HOLIDAY TREASURES IN

ASHEVILLE,

NORTH CAROLINA

 

December 14-16, 2015

 

 

 

Monday, December 14:

6:30 A.M.:  Begin boarding the motorcoach.*

7:00 A.M.:  Wheels turn toward Asheville.  Stop briefly in Warsaw for coffee and a stretch.

Note:  We will take rest breaks about every two hours to include an early lunch (on your own).

11:45 A.M.: Arrive for lunch at The Grill at Deacon Tower (4th floor)--overlooking the Demon Deacon’s Football Stadium (475 Deacon Blvd., Winston Salem).

3:30 P.M.:  Arrive at Brookstone Lodge (4 Roberts Road, Asheville), our headquarters for the tour.

4:35 P.M.:  Depart Brookstone for dinner (included) at 5:00 P.M. at Biltmore Estate (1 Lodge Street). 

6:45 P.M.:  Depart dining room for Biltmore House for a 7:15 Candlelight Tour.

9:15 P.M.:  Return to Brookstone Lodge for the evening.

 

Tuesday, December 15:

Breakfast (included) at Brookstone Lodge.

8:00 A.M.:  Depart Brookstone Lodge with our local guide, who is highly recommended, to return to Biltmore Estate to tour the Gardens, Greenhouses, Winery, Farm Village, and access to all Estate facilities including Antler Hill. Throughout the drive and while touring the estate our guide will share narrations about the Vanderbilt Family, the estate, George Washington Vanderbilt, his wife Edith Stuyvesant Dresser Vanderbilt and their grandson, William Amherst Vanderbilt Cecil, current owner of Biltmore Estate.

11:30-Noon: Depart Biltmore by driving through Biltmore Village and following a route through the River Arts District and through the center of town with a drop-off at Grove Arcade. There you will have shopping ops, lunch (on your own) and an opportunity to view some of the ginger bread houses from the Grove Park Inn competition.

2:30 P.M.: Depart Grove Arcade to continue driving tour of downtown Asheville and onto the Blue Ridge Parkway for scenic photo ops and a brief shopping op at the Folk Art Center on the Parkway. (Carla bought a beautiful handmade broom there).

4:30 P.M.:  Return to Brookstone Lodge for a brief rest. 

5:40 P.M.:  Depart Brookstone for Crest Mountain for their 6 PM Buffet and Holiday show (included).  (I cannot reserve this until we know how many people will be on this trip and pay accordingly. Try to send your deposit ASAP. If we are too late to make this option, however, there is another option, without a show, that you will enjoy.)

View the lights of Asheville from the top of the mountain as we return to Brookstone Lodge for the evening.

 

Wednesday, December 16:

Breakfast at Brookstone Lodge (included). Place your luggage on the coach prior to being seated for breakfast.

8:30 A.M.:  Depart hotel for more “Holiday Treasures in Asheville.”

9:00 A.M.:  Arrive at the Basilica of St. Lawrence, sister church to the Shrine of St. Mary in Wilmington.  Narration given by a docent and photos allowed.

9:45 A.M.:  Arrive at Thomas Wolfe Memorial for a 20 minute film of his life and work, the museum, and a tour of his home.

11:00 A.M.:  Depart Thomas Wolfe memorial with a stop at Western North Carolina Farmer’s Market where you can buy food items, gifts, handcrafted items and more.  (I bought a great picnic basket made of white pine there.)

12:00 Noon:  Buffet luncheon at Grove Park Inn (included). Following lunch, you will have a walking tour of the Inn to include the history of the Inn, their Christmas traditions, the National Gingerbread House Display and the Christmas Trees. Some time is allowed to explore the grounds, the shops and the antique auto display.

02:30 P.M.: Depart the Grove Park Inn, saying good-bye to our guide and taking the road to Wilmington that is about 5.5 hours away (straight driving). We will, of course, stop approximately every two hours for stretch breaks to include fast food (on your own) for an evening meal. I am guessing that we will return to Wilmington about 10:00 P.M.

Note:  Somewhere in all the above, our guide will narrate, “Christmas Traditions and Legends of the Mountains.”

 

 

Trip Cost: $850 per person (double occupancy); $975 (single occupancy). 

Includes: Motorcoach transportation, lodging, 2 breakfasts, 1 lunch. 2 dinners, admissions per itinerary, a local and experienced guide (highly recommended) on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Deposit: $350 due now, please send it ASAP so I can secure the reservations that require advance purchase.

Final Payment Due:  October 10, 2015

Make checks payable to:   Natural & Family Resources, Inc.

Mail to:  6451 Quail Run Road, Wilmington, NC 28409

 

 

*A departure/return site is planned for the BACK parking lot at Winter Park Baptist Church.  The church is located at 4700 Wrightsville Avenue and has a tall, white steeple.  The BACK of the church is on Park Avenue where there is no street number.  You will see vehicles marked “Winter Park Baptist Church” parked on the lot and most likely our motorcoach will be in place when you arrive. You may leave your car there AT YOUR RISK. Thus, please park in the small circle next to Pine Grove Drive and under the parking lot lights (for safety).

 

*****

 

Frances Parnell Travel Adventures makes every effort not to cancel a travel event. Thus, early deposits are requested. A deposit is required for a secure reservation. If at deposit time there is an indication that participation is too low, the cancellation can be made and deposits refunded. Thus, clients are informed well ahead of the travel event so they will not go on thinking the trip will  happen. If, however, deposits are sufficient by the due date and there is still availability, others will be allowed to join the group. Interested people are always invited to take the available seats!!! (Example: I can still take 4 reservations for the Adirondacks tour.)