Day 1 - Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky

Fly from the UK non-stop/direct and arrive at Northern Kentucky/Cincinnati Airport. Collect your rental car and transfer to your hotel in Covington, Kentucky overlooking the Ohio River and the cityscape of Cincinnati.

Overnight Covington, Kentucky two nights.

Day 2 - Northern Kentucky

Stroll across the Roebling Suspension Bridge (a prototype of the Brooklyn Bridge) spanning the Ohio River and take in the Cincinnati River Front with its parks, baseball and American football stadiums, plus neighbouring entertainment and dining districts.

Cincinnati, founded in 1788, is a dynamic city with a definite European flavour rich in architecture and culture. It is also a proud sporting city, home to America's first professional baseball team, the Reds, and the Bengals American football team.

Before there was Las Vegas... there was Newport, Kentucky. Rising from the profits of bootlegging during Prohibition, Newport quickly became the premier gaming destination of the U.S. With the Newport Gangster Tour, you can visit the buildings that actually housed casinos, brothels and speakeasies while learning about Newport's connections to some of the most well-known crime figures in the nation's history.

Day 3 - Covington to Louisville approx. 100 miles

Louisville is known for its multimillion-dollar Kentucky Derby held each May at Churchill Downs. The Derby, known as the richest two minutes in sport, attracts 500,000 fans to this cosmopolitan and diversified city the first Saturday in May, but there is racing at Churchill Downs in April, May, June, October and November, and the track is open for tours year-round. The next-door Kentucky Derby Museum offers an excellent hands-on experience and a magnificent audio-visual display that captures the Derby Day atmosphere.

Downtown Louisville rolls gently down towards Main Street then abruptly lunges down to the river where the historic Belle of Louisville leaves for daily sightseeing cruises. Don’t miss the Slugger Museum and Factory, and be sure to sample the Urban Bourbon Trail along Whiskey Row and around town.

Visit The Muhammad Ali Center on the south bank of the Ohio River where Ali was born Cassius Clay in 1942. Ali went on to boxing fame and fortune, but in his heyday he was known as the "Louisville Lip". His boxing achievements are the centrepiece and fans can watch his fights in a multimedia area and follow his stand against the Vietnam War and racism.

Overnight Louisville, KY two nights.

Day 4 - Louisville

Spend the day exploring Louisville. Enjoy a 75-minute narrated city tour with Trolley de ‘Ville, exploring over 30 attractions aboard an authentic trolley. You’ll roll through downtown Louisville, along Museum Row, see the Twin Spires at Churchill Downs, and meander through Old Louisville – which features the largest collection of Victorian-style homes in America. Take in bourbon culture with visits to the Old Forester Distillery and Evan Williams Bourbon Experience located in the Bourbon District Downtown. Cap off the evening at sunset with a stroll on the Big Four Pedestrian Bridge. Originally built as a railroad bridge in 1895, the Big Four Pedestrian Bridge opened to the public in 2013 and spans the Ohio River connecting Louisville to Southern Indiana. 

Day 5 - Louisville to Lexington approx. 80 miles

Lexington is the Horse Capital of the World and home to more than 450 Thoroughbred and Standardbred farms with many open to the public. In Lexington is Keeneland Race Course, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, where racing takes place in April and October. Located near Keeneland, the Kentucky Horse Park offers an authentic equine experience. It is the only park in the world dedicated exclusively to the horse, which also hosts seasonal and annual events such as the Kentucky Three-Day Event.  

Overnight Lexington, KY two nights.

Day 6 - Lexington

Visit Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill, home to an impressive collection of Shaker architecture, furniture, artefacts and historians. With 34 Shaker structures, built from 1809 to 1875, the site is the country's largest private collection of original 19th-century buildings.

Day 7 - Lexington to Asheville approx. 285 miles

Start your NC itinerary in Asheville. Set in Western North Carolina in the foothills of the picturesque Great Smoky Mountains, the Asheville area boasts a thriving arts community, diverse outdoor adventures, a vibrant and inviting downtown, numerous historical and architectural attractions, and unique shopping options.  Asheville is situated near the Cherokee Heritage Centre, where visitors can learn about the lives of the Cherokee Indians during the time of the Cherokee Nation and their removal along the Trail of Tears to Oklahoma. 

