Asheville {part 2: The Biltmore Estate}

No visit to Asheville would be complete without a visit to the Biltmore. In fact visiting the historic home of was the main reason mom and I chose Asheville as our vacation destination.  As we walked through the house I was amazed not by how lavish everything was, although it certainly was magnificent, but by how high tech it was. George W. Vanderbilt originally  had the "house" built as a vacation home. When it opened 1895 and the whole thing, all 250 rooms of it, was equipped with electric lights and indoor plumbing. In fact, the house boasted 43 bathrooms, quite the feat for 1895 single indoor bathrooms were scarce!

All together the 117 year mansion contains 250 rooms (40 acres of house!), including a 70,000 gallon, 10 foot deep indoor swimming pool and bowling alley. One of the first rooms you visit on the tour is the seven story dining room, complete with record sized trophy heads and gigantic pipe organ. Why would someone ever need a pipe organ in their 7 story dining room?  To sing Christmas carols around their 40ft Christmas tree of course!
But seriously, the house was stunning and touring it with my mom made it so much fun! 

{A picture of a picture: so classy}