was easy, and the biggest benefit was convenience.
We were there specifically for Biltmore, so being able to stay right on the estate made sense.
Biltmore is so enormous that convenience matters more than I expected.
For a family trip, though?
I’d probably look at an Airbnb.
Once I’m paying for several people and want more room to spread out, the math changes.
But for two adults spending one night and making Biltmore the focus of the trip, I’d happily stay at The Inn again.
Red Stag Grill: I Tried Elk 🦌
For lunch, we went to Red Stag Grill.
The restaurant itself is really cool, with this eclectic, almost bohemian feeling that I wasn’t necessarily expecting.
And the menu gave me exactly what I like when we travel:
Things I recognize…
and a few things that make me say,
“Okay, I’ve never eaten THAT before.”
The bread service was delicious, and I tried elk for the first time.
Verdict?
It was good!
I’m glad I tried it.
But give me my filet. 😂
Bone & Broth: If You Eat ONE Meal in Asheville…
Okay.
Go here.
Bone & Broth is still one of my favorite restaurant experiences we’ve had anywhere.
Not just Asheville.
Anywhere.
We sat at the bar and ended up chatting with a local couple who had actually moved to Asheville from Atlanta.
Small world!
The staff were friendly and knowledgeable, which I really appreciate when we’re somewhere with a menu that makes me want to order approximately everything.
I had a Cosmo.
Sean had an Old Fashioned.
And then we started eating.
Bread service?
Yes.
Whipped feta dip?
YES.
Beef bone broth?
Delicious.
Steak?
Soooo good.
But now we need to discuss something important.
The Broccoli.
I understand that recommending broccoli during a birthday trip sounds like I’ve completely lost control of this travel blog.
I don’t even LIKE broccoli.
But whatever they did to that broccoli…
I would order it again.
That’s how good it was.
If you are in Asheville and only have time for one dinner, Bone & Broth is where I’m sending you.
Get the steak.
Get the bread.
Get the whipped feta.
And apparently…
get the broccoli. 😂
Birthday Morning = Spa Morning 💆♀️
If you can’t tell by now…
I love a good spa day.
We did a couples Zen body wrap and massage along with facials, and it was fabulous.
This is also where Sean and I are a little different from the traditional birthday-gift couple.
We don’t really do big presents for each other.
I’d rather take whatever we might have spent on another gift and go experience something together.
See somewhere new.
Eat something amazing.
Try something we’ve never done.
Make a memory.
That’s my kind of birthday present.
And wandering through Biltmore gardens followed by a couples spa treatment?
I’ll take that over another thing in a gift bag any day.
Twisted Laurel & My Growing Asheville Food Problem 🍔
After the spa, we went to Twisted Laurel.
At this point I had discovered something:
Y’all. The food in Asheville is as good as the mountain views.
I would seriously return just to eat.
We had a smash burger and Philly, plus fresh-made chips and onion rings, and everything was delicious.
This was another one of those restaurants where I left thinking:
I need to come back because I didn’t get to try enough things.
We really didn’t explore much of Asheville itself during this trip.
Biltmore was the destination.
Asheville mostly entered the story when it was time to eat.
And Asheville performed beautifully. 😂
Obviously I Found the Candy 🍫
You can give me 8,000 acres, a 250-room mansion, priceless artwork, mountain views and more than a century of American history…
I found the candy shop at Antler Village.
We bought treats to take home to the kids and found these caramel-and-chocolate-covered pretzels that were the perfect combination of sweet and salty.
Mmmm.
No regrets.
Was One Night Enough?
This is the surprising part.
Yes.
Would I have stayed another night?
Absolutely.
But Biltmore is a splurge.
That’s actually part of the reason we only stayed one night.
And because Asheville is close enough for us to reach in around 3–3½ hours, we could leave early Saturday, spend essentially the entire day exploring, stay overnight, enjoy more of the property Sunday and then head home.
In that short trip we managed to tour the house for around three hours, explore the gardens and Conservatory, see the animals, take the Rooftop Tour, visit the winery, have a wine tasting, enjoy the spa and eat some really fantastic food.
I don’t feel like we shortchanged the experience.
Would two nights let you slow down and see more?
Of course.
Biltmore itself currently recommends at least one full day and suggests two days for a more complete visit. Biltmore
But if you’re coming from the Atlanta area and want a quick couples escape?
One night absolutely worked for us.
Is Biltmore Expensive? Yep. Is It Worth It?
This isn’t the trip I’d recommend if your primary goal is spending as little as possible.
Biltmore feels first class, and you’re going to pay accordingly.
That’s okay.
My travel philosophy has never been that everything needs to be cheap.
Save on the things that don’t matter much to you. Spend on the experiences that do.
I’d rather shorten a trip than cut out all the things that made me want to take the trip in the first place.
So instead of staying several nights, we stayed one.
But during that one night?
We stayed at The Inn.
We added a specialty tour.
We tasted the wine.
We went to the spa.
We ate really good food.
And I came home feeling like we’d actually been somewhere.
Biltmore is unlike anything else I’ve experienced.
For me, the value was there.
The One Thing I Wish We’d Done 🐴
A carriage ride!
How did I miss this?!
A horse-drawn carriage ride through Biltmore Estate just fits the entire experience perfectly.
Biltmore still offers carriage rides today, including 30- and 60-minute options. Biltmore
If I were planning that first trip again?
I’d add one.
Tiny Tips 🚆
Give the house more time than you think you’ll need. We spent about three hours inside and still didn’t see every part of Biltmore that’s accessible through specialty tours.
Don’t skip the grounds because you’re focused on the mansion. The gardens, Conservatory, mountain views and animals were some of my favorite parts of the entire trip.
If you visit in spring, bring layers. Our April mornings were chilly, but the afternoons warmed beautifully.
If you enjoy history, add one specialty tour. I loved the Rooftop Tour, but if I return I’d choose a different one simply because there’s so much more to discover. Biltmore currently offers several specialty house tours in addition to the standard audio visit. Biltmore
And if you’re doing the wine tasting…
perhaps don’t schedule anything immediately afterward that requires advanced mathematics. 😂
Would I Go Back?
Funny you should ask.
We already did.
Before this trip, I wasn’t sure Biltmore was somewhere our kids would enjoy.
Remember?
Old house.
Lots of history.
Don’t touch anything.
But after experiencing the estate for myself, I realized how much there was beyond the house.
So eventually we brought them.
Except the next time, we didn’t come in spring.
We brought the kids.
My mom and stepdad came too.
And we went at Christmas. 🎄
Same Biltmore.
Completely different experience.
But that’s another story. 😉
Worth the Drive From Atlanta?
Absolutely.
Especially for couples.
It’s far enough away to feel like you’ve actually escaped but close enough that you don’t need to burn several vacation days getting there.
And for us, one night was enough to turn an ordinary April weekend into my birthday present.
Not a box.
Not another thing.
A memory.
I went to Biltmore expecting to tour a really big historic house.
I left understanding why everyone kept telling me to go.
The house is magnificent.
But so are the mountains behind it.
And the tulips.
And the azaleas.
And the greenhouse.
And the wine.
And the baby goats.
And the spa.
And Asheville’s ridiculous food scene.
Apparently even the broccoli.
Especially the broccoli. 😂
Those are the kinds of birthday gifts I want.
Go somewhere.
Try something.
Eat something delicious.
Explore somewhere you’ve never been.
And come home with another story that starts with:
“Remember when we…?” ❤️
Tiny traveler. Big adventures. No airplanes required. 🚆
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