Day 1, Tuesday, December 13, 2026
We started the day with a trip to Lawrenceburg and stopped at Hardie's for breakfast, where I ordered a sausage, egg, and biscuit. Hubby ordered a pork chop biscuit with gravy. $10.94
We met another couple from Columbia, TN, who were also going on the same trip. We got a text from our guide that our bus was having problems and had to be replaced, so they were running 30 minutes late.
So we sat and talked to our new friends.
We arrived at the church where we parked overnight for our trip and waited with others for the bus Starship Atlantis.
Around 8:30, everyone boarded the bus, and we began our journey. We stopped in Waynesboro to pick up a couple.
Our first stop was the Patsy Cline and Chat Akins rest stop in Holladay, TN, around 10:30 A.M., to use the restrooms.
We arrived at the Visitor Center in Stewart County, Dover, TN, at 11:47 A.M., where we were welcomed with a buffet-style lunch that included BBQ, Turkey, green beans, creamed potatoes, and rolls, with iced tea or water. After we finished our meal, we walked through the museum, which had Civil War memorabilia from Dover. We saw quilts, photos, riverboats, and American Indian artifacts, and a full-size map of Dover from the winter of the Civil War. We saw a replica of Joe's Country Store, a replica of the Home of Thomas and Julia Cruthers, and a portrait of William Harrison Scarborough, a portraitist and miniaturist.
Around 1 P.M., we rode through the Fort Donelson Battlefield National Park. Fort Donelson National Battlefield played a crucial role during the American Civil War because of its location on the Cumberland River.
Around 1:45 P.M., we arrived at The Home Place 1850, a working farm with historic buildings, programs, and gift shops. I bought three postcards: National Recreation KY. TN, Golden Pond Visitor Center & Planetarium, and The Homeplace 1850s Living History Farm for $1 each; I also bought a bottle of Grape Prepel for $4.
Everyone walked through the gift shop, used the restrooms, and walked through the displays; then we gathered in the classroom and were divided into two groups.
Our group walked through the park, stopping to visit a couple of homes and see how people would have lived in the 1800s.
We were the American Guinea Hogs: Pinkey and Blake, who were basking in the sun.
We saw the Dominickers' chickens and their rooster, Obadiah. I said Obadiah from the Bible, and our guide said yes, but sometimes the kids think she says Obi-Wan Kenobi from Star Wars. Fun Fact.
Our last visit was to see Cinnamon, the therapy horse, and Todd the mule. Our guide ran to get a couple of apples to feed them.
Sarah, our guide, held up the two apples and called Cinnamon and Todd. They recognized her and came running for those apples, which they enjoyed.
A couple of kids were nearby; one patted the horses, but the other was afraid. Our guide said they get visitors from all over the US and other countries. We thanked her, walked back to the building, used the restrooms, and boarded our bus.
At 4:30, we rode through the Elk & Bison Prairie National Recreation Area, Caadiz, KY.
We saw several male and female Elk and several bison crossing the road.
A herd of bison lay in the grass, resting near the water, while others stood in the middle of the road, blocking cars.
Our next stop was Patti's Settlement in the 1880s. We visited the gift shop and walked around outside, where we saw several great places to take photos. One was the water wheel at the Grist Mill, an enclosed area with umbrellas and the words Pattie's, the pumpkin display, and the GB Duck Toy Emporium; we saw a kids' play area, a bright yellow Crosley, and a Rooser rocker, Lots of birdhouses, a manager display, polar bear and pig displays. We saw a chapel, a life-size chess game, an old car, and Calvin's Swine Moonshine.
Around 6 P.M., we were taken to the dining room where we were served a choice of pork chops, chicken, or Salmon with the fixings. Before the food came out, they brought us strawberry, whipped butter, and bread shaped like a flower in a ceramic flower pot.
We were served a variety of drinks, then a house salad. I chose Raspberry vinaigrette while Hubby chose Thousand Island dressing.
Hubby chose a thick, juicy 16 oz center-cut pork chop, charbroiled and seasoned with Patti's seasoning sauce, served with a large baked potato.
I chose Salmon broiled over an open flame, served over a bed of rice pilaf with a large baked potato. Hubby or I only ate the meat because after the bread and salad, we could only eat the meat.
Dessert choices were Bill's boatsinker pie, a dark double-fudge brownie topped with coffee ice cream, piled high with whipped cream, covered with chocolate syrup, and topped with a cherry.
Sawdust Pie: coconut graham cracker crumb with pecans in an egg batter, baked in a flaky pie shell. Topped with a banana slice and whipped cream. We got ours to-go.
In the gift shop, I bought minies of Horton Hears-a-Whoo elephant, the Grinch, Cindy-Hoo-Loo, and Max, the Grinch's dog. $43.63
Once everyone finished dinner, we headed to our hotel, Patti's Settlement Hotel. We were in room 202.
Day 2, Wednesday, December 14, 2026
We had breakfast at the hotel around 7 A.M. I ate scrambled eggs, sausage with gravy, and apple juice.
We loaded our luggage onto the motor coach around 8 A.M. and began our day's adventures.
Our first stop was at the Reelfoot Lake Visitor Center around 9:30 A.M.
We had 30 minutes to use the restroom, visit the R.C. Donaldson Memorial Museum, and shop (which features a variety of displays bout the nature center )
Several of us walked outside to see the rescued bald eagle and red-tailed hawks, then walked down the boardwalk to the lake, where we saw cypress trees, turtles, and great blue herons.
At 10 A.M., we all gathered in the interpretive room where Ranger Madlyn Cox and another ranger gave a demonstration with the Barred owl, the Mini Screech owl, and the American kestrel.
We ate a family-style lunch across the street at Boyette's, which included fried fish, white beans, coleslaw, hush puppies, French fries, onion rings, and a variety of pies for dessert. The food was great.
When we finished eating, we walked back across the street and boarded the bus with our guides, Coy Hussey and Shane Morrow, who filled our heads with information about the park.
We rode several miles throughout the park, where we saw one of their bald eagles in the middle of the road eating roadkill from a raccoon. We saw egrets, Great Blue Herons, and White Pelicans. We stopped for a group photo in front of a large, crocodile-like fish.
We thanked our guides and dropped them off around 2:45 P.M. at the Visitor Center.
Then we began our journey home, but first stopped at our golden nugget, Rusty's TV and Movie Museum of Cars, which took about 30 minutes.
Back on the road, we stopped at Love's and bought a bag of Cheetos, nuts, a cheese stick, and a couple of drinks.
Our next stop was to drop off a couple in Waynesboro, then head to Lawrenceburg, where most people got off. We got off here. Then the bus took the remaining passengers to Florence.
We stopped at Krystal to use the restroom and purchase three double Krystals, which we ate on the way home. $13.86
We arrived home late. Another great trip in the books.
Photos
Day 1
9336-9337 Loading on bus Lawrenceburg, TN 8:11 A.M.Day 2
9625 Breakfast @6:56 AM
9626-9629 Patti's Inn and Suites, Grand Rivers, KY 7:17–7:44 A.M.
9630-9737 Reelfoot Lake Visitor Center and Park, LAKE County, Tipptonville, TN
9739-9765 Rusty's TV & Movie Car Museum, Jackson, TN 4:15-4:2PM
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