Classic Holiday 4.7 feefo-stars

Nashville & the Smoky Mountains Holiday

featuring Gatlinburg & Asheville
8 DAYS
$3,499 pp*
*Rate is per person, land only, double occupancy, tour inclusions and available options may vary based on departure date.
Please select a date below for more details.

About This Tour

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Take in the sights and sounds of the holidays in Nashville, Gatlinburg and Asheville. Enjoy reserved seats at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. Tour historic RCA Studio B and see where country legends recorded hit songs. Experience a magical holiday dinner and show at the Opryland Resort. Delight in a choice of a horse-drawn carriage ride or a Grand Ole Opry Resort’s Delta River cruise and marvel at all the holiday lights and décor. A visit to the Country Music Hall of Fame is sure to have you hummin’ and strummin’ long after you leave Nashville. Marvel at the spectacular light displays and shows celebrating the spirit of the holidays at Dollywood. Explore the natural wonders of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Then, travel to Asheville, North Carolina, and enjoy the city’s historic architecture, engaging neighborhoods and robust arts districts. Tour the Biltmore Estate, George Vanderbilt’s "little mountain escape” in the Blue Ridge Mountains, elaborately adorned for the holidays. When you leave, you’ll have the warmth and charm of the south still in your heart.

Your Tour Includes
  • 3 Handpicked Accommodations
  • 11 Meals
  • 2 Choice on Tour Options
Included Highlights
  • Grand Ole Opry Show
  • Historic RCA Studio B
  • Country Music Hall of Fame
  • Gaylord Opryland Resort Dinner & Holiday Show

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Your Tour at a Glance

Stay

8 Days

7 Nights


Meals

11 Meals

7 Breakfasts

4 Dinners


Activity

2 - Moderate

What's This?

Travel Style

Classic

Holiday

What's This?
Book with Confidence

* With Insurance Purchased

  • *No Hassle Refunds
  • Traveling Well Safety
  • No booking fee, *no change fees
  • Top Rated Travel Protection

Getting Prepared

Know Before You Go

Enhance Your Tour

Accommodations

Arrive Earlier

Pre Night: Gaylord Opryland Resort
From $140 per night

...
Gaylord Opryland Resort

Nights 1-3

...
Hilton Garden Inn Gatlinburg

Nights 4-5

...
Cambria Hotel Downtown Asheville

Nights 6-7

Stay Longer

Post Night: Cambria Hotel Downtown Asheville
From $130 per night

Need More Information?

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Trip Reviews

Live, Unedited, & Independent Traveler Reviews

Rating

79 reviews
Overall Trip Rating
4.7
Out of 5
feefo-stars
Based on 79 independent reviews
5
59
4
14
3
5
2
1
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Highlights were the tour of Churchill Downs , the tastings at Buffalo Trace snd the Moonshine Distillery in Gatlinburg, the KatieRich Breeding Farm,and the day spent in The Smoky Mountains. When it became impossible to include Ashville on the tour , Collette punted , as I was sure they would , having been on many Collette tours, and added a side trip to Nashville. It was wonderful. Meals included in the tour were appropriate, delicious and representative of local cuisine . Our driver and our tour manager were over the top spectacular. You should employ them as much as possible. They added bits of information and games to the bus rides and made every stop memorable.
    Anne Oconnor
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Churchill Downs Kentucky Derby Museum Historic Home Tour, Louisville Horse farm Berea Music Hall of Fame Museum Frazier Historical Museum Buffalo Trace Distillery Cherokee Cooperative Qualla Biltmore Estate and Antler Hill Museum and Winery Bush Beans Museum
Reviewed on
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Biltmore and Churchill downs
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  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    We had so much fun, it’s hard to pick one venue/tour. We would’ve rather gone to Bush’s Beans than Buc-Ees that place was mind boggling!😳the Buffalo Trace was great with the history and grounds; had a lot of fun at Dollywood. Beautiful country!
    Debra Kapitan
Reviewed on
Reviewed on
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4 stars
    This tour was very very good. Getting to the beginning of the tour was crazy. We are from Waterford, CT On the tour, There is a huge group from Massachusetts. We find out they actually used Bradley airport BDL which is 50min from Waterford, CT But we had gone to JFK to fly to Nashville. Do you know that’s 3 hours drive( who wants to to that when unnecessary) . What was someone thinking? Whoever the limo service was chosen at the end to bring us from JFK back to Waterford was using smaller limo and broke up our group of 6 people from Waterford, CT. so some of our party got there 25 min sooner. they took 3 and 3 people. my family was traveling as 4 and there was these two other lady friends i( to make up the 6 from Waterford)
    Raymond Karasevicz
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4 stars
    The weather wasn't perfect, and the last dinnertime wait was too long, but this was no fault of the tour. Tim, the Tour Guide and Brandon, the tour driver, were excellent!
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4 stars
    Nothing is perfect but it was very nice. Tim was a very good tour guide. Bandon helped make the trip very comfortable.
    Robert Hron
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    The tour went off without a hitch! We even had a tornado alert and our fabulous tour guide Michael was on his phone assuring us and instruction us what to do!! A first time for everything, just happy it went around The Gaylord Resort area! I highly recommend Colette Tours. Every trip I have been on with Colette was first class all the way! Thank you!
    Marion Bailey
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Gaylord Opryland Resort was best place I’ve ever stayed in on a tour. Other two places were good. Smoky Mountains were beautiful and would have loved more time there. Could have spent less time at Dollywood…too glitzy for me.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Very well organized & all tryout guides well spoken & knowledgeable
    Susan Kachinski
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    I always have enjoyed the Collette tours; the tour managers have been wonderful, and the experiences as well!
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Five star rating for a five star experience.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    The trip was enjoyable staying at the Gaylord hotel was great. It had anything and everything you could want in a hotel
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Carefree travel with special events and tours that would be hassle to plan on my own.
    Dona Cole
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Thank you xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Great tour guide, and places of interest were amazing. hotels were good and breakfasts were goood.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    2star
    The Tour manager had no experience & did not do basic homework. It’s a good tour but needs tweaked. When you provide 3 meals some days it means a later dinner. Followed by an early start. Include dinner on days where there is not nearly start the next day. Last hotel in Asheville. Terrible facility & location. It is not downtown has no ATM and no restaurant food.
    THOMAS McKAY
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    The tour was great. The Smokey mountains was beautiful.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    The tour manager was very knowledgeable of the area.
    Virginia Kubenka
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4 stars
    I think the tour was very nice. Food was great. Tour director did an amazing job. I have already recommended trip to several people. Buffalo Trace needed some better way to deal with all the people buying things! That tour was great , but no way we could buy. The line was a half mile long. Maybe a busy day for them. Not a Collette problem. Just wanted you to know.
    Teresa De Vries
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Fun trip....lots to do and see ...great local guides...beautiful countryside in Kentucky. Tour manager was excellent....she made it a fun trip.
    Kevin Greeley
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Everything went smoothly,
    Janet Follstaedt
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Great tour mgr and bus driver. All3hotels we’re top notch; however the 2nd hotel had a less-than good breakfast.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    If there was a “glitch” and there usually is with travel, it was taken care of quickly & seamlessly.
    Kathleen Swierlik
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Everything about this tour was first class. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    The tour itself checked all the boxes for the area The tour guid was outstanding
    JUDITH BUDLONG
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Mainly the tour guide made the tour great Tim was knowledgeable , personable and efficient
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4 stars
    Venus were excellent. Seats at the shows were not. Could only see the backs of performers at the Christmas Stampede.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    titanic exhibit and biltmore visit exceeded expectations. opryland hotel was spectacular. smoky mountains magical. nashville fun music city
    Pamela Chinelli
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Well organized fun activities
    Janet Kawa
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Dolly's Stampede. I loved the trick riders and their horses.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    3star
    Most of my issues had to do with the director. She knew very little about the area. She should have gone there earlier to scope it out and give us suggestions as to where to go and what to do. We were in gaitlenberg a Christmas area. She knew nothing.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Everything happened as planned.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    The tour was filled with great excursions. Our tour manager and motor coach driver were excellent. Both made sure we had the best experiences.
    Lillie Kramer
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Tour guide was excellent. Only the accommodation in Gatlinburg was slightly above average. Everything else was excellent.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Excellent from start to finish and everything in between.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    The sights included were wonderful. I particularly enjoyed touring Churchill Downs and the horse farms .
    Thomas Michelmore
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Wonderful itinerary! Includes a taste of the culture, history, local cuisine, and fun and unique activities to experience and enjoy in Bluegrass Country. Who would have expected a Titanic Museum nestled amongst the amusements of Pigeon Forge? Our visit was filled with information, facts, understanding of the events, and feeling like one of the passengers in "Titanic" proportion. Excellent Tour Manager, awesome Coach driver, very knowledgeable Step on Guides, and a group that blended quite well.
    Maria Luisa (Louie) Despeaux
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Churchill Downs narration by the guide.she was so knowledgeable and able to answer all questions..
    Brenda Crumb
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Churchill Downs, Smoky Mountains. Tour Manager Tim was awesome and very knowledgeable and went the extra mile with the travelers.
    JJKOBE
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4 stars
    Some hotels did not meet my expectations. Hot tub was nearly impossible to get into in one hotel, and most breakfasts were of limited menu items, or were not very hot when served
    Diane Pellett
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    This was our first Collette tour and we were very satisfied. We especially enjoyed the visit to the horse farm in Lexington.
    Ruth Elin Riley
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Excellent itinerary, nice accommodations and pleasant tour guide.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    3star
    Churchill Downs and horse farms were great. Tour manager was average at best.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    3star
    Bus driver was the best. He provided snacks and water throughout the tour. Wrong time for tour. Two weeks late for summer weather and 2 weeks early for fall colors.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Nice itinerary and pacing was just right
    Robert Faria
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4 stars
    Biltmore - Last hotel on trip was very good.
    Dwight Schulz
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Very well organized tour that included all the highlights I wanted to see. The tour manager was excellent.
    Barbara Grcevic
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    This was my first tour with Collette and it was fabulous. Very informative, great choice of hotels, and all tours were great. I hope to plan another one soon.
    Margaret Lapage
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Loved the Churchill Downs, The Smoky Mountains, The Biltmore Estate, and all the stops along the way. Margaritaville Resort was an added bonus that I loved.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Great tour, very informative
    Michael Sweeney
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Highlight was Churchill Downs & horse farms.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Best trip ever. Great Tour Manager.
    Jimmie Crane
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4 stars
    There were certain things with the hotels, as I mentioned in the previous survey. I also felt it was awkward with the tipping policy especially for the local guides, and I feel the tipping should be handled by Collette vs the indiviual guests.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Enjoyed the tour, the driver was competent and fun, the tour leader was excellent!
    Jan Charbonneau
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4 stars
    The overall experience was very good.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    The visit to Churchill Downs and the horse farms .... and being able to tour the Biltmore Gardens.
    Linda Travis Plato
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Visiting Studio B and getting to record a CD in the same room as Elvis stood and recorded his music.
    Donald Danyo
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Two of them.......the "Horse and Dinner show" and the surprise trip to Bush's Bean Factory....and not to diminish any of the other parts of the trip because every single part of the trip was super!
    Jimmy Gilbertson
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Went to Churchill Downs and 2 horse farms. Very good guides at both. The 3 distilleries were very good and enjoyed the samples. In Gatlinburg, enjoyed the large craft show (Not on our schedule) and Dolly Stampede & dinner. Also, enjoyed the unscheduled stop at Bush Bean factory. The farewell dinner at Isa's French Bistro was excellent. All in all great trip.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4 stars
    I enjoyed the Dollywood and their wild west show.
    Jill Marine
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Loved everything about this trip. Have told all my friends about it and recommended they take this trip by Collette.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Our tour guide was very friendly and knowledgeable of every tour site, the bus and driver were excellent and our excursions were well planned . The best way to sum up is to just say we had a great time!
    Anna Villegas
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Great itenary .
    Fred Weaver
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Everything was great! Dolly’s Stampede.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Wonderful tour, interesting, great tour guide and fun.
    Linda Purdy
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Lots of pre planning for a smooth trip. Very accommodating. Good pace. Enough time in gift shops. Favorite- Biltmore Estate.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Churchill Downs Biltmore Estate
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    I liked that the our included Dollywood..
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4 stars
    Enjoyed seeing Churchill Downs, horse country, and smoky mountains...and of course the Biltmore. Gatlinburg was a shock with all the stores and attractions. I thought it would be a sleepy mountain village with lots of local arts and crafts. Was shocked that it was like Las Vegas without gambling. I did not like the Dolly Parton Stampede.
    Susan Avelar
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Enjoyed Churchill Downs and Great Smoky Mountain Park the most.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Churchill Downs, Boone's Tavern, Biltmore
    Gertrude Klepper
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5 stars
    Buffalo Trace tour and the Biltmore in Asheville
    Bette Wilkinson

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