We were gifted some free passes to Biltmore Estate, a few weeks ago and decided to spend the day there for a fun family adventure! I have to admit, I was a little nervous about bringing a very busy little boy, but he had a blast and so did his parents! Here are some of the fun things Biltmore Estate offers for families!

Biltmore House

We started out by touring the house itself! Make sure you secure a reservation before arrival! Before entering the Biltmore house we made sure TJ had eaten a snack and went to the potty. Once in the house the tour is at least an hour long, or longer, depending on how much time you take, and there are no close bathrooms. Food and drink are not allowed either.

To help keep TJ engaged we stopped by the desk, just inside the Biltmore house entrance, and picked up “Cedric’s Sniff-and-Seek TREASURE HUNT.” Cedric was the Vanderbilt family’s St. Bernard. He gives the children’s clues, in the form of rhymes, for almost every room on the tour. TJ had a great time looking for the answers, counting stairs, guessing names, and learning facts about the house, the family and the history.

Outside at Biltmore House

There is so much to do outside of the Biltmore House. Try to visit on a pretty warm day, or bundle up so you can play outside. The gardens are just adjacent to the house and there are miles of trails that meander through the beautiful gardens. There are fun things to look for, included on the Treasure Hunt, such as a walled garden, ponds with goldfish and a brick tunnel. There are also hiking and biking paths all throughout the estate where children can run and play. Make sure to pick up an estate guide soon after arrival to find out more about the hiking, walking and biking paths.

Antler Village at Biltmore House

After exploring the house and gardens, we drove over to Antler Village. You can choose to drive your own car or take a shuttle. It is about 5 miles from the house. Antler Village has shopping, dining, a farm with petting zoo, a playground and a winery. When we arrived we put our name in for lunch at Cedric’s Tavern first. Cedric’s Tavern was named for Cedric the dog and has a cute statue of Cedric with his human Cornelia out front. This was a popular spot for the kids. Several, including mine, had fun “riding” the large dog statue. The restaurant was very kid friendly with a great kids menu and a relaxed setting. They even had coloring books and crayons for the kids to do while they waited.

While we waited for our seat at Cedric’s we visited the playground and the petting zoo. The playground is a nice enclosed area with swings, a slide and some sand play.

Winery at Antler Village

We finished off our time at Antler Village with a trip to the Winery. Mom and Dad got to taste wine and TJ enjoyed some grape juice. They also offered him a colroing book and crayons, but he was content to play on his tablet. It was a great setup for families visiting the area that wanted to taste wine.

If you don’t have family adventures on your monthly goals, you should! Biltmore Estate was the perfect place to spend a Spring Break day. We have plans to go back and explore more of the property and maybe even bring our bikes (you can rent them as well!). What family adventure will your family be doing this month?

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