Courtney's AIG class took a trip to see the Biltmore estate, and I was happy to tag along as a chaperone. Lots of other parents felt the same way - in fact, there were so many parents, I was only in charge of Courtney for the day. Throw in traveling by charter bus, and it was by far the best field trip I've ever chaperoned. =)
Funny side note: When I told Courtney I would be going on the field trip, she informed me that I wouldn't be able to sit with her on the bus. She and her friends already had everything planned out, and their seat was full. =) What she doesn't realize is that her mom can easily kill 3 hours with a good book, snacks, and a nap...
Despite living in NC for 14+ years, we've never been to the Biltmore, so I was excited to go. Even knowing it was a mansion, I wasn't prepared for its size or grandeur. Apparently, it's the largest privately-owned home in America, and I definitely can't imagine anything bigger. (I had a hard time believing it even as we were walking through.) Really - can you even wrap your mind around living in a 175,000-square foot home? 250 bedrooms...43 bathrooms...indoor swimming pool, bowling alley, etc. Pretty impressive.
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Sadly, you're not allowed to take pictures inside. December is
a great time to go, though, because it's all decorated for
Christmas.
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| Courtney and some friends eating lunch at The Stable Cafe after our tour. (Now a restaurant, it used to be the stable for the estate.) By the time our tour was over, it was after 1:00, and everyone was starving. |
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| After lunch, we had free time to shop and wander the grounds. |
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| This picture sums up Court's feelings about the day... |
