If the idea of touring the Biltmore Estate in Asheville with your kids sounds daunting, have no fear. We lay out all kinds of things you can do at the estate – most of them don’t even involve visiting the house itself. I’ve been several times and had so many questions initially, but every time I’ve gone, I learn more and explore more of the 8,000+ acres – and fall in love with the Biltmore just a bit more.
Biltmore: It’s a real-life castle
Have you ever daydreamed of visiting a real-life castle? Touring the halls and stately rooms, being transported to a different time and place, experiencing the luxurious life? How about touring the castle vineyard, visiting the stables, exploring the renowned gardens? Well, you don’t have to hop on a plane for Europe to set your eyes upon gargoyles and ball gowns, just head to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, a picturesque castle with over 8,000 acres, 250 rooms, and a hundred years of history.
Regardless of whether you are a pass holder or visiting for the day, if you want to tour the house, you need to reserve a time online. Be sure to print out your confirmation email, since you’ll need to show the staff before they let you in. And get there at least 45 minutes before your scheduled tour time to allow for parking and either taking a shuttle to the house or walking over via the trails.
Is Biltmore Worth It?
Many parents ask if taking the kids through the house is worth it, which is a valid question. If you don’t reserve a guided tour (an extra cost), you’ll automatically be doing the self-guided tour, which you can go at your own pace but will be following a crowd. Even though the house is just stunning and seeing the grandeur of the rooms is amazing, some kids will be bored. And if you have little kids, you need to keep them with you and not let them run behind the roped-off sections.
I first took my kids to the house when they were 7 and 3 and we didn’t make it through the whole tour because one of them needed to use the restroom – which you must do before you enter the house as there are no bathrooms inside for guests. Bathrooms are located near the Stable Cafe to the right of the house outdoors.
The second time we went was a couple of years later and we got through most of the house, maybe because it was Christmastime and the decorations were mesmerizing. Now, my kids are 9 and 13 and we go every Christmas and they truly enjoy it.
The Biltmore offers an audio tour ($15) for kids, narrated by the Vanderbilt’s dog, Cedric, which they may find entertaining.
Either way, be prepared to bail if you need to. There’s a lot to do on the estate besides the house, no matter how gorgeous it is. The Biltmore ticket system requires you to choose a House ticket or a Grounds & Gardens ticket. The House ticket includes the Grounds but a Grounds & Gardens ticket does not include the House tour.
Biltmore Gardens
I’ve taken so many walks through the Biltmore Gardens and just can’t get enough. They were designed by the father of modern-day landscaping, Frederick Law Olmstead, and are breathtaking.
I thought Spring was my favorite season there as the tulips and daffodils light up the pathways. Then I thought early summer was my favorite because of the beautiful rose garden and azalea garden. Then I decided Fall was my favorite because of the colorful mums that were planted in mesmerizing patterns.
But after I took walks and bike rides along the sunflower fields near Antler Hill Village in the late summer and early Fall, I just figured I’d get a season pass so I could visit whenever I wanted.
I can’t decide on when all the flowers are the most gorgeous so you’ll just have to go for yourself to see them.
Your House and Grounds & Gardens tickets both include access to the gardens, the walking trails, and the Conservatory. You don’t need a reserved time to walk through the gardens, you just go when you want.
Antler Hill Village: Biltmore with Kids
Antler Hill Village is my favorite place at the Biltmore Estate because it’s filled with lots of kid-friendly things to do and it’s all included with admission.
The Farmyard is a small farm area where kids are welcome to pet the animals. They have goats (baby goats come March of every year!), chickens, horses, and pigs. On some occasions, they have had border collie sheep herding demonstrations, which are fun to watch.
Next to the farm is the Pisgah Playground, a big play area with swings, slides, and climbing structures. It’s a great place to let the kids enjoy a beautiful day outside.
And up the hill a little ways from the playground is the Antler Hill Barn where craft demonstrations take place every Thursday-Sunday. I love this area as the staff are so kind and engaging with the kids. There is also a little cafe with beer and wine so I’ve had a beer while watching my kids do crafts or play there. It’s a perfect place to relax. There are also restrooms at the barn.
You can also pick up several hiking trails at Antler Hill Village right behind the barn and wander past the fields with cows and pens with goats. Grab a map at the Outdoor Center near the barn.
Also in Antler Hill Village is the Winery. We’ve actually done grape-stomping there before, which was a blast. From the village, you enter the winery in the main square and get to walk through an underground tunnel to get to the tasting room and shopping area. Adults are welcome to do a complimentary wine tasting and kids can tag along and have grape juice. The servers are generous with the wine samples so take that into consideration when figuring out the best time to go!
Get Your Adventure On
The French Broad River runs right through the estate, which makes for great rafting trips. It’s a wide river with few rapids, which makes it perfect for families. The rafting trip is about two hours long and costs $50/person.
