The Blue Ridge Parkway, traveling up the spine of the Appalachian Mountains, is the most popular drive in America for very good reason. It is a visual feast of blue-misted mountains. Waterfalls, scenic overlooks and natural caverns, all beside a road unlittered with modern encroachments. With abundant wildlife, over forty types of trees, wild flowers and wooded coves, this is a drive that most rate among the most impressive and is a sight everyone should visit.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is only one of many treats on our Train Holiday to the Great Smoky Mountains. We also feature a musical sightseeing tour of Memphis with the glorious sounds of 'Memphis Jones' as he shows us the Home of the Blues after one of the best breakfasts in the South at the famed Arcade Restaurant. Our guests enjoy a stay in Nashville at the phenomenal Gaylord Opryland Resort, one of the most remarkable hotels in the World. And, since no one likes changing hotels every night, we then offer two nights at the finest hotel in Gatlinburg, the superb Park Vista with stunning views from every room as well as a complete sightseeing tour of the Great Smoky Mountains, including Cades Cove. Of course, no Train Holiday would be complete without a few exceptional train rides so we have included the magical trip through the Smoky Mountains aboard the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad through ruggedly beautiful Nantahala River Gorge.
We continue to Asheville, NC, for a two-night stay, best known for the Biltmore Estate of the Vanderbilt Family which visit with lunch in the elegant Deerpark Restaurant. Here our guests enjoy a fine hotel, the Homewood Suites with breakfast daily and evening complimentary happy hour. Saving for the best for last, after our time in Asheville, we travel north up the Blue Ridge Parkway, at a leisurely pace, stopping at places like Grandfather Mountain to visit its black bears and stopping at country inns for authentic southern meals. With a gentle pace, plenty sights and photography - this is about as perfect as a day and a half can be.
Perhaps nicest of all, in additional to a soothing pace, inspired dining and fine hotels is the fact that our first part of the journey and our last is by train, with plenty of room, food and beverage service nearby and large picture windows to look out. Both train journeys are short, fast overnight passages that offer comfortable accommodations without the hassle of airports, security checks, 'snackless' flights or endless bus trips. There may be a finer way to see this beautiful part of the nation - but we doubt it! With limited capacity at the peak time of the year for visitors, prompt reservations are encouraged.
The Blue Ridge Parkway, traveling up the spine of the Appalachian Mountains, is the most popular drive in America for very good reason. It is a visual feast of blue-misted mountains. Waterfalls, scenic overlooks and natural caverns, all beside a road unlittered with modern encroachments. With abundant wildlife, over forty types of trees, wild flowers and wooded coves, this is a drive that most rate among the most impressive and is a sight everyone should visit.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is only one of many treats on our Train Holiday to the Great Smoky Mountains. We also feature a musical sightseeing tour of Memphis with the glorious sounds of 'Memphis Jones' as he shows us the Home of the Blues after one of the best breakfasts in the South at the famed Arcade Restaurant. Our guests enjoy a stay in Nashville at the phenomenal Gaylord Opryland Resort, one of the most remarkable hotels in the World. And, since no one likes changing hotels every night, we then offer two nights at the finest hotel in Gatlinburg, the superb Park Vista with stunning views from every room as well as a complete sightseeing tour of the Great Smoky Mountains, including Cades Cove. Of course, no Train Holiday would be complete without a few 
exceptional train rides so we have included the magical trip through the Smoky Mountains aboard the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad through ruggedly beautiful Nantahala River Gorge.
Perhaps nicest of all, in additional to a soothing pace, inspired dining and fine hotels is the fact that our first part of the journey and our last is by train, with plenty of room, food and beverage service nearby and large picture windows to look out. Both train journeys are short, fast overnight passages that offer comfortable accommodations without the hassle of airports, security checks, 'snackless' flights or endless bus trips. There may be a finer way to see this beautiful part of the nation - but we doubt it! With limited capacity at the peak time of the year for visitors, prompt reservations are encouraged.