Blue Ridges To Blue Grass
May 16 - 24, 2026
Our Blue Ridges to Blue Grass tour started Sat., May 16, 2026 at 4:30 AM. A group of ten boarded a bus at the Sun City Summerlin Summit parking lot. At the Las Vegas airport we were greeted by Anne McCall of Tours of Distinction. A few more joined us and Anne rounded us up for our flight to Atlanta Georgia arriving around 5:30 PM. Over the next few days we covered five states. My wife Melody contributed to this project.
Anne McCall Owner/Manager of Tours Of Distinction Las Vegas, NV
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Susan Bingle tour guide from Mayflower Cruises & Tours 
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Steve Lieberum our motorcoach driver 
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Day 1, Sat., May 16, 2026 – We arrived at the Embassy Suites around 6 PM and met our Tour Manager, Susan Bingle, from Mayflower Cruises & Tours. A nice dinner was served and Susan briefed us how the week would foldout. We also were introduced to our bus driver Steve Lieberum. He would drive us around for the next seven days in this large Mercedes motorcoach.
Day 2, Sun., May 17, 2026 – Up at 5 PM for breakfast at the hotel. Luggage outside our door by 7 AM and depart for Atlanta City. A local guide, Terry, boarded our bus to conduct a tour of Atlanta. We drove past the State Capitol. Stopped and walked around the Centennial Olympic Park. The bus drove us past the World of Coca-Cola, and the CNN Center. A short stop at the Marin Luther King Jr. Historical Site before coming to a local favorite, Mary Mac’s Tea Room for lunch. Here we witnessed a large motorcycle group in formation going down the street in front of this café. Then it was back on the bus for our long ride to Asherville, NC, for the night at the Hampton Inn & Suites
Click the blue line below to view more photo of Day 2.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/4dWYt8hvkDfY2LHL7
https://photos.app.goo.gl/4dWYt8hvkDfY2LHL7
Day 3, Mon., May 18, 2026 – Again up at 5 AM. Breakfast at the hotel. Board the bus at 8:00 for our drive to the Biltmore Estate. The Biltmore Estate is America’s largest home set on 8,000 acres of Blue Ridge Mountain beauty. This George Vanderbuilt-built 250-room home features magnificent art, antiques, and architecture. This was an amazing place to tour. The group enjoyed a nice lunch here. After lunch we boarded our motorcoach for the breathtaking beauty of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Our bus driver, Steve, was amazing guiding our coach down these narrow winding roads in rain. On the Tennessee side of the park sits Gatlinburg. We experienced the history, beauty, and nostalgia of this small town with its many galleries, unique craft shops and restaurants. Arrived at The Park Vista Doubletree Hotel, Gatlinburg, TN around 5:30 PM for a two-night stay. Some of us had a drink and dinner at the hotel. We can’t forget the Stanley Cup Hockey playoffs are going on during our tour. Most nights we were able to watch the games. A number of us came from Vegas and the Golden Knights hockey team from Vegas was playing. Anne McCall part of our group has family in Montreal. So, she was between cheering for Vegas and Montreal.
Day 4, Tues., May 19, 2026 – Up early for breakfast and depart by motorcoach 8:15 AM for the Titanic Museum. This is the world’s largest museum attraction. It features over 400 artifacts from the doomed vessel. Arrived at the DollyWood Flower & Food festival around 2 PM. This is a very large place. The walk from the bus to the entrance on this hot, humid day was trying for some of us. Ice cream was on the menu for some of us as we watched some of the entertainers. The train ride around the large property was great. Dolly was not around. Bused to the Dolly Pardon’s Stampede for dinner and a show. This was a great meal served to a large crowd. We ate in the arena while the show went on in front of us.
Click the blue line below to view photos from Day 4
https://photos.app.goo.gl/UbTMVB4v1cGMv2kTA
https://photos.app.goo.gl/UbTMVB4v1cGMv2kTA
Day 5, Wed., May 20, 2026 – Breakfast at 6:30 AM, luggage outside our room by 7:00 AM and depart at 8:00 AM for Lexington, KY. At 12:00 PM we arrived at Kentucky Horse Park for a tour hosted lunch. It rain during our bus trip and when we arrived here. Some of the horse shows were canceled due to the heavy rains. Here we looked at horse history and culture from around the world at the International Museum of the Horse. Met thoroughbred legends at the Hall of Champions, as they walked in front of us. It rained on an off most of the day. We arrived at the Marriott Resort Lexington Griffin Gate for our two-night stay. This wasn’t the best. The hotel had reset the heating system to summer. The rooms were very cold. Some of the tour members complained to the front desk and were given a portable heater. The hotel management said they couldn’t go back to turning on the heat. So, we spent two nights here and we didn’t give them a very high rating.
