Charleston and Savannah — grand dames of the antebellum South. Learn about Southern culture at plantations, Civil War forts, Lowcountry landmarks and landscaped gardens. Hear tales of centuries past and experience elegant architecture and culinary delights in these waterfront cities where cobblestone streets and historic homes spill over with history and charm.

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

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DAY 1

We fly to Charleston, where. Three nights’ lodging in Charleston.

 

DAY 2              B, D

A local guide joins us on a driving tour of the city. After, we visit Magnolia Plantation. 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.

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DAY 3              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 4              B

Our next stop is pure whimsy – we tour a kazoo factory!  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! After, we enjoy a trolley ride of the historic old town in Beaufort, before traveling to Savannah. Three nights’ lodging in Savannah.

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DAY 5              B, L

Our morning finds us on Tybee Island at the Fort Pulaski National Monument. The Union Army used rifled cannon and compelled the Confederate garrison inside Fort Pulaski to surrender. Our next stop is Tybee Island Light, a lighthouse next to the Savannah River. Tonight, we’ll sail down the Savannah River while we savor dinner onboard our paddleboat.

 

DAY 6              B, D

This morning we’ll visit the Owens-Thomas House and Slave Quarters. The tour includes an exploration of the lives and complicated relationships of the most and least powerful people in 19th-century Savannah. Having seen Savannah from the river, we now explore it by a land-based mode of transportation…a trolley! Our jaunt this morning takes us through the Old Town area, where we have multiple options for our adventuresome side. We then 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. Tonight we enjoy a group Dinner at a local restaurant.

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DAY 7              B

On our final morning in Savannah, We head back to Albuquerque on our flight from the Savannah airport.

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Itinerary subject to change