Biltmore Christmas: Ultimate Guide to the Most Magical Christmas Experience

Visiting Biltmore during Christmas should be on everyone’s bucket list! I have been several times now, and every visit leaves me even more in awe of the beautiful estate.

There’s no debating whether Biltmore tickets are pricey. Even though this particular trip was sponsored, I’ve paid out of pocket several times to visit during Christmas. It’s 100% worth it. In this blog post, I’m sharing my best tips for Christmas at Biltmore and how to get your money’s worth out of your ticket! There are so many things to do on the 8,000-acre estate – touring Biltmore House is just the beginning.

Disclaimer: I have received compensation from Biltmore for this post. As always, all opinions are completely my own. Parts of this blog post contains affiliate links, which means I earn a small percentage of every purchase at no cost to you. I appreciate your support and hope you have an amazing holiday season!

Experiencing Christmas at Biltmore

Now that I’ve been to Biltmore during Christmas several times, I wanted to offer a few of my best tips for making the most out of your experience!

Important things to note:

• I think you need at least 1-2 days dedicated to experiencing Christmas at Biltmore. If you’re not staying on the estate, you can add an extra day of admission for $25 (this does not include a house tour).
• You need reservations for just about everything (house tour, complimentary wine tasting, dining, and so forth). Make sure to plan in advance!
• Avoid making back-to-back reservations in case of delays. They’re very busy during the holiday season!
• You’ll be doing a lot of walking, so wear comfortable shoes! And pack layers since you’ll be spending time both inside and outside.
• The time on your ticket represents when you’ll be touring Biltmore House. You should arrive at least 45 minutes before your house tour, but I recommend arriving even earlier to spend as much time as you can enjoying the estate!
• Give yourself 1-2 hours to tour Biltmore House.

Biltmore Estate Map

Address: 1 Lodge St, Asheville, NC 28803 (Get Directions)

Biltmore Estate History

Biltmore House is the largest privately-owned home in the United States. The estate is a by-product of the Vanderbilt family and was constructed in the 1880s and 1890s. The home is still owned by the Vanderbilt family!

Vanderbilt first opened his home to family and friends on Christmas Eve in 1895, which just goes to show the importance of Christmas to the Vanderbilt family. I find it incredible that the family continues that legacy to this day.

The 175,000-square-foot home features impressive Châteauesque architecture – the home’s beauty is something anyone can appreciate, even if you don’t know much about architecture. Make sure to take some time to admire the details when you’re standing next to the home as you wait in line for your tour and as you make your way through the house!

Biltmore Estate Tickets

Ticket pricing varies by season (please note that ticket prices are subject to change):

• Christmas (November 4th – January 8th): Ticket prices start at $99 per person.
• Winter (January 9th – March 31st): Ticket prices start at $66 per person.
• Spring (April 1st – May 26th): Not currently listed online, but check here for updates.
• Summer (May 27th – September 30th): Not currently listed online, but check here for updates.

If you’re visiting Biltmore during Christmas (November 4th – January 8th), try to book your tickets a few months in advance. Weekend tickets are in high demand as are the Candlelight Christmas Evenings Tour tickets.

Honestly, booking your tickets online in advance is a good idea no matter when you plan to visit! It streamlines the process and you can save up to $8 per ticket by doing so.

For additional savings, check Biltmore’s Special Offers to see if any apply to you!

THINGS TO DO AT BILTMORE

Tour Biltmore House

The time on your ticket reflects when you’re scheduled to tour Biltmore House. You’ll want to arrive at least 45 minutes before your tour to give yourself enough time to get through the Lodge Gate, park, and walk or take the shuttle to the house.

You don’t have to wait until your tour time to visit the property, though! You can enter the property whenever Biltmore Estate opens its admission gate on the day of your tour. Check for current hours. You’re also free to come and go as you please on the day of your tour. Just remember to keep your tickets if you plan on exiting and re-entering the property.

