"A TENNESSEE CHRISTMAS"

Chattanooga, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Asheville, & Nashville

November 27 - December 7, 2011

Tour Includes

• 11 days and 10 nights accommodations
• 20 Meals - 7 Breakfasts (B), 3 Continental Breakfasts (CB), 1 Lunch(L) & 9 Dinners (D)
• Attraction admissions/fees
• Luxury Motorcoach transportation
• Baggage handling for 1 bag per person
• All taxes, gratuities on included items
• Games, music, entertainment, and refreshment & snacks provided enroute
• Mobile telephone available for emergency use
• Gift for each person booked on the tour
• Ozarkland Group Tours & Escort exclusively
  

Highlights

• Enjoy the legendary Chattanooga Choo Choo Holiday Inn & Christmas lights of Chattanooga
• Tour the Tennessee Aquarium - one of the World's largest aquariums
• Dinner cruise on the Southern Belle - see the Tennessee River
• Ruby Falls - breathtaking beauty, a natural wonder
• Incline Railway - America's Most Amazing Mile"
• The Battles for Chattanooga Museum - hear and see about the battles
• Point Park - located on Lookout Mountain, the site of the Civil War's "Battle Above the Clouds"
• Enjoy spectacular views from Lookout Mountain
• Rock City Gardens - enchanting beyond imagination and beautiful beyond belief at Christmas time
• Enjoy the millions of Christmas lights and lighted displays in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg
• See Country Tonite Theater Show
• Tour the Biltmore Mansion, Gardens and Winery in Asheville NC
• Christmas at Dixie Stampede - Dinner Attraction; show & spectacular four course feast
• Tour the beautiful and inspiring Christ in the Smokies Museum & Gardens - an American Treasure
• Enjoy Dollywood - Smoky Mountain Christmas
• Enjoy the new "Christmas at the Smoky Mountain Opry" Show
• Visit the Hermitage, home of President Andrew Jackson
• Attend The Grand Ole Opry - the people, the music, the legend
• Enjoy the Christmas lights and lighted displays at the Opryland Hotel
• Admission to the Treasures for the Holidays and Hall of Trees at the Opryland Hotel
• Luncheon cruise aboard The General Jackson -The World's Largest Showboat
• See "ICE" at Opryland
• See the Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular
• Guided Nashville City Tour to include the Country Music Hall of Fame & Historic Ryman Auditorium
• Enjoy a dinner and Country Christmas Show starring Louise Mandrell at The Opryland Hotel
• Shop at Opry Mills Mall and the Art, Antique, and Craft Fair at The Opryland Hotel

Cost Per Person

 $2222 pp double occupancy

$2766 pp single occupancy

$2061 pp triple occupancy

$1979 pp quad occupancy

 

Schedule

Day 1, Sunday, November 27th, Texas to Mississippi.  Board up in San Antonio, TX at 7:00 AM at Airport Security Parking.  Lunch on your own at Luby's in Beaumont, TX.  Continue travel to Hattiesburg, MS.  Stretch breaks en route.  Fellowship, fun, and refreshments/snacks provided on the way.  Check into the Holiday Inn at Hattiesburg, MS (601-296-0302).  Welcome dinner provided.  (D)

Day 2, Monday, November 28th, Mississippi to Chattanooga, TN.  After breakfast provided at the Hotel, depart for Chattanooga, TN.  Stretch breaks enroute.  Lunch on your own enroute.  Check into the legendary Chattanooga Choo Choo Holiday Inn (615-266-5000).  One of the South's most renowned landmarks; relive the glory of the railroad, visit the miniature train display, prowl through several intriguing shops at the Hotel and enjoy the formal gardens.  Enjoy Chattanooga Winter Days & Lights; Downtown comes alive with excitement.  The downtown skyline, 25 of the city's tallest structures, will be decorated with thousands of beautiful Christmas lights.  The Chattanooga Choo Choo Holiday Inn's formal gardens will be specially decorated featuring thousands of white lights and holiday silhouettes.  The Choo Choo's historic Grand Dome will house a 60 foot lighted wreath and Santa's Winter Wonderland.  Free time for resting and exploring the Hotel.  Depart the hotel and travel to the Tennessee Aquarium; tour the world's largest freshwater aquarium.  In the new Tennessee Aquarium, you will discover over 4,000 varieties of fish as well as river otters and alligators displayed in 40 stunning exhibits.  Just a short distance to board Chattanooga's Southern Belle for a fabulous dinner cruise on the scenic Tennessee River.  (B, D)     

