After Hurricane Helene ravaged the areas with floods, the legendary Biltmore Estate reopened recently, just in time for its annual Holiday event that is a tradition for many extended families.
And as usual, the main home and other areas of the estate are shining brightly, illuminated by hundreds of thousands of flickering lights, countless fresh-cut trees and imaginative decorations throughout the huge estate.
For our pilgrimage, we enjoyed a Sunday evening tour of the main house and a quiet day exploring the gardens, winery, restaurants and the shops of Antler Hill Village. Frequent Biltmore visitors will be aware of on-property closures remaining after Hurricane Helene. But those who visit less often simply will be dazzled by what they experience at the estate during their visit.
By far, the evening Biltmore Candlelight Christmas tours remain the stunning highlight of a holiday visit. While the crowds we endured were sizeable, that didn’t stop us from enjoying the flickering candlelight and the extravagant decorations that adorn the massive house. And that was made even more festive by live choral and music performances placed strategically inside. Yes, visitors can tour the home during the day (saving a few dollars on a ticket) to experience the incredible decorations. But if you’re visiting, why not get the full experience and be amazed by how the house is transformed during the evening illuminations?
One of our best decisions was enjoying some of the casual dining options on-site during our visit. Since we arrived early for our evening tour but weren’t particularly hungry, we created our own informal courtyard picnic with offerings from the Courtyard Cafe and the Bake Shop. Some fresh-baked goods, a nice salad, an espresso drink and some rich hot chocolate were perfect for a light evening meal after our late, off-site lunch.
As we toured the estate and Antler Village on the second day of our visit, we meandered into Cedric’s for some pub grub, a beer and some wine. The portions were satisfying, the beer cold and the ambiance reflected that of a comfortable pub.
We stayed until early evening, watching the sun set, then the twinkling lights awaken to illuminate the village area. Of course, no day would be complete without a dessert, so we made a stop for ice cream just before sunset — getting a sugar rush going to optimize the nighttime illumination.
Yes, there are lots of other dining options at the estate — including some incredible Forbes four-star fine-dining at for breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner at The Dining Room — but our appetites (and a failure to make reservations in advance!) didn’t allow for those experiences.
For lodging and other dining, we chose off-site locations for convenience, price and to spread a few dollars throughout the local economy. We used a walking tour we found on the GPS My City to walk through some of the downtown area. Some of our favorite stops included the art deco City Hall, the Woolworth Walk and Kress Emporium — both inside historic old department store sites — and the Grove Arcade, formerly a shopping center now converted again to shops and residences. Downtown we also stumbled upon the quirky Asheville Iron Sculpture and Shopping Daze Sculpture, then investigated more about the provenance of these artworks.
And, that exploration led us to artwork of a slightly different kind: the architectural wonder of the masonry elliptical dome inside of the Basilica of Saint Lawrence. For those who love unique architecture, we highly recommend that you download The Art & Architecture of The Basilica of Saint Lawrence, then put the Basilica on your visitation list.
Since we drove from the Atlanta area, we also were able to enjoy some other nearby touring on the way there and on our return trip home.
But if you’re planning on visiting in 2024, be aware that Asheville and much of the surrounding area were hard hit by flooding from Hurricane Helene. Thus, you’ll want to make lodging reservations far in advance AND check out the North Caroline Department of Transportation website for all the latest on road conditions in the region.
