Mom was footing the bill for this trip, so we had to do everything that she wanted to do. While I'm always willing to go along with someone else's plan (and their dollars), I never thought that it would lead me to the largest privately owned house in the United States. I'm pretty sure that I knew about the Biltmore Estate (as I have seen the Macaulay Culkin movie Ri¢hie Ri¢h several times), but nothing compares to seeing it in person. This was the home of the famous George Vanderbilt and his family and this joint was built between 1889 and 1895. I'll spare you the history lesson because their dog Cedric does a better job at that than I could (more on that later) but you should go there if you are ever near Asheville, NC. It's larger than life and has to be seen to believed. Just don't try to get in free by telling them you're friends with the Biltmore's (like I did - George and Edith's last name was Vanderbilt) or that you are from Alaska (like Jenny Reck told the bus driver). They'll see right through you because they aren't idiots. They work at The Biltmore.

 

On the left is a picture of that dining room that was as tall as 4 giraffes. Cedric the dog told me that he enjoyed begging for scraps and cozying up next to the giant fireplace. That dog was amazing and I'll hold our time together in my heart for the rest of my life. After the tour I stepped outside to catch some air and avoid being eaten by this gnarly lion. He may look like just a stone figuring, but there's a reason he's out here guarding one of the most expensive homes in America. This beast is good at his job and he obviously takes no prisoners. Do you see any captives around?

 

These Vanderbilts must have been a sporting bunch because there was a giant moose head on the wall and a bachelor pad where the men would smoke cigars after they came inside from the hunt. Ah, to be a man's man in the early 20th century. When rolling up your sleeves and putting in a hard day's work was all it took to being one of the wealthiest men.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Carolinas March 2015 - Biltmore Estate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This place was filled with nooks and crannies, staircases, hidden areas, servants quarters, sitting rooms, ball rooms, dining rooms, any kind of rooms you can imagine and rooms on rooms on rooms. I tried to do my best to sneak a few pictures, but photography was strictly prohibited and violators were dragged off to the dungeon. I'm not 100% sure if they even had a dungeon, but I can't confirm or deny it because I was not allowed to investigate every area of this giant home. I wasn't going to test my luck because I don't do well in dungeons or old timey crawl spaces.

 

Pictures really don't do this place justice. It was massive. Bigger than Jenny's head for sure. There are more floors than my childhood home (which isn't saying much because my childhood home just had 3 floors - a basement, 1st floor and an upstairs) but thanks to this tour we were able to traverse them all. After spending the first part in the luxurious ballrooms and bedrooms of the rich and famous we got to see how the servants and caretakers lived their lives - in the seedy underbelly making preparations for the upcoming day. Everyone has their place in this world. Some of us live the good life and some of us stir the witches' brew with a giant broom.

 

 

 

 

 

They offer two different versions of the audio tour - the Adult one and the Kid's one. At first I chose the Adult version and I strapped myself in for a history lesson. I went to the first stop (the Atrium) and listened to a very informative tale of this indoor structure that housed beautiful plantation. Then I made one the best decisions of my life and went back and swapped out my headset for the Kid's version which was narrated by the family's dog - a Saint Bernard named Cedric. I ended up learning a whole lot about this house and laughing the entire time. I guess at heart I'm just a big kid. This place had so many amazing rooms (about 250 actually) and each one of them has a story. They had an amazing view of the mountains and their only daughter Cornelia was born right here in this room.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There was way too much going on in this house for me to possibly explain what was happening on the first part of the tour. We saw the banquet hall (which has 70 foot ceilings, or as Cedric put it so that I could understand it - 4 Giraffes tall), the Library which had a globe (and as Jenny Reck put it, you know that you've made it when you own a globe) and more bedrooms than a kid like me can build forts in. This house is unreal. That was made especially clear when we went downstairs and saw that they had a bowling alley and an indoor swimming pool (remember that this house was built in the 19th century). Cedric the dog told me that the acoustics in here were amazing, so I made sure to sing in an operatic style that came close to bringing the crowd to applause. I laughed and blamed it on the dog.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It costs a pretty penny to tour this joint (like $50 bucks a person to check out these rich dead people's house. Now I know how the rich stay rich even in death) but I have to say that it was worth it. And that's just to wander around the house. Last night in Downtown Asheville we mentioned that we were going and they suggested we take the audio tour (which was an additional $11) which serves as your guide throughout the house. I hate to recommend this cash grab as well, but this was incredible. I have just a few pictures of the interior because photography is prohibited (and I got yelled at more than a few times when trying). I guess they want your money too.

 

 

 

 

 

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