September 10, 2018. Journey into the past. Today we visited the magnificent Biltmore House. Like the Grand Canyon, there are just  not enough words to describe it. We toured the gardens first which are so extensive that it took us a couple of hours. An added bonus was that they were having a Dale Chihully exhibit this month. So, interspersed among the beautiful flowers were the incredible Chihully glass sculptures. Then we had a delicious lunch at the little courtyard cafe. Finally we began the house tour. We toured 3 floors plus the basement, which is like a small town under the house.  In the house itself, we saw displays of vintage clothing, furniture, art, tapestries, and lots more. Along the way we heard stories of the lives of the Vanderbilt’s, their guests, and employees. I loved the Library with its 10,000 books, cozy reading nooks, and views from the windows. The Banquet Hall had a 70 ft ceiling and 2 huge fireplaces. In the basement was a 70,000 gal. swimming pool, a 2-lane bowling alley and a gymnasium, as well as the kitchens and pantries, and the laundry rooms. I could go on and on (65 fireplaces and 13 bathrooms, etc), but there is just too much. You will have to Google it or go visit. Be sure to wear your walking shoes! It is amazing!

After the house tour we went to the Antler Village, which is part of the estate. There are shops, a dairy barn, creamery, and a winery. Since our admission ticket included a free wine tasting, we visited the winery. This was really fun. We were with a couple of ladies who had just spent 4 days on the Appalachian Trail. They were really interesting and we enjoyed swapping stories with them. Lots of laughing and sipping. We bought a few bottles of Biltmore wine and then headed back over the mountains to the camper. Great day!