If horseback riding is on your to-do list, the Biltmore also offers guided tours of 1-10 people with a two-day advance registration. Ages 8 and up are welcome to do this activity and it costs $135/person for an hour ride through the estate.
You probably won’t be surprised the Biltmore offers carriage rides through the estate. A 60-minute carriage ride is offered Friday through Sunday and takes guests around the beautiful estate and house. Cost is $95/person and one child 5 years and younger is free per paying adult.
There are more than 20 miles of biking trails at the Biltmore Estate, which run all throughout Antler Village and up to the house. You can either rent bikes ($20/bike for two hours) at the Bike Barn, which is open daily dependent on weather, or bring your own bikes and ride them at your leisure. I’ve brought my kids’ scooters and bikes and we rode the trails from Antler Hill up to the house, to the Gardens, and to the pond, and had so much fun.
The two-hour kids fly fishing lesson is at the top of my list at the Biltmore. I really want to learn how to do this and would love for my kids to have instruction (since I know nothing about it). For a private lesson at the Biltmore, it will cost you $125 per kid.
Dining with Kids at the Estate
There are several dining options at the Biltmore. The Stable Cafe right at the main house has a selection of comfort food that’s easy to grab and eat. Families also love Cedric’s Tavern in Antler Hill Village, which has typical pub fare. Consider making reservations at the sit-down places to get your preferred time.
If you’re feeling extra fancy, the Inn has Afternoon Tea, where they serve a delightful mix of sweet and savory treats, tea, and fine cheese. Prices currently are $75/person.
Most of the restaurants near the House and Garden are open daily but the Smokehouse at the Farmhouse at Antler Hill Village is only open on weekends. During our visits with kids in tow, we pack a light lunch and treat them to ice cream at the Creamery
Also feel free to bring your own lunch or picnic and eat at the covered tables in Antler Hill Village or at any number of the beautiful open spaces around the estate.
Have a picnic by the lake, go for a hike
If you’d rather take a picnic basket, Guest Services can recommend picnic spots in their many beautiful lawns and gardens. (picnics are allowed just not around the mansion or near any of their dining establishments). Use of tents, grills, multiple camping chairs/tables, and large coolers, is not permitted in Biltmore parking lots or on the grounds. The Azalea garden path, Bass Pond and Boat house are wonderful choices for your a walk and a packed lunch.
We love to go biking on the trails at the Estate as well. The paths run along the French Broad River and up to the Gardens.
Seasonal Fun & Exhibits
I’ve gotten to see some pretty neat exhibits at the Biltmore like the Titanic exhibit with so many of Kate Winslet’s dresses [insert completely excited face here], a fantastic train exhibit, Christmas at the Biltmore, and Chihuly at Biltmore. These special events and exhibits are incredibly well done and worth a visit.
Christmas at the Biltmore
I have started taking my daughters every year to tour the House during Christmastime because it is so beautiful. We really love checking out the 50+ Christmas trees in the House and seeing the decorations.
They are decorated in the most delicate of glass ornaments, and most likely not shatter-proof. We admired the gorgeous velvet ribbons carefully wrinkled at the right places seemingly mimicking the damask finery found in the guest rooms.
My personal favorite was a tree on the second floor, close to the Louis XV suite. Beneath the tree, a vignette of vintage toys were carefully assembled to stir any child’s imagination of toy soldiers and sugar plum fairies. Perhaps its proximity to the room where Cornelia Vanderbilt was born, was the reason for the child-friendly tree. It was a good reminder that a family once lived in this beautiful home.
The spots for the Christmas House tours usually go fast so you’ll need to reserve your preferred time and date online. They also have wildly popular candlelight tours, which I have yet to do, but would love to take in that experience sometime. Christmas at the Biltmore runs from November through early January.
Tutankhamun: His Tomb and His Treasures
The new Tutankhamun: His Tomb and His Treasures exhibit is an incredible array of replicas of what was found in King Tut’s tomb by Howard Carter back in 1922. The exhibit takes guests through the history of the region and the Valley of the Kings as well as Tutankhaman’s lineage.
There are several galleries that you walk through to learn about this famous – and very young – pharaoh who captured the attention of the world when his tomb was discovered.
The entire exhibit includes an audio guide for each guest as they step into truly one of the world’s greatest historical events. You’ll feel like you have stepped back in time as you learn about the culture of ancient Egypt, watch a short movie about archaeologist Howard Carter’s tireless quest to find the tomb and what science has discovered about King Tut.
Personally, I am absolutely fascinated with Egyptian culture and the history of the pharaohs so I enjoyed this exhibit immensely. While I would have loved to see the real treasures of the tomb (they are in Giza), the replicas were interesting and engaging. I had no idea what Howard Carter had to go through to find the tomb nor how the tomb was under layers of golden shrines like one of those Russian dolls that you have to keep opening to get to the smallest version of the doll.
