10 Ways to Explore Antler Hill Village at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC

Our recent, two day visit to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina afforded us time to see many parts of the property (there are over 8,00 acres to explore!) including the main mansion, gardens, hiking and biking trails, and Antler Hill Village. Visitors could spend an entire day just at Antler Hill Village, so we thought the space deserved its own post. 

Antler Hill Village opened in 2010, nine years after the Inn on Biltmore Estate and five years after the Cottages at Biltmore opened to the public. The space was created to invite guests to enjoy extended dining, shopping, and cultural opportunities related to the history of the Vanderbilt family and the Asheville area.  Five years later in 2015 the Village Hotel on Biltmore Estate opened, offering even more lodging options for guests to spend more time enjoying the hospitality of the Vanderbilt and Cecil families. Today, visitors come from all over the world to tour the main house and linger in places like Antler Hill Village to appreciate the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountain and to learn more about the Vanderbilt family.

Travel Tips:

• Admission to Antler Hill Village is included with tickets to tour the Biltmore.
• There is plenty of free parking at Antler Hill Village, which is a five mile drive from the Main House and seven mile drive from the exit.  
• Restrooms are located next to Antler Hill Outfitters and inside the restaurants and Winery. 
• The entire village, including all buildings, is handicap accessible with ramps and elevators inside buildings. Most dining, shopping, and museum options are on one level. We’d bring a stroller for the toddler crew.
• Dining options at Antler Hill Village include Cedric’s Tavern (full service restaurant for lunch and dinner), The Creamery (quick service snacks and sweets), Bistro (full service restaurant for dinner), Village Social (open for breakfast and dinner), The Kitchen Cafe (quick service breakfast and lunch). 
• Lodging options inside Antler Hill Village include the Inn on Biltmore Estate and the Village Hotel on Biltmore Estate, which is adjacent to Antler Hill Village.
• Be sure to check out two of the three permanent Chihuly art installations on the Biltmore Estate: one is located at the entrance to the Village and one is locate inside the Winery. The third Chihuly piece is located outside the front door the main house.

10 Things to Do at Antler Hill Village With Kids:

1. Complete Cedric’s Sniff-and-Seek Treasure Hunt to complete while exploring the Village (and the main estate). 
2. Explore the Vanderbilts at Home and Abroad exhibit, which features timelines, family trees, artifacts, short video clips and photos from the family’s private collection. Learn all about the lineage of the Vanderbilt family and their dedication to conserving the Biltmore Estate and sharing it with the world. The exhibit also includes several souvenirs and artwork George and Edith collected throughout his travels. 
3. Walk through the Antler Hill barns to see various farming equipment and learn about how the estate was maintained by the staff during the 20th century. The barns were originally built as 16 individual stalls for the horses and as storage for farming equipment. Note: In December 2024, the main barn was used to store the pews and important artifacts from the Cathedral of All Souls, which was originally built with support from George Vanderbilt and was destroyed by Hurricane Helene in September 2024. 
4. Watch a woodworking, blacksmith, or broom making demonstration offered at various times throughout the week. Check the schedule here. 
5. Play games that Cornelia Vanderbilt might have played on the property, including checkers, “Game of Graces” or ring toss.  
6. Pick a favorite tractor from the collection on display and even sit inside an old wagon. 
7. Play on the Farmyard Pisgah playground.
8. Visit with the resident animals including chickens, hens, lambs, calves, and horses. Check the daily schedule for animal feedings. 
9. Purchase a souvenir from one of the gift shops: There is a small gift shop inside the Barns (Barn Door Gift Shop), and the larger Traditions and Antler Hill Outfitters gift shops inside the village. Kids will want an ornament, book, piece of clothing or sweet treat. Take a peek inside the Winery, which also has an extensive gift shop, yummy samples of treats for everyone, and complimentary wine tastings for adults. 
10. Go for a walk on some of the twenty miles of hiking and biking trails that weave through the Village. 

Bonus: During the winter months (November through mid February), the Village is illuminated  with cheerful lights and holiday decor.

Adults will also enjoy:

1. The Winery: Open daily and offering complimentary wine tastings for adults. The first grape vines were planted on property in the 1970s and the winery was opened in the mid 1980s. Biltmore now has a variety of red, white, rose, and sparkling wines available to purchase in the winery, as well as a popular Wine Club.  The winery also sells a wide variety of sweet treats and snacks, curated gifts and housewares and tons of seasonal decor.
2. The Outdoor Adventure Center: Guests can register for a Land Rover Experience, Orvis Fly Fishing School and Falconry class, Sporting Clays and Archery lessons, and River Float trips. Most activities are closed during winter months, but will reopen in the spring- check here. Some activities are kid friendly. 

Stay tuned for one more post that will include ALL the things to do at Biltmore- it truly is a special place not to be missed. Follow along on all of your adventures on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook.

See our full post featuring a tour of the main mansion here and our full feature of the entire Biltmore estate here.