The grounds are so beautiful and filled to the brim with nature; the house is ginormous but…read moregorgeous. The house is super big but the tours are super cool. You can see the kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms, and more. I'm not sure if Antler Village is a separate story, but we love it too! Service is good.

The Biltmore Estate is a little difficult to travel to from Texas, but the trip was well worth it…read more Asheville turned out to be a hospitable, quiet town and the airport was squeaky clean. The Biltmore Estate recommends renting a vehicle to reach the property, and from there, it was very easy getting from the hotel to the Vanderbilt house for their daily, self-led, audio guided house tours. There are also a number of daily guided tours about various topics. When I visited, there was a great exhibit in the basement describing the man power, architectural influences, and time it took for this 175,000 sq foot private residence to be realized. The old Vanderbilts spent a great deal of time and resources building accommodations for travelers and guests making the trip out to Asheville. I'm always curious to know what's going on behind the scenes so I went on the service quarters guided tour and thought it was great. There is also a courtyard where they converted parts of the stables into gift shops, cafes, and the Stables restaurant. It was like we were all welcomed visitors to a place frozen in time sans the horse drawn carriage. Overall, I really enjoyed that the property is in really good condition and appears to be well provided for in addition to being successfully managed. I recommend this trip to anyone interested in American history and architecture. There's a lot of walking involved and it's very group friendly, but small children will probably get tired easily.

Unique! Many cities have a standing piece of art or icon that easily lets you know where you are in…read morethe country! In New York it's the Charging Bull or the Statue of Liberty, in Chicago it's the giant silver bean or that crazy eyeball in Dallas/Fort Worth. For Asheville it's The Flat Iron, which is a not so obvious reference to the historic Flat Iron Building it stands beside. It also marks the entrance to the shop on Walls street such as Early Girl Eatery and often you will find street artists performing in front of it! On the day we visited we saw one of Asheville's most famous street performers by the name of Abby, the Spoon Lady along with Chris Rodrigues. See her story here: https://www.pbs.org/video/abby-the-spoon-lady-1cxpxe/ The Flat Iron, in my opinion, is special because of its simplicity. It matches the feel of Asheville which seems to have a natural & easy going pure feel to it, but has an iron or two in the fire. OR maybe, just maybe, it could also be for those who come to the city with a few kinks that need to be ironed out. I suspect a lot of people could use a good thorough press to smooth out some rough edges! 2018/82

One day, this sculpture of an iron will make sense to me. Today is not that day. It is a seven foot…read moretall iron, painted black, on the corner of Wall Street and Battery Park Avenue. Yes, it's in front of the Flatiron Building. But that can't possibly be it. Or can it?

