Bluegrass Country & the Smoky Mountains featuring Louisville, Lexington, Gatlinburg & Asheville

Welcome to Louisville, Kentucky, famous for Thoroughbreds, world-class bourbon, and baseball heritage. Settle in for a 2-night stay at your downtown hotel. Today, there are no included activities, so the day is yours to enjoy at leisure. Perhaps you’ll take a stroll down Louisville’s historic Main Street, famously known as Whisky Row and Museum Row, lined with a variety of museums, bourbon distilleries, and tasting rooms.

Kick off your adventure at Churchill Downs, home of the legendary Kentucky Derby. Take an opportunity to meet with a retired jockey to learn about life on the track. Feel the thrill of the “Sport of Kings” as you delve into the racetrack’s storied past at the Kentucky Derby Museum. Continue to Bardstown, where history and heritage come alive at My Old Kentucky Home, an estate named for the song it inspired American composer Stephen Foster to write. Tour the stately mansion and walk the plantation grounds, gaining insight into both the family who lived there and the lives of the enslaved people who shaped its story. Later, immerse yourself in the art of bourbon-making with a behind-the-scenes tour at Jim Beam Distillery. Watch the distillation process in action and savor a tasting of this signature spirit. Tonight, join your fellow travelers at a local restaurant for a welcome dinner.

Before departing your hotel, start with a tour of the Seelbach’s haunted history, secret passageways and scenes from The Great Gatsby. Then, head to Museum Row, where it’s your choice! Step up to the plate at the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory for an All-Star baseball experience -OR- explore the Frazier Kentucky History Museum and its “Spirit of Kentucky” exhibit, the official starting point of the Bourbon Trail™. Then, journey toward Lexington, pausing in the quaint, historic town of Midway. Approaching Lexington, the landscape transforms into a patchwork of rolling bluegrass hills and white-fenced horse farms. A local guide brings Kentucky’s equestrian heritage to life as you visit private farms and hear stories of the region’s most celebrated residents — its horses. Settle in for a two-night stay in Lexington.

Travel to Berea, the historic college town known as the Folk Arts and Crafts Capital of Kentucky. Meet some local artisans while they demonstrate their crafts. Then, explore Kentucky’s musical legacy at the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame. Explore exhibits filled with instruments, memorabilia, and stories that celebrate the state’s deep roots in bluegrass, country, and beyond. Tonight, take in the tastes of Kentucky at a local restaurant.