When it comes to opulence, there is perhaps not a more well-known location than the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. It is the largest private residence in the United States at 178,926 square feet. Originally built for Cornelius Vanderbilt in the 19th century, it was opened to the public in 1930. As a tourist attraction, it is extraordinarily successful, with 1.4 million visitors per year.
This is a view of the mansion from the front.
The interior is a show of ostentatious wealth.
There is also a conservatory.
Conservatory
There is also a wonderful viewpoint off the side of the mansion.
There is more to the estate than simply the mansion. There is lodging and a winery, with many families choosing to stay the night. A few hours was enough for me though. On the way out, I couldn’t help but snap a picture of this waterfall. Though not pictured, a young man proposed to his girlfriend as I was walking down the trail to the water.
It was now time for drunch (dinner plus lunch), as the food at Biltmore was expensive as one would expect. I found perhaps the best Southern food I’ve had in my entire life at Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar.
It was off to bed now, with one day left in the Carolinas.