Day 3, Tuesday, November 29th, Chattanooga, TN.  After breakfast provided at the Hotel, depart for Ruby Falls; a fascinating underground experience on Lookout Mountain begins your day.  Take the elevator down to begin your guided tour of Ruby Falls along a paved, level walkway which reveals a beautiful cavern with unique formations and a spectacular 145 foot waterfall.  Prepare for a thrilling ride to Lookout Mountain on the Incline Railway "America's Most Amazing Mile.  The Incline Railway up historic Lookout Mountain is the world's steepest passenger railway. In operation since 1895, the Incline is a National Historic site and Mechanical Engineering Landmark. The bus will pick you up and travel the short distance to "The Battles for Chattanooga Museum" on Lookout Mountain. After touring the museum, travel the short distance and take a tour of Point Park. The bus will pick you up and travel the short distance to The Battles for Chattanooga Museum on Lookout Mountain: hear and see about Chattanooga's "Battle Above The Clouds" and "Sherman's assault on Missionary Ridge before his historic "March to the Sea".  Travel the short distance to Point Park; the site of the famous Civil War battle known as the "Battle Above The Clouds".  Enjoy the beautiful homes on Lookout Mountain while traveling to Rock City Gardens.  Rock City will amaze you; it's in our nature. Rock City is 1700 feet above sea level, with a 100-foot waterfall that cascades down the mountain, and the famous Swing-A-Long Bridge that spans nearly 200 feet. This self-guided tour along the brow of Lookout Mountain gives visitors a birds eye view from high atop Lookout Mountain.  Some of Rock City's other features include the climbing wall at the legendary Lover's Leap where you can "See Seven States," the birds of prey shows, Big Rock Grill and the Fairyland Caverns.  Enjoy beautiful colorful gardens amid unique gigantic rock formations which give the geological wonder its' name.  Lunch on your own at Rock City Gardens.  Return to the Chattanooga Choo Choo Holiday Inn; free time to explore the Hotel.  (B, D)

Day 4, Wednesday, November 30th, Chattanooga to Pigeon Forge, TN.  After breakfast at the Hotel, depart for Pigeon Forge.  Stretch breaks enroute.  Arrive in Pigeon Forge and check into the Willow Brook Lodge (865-453-5334).  Lunch on your own at nearby restaurants.  The Smoky Mountain Winterfest, a magical celebration, kicks off in mid November and we will find Pigeon Forge and the immediate area adorned with more than 3 million Christmas lights and numerous lighted displays.  Gatlinburg Smoky Mountain Lights also kicks off in mid November; over 2 million Christmas lights and over 40-lighted displays make this attraction the South's Number One festival.  Dinner provided at the Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant. Enjoy a delicious, down home meal at Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant. Surrounded by apple orchards, everything you taste at Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant is touched by the magic of apples. Start with a generous portion of their famous apple fritters with apple butter and a glass of apple julep. For your entree, choose from Southern Fried Chicken, Country Fried Steak, Beef Liver & Onions, Homemade Meatloaf, Grilled Chicken, Chicken & Dumplings, or Pork Loin. All meals are served with homemade vegetable soup, salad, turnip greens, mashed potatoes, green beans, dinner roll, apple cobbler, and coffee or tea. After dinner, depart for the Country Tonite Theater. There's no place like the Smoky Mountains for the holidays and there's no Christmas show in the Smokies like Country Tonite! Country Tonite's Smoky Mountain Christmas creates an inspirational holiday experience for folks of all ages! The holiday magic abounds when the stage opens to a winter wonderland. The show features the sights, sounds and the seasons most cherished carols along with everyone's favorite Christmas selections like "Jingle Bells", "Silver Bells" and "Winter Wonderland," mixed with novelty songs, and dances and the whimsical characters of "Rudolph the Redneck Ranger" and "Santa Claus is back in Town."   (B, D) 

Day 5, Thursday, December 1st, Pigeon Forge and Ashville. Enjoy continental breakfast at the hotel.  Board the coach and depart for Biltmore House in Asheville, NC. Spend some time exploring the Biltmore Estate. The Biltmore House is America's largest private residence. This beautiful mansion was a home for the Vanderbilt family; the largest single family dwelling in the country, and the Biltmore House covers more than 125,000 square feet. This regal French chateau, tucked in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina, is a national historic landmark. Designed by renowned architect, Richard Morris Hunt, Biltmore house has 250 rooms, 65 fireplaces, 43 bathrooms, and 3 kitchens, in 4 acres of interior floor space, and is filled with the immense collection of art and furnishings of its original owner, George Vanderbilt. The beauty of this grand home extends out-of-doors to its gardens and managed woodland designed by America's father of landscape architecture, Frederick Law Olmstead. In all, Biltmore Estate encompasses 8,000 acres of land. Escape the ordinary and discover extraordinary wonders of the Biltmore Estate! You will also enjoy a tour of the Biltmore Winery. Begin your winery experience by taking a stroll through our historic cellars to our impressive tasting room where gracious wine hosts are happy to guide you through a complimentary wine tasting of our robust reds, refreshing roses, and crisp whites. Even grape juice is available so everyone can enjoy the jovial experience.  Board the coach to return to Pigeon Forge.  Enjoy a little r & r at the hotel before dinner.  Board the coach and depart for Dixie Stampede.  Enjoy reserved seats to Dixie Stampede, the most fun place to eat in the Smokies!  Dixie Stampede gets into the spirit of the season with a special Christmas show. It's the North Pole versus the South Pole. You'll be enchanted as elves serve your Yuletide feast and Santa arrives by sleigh. Watch toys come to life right before your eyes! Holiday music, a live Nativity scene, and even wise men on camels all say "Merry Christmas"-Dixie Stampede style! (Preshow starts at 5: 15pm) Show ends. Your local guide will take you on a tour through the Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg Winterlights. You will see over 5 million lights and many sparkling displays that salute winter and help get you into the Christmas spirit!  (CB, D)

