Ultimate Southern Coast & Blue Ridge
From $2798 (was $3048)
Per person, double occupancy, excludes roundtrip airfare
15 Days
View Dates and PricesThis program is currently sold out but new dates are coming soon! Call 877-332-6185 for more details.
Introduction
From Spanish forts to Revolutionary War strongholds, experience Southern history and hospitality as you travel across the Historic South! The next half of your tour is a journey from the Appalachian Highlands through the Smoky Mountains, Kentucky Bluegrass Country, and Music City.
Tour Includes
Sightseeing- Atlanta
- Macon
- Jekyll Island
- Savannah
- Tybee Island
- Charleston
- Columbia
- Charlotte
- Boone
- Grandfather Mountain State Park
- Biltmore Estate
- Asheville
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Pigeon Forge
- Louisville
- Nashville
- 14 Nights
- Moderate hotels based on twin/double occupancy
- 14 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, and 1 Dinner
- A professionally trained local tour director who is knowledgeable of the area and will provide you with a wealth of information. Their friendly service will make your trip a memorable experience.
- To and from your hotel room throughout your land tour for one piece of Checked Baggage per person.
Activity Level

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Tour Highlights
- Trolley tour of historic Jekyll Island
- A hauntingly beautiful tour of Savannah’s historic, tree-filled Bonaventure Cemetery
- Guided tour of Tybee Island
- Enjoy lunch at the Middleton Place
- Ferry ride to Fort Sumpter, where the South Carolina militia started the Civil War
- Travel the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway
- Walk the Mile High Swinging Bridge at Grandfather Mountain State Park
- Sample Kentucky bourbon at a tasting in Louisville
- Backstage tour of the famous Grand Ole Opry House
*Web prices reflect Instant Rebate pricing. Offers valid for new bookings only and subject to availability. Offer may be cancelled at any time.
Please follow the steps below to price your vacation with YMT Vacations. When you complete all the steps, click “Reserve” next to the date on which you would like to travel.
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(Click the map to enlarge)
Ultimate Southern Coast & Blue Ridge
Tours Starts: Atlanta, Georgia
Tours Ends: Nashville, Tennessee
Day 1
Atlanta
If you booked your flight with YMT, a representative will greet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel.
Hampton Inn & Suites Atlanta Buckhead or similar
Day 2
Atlanta & Macon
Start your first day bright and early with a panoramic coach tour of Atlanta. You’ll see historical sites from the Civil War and iconic filming locations from Gone with the Wind. Continue to Macon for a tour of Hay House, one of Georgia’s most distinguished historic homes. Macon’s grandest Italian Renaissance Revival mansion was built in the 1850s, largely by a team of enslaved expert carpenters and craftsmen. Learn Hay House’s history while you enjoy its period furnishings, impressive art collection, and stunning craftsmanship. After the tour, grab dinner on your own in charming downtown Macon. (B)
Courtyard by Marriott Macon or similar
Day 3
Macon to Savannah via Jekyll Island
Your first activity of the day will be a Jekyll
Island Trolley tour of the Club Historic District,
a cluster of 19th-century mansions on the
southernmost of Georgia’s Golden Isles. Enjoy
time on Jekyll Island to grab lunch on your own.
Arrive in Savannah late this afternoon and join
us, for an additional fee, on an optional evening cultural and culinary experience you won’t want
to miss. Take in the uplifting sounds of Southern
gospel music on a Gospel Riverboat Dinner
Cruise with traditional southern cuisine. (B)
Tryp by Wyndham Savannah Downtown Historic District or similar

