Biltmore Estate was completed and officially opened as the summer residence of George Washington Vanderbilt in 1895. It is the largest home in the United States. While it is not a home anymore, it is still owned by descendants of the Vanderbilt family.
Visitors can tour the home, gardens, winery, and other areas on the 8000 acre estate. I visited Biltmore with my grandmother, aunt, and cousin almost 7 or 8 years ago. I had forgotten several things about the house and noticed new things this time around. I still love the indoor swimming pool (found in the basement) and the 2 lane bowling alley (which is one of the oldest in the US). I dream of having a home large enough to contain a library such as the one found in Biltmore. It’s two stories with a spiral staircase leading up to the 2nd level and wooden ladders throughout to help reach books on the top shelves.
When I suggested visiting Biltmore on this trip, I thought of my mother. My mother, if you haven’t ever noticed by my photos, loves gardening (specifically flower gardening). I sometime think that my mom’s yard contains one of every kind of flower that is able to be grown in this area. Because of this, I knew my mom would love the Biltmore gardens. I don’t think they disappointed. (Although, I think we went in between some of the seasons. For example, the roses were just finished blooming when we got there.)
(As an aside…CNN’s Anderson Cooper is the great-great nephew of George Washington Vanderbilt. In other words, his great-grandfather was George’s brother.)
Click here to see all of the photos I took at the Biltmore Estate. (Unfortunately, we can’t take photos inside so these are all outside shots.)
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