North Carolina
Asheville at Christmastime: The Biltmore and Beyond
Program No. 22980RJ
Experience the magic of a Vanderbilt Christmas at the ornately decorated Biltmore House as you learn about turn-of-the-century traditions, and explore the charming city of Asheville.
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DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
Nov 17 - Nov 22, 2024
Starting at
2,299Dec 1 - Dec 6, 2024
Starting at
2,099Dec 8 - Dec 13, 2024
Starting at
2,099DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
Nov 17 - Nov 22, 2024
Starting at
2,799Dec 1 - Dec 6, 2024
Starting at
2,599Dec 8 - Dec 13, 2024
Starting at
2,599Dec 15 - Dec 20, 2024
Starting at
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6 days
5 nights
11 meals
5B 3L 3D
1
Check-In, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
Asheville, North Carolina
2
History Field Trip, Cathedral, River Arts District Clayworks
Asheville, North Carolina
3
Cherokee History, Appalachian Culture, Biltmore Candlelight
Asheville, North Carolina
4
Thomas Wolfe Museum, Free Afternoon, Winter Lights
Asheville, North Carolina
5
Southern Appalachian Christmas Traditions, Grove Park Inn
Asheville, North Carolina
6
Program Concludes
Asheville, North Carolina
At a Glance
Evergreen trees twinkle with thousands of white lights. Poinsettias, wreaths tied with bright red bows and miles of ornate garland adorn nearly every surface. Cinnamon sticks scents blended with aromas of fresh balsam and carol music greet you as you enter the gloriously festive Biltmore estate, in full regalia for Christmastime. There’s nothing like it. Celebrate the season at this landmark estate as you step back in time to learn about what the holidays were like for the Vanderbilt family at the turn of the century. While you’re in town, explore charming Asheville and learn about Southern Appalachian and Native American traditions.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to 1.5 miles daily, sometimes on uneven surfaces. Getting on/off trolley. Standing in museums up to an hour for lecture. Some historical structures have stairs/no elevator.
What You'll Learn
- Experience the Biltmore House by candle and firelight as holiday choirs and musical performances welcome you.
- Immerse yourself in the history, arts and art-deco architecture of Asheville, including a visit to the Cathedral of All Souls and the Basilica of St. Lawrence.
- Enjoy live performances ranging from choral Christmas carols to traditional Appalachian folk music and songs of the Cherokee Nation on flute, rattle and Native American Drum.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Lee Knight
Raised in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York, Lee is a folk singer, story teller and outdoor leader, performing at concerts, workshops, festivals and schools. He shares his knowledge of the natural world leading hikes, canoe trips and guiding whitewater rafts. Lee has collected and shares Cherokee legends and plays the Cherokee flute and rattle, as well as the Native American drum. He also plays the five-string banjo, guitars and the Appalachian dulcimer.
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Lee Knight
View biography
Raised in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York, Lee is a folk singer, story teller and outdoor leader, performing at concerts, workshops, festivals and schools. He shares his knowledge of the natural world leading hikes, canoe trips and guiding whitewater rafts. Lee has collected and shares Cherokee legends and plays the Cherokee flute and rattle, as well as the Native American drum. He also plays the five-string banjo, guitars and the Appalachian dulcimer.
Kevan Frazier
View biography
Kevan Frazier is an Asheville native whose family settled in the Asheville area in the late 1700s. He is the author of “Legendary Locals of Asheville,” which details the pioneers, educators, artists and others who have had a lasting impact on Asheville. Kevan is a former member of the history faculty and administration at UNC Asheville, where he served for 17 years. He holds a doctorate in history from West Virginia University.
Anne Peery
View biography
Anne Peery has traveled extensively in the Southeastern United States. She has served in various leadership roles including the Executive Director of the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation. Anne holds a B.S. in education from Mississippi State University. She has worked with a volunteer group making medical-grade PPE for first responders in the Big Bend region of Florida.
Suggested Reading List
(6 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Asheville at Christmastime: The Biltmore and Beyond
Program Number: 22980
Lady on the Hill: How Biltmore Estate Became an American Icon
"What William Cecil has accomplished at Biltmore Estate is one of the great preservation success stories of all time. He has set a high standard for what all historic house museums strive for: magnificently preserved buildings and grounds, engaging interpretation, and--perhaps most challenging of all--economic self-sufficiency. It is no surprise that Biltmore Estate is widely recognized as one of America's finest places to visit."
--Richard Moe, President of the National Trust for Historic Preservation
"Biltmore is a glorious national historic landmark that, through creative vision and entrepreneurial management, preserves and provides insight into a way of life in the early 1900s. Bill is the imaginative and multifaceted leader who has built this great monument to enrich his community. George and I admire his dedication and success."