There are three parking options by the house: Lots A, B, and C. If you park in Lots A or B, you’ll have a 5-10 minute walk to the house. If you park in Lot C, you can take the shuttle to the house.

I recommend setting aside 1-2 hours to explore the expansive home.

Biltmore has two main options for touring the house during Christmas:

• Christmas Daytime Biltmore House Admission – The daytime house tours run from 10AM to 5PM. A daytime tour is a perfect opportunity to spend your day exploring all that Biltmore has to offer. Whether your tour is in the morning, afternoon, or evening, you can spend the rest of your day exploring Biltmore’s gardens, hiking trails, restaurants, shops, winery, farmyard, and more.
• Candlelight Christmas Evenings Biltmore House Admission – The evening tours run from 5:30PM to 11PM. The tour itself is no different from the daytime tour in terms of what you can access within the house. However, seeing all of the fireplaces going and Christmas trees lit up in the dark is magical! For the perfect date night, make dinner reservations at Stable Café an hour and a half before your Candlelight Christmas Evenings tour.

Biltmore offers a few different packages for both options. You can opt for a self-guided tour with an audio guide or go for an expert-guided visit. Purchase your admission tickets here.

Pro tip: If you decide to do the self-guided tour, make sure you pick up that audio guide (looks like a black remote) when you first enter the house! Having the audio explain the history as your make your way through the house makes the tour so much more immersive.

If you want to see even more of Biltmore House after your house tour, consider booking a Rooftop Tour or Backstairs Tour. Each of these guided tours takes one hour and will show you even more of Biltmore House and its rich history.

Explore Antler Hill Village

Don’t miss Antler Hill Village when you visit Biltmore! Antler Hill Village has all sorts of shops, restaurants, exhibits, and kid-friendly activities such as the playground and farmyard. This area is quick a 5-10 minute drive from Biltmore House (still within the estate) and there’s plenty of parking available in front of Village Hotel!

I loved seeing this area all decked out for Christmas – from the Moravian stars to the lights that illuminate the village when the sun goes down.

Pro tip: If you have some spare time and want to spend it in Antler Hill Village, enjoy a charcuterie board from Biltmore Winery in the alleyway that leads to the clocktower (shown above). There are several tables and they have outdoor heaters!

Complimentary Wine Tasting at Biltmore Winery

After touring Biltmore House (or before if you have a late afternoon/evening tour), make sure to head to Antler Hill Village for your complimentary wine tasting! All guests 21+ receive a complimentary wine tasting to go along with their daytime admission (this would also be included with the Candlelight Christmas Evenings tour admission).

Biltmore Winery has an incredible assortment of wines on the tasting menu. You’ll try five different wines throughout the tasting. If you need any help deciding what to get, don’t hesitate to ask your bartender. I think our bartender, Charles, ended up selecting 80% of the wines I tried. I was not disappointed in the slightest! His top recommendation was the Limited Release Tempranillo, which ended up being my favorite.

Important things to note:

• Biltmore Winery is open from 11AM to 9PM seven days a week.
• You need to make reservations in person on the day of your visit for your wine tasting. You can do this at one of Biltmore’s Guests Services locations. I recommend doing so at the front desk of Village Hotel since it’s right by the winery in Antler Hill Village!
• Your tasting will take approximately 30 minutes BUT give yourself at least one hour. We had to wait in line for 15-20 minutes after our designated time on a weekday. I wanted to point this out so you don’t book back-to-back reservations!

Red Wine & Chocolate Tasting at Biltmore Winery

To be fully honest, I was excited yet apprehensive about the red wine tasting. I’ve always considered myself a white wine kinda gal. However, the Red Wine & Chocolate Tasting experience at Biltmore Winery changed me (and my husband who usually hates all wine).

Since the tour is limited to 10 guests, it’s a very romantic and intimate experience. Your guide will lead you from Biltmore Winery in Antler Hill Village to the clock tower, which is where the tasting takes place. Fun fact: The entire winery area used to be the estate’s original dairy barn.

