10 Biltmore Date Ideas to Experience This Fall

Every new season offers the opportunity to get out and enjoy your surroundings. Fall has officially arrived in Asheville and perhaps there is no better place to experience it than at the Biltmore Estate. Though many are drawn to the enormity of the Biltmore house, both in its size and history, the surrounding grounds offer a multitude of things to do from wine tastings to petting zoos. Here are 10 Biltmore date ideas to experience this Fall in Asheville!

Dining

Woodford Reserve Bourbon Dinner

Join Bistro Executive Chef Daniel Polk for a collaborative four-course dinner in the Winery’s charming candlelit Champagne Cellar. Savor such delights as House-Made Bison Sausage, Blackberry Glazed Pork Belly, and Estate-Raised Beef Tenderloin, each perfectly paired with Woodford Reserve’s carefully crafted small batch Kentucky bourbons.

Hours
October 19, 2019, 6:30 p.m. Reception, 7 p.m. Dinner

Cost
$89 per person plus tax, gratuity included

Reservations and advance payment required; call 800-411-3812 to reserve. Guests must be 21 or older to be served alcohol.

Cedric’s Tavern Homeplace Beer Company Dinner 
Gather fellow beer connoisseurs to experience a collaborative dining event at Cedric’s Tavern. Your evening features a delicious four-course feast prepared by Executive Chef Derek Powell. Each course is perfectly paired with seasonal craft beers selected by Homeplace Beer Company Craft Brewer John Silver. Don’t miss this special experience!

Hours
October 26, 2019, 6:30 p.m. Reception, 7 p.m. Dinner

Cost
$65 per person plus tax, gratuity included

Reservations and advance payment required; call 800-411-3812 to reserve. Guests must be 21 or older to be served alcohol.

Farm to Table Dining. Photo: The Biltmore

Hiking

There are roughly 22 miles of trails to explore at the Biltmore, all with varying levels of difficulty. The trails, as you can imagine, run among the Estate with beautiful flower gardens, riverside strolls, and scenic paths.

One of my personal favorites is the Azalea Garden walking trail that covers many high points of the estate in just over one mile. It’s a nice stroll with lots of Biltmore charm. Begin this hike at the Azalea garden or the Spring garden.

The Farm Trail over to the Westover Trail is another great hike. It’s for hikers who are looking for a real workout. Along the way, you’ll encounter the picturesque, rolling hills of the estate as well as the livestock, including goats, cows, and barn cats.

What should you consider before hitting the trails at the estate? For anyone who is new to hiking, one should know how important it is to be prepared for safety, convenience, and comfort. Having the proper hiking gear is crucial because it will make your outdoor experience much more enjoyable.

We recommend heading to Cedric’s Tavern for local craft beer and American pub fare!

Hiking at The Biltmore. Photo: The Biltmore

Picnic

What’s more romantic than an Autumn picnic? Pack your own picnic with a bottle of wine and a blanket and let the Biltmore grounds do its magic. The carefully and creatively groomed grassy areas surrounding the lagoon is an easy pick and scores high on the romantic appeal. Or opt for a riverside picnic, overlooking the French Broad.

Picnicking. Photo: The Biltmore

Segway Tours

The Biltmore offers off-road Segway Tours for the adventurer inside you. Explore more of the Biltmore grounds without all the hiking with a segway tour. Feeling a little nervous? Not to worry! All tours begin with a thorough Segway training by expert Segway Tour Guides. Enjoy the tour and take in the surroundings together. Perhaps venture over to Antler Hill when you’re done and enjoy a complimentary wine tasting at The Winery.

