It's officially summer! With Columbia temperatures between 90 and 100 degrees and 90% humidity, the mountains were all we could think of as a close travel destination. What is wonderful about living in Columbia, South Carolina is you can drive to the beach and the mountains in two hours. Since my husband was recovering from surgery, we had not made reservations at a highland hotel, and we scoured the internet for a room with access to fine dining, a pool, a relaxing atmosphere, and a view of the mountains-not much to ask for, right? Booked, Booked Booked. Finally I came upon the Inn at Biltmore Estates. Too big and too many tourists, I thought. Then I read more details, and my husband and I agreed that it checked off most of our wish list. We were not disappointed, and stayed 3 blissful days only leaving the estate once to drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway and visit Pisgah Forest at an elevation of 4000+ feet where it was windy and cool. With thousands of acres, Biltmore Estates supplies its restaurants with fresh produce and dairy products. There is a little village named Antler Hill walking distance from the Inn where you can shop, join a wine tasting, listen to music and have homemade ice cream. There is also a shuttle to the magnificent Biltmore House (photo above) for tours, however, you can just walk the exquisite gardens to the conservatory and enjoy the Versaille-like landscape. I downloaded a flower i.d. app where you can take a picture of a shrub, tree, or plant, and it will instantly identify it. If you like to hike, horse back ride or fish, the concierge will arrange outdoor activities for you, or you can just lie by the heated pool. Needless to say, we enjoyed our cool escape!
Cool Escape
Jul 30, 2023
Real Estate