Day 6, Friday, December 2nd, Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg.  Enjoy continental breakfast at the hotel.  Board the coach and depart for Christ in the Smokies Museum and Gardens. In the center of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, at Christ in the Smokies Museum & Gardens (located on the former Christus Gardens property) you will have the remarkable experience of walking through a Biblical world of 2000 years ago, seeing life-size, life-like representations of important scenes from the life of Jesus Christ.  Christ in the Smokies Museum and Gardens is one of the nation's foremost inspirational attractions. We feature incredibly lifelike scenes telling the Story of Christ, utilizing life size figures, dramatic lighting, music and special effects. Enjoy free time for shopping and lunch on your own in the area. Depart for Dollywood. See the Smokies' most spectacular light display and a lineup of live Christmas shows that celebrate the true meaning of Christmas all at Dollywood.  4 million lights drape the park in holiday splendor, casting a warm glow that sets the scene for a winter wonderland like no other. Dollywood offers many sensational shows, including the triumphant return of perennial favorite Christmas in the Smokies.  Don't miss Santa's Workshop, where larger-than-life-sized toys and an 18-foot-tall Christmas tree fill guests of all ages with wide-eyed wonder as they discover a giant wagon, sailboat, doll house and more amid the hustle and bustle as Santa and his helpers ready for their big night!  While you are here, be sure to check out the many shops. Dinner voucher provided so you can enjoy dinner at Dollywood at your leisure.  Don't forget to stop by the Bakery for a tasty Christmas treat!  Board the coach and depart for the Smoky Mountain Opry. Enjoy reserved seats to Pigeon Forge's newest show "Christmas at the Smoky Mountain Opry".  (CB, D)

Day 7, Saturday, December 3rd, Pigeon Forge to Nashville. After continental breakfast provided at the hotel, depart for Nashville.  Arrive in Nashville at the Hermitage. Visit the Hermitage, the home of President Andrew Jackson. When you arrive at the Hermitage mansion costumed historical interpreters greet you and prepare you for your tour. Inside historical interpreters stationed throughout the house tell you about Jackson, his family, and his home and answer any questions you have. You will also tour the areas surrounding the mansion including the Hermitage garden and Andrew Jackson's tomb. Tour ends. Board the coach and depart for the Gaylord Opryland Resort Hotel. Arrive and check into the Gaylord Opryland Resort Hotel (615-889-1000).  Enjoy the Christmas decorations and lights at the     Opryland Hotel; the sight of 20,000 poinsettias and miles upon miles of holiday garland will take your breath away.  The spectacular display of outdoor lights-over 2 million sparkle in the night, from the brightly colored ginger bread house to the towering 141 foot Christmas spectacular called: Southern Lights", the lights alone are a sight to behold.  Board the coach and depart for the Santa Fe Cattle Company. Enjoy dinner at Santa Fe Cattle Company. You will experience delicious, made from scratch food in a comfortable, fun atmosphere. Dinner ends. Depart for the Ryman Auditorium. Enjoy reserved seats to the Grand Ole Opry in its original home, the Ryman Auditorium otherwise known as the "Mother Church of Country Music". What began as a simple radio broadcast in 1925 is today a live-entertainment phenomenon. Dedicated to honoring country music's rich history and dynamic present, the Grand Ole Opry showcases a mix of country legends and the contemporary chart-toppers who have followed in their footsteps. The Opry, an American icon and Nashville, Tennessee's number-one attraction, is world-famous for creating one-of-a-kind entertainment experiences for audiences of all ages.  (CB, D)