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Your guide walks you through the carefully curated wine and chocolate pairings (they use locally sourced chocolate from French Broad Chocolate for this experience) as well as concepts such as flavor profiles and tannins. I thought this was the best part because I realized that I hadn’t been drinking red wine properly and that’s why I wasn’t a fan! I’ve been keeping Biltmore Winery’s Cabernet Sauvignon stocked in my kitchen ever since we did this tour.

The Red Wine & Chocolate Tasting tour lasts 45 minutes, costs $55 per person, and must be reserved in advance.

Visit the Conservatory

Biltmore’s Conservatory is located in the garden area right around the corner from the house. If you’re standing in front of the house facing the lawn, take the pathway to your right. It’s a brief 5-minute walk and there will be signs to guide you along the way.

Even during wintertime, the Conservatory is bursting with color. There are a variety of different rooms within the Conservatory – the Exhibit Room, Orchid Room (my favorite), Hot House, Cool House, and Palm House. I wish I could stroll through an indoor garden this beautiful every day, especially during the winter months!

I would give yourself 20-30 minutes to enjoy the Conservatory. Since it’s right by the house, it’s the perfect place to stop either before or after your house tour.

Explore the Grounds

I don’t think many people realize that Biltmore has nearly 22 miles of hiking trails (all within the estate, so you do need an admission ticket to access these trails). I highly recommend adding either the Deer Park Trail or Lagoon Trail to your itinerary! Click here for a hiking trail map.

Pro tip: To access one of the best photo spots on the estate, head to the Biltmore Lagoon Lookout (Get Directions). Once you turn off Winery Approach Road and crossover the small bridge, you’ll be able to park and see what I’m talking about! You can see Biltmore off in the distance and it’s absolutely incredible. Look at that reflection! This would be a great spot to catch a sunrise (if you’re staying at Village Hotel or The Inn) or sunset.

Visit the Shops at Biltmore

Biltmore has a variety of shops all over the property! The Carriage House (shown above) is located at Biltmore House and is an awesome spot to grab a few souvenirs or gifts. You’ll find several different shops at Biltmore House by turning right if you’re facing the house and passing through the Stable Courtyard.

There are even more shops in Antler Hill Village ranging from the Holiday Pop-Up Shop to Antler Hill Outfitters (an outdoor lifestyle/clothing store).

Explore downtown Asheville

Downtown Asheville is just 10 minutes away from Biltmore. You need at least one day for Biltmore alone, but I highly recommend spending some time in Asheville if you’ll be in the area for a few days! Some of my favorite things to do in the city include eating at White Duck Taco, exploring Grove Arcade, and trying new breweries.

If you don’t know where to start in terms of breweries (Asheville is known as one of the best beer cities in the USA), try a brewery tour with BREW-ed Brewery Tours!

Also Read: How to Spend a Weekend in Asheville, NC

WHERE TO STAY AT/NEAR BILTMORE

Biltmore offers a few different overnight lodging options. Alternatively, you have plenty of options to choose from outside of the estate in Asheville.

Lodging at Biltmore

• Village Hotel on Biltmore Estate: Village Hotel is the most affordable lodging option at Biltmore and is conveniently located in Antler Hill Village. Staying here during my last visit made me realize just how much I had missed on previous trips to Biltmore. There are several different restaurants located within Village Hotel alone and it’s right by Biltmore Winery! If you’re interested in staying on the estate during your visit, I highly recommend Village Hotel! Just make sure to book in advance.
• Inn on Biltmore Estate: The Inn on Biltmore is a bit more secluded – located up the hill from Antler Hill Village. If you’re booking an anniversary trip, the Inn on Biltmore Estate would be the *perfect* place to stay. It’s luxurious and romantic. Check room rates here. Whether you stay here or not, I suggest spending some time on the patio area outside of the hotel. They have a lot of outdoor seating as well as a line of Adirondack chairs with the most incredible mountain views!

