Finally... The Biltmore Estate

Sorry for the shear amount of pictures, but I picked my favorites out of almost 250 photos. Imagine if I were allowed to take pictures inside the Biltmore?!? I would've had to of started a new blog dedicated only to my ONE DAY at the Biltmore...

This isn't even the end of the trip's photos, I still have to show some pictures from The Grove Inn and Spa we visited to see their huge display of gingerbread houses from the national competition held there... they were awesome.

So not a lot to say about the pics, I think they do a good job of telling our story on their own. I will say that I highly recommend you visit this place (in Asheville, NC) if you haven't already. It was completely awe inspiring. I cannot imagine how they even began such a monumental task and finished it in 6 years - back in 1895!

George Washington Vanderbilt was the first owner of the house and all within and about are from his ideas coupled with a fabulous architect and about a million other folks. Wanna know how big the house is? They don't tell you in square footage - it's 4 acres of floor space. That's 4acres of indoor house! I can't even wrap my brain around it.

Then there's the stables, the winery, the indoor gardens and the TOWN BUILT JUST FOR THIS HOUSE so that all the people who worked there (the maids, stable people, gardeners, farmers, cooks, and on and on) could live close by with their families. The Biltmore estate was completely self sufficient - all the crops were raised there, had their own dairy cows, and any other thing you could possibly need.

It was 1895, and they had 43 bathrooms - indoor plumbing was a luxury. Also, they had a heated indoor pool, with underwater lights - amazing for that time and age. But the details inside the house were the real show-stoppers and unfortunately I can't show you those. No expense was spared and the Christmas trees and decor that the tourism peoples put in there these days was gorgeous as well.

The memories made with our family on this short 4 day trip are priceless. I'm so glad we could all share this together. I plan on going back for the "Festival of Flowers" in the spring/summer months one year. You're welcome to join us!

I think Mom's expression in this picture explains how exciting it all really was!

The Vanderbilts owned as far as the eye can see all around the mansion! That's hundreds of thousands of acres!!!!!!! The mountains in the distance are now owned by the government and are Pisgah National Forest. Amazing!

The outdoors were a bit dead looking - that's why I HAVE TO go back in the spring to see the huge gardens in bloom. I've seen pictures and it's GORGEOUS.

This huge mansion looking thing use to be ONE of the stables - now converted into restaurants and shops.

The only shot that we got while inside the house - Nick is to thank for this one - he was sly enough to steal a photo of this Biltmore replica displayed in the kitchen for me and my love of gingerbread houses!

This is the restaurant we ate in that is located inside the former stables.

Check out the booths - their inside the actual horse stalls! You can even see indentions in the brick wall where the horses had kicked and paced.

Now we're heading back out tonight after Nick comes home from work. We're staying with my sister and David in Richmond tonight, then finishing our Christmas shopping tomorrow and getting to see many of our friends at a Christmas party at Adam and Jamie's. Have a great weekend!