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The Best Time to Visit Biltmore House and How Long it takes?

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The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina is America’s largest private home. The house is no less than a castle and is one of the lavish tourist attractions in the US. The 250-room French Renaissance chateau was built in 1895 by George Vanderbilt.

The 8000-acre estate with its huge fascinating grounds attracts visitors from everywhere. People buy tickets to visit this Biltmore mansion. It’s more suitable if you await the best time to visit Biltmore house to fully adore its grandeur. There is so much to explore that Biltmore house offers to its visitors. You can spend a whole and still long for more of the place. Probably that is why one visit is never enough. The house is so big that a one day-visit is just not enough. Once you are, you can’t keep track of time.

It is always recommended to visit the house when you can have the most of it. The best time to visit Biltmore house is certainly on occasions such as Christmas. Weekdays are better than weekends for tour as many people visit the house on weekends. So, on weekdays you can have the house to yourself for it to explore and enjoy thoroughly.

The Time it Takes to Visit Biltmore Estate

The time it takes to visit the Biltmore estate typically depends on what your tickets include. The more you pay for your tickets, the more places you get to see and so the longer your visit gets. But usually it takes guests between six and eight hours to fully enjoy all of that their ticket includes.

The time also depends on the extra facilities and the activities which you opt for based on your convenience and interests. These extra services, however, charge you extra money for a specific period of time, as described below.

Self-Guided Tour

Daytime admission tickets to Biltmore include self-guided access to Biltmore House, acres of gardens, and the Conservatory. Antler Hill Village and Farm, and the Winery with a complimentary tour and wine tasting are also included in the ticket. It will take you between 90 minutes to two hours to complete the self-guided tour of the Biltmore house itself.

Audio Guide to Biltmore House

People pay extra for the audio guide to enhance their experience. It takes 1.5 hours to complete the tour guided by curators and hosts. During this 90-minute experience, you are guided through the grand rooms of the house. You also learn about the Vanderbilts, their guests, and their servants, in addition to the surrounding architecture, design, and artwork.

The Biltmore House Backstairs Tour

The backstairs tour costs you an extra $25. The tour gives an insight into the servant life at Biltmore mansion. In your 60-minute long visit, you get a chance to explore the Boiler Room, Butler’s Pantry, and more. The guide also tells you the fascinating stories of those who worked and lived on the estate in the Vanderbilts’ era.

Rooftop Tour

The rooftop tour gives you access to the areas that you don’t get to see on the regular house visit. On this tour, you enjoy great views from the rooftop and balconies. The time it takes is one hour. Seek the best time to visit Biltmore house to relish the rooftop tour.

Private Carriage Ride

Those who can afford, enjoy the luxurious private carriage ride to tour Vanderbilt’s stately and glorious estate. The ride takes them back to the gilded age in which the house was built. The ride is pretty expensive is no longer than 90 minutes. You need to get the reservations at least two days in advance to enjoy a ride.

Behind-the-Scenes Winery Tour & Tasting

Pay an extra $10 to learn about estate’s vineyard and the know the secret of the world’s best wine. The tour allows you to delve into the craft of fermentation and ends with a tasting of luscious wine. The tour is 60-minute long.

Bike Rental

There is also the facility of renting bikes to explore the estate’s 20-plus miles of bike trails. The availability is, however, weather-dependent. The price varies depending on the kind of bike you rent. The regular bike costs $20, and the electronic bike costs $30. The bikes at these prices are rented for two hours. You can also rent them for half-day that will take up to four hours.

Guided Trail Rides

The guided ride on a horse chosen to match your skill level makes the overall experience terrific. Rides along beautiful trails through the woodlands and meadows of the estate makes you feel royal. This one-hour long ride makes your visit unforgettable.

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