Biltmore Estate, near the Cabins at Spring House Farm

Near our Cabins: Biltmore Estate

The Biltmore House, Gardens and Winery are just a 45-minute drive from the secluded cabins at Spring House Farm. Spend the day exploring Biltmore in Asheville. Then return to the solitude and quiet of our cabin and relax in the hot tub or by a wood-burning fire. See our Biltmore Package.

When visitors plan a trip to Biltmore Estate, they often think first of Biltmore House with its 250-rooms of art and antiques, but there's so much more to George W. Vanderbilt's historic property in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Whether a guest's interest lies in food and wine, gardening, history, agriculture, family activities or just escaping the everyday, Biltmore has an event or activity to suit.

Whatever the time of year, Biltmore offers ever-changing ways to enjoy Vanderbilt's historic property. Each spring, the estate celebrates with a month-long Festival of Flowers and Easter weekend wouldn't be complete without the massive egg hunt on the Front Lawn of Biltmore House. Summer is packed with activities including Winery Summerfest Weekends offering great jazz and blues and Summer Evening Concerts bringing nationally known acts to the South Terrace of Biltmore House for fabulous music under the stars.

In the fall, Biltmore welcomes cooler weather with Field to Table Celebration. And then there's Christmas at Biltmore and Candlelight Christmas Evenings when the 250-room chateau is transformed into a fairytale castle with miles of evergreen garland, hundreds of poinsettias, dozens of Christmas trees and a magnificent 35-foot tall live Fraser Fir decked with lights, ornaments and gifts.

In addition to special events, the estate capitalizes on its culinary heritage with food and wine programming throughout the year. Guests at Biltmore Winery year-round should ask about complimentary behind the scenes tours, cooking demonstrations, seminars and wine tastings. Other culinary activities have included guest chef programs, introductory wine classes and daylong cooking classes featuring the estate's own chefs.

Biltmore Gardens The most visited winery in the United States isn't located in Napa Valley. It's at Biltmore in the mountains of North Carolina, where approximately 600,000 visitors stop by to sample award-winning estate wines each year. Guests to Biltmore Estate Winery have the opportunity to taste Biltmore's own wines, produced and bottled on the property in a 90,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility. The winery, which opened in 1985, is housed in a converted dairy barn, originally designed by the firm of Richard Morris Hunt, the architect for Biltmore House. The operation including 80 acres of vineyards is a natural extension of the estate's ongoing agricultural program including cattle, sheep and an extensive Kitchen Garden supplying the property's four restaurants. Biltmore Estate Winery offers guests the opportunity to view fermentation and bottling rooms, stroll through the cellars, enjoy special food and wine events and, of course, taste the finished product.

For those interested in learning about Biltmore's agricultural heritage, there's River Bend Farm. The village includes River Bend Barn, built in 1902 and restored in 2004 to communicate the rich farm life that the estate has supported for more than a century. In addition to displays of historic farm equipment, guests can explore the Kitchen Garden and meet draft horses, calves, lambs and chickens at the Farmyard. On select dates throughout the year, visitors can enjoy mountain music and see artisans including a blacksmith and woodworkers practice their craft.

Gardeners and nature lovers can also find plenty to keep them occupied at the estate. Seminars are offered periodically on the property at A Gardener's Place along with garden craft workshops such as wreath making and holiday decorating. Guided garden walks are often offered during special events and when guides aren't available, guests can explore extensive trails on their own.

Biltmore's walking trails are a testament to Landscape Architect Frederick Law Olmsted's belief that the landscape should be enjoyed and admired by guests. Each path provides a new opportunity to discover nature and the estate's wildlife and bird community. Walk along what was once the main carriage drive on the Glen Road, or explore the estate's rustic side with the Bass Pond and Creekside Trails. In spring and summer, the Meadow Trail features wildflowers and grasses, while the Woodland Trail is ablaze with azaleas in spring. Even in winter, the Conservatory offers displays that allow guests to get a taste of summer while staying warm and dry.

Guided by expert staff versed in outdoor sports as well as the history of Biltmore Estate, guests can enjoy hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, float trips, carriage rides, fly-fishing, Segway tours, sporting clays, day camps and the Land Rover Experience Driving School.

History buffs can spend hours exploring Biltmore House and enjoying the glimpse it provides into life during the Gilded Age. Add to the pleasure of a visit by chatting with Biltmore House Hosts, knowledgeable in all aspects of the property. For an even more in-depth look at George W. Vanderbilt's legacy, specialty tours are offered at an additional cost.

The South Wing Behind-the-Scenes Tour guides guests into attic spaces and onto the rooftop for an hour-long exploration. Enjoy a panoramic look at Biltmore's grounds, gardens and the Blue Ridge Mountains while examining architectural, structural and technological details.

The 60-minute North Wing Behind-the-Scenes Tour takes guests into a variety of areas of Biltmore House that have not been restored including bachelor's bedrooms and the butler's pantry. A highlight of the tour is stepping out onto the Organ Loft in the Banquet Hall where a Skinner pipe organ entertains visitors. Guests can even explore the sub-basement, which houses the technology that made Biltmore House a 19th-century model of creature comfort.
The Legacy of the Land Tour is a 90-minute guided motor coach ride that delves into the land's rich past and offers information about the people and places that existed before Vanderbilt's arrival. See remnants of a community church, a railroad trestle and important archeological and historical locations as you tour the estate's pastoral landscape.

And then there are five restaurants, nearly a dozen shopping venues, self-guided tours of Biltmore Winery, afternoon tea at the Inn on Biltmore Estate and more surprises awaiting visitors to Vanderbilt's 8,000-acre property any time of year.

For more, go to the Biltmore website.