Phase 1 has opened up here in North Carolina and businesses are opening up very slowly and gradually. This COVID -19 thing has thrown everybody and everything for a loop. It has been, quite honestly, a new world. I never thought that I would say I lived through a pandemic but now I can add that to my list.

I was thrilled to find out that Biltmore was opening up their grounds and gardens on a very limited basis this weekend to Western North Carolina passholders only. There is no cost but reservations and tickets have to be obtained prior to entry so that they can control the amount of people who are on the estate. I was beyond thrilled and asked Chris if we could do that for Mother’s Day instead of the traditional picnic and he agreed it was a great idea. I have them now and then.

So what did we find? An empty Biltmore. Our reservation time was at 11 am and we saw one other car entering the gates as we entered. The usually full to overflowing parking lot was empty. The passholder gate was closed and we were directed to enter the way we used to before they changed it last fall. It was eerily quiet.

We thoroughly enjoyed our 4 hours on the estate, walking, exploring trails, taking in the animals at the farm, getting a sandwich from The Kitchen in the Village Hotel, and just generally enjoying the crisp day in one of our favorite places with hardly any visitors. Sanitation stations were prevalent, employees were wearing masks, visitors were wearing masks and allowing plenty of space and I felt like it was a very safe environment. It was the perfect Mother’s Day and it was truly just what I needed. Enjoy some pictures from our visit and come back tomorrow for a few more. Thanks for coming along with me.