Click the blue line below to view photos of Day 5
https://photos.app.goo.gl/q4JasKSxLf7x6DHW7
https://photos.app.goo.gl/q4JasKSxLf7x6DHW7
Day 6, Thurs., May 21, 2026 – Up early and breakfast at the hotel hosted by our tour. Departed around 8:15 AM Lexington to Frankfort, KY. Arrived at the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill. This was once the third largest Shaker community in the nation. We learned the remarkable story of the Shakers through their iconic architecture, skilled craftsmanship, 34 surviving buildings, and the farm. Google the Shaker’s to learn more about this group. The bus took us next to the Buffalo Trace Distillery for a tour and wine tasting. Here we learned the ins and outs of whiskey-making. One of our members learned in the gift shop he could buy the whiskey at a Vegas liquor store cheaper than at this place. Around 5:30 PM we arrived at the Cattleman’s Roadhouse for dinner. We returned to the hotel around 7 PM.
Click the blue line below to view photos of Day 6
https://photos.app.goo.gl/iwHN2g3jvpWSoyg8A
https://photos.app.goo.gl/iwHN2g3jvpWSoyg8A
Day 7, Fri., May 22, 2026 – Again breakfast at 6:30 AM, luggage outside our rooms by 7 AM and depart by bus at 8 AM. Departing Lexington we traveled west along the famed Blue Grass Parkway to Bardstown. Visited My Old Kentucky Home St. Park including the 200-year-old mansion and plantation of the Rowan family. We toured the mansion with a guide. Heard the history of Stephen Foster’s ballad and learned how to make biscuits in the live demonstration in the carriage house. We got to taste about three different kinds of biscuits. We arrived at the Gaylord Opryland Resort for our two nights stay. This was a first-class hotel with some 6,000 rooms. It was easy to get lost here. We were on our own for dinner. Some of us found a sports bar for a drink and pizza.
Click the blue line below to view photos of Day 7
https://photos.app.goo.gl/f8We2h6p2doPAuDS7
https://photos.app.goo.gl/f8We2h6p2doPAuDS7
Day 8, Sat., May 23, 2026 – Today was what some us tour members always dreamed of seeing in person the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Grand Ole Opry. A local guide, Anita, joined us for a narrated tour of Tennessee’s “Music City,” Nashville. We viewed the famed Music Row, with its recording studios, Broadway, with it’s Honky Tonks, and even a full-scale replica of the Parthenon. Next we toured the Ryman Auditorium. Here some of us got our picture taken. Some of us got talked into to purchasing a Nashville frame for the FREE photo. Many ate lunch across the street in a large food court. At the Country Music Hall of Fame we visited one of the world’s largest museums and research centers dedicated to preserving the interpretation of American Country Music. One of the exhibits was an Elvis white Cadillac. You could spend hours here looking around. Then we were off to our farewell dinner at the Opry Backstage Grill. After a great dinner it was back to the Grand Ole Opry for the nights show.
Click the blue line below to view photos of Day 8
https://photos.app.goo.gl/6YUbhRmbkwAAUxrH9
https://photos.app.goo.gl/6YUbhRmbkwAAUxrH9
Day 9, Sun., May 24, 2026 – After breakfast we boarded our bus at 9 AM for our last bus ride. It was to the Nashville Airport. Little did we know our plane to Auston, TX was going to be late. Our Vegas tour manager, Anne McCall, jumped into action. In no time she had us all rescheduled on a plane to Atlanta and able to catch our plane back to Vegas. Our thoughts of having to spend the night in Nashville were wiped out by Anne. We arrived back in Vegas around 5:30 PM.
This is one of Melody's favortie hotels. It was amazing in size and so easy to get lost in.
Trip recap: This was a trip to the Grand Ole Opry was on my buck list. Now I’ve completed this and a number of other lovely places to see and visit. Some days I counted over 9,000 steps. That's pretty good for an old ____. At Dollywood and at the Gaylord Opreland Hotel we used their apps to find our way around and helps not get lost. Again, a special thanks to tour managers Anne and Susan. They were like shepherds watching over a flock of sheep. And a special THANK YOU to our great bus driver, Steve. He kept us out of harms way throughout the many rainy days, windy roads and small parking spaces to unload and pick us up. He was never late and was helpful getting us on and off the bus. His morning jokes got us all going.
You can always reach Richard at email
[email protected]
Or my website at
www.1944becker.com
Plane statues: Our plane from Vegas to Atlanta.
Atlanta to Vegas.
1. 737-900ER (73R)
2. Accommodation 173 Passengers
3. Cruising Speed 525 MPH
4. Range 2,810 Miles
5. Engine 2 Wing-Mounted Turbofans
6. Wingspan 117 Ft. 10 In.
7. Length 138 Ft. 2 In.
8. Tail Height 41 Ft. 2 In.
You can always reach Richard at email
[email protected]
Or my website at
www.1944becker.com
Plane statues: Our plane from Vegas to Atlanta.
Atlanta to Vegas.
1. 737-900ER (73R)
2. Accommodation 173 Passengers
3. Cruising Speed 525 MPH
4. Range 2,810 Miles
5. Engine 2 Wing-Mounted Turbofans
6. Wingspan 117 Ft. 10 In.
7. Length 138 Ft. 2 In.
8. Tail Height 41 Ft. 2 In.