Archive for March, 2010
When you take a North Carolina pet friendly vacation, knowing your pet is in a safe place while you are out sightseeing, that they are being kept an eye on by responsible pet lovers, is an incredible relief and definitely ingredients to a spectacular vacation by the whole family. We felt so wonderful knowing our 4 legged babies were safe. Of course we had to keep an eye on time to be home to feed them, but they were having a ball. The smells on the farm were enough to keep them occupied no matter where they were. The fence was secure enough to keep them in the yard, so we just left them out and they hung out on the covered porch. We plopped down a couple of those wonderful doggie beds from the inside and they stayed dry, out of the sun, and they knew we were coming back.
When we came back, the kids chased them and ran all over the yard. They really were having their very own vacation, just like the website promised.
As the largest privately owned residence in the US, Biltmore Estates embodies luxury and extravagance. Built by George Washington Vanderbilt II at the end of the 19th century, the mansion is both a US National Historic Landmark and registered under the NHRP. Throughout the year, the Estate welcomes guests and various tourists.
Located in Asheville, North Carolina, the Estate is one of the area’s calling cards. On a recent trip to Asheville, I had the opportunity to visit the French Renaissance-style mansion and take in its splendor. Although tickets can be hard to come by, I was lucky enough to stay at a remote cabin rental that included Biltmore Estate tickets with the lodging.
My husband and I went to see Antler Hill Village at Biltmore Estate yesterday. The day was gorgeous. We finally had some real Spring weather and we just couldn’t resist doing something wonderful outside. We were not disappointed in any way. Antler Hill is where the employees lived and celebrated life when the Estate was a home to the Vanderbilts.
Biltmore Estate has been preparing the world for their new venture. They have expanded the area between the restaurants/winery and the stables on the farm by building a new complex named Antler Hill Village. Included are a fantastic ice cream shoppe (my ice cream cone was yummy), a tavern, an outdoor center, a new addition to the winery, another gift shoppe – a fancy one, and a museum in which you really get a feel for the family who created this masterpiece called Biltmore Estate. I have to say I weep a little each time his death is spoken of. A must-see is the film they put together and is shown in the theatre. It tells you all about the history of the family.
Once we arrived, we were taken on a tour of the house. Of course the pups were shown their special cabinet. It was stocked full of cookies, treats, toys, bowls, and pick-up baggies. The kitchen had water bowls already filled for them knowing they would be very thirsty from the long ride to their vacation site.
There was a complimentary reusable shopping bag for us all on the kitchen counter. In it were toys for the kids, and toys for the pups, and special treats for us. In the living room, to be sure they had comfortable places to sit in case the humans took up all the sitting places, this Asheville pet friendly vacation cabin provided us with multiple doggie beds! The dogs went bonkers smelling all the great smells on those beds. They never sleep in their beds at home, yet here they were, plopping down on them as soon as they settled down. They never let their smiles down, even while they were sleeping!
Traveling with your pet to achieve a restful vacation can sometimes be challenging. Sometimes the world of travelers is not so amenable to it, sometimes they are but with major restrictions, and sometimes, oh once in awhile, you run across someone who feels it’s your animal’s vacation too. I was fortunate to find someone who was just that way.
We decided as a family, finally, to go to Asheville North Carolina and of course we had to bring the dogs. We found this great sounding place on line, but of course we are always nervous about the dogs until we actually get there and see if the folks really are all that pet friendly. When we drove up, they greeted our animals first. Don’t laugh. Oddly, they speak to them in the same voice we do, like someone who is speaking with a squeaky toy caught in their throat. Then they stood up and spoke to us in a language we could understand. We knew right off the bat we could just completely relax on this Asheville pet friendly vacation.
Airboarding is a combination of luge, sledding and snowboarding. If one of those didn’t scare you in the first place, well, put them all together and see what happens. Maggie Valley is one of three places offering this sport on the whole Eastern coast!
After the Olympics, I think this sounds mighty exciting, something a daredevil would just jump at the opportunity. Take an Asheville vacation and as an excursion away from the area, try your hand at airboarding.
This is a year of anniversaries for Biltmore Estate. Festival of Flowers has grown from a small start 25 years ago to a six-week celebration covering the entire estate. The Winery marks it’s 25th anniversary as well. Plus, Antler Hill Village will be opening this spring, where guests can learn more about Biltmore’s continuing legacy of hospitality.
Biltmore Estate Asheville NC is always a great place to visit. This year will mark more special things to do with more to see as new things pop up on the Estate daily.
Oh boy! I just heard of a great plan. Stay at this cabin on a farm outside Asheville North Carolina and get tickets for Biltmore Estate at a discount and have access to the Estate for a full two days. Not only do I get to spend all that time at the Estate, but the farm is a log cabin with all the perfect amenities for a log cabin and it’s on a llama/goat farm.
I can see the house, have lunch, see the gardens, do a little wine tasting, have dinner, go back to the cabin (feed the llamas and goats a snack or two) go back the next morning and see the farm on the Estate, have lunch, and then see the new Antler Hill Village they are about to open.
I’m ready!
I do believe that the Vanderbilts at Biltmore Estate went crazy over flowers in Spring to celebrate that winter is over and it’s time to come out of that big ol’ mansion. And celebrate they did. They needed large greenhouses, rooms to create arrangements, incredible vases to hold the flowers in, and certainly personnel to accomodate all that. The gardeners and landscapers were experts from everywhere. The man hung a painting of the Master gardener in one of his sitting rooms. Now that’s importance!
Once there were no longer any Vanderbilts living at Biltmore Estate, and as the Estate developed and became more of a museum type showcase, ideas began to flow and in the quest to outdo themselves every year, they started this spectacular event called Festival of Flowers. This year it takes place from April 3 to May 16.
Are you planning a trip to Asheville to visit Biltmore Estate anytime soon? If not, you might want to rethink that because Spring is coming and Spring in the mountains is divine, and Spring at Biltmore Estate is the cherry on the top.
Welcome Spring with a Festival of Flowers celebration April 3 to May 16 on your Asheville vacation. Visit Biltmore when it suits your schedule with a discounted ticket offering great savings and the flexibility to visit for two days. Biltmore goes all out in the spring, you’ve never seen so many flowers!