Blue Ridge & Smoky Mountains

Blue Ridge & Smoky Mountains

Tours Starts: Charlotte, North Carolina

Tours Ends: Nashville, Tennessee

Day 1

Arrive in Charlotte

Welcome to Charlotte, the Queen City! If you purchased airline tickets from YMT, a representative will meet you at the airport and transport you to the hotel.

Home2 Charlotte Uptown or similar

Day 2

Boone via Grandfather Mountain

Take the scenic route on the Blue Ridge Parkway. “America’s Favorite Drive” is a U.S. National Parkway that winds 469 miles through the rugged mountains and pastoral landscapes of the Appalachian Highlands. Your first stop is Moses Cone State Park, a grand country estate built during the 1890s. The estate’s 23-room Colonial Revival mansion, 25 miles of well-planned carriage roads, two man-made lakes, and apple orchards make it a popular stop. Next, visit Grandfather Mountain State Park, known for its incredible vistas and unmatched ecological diversity. The Mile High Swinging Bridge, found at the top of the park, is America’s highest suspension footbridge.
Spend the afternoon relaxing in Boone. This evening, you’re invited on a one-of-a-kind optional dinner show. "Horn in the West" is a dramatization of the life and times of the early local settlers, including Daniel Boone. (B)

Holiday Inn Express Boone or similar

Day 3

Asheville via Biltmore Estate

Take the Blue Ridge Parkway to Asheville, crossing the iconic Linn Cove Viaduct. This dazzling bridge hugs the side of Grandfather Mountain and creates the illusion of being suspended in midair above the lush vegetation. Its views can’t be beat!
Next, stop at the magnificent Biltmore Estate. Completed in 1895, George Vanderbilt’s 250- room chateau is as impressive today as it was more than a century ago. Biltmore House is truly a wonder of architecture and hospitality. Enjoy a self-guided tour of the house, as well as the beautiful gardens and grounds surrounding it, which were designed by renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. (B)

Holiday Inn Express Asheville Southwest or similar

Day 4

Pigeon Forge via Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Continue down the Blue Ridge Parkway, then stop at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian in the town of Cherokee. Experience 13,000 years of Cherokee history, from the time when mastodons roamed the southern Appalachians to the present day. The Cherokee story is told through computer generated animation and special effects, life-sized figures, artwork, and priceless artifacts.
Continue to Clingmans Dome, which at 6,643 feet is the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Enjoy spectacular views of the Smoky Mountains and the surrounding high elevation spruce-fir forest.
Your evening in Pigeon Forge is yours to enjoy, or you may sign up for the optional Dolly Parton's Stampede dinner show (B)

Island Drive Lodge or similar

Day 5

Louisville

Welcome to Kentucky’s Cumberland Gap State Historic Park, the first great gateway to the west. History was made here: follow the buffalo, the Native American, the longhunter, and the pioneer, who all traveled this route through the mountains into the wilderness of Kentucky.
After a beautiful drive through the Daniel Boone National Forest, get settled at your hotel. This evening, you’re invited to sit down and savor the finer things with your fellow guests at a delicious dinner and bourbon tasting.(B, D)

Holiday Inn Express Louisville or similar

Day 6

Louisville with Derby Museum and Churchill Downs

Spend the day falling in love with Louisville. Visit the Kentucky Derby Museum, where you will learn all about “The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports.” Hear about past Derby winners and the rich history of Churchill Downs. Walk through the property to the paddock and out to the grandstand, learning trivia and fun facts along the way. Enjoy an included lunch at Churchill Downs, while you watch the action on the track.
From horseracing, “the sport of kings,” continue to a mecca of America’s pastime. The Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory is all about celebrating the extraordinary role of the Louisville Slugger bat in baseball’s past, present, and future. Since the sport is such a big part of American history and culture, even visitors who don’t consider themselves big fans find something that resonates with them. Maybe it’s the fun stories and fascinating machinery in the factory, the hands-on exhibits, or one of the spectacular special exhibitions. Relax this evening or take an optional evening cruise down the Ohio river on an historic ship. (B, L)

Holiday Inn Express Louisville or similar

Day 7

Nashville with Mammoth Cave National Park

Your first stop of the day is down, down, down—deep in the caverns of the otherworldly Mammoth Cave National Park. The first 400 miles of the world’s longest known cave have been explored, but nobody knows how far past that the cave goes. Enjoy a cavern tour of this UNESCO World Heritage site found beneath some of Kentucky’s prettiest hills. (B)

Gaylord Opryland Resort or similar

OPTION: GRAND OLE OPRY SHOW:

See the Grand Ole Opry, the show that made country music famous, which features a dynamic line-up of new stars, superstars, and legends of country music. Balcony seating $65 p/p. Please add this option at time of booking. Please note that artists and schedule are subject to change without notice

Day 8

Depart for Home (B)

Please note that this is a proposed itinerary; the actual itinerary may vary due to season, special events, or weather. Hotels may differ depending on date. Because our tour arrangements are often made a year or more in advance, YMT Vacations reserves the right to alter the itinerary. Itinerary changes are made to improve your vacation experience, as well as respond to any unforeseen circumstances that mandate alterations. By their nature, all tour vacations involve a certain level of physical activity. While YMT tours have been designed with our guests in mind and are not physically demanding, this tour does include walking and periods of standing during the sightseeing visits. You will also encounter steps and some uneven ground along the way, particularly at older, historical sights. Please ask your Travel Consultant for more information.