27031 Texas Sized Christmas

Day 1

Day 1 | Thursday, December 2, 2027
Christmas Cheer Begins Here!
Our holiday getaway begins as we depart Burlington and point our motorcoach south toward Joplin, Missouri. Settle in, get acquainted with your fellow travelers and enjoy the scenery as the Christmas adventure officially gets underway. We’ll make convenient comfort stops along the route along with an independent lunch stop.
Upon arriving in Joplin, we’ll check into the Drury Inn & Suites for a relaxing overnight stay before gathering for our first included dinner at a local restaurant. And because it’s Christmas, we may even have a special visitor stop by to welcome our group. Keep an eye out for a familiar fellow in red or perhaps Mrs. Claus herself!
If driver hours permit, we’ll make the short trip to nearby Carthage, Missouri, for an evening at Sparkle in the Park. Stroll through a glowing winter wonderland filled with thousands of colorful lights and festive displays. It’s a merry little preview of the Christmas magic still to come!
Then it’s back to our hotel for a good night’s rest before we cross into Oklahoma and Texas tomorrow.

Day 2

Day 2 | Friday, December 3, 2027
Oklahoma Hospitality & Our First Taste of Texas
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before we continue south to Tishomingo, Oklahoma, the historic heart of the Chickasaw Nation.
Here, we’ll enjoy a special holiday-themed lunch at the Chickasaw Council House & Museum. Surrounded by the history and traditions of the Chickasaw people, we’ll have an opportunity to learn more about the rich cultural heritage that helped shape this region before continuing toward the Lone Star State.
By afternoon, those Texas horizons will be calling as we arrive in Grapevine, known far and wide as the Christmas Capital of Texas®.
We’ll meet our local Grapevine guide at the Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau, where the holiday fun begins with a visit to the festive Hometown Christmas exhibit and holiday train display. Then hop aboard our coach as our guide introduces us to Historic Downtown Grapevine and some of the sights that make this city so special during the Christmas season.
Next, we’ll head to Grapevine Main Station and Harvest Hall and take our holiday sightseeing to a whole new level with a visit to the Observation Tower. From high above Grapevine, take in sweeping views of the city and surrounding North Texas landscape.

We’ll check into our Grapevine-area hotel, our home for the next three nights, before heading out for an evening with a distinctly Texas twist.
Tonight, we’re off to the Texas Star Dinner Theater, where dinner comes with a side of laughter and live entertainment. Sit back, relax and enjoy a hearty meal followed by an entertaining show in true Texas fashion.

Day 3

Day 3 | Saturday, December 4, 2027
Fixer Upper Fun & Waco
Wonderland
After breakfast, we’re hitting the road for Waco, Texas, and today is packed with farmhouse charm, local treasures and plenty of Christmas sparkle.
Fans of Chip and Joanna Gaines will especially love our guided Fixer Upper Adventure, but you certainly don’t have to know shiplap from sheetrock to enjoy this fun look at one of Texas’ most talked-about cities!
Our adventure includes delicious baked goodies from the local bakery Joanna Gaines frequented before opening Magnolia’s own bakery. With a local guide leading the way, we’ll explore the stories and locations connected to Fixer Upper and Waco’s remarkable transformation.
Along the way, our sightseeing may include favorites such as Common Grounds, Harp Design Co., JDH Iron Designs, the historic Earle-Harrison House, and several recognizable homes featured on Fixer Upper. While the homes themselves are private residences and viewed from the coach only, it’s great fun spotting familiar transformations and hearing the stories behind them.
Then Waco trades farmhouse chic for full-blown Christmas cheer!
This evening, experience the Waco Wonderland Festival, a community celebration brimming with holiday fun. Browse the Mistletoe Market, enjoy live entertainment, tempting food trucks and festive activities, or purchase a ride wristband and climb aboard the Ferris wheel or holiday train.
Even Santa’s reindeer are scheduled to make an appearance! As darkness falls, we’ll gather for one of the highlights of the evening: the Christmas tree lighting followed by a fireworks show illuminating the Texas sky.
It’s Christmas magic, Waco-style!

Day 4

Day 4 | Sunday, December 5, 2027
An Old-Fashioned Texas Christmas
Today we discover how Texans celebrated Christmas long before synchronized lights and inflatable Santas took over the front yard!
Our morning begins at Historic Nash Farm, one of Grapevine’s treasured historic sites and the oldest







operating farmstead in Tarrant County. Step into the world of early Texas settlers as costumed interpretation, the historic farmhouse and traditional surroundings paint a picture of Christmas on the prairie.
Our holiday program typically includes a tour of the farmhouse and farmstead along with a simple, old-fashioned reception featuring treats such as cookies and tea. It’s cozy, nostalgic and wonderfully removed from the bustle of modern Christmas.
Then we’ll return to Historic Downtown Grapevine, where the afternoon is yours to explore.
Armed with your Grapevine Christmas Passport, stroll beneath sparkling decorations and enjoy the Victorian-inspired Christmas atmosphere along Historic Main Street. Optional hands-on activities may include creating a wooden ornament, stamping a brass gift tag or crafting a special Christmas keepsake.
And shoppers, this is your moment!
Grapevine’s downtown district is packed with local boutiques, galleries, artisan shops, cafés, chocolate shops, winery tasting rooms and unique places such as Vetro Glassblowing Studio. Whether you’re hunting for Christmas gifts or something for yourself, there are plenty of treasures tucked behind these festive storefronts.
Later this afternoon, prepare for one of the biggest displays of Christmas grandeur on the entire trip as we arrive at the spectacular Gaylord Texan Resort.
The resort transforms each holiday season into Lone Star Christmas, an enormous wonderland filled with elaborate decorations, towering Christmas trees, sparkling lights and larger-than-life displays.
Then grab your coat because Texas is about to get downright frosty!
We’ll experience the Gaylord Texan’s famous ICE!, an incredible walk-through attraction featuring enormous sculptures hand-carved from colorful blocks of ice. Each year brings a different theme, and the 2027 theme will be announced at a later date. Whatever the theme may be, expect jaw-dropping artistry and plenty of photo-worthy moments inside this frozen Christmas world.
Tonight, we return to Historic Downtown Grapevine for an independent dinner and one more chance to enjoy Main Street after dark. Millions of lights sparkle overhead and around the downtown district while animated and synchronized displays dance along to Christmas music.
Find a cozy spot for dinner, take a leisurely stroll and soak up every last drop of Grapevine Christmas magic.

Day 5

Day 5 | Monday, December 6, 2027
From Texas History to
Pioneer Woman Country
After breakfast, we’ll enjoy one more glimpse into Grapevine’s past with a visit to the Settlement to City Museums.
This collection of historic structures and exhibits traces Grapevine’s evolution from a small frontier settlement into the vibrant community we see today. Wander through preserved buildings, discover stories of early residents and experience another piece of Texas history. Our visit is also expected to include a special group activity, with additional details to be announced.
Then it’s time to say goodbye to Texas as we begin our journey north, but don’t worry. There’s one mighty fun stop waiting for us in Oklahoma!
Welcome to Pawhuska, home of Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman.
We’ll visit The Pioneer Woman Mercantile, Ree and Ladd Drummond’s wildly popular destination in the heart of downtown Pawhuska. Browse shelves filled with kitchenware, home décor, clothing, gifts and Pioneer Woman favorites. It’s a perfect opportunity to pick up a few Christmas presents, although we won’t tell if most of them somehow end up being presents for yourself.
Later, we’ll enjoy an early included dinner featuring Pioneer Woman hospitality, either at the restaurant or a nearby banquet venue. Expect hearty flavors and a warm Oklahoma welcome before climbing aboard our coach once again.
This evening we continue to Joplin, Missouri, where we’ll check into the Drury Inn & Suites for our final overnight stay.

Day 6

Day 6 | Tuesday, December 7, 2027
Christmas with the Clydesdales
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before beginning the final leg of our journey home, but this Christmas adventure still has one impressive finale waiting in the wings.
We’ll travel to Boonville, Missouri, where an included lunch will be arranged at a local restaurant or as part of our visit to Warm Springs Ranch.
Then prepare to meet some very famous four-legged celebrities!
Warm Springs Ranch is home to the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales breeding program, and during the holiday season the ranch takes on a festive glow of its own.
Enjoy holiday touches throughout the property, seasonal photo opportunities and an up-close look at these magnificent horses. Depending on the season’s arrivals, we may even catch a glimpse of some of the ranch’s newest foals.
During our visit, we’ll learn about the history of the Budweiser Clydesdales, the ranch’s breeding program and the tremendous amount of care that goes into raising these gentle giants. Their size is impressive. Their personalities may steal the show.
After our visit, we’ll settle aboard the motorcoach for the journey home to Burlington, taking with us plenty of photographs, Christmas treasures and six days of memories from one Texas-sized holiday adventure.