Ultimate Southern Coast & Blue Ridge

Ultimate Southern Coast & Blue Ridge

Tours Starts: St. Augustine, Florida

Tours Ends: Nashville, Tennessee

Day 1

St. Augustine

Today your adventure begins upon arrival in Florida. If you purchased your airline tickets from YMT, you will be welcomed by a representative and transferred to your hotel.

Tryp by Wyndham St. Augustine or similar

Day 2

St. Augustine

Start your day bright and early with a morning tour led by a knowledgeable local guide. See the historic district of St. Augustine, then take a short walking tour of St. George Street with a break for shopping and an early lunch on your own. Continue to Matanzas River Bay for an afternoon tour of Castillo de San Marcos, a large Spanish stone fortress built to protect and defend Spain’s claims in the New World. At over 300 years old, this National Monument is the oldest structure in St. Augustine. Relax on your own this evening or join us for a late afternoon optional excursion to Ponce de Leon’s legendary Fountain of Youth. (B)

Tryp by Wyndham St. Augustine or similar

Day 3

St. Augustine 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

OPTION: SAVANNAH GOSPEL DINNER CRUISE:

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 Sumpter, 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 AfricanAmerican Arts + Culture. (B)

Home2 Charlotte Uptown or similar

Day 9

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 wellplanned 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, where visitors can enjoy views for miles in every direction.
Spend the afternoon relaxing in Boone. This evening, you’re invited on a one-of-a-kind optional dinner and 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 10

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 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 final stop of the day is Cataract Falls, a lovely 25-foot waterfall just outside of Gatlinburg. After a short hike, the falls are a wonderful and welcome reward. Your evening in Pigeon Forge is yours to enjoy, or you may sign up for the optional Dolly Parton’s Stampede dinner show. (B)

Park Grove Inn 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. 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 13

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.
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 14

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.
You are invited to join an optional Opry event this evening. (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 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.