Tour the Great Smoky Mountains on a getaway filled with festive celebrations and holiday cheer. Begin with a leisurely 3-night stay in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. From here, you'll enjoy exploring the 250-room Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. Beautifully decorated for the holidays, this chateau is owned by the Vanderbilt family and features an extensive collection of art and furniture. You''ll have free time for shopping in the historic Biltmore Village. Entertaining holiday performances at the Country Tonite Theatre and at the Louise Mandrell Theatre are featured as is a tour through Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge's "Winterfest of Lights." Step back in time to an old-fashioned Christmas with a visit to Dollywood, and cap off your tour with two nights at the world-famous Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville. Transformed for the holiday season, you'll enjoy meandering through the hotel's majestic glass atriums and through acres of lush indoor gardens!
Itinerary:
Day #1 Pigeon Forge, Tennessee - Tour Begins - Spectacular scenery and holiday cheer brighten and color your days as you travel through the Great Smoky Mountains and Nashville. Get into the Christmas spirit and experience the elegance of a Victorian Christmas as you settle into your Christmas-themed hotel tucked away in the heart of Pigeon Forge.
Day #2 Pigeon Forge - Asheville, NC - Pigeon Forge - Start your day with an awe-inspiring trip through Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Shrouded in a smoky mist, these majestic mountains stretch from western North Carolina up into eastern Tennessee and provide sanctuary for an amazing diversity of flora and fauna. Continue to Asheville and the incredible Biltmore Estate, the largest private home in America. Biltmore is adorned with dozens of Christmas trees, miles of garland and thousands of ornaments. This 250-room French chateau was once the 8,000 acre retreat of the Vanderbilt family. Still owned by the family, but no longer a residence, visitors are now welcome to explore the house and estate, fantastic formal gardens and extensive collection of art and furniture. Enjoy a tour and tasting at the Biltmore Winery before an afternoon at leisure to explore historic Biltmore Village on your own. This provides a perfect opportunity for Christmas shopping in one of the unique specialty shops or galleries! Then, relax and enjoy the wonderful entertainment at the Christmas Spectacular Show this evening and feel the warmth of Christmas around you.
Day #3 Pigeon Forge - This morning, enjoy time for holiday shopping in Gatlinburg’s many unique and quaint shops abundant with local crafts. This afternoon, enjoy a toe-tapping holiday performance at the Country Tonite Theatre, the “best live country show in America.” Then, get ready for an evening of fun and excitement with dinner and a show at Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede, where holiday spirits run high! Feast on a hearty country-style meal and enjoy the action-packed show, featuring live animals, comedy and lots of excitement. Tonight, experience a narrated tour through Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge’s Winterfest of Lights, which sparkles with over nine million lights, creating a magical winter wonderland.
Day #4 Pigeon Forge - Nashville - Visit the incredible Bavarian-styled shopping village, Christmas Place, a shopper’s paradise bursting with “one of a kind” items. This is one of the top ten Christmas and collectible shopping areas in the United States. Then, head to “The Music Capital of the World,” Nashville. Settle into the fantastic Gaylord Opryland Hotel for two nights. The hotel’s lavish interior is transformed by the twinkle and spirit of Christmas past. Stroll through the acres of lush indoor gardens in the enormous glass atriums filled with winding rivers, meandering pathways and sparkling waterfalls. Unwind, explore, shop and be entertained to your heart’s desire amidst this Christmas wonderland.
Day #5 Nashville - Enjoy a city tour of Nashville this morning. Visit the legendary Old Ryman Auditorium and view the Parthenon, the State Capitol, Music Row, and many of the stars’ homes. Tonight is sure to be a highlight: enjoy a traditional Christmas dinner and a spectacular holiday musical production at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel. This country Christmas spectacular will evoke the spirit and true meaning of the holiday season.
Day #6 Nashville - Tour Ends - Your tour ends in Nashville. Return home with the holiday spirit and a song in your heart, warmed by the many pleasant memories of your country Christmas in the Smokies and Nashville.