Basic Lagoon Segway Tour
This tour covers 3.5 miles on a paved trail and is about 1.5 hours long. $50/person

Off-Road Deerpark Segway Tour
Did you know that Segway’s can go off-roading? The terrane for this tour is a combination of paved and off-road climbs while you look take in the views.  $75/person

Advanced West Side Segway Tour
This tour is a 2-hours and 7 miles long, crossing the French Broad River and leading you over to the more private,  west side of the property.  This tour will give you a front-row seat to Biltmore’s vineyards, along with breathtaking views. Advance reservations are recommended.  $100/person

Private Segway Tours
For the more experienced Segway riders, this private tour gives you the opportunity to challenge your skills while discovering different areas of the estate.  Advance reservations are recommended.  $125/person

Segway Tours. Photo: The Biltmore

Tastings & Tours

Wine and Cheese Tastings
Let the experts at the Biltmore guide you through pairing the perfect wine with a variety of delicious cheeses every Friday and  Saturday, 6pm.  $25/person

The barrel tastings tour is a behind the scenes look at the winemaking process at the Biltmore. You get to try a spectrum of wines, along with selected artisan cheeses. Better yet, you get to up your wine game with education on different wines and the winemaking process.

Red Wine & Chocolate Tasting
Offered daily at 2pm & 4pm.  $35/person
Wine and chocolate go together like Fall and a Pumpkin Spiced Latte. Discover the varying notes of Biltmore wine when it’s paired with local artisan chocolates from French Broad Chocolates and Chocolate Gems. The result of pairing chocolate and wine is pure bliss, but you probably already knew that.

Premium Wine Tasting
Offered daily.  $3.00/tasting or $8.00/three tastings
Sample the wines and sparkling wines of Biltmore while unwinding in at the Wine Bar.

Behind-the-Scenes Winery Tour & Tasting
Offered daily.  $10/person
Worth every penny, this tour will educate and inspire you to know more about the science and nature behind the winemaking process.  This tour ends with a wine tasting of the Biltmore wines you’ve just discovered.

Rooftop Tour

Offered daily. $10/day
Feel like a VIP Biltmore guest on this guided tour, get a closer look at the design and construction of Biltmore House in areas not on the regular house visit. Stunning views and photo ops from the rooftop and balconies.

 

Wine Tasting. Photo: The Biltmore

Vine to Wine Tour & Tasting
Saturday at 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Tour lasts 2.5 hours.  $100/person
This tour is a more in-depth experience where you’ll learn about the grapes featured in all the Biltmore award-winning wines. Walkthrough the vineyards where the Biltmore grows the grapes for their extraordinary wines. Be sure to pace yourself, as you’ll be tasting wines all along the tour, as well as the finale tasting.

Horseback riding

Whether you’re an experienced rider or a beginner, horseback riding doesn’t get much better than throughout the Biltmore Estate.  In fact, The Biltmore Estate was voted #3 in the world for the best places to go horseback riding in the world!  The horse trails guide you through rolling pastures, stunning mountain views, and wildlife.  All tours begin at the Equestrian Center, where you’ll learn horseback riding basics, allowing you to feel comfortable. You are then paired with a horse to match your skillset.

One-Hour Guided Ride
Enjoy a western-style, one-hour guided ride on beautiful trails through the woodlands and meadows of the estate. Suitable for beginner to intermediate-level riders. The minimum age is 8 years. Offered daily and reservations are recommended.
Cost: $60 per person

Private Lunch Trail Ride
Enjoy a private three-hour trail ride and picnic lunch. Some riding experience needed. Offered daily. Two-day advance reservations are required. Available for 2-4 people ages 8 and up.
Cost: $230 per person

Private Trail Ride
Enjoy a two-hour private trail ride, offered daily. Two-day advance reservations are required. Available for 1-4 people ages 8 and up.
Cost: $160 per person

Horseback Riding. Photo: The Biltmore

Horse Drawn Carriage Rides

When was that last time you enjoyed a carriage ride?  The horse-drawn carriage rides are quite possibly the most relaxing way to tour the grounds.  Nestle in together and let The Biltmore do the rest.

30 Minute Carriage Rides
This is a 30-minute ride on an 8-passenger horse-drawn carriage.
Offered:

Monday-Thursday: 3:00 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m., and 5:00 p.m.
Friday-Sunday: 11:30 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., 3:30 p.m. 4:30 p.m., and 5:00 p.m.

Call to reserve: 800-411-3812.  Cost: $35 per person. One child 5 years and younger free per paying adult.

