5 Reasons Christmas is Magical at the Biltmore

What’s more magical than celebrating Christmas at the largest privately owned home in America? Tickets to a Biltmore Christmas are more expensive than the seasonal average. Starting at $124 per person for a self-guided audio tour might feel a little pricey, but it’s worth it. Here are five reasons why Christmas is (extra) magical at the Biltmore.

1. Soak in Christmas Trees & Decorations

Almost every inch of the 175,000-square-foot Biltmore House is decorated for Christmas. On your self-guided tour, you can soak in the elegant rooms and poinsettias, wreaths, garlands, and multiple Christmas trees. 

There’s a sea of poinsettias to welcome you on your first stop on the audio tour in the foyer. And a 35-foot Fraser fir featured in the glorious Banquet Hall. For the 2023 Christmas season, this locally grown tree has been growing for about 30 years. 

Everywhere you look, from the trees on the front lawn shimmering with Christmas lights. To the garlands hung on every fireplace, you’ll feel enveloped in a festive dream.

2. Take a Candlelight Christmas Tour

For the ultimate Christmas experience, visitors can purchase a special candlelight Christmas evening ticket. During this evening tour, guests enjoy a self-guided audio tour from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Soaking in the grandeur of the historic rooms from an evening perspective, basking in the gentle glow of candles and fireplaces.  

Additionally, you’ll feel like a true guest, enjoying the Biltmore House when it’s usually closed to visitors. Because the candlelight experience is very popular, there are only a few tickets for the 2023 season left. Dates for the 2024 candlelight Christmas evening tours are on sale with some dates already sold out. I recommend buying your tickets now if you’re interested in this experience for next year. 

3. Enjoy Christmas Music

Depending on the day or tour, you may enjoy music during your Christmas tour at the Biltmore House. I’ve visited during the day and have experienced live music on the main level. I’ve also heard Christmas music played on the Banquet Hall’s Organ Loft, giving my experience an even more magical note. 

Purchase a candlelight house tour to guarantee a musical experience. Starting at 5:30 p.m. until close visitors on the self-guided tour will enjoy live musicians and Christmas carols on the organ. 

4. See a Gingerbread House Replica of the Biltmore House

The Omni Grove Park Inn isn’t the only Asheville location with a gingerbread house experience. Each Christmas, visitors to the Biltmore House will enjoy the craftsmanship of a holiday gingerbread house in the Main Kitchen on the self-guided tour. 

This replica of the Biltmore House may look freshly baked, but it’s actually a faux gingerbread house. Completed in 2021, this work of art includes building materials that look like a gingerbread cookie base, piped icing, and faux candy decorations.  

The Biltmore gingerbread house might not smell like Christmas, but it certainly looks like it! And will last for generations to come. 

5. Be a Part of History at the Biltmore Estate

Christmas is a special time for the Biltmore Estate. After six years of construction, the Biltmore House officially welcomed guests on Christmas Eve 1895. Imagine what it was like to be the first people to celebrate Christmas at the Biltmore House. 

By visiting the Biltmore over Christmas, you’re joining the tradition of celebrating the holiday season in this breathtaking home, surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains. You might not be the one opening presents under a Biltmore tree on Christmas morning, but the memories you’ll make will feel like a gift all year long.

Christmas Conclusion

Visiting the Biltmore at Christmas is a truly magical experience, combining the estate’s grandeur with the holiday season’s warmth. Want to visit this year? I highly recommend buying your tickets in advance – they will sell out!

Can’t visit the Biltmore Estate this Christmas? You can still experience Christmas at the Biltmore by watching A Biltmore Christmas, released by Hallmark in 2023.   

What’s your favorite thing about visiting the Biltmore at Christmas time? Share it in the comments below!