A Walk Through Asheville's Biltmore House, America's Castle

Join us for a relaxed walk through the Biltmore House, Asheville, NC. We'll explore this astonishing house and marvel at the incomprehensible wealth of the Vanderbilt family . . . and how it has been transformed for the public to enjoy. when you enter the house you're given an audioguide, which is excellent. You are guided through the house by signs, but you can go at your own pace, and staff members throughout are very knowledgeable and welcome your questions. (Practically speaking, you might want to visit the restrooms before you enter the house since there don't appear to be any inside. They are down a walkway to the right of the house, just outside the entrance to the courtyard. Everything is very well marked.) And if you're hungry for something quick, you can visit the Bake Shop or the Biltmore Dairy Bar. There will be lines, but they move surprisingly fast--and our sandwiches from the Bake Shop were much better than expected. Since I'm a commercial pianist by trade, I recorded a playlist of songs for this video that would have been very popular during its heyday. They are: 'The Entertainer' (1902), 'Carolina in the Morning' (1922), 'I Got Rhythm' (1930), 'Alexander's Ragtime Band' (1912), and 'Dream a Little Dream of Me' (1930). You'll also hear 'Tea for Two' (1924) played on the organ in the Banquet Hall. (Apparently, the organ plays popular songs from the era several times an hour.) You are welcome to make photos and videos with your phone while in the house, but you can't take a big camera inside (or even an action camera like the GoPro). Nor can you use a gimbal, so this video was shot handheld on my Galaxy S23. If you're interested in American history, design and decor, architecture, North Carolina culture, or the Gilded Age, you'll enjoy taking a walk through the Biltmore House in Asheville, North Carolina. Our schedule didn't allow us time to visit the gardens, which would have taken a couple of hours--so we'll do that on the next visit!