The Biltmore Estate is a large (10.86 square miles) private estate and tourist attraction in Asheville, North Carolina. Biltmore House, the main residence, is a Chateau style mansion built by George Washington Vanderbilt II between 1889 and 1895 and is the largest privately owned house in the United States, at 178,926 square feet.

Biltmore Estate House

Biltmore has a total of 250 rooms in the house including 35 bedrooms for family and guests, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces. Guests of the estate enjoyed amazing amenities for a home build before the turn of the 19th century including an indoor 70,000-gallon heated swimming pool with underwater lighting, and one of the nation's first bowling alleys installed in a private residence.

Biltmore Estate with Great Smoky Mts. in the back gound

Still owned by George Vanderbilt's descendants, Biltmore stands today as one of the most prominent remaining examples of the Gilded Age. The estate was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1963, and remains a major tourist attraction in Western North Carolina with 1.4 million visitors each year.

Mr & Mrs Paradise enjoying the grounds at Biltmore

My father in-law is from North Carolina, making the Smoky Mountains a frequent area for family vacations. Thus we have toured this amazing estate many times, and each time we learn something new. There are options for a guided tour, or you can opt for the the self guided tour, which walks you through each floor and each room. You can spend the whole day there and not see everything.

Learn more about the amazing Biltmore Estate here.

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