There are over 1,000 replicas of what was found in his tomb on display at the exhibit.
My kids, ages 14 and 10, enjoyed the exhibit as well but did get bored during some of the longer audio explanations. Overall, they definitely liked it and retained some information as I quizzed them on the way home (homeschooling family here). We all love visiting the Biltmore and strolled through the gardens and played at the playground at Antler Hill Village afterwards. There is always a lot to do there.
The Tutankhamun: His Tomb and His Treasure exhibit took us about 90 minutes to go through and is at Amherst in Deerpark near Antler Hill Village. The exhibit is open now and runs through January 4, 2026. It’s best to purchase your ticket online, which must be purchased separately from your Gardens or House admissions. Ticket prices vary throughout the year. If you’re a passholder, tickets are discounted.
The entire exhibit is wheelchair and stroller-accessible. Plan to spend about an hour inside the exhibit galleries.
Where to Stay Near Biltmore Estate
Find a place to stay near the Biltmore. This article contains Stay22 affiliate links.
For the Grownups: The Biltmore Winery
Begin by taking a stroll underground through the historic cellars of the former Biltmore Dairy. The kids enjoyed the cool temperature of the cellar and wandering thru the exhibit. Your stroll will lead to an impressive tasting room where gracious wine hosts guide you through a complimentary wine tasting. For a nominal fee, you can sample their finest reserve. Kids had grape juice and complimentary snacks while adults enjoyed their wine. The tasting room opens up to some wine shopping, cooking ware and gourmet tastings of spreads and honeys produced in the estate.
Tip: Combine your visit with a private Wine Tasting tour such as the Red Wine and Chocolate tasting tour. There are several other tours at The Biltmore Winery as well. Book your free tasting when you first arrive at the Biltmore at the Visitors Center. Slots fill up fast.
If you are looking to extend your visit, the Biltmore has a whole list of private tours to capture every imagination. Last year, we took the Upstairs-Downstairs tour and were able to see how the 438 employees kept the mansion in tip-top shape including the use of synchronized clocks and a state of the art in-house communication system and combined with other technological marvels of the time. Staff unlike those at the Downtown Abbey mostly lived upstairs in the upper floors with hidden passageways to the Master Bedroom and guest floor.
Need-to-Know Tips for Visiting Biltmore Estate
Plan to spend the day
There is plenty to see (or cut short if need be), but it would be awful to feel rushed. Many of the kid attractions close at 5 pm.
Getting around can take some time
You can drive to the Biltmore House and park in one of the several lots. Lot A is about an eight-minute walk to the house while the other lots are further away. There are shuttles to take you to the house and to Antler Hill Village. You can also take shuttles – which come about every 20 minutes – from the house to Antler Hill Village.
The Deerpark Trail from Antler Hill to the house is around three miles. You can also drive to Antler Hill and walk to the house or take the shuttle. There is a parking lot near the lagoon and trail as well if you want to park there and walk the 1.5 miles to Antler Hill or up the hill to the house and come out on the side near the gardens.
Free things to do at Biltmore
While you need a ticket to get into the Biltmore, there are lots of free things to do once there: bring your bikes and bike the trails, take a walk amongst the gardens and sunflowers, visit the Conservatory, visit the Farmyard, play on the Pisgah Playground, do a wine tasting, make a craft at the Antler Hill Barn.
Buy Biltmore tickets online
Less lines mean happy kids. (Kids 16 and under are free during the summer. The rest of the year, kids 9 and younger are free.) Ticket prices start at $95 and vary depending on season. Read on to learn about the annual pass and saving money.
Bring your stroller/backpack
Strollers and backpack carriers are welcome. You will want to stick with a carrier in the house as some of the areas are difficult to navigate with a stroller.
As part of the Biltmore bag policy no backpacks are allowed on any guided tour.
Wear your walking shoes
Put everyone in comfy walking shoes and put on sunscreen as exploring the grounds is one of the best parts of the trip.
Think about getting an annual pass
An annual pass is usually $249/person and kids ages 16 and younger get in free with a passholder. They usually offer discounts on their annual pass in November (that’s when I got mine for a lot less than $249). Stay tuned to their social media and website to score a deal.
Passholder benefits are awesome, too – discounts on tickets for guests, discounts on tours, shopping, dining, and lodging, and discounts at other attractions like Chimney Rock State Park, Dollywood, Tweetsie Railroad, Mast General Store, and Grandfather Mountain.
Need more info? Visit the Biltmore Estate website.
Have you taken your kids to visit the Biltmore Estate yet?
One Lodge Street
Asheville, NC 28803
800.411.3812
The Biltmore Website
Awesome write up. L I ve