Exploring the Biltmore Estate in Ashefield, North Carolina Part 4

November 22nd, 2008

This is Part 4 of a series of articles. Visiting the Biltmore Estate in Ashefield, North Carolina is a fun and educational trip for the entire family.

The Carriage Rides

The carriage rides at Biltmore Estate are held daily. It is suggest you arrange for a reservation ahead of time. The rides consist of a journey through the estate for 45 minutes on a six or twelve-person carriage. During your carriage ride there is opportunity to enjoy extraordinary views of the grounds. Cost per person is $35 in addition to the estate admission. One child 5 years and younger can ride free per one paying adult.

The Private Carriage Rides

A private carriage ride at Biltmore estate in Ashefield, North Carolina can be reserved two days in advance. These rides consist of a private 90-minute ride in an elegant vis-à-vis carriage to allow you to enjoy the estate’s beauty. Cost for up to four guests is $275. This cost is in addition to the estate admission.

Horseback Riding Western Style along Appalachian Trails

First time and experienced horseback riders can enjoy an unforgettable guided expedition through woodlands rich with wildlife on a horse especially chosen to match your skill level. Horseback riding is an activity to enjoy daily at the Biltmore Estate. The Biltmore Estate Company advises advance reservations for the horseback rides. These rides are one hour in length and are guided on beautiful trails through the woodlands and meadows of the estate. They are suitable for beginning to intermediate-level riders. The cost is $60 per adult in addition to the estate admission, $50 per youth which is ages 6 – 16 in addition to their estate admission. The horseback rides are not available for children 5 and under.

River Float Trips

Enjoy amazing views as you float the gentle French Broad River. The French Broad River winds through the estate. You may travel by raft or kayak (depending on the water level and temperature) on your own or with a well-trained guide.

The guided river float trips are offered daily, May 4 through October 31. A reservation is suggested. Cost per adult is $30 in addition to the estate admission, $20 per youth ages 3 – 16 in addition to estate admission.

Self-guided float rentals are available daily May 4 to October 31. A reservation is suggested. These activities consist of a self-guided 3-mile float trip down the French Broad River. It includes rental and safety equipment, a safety orientation plus transportation to and from drop off and pick up sites. The Biltmore Estate Company does recommend you have paddling experience. Cost for the activity is $20 per person ages 6 and up in addition to estate admission. One child, ages 3 to 5, can go free with one paying adult.

Please review the following checklist suggested for a river outing:

• By all means, do not forget your sunscreen
• Children must be at least three years old and at least 35 pounds to participate in the river outing activities at the Biltmore Estate.
• The Biltmore Estate Company requires children 14 and under to be accompanied by an adult.
• Youths 15 to 17 years of age must have an adult sign their liability release for the river outing at Biltmore Estate.
• Please be advised that availability of river outings is depending on river and weather conditions. If you are interested in the river outings, you will definitely need to plan the activities while keeping abreast of weather and river conditions.

Biking Riding

At the Biltmore Estate you can bring your bike along or rent one from them. The Biltmore Estate in Ashefield, North Carolina boasts of a cyclist’s paradise with miles of trails. There are choices that range from challenging trails for experienced mountain bikers to easy paved trails that follow the French Broad River. There are also well-marked woodland trails that wind through whisper-quiet forests and wildflower meadows. What more could one ask for in total serenity and beauty?

Bike Pass Required

The Biltmore Estate requires guests to obtain a bike pass that includes access to all the Biltmore bike paths in addition to a free map of the trails. A reservation is not required. All participants are required to check in at the Explore Biltmore Outdoor Center. Cost per guest is $5 in addition to the estate admission.

Continued in Part 5

Important Disclaimer: The web site address listed in the resource box of this article is not associated with the Biltmore Estate or any of its employees. This article and the web site are for information purposes only.

This article is FREE to publish with the resource box.

Written by: Connie Limon. For more information about planning a trip to the Biltmore Estate visit http://smalldogs2.com/BiltmoreEstateTripPlan For a variety of FREE reprint articles and special sections of other topics visit Camelot Articles at http://www.camelotarticles.com

Posted in Western NC | No Comments »

Exploring the Biltmore Estate in Ashefield, North Carolina Part 3

November 20th, 2008

By Connie Limon

This is Part 3 of a series of articles. Visiting the Biltmore Estate in Ashefield, North Carolina is a fun and educational trip for the entire family.

A brief history of the Biltmore Estate

Why name the estate Biltmore? George Vanderbilt named the estate. The name is actually derived by combining two words: “Bildt,” the region in Holland where the Vanderbilt family originated, and “more,” and old English word that means upland rolling hills.

The Biltmore house covers 4 acres, which totals 175,000 square feet and consists of 250 rooms that include 35 guest and family rooms, 43 bathrooms, 65 fireplaces and three kitchens. Noone has lived in the Biltmore house since the 1950s. Guests and/or visitors to the Biltmore Estate cannot stay in the house. However, you can enjoy a stay at the Vanderbilt-inspired hospitality at the Inn on Biltmore Estate.

Richard Morris Hunt, architect, designed America’s largest home, the Biltmore House. Frederick Law Olmsted, the father of landscape architecture in America, designed all the surrounding acres of formal and informal gardens. The Biltmore House is a National Historic Landmark.

The Biltmore House construction began in 1889. It is comprised of tons of Indiana limestone that was transported by a special railway spur built specifically to bring the massive amounts of material and supplies to the Biltmore construction site. There were hundreds of workers at the site working for more than six years to complete the Biltmore House. It was first opened on Christmas Eve 1895. Mr. Vanderbilt officially opened his doors for the first time to friends and family while displaying the Vanderbilt family’s original collection of furnishings, arts and antiques. Today, the Biltmore House remains much the same as it was in the early 21st century.

The actual owner of the Biltmore House is all Vanderbilt family. George and Edith Vanderbilt had one child whose name was Cornelia. Cornelia married Britist diplomat John Francis Amherst Cecil in 1924. They had two sons, William A.V. Cecil, Biltmore Estate’s owner, and his son Bill Cecil, Jr., is chief executive officer of the Biltmore Company. The Biltmore Company includes Biltmore House, Gardens, Winery and River Bend Farm, Inn on Biltmore Estate, Biltmore Estate Wine Company, and Biltmore licensed products.

Biltmore House as we know it today was opened at the request of Asheville city officials in the hopes it would attract tourists in the area during the Depression. Cornelia Vanderbilt Cecil, the only child of George and Edith Vanderbilt, and her husband John Amherst Cecil opened Biltmore to the public in 1930.

Now….back to all the fun and educational activities at the Biltmore Estate…..

The Biltmore House has an 8,000 acre backyard. Outdoor activities include:

• Carriage Rides
• Horseback Riding
• River Float Trips
• Biking
• Hiking
• Segway Tours
• Sporting Clays
• Fly-Fishing School
• Land Rover Driving School

All Biltmore Estate outdoor activities are available by reservation to daytime guests, Biltmore Twelve-Month Pass holders, and Inn on Biltmore Estate guests.

Continued in Part 4

This article is FREE to publish with the resource box.

Posted in Western NC | No Comments »