Golden Hour at the Biltmore Estate | Asheville, NC

Hoo boy, it's been a minute since this blog has seen a travel post, hasn't it? As it turns out, adulthood and a full-time job and all the trappings that come with it make regular travel a bit difficult. Not that I've confined myself to Manhattan for the last few months - I've made regular trips home to Philly and hit the road a few times with Sirens of Gotham. And thankfully, I got to go to Asheville for a few days with my parents over the holidays.

I've been dreaming of a trip to Asheville for years, ever since I saw photos of the city all lit up for Christmas on one of those "Top Holiday Travel Destinations" lists. As a southern city, it doesn't immediately sound like a place for a winter getaway, but Ashevillians go HARD in the Christmas paint. I'm saving the more festive photos for a more appropriate time, but trust me when I say there was no inch of tinsel spared.

My folks and I spent two days at the Biltmore Estate, as one does when visiting Asheville. Beyond the iconic house, there's lots to explore on the 6,950 acre property, including a winery, small village, and garden. I was particularly drawn to the farm, which kind of acts as a museum of farming equipment and techniques from the turn of the century. It also features woodworking and blacksmith demonstrations, which I found fascinating as someone who gets paid to sit behind a desk all day. Of course, I had to stop by the petting zoo and make some new friends, too.

The Biltmore Legacy pavilion in the village featured a small exhibit on Biltmore weddings, featuring reproductions of wedding dresses worn by the Vanderbilt women. This particular veil was passed down through the Lee family, and eventually worn by Jackie Kennedy in her wedding to then-Senator John F. Kennedy. It's still gorgeous, however you style it.

We also made a stop at the Biltmore Winery on property for a quick tasting. I decided to step outside my wine comfort zone and try some sweeter blends which were...not for me. I'll stick with my pinots for now. The tasting room was decked out with these gorgeous ceiling decorations that I am definitely stealing for a future holiday party. With all the gold glitter and bubbles, it felt like we were inside a bottle of champagne. I guess that was kind of the point.

Then, it was on to the house. I'm still not entirely sure why anyone, even someone who entertains constantly, would ever need that much space, but it sure was pretty. The expanse of the library alone was probably worth it. Again, I'm saving photos from inside the house for later in the year, but you can get an idea of just how few expenses the Vanderbilts spared. The whole place is very much a shrine to capitalism that paints a very rosy picture of a time when the income disparity was even greater than it is now. But the property does provide jobs to hundreds of locals and houses a lot of great art. It's a space that belongs to the people now, if for a nominal admission fee.

And maybe I could justify buying that much land if it meant having this golden hour view.