Anyone ever been to Biltmore Estates?
- Thread starter Hillbilly
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dmccarty
Super Star Member
Yep, I went there a few years back and would love to go back again and again.
There is supposed to be a paid tour that one can go on that shows more of the house than on the regular "tour." I REALLY would like to know more on the construction of the house, how the "help" lived, the mechanicals of the house, etc. Tis very interesting as you move from the main floor and go up how the fixtures and quality went down! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Even a Vanderbuilt has to compromise when building a house! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
I really liked the library and pool room. The suite between His bedroom and Her bedroom must be at least twice the size of my house! LOL! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
When you think that this one man built this house and used to own what is now a national forest, you can't help but be impressed with the wealth he had.
I have been trying to go back for years but have not made it even though I'm only a couple of hours down I40....
Later...
Dan McCarty
There is supposed to be a paid tour that one can go on that shows more of the house than on the regular "tour." I REALLY would like to know more on the construction of the house, how the "help" lived, the mechanicals of the house, etc. Tis very interesting as you move from the main floor and go up how the fixtures and quality went down! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Even a Vanderbuilt has to compromise when building a house! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
I really liked the library and pool room. The suite between His bedroom and Her bedroom must be at least twice the size of my house! LOL! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
When you think that this one man built this house and used to own what is now a national forest, you can't help but be impressed with the wealth he had.
I have been trying to go back for years but have not made it even though I'm only a couple of hours down I40....
Later...
Dan McCarty
I live about 6 hours away,I would like to take my family down there to see Christmas at the Biltmore,imagine a house big enough to put up a 40 ft tall Christmas tree in the Banquet room!!!!!I forgot the amount of fireplaces,seems to me like 60 something and 200+ plus rooms. Quite a place 1000 men and five years to build,not to mention a 3 mile long railroad track layed down exclusively for bringing in the building supplies then taken up after the mansion was complete.This would qualify as a Castle if it were in Europe. A shame the man died at such a young age. Did you get a chance to go to the winery? It use to be a barn.
RobS
Super Member
We were there three years ago. Fantastic place and a must see for anyone in the area. Here's their site http://www.biltmore.com/
My wife was pregnant so we didn't get to enjoy as much as we would have liked. The "behind the scenes" tour sounded especially interesting as did the rooftop tour. We did visit the winery and just recently finished the last of what we bought. It was pretty good.
The tours are pretty pricey, but well worth it IMO /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
My wife was pregnant so we didn't get to enjoy as much as we would have liked. The "behind the scenes" tour sounded especially interesting as did the rooftop tour. We did visit the winery and just recently finished the last of what we bought. It was pretty good.
The tours are pretty pricey, but well worth it IMO /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Joe_W
Silver Member
We were there several years ago. We took the "Behind the scenes tour", and I would highly recommend it. It is even more fascinating than the normal tour.
Joe W.
Joe W.
Wingnut
Veteran Member
love that basement pool !
and the winery is pretty good considering we're talking North Carolina here (no offence to our southern members ... I just hadn't considered NC to be wine country ... amazing what you discover when you travel)
too bad that common sense ain't
and the winery is pretty good considering we're talking North Carolina here (no offence to our southern members ... I just hadn't considered NC to be wine country ... amazing what you discover when you travel)
too bad that common sense ain't
dmccarty
Super Star Member
Wingnut, Wingnut, Wingnut....
What are we Southerners going to have to do to educate you about the Great South! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Key word is Great! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Before Prohabition wiped out the wine industry in North Carolina, The North State was the larges wine producer in the United States! The state has an abundunce of native grapes which led to the industry. My property is COVERED with these grapes. I really don't know much about them but they seem to be ripening now. The wine industry is coming back as well. There is at least one or two vineyards in Chatham county, which is the location of my property. The county is just southwest of the Triangle. One of the vinyards has a winery here in the Triangle. The owner is a chemist and works for a company in RTP so he picked the location so he could have easy access to the winery from his day job. Supposedly its a very good wine. There are at least two other winery's in the state that I like one is Duplin which I think useds the native grapes and the other one is near Winston-Salem. I can't remember their name right now but I really like some of their wine. I Biltmore wines were OK. They just did not ring my bell.
Course I knew none of the above until I moved to North Carolina! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Later...
Dan McCarty
What are we Southerners going to have to do to educate you about the Great South! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Key word is Great! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Before Prohabition wiped out the wine industry in North Carolina, The North State was the larges wine producer in the United States! The state has an abundunce of native grapes which led to the industry. My property is COVERED with these grapes. I really don't know much about them but they seem to be ripening now. The wine industry is coming back as well. There is at least one or two vineyards in Chatham county, which is the location of my property. The county is just southwest of the Triangle. One of the vinyards has a winery here in the Triangle. The owner is a chemist and works for a company in RTP so he picked the location so he could have easy access to the winery from his day job. Supposedly its a very good wine. There are at least two other winery's in the state that I like one is Duplin which I think useds the native grapes and the other one is near Winston-Salem. I can't remember their name right now but I really like some of their wine. I Biltmore wines were OK. They just did not ring my bell.
Course I knew none of the above until I moved to North Carolina! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Later...
Dan McCarty
dmccarty
Super Star Member
I did go to the winery but I was a bit disappointed. I wanted to see more of the wine making process and that was not available when I was there. The winery "tour" seemed to be more of an opportunity to sell wine. Now that is not bad but they did not give a lot of samples which annoyed me a bit.
I think I could spend a couple of days just walking around a looking at things at Biltmore. They just opened a new hotel on the place that one of these days I would like to stay at for a short vacation. Just hop over to the Big House and liesurely walk around for the day.
Christmas is supposed to be awesome. I tried to get there one year but it did not happen. I heard is crowded though.
Later...
Dan McCarty
I think I could spend a couple of days just walking around a looking at things at Biltmore. They just opened a new hotel on the place that one of these days I would like to stay at for a short vacation. Just hop over to the Big House and liesurely walk around for the day.
Christmas is supposed to be awesome. I tried to get there one year but it did not happen. I heard is crowded though.
Later...
Dan McCarty
The winery at Biltmore is an edition to the plantation that was added in the latter 1900's after Mr. Vanderbilt died(many years later if I am not mistaken).The gentleman that designed the landscaping of the estate also was the designer of Cental Park in New York.
Phred
Veteran Member
Hillbilly,
You right great place. I use to live in north eastern TN, and south western VA. If you get a chance to go back, the drive down 77 to 81 south and then across into NC through erwin is fabulous but a little slower. Much better than 77 to 40. Also if you get the chance stop off at abington, VA. Small town but some neat old buildings, and its right off 81, just north of the TN border.
Fred
You right great place. I use to live in north eastern TN, and south western VA. If you get a chance to go back, the drive down 77 to 81 south and then across into NC through erwin is fabulous but a little slower. Much better than 77 to 40. Also if you get the chance stop off at abington, VA. Small town but some neat old buildings, and its right off 81, just north of the TN border.
Fred
