| 
7
DAYS • 9 MEALS
Southern
charm and hospitality, sandy beaches, moss-draped oaks, antebellum
mansions on riverside plantations and playgrounds of the rich
and famous will surround us.
Charleston,
Where History Lives
The cobblestone streets of Charleston, South Carolina, invite
a stroll past Colonial and antebellum mansions with their fragrant
gardens of magnolias and hibiscus. We spend two nights in Charleston,
the town where its founders lived and turned Southern hospitality
into an art. Many frequented the 1771 Royal Exchange and Custom
House where they socialized, worked to free us from the British
and helped build our great nation. History fast forwards as
we visit the famous Battery at the Harbor which overlooks Fort
Sumter. Here, the first shot of the Civil War was fired, ending
a way of life we will experience at our next stop.
Step
back 325 years at Magnolia Plantation, considered by many experts
to be the most beautiful garden in the world. Walk farther back
in time by visiting its Indian burial mound, restored pre-Revolutionary
War barge and street of pre-Civil War cabins. On the nature
train, we will explore the life and history of the plantation,
which now includes a petting zoo and themed gardens such as
biblical, tropical, and topiary. The day ends with a dinner
cruise on Charleston Harbor where Southern cooking and historic
landmarks end a memorable day in the Old South.
The
Beauty of Beaufort
Known for its Southern hospitality and casual seaside charm,
Beaufort reigns as the “Queen of the Carolina Sea Islands.”
With its scenic waterfront charm, quaint shops and historic
homes, Beaufort beckons, encouraging you to drift back in time
and experience Southern hospitality at its finest.
The
Vanderbilts and You
One of Georgia’s “Golden Isles,” Jekyll Island
is covered with oak trees, Spanish moss and palmetto. Families
such as the Rockefellers and Vanderbilts once prized the island
for its splendid isolation. Our lush home for the next two nights
is the Jekyll Island Club Hotel, a romantic Victorian Hotel.
Called a cottage by turn-of-the-century tycoons who wintered
here, it was considered the richest, most exclusive and most
inaccessible club in the world. The hotel’s tradition
of culinary excitement is as celebrated today as it was decades
ago.
A narrated tram tour of Jekyll Island’s 240-acre historic
district passes 33 original buildings, and we also explore a
restored cottage. Much of the Vanderbilt society world has been
preserved and faithfully restored. You can see one of only four
signed Louis C. Tiffany stained glass windows in the country.
The
Belle of the South
During our two nights in Savannah, we’ll discover why
General Sherman found this city too beautiful to burn during
the Civil War. Many stately mansions have been restored, and
some buildings date back to the 1700s. The elegant architecture,
ornate ironworks, fountains and lush green squares are rivaled
only by the city’s hospitality. We pass the 1820 mansion,
birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low, founder of the Girl Scouts,
and squares and streets where movies such as Forrest Gump and
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil were filmed. You’ll
have ample time to visit other attractions such as the Cathedral
of St. John the Baptist (1876), one of the largest Roman Catholic
churches in the South, the First African Baptist Church whose
congregation dates back to 1788 and Temple Mickeve Israel, the
third oldest synagogue in America.
There
is a full day of exploring more of Savannah, including River
Street with its unique shops and restaurants. Or you can join
our optional tour to Hilton Head Island, a relaxing golfers’
paradise that juts into the Atlantic with secluded beaches and
gently rolling waves. During our farewell dinner, we enjoy some
great down-home