The target for today was Biltmore House in Asheville, NC.

This “house” was built in the 1890’s by George Vanderbilt in efforts to 1) replicate the great castles of Europe and 2) spend as much as he possibly could of the immense fortune the family had built through the American railroads. George did a nice job on both objectives. Biltmore is not really a house. It is a castle in every respect. One of the other family homes, The Breakers, is the largest mansion in Newport, RI. Biltmore is much, much larger. The dining room ceiling is seven stories high.

Even more impressive are the grounds on which the castle is built. At 8,000 acres, you drive for two miles from the front gate to get to the house. There are extensive gardens, a riding stable, etc. The great landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, who designed Central Park in New York (and Forest Park in Springfield) was in charge of the project. You have to see it to appreciate it.

A winery is also on the grounds, but that is another five miles beyond the house. We were wondering what they did when they needed a quart of milk. At first, we thought that maybe they chose not to drink milk or they told the servants to go get it, but we were wrong. They have their own dairy farm on the property. Of course.

We had a great time, but it all came at a cost. I was surmising that they probably had more admission options than Graceland, and that was an understatement. The “Basic” admission was $75 each, which blew away the Elvis Experience. No senior discount either. I need to complain to Anderson Cooper …