Join us on a very special Autumn vacation to the Great Smoky Mountains that includes, in one relaxed holiday, every feature one would hope for on the Great American vacation: Complimentary travel to the start of the trip in Atlanta with a two- night stay at the superb Atlanta Hilton, two nights in lovely Asheville, North Carolina with a tour of the fabled Biltmore Estate of the Vanderbilts, two nights in the Great Smoky Mountains at the luxury Park Vista Resort with complete touring and a ride on the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad. Saving the best for last, we then board the largest, grandest steamboat ever built, the acclaimed American Queen, for a special one-time voyage from Chattanooga up the Tennessee and Ohio Rivers with some of the finest scenery in the South, especially at this time of year. With grand dining, fantastic entertainment, and shore excursions at every port, there is simply no more comfortable or relaxing way to take in Fall Foliage. With superb hotels, grand dining, the Great Smoky Mountains, Ashville, the American Queen, and quaint and historic ports of call on your way to St. Louis, there is only one important ingredient missing, you!

View Dates and Prices Tour Highlights and Inclusions View Itinerary

• Complimentary train travel from any US city to Atlanta and the start of our tour when booked early.
• Superb hotels throughout including the Atlanta Hilton with a special welcome reception at famed Trader Vic's!
• Fully hosted by professional tour manager from start to finish, to handle all the details making your holiday even more enjoyable.
• Most meals with breakfast daily.
• Two-nights in lovely Asheville, North Carolina at the wonderfully located Doubletree Biltmore at the gates of the fabled Biltmore Estate of the Vanderbilt family. We have included a tour of Asheville as well.
• Biltmore Estate visit including lunch at Deerpark Restaurant on the Vanderbilt Estate.
• Two-nights at the excellent Park Vista Resort Hotel in Gatlinburg, TN, in the Great Smoky Mountains. All rooms at Park Vista have their own balcony.
• Complete tour of the most visited National Park in America, Great Smoky Mountain National Park, as well as a visit to Cades Cove, famed for its blue-misted mountains.
• The Great Smoky Mountain Railroad excursion train through Nantahala River Gorge with highlights like Horseshoe Curve, Fontana Lake Trestle and the Tennessee River, fantastic scenery during the height of Fall Colors.
• One-time 7-night voyage on the Tennessee, Ohio and Mississippi Rivers from Chattanooga to St. Louis through some of the prettiest scenery in America. In 2012, guests rated the passage on the Tennessee River through the gorge north of Chattanooga the highlight of their entire vacation. We will visit the best of small-town America on the way with visits to Florence, AL and Savannah, TN, Paducah, KY, Cape Girardeau and Chester, MO before our arrival in St. Louis, docked beneath the Arch. Naturally, all meals and entertainment aboard the American Queen are included as are complimentary shore excursions in every port.

Day 1 - Atlanta, Georgia
Guests arrive in Atlanta and transfer to the highly rated Atlanta Hilton for our overnight stay in the heart of downtown at this acclaimed hotel. A highlight tonight is our welcome reception at Trader Vic's, a nice way to meet your fellow travelers. The evening is at leisure. (R)

Day 2 - Asheville, North Carolina
A short but lovely drive to Asheville, NC where deluxe rooms await at the Doubletree Biltmore, located at the entrance to the fabled Vanderbilt Estate, a prime location. We have left the afternoon at leisure to explore the gorgeous town of Asheville with its great galleries, boutiques, shops and bookstores. A welcome dinner at the hotel tonight with the balance of the evening free. Overnight at the Doubletree Biltmore. (B, D)

Day 3 - Biltmore Estate
This morning, a guided city tour of Asheville including the Basilica of St. Lawrence, Grove Arcade and Grove Park Inn followed by the highlight, a tour of the Biltmore Estate followed by lunch on the estate in the Deerpark Restaurant. This afternoon see more of the town center or the Estate and all evening is at leisure to enjoy this enchanting town. Overnight at Doubletree Biltmore. (B, L)

Day 4 - Great Smoky National Park
All Aboard as you depart the hotel for a ride on the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad this morning through Nantaha Gorge along the Little Tennessee River with highlights like Horseshoe Curve and Fontana Lake Trestle. After lunch, we drive to Gatlinburg through the great Smoky Mountains National Park. Our hotel for the next two nights is the finest in the region, the superb Park Vista Resort in Gatlinburg, all rooms have balconies and rich appointments. (B)

Day 5 - Great Smoky National Park
We depart this morning on a scenic tour of Cades Cove, a breathtakingly beautiful 11-mile loop road through the Smokies with pioneer homesteads with the backdrop of blue-misted mountains. Wildlife is abundant and you will want to have your camera ready! You are free to explore Gatlinburg before our dinner later tonight at the Old Mill Restaurant. (B, L, D)

Day 6 - The American Queen
The Big Day! After breakfast at the hotel, we have a short scenic drive to Chattanooga where we board the fabled steamboat American Queen. On our way, we will stop at the nearby Delta Queen for a visit to the beloved "little sister" of the American Queen, now a permanent hotel in Chattanooga. Later tonight, the steam calliope toots as we set sail on a journey back in time, steaming up the Tennessee River. Tonight is your first taste of wonderful cuisine overseen by our long-time friend and acclaimed chef, Regina Charboneau. Overnight vessel. (B, D)

Day 7 - On the River
Settle into a rocking chair and just let the scenery glide by. Or, join in the fun of our numerous onboard activities. Your full day at leisurely steamboating on the river sets the tone for an unforgettable vacation. Overnight vessel. (B, L, D)

Day 8 - Florence
The Father of the Blues, William Christopher Handy, was born in Florence in 1873 in a simple cabin that today houses a large collection of his personal papers, memorabilia, and artifacts. Visit the W.C. Handy Museum, the Frank Lloyd Wright Rosenbaum house and more! Overnight vessel. (B, L, D)

 

Day 9 - Savannah
The jumping off point for Shiloh National Military Park. The center traces the story of Corinth in the Civil War from Secession through Reconstruction. It includes two state-of-the-art films on Shiloh and Corinth plus interactive interpretive exhibits and stunning bronze work. Overnight vessel. (B, L, D)

 

Day 10 - Paducah
Known as the city of art, rhythm and rivers, Paducah boasts a lively Lowertown Arts District, the renowned River Heritage Museum, a Save America's Treasures project, and tours via foot, trolley or horse-drawn carriage reveal its charm. Overnight vessel. (B, L, D)

 

Day 11 - Cape Girardeau
Born on the Mississippi River more than 200 years ago, Cape Girardeau has evolved from a tiny trading post to a frontier settlement governed by French-Canadian commandant to a thriving, culturally rich community of 37,000 on the world's only inland cape. Overnight vessel. (B, L, D)

 

Day 12 - Chester
Samuel Smith built the first home in Chester, established a ferry system, and began the construction of a mill in 1829. He is said to be the town's founder. It was his wife, Jane Thomas, a native of Chester, England, who gave Chester its name as a tribute to her home town. Overnight vessel. (B, L, D)

Day 13 - St. Louis
After breakfast, guests disembark the steamboat for travels home or may extend their stay in St. Louis. (B)