The Christmas Holidays at Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, U.S.A.
- Nadine Traveler
- Nov 6
- 4 min read
Biltmore Estate, in Asheville, North Carolina, is one of my favorite historic houses to visit during the holiday season. Nestled in the Pisgah National Forest in the Appalachian Mountains, this historic home sits on 8000 acres of land and is just right for a luxurious, fantastical holiday getaway.
Construction of the Biltmore Mansion took six years, beginning in 1889, and was completed in 1895. Built in a Château style, this 175,000-square-foot Gilded Age Mansion has 250 rooms, including the grand banquet hall, and an alluring library with over 10,000 books. This is the largest privately owned mansion in the United States. On Christmas Eve, 1895, its founder, George Washington Vanderbilt II (1862-1914), opened the Biltmore Mansion and Estate by inviting friends and family from around the world to celebrate the beginning of what still stands today as a shining beacon of hope for those who seek to achieve the American dream.
George Washington Vanderbilt was the son of William Henry Vanderbilt (1821-1885), the eldest son and heir to the fortune of the great American railroad tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt (1794- 1877). Cornelius Vanderbilt descended from a Dutch immigrant, Jan Aertson from the village of De Bilt, who emigrated to New Amsterdam in 1650, a city which became New York City in 1664. Jan Aertson came to the Dutch colony, later a part of the British American colonies, as an indentured servant with no money to his name. By the late 1700s, Jan Aertson’s descendants were still living in New York. Cornelius Vanderbilt, Jan Aertson’s 3rd great-grandson, who quit school at age 11 to begin working on the boat docks of Staten Island, New York, to assist with his father’s shipping business, eventually became America’s first tycoon.
During Cornelius’s life, many of the Vanderbilts became Episcopalian; however, Cornelius Vanderbilt remained a Moravian, the Christian denomination of his Dutch ancestors, and donated large sums of money throughout his lifetime to the Moravians, who were dedicated to founding Christian schools and educating disparaged and impoverished populations.
To date, Cornelius Vanderbilt remains one of the wealthiest individuals in American history, largely due to the wealth he amassed from the steamboat and railroad industries. His grandson, George Washington Vanderbilt, built this historic home for $5 million, which is roughly equivalent to $189,000 in 2025.
The Biltmore Mansion is not only a beautiful place to visit during the holidays, as it is adorned with at least one hundred Christmas trees each year, but it is also a tourist attraction that allows over one million visitors per year to experience a genuine walk through the Gilded Age, and to see the evidence of the ever-present beating heart of the United States of America, through the lens of this 130 year sustainment of the Vanderbilt families’ achievement of the American dream.
The Biltmore House and Gardens feature a variety of shops, including The Christmas Past, dedicated entirely to Christmas, and a delightful Confectionery Shop shown in the photo below. There are also several cafes and restaurants, including the Stable Cafe, located in the former stables of the Biltmore House, which I highly recommend. While visiting the Biltmore Gardens, you will not want to miss the conservatory, which is open year-round.
Antler Hill Village and Winery features the Biltmore Winery, which was founded in 1985 by William Amherst Cecil Sr., a grandson of George Washington Vanderbilt. This area also has multiple shops and restaurants, including the Biltmore Wine Bar and Cedric's Pub. In the summer months, live bands can often be heard in the pavilion area, located next to the ice cream shop and the Biltmore Museum.
Other highlights of the Biltmore Estate include the equestrian center, perfect for travelers who love to go horseback riding or enjoy taking a carriage ride. These activities offer some of the most stunning views of the Biltmore Estate's breathtaking landscapes.
Across the street from the equestrian center is Amherst at Deerpark, which often features fascinating exhibits that showcase stunning artwork or archaeological finds from significant moments in history. Two exhibits I saw were Italian Renaissance Alive and Tutankhamen: His Tomb and His Treasures. Both of these exhibits provided interactive and educational experiences, combining culture and history into one entertaining occasion.
Biltmore Estate also features several hiking and biking trails for visitors to enjoy. Biltmore Estate is an ideal vacation location for the Christmas holidays. Depending on your schedule, visitors should plan to stay a minimum of two days; however, to truly experience all of the fantastic tourist attractions that the Biltmore Estate has to offer, a week-long stay is ideal.
If you are interested in visiting the Biltmore Estate, click the links below to find information about tickets, hours of operation, and upcoming holiday events. Also, stay tuned for another blog post of my 2025 visit to the Biltmore Estate, where you will see photos of the newly decorated Biltmore House and Gardens in celebration of 130 years of Christmas at Biltmore.
Christmas at Biltmore
Biltmore Estate Website
Things To Do At Biltmore
Biltmore Estate Restaurants
Biltmore Village Hotel
The Inn at Biltmore
Biltmore Cottages
Winery
Gardens and Grounds
Antler Hill Village
There are also many hotels located just outside the gate of the Biltmore Estate in Biltmore Village, including the Hilton and Marriott hotels, which I also highly recommend.
Hilton Home 2 Suites
Grand Bohemian Lodge Marriott
Happy Holidays and Bon Voyage!
Dr. Alethea Kilgore
CEO of Kingdom Crown Tours
Comments