The Biltmore Estate is an amazing place to visit. Knowing how much I like to take photographs, my friends had warned me that there was no photography allowed inside the house. But, just the day before our visit, the policy had been changed and non-flash photography was now being permitted. I had to convince the guide/guard in the dining room that the policy had been changed. He even went back to the entrance and checked for me, then came back and apologized for questioning me on it. He had not been there the day before and didn't realize the rules had changed. The Biltmore Estate was built for George Vanderbilt in the late 1800s. It has 250 rooms, 89 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, a bowling alley, gym, and indoor swimming pool. The property originally encompassed 25,000 acres, and now covers 8,000 acres. The gardens and surrounding areas are beautiful.