From Blue Ridges to Blue Grass

Arrive in Atlanta, Georgia today and transfer to the hotel. Meet your Tour Manager in the hotel lobby for a welcome dinner at 6:00 p.m. Meal: D

A local guide conducts a narrated panoramic tour of Atlanta, often called “The Big Peach.” See the Georgia State Capitol, Centennial Olympic Park, World of Coca-Cola and the CNN Center.  A stop is made at the Martin Luther King Jr. Historical Site before coming to a local favorite, Mary Mac’s Tea Room for lunch featuring some down-home southern cooking. Then, sit back and relax as you enjoy the scenery en route to North Carolina. Meals: B, L

The Biltmore Estate is America’s largest home set on 8,000 acres of Blue Ridge Mountain beauty. This 250-room home was built by George Vanderbilt and features magnificent art, antiques and architecture. Enjoy an included lunch at the Estate. This afternoon the breathtaking beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains comes into view as you motorcoach through Great Smoky Mountain National Park. On the Tennessee side of the park sits Gatlinburg. Experience the history, beauty and nostalgia of this small town with its many galleries, uniquecraft shops and restaurants. Meals: B, L

Begin the day at the world’s largest museum attraction, the Titanic Museum. This unforgettable hands-on experience features over 400 artifacts from the doomed vessel. Then, visit the new “Island in Pigeon Forge,” the region’s big and beautiful walkable shopping and entertainment complex. Tonight, enjoy great food and fun at Dolly Parton’s Stampede. Delight in a show featuring thirty-two magnificent horses and top-notch riders performing daring feats of trick riding in a Patriotic Grand Finale. Meals: B, D

At the Kentucky Horse Park take a comprehensive look at horse history and culture from around the world in the International Museum of the Horse. Meet Thoroughbred legends at the Hall of Champions, walk through the barns to meet former police horses and see the blacksmith facility. Enjoy an included lunch before moving on to Lexington. Meals: B, L

Today, visit Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, once the third largest Shaker community in the nation. Learn the remarkable story of the Shakers through their iconic architecture, skilled craftsmanship, 34 surviving buildings and the farm. Later, stop at a local distillery. Here, take a guided tour to learn the ins and outs of whiskey-making complete with a tasting of their finely crafted spirits. Meals: B, D

Departing Lexington, travel west along the famed Blue Grass Parkway to Bardstown. Visit My Old Kentucky Home State Park including the 200-year-old mansion and plantation of the Rowan family. Tour the mansion, hear the history of Stephen Foster’s ballad and learn how to make biscuits in a live demonstration in the carriage house, complete with home­made jams. Later, arrive at the Opryland Resort. Meal: B

A local guide joins you today for a narrated tour of Tennessee’s “Music City,” Nashville. See famed Music Row, with its recording studios, Broadway, with its Honky Tonks and even a full scale replica of the Parthenon. You even tour the historic Ryman Auditorium where many great artists have performed. At the Country Music Hall of Fame, visit one of the world’s largest museums and research centers dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of American Country Music. Tonight, enjoy dinner at the Opry Backstage Grill before taking your reserved seats to the granddaddy of all country music shows, the Grand Ole Opry. This is truly a night to remember. Meals: B, D

After breakfast a group transfer takes you to the Nashville International Airport for flights home departing after 11:00 a.m. Meal: B