Lodging in Asheville

• Grand Bohemian Hotel: You might be familiar with Grand Bohemian hotels since they have locations all over the place. Grand Bohemian Asheville is actually right outside of Biltmore Estate, making it an extremely convenient place to stay for a visit to Biltmore! The service at this 4-star hotel is exceptional and the rooms are stunning.
• The Foundry Hotel: The Foundry Hotel Asheville is conveniently located right in the heart of downtown Asheville. This hotel was once a steel factory that forged the steel for Biltmore Estate, which gives it so much historic charm. Not to mention, the decor here is stunning. I’m a sucker for exposed brick walls – makes a hotel feel so cozy to me!

WHERE TO EAT AT BILTMORE

I visited Biltmore twice before I realized just how many incredible dining options exist on the property. Whether you’re looking to grab a quick bite for lunch or sit down for a three-course meal, Biltmore has you covered!

Here is a comprehensive list of Biltmore’s restaurants where you can view locations, menus, and the most up-to-date hours.

FYI – Dining reservations at restaurants are strongly encouraged. Also, to dine on the estate, you must have a daytime ticket, Biltmore Annual Pass, or stay overnight at one of the estate’s properties.

Village Social

Location: 2nd floor of Village Hotel

Village Social was one of my favorite places we tried during our stay at Biltmore. We went for lunch, but they also serve breakfast and dinner. Check their hours before you go as their offerings vary throughout the week.

If you go for lunch, try the fried oysters appetizer! I was highly skeptical, but my husband ordered them anyways. I ended up really liking the dish. I don’t know why I had doubts… you could cover almost any food in buffalo sauce and blue cheese, and I would be a fan.

The Kitchen Café

Location: Lobby of Village Hotel

The Kitchen Café one of Biltmore’s casual dining options and the best spot to grab a quick bite for breakfast and a latte. I highly recommend the croissant breakfast sandwich. It’s HUGE and so good. They also serve a variety of salads and sandwiches if you’re in Antler Hill Village (where Village Hotel is located) and want to grab lunch.

Cedric’s Tavern

Location: Antler Hill Village

Cedric’s Tavern serves English pub fare and is a great spot to enjoy a casual lunch or dinner. The warm house-made pretzels with mustard butter are a must-try!

If you have a morning Biltmore House tour and then a late afternoon wine tasting, this would be the perfect spot to grab dinner afterward. Bonus: You’d get to see Antler Hill Village illuminated with beautiful Christmas lights!

Stable Café

Location: Biltmore House & Gardens

Out of all the meals we had at Biltmore, our Candlelight Evenings Dinner at Stable Café was my favorite. This three-course dinner is served nightly from November 5th through January 8th. It’s right by the house, making it the perfect spot for dinner before or after your Candlelight Christmas Evenings tour.

The food is incredible! I would categorize this restaurant as somewhere between casual and upscale. It’s definitely a slightly fancier option, but you won’t feel out of place in everyday clothing.

I think dinner at Stable Café paired with an evening tour of Biltmore House is the most romantic date night idea when enjoying Christmas at Biltmore!

The Dining Room

Location: Inn on Biltmore Estate

If you’re looking for an unforgettable fine dining experience, you must have dinner at The Dining Room at Biltmore. Our server, Scott, was phenomenal. His attention to detail was impeccable and his recommendations were great! You’ll definitely want to dress up a bit for this one since it’s a more upscale restaurant.

If you stay on the estate, The Dining Room also serves breakfast! We enjoyed the breakfast buffet on our last day. We didn’t notice the views from the restaurant when we went for dinner because it was dark, but they’re amazing!

Have you ever experienced Christmas at Biltmore? If so, I’d love to hear about it! If you haven’t been or are planning a future trip, I hope you found this blog post helpful. It truly is such a magical experience and something I look forward to each year.