A must on any stay in Asheville is a visit to America's largest home, Biltmore Estate. George Vanderbilt's 250-room chateau was completed in 1895 and is as impressive today as it was more than a century ago. Biltmore House is a wonder of architecture and hospitality, complete with 8,000 acres of magnificent gardens and vineyards.

Overnight Asheville, NC two nights.

Day 8 - Asheville

For your first 'horse power' fix, a visit to Wheels Through Time is a must. Located 35 miles west of Asheville in Maggie Valley, this museum is home to the world's premier collection of rare American motorcycles, memorabilia, and a distinct array of unique "one-off" American automobiles. The museum is located just off the Blue Ridge Parkway in Maggie Valley, North Carolina. It showcases over 350 rare machines comprised of 25 makes, including Harley-Davidson, Indian, Excelsior, Henderson, Pope, Yale, Crocker, Flying Merkel, and many more.

Visit Tryon Equestrian Center, located 45 miles south of Asheville in Mill Spring. The centre was home to the 2018 World Equestrian Games and is an international hub for many of the world’s top equestrian athletes. They welcome guests 365 days a year to watch, dine, shop and experience one of the premier riding facilities in the world, built for the love of horses and the sport. During non-competition weeks, Tryon hosts other events including festivals and concerts. 

Day 9 - Asheville to Charlotte approx. 125 miles

The largest city in North Carolina, Charlotte is a modern metropolis with big-city style and home-town appeal. Charlotte delivers unique cultural attractions along with great dining and nightlife with a Southern ambience all its own. Be sure to experience the Levine Museum of the New South, The Mint Museum of Art and, for your next horse-power fix, the NASCAR Hall of Fame is a must.

Conveniently located in Uptown Charlotte, the NASCAR Hall of Fame is an interactive entertainment attraction honouring the history and heritage of NASCAR. The high-tech venue, designed to educate and entertain race fans and non-fans alike, opened in 2010, and includes artefacts, exhibits, the Hall of Honor and NASCAR Hall of Fame Gear Shop.

If you need a more fuel-filled adrenalin rush, then visit the Charlotte Motor Speedway for the experience of a lifetime and a ride around the track, or take to the dragstrip for a truly unique experience. Learn the illustrious history of each track while taking in the sights and sounds of America’s Home for Racing!

Overnight Charlotte, NC one night.    

Day 9 - Charlotte to Wilmington approx. 235 miles

From Wilmington’s vibrant riverfront and scenic Riverwalk that winds around the Cape Fear River to three colourful island beaches, there’s something about the water here that enthrals visitors. One destination with four unique settings creates a bounty of vibrant holiday experiences. 

Explore the refurbished WWII Battleship North Carolina starting with the Observation Deck. The self-guided tour features nine levels of living spaces, mess decks, gun turrets and more. Serving as a memorial for the 11,000 North Carolinians who died during the war, the Battleship is open every day. The SECU Memorial Walkway around the Battleship is now open during Battleship Hours and is accessible and free to the public.

Overnight Wilmington two nights.

Day 10 - Wilmington  

Wilmington is a mecca for film and TV production with hundreds of blockbuster and indie films, plus a couple of cult teen dramas, filming here since the early 1980s. Set your own pace with a self-guided tour, enjoy a meal like the stars did and see how many local sites you can spot. Tours are available to see where memorable scenes were shot for TV shows like Dawson's Creek and One Tree Hill, or movies such as Iron Man 3, We Are the Millers, as well as films based on novels by NC own’s Nicholas Sparks like Safe Haven and The Choice.

Wind down your day with a visit to one of 3 beaches surrounding Wilmington. Wrightsville Beach, Carolina and Kure Beach have great restaurants serving freshly caught seafood, with spectacular sunset views.

Day 11 - Wilmington to Raleigh approx. 130 miles

For 500 years, the most enduring residents of the Outer Banks and Crystal Coast, the wild Colonial Spanish Mustangs have called this sliver of land between sound and sea home. The horses are descended from a herd brought by explorers as early as the 1520s and are recognised as the state horse of North Carolina. 

Today, you’ll find the largest herds of wild horses at the extreme ends of the Outer Banks. Corolla, to the north, and Shackleford Banks, the southernmost of the barrier-island chain, have herds of around 120 stallions, mares and foals that call their beaches and dunes home. Adventurous visitors can get a close-up view of the horses by taking one of many guided tours offered at both Corolla and Shackleford Banks. 

Day 12 - Raleigh 

Today, drive to Raleigh-Durham International Airport and check in for your flights home.