One Of America's Most Overpriced Tourist Attractions Is An Estate In North Carolina That Could Cost You Hundreds Of Dollars

As vacation travel and seasonal excursions ramp up during the summer months, getaway goers are likely to see rising temperatures as well as rising prices. The most recent figures show inflation rose 2.4% year-over-year in May across the board for the items tracked. For summer escapists looking to take their families to the happiest place on earth to experience the loops and turns of rides and the ups and downs of roller coasters the costs will be more up than down.

Disneyland in Anaheim raised the prices for most of its amusement parks from 5.9% to 6.5% as of October 2024, according to an LA Times report. A single-day, pre-tax admissions ticket into one of the parks at Orlando-based Disney World costs $194 per person and $766 for a family of four. Meals at the "House of Mouse" theme parks are also high. A dad who posted the image of a $937.65 "princess breakfast" receipt for his family to eat at Disneyland recently went viral with more than 16.5 million views.

However, a report from TicketLens shows the price of admissions for non-theme park tourist attractions accelerated at a much hotter clip of more than 19% in the four years before 2024. Those kinds of double-digit price jumps are enough to detour even the happiest vacationers into the disappointment dumps. Surprisingly, one of the most overpriced single attractions in America has no affiliation with coaster parks, pricey character breakfasts, or a cartoon mouse. It's the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.

Shipping and railroad tycoon Charles Vanderbilt had built the expansive estate over six years in the late 1880s. The Biltmore Estate's sprawling 175,000-square-foot floor plan features 65 fireplaces, 250 rooms, and original masterpieces from the likes of Monet and Renoir. Almost as impressive as the 8,000-acre estate is the starting ticket price of $80 per person. So, a family of four forks over a cool $320 to walk through the door — and that price doesn't include a caviar poached egg with Pocahontas or Ariel.

Despite the inflated price of admissions, it appears that visitors believe the attraction delivers on its promise as a high-end vacation distraction. Even though it's an overpriced tourist trap the Biltmore Estate has more than 20,000 five-star reviews on sites like Trip Advisor. It also holds the top spot on many lists of top things to do in Asheville. Perhaps most shocking is the staggering stat that more than 330,000 people explore the venue and its gardens every year between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day to see the place decked out in holiday lights and decorations.

Recent research and media reports note a troubling trend in vacation travel where richer Americans represent a larger share of vacation travelers. Almost half of those surveyed who have vacation plans earn more than $100,000 annually, which is a significant pop from the 35% with those same yearly earnings who traveled in 2023. One survey shows that 64% of typical Americans aren't planning a vacation because it's simply too expensive to do so. But you don't have to spend much to have fun this summer.

In fact, more Americans are opting for "staycations" — staying home or closer to home — this year with the staycation trend expected to grow 8.2 percent annually through 2033. This year in particular Airbnb notes that it's seeing a surge in trip searches that are within 300 miles of people's homes. Skip the velvet ropes and the Monet. Pack snacks, gas up the car, and find magic in a local zip code that doesn't charge $80 at the gate.