Even if you have no idea who Thomas Wolfe was or what he wrote, if you have any interest in what…read morelife was like in an early-1900s boarding house, you should come here. I was interested because I had previously toured a Basque sheepherder boarding house in Boise, Idaho, and I was curious to see how it compared with a more traditional Southern boarding house. I had never heard of Thomas Wolfe or "Look Homeward, Angel" until I watched the movie and went on the guided tour. Now I want to read the book. The tour gives you a fascinating look at two very different sides of Asheville life during that era. If you couldn't afford to stay at a grand hotel such as the Grove Park Inn for around $5 a night, you could see what it was like to stay at the Old Kentucky Home, where at one point you could get a room and breakfast for around $8 a week. But one of the most interesting people I learned about wasn't Thomas Wolfe. It was his mother, Julia Wolfe. Julia came from poverty but had tremendous industry and business sense. She bought the Old Kentucky Home in 1906 and ran the boarding house for nearly 40 years, expanding it over time to 29 rooms. Our guide told us that she could be up before dawn preparing breakfast for the boarders, while Thomas remembered her still ironing after midnight. In addition to running the boarding house and raising a large family, she invested in real estate. I couldn't help comparing Julia with another remarkable woman I had learned about during my time in Asheville: Edith Vanderbilt. Their circumstances could hardly have been more different, but both impressed me with their intelligence, resilience, work ethic, and business sense. Edith helped preserve Biltmore after George Vanderbilt died, while Julia built and operated a successful boarding house and helped provide for her family largely through her own determination and work. I hadn't expected learning about these two strong women to become one of the most memorable parts of my visit to Asheville. The admission fee was only $8 for the guided tour. Tours were offered at 30 minutes past the hour through 4:30 p.m. when I visited. The movie was about 20 minutes, the guided house tour took about an hour, and you should allow additional time for the exhibits. I would plan on about 1 1/2 to 2 hours altogether. The exhibit and film are free if you don't want to do the tour. One thing that may be confusing when you arrive: although the historic house is on one side, you first need to go to the Visitor Center behind the house to pay admission, see the movie and exhibits, and meet for the guided tour. There is also a restroom in the Visitor Center. The house was closed Sundays, Mondays, and holidays when I visited, but check the website for the latest days, hours, tour times, and admission prices before going. I really enjoyed seeing what everyday life in an early-1900s boarding house was like, hearing about Thomas Wolfe's life even though I knew nothing about him when I arrived, and especially learning about Julia Wolfe. I went because I was curious about the house. I left wanting to read "Look Homeward, Angel" and with a profound admiration for the woman who ran it.

Excellent thing to see if you are into history. Or literature, or writers, or books. The museum is…read moreall about Thomas Wolfe and his life. Sit through the 22 minute video, it explains a lot. Lots of things to see and learn about here. They saw all of his books, and some other paraphernalia. You can do the House tour as well for a small fee. We opted out of that, but walked around the outside of the house instead. Very pretty old antebellum style house. I recommend this stop if you are in Asheville.

This is a brand new sculpture in downtown Asheville that is now dubbed 'The Buskers Corner'…read more As the plaque says this sculpture was inspired by Asheville's vibrant street musicians and lively drum circles. I really like what this sculpture encapsulates. The artists Chukk Bruursema and Ash Knight did a phenomenal job! Love that they incorporated the dog as Asheville is a dog town!! Stop by and check it out!

Had a good friend recently have an event here and her experience was not pleasant. The building was…read morevery dirty and there was poor communication with the Temple's contact while making several attempts. Very disappointed in the space, you should check out many other wonderful properties in town before considering this space.

I had no idea this place was going to be as cool as it was, on the inside. The usual irony with…read moreFreemasonry is that these devotees of sacred architecture and geometry meet so often in shabby anonymous buildings with plate glass windows and acoustic ceiling tiles. No such irony here, friends. This particular Masonic Temple is a glorious celebration of detail and craftsmanship. Even the fuse box is beautiful, sitting in plain sight in a glass box in the stairwell, like a lost Joseph Cornell piece. Each doorknob is emblazoned with symbolism in bas relief. The ceiling is expansive, with groined arches recalling classic cathedrals. The original elevator is working, although I think most Americans don't know how to use old-style elevators anymore. The staircase is wide, and recalls the "I don't give a damn" set from Gone With the Wind. The real treasure is the 3rd floor theater. A round, domed room with a curving balcony, painted in dusky pink, chalk blue, and gilt. The acoustics are great, considering the age of the building. The star of the theater is the gorgeous backdrops. So ridiculously gorgeous, they risk upstaging whomever's performing. I've heard folklore (unsubstantiated, but believable) that these backdrops, themselves, are worth millions of dollars on today's market. Layer upon layer of hand-cut, hand-painted detail, that catches the light in amazing, dramatic ways. If you've ever been to the cyclorama in Atlanta, you might recognize a similar style, although the subject matter here isn't military stuff--it's romantic, pastoral, mystical. If you ever get a chance to go to anything at the Masonic Temple, go. Just go. Drop everything and go. Find a babysitter. Cancel your appointments. Go. Especially if you know the event will take place on the 3rd floor. You will be mindblown with awesomeness.

