Antler Hill Barnyard and Winery with a side of Bass Pond

Should we have stayed in one of the hotels within the Biltmore Estate AND the weather would have cooperated, Tracy and I would have wandered on the 20+ miles of trails. Instead, we preferred to tour the more populated areas by car.

Bass Pond

Prior to our arrival to Antler Hill Village, we pulled into Bass Pond. The bridge to get in the area just fit our car…at least I felt that way. I imagined a horse and buggy making its way across the bridge 125 years ago as the party prepared for a row boat excursion. When I was at Biltmore, I thought it said the walk was just over a mile there, but Google said it’s about a half mile walk from the home. Either way, the cold kept us from a walk (that and desire 😁).

Bass Pond was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted who dammed a creek to enlarge a mill pond to approximately six acres. It was here that the family would relax on a boat and lazily spend their days. Our winter visit showed no signs of boating, but the wildlife didn’t mind. Swimming in the water and resting on the shore provided a practically perfect day for them. They even had great views of Biltmore.

We took a few choice photos from the comfort of the Subaru then headed on to…

Antler Village and Vineyard

We entered the quaint Antler Hill Village with little to no expectations, but the charm of this tiny village captured our attention. Each store was lovingly decorated with Biltmore merchandise and influences. Tracy showed incredible self-control and avoided any purchases. I, on the other hand, collect magnets, so I found one I loved and purchased (loved it so much I can’t remember where I put it).

I love exploring every aspect of a place, so following the tunnel into the depths of the winery was no surprise—even if neither of us took advantage of the free wine samples. (Firstly, neither of us drink and secondly, the line was so long.). Along the way to the tasting room, there were many displays explaining Biltmore’s method for producing wine. Many of their techniques mimic the wineries in France, and though I’ve never tasted either, sales seemed great. The wineries must be delightful.

After the self-guided tour, we left the winery and turned in to the very next building. This little building held museum pieces and interesting stories across Biltmore’s timeline. Holding information for brief moments in time is my specialty, and I knew the information would be handy once we finally toured the home. I memorized the family tree (Gloria Vanderbilt and Anderson Cooper are on it), and I thrilled myself in learning how the family took care of its workers. Overall, the museum created a larger picture and a greater story than I had known.

We ended the village tour with a little hot chocolate, and then walked down the short road to the farming area. There were old time plows and carriages, but the Bearded Blacksmith held our attention.

We watched as he increased the heat on his fire and crafted a leaf keychain. His southern drawl charmed us as he took us step by step through the process—stopping and sharing his handiwork along the way. Sure, he works on horseshoes, but he also makes and sells artistic pieces too. He drew quite the crowd as we all witnessed him forge metal and make magic.

Several other stops provided demonstrations, but watching the blacksmith topped our list.

Reluctantly we gravitated to the animals. The Biltmore Estate tries to be completely self sufficient, using their farm items in their restaurants. We spoke with the barnyard caretakers, and they spoke lovingly of all their animals. We didn’t even see 1/10 of their supply, but we did see how well the animals were taken care of.

After all the wind and freezing temperatures, we said our farewell to the barnyard friends and headed to the hotel for a little rest before our candlelight tour. See you soon with photos and descriptions of the opulent estate.