The South - Eastern USA - page 657

Biltmore Estate HOUSE, GARDENS
( 800-543-2961; www.biltmore.com ; 1 Approach Rd; adult/child under 16yr from $59/30;
house 9am-4:30pm) The country's largest private home, and Asheville's number-one tour-
ist attraction, the Biltmore was built in 1895 for shipping and railroad heir George Wash-
ington Vanderbilt II. He modeled it after the grand chateaux he'd seen on his various
European jaunts. Viewing the estate and its 250 acres of gorgeously manicured grounds
and gardens takes several hours.
Tours of the house are self-guided. To get the most out of your visit, pay an extra $10
for the audio tour. Also available are behind-the-scenes guided tours ($17) covering the
architecture, the family or the servants.
Beyond the house, there are numerous cafes, a gift shop the size of a small supermar-
ket, a hoity-toity hotel, and an award-winning winery that offers free tastings. In Antler
Village, the new Biltmore Legacy exhibit, 'The Vanderbilts at Home and Abroad,'
provides a more personal look at the family.
Chimney Rock Park PARK
( www.chimneyrockpark.com ; Hwy 64/74A; adult/child $15/7; 8:30am-5:30pm late Mar-Oct,
hours vary Nov-Feb) The American flag flaps in the breeze atop this popular park's name-
sake 315ft granite monolith. An elevator takes visitors up to the chimney, but the real
draw is the exciting hike around the cliffs to a 404ft waterfall. The park, once privately
owned, is now part of the state park system; access to the rock is still managed commer-
cially. The park is a 20-mile drive southeast of Asheville.
Thomas Wolfe Memorial HOUSE
( www.wolfememorial.com ; 52 N Market St; museum free, house tour $5; 9am-5pm Tue-Sat)
This downtown memorial, with a small museum and a separate house tour, honors
Look Homeward Angel author Thomas Wolfe. The author grew up in Asheville, which
was the inspiration for the novel's setting.
Tours
Brews Cruise MICROBREWERIES
( 828-545-5181; www.ashevillebrewscruise.com ; per person $50-55) Tour several of Ashev-
ille's microbreweries on the Brews Cruise.
Lazoom Comedy Tour COMEDY