When I first moved to Asheville (lived there for 7 years) I was fascinated by the Monteford…read moreneighborhood with this Historic cemetery nearby. I took a stroll there and came upon Thomas Wolfe's gravestone. "The mountains were his masters. They rimmed in life. They were the cup of reality, beyond growth, beyond struggle and death. They were his absolute unity in the midst of eternal change." Thomas Wolfe, Look Homeward, Angel

What a lovely place for a walk! Beautiful homes, many that have been restored to B&B's, are…read moreeverywhere. The Queen Anne style homes are my favorite! Check out Riverside Cemetery where Thomas Wolfe is buried. We miss the Montford Park Players who put on the outdoor Shakespeare Festival. Due to Covid they've been shut down. It's a really fun evening so let's hope they'll be back next year. We will definitely be there for that! Definitely recommend a walk around on a beautiful Fall day!

Friendly and helpful staff that gave us a few nearby hiking options. We hiked the loop trail that…read morestarted from the parking lot. Not sure if we were not paying attention while chatting but we ended up in a neighborhood and had to backtrack ha! Helpful to have the bathrooms in the visitor center to pop into before or after a hike!

Pulled over at the Visitor Center along the Blue Ridge Parkway and ended up speaking to ranger…read morePeter Hamel at the help desk. Peter was super friendly, super helpful, and when we told him we were interested in birds he gave us a perfect breakdown of which stops we might like. He really knew his birds! What a pleasant interaction we had. The Visitor Center itself was gorgeous and super informative. Would recommend a stop for sure!

We had our first visit this evening to Biltmore. Considered America's Largest Home, this National…read moreHistoric Landmark and Vanderbilt home is decked out for the holidays, with Christmas trees, decorations, carolers and musicians. We had a timed ticket for 7:30, so we hung out in the shops until our appointed time. We were given audio wands and followed the signage. Even though there were a large amount of people, it is an enormous house with over 250 rooms and we never felt crammed. There were lots of stairs and we took the magnificent marble staircase up, and we also went down to the basement, through a stone tunnel and past an indoor pool and bowling alley. Our energy flagged about the time we were down in the kitchens. There are no bathrooms to use on the tour, you'll find them out by the shops. My favorite rooms were the Winter Garden, the Banquet Hall and the Library. There were roaring fireplaces in almost all of the rooms, and at this time of year, December, some of the rooms were cold and the basement was quite warm. I think winter is one of the best times to view Biltmore as George Vanderbilt opened the house for the holidays for friends and family to enjoy.

Biltmore Estate, what an amazing place to visit and explore. Coming in the gate and you get that…read morefirst veiw of the grandness of this estate. It feels like looking at a castle. We came during the Christmas season so we were able to see the estate decorated beautifully with Christmas trees throughout the entire estate. There was a Christmas tree and almost every room of the house. This was my second time here, but it still has that wow effect when you're walking throughout the estate in every room. You get a feel of what it must've been like to live in that era with all the extravagant amenities that they had.

Located at the eastern end of the Pack Square closer to the City Hall building, the Western North…read moreCarolina Veterans Memorial has a circular concrete space with a woman sitting on a bench, looking at the bench. Modeled after the artist's mother, she is looking at the arch. Attached to each upright is the seal of each of the six branches of the military. Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, Air Force and Merchant Marines. The memorial reads, "Dedicated to those who gave us Peace, Liberty and Freedom and to the Veterans who have preserved it." The memorial was dedicated in 2009. The non-profit group behind the project gifted the memorial to the City of Asheville and Buncombe County in 2011. [Review 12693 overall, 5 of 2020.]

This is a cool statue inside a cool park that I visited while we were in Asheville North Carolina…read more Stopped in here with my family for a quick trip they have a nice park here that I will review here shortly but the statue was there and it had a Lotta good representation and a Lotta good memories behind what this park stands for.