Let’s take a little drive, shall we? Through the “mountains” of North Carolina, and into Asheville. A pretty quiet little town overall, but the site of America’s largest private family home, The Biltmore Estate.

It’s been awhile since I’ve been to Biltmore, and the last time photos were not allowed inside. My mom is an annual passholder, and she let me know they’ve started to allow interior photos, so I was very jazzed for some solid decor shots.

We made a great choice going in the middle of winter, as the estate usually sees 10k+ visitors per day, but the weekend we were there the number was less than 1,500.

It made our tour much more delightful, we were able to have some space and really enjoy the beauty of the house.

This was my favorite room, where Mrs. Vanderbilt delivered her babies, with a large balcony available for some fresh air.

This room immediately made me think of Accidentally Wes Anderson, one of my favorite Insta accounts.

And this sparkling white wonder is the former pool. What strikes me about this is that the lights around the bottom were working even when the pool was in use. Did they not worry about getting electrocuted?!

I’m sure this will not be surprising, but I LOVED the conservatory and gardens. There were rows upon rows upon rows of palm and banana trees.

And the pièce de résistance, THE ORCHIDS! Aren’t the wonderful?

There’s a comprehensive audio guide available if you’re going on the house tour, but I just wandered around at my own pace and had a great time. We stayed the weekend on the property too, which was very nice to be so close to the estate and all the shops and restaurants.

If you’re nearby Asheville, this is a great weekend getaway! Try to time it between May 17th and October 7th to see the Chihuly exhibit – I’m absolutely coming back for it!