Day 8, Sunday, December 4th, Nashville.  Enjoy a full breakfast at the hotel. Visit Gaylord Opryland Hotel's Treasures for the Holidays. Always a favorite, this craft show features a variety of hand-made and novelty gifts, ranging from candles and jewelry to clothing, artwork and food from more than 80 vendors from the United States, Canada and the Ukraine. Visit Gaylord Opryland Hotel's Hall of Trees. Hall of Trees is a display of spectacularly decorated Christmas trees that are sponsored, decorated and filled with exciting prizes by a business, celebrity or organization. Each tree is tied to a designated charity. Visitors can donate dollars to vote on their favorite trees while touring the hall and, throughout the season, the trees and their prizes are posted in an online auction for bidding. Enjoy a special Christmas lunch cruise & show aboard the General Jackson Showboat, the world's largest showboat that is over 300 feet long with 4 massive decks. The boat is adorned with fabulous Christmas decorations and your special holiday meal is served right at your tables. The cruise is sure to be a highlight to all! Cruise ends. Depart for ICE. Gaylord Opryland's popular ICE! event returns this year with an all-new attraction. Celebrate the Christmas season with an interactive world of colorful ice sculptures. You can even take a ride down one of the ice slides! All hand-carved in 2 million pounds of ice! It's the ONLY attraction like it in the USA and only at Gaylord Opryland!  Return to the hotel for a little r & r. Depart for the Opry House.  Dinner on your own.  Tonight you will have reserved seats to the Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular. Fill your heart with Christmas as the world-famous Radio City Rockettes bring- their legendary eye-high kicks and a cast and crew of over 100 to town in America's #1 Holiday Show, the Radio City Christmas Spectacular! Seen by 70 million people over 77 years, the Spectacular wonderfully appeals to folks of all ages. You will be amazed by the flawless precision of the Rockettes in numbers such as the legendary "Parade of the Wooden Soldiers." And everyone is genuinely moved at the stunning reenactment of the very first Christmas in the "Living Nativity." Show ends. Return to the hotel for the evening.  (B, L)

Day 9, Monday, December 5th, Nashville.  Enjoy a full breakfast at the hotel.  Board your coach where your local guide will escort you on a Sightseeing tour of Nashville. Nashville is the home of country music, the Athens of the South, has a large presence in insurance and printing industries, and features landmarks like the Ryman Auditorium, the Parthenon, State Capitol of Tennessee, and Bicentennial Park. You will see some or all of these and more on your city tour, and your local guide will tell you all about them. Take a tour of the Ryman Auditorium, "The Mother Church of Country Music. Built in 1892, the Ryman Auditorium is a National Historic Landmark and a must see for anyone visiting Nashville. Most famous as the home of the Grand Ole Opry from 1943-1974, the Ryman is the very epicenter of Music City. Three new exhibits just opened: Opry 1940s & 1950s, Opry 1960s & 1970s and Johnny & June at the Ryman. See genuine artifacts from those early Opry years like the dress Dolly Parton wore the night she was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry, photos from the Johnny Cash show of Cash with Bob Dylan and Louis Armstrong, and have your picture taken on the stage graced by legends from Houdini and Hank Williams to Bob Hope and Bruce Springsteen. Tour ends. Enjoy free time for shopping and lunch on your own in downtown Nashville.  Enjoy a self-guided tour of the Country Music Hall of Fame. See hundreds of artifacts, photographs, original recordings, and archival films tracing country music's history from Patsy Cline and Elvis Presley to Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood. Held over by popular demand, don't miss Tradition-The Williams Family Legacy, a superb display of artifacts from Hank Williams Sr. and Jr. Return to the hotel for a little r & r.  Enjoy reserved seats to Louise Mandrell's 'The Gift' Christmas Dinner & Show. The Gift features all-new songs from the country music artist who has been winning over hearts of fans for 3 decades. This exciting show will showcase the multi-talented Louise and her band bringing a combination of lively Christmas music, Choreography and comedy to the stage as they celebrate the Reason for the season. And no one will leave hungry, that's for sure! Opryland Hotel's chefs are diligently working to prepare a fresh menu of Christmas favorites with an innovative spin. Louise Mandrell's show will certainly be one that is not soon forgotten. Hosted by Barbara Mandrell's son, Matthew Dudney. Show ends. Enjoy the remainder of the evening on your own. (B, D)

Day 10, Tuesday, December 6th, Nashville to Texarkana, AR.  After a full breakfast provided at the hotel, depart Nashville and travel to Texarkana, AR  via IH 40 to Little Rock, AR and IH 30 to Texarkana, AR.  Fellowship, fun, refreshments and snacks provided on the way.  Lunch on your own at a restaurant enroute to Texarkana.  Check into the La Crosse Hotel (870-774-3521), formerly Holiday Inn, Texarkana, AR.  Indoor Pool, Hot Tub, etc.  Farewell dinner provided at the hotel. (B, D)