Experience a time honored tradition in North Carolina with a visit to the Christmas at Biltmore event in Asheville. No other residence in America offers a more authentic, original, and inspiring view of life during the Guided Age at Christmas than the Biltmore House. Our visit includes not only the country's largest privately owned home but the Estates's Antler Hill Village and Winery all dressed out for the Holidays. An added treat is the Downton Abbey Exhibit on display for a limited time at Biltmore. The Exhibition, based on the beloved television show, transports you to post-Edwardian England, where the characters and the iconic house come to life. You’ll be immersed in the fascinating social history, culture, and some of the most memorable moments from the show’s six-season run.
“You’ll find there’s never a dull moment in this house”
-Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham
Trip accommodations are located at DoubleTree by Hilton Asheville. This is located just outside of the gates of the Biltmore Estate and within walking distance of the Historic Biltmore Village. Biltmore Village is a charming, little enclave created to house employees of George Vanderbilt’s sprawling Biltmore Estate. The Village is made up of stuccoed cottages converted to shops, galleries and restaurants. Also, located in The Village is The Cathedral of All Souls, a Romanesque Revival landmark. There will be optional time in the afternoon to visit the Biltmore Village.
Note that refunds cannot be provided. If you are unable to attend, you are free to find a replacement to use your space. The Day Trip Club assumes no responsibility for refunds or assisting in resale arrangements other than providing names from a waiting list, if any, as potential leads. There is a waiting list for this trip so if you need to cancel, please contact Sue Rutledge with the Club for names on the waiting list.
December 8- 9am - Depart Compass Pointe for Asheville and travel the southern route through South Carolina to Asheville. This brings us to the Columbiana Centre in Columbia for lunch at the Food Court. Following lunch, continue westward to the Mountains! Check-in at hotel, enjoy a little time for rest or freshening up for dinner at the hotel. Get your first glimpse of the legacy and history of Biltmore by wandering the hotel hallways and enjoying the historic exhibits. The hotel was once the site of the Biltmore Dairy Farms.
6pm - Cash bar opens
7pm - Buffet Dinner
December 9 - Breakfast on own followed by a 9:30am departure for the Downton Abbey Exhibit. This is an hour long self-guided tour. Afterwards, we travel throughout the scenic Estate grounds to the famous Biltmore Winery and Antler Hill Village where you have time for free wine-tastings, shopping, exploration of turn of the century farm life or lunch on your own.
We return to the hotel where you can rest up for the evening or you can walk across the street or use the hotel shuttle to explore Biltmore Village.
5:45pm - Dinner in the Stable Cafe at Biltmore
6:45pm - Candlelight Christmas at Biltmore. Enjoy this amazing tour of the 250 room Biltmore House!
December 10 - Breakfast on own followed by a 9am departure. Stop in Columbia on the way home at the Historic Vista District for lunch on own. There are a wide variety of restaurant options here. From Columbia we continue the journey back to Compass Pointe.