Private Carriage Rides
A 90-minute ride in an elegant vis-a-vis carriage. Offered daily. Three-to-four-day advance reservations are required.  Call us for details and reservations.  Cost: Starting at $350 for up to four guests.  828-225-6398

One Hour Carriage Rides
Enjoy Biltmore’s beautiful scenery just as Vanderbilt guests did over a century ago. A 60-minute ride aboard a classic 6-passenger carriage. Three-to-four-day advance reservations are required.
Offered Saturday and Sunday at 11:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., and 4:00 p.m.  Cost: $65 per person. One child 5 years and younger free per paying adult.  828-225-6398

Carriage Rides. Photo: The Biltmore

Biking

Biking enthusiasts will love the bike trails on The Biltmore Estate.  Whether you’re looking for an easy cruise along the French Broad or a more challenging ride on the scenic trails, the estate offers 22 miles of trails to suit your fancy.  Don’t have a bike?  No worries.  The Bike Barn, located next to Antler Hill, will fit you with the right bike for your skill level and trail.  The Farm Trail along the river is a good middle ground to start.  It starts off easy and leads you over to the Westover Trails where the climb becomes steep and your heart starts pumping.  Take a break at the Brooder house and say hello to the chickens and barn cats.

Biking The Biltmore. Photo: The Biltmore

Sporting Clay

Sharpen your target practice and get competitive with Biltmore’s Sporting Clay School.  Referred to as “Golf with a Shotgun,” you will learn techniques of shooting clay targets with a shotgun. The Biltmore offers multiple skill-level schools, whether you’re an expert shooter or a beginner.  Either way, it’s a blast!

Sporting Clays Lesson
A 2-hour shooting lesson for beginners who just want to play around and get their feet wet.
$175/person.  Call 800-411-3812

Advanced Sporting Clays Lesson
A 2-hour lesson for the more experienced clay shooters to sharpen their skills.
$225/person.  Call 800-411-3812

Clay Shooting (Trapper Program)
A 1.5-hour outing for experienced shooters with no instructors. Take your skills to the Sporting Clays course and have fun. For reservations, call 800-411-3812.
$100/person.

Private Full-Day Shotgun Sports Clinic
Spend an entire day shooting with the Sporting Clay experts at The Biltmore, where they will offer up their advanced instruction and skills. Open to all experience levels. This package includes lunch at Cedric’s Tavern at Antler Hill. Classes are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  For reservations, call the Outdoor Adventure Center at 800-411-3812.  $750 per person

Clay Shooting

Fly-Fishing

The Biltmore offers fly-fishing lessons for all skill levels.  Dustin Stanberry, The Biltmore’s expert angler and lifelong fisherman, leads the fly-fishing guides.  Below is a list of different lessons to choose from.

Two-Hour Intro to Fly-Fishing
A 2-hour basic introduction to fishing, such as casting from a drift boat in the lagoon.  All equipment provided.  $125 /one person per instructor.

Half-Day Fly-Fishing Lesson
Half-day learning the basics of fly-fishing.  $225/person for 4-hour instructions per instructor.

Guided Fly-Fishing Adventures
For the more experienced anglers, this is a half-day guided adventure from the drift boat out on the lake or lagoon. Make sure you plan this one out, you will need a 2-day advanced reservation.  All equipment provided. A fishing license is required.

Drift Boat. Photo: The Biltmore

Fly-Fishing Drift Boat Trip
Head out to one of The Biltmore’s gorgeous lakes for fly-fishing from an oared drift boat.
$350 for up to 2 guests, 4-hour trip. Time: 9:00am or 1:00pm.
Experienced fly-fishing anglers only; NC fishing license required.

Fly-Fishing Drift Boat River Trip
This drift boat trip down the French Broad is for experts only.  $350 for up to 2 guests, 4-hour river trip. Time: 9:00am or 1:00pm.  Experienced fly-fishing anglers only; NC fishing license required.

Wade Trips
Just like the movie, A River Runs Through It, this trip is a guided wade trip on local rivers stocked with trout. Lunch is provided.  $350/up to 2 guests, 6-8 hour trip (includes transportation time). Time: 9:00am
Experienced fly-fishing anglers only; NC fishing license w/ trout stamp required.

 

Feature Image:  The Pink Bride


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