Travel Buddies 2010

Travel Buddies

Friday, June 4: Join us for an outstanding mystery trip, a favorite destination of many travelers. Enjoy fantastic dining (on your own for about $15-20), beautiful gardens, unique gift shops, and winding streams. Depart 7:30 and arrive home by dinner. Cost $7.00. Reservations by May 21.

Saturday, July17: Southern Appalachian Railway, Oak Ridge. Take a one hour, 14 mile train trip that winds along Poplar Creek in the hills of East Tennessee. Have lunch on your own at Gondolier. Visit the Oak Ridge Museum of Science and Energy with video, exhibits, and gift shop. Cost $24.
Reservations by July 9. Departure 8:00.

Tuesday, August 10: Nissan plant tour in Smyrna. View a video and ride the tram on a guided tour of the plant. This massive facility covers 884 acres, and more than one-half million vehicles roll off the line annually. Wear long pants, shirts with sleeves, and closed-toe shoes. Have lunch on your own at Hickory Falls Restaurant. Tour the Sam Davis House and grounds, a well preserved Civil War site. See the museum and video. Cost $10.
Reservations by August 2. Departure 7:45.

Monday, September 20: Kentucky Down Under. Explore a piece of Australia with kangaroos, lorikeets, boomerangs, and didgeridoos. Options: herding demonstration, culture of Aborigines, Kentucky caverns, sheep station, and more. Lunch on own at Outback Cafe. Departure 7:30. Cost: $14 if 15 or more;
$25 if fewer than 15. Reservations by August 23.

October: Jonesborough: Delight in this quaint, historic town attractively decorated for fall and host of the National Storytelling Festival. Lunch, shopping, and storytelling.

November: Visit the Adventure Science Museum with Planetarium, a popular museum with interactive exhibits. See Fort Negley, dating from Civil War days, and share the story of Nashville in the 1860s. See a film, photos, and more at the new Visitor Center.

December: Christmas at Belle Meade Plantation. Enjoy a delicious lunch and 45-minute guided tour of this 1853 Greek Revival Mansion. Take a self-guided tour of eight historic buildings, including a massive 1800s carriage house and stable.