Guided tour – including flight

Appalachian Curves Tour

Blue Ridge Parkway & Bourbon Trail
Guided tour – 13 days
Bonus! Visit to the Gettysburg Bike Week

Join us for a classic motorcycle tour along the Appalachian Mountains and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Highlights include the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Smoky Mountains, Skyline Drive, the Shenandoah Valley, West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, the Bourbon Trail, and countless twists and turns.

Day 1 – Flight to Washington DC
Flight with a reputable scheduled airline from your chosen departure airport to Washington, DC (connecting flights possible). Upon arrival, your guide will be waiting for you at the airport and transferred to a centrally located mid-range hotel. Depending on your arrival time, the first meeting and tour briefing will take place that evening; otherwise, the following morning. Overnight stay near Washington, DC Airport.

Day 2 – Free time in Washington DC
This morning you have the day at your disposal for an optional city tour of the American capital. The White House, Lincoln Memorial, and Arlington are some of the highlights along the Potomac River. In the late afternoon, you will pick up your motorcycles and return to your nearby hotel. Overnight stay near Washington DC Airport.
OUR TOUR TIP: Washington DC City Tour

Day 3 - York – Harley-Davidson® factory – Gettysburg – Potomac River 310 km
In the morning, you'll load up your support vehicle and then set off on your motorcycle tour. The tour will first take you to the state of Pennsylvania and the town of York. There, you'll have the opportunity to tour the Harley-Davidson® Vehicle Operations factory, where you'll experience firsthand how the popular Softail, Touring, and CVO models are assembled. After a lunch break, you'll travel to nearby Gettysburg, where you'll visit Battlefield Park, which commemorates the most famous Civil War battle of 1863 and President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. After a short drive, you'll reach Harpers Ferry in the evening, located directly on the historic Potomac River. You'll spend the night in the Harpers Ferry area.

Day 4 – Virginia – Seneca Rocks – West Virginia – Ohio 510 km
In the morning, you'll leave the small town of Harpers Ferry and travel through the winding Fort Valley to Seneca Rock State Park. These natural rock monuments are practically the only mountain peaks in the Eastern USA and are located in the heart of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. From here, the route takes you along lonely highways through Virginia, West Virginia, and Ohio to the Gallipolis area, where you'll spend the night.

Day 5 – Ohio – endless rolling hills – Kentucky Bourbon Trail 310 km
Today's stage takes you through the interesting hilly landscapes and coal mining areas of the state of Ohio. Today's country roads are very diverse, which guarantees you plenty of driving pleasure. You cross the Ohio River just south of Cincinnati and reach Kentucky, known for its horse breeding. Today, you'll start the Bourbon Trail in Frankfort. After checking into your hotel, you'll visit the world-famous Buffalo Trace Distillery in the afternoon. Their brands, Buffalo Trace, Sazerac, Eagle Rare, Blanton's, and the legendary Pappy Van Winkel, which can sell for $4,000 a bottle, are well known among bourbon connoisseurs. You'll spend the night in the Frankfort area.

6. Tag – Bourbon Trail – Four Roses – Jim Beam – Heaven Hill 150 km
The time has finally come, and after Buffalo Trace, the first main attraction of this tour, was already on the agenda yesterday, you will spend the next two days exploring the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. There are around 20 distilleries in Kentucky, producing over 200 different bourbon whiskeys and serving 95% of the global market. Your first stop is the Four Roses distillery in Lawrenceburg. From here, you will continue along small country roads to Claremont, to the Jim Beam American Stillhouse. This world-famous bourbon producer is the largest in the USA and a tour offers you another very interesting insight into this old tradition. After a lunch break there, you will reach your overnight stop in Bardstown, the small town that is the bourbon capital of the USA. There you will visit the Heaven Hill distillery in the afternoon. This evening you have the opportunity to enjoy a serious bourbon whiskey tasting at Talbott's Tavern for dinner.

Day 7 – Bourbon Trail – Maker's Mark – Tennessee – Smoky Mountains 395 km
You'll start this morning with Maker's Mark, the last bourbon distillery on this tour. This tour is also different from the previous ones, as each producer follows its own path. Afterwards, the journey continues through the rolling hills of Kentucky. You'll take a later lunch break at the Daniel Boone National Forest, which lies near the Tennessee border. You'll cross the north of the Volunteer State and reach Knoxville in the late afternoon, where you'll make a quick stop at the local Harley® dealer. The rest of the short leg takes you into the Smoky Mountains, to Townsend. This town is located in the foothills and will serve as your base for the next three nights. In the evening, we'll invite you to one of our legendary BBQs in the Smokies.

