Biltmore Estate, Asheville, North Carolina

Biltmore Estate, Asheville, North Carolina

In early May, Mary and I had the opportunity to get away from Killington for a few days for a vacation of our own. This is the second installment of a 4 part article on our experiences.

As most of our friends and repeat guests know, Mary and I usually get away from Killington during early May. Killington in early May can be rather messy. Snow melt off the mountains is in full swing. Muddy soil conditions, combined with running water and sunshine cause the area to erupt in small insects of many different varieties. Many local golf courses are open, but the surrounding countryside is still devoid of color, as most trees are barely in the bud stage, still hibernating from the winter cold. With all this in mind, our vacation planning each year starts with 1 requirement....How far do we have to travel so that we encounter "Leaves on the Trees". On most even years we tend to limit our travel to North America. On odd years, we have been known to wander outside the country to see other parts of the world. This year we focused our vacation into parts of North Carolina in search of leaves on the trees (and green on the fairways).

In writing this series of articles, I have divided our trip into 4 parts: Heading South; Asheville NC - The Biltmore Estate; Pinehurst NC - A little golf; and Heading North via Washington DC.

Mary is really big into flower gardens. When she is not on the golf course during the summer months, much of her outdoor time is spent building/tending the gardens around our inn. On many of our vacation, we try to stop at a place with unique architecture and gardens. This year, that place was the Biltmore Estate in Asheville North Carolina.

Biltmore Estate from the grounds (Click to enlarge.)

Billed as North America's largest private home, the 125,000 acre estate (8000 acres are open to the public) was commissioned by George Vanderbilt in 1889 as a home for he and his new bride Edith Stuyvesant Dresser. Architect Richard Morris Hunt designed the home in the style of a royal French chateaux. In touring the property, you see many similarities with the Chateau de Versailles in Paris, or the Powerscourt Estate in Wicklow Ireland. The main house on the Biltmore Estate is laid out on 4 acres and contains 250 rooms.

The grounds of the Biltmore Estate were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. Considered by many to be the father of modern American landscape architecture, Olmsted's other famous works include New York's Central Park, and the Emerald Necklace in Boston.

The grounds around the Biltmore Estate are truly impressive. Huge gardens surround the main house. Mary and I walked for several hours in the "Walled" and "Azalea" gardens among others.

Mary in the Azalea Garden (Click to enlarge.)

During our stay in Asheville, we stayed at the Inn on the Biltmore Estate. The Inn on the Biltmore Estate is a contemporary "Grand Hotel" in every sense of the word. The room we had was beautifully appointed. The service and attention to detail was very good. The restaurant at the Inn was as good as many we have dined at over the years. We definitely paid more than if we had stayed at a chain hotel in Asheville. But being innkeepers, we appreciate the value of the product offered by the Inn on the Biltmore Estate. It was a very nice place to stay.

The Inn on the Biltmore Estate (Click to enlarge.)

After departing the Biltmore Estate, we set out for Pinehurst North Carolina for some golf. Mary was happy....she got to see lots of flower gardens. I was happy...we had had a nice time in Asheville and we were heading to a great golfing destination..

I'll write about Pinehurst in the next installment. In the mean time, keep it in the fairway...and don't forget your sunscreen!