Mountains, Music & Moonshine - Kentucky & West VA

DAY 1

Travel with Wolf's to Pikeville, Kentucky, for a tour filled with beautiful mountain scenery; music history, legends and performances; and a taste of moonshine with a side of history. Following meal and rest stops enroute, you arrive in Pikeville for check-in at the Hampton Inn (606-432-8181) for a two-night stay. The hotel features an indoor pool, fitness center and business center with complimentary Wi-Fi. Guest room amenities include a microwave, mini refrigerator, coffee maker, hairdryer and iron/ironing board. Tonight, you have dinner included with musical entertainment and a scenic view from the Pikeville Overlook Event Center. Also included is a tasting of Pauley Hollow Distillery products and an educational component about the products. Afterwards, you will return to the hotel for the night.

DAY 2

Breakfast is included at the hotel before you board the motorcoach for a day of touring. You will depart with a local guide for the morning to take you around to two of the most important Hatfield McCoy Feud Sites, the Historic Hog Trial Site and the McCoy Well Site. The mere mention of the names Hatfield and McCoy stirs up visions of a lawless and unrelenting family feud that traverses the border of Kentucky and West Virginia. From romantic entanglements to property disputes, this legendary feud evoked gun-toting vigilantes determined to defend their kinfolk and ignited bitter grudges that would span generations. Your first stop is at the Historic Hog Trial Site. The Hog Trial and stabbing of Ellison Hatfield at this historic cabin sparked several key flare-ups in the feud. In 1878, Randolph McCoy accused Floyd Hatfield of stealing his pig. The trial was held at the cabin with the judge being a Hatfield and the main witness being killed by the McCoys. Additionally, this is the spot where the secret romance of Johnse Hatfield met Roseanna McCoy. This cabin was so significant in the story of the feud that it was completely rebuilt in 2012 on its original foundation. Next, is the McCoy Well Site in Pike County, Kentucky. One of the feud tour's most important sites, the Randall McCoy home place features the well where the family drew water, as well as an outline of where the house once stood before the Hatfields attacked on New Year's Day 1888 and burned it to the ground. An interesting tie-in to this stop is that the McCoy Well also supplies Pauley Hollow Distillery with water for its "Fuel of the Feud" Moonshine. Your final stop is at the Historic Williamson Coal House. Built in 1933, the Coal House is constructed of 65 tons of Winifred Seam Coal donated for its construction. The Coal House currently serves as the office for the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce. Take the opportunity to photograph the Coal House and walk inside for valuable information about the area. Following your tour of key Hatfield McCoy sites, you say farewell to your guide and have lunch on your own in the local area. Afterwards, you depart for a tour and tasting at Dueling Barrels Brewery & Distillery. Deep in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky, Dueling Barrels Moonshine is handcrafted from a traditional copper pot still like those used during the moonlit nights along the Tug Fork stream. Learn more about the process of making their products and enjoy a tasting before you depart. Then, it's off to Breaks Interstate Park Welcome Center and Moonshine Still Tour. Experience the history of moonshining and 1700/1800's farm life with a tour of the old moonshine still and grist mill. In addition, you will have a scenic tour of Breaks Park, also known as the Grand Canyon of the South, featuring a spectacular view down into the 1600 feet deep canyon that is the largest canyon east of the Mississippi. Dinner tonight is included while at the Breaks and your evening concludes with a musical performance by the fabulous, female bluegrass group, Coal Town Dixie. You return to the hotel afterwards.

DAY 3

Wake to breakfast included at the hotel before you check out and depart for a visit at the childhood home of Loretta Lynn and Crystal Gale, Butcher Holler. You arrive at Webb's General Store and are broken into smaller groups to be taken to see Butcher Holler. The home is nestled between two fog shrouded mountains up a "Holler". Webbs General Store is over 100 years old and is still owned by a relative of Loretta Lynn. The Webb store was portrayed in the movies "Coal Miners' Daughter", "Let It Be War" and "Fifth Hollar". Next, you depart for Van Lear where you have a Coal Miner's lunch included at the Coal Miners' Museum. Admission is also included to tour the museum that was originally built in 1913. The museum houses coal mining tools, displays showing the community during the coal boom years, Lucky's 1950's soda fountain and replicas of the old post office and doctor's office. The Coal Miners' Museum was portrayed in the movie "Coal Miner's Daughter". Your next stop is at the US 23 Country Music Highway Museum for a tour. The museum features 14 exhibits displaying memorabilia from the many US 23 country music stars who call Eastern Kentucky their home including Loretta Lynn & Crystal Gale, Chris Stapleton, The Judds, Billy Ray Cyrus and Patty Loveless to name a few. After your visit, you will travel to check in at your hotel for the night, Ramada by Wyndham Paintsville Hotel (606-887-4885). The hotel features an indoor/outdoor pool, fitness center and business center with complimentary WiFi. Guest rooms amenities include coffee/tea maker and supplies, flat screen tv and hairdryer. After a brief time to freshen up, you are whisked away to visit to the Mayo Memorial United Methodist Church. Construction of the church began in 1908 and is made of native local sandstone, 12,000 glazed green tiles and is well known for its large stained-glass windows designed by Italian craftsman and imported from Italy. Dinner is included tonight at a local venue. A busy day of touring ends back at the US 23 Country Music Highway Museum with some good old-fashioned Porch Pickin'. Relax and enjoy as local artists take the stage every 20 minutes showcasing their southern bluegrass, gospel and country music talents. No drums, no horns, just good ole foot stompin' music! You will then return to the hotel.

DAY 4

Breakfast is included at the hotel before you check-out and hit the road for one last stop at the Highlands Museum before heading home. At the Highlands Museum history and heritage along with energy and excitement come together to provide visitors with activities and information that puts the past in perspective and moves the present into the future. Step into a 19th-century classroom and become a student, enter a medical world when late night house calls were made on horseback and paid with chickens, and more is highlighted in permanent and rotating exhibits and displays. After time for self-exploration, you will depart for home with meal and rest stops along the way.

*

ALL WOLF'S TOURS - TIMES AND ITINERARY SUBJECT TO CHANGE**

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner