The Biltmore Estate, nestled in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, becomes a breathtaking holiday spectacle adorned with festive delights. Bask in the warm glow of candlelight and explore the expansive halls filled with the joyous spirit of Christmas. With dazzling decorations and majestic trees, every nook radiates the enchantment of the season, whisking visitors away to a magical winter paradise.
- Visit the Belle Meade Plantation for a guided tour and wine tasting
- Visit the famous Biltmore Estate decorated in its holiday best, with a special Candlelight Christmas Evening tradition
- Witness the Annual National Gingerbread House Competition at the historic Grove Park Inn
- Explore Blue Ridge culture and history in the city of Asheville
- Experience a guided tour with time to shop and relax in Berea, KY
DAY 1: BELLE MEADE
Depart for Nashville, TN, for a visit to the Belle Meade Plantation and be enriched in Tennessee’s history, architecture, and hospitality. Enjoy a guided mansion tour and wine tasting before continuing to Cookeville, TN, for the night. D
DAY 2: BILTMORE CHRISTMAS
Arrive in festive Asheville, NC, nestled in the Appalachian Mountains. Explore Antler Hill and the Biltmore Estate before arriving at the Stable Café for dinner. After dinner, head into the mansion for a special Candlelight Christmas Evening, a Vanderbilt family tradition. B, D
DAY 3: TOUR ASHEVILLE
Joined by a local guide, we explore Blue Ridge culture and history in the city of Asheville. Experience another holiday tradition: the annual National Gingerbread House Competition featured at the historic Grove Park Inn. Enjoy a gourmet Seasonal Grand Lunch in the holiday-inspired dining room before returning to downtown Asheville to relax or explore with newfound Asheville knowledge. B, L
DAY 4: GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK
Enjoy a guided tour of Great Smoky Mountain National Park including a stop at scenic Newfound Gap in America’s most popular national park (weather permitting). Travel to central Kentucky and the historic Boone Tavern Hotel, our home for the night, for dinner with warm hospitality and rich culture. B, D
DAY 5: BEREA, KY
Board the coach with our local guide in Berea, KY, and see how this quaint Appalachian town celebrates the holidays before returning home. B
ACCOMMODATIONS:
Night 1: Fairfield Inn, Cookeville, TN (or similar)
Nights 2-3: Village Hotel, Biltmore Estate
Night 4: Boone Tavern, Berea, KY
Departure Cities:
- St. Louis
Dates:
- Departure: December 1, 2024 sold out
- Return: December 5, 2024 sold out
AND
- Departure: December 15, 2024
- Return: December 19, 2024
Pricing:
- Double: $1,699
- Triple/Quad: $1,559
- Single: $2,109
Temperatures and Dress
Dress for traveling will be casual and comfortable. Please bring layers and a coat/jacket, gloves and hat as temperatures can range from a high og 50 to a low of 25, with the potential of snow. You will also want to bring good walking shoes. Below are the estimated temperatures in each city.
Cookeville: 47/34
Asheville: 44/27
Berea: 43/28
Walking Information
Although this tour does not require a lot of walking, some stairs are necessary in the Biltmore Estate.
Other General Information
We will send 3 key communications for your tour; “Get Ready” is your email confirmation and initial tour information sent upon registration, “Get Set” email will be sent about two months before departure, “Go” trip documentation mailing is sent via USPS 3-4 weeks before departure and will include your daily itinerary, luggage tags and final departure information.
Travel Protection is optional and highly recommended and can be purchased until the day before departure. We offer Travel Guard from AIG, which costs 8.5% of your tour, information about which will be sent with your Get Ready email.
Unless otherwise noted, your Sunrise Tour includes: Professional Sunrise Tour Director, meals as indicated, local step on guides including gratuity (international tour guide gratuity inclusion vary by tour), deluxe motorcoach transportation w/rest room, admission to activities and events as indicated, airfare from designated airports, transportation to/from designated airports from our convenient local pickup points*, luggage handling at hotels when available
We believe tipping is a personal and discretionary interaction between our guests and our staff. A typical gratuity for your Sunrise Tour Director and motorcoach driver may be $5-$7per person, per day on tour. Sunrise Shuttle drivers appreciate gratuities (suggest $5 per person) for excellent service as well. Our staff will not solicit gratuities or pass out envelopes.
We are happy to offer refreshments on most motorcoach travel days on tour. We recommend you bring a refillable water bottle to maintain healthy hydration.
If less than 4 people request a pickup point, we may ask that you choose another pickup point from which to join your Sunrise Tour.
If you would like to join a tour from a city not listed as a departure point, we would love to have you along! Please discuss arrangements with our friendly reservation team. From a departure city not listed, typical airfare will be +$100 higher than our published fare for domestic tours, and +$200 for international tours.
If you have a TSA precheck or Airline Rewards numbers, you MUST give those numbers to our reservations team at least 60 days before departure, otherwise they may not be applied.
Preferred seating may not be available on group air. In some cases, seats are not assigned until the airport. Your tour fare includes an economy seat on the flight; it does not include seat selection. Seat upgrades may be available at an additional cost.
To help make our tours the most comfortable in the business, we limit Sunrise Tours motorcoaches to 80% capacity, or 44 passengers on a coach built for 55. We reserve the right to amend this practice.
Your Tour Director will rotate seats on the motorcoach each day of your tour. A single fare does not guarantee two seats on coach; you may be seated next to another friendly Sunrise Tours guest.
Terms and Conditions
Please refer to our policies HERE for more information on our terms and conditions.