--George and Abby Rockefeller O'Neill
"Bill Cecil and his team at Biltmore Estate have sure proved that they know how to build a successful business. They did it the old-fashioned way: embrace a bold idea that others said could not be done and--through commitment, determination, and hard work--bring it to life. Their achievement against the odds is inspiring, and their vision and perseverance are valuable lessons to us all."
--Don Logan, Chairman, Media & Communications Group, Time Warner
"If George Vanderbilt did nothing more than engage the two most prominent and storied designers of their time, architect Richard Morris Hunt and landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, to carry out his vision of a European estate in the southern Appalachians, he would have created an American icon. The beauty of the method by which the estate was executed and, even today, the meticulous attention to detail, in the presentation and care of the estate by William Cecil, have brought history to life."
--Gary J. Walters, Chief Usher, The White House
Legendary Locals of Asheville
Legendary Locals of Asheville tells the stories of the people who founded, built, and rebuilt Asheville. From the first woman elected to state office in the South, who won her primary before women had the right to vote, to the grandson of a famed railroad magnate who built a 250-room chateau that became the largest home in America, to the entrepreneur who helped ignite the city’s renaissance when he risked opening an art gallery downtown when most of it was still boarded up, Ashevillians are an amazing lot. Likewise, there are stories of extraordinary groups like the renowned faculty of an experimental college that redefined the American arts or the brave high school students who joined together to fight segregation. Their stories are as touching and fascinating as they are varied.
Asheville's Historic Architecture (NC) [Paperback]
Asheville, known for its architectural diversity and intriguing Art Deco style, has been fortunate in attracting brilliant architects who, with imaginative foresight and design expertise, have created lasting testaments in brick and stone. Local architectural enthusiast Richard Hansley recounts the history behind dozens of Asheville's most prominent buildings and historical neighborhoods in Asheville's Historic Architecture. Discover how Douglas Ellington, Richard Sharp Smith, James Vester Miller and Tony Lord influenced this busy metropolis, as landmarks like the Jackson Building, the Grove Park Inn and the Art Deco City Building were constructed along the city's thriving streets. These buildings have stood the test of time and remain as breathtaking in concept and appearance today as when first completed.
Look Homeward, Angel
A legendary author on par with William Faulkner and Flannery O’Connor, Thomas Wolfe published Look Homeward, Angel, his first novel, about a young man’s burning desire to leave his small town and tumultuous family in search of a better life, in 1929. It gave the world proof of his genius and launched a powerful legacy.
The novel follows the trajectory of Eugene Gant, a brilliant and restless young man whose wanderlust and passion shape his adolescent years in rural North Carolina. Wolfe said that Look Homeward, Angel is “a book made out of my life,” and his largely autobiographical story about the quest for a greater intellectual life has resonated with and influenced generations of readers, including some of today’s most important novelists. Rich with lyrical prose and vivid characterizations, this twentieth-century American classic will capture the hearts and imaginations of every reader.
Guests on Earth
For historical fiction books about Asheville, Guests On Earth by Lee Smith is a must. Take a literary journey with the Fitzgeralds, who frequented Asheville, NC for their summer vacations.
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s wife, Zelda, was one of the nine women who perished in the Highlands Hospital fire in 1948. Zelda struggled with her mental health for most of her life, in what many now assume is bipolar disorder.
F. Scott Fitzgerald stayed at Asheville’s Grove Park Inn where it is rumored he shot a bullet into the ceiling and was kicked out for his drunken shenanigans.
Guests On Earth takes readers back to 1936 and Highland Hospital, Asheville’s mental institution. The renowned hospital admits 13-year-old Evalina Toussaint. Evalina grows intimate with Zelda Fitzgerald and witnesses the events leading up to the tragic fire.
The Last Castle
The Last Castle is one of the best books about Biltmore Estate, showcasing its more hidden history and obscured role – Kiernan’s MO as a historian and author.
The Last Castle discusses the construction of Biltmore and shares the love story behind George and Edith Vanderbilt along with terrific Biltmore Estate facts. As the largest home in America, Biltmore is more than just its beautiful tapestries and gardens.
Learn about Edith’s role in politics and leadership over the home upon George’s death. Discover the Vanderbilts’ legacy in forestry. Also, witness their progressive ideals during a more conservative time.
You’ll find special guest appearances from literary greats, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Thomas Wolfe, Henry James, and Edith Wharton. The Vanderbilts help put Asheville, NC on the map, leaving a legacy of occasional debt, community, and rich history.