When she’s not dazzling audiences in sold out concert halls or hosting the Country Music Awards, Dolly Parton spends much of her time traveling aboard her beloved tour bus. But as of today, fans can book a stay in the music legend’s home on the road to experience firsthand how she traversed North America en route to performances, benefits, and Dollywood.
“Now we're using the bus as a suite, renting it out to people to see how we live on the road,” Parton tells Condé Nast Traveler.
Dubbed Suite 1986 as a nod to the year Dollywood opened, the tour bus is stationed at the theme park’s DreamMore Resort and Spa in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Parton famously prefers highways to flying, and spent the past 15 years living and writing music while on board, including dozens of songs like “Backwoods Barbie” as well as the hit Broadway show 9 to 5: The Musical.
The tan and silver Prevost coach is kitted out with a jewel-tone color palette and Parton’s custom requests, including creature comforts like a bathtub, full-sized refrigerator, and a designated wig closet where she kept the signature accessories she wore for concerts and shows. The inside walls of the bus are also customized—hand painted with murals of dancing wayfarers, musicians, crystal balls, and covered wagons. The musician once called the bus her favorite home.
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The three bunk beds tucked into a wall between the front of the bus and the back bedroom are where Parton’s nieces and nephews slept when they traveled with her. While the bus model usually comes standard with six bunks, three were removed to make more room for the musician’s wardrobe closet. Past the bunk beds, a black button opens an electric door to Parton’s living quarters, with her full-sized bed, gold cabinetry, and television. From sequin-embellished swathes ceiling to tassel-trimmed pillows and window treatments, the whole bus is decked in glitzy touches befitting the larger-than-life icon.
Helmed by longtime driver Tim Dunlap, the bus traveled roughly 360,000 miles, stopping in more than 60 cities in the U.S. and Canada on Parton’s 2016 Pure & Simple Tour alone. But one of its most common routes was from her home in Nashville to Pigeon Forge, just a few miles from where she grew up.
Starting at $10,000, the Suite 1986 Tour Bus Experience includes a two-night stay, and an additional DreamMore Resort guest room to accommodate four more guests. (A portion of proceeds from each stay will go to The Dollywood Foundation.) Also included: dedicated concierge service and exclusive Suite 1986 keepsake swag—like embroidered towels, robes, and slippers—to remember the glimpse into Dolly Parton’s life on the road.