I debated whether or not to stop at the famous Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. It's expensive, and I wasn't sure how much my kids would enjoy touring a mansion. In the end, I remembered my own visit to Hearst Castle when I was in 4th grade and how much that field trip has stayed with me, so we decided to pay the incredibly high admission rates and get tickets. It did help that kids and youth were free.
The home and the grounds really are gorgeous. Nellie kept calling it a castle, and we didn't bother to correct her.
Our tour tickets came with a "free" audio tour. The audio in each room narrated a story centered around a Vanderbilt House Party set in 1905. I probably would have preferred a tour with more history and information, but the narration was perfect for the kids.
Another interesting thing about the tour was the mannequins they had staged in each room wearing period costumes. The bathing suits and work-out clothes were especially fascinating.
We all really liked the main dining hall which had ceilings many stories high.
After touring the home, we set out to see the grounds and gardens. Unfortunately, we were stymied by the intense heat. We tried to stay in the shade, but ventured out to explore the rose gardens a little bit.
We made our to the Conservatory and were well rewarded for our efforts. It was huge and filled with beautiful plants and flowers.
Even better, there were electric trains threaded through the conservatory rooms and amongst the flowers. Bryce and Nellie really loved the trains.
The walk back to the car was long and hot, and some kids weren't sure they would make it, but they all survived and felt revived enough after getting water and lunch to drive over and see the farm area of the estate. The baby goats in the petting area were a bit hit.
The chickens were fun too.
Before leaving, we had a few minutes to watch the blacksmith work. I'm sure his job, working with fire in the heat, is extra hard, but he was energetic and enthusiastic. We really liked listening to his descriptions of his work, asking him questions, and seeing the forging process.
Now that we've explored the Biltmore, it makes me want to take my kids to Hearst Castle!
We left the Biltmore around 3 and drove to Winston-Salem to visit the Griffin family. They are friends from home who moved to North Carolina in January. I told them we'd come visit, and we were so excited to get to have dinner with them.
Emily made us a delicious dinner. The kids were thrilled to have their own table.
After dinner, the Griffins prepped a bunch of water balloons, and the kids went outside for a water balloon fight. Those are nice parents!
That night we stayed at a nearby Residence Inn. This time around we got 2 rooms. I thought we would enjoy the extra space, but it ended up being more complicated than just having everyone together.
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