Day 8 – Foothills Parkway – Deals Gap – The Tail of the Dragon – Cherohala Skyway 325 km
Today's tour takes you along arguably the best motorcycle routes in Tennessee and North Carolina. The itinerary includes the new Foothills Parkway, the famous Dragon Tail Highway 129, and the Cherohala Skyway. The first stop is on the new Foothills Parkway with its view of the Smoky Mountains. From there, the route continues to the "Tail of the Dragon." There are 318 challenging curves along the 17-kilometer stretch. Be careful, though, as the dragon has bitten many times, and the Tree of Shame at Deals Gap Resort is a testament to the overconfident bikers. There, you have the opportunity to purchase a T-shirt proving that you, too, have ridden the Tail of the Dragon. From there, the route continues along back roads to the Cherohala Skyway, which winds its way up to the crest of this section of the Appalachian Mountains. At the foot of the Skyway, you'll stop by the Harley® shop. This day tour concludes with a drive along small back roads and a stop at Smoky Mountains Harley-Davidson® in Maryville. Overnight in Townsend.

 9. Tag – Bobarossa Saloon – the Rattler – Wheels Through Time Motorrad Museum 300 km
In the morning, you'll leave Townsend and drive toward Smoky Mountain National Park. Passing Gatlinburg, you'll follow the French Broad River and stop at a famous biker hangout, the Bobarossa Saloon. From here, you'll head to the winding Highway 209, also known as the Rattler (the rattlesnake), which is also considered one of the top motorcycle routes in the USA. In the early afternoon, you'll reach Maggie Valley, where you'll find arguably the most interesting motorcycle collection in the USA. You'll visit Dale Waxsler's "Wheels Through Time" Museum. In the afternoon, you'll take a short stretch along the Blue Ridge Parkway and continue through Smoky Mountains National Park, crossing Balsam Gap and back to your starting point. Spend the night in Townsend.

10. Tag – Blue Ridge Parkway – Kleine Schweiz – Pisgah National Forest 370 km
In the morning, you'll head back through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and follow the Blue Ridge Parkway, which is closed to heavy traffic, through North Carolina. Numerous interesting viewpoints will lead you through the Appalachian Mountains to "Little Switzerland," where you'll take your lunch break. The road continues up and down through Pisgah National Forest, winding its way through the Blue Ridge Mountains of the Appalachian Mountains to the Blowing Rock area, where you'll spend the night.

Day 11 – Blue Ridge Parkway – Mabry's Mill – Virginia – Appalachian Mountains 420 km
Today is a challenging day. You'll continue your journey along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Anyone who thought yesterday that the curves were enough will be surprised. Your first longer stop is at the Mabry Mill, the most photographed scene up here. You'll have plenty of time to explore this open-air museum. Around midday, you'll reach Roanoke, one of the larger towns along the Parkway, which is already in the state of Virginia. After lunch, you'll continue your journey along the George Washington National Forest and through the Appalachian Mountains. You'll spend the night in the Lexington area.

Day 12 – Skyline Drive – Shenandoah National Park – Washington DC 340 km
In the morning, you'll leave the Blue Ridge Parkway and take the over 100-mile-long, winding Skyline Drive. This drive is located in the heart of the beautiful Shenandoah National Park and is also closed to heavy traffic. You'll reach the popular town of Front Royal for lunch. From there, it's just a short drive back to your starting point. You'll drop off your motorcycles and be transferred to your hotel. You can then end the evening with a shared dinner. You'll spend the night near Washington, DC Airport.
OUR TIP: City Trip to New York

Day 13 – Return flight to Europe or tour extension New York
The morning is still at your leisure, and it's time to say goodbye. Later in the day, you'll be transferred by shuttle to Washington Airport and board your return flight to your chosen departure airport (connecting flights are possible).

Arrival at your chosen departure point the next morning. End of the trip.

Included services:

• Scheduled flight with a renowned airline in economy class from/to Frankfurt to Washington (connecting flights possible)
• all European and American flight security fees
• Kerosene surcharges as of June 2025
• Air traffic tax for departures from Germany
• 12 nights in good tourist/mid-range hotels according to the itinerary
• some breakfast (mix of continental and buffet)
• Motorcycle rental (BIG TWIN) for the specified period including free mileage and statutory liability insurance
• TOP PROTECTION: LDW/CDW insurance (exclusion of liability for accidental damage or theft) WITHOUT excess*
• TOP PROTECTION: Exclusion of liability for tire damage
• TOP PROTECTION:2 million euros additional liability insurance
• 24 Std. Roadside Assistance
• German-speaking tour guide from/to Washington during the motorcycle tour by an experienced motorcycle guide
• Support vehicle with second guide during the motorcycle tour
• Luggage transfer during the tour: 1 piece of luggage weighing 23 kg plus a small piece of hand luggage (we ask you to refrain from using hard-shell suitcases, as these cause problems when transporting them in the accompanying vehicle)
• ‚ Digital Alarm Photograph 
• 1 exclusive tour T-shirt/polo per tour participant
• Travel guide or USA Atlas

* In case of accident/tire damage or theft, any deductible on site is waived.
   Info: Any recovery/rescue costs are not covered and must be borne by the customer in any case.

  BCT offers additional insurance here.

Services not included:

• Personal expenses, hotel parking fees, gasoline, oil, motorcycle and rain gear, entrance fees to attractions or parks, tips, travel insurance, etc.
  
• Surcharge for models with top case (Electra Glide® / Street Glide® Grand Touring 200,- Euro)