Gospel Dinner Cruise on the Savannah Riverboat Cruises with traditional southern cuisine and the inspiring sounds of live Southern Gospel music. $75 p/p. Please add this option at time of booking.
Day 4
Savannah and Tybee Island
Take a morning guided trolley tour of historic
Savannah. The oldest section of Georgia’s
oldest city, Savannah’s historic district is
filled with cobblestoned squares and parks
shaded by oak trees draped in Spanish moss.
At the center of this picturesque district is the
landmark, Gothic-Revival Cathedral of Saint
John the Baptist. Continue with a short walking
tour of Bonaventure Cemetery, a beautiful
resting place with 160 acres of towering oaks,
Spanish moss, and historic graves.
Continue to Tybee Island for a panoramic
tour of this charming barrier island renowned
for its miles of pristine beaches. The Tybee
Lighthouse, the oldest and tallest in Georgia, is
a guaranteed highlight. Enjoy lunch on your own
and a leisurely afternoon and evening. (B)
Tryp by Wyndham Savannah Downtown Historic District or similar
Day 5
Savannah to Charleston via Middleton Place
Head up to South Carolina, where you
will stop for a tour and included southern
lunch at the Middleton Place. This National
Historic Landmark contains America’s oldest
landscaped gardens.
Continue to charming Charleston for a
panoramic tour including Rainbow Row, the
Battery and White Point Gardens, Hampton
Park, and Marion Square. Spend the evening
relaxing in Charleston. (B, L)
Cambria Hotel Charleston Riverview or similar
Day 6
Charleston
Start the morning with a short ferry ride to
Fort Sumter, the island fortification where the
first shots of the Civil War were fired. Explore
the National Historic Park where America’s
history changed forever on April 12, 1861, when
the South Carolina Militia artillery fired at the
American army.
Stop at the City Market area for shopping and
lunch on your own, followed by an afternoon
guided tour of The Old Exchange and Provost
Dungeon. The Old Exchange was completed
in 1771 and played a vital part in the American
Revolution. President George Washington was
a common visitor to this meeting place for local
Patriots, which was the site where in 1788 South
Carolina leaders debated and approved the
U. S. Constitution. Today, the Old Exchange
Building is one of only four remaining structures
where the nation’s founding document was
originally ratified.
The Provost Dungeon’s history is decidedly less
auspicious. During the American Revolution,
British forces converted the bottom floor of the Exchange into a military prison where American
prisoners of war, British soldiers, private
citizens, and enslaved people were held. (B)
Cambria Hotel Charleston Riverview or similar
Day 7
Charleston to Charlotte via Columbia
Take a morning panoramic tour of Columbia, the capitol of South Carolina, then break for an early lunch on your own. Continue to Charlotte for a panoramic city tour, then one more stop at the unforgettable NASCAR Hall of Fame. More than just a museum, the NASCAR Hall of Fame is a shrine to the history, heritage and future of NASCAR. It has over 50 interactive experiences, fascinating artifacts, and an impressive collection of retired racecars. These souped up stock cars have been delighting fans since 1948. Join us for an included dinner. (B, D)
Home2 Charlotte Uptown or similar
Day 8
Charlotte
Take the day to explore the Queen City with your included museum pass that includes access to a trio of unique museums: The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, Mint Museum, and Harvey B. Gantt Center for African- American Arts + Culture. (B)
Home2 Charlotte Uptown or similar
Day 9
Boone via Henry River Mill Village
As you travel from Charlotte to Boone you’ll
have a chance to step back in time to the last
century on a guided tour to learn about the rich
heritage of western Carolina mill towns. You’ll
visit the Henry River Mill Village Historic District.
In 1860 the Henry River area was known for
its waterpower and by 1905 two families had
partnered together to establish the Henry River
Manufacturing Company which would come to
be known for manufacturing cotton yarn. You’ll
have time on your own to explore the area and
buildings to see up close what life was like in a
time that seems so distant.
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.
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)
La Quinta Inn Boone or similar
Day 10
Grandfather Mountain and Asheville via Biltmore Estate
This morning you will vist 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.
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 11
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)
Hampton Inn Pigeon Forge or similar
Day 12
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. (B)
Hampton Inn Louisville Northeast or similar
Day 13
Louisville & Nashville
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.
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. Travel to
Nashville for an evening at leisure. (B, L)
The Inn at Opryland or similar
Day 14
Nashville
Nashville is home to the iconic Grand Ole Opry.
Discover the best the legendary Music City
has to offer. Experience Nashville’s landmarks
and sites on a city tour including the Historic
Downtown District and “Honky Tonk Row,”
Riverfront Park, the Tennessee State Capitol,
Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, the
Parthenon, Vanderbilt University, and Music Row.
After lunch on your own, head to the Grand Ole
Opry House, which debuted in 1974. Experience
a fully guided backstage tour and see where
the world’s longest-running live radio show is
still performed. Walk in the footsteps of country
music’s legends and get an exclusive behindthe-
scenes look at this world-famous show. (B)
The Inn at Opryland or similar

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 15
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.
YMT Vacations itineraries may contain suggestions for activities for your leisure time; these suggestions do not constitute a recommendation nor an endorsement of any specific service provider and the decision to participate in any such activities should be made independently.
FAQ
Don't see what you are looking for? Check out our general FAQ page here.
You have the ability to move your booking to another date or destination. We'll waive all land or cruise penalties and transfer you to the new vacation (airlines impose different change policies and penalties). See our Peace of Mind Program for more details.
A worry-free experience for our guests is very important to us. With guest's help and the implementation of a few changes and new protocols such as increased sanitization, responsible social distancing, and enhanced tour director training, you can continue to enjoy peace-of-mind while traveling. For more information on our new safety protocols, please see our Travel Safe Program.
Guests do not need a passport or visa for this tour. Starting October 1, 2021, guests are required to have a REAL ID-compliant identification which includes REAL ID-compliant driver's licenses, US passports, US passport cards, US military IDs, and federally recognized tribal-issues photo IDs.
A full list can be found here:
https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/identification
Before this date, any government-issued ID, including any state driver's license and any federal ID, will suffice.
You will need U.S. dollars.
No, guests will not need to bring adapters or converters as the U.S. use standard 110V plugs.