Over the Christmas holidays I had the pleasure of finally visiting the Biltmore in Asheville. I could kick myself for waiting so long to check it out as many times as I have been to Asheville. I would call this the crown jewel of Asheville along with the Omni Grove Park Inn.
When you visit the Biltmore it is imperative you pay the extra ($15) for the audio tour. It provides a lot of history. Without it the tour is not as good. It’s decorated beautifully for Christmas!
They even had Christmas carolers! The botanical garden is also pretty spectacular.
Let’s talk food – there is a cafe near the Biltmore called Well-Bred, and yes it is delicious. Some of the best pastries I’ve had!
Bistro located on the Biltmore estate was delicious as well! We had a chicken salad sandwich with the best homemade chips I’ve ever had and persimmon toast. Highly recommend!
Homemade bread Best homemade chips! Persimmon toast with lemon zest
The next day we were off to the Omni Grove Park Inn to view all of the gingerbread houses. All ages compete, but only 1 is crowned the winner by the Food Network. It will cost you $25 to park and there’s no way around it because there’s nowhere else to park. It’s worth it however. The hotel itself is beautiful! I imagine Mr. Vanderbilt of the Biltmore and this fellow were friends.
Last stop is Biscuit Head! You can always count on a good meal here!