Spanish moss dangling from live oak trees, antebellum mansions, southern belles in pastel hoop skirts, and southern hospitality linger on in the Old South. The beauty of nature in springtime, with azaleas at their peak, adds a special dimension.

 

Included meals are denoted: Breakfast: B, Lunch: L, Dinner: D

​

DAY 1

We fly to Charleston, where a local guide joins us on a driving tour of the city. Three nights’ lodging in Charleston.

 

DAY 2              B

The Fort Sumter National Monument sits prominently at the mouth of the Charleston Harbor, a strategic location that was crucial to its defense. Our morning begins with a cruise to Fort Sumter from Liberty Square in downtown Charleston. The Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge provides the backdrop for all Fort Sumter cruises, with Charleston’s stately Rainbow Row and Battery homes clearly seen from onboard. Approaching Fort Sumter National Monument, graceful sailboats and the possibility of dolphin sightings add to the photogenic scene. At Middleton Place, America’s oldest landscaped gardens, we explore over 65 acres of formal and colorful gardens. 

 

DAY 3              B

Founded in 1676 by the Drayton family, Magnolia Plantation has survived the centuries and witnessed the history of our nation unfold before it, from the American Revolution through the Civil War and beyond. It is the oldest public tourist site in the Lowcountry, and the oldest public gardens in America, opening its doors to visitors in 1870 to view the thousands of beautiful flowers and plants in its famous gardens. We tour the former plantation this morning, then have the rest of the day to explore Charleston at our leisure.

 

DAY 4              B,D

​

This morning, our first stop is pure whimsey – we tour a kazoo factory in Beaufort, SC! Kazoobie Kazoos, LLC, has been manufacturing plastic kazoos in the USA since 1999. They ship nearly one million kazoos a year to all points on the globe. The Kazoo Museum contains historical kazoos from the collections of Boaz Frankel, Barbara Stewart, and Rick Hubbard. We'll learn all about how the kazoo was invented and we’ll get to make our own to take home!

​

Our next stop is a visit to Parris Island. Parris Island is the site of Marine recruit training, but it is also home to the Parris Island Museum. Today, we can explore the long and rich legacy of the United States Marine Corps as well as the exciting history of the Port Royal region. Thousands of artifacts, images, and other materials illustrate the varied stories within the exhibit galleries, from Native American to modern Marines. The 10,000-square-foot facility houses exhibits that focus on the long and honored history and traditions of the Marine Corps. On display are artifacts covering Port Royal's important military role, from the American Revolution to the Civil War, along with development of the island into a Marine Corps installation after the Spanish-American War through the present.

 

We lodge for three nights in Savannah, and tonight we eat dinner at Lady and Sons! This is Paula Dean's flagship restaurant. It features a unique family-style dining experience. In true Southern tradition, they serve a family-style spread of hearty down-home dishes along with Paula’s famous sides to be selected and shared by the table.

​

DAY 5              B, D

This morning, we explore the historic downtown district on a. Savannah is famous for its squares and unique architecture, including a downtown that has had a wonderful revision through a dedicated arts college nearby. Massive oak trees will provide shade in beautiful weather as we explore the city. Following the trolley tour, we head to the water! A wonderful riverboat cruise will take us down the Savannah River, home to one of the largest ports in the United States. The boat will float leisurely down the river as we learn about Savannah, while on the river that separates South Carolina and Georgia. During the cruise, we will eat a delicious meal as we continue to meander down the river. A wonderful Savannah experience.

 

DAY 6              B

This morning, we’ll visit the Owens-Thomas House and Slave Quarters. We’ll be guided through one of the finest examples of Regency architecture in America, as well as the original slave quarters designed to house the enslaved men, women, and children who maintained it. The tour includes an exploration of the lives and complicated relationships of the most and least powerful people in 19th-century Savannah.

​

Our afternoon finds us at Tybee Island Light, a lighthouse next to the Savannah River. It is one of only seven surviving colonial era lighthouse towers. Next we visit Tybee Island at the Fort Pulaski National Monument. For much of the 19th century, masonry fortifications were the United States’ main defense against overseas enemies. However, during the Civil War, new technology proved its superiority to these forts. The Union Army used rifled cannon and compelled the Confederate garrison inside Fort Pulaski to surrender. The siege was a landmark experiment in the history of military science and invention.

​

 

DAY 7              B

On our final morning in Savannah, we head to the American Prohibition Museum. Exhibits, historical memorabilia, and artifacts bring this dry chapter in America from 1907-1933 to life. We’ll learn about this fascinating period of American history, and its interesting ties to NASCAR. We head back to Albuquerque on our flight from the Savannah airport.

​

Itinerary subject to change