Best Biltmore Tours With Detailed Pricing & Tour Information
Get the most out of your Biltmore Estate experience and ticket with these spectacular Biltmore tours for history, wine, and chocolate lovers from Asheville locals and Biltmore annual passholders. See which Biltmore tour is the best to explore America’s largest home and the Vanderbilts’ legacy.
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As Asheville residents, we visit Biltmore Estate multiple times a month for the great trails, unforgettable Biltmore Estate restaurants, and special exhibits like Chihuly. Be sure to read our Biltmore full-day itinerary, and consider saving money by purchasing a Biltmore annual pass like us. It’s worth it!
Table of Contents
Self-Guided Tour of Biltmore House & Gardens
- Length: 1.5 Hours
- Price: Included With Admission Ticket; $70+
- Perfect For: Everyone
One of the best Biltmore Estate tours for those wanting to do their own thing, enjoy a self-guided tour of Biltmore House and the gardens. While you still have to follow Biltmore’s set path (which changes), casually stroll through the home taking in the furnishings, tapestries, paintings, books, and everyday life for the Vanderbilts.
Read educational signs and spy mannequins showcasing period clothing. A few of our favorite stops include the library, loggia, swimming pool, banquet hall, Halloween room, and bowling alley.
Afterward, head outside to the gardens and grounds for a walk through those vibrant Biltmore Blooms. We love the Walled Garden and Conservatory. These interesting Biltmore facts will supplement your experience. Biltmore Estate spreads over 8,000 acres. It’s also the perfect inclement weather activity.
Local Tip: Read Denise Kiernan’s The Last Castle to learn more about Biltmore’s construction and its residents. A local Asheville author, Kiernan helped me appreciate all that the Vanderbilts contributed to Asheville, especially concerning forestry and Edith’s active role in politics. Uncover even more books set in the Asheville area to enhance your trip, including Thomas Wolfe’s Look Homeward, Angel.
Audio Guide to Biltmore House
- Length: 50 Minutes
- Price: Included With Admission; $70+
- Perfect For: History Lovers
The very first time we visited Biltmore Estate, we took their fabulous audio guide tour. We’ve done plenty since, including more formal and factual ones (a few are dry). Pause at specific numbers in each Biltmore House room while the narrator shares information about the Vanderbilts and their home.
One of our more hilarious and fun audio guides happened to be a story of an opera singer visiting while the entire home prepared for her arrival. For children, Cedric the family Saint Bernard might just be your docent. Discover just how kid-friendly Biltmore Estate is. We also highly recommend visiting Biltmore at Christmas for those gorgeous decorations and Candlelight Christmas evenings.
Behind-the-Scenes Winery Tour & Tasting*
- Length: 1 Hour
- Price: $10 Pre-Tax
- Perfect For: Wine & History Lovers; 21+ Years Old
- *Temporarily unavailable
One of my favorite Biltmore tours, the Behind-the-Scenes Winery Tour is perfect for wine lovers. Biltmore Winery is housed in the former dairy and sprung up in 1985. Learn about the fermentation process as well as North Carolina grapes and winemaking. Enjoy a private tasting with Biltmore’s Reserve and Premium wines. Gain extra insight into the bubbly and bottling process.
For our wine lovers: True to our namesake, we love wine. Be sure to visit Biltmore’s Antler Hill Village Wine Bar. Then, discover more wine bars in the Asheville area, including Bottle Riot and Leo’s House of Thirst. For more Asheville and Western North Carolina wineries, head to Hendersonville too.
Red Wine & Chocolate Tasting Tour
- Length: 45
Minutes - Price: $55 Pre-Tax
- Perfect
For: Wine & Chocolate Lovers; Celebration Like A Bachelorette Party, 21+ Years Old
For indulgent Biltmore tours, the Red Wine & Chocolate Tasting Tour is a must. We are lactose-intolerant so this wasn’t the easiest tour for us, but I’m glad we did it. Head up to the gorgeous clock tower for a brief history of Biltmore’s winemaking process. Then, sit for a beautiful and guided red wine tasting with chocolates from Asheville’s famous French Broad Chocolates.
Rooftop Tour
- Length: 1 Hour
- Price: $40 Pre-Tax
- Perfect For: Photographers
Grab a Behind-The-Scenes Tour of Biltmore from parts of the rooftop and balconies that are closed to the general public. Learn more about Biltmore’s construction and design, and take gorgeous bird’s-eye view photos of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Biltmore House Backstairs Tour
- Length: 1 Hour
- Price: $40 Pre-Tax
- Perfect For: Biltmore Lovers but please read about accessibility for your specific needs; there are a lot of stairs and no wheelchairs allowed
On our Biltmore bucket list that our readers love, we still need to take the Biltmore House Backstairs Tour. One of the most exclusive Biltmore Estate tours, see behind-the-scenes at Biltmore and Vanderbilt family life, including their staff members. Get an even more in-depth Biltmore House tour, learning the ins and outs and quirks of Biltmore Estate.
Visitor & Contact Information
Address: One Lodge Street
Asheville, NC 28803
Biltmore Website: https://www.biltmore.com/
Phone Number: 800-411-3812
Estate Overnight Options
Village Hotel – This property is centrally located in Antler Hill Village with moderate prices, a pool, and spa access. We and our families stay here and love it. The on-site restaurant, Village Social, is a delicious breakfast, lunch, and dinner spot perfect for the entire family.
The Inn On Biltmore Estate – The Inn On Biltmore Estate is a gorgeous luxury hotel. Each suite is named after one of George Vanderbilt’s friends or relatives. Next to the lobby, enjoy the Library Lounge with a huge wine selection, cocktails, desserts, and sharable bites.
More Popular Guided Asheville Tours: Historic Downtown E-Bike Tour and Night-Time Walking Ghost Tour
Before you go, Enjoy more of Asheville With Our Local Guides
Christine Frascarelli
Christine (pronouns: she/her) is the owner and lead writer of Uncorked Asheville. After falling in love with those gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains, Christine and her husband Tom decided to call Asheville, North Carolina home. When her pointy Italian nose isn’t stuck in a book, Christine is adopting all of the kitties, getting lost in the forest, and drinking an ESB. She has a BA in English and History from Smith College, her MLIS from USF-Tampa, and is a former U.S. Fulbright Scholar - Indonesia. Christine also owns The Uncorked Librarian LLC with books and movies to inspire travel.