After check-out, i drove a bit to find a Chipotle :), ate, and went over to the Biltmore.  The property is huge, 8,000 acres.  The house is the largest private residence in the USA and has about 178,000 sq ft (4 acres) of space inside.  I think they said 43 bathrooms, a swimming pool, a bowling alley and something like 250 rooms in the house.  It was decorated for Christmas.  I asked how many trees in the house… 62.

The grounds contain several different gardens, a village, and forests.  Outside of the grounds, the local businesses also have a more upscale appearance, including possibly the fanciest McDonald’s in existence.

I checked in to the property and purchased the day pass ($70).  From there I drove to the parking lot and boarded a shuttle.  We were dropped off in front of the house.  I toured the house, first.

Outside of the house, there is a courtyard with a gift shops and some food and drink shops.  The other direction leads to several different gardens, including a rose garden and conservatory.

After the gardens, I took the shuttle back to my car and then drove over to the village to do a wine tasting.  At the bar in the tasting room, the woman next to me struck up a conversation and I learned that her husband works in project management.  I exchanged some professional contact information. 🙂  The tasting was excellent!  I purchased two bottles and left Biltmore to meet up with my friends.

Jason and Abby live about 45 minutes from Asheville.  After seeing their home, we went into town to have dinner and drinks at a local hangout.  Additional friends of Jason and Abby joined us and we had a small group.  We returned to their home after a few hours and called it a night.

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