Chattanooga Choo Choo & Great Smoky Mountains 26

Day 1

Welcome Aboard! Travel in comfort aboard our deluxe motor coach as we make our way through the southern countryside of the Blue Ridge Mountains towards Chattanooga, Tennessee, the "Scenic Center of the South," and the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Before checking into our hotel in Knoxville, Tennessee for the night, enjoy a delicious dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 2

After breakfast we depart for Chattanooga, Tennessee for a day of sightseeing. We begin at Ruby Falls, America's deepest commercial cave, which features the highest, most-visited underground waterfall in the United States. Enjoy a guided tour through this fascinating attraction with its 145-foot waterfall, and extraordinary natural geological formations. At the tour's conclusion, enjoy the panoramic view from the Lookout Mountain Tower and visit the newly renovated gift shops. Our next stop will be a visit to Rock City. Located atop Lookout Mountain in Georgia, Rock City showcases soaring rock formations, a 100-foot waterfall that cascades down the mountain, the famous Swing-A-Long Bridge that spans nearly 200-feet, and the world-famous lover's leap and lush gardens. Enjoy a self-guided tour along the brow of Lookout Mountain, which offers you a sweeping bird's eye view of the surrounding area. We enjoy an unhurried lunch in Rock City today. Next, we take a ride on "America's Most Amazing Mile," the Incline Railroad. Sit back and relax as trolley-style railcars slowly carry you up historic Lookout Mountain, and Chattanooga's surrounding peaks and valleys come alive through the clouds. The railway achieves an incline of 72.7% at one point along the way, making the Incline Railway one of the steepest railways in the world, and it is also designated as a National Historic Site and a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark. After our train ride, we continue on to our hotel, the Drury Plaza Hotel Hamilton Place where we will spend the night. Following our hotel check-in, you will have time to freshen up before enjoying the Manager's Reception with free hot food & cold beverages, including beer, wine, and mixed drinks before returning to your room for a good night's sleep.

Day 3

After breakfast we depart for the historic mountain town of Bryson City, North Carolina, and the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. We will embark on a round-trip train ride along the Tuckasegee River, over the impressive Fontana Lake Trestle and into the Nantahala River Gorge. Listen to Bluegrass music and hear Appalachian stories while traveling along the Tennessee and Nantahala Rivers. The excursion features a stop at the Nantahala Outdoor Center where you will find three restaurants and a pub, a fully stocked Outfitter's Store, the Wesser General Store and Fly Shop, and the Nantahala Welcome Center. Enjoy relaxing by the river or sightseeing on your own before we re-board the train for our return to Bryson City. A box lunch will be included during your excursion. Following our train excursion, settle back, relax, and enjoy the drive to the scenic foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Before checking into the Drury Plaza Hotel, our hotel for the next two nights, we are treated to a delicious dinner at the Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant. Located in a historic farmhouse on a working apple orchard, the restaurant serves delicious, hearty authentic farm-style southern cuisine, with a country flare. .

Day 4

After breakfast we depart for Dollywood. We will spend the day visiting Dolly Parton's Smoky Mountain family adventure theme park with its family traditions, thrilling adventure rides, master craftsmen, and spectacular shows. Later we depart for Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede Dinner Attraction, "The Most Fun Place to Eat in The Smokies". The evening includes a delicious four-course feast while you enjoy the competitive events, illusions, comedy, bluegrass and country music, incredible horsemanship and antics of the friendliest battle ever fought between the North and South.

Day 5

After breakfast we depart for home taking with us fond memories of Chattanooga, Tennessee, the "Scenic Center of the South" with its traditional southern charm and breathtaking beauty. We will reflect on the scenic wonders and unforgettable adventures we experienced in the magnificent Blue Ridge Mountains and the Great Smoky Mountains! We will also cherish our time at Dolly Parton's family attractions, where we enjoyed a day filled with heartwarming fun, and the hand-clappin,' toe-tappin' country music experience in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Today's buffet lunch is included at Michie Tavern, an authentic 1784 pub in Charlottesville, Virginia. Enjoy a delicious lunch in a rustic tavern setting served to you by servers dressed in period attire.

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D =Dinner