BILTMORE

We've been wanting to visit Biltmore for ages.  It's called the largest family-owned residence in the United States.  At 178,926 square feet, it is a Châteauesque-style mansion built by George Washington Vanderbilt II between 1889 and 1895.  It is situated on over 4300 acres, there are extensive gardens and rolling hills.  There is also a winery and hotels, which we did not visit.

The drive to the house is over 2 miles, winding through beautiful and exotic trees and shrubs, landscaped by Frederick Law Olmstead.  When you finally come out of the trees, you are wowed by the sight of this huge mansion.

The front entrance.

The front entrance.

The lion by the front entrance with the staircase windows in the background.

The three fireplaces in the formal dining room.

The formal dining room table.

A sitting room - I loved the colors.

A chair in the Music Room.

Looking out from the back terrace at Deer Park.

The Terrace in the rear of the house.

From the rear terrace.

The grand Tapestry Room.

In the Library.

In the Billiards Room.

The formal dining room from the other side.

After the tour, we sat out in the courtyard, outside the stables, and drank iced tea.

 After the house tour, we walked through some of the gardens.

Off the house there is this wonderful veranda, pleasantly shaded by overhead vines.

The view off the veranda.

Looking back at the house from the gardens.

The conservatory, which is full of heat-loving exotic plants.  Out front is a Chihuly exhibit. 

Lots of orchids and other plants.

We hurried back up to the house and managed to get seated in the Stable Cafe for lunch.  It filled up very quickly after that and people were waiting to get in by the time we left.

Lunch at the converted Stable Cafe.  Very good.