Our local love…the Biltmore estate
Brian and I were born and raised in the Asheville area. As children, we heard stories of the mansion in the mountains, but we never visited. When I was in high school, I made my first visit to the estate grounds. My boyfriend’s roommate worked in the gardens, and he got us onto the property. I was mesmerized by the conservatory! My mind could not wrap around the fact that there were these beautiful tropical plants growing in the mountains during the winter. I went home and told my parents all about my adventure. I was not prepared for their response. They were upset that I had gone onto the property without paying. My parents had me write a letter of apology to the Cecil family, and my Daddy drove me to the gate house and had me hand deliver the letter to the gatekeeper. I was humiliated!
The next year, my history class from C.A. Erwin High School went on a field trip to the estate. We toured the house and grounds. Again, I was swept up in disbelief. I remember seeing the library and thinking, “I’d be ok staying in here the rest of the day.” Some of my favorite photos from high school are of my girlfriends and me posing like the statues in the gardens. The magic of Biltmore had planted a seed in my heart and mind. I’m the kind of person who enjoys research, and the Vanderbilt legacy became an extracurricular project for me. The more I learned of the history of the family and the house, the more enthralled I became.
Fast forward several years later. I had married, moved away from Asheville, and had become a mother of two children. Things were changing back home, so our little family moved back to the mountains. There was so much chaos in my life, that Biltmore was nowhere on my radar. A few years after moving back, our family changed and I became a single parent. Luxuries of travel and vacations became far-off dreams. I wanted to give my children experiences over things, so we spent a lot of time visiting the Blue Ridge Parkway, Chimney Rock Village, Hendersonville and other neighboring towns where we could do things for as inexpensive as possible.
As fate would have it, I met a man, Brian, through church…actually through his daughter and my daughter becoming friends. The first Christmas we were dating, he gave me a Biltmore pass! He knew that I wanted my children to have memories rather than stuff, and he thought the pass would be great for us. I hadn’t been to the estate since high school! In my mind, how much would my kids enjoy visiting a giant house over and over again? I didn’t realize there was so much to do!
Asheville had a lovely snowfall after Christmas, and Brian came to my apartment and picked up my kids and me. Along with his daughter, we drove onto the estate while it was covered in the most magical dusting of glittery snow. We parked in the parking lot and walked down the lane towards the house. My son expressed that he felt like he was in Narnia! We kept walking and saw employees out playing in the snow…it felt like we were in a movie. There weren’t many people at the house, but the ones who were there were building snowmen and making snow angels. The five of us were soaked from playing in the snow. Brian suggested we have lunch in the Stable Cafe, but I panicked knowing we were wet and weren’t dressed nicely to be on the property. The staff did not mind at all. They helped us hang up our wet coats, scarves and hats. We looked a mess, but we were made to feel like important guests.
Because we were dating with children, Brian and I didn’t have many romantic dates. However, our first official, public date without our children took place in Antler Hill Village. Brian took me to Cedric’s Tavern on St. Patrick’s Day. I loved the ambience of the restaurant. The staff was so kind. The food was delicious. Again, I was swept up in the Biltmore magic.
During this time, I had a friend who had two little girls. She had just given birth to her third who was born with complications. The youngest lived right at a year. The Mama was grieving her baby but also trying to give love and attention to her other daughters. I wanted to help give them a moment of reprieve…to be able to enjoy a moment of happiness together. I reached out to several companies and businesses, 30 in total. The Biltmore Estate was the only company who not only returned my call, but also had a beautiful idea. The team invited the family to a baby doll tea party at The Inn. Everyone was dressed up. The girls were treated like princesses, and the parents were able to soak in the memories with their girls. My friend expressed to me her deepest gratitude, and I sent that on to Biltmore with a thank you card from me.
Eventually, Brian and I got married. Brian worked full-time for Buncombe County Schools. I was working part-time at a local church and homeschooling my children. My daughter had medical issues that made learning challenging. Twice a week, when the weather was nice, I would load up my car with blankets, a cooler, and school supplies. We had a special place on property where the river bends. We would set up camp there for a couple of hours to do school. When it was time for a change of scenery, we would head to Antler Hill Village to utilize the playground and picnic pavilion. We would visit the barnyard, play games and watch local craftsmen at work. We would end our time at the Creamery…the best bribe Biltmore offers for kiddos! I am so thankful for that chapter in our family’s history.
Fast forward again. Brian and I are still married. Our children are all grown up and living all over the place. When they come home to visit, we still have to make a trip to the Biltmore Estate…especially when the sunflowers are blooming and when the Christmas lights are glowing. When friends come into town, Biltmore is always on the agenda. Even when it’s just the two of us, we enjoy being on the property. We love chatting with the staff and hearing their stories of working on property. We enjoy having so many meal options, but Cedric’s is still our favorite.
When’s the last time you visited Biltmore? What are your favorite places on property?
Do you have questions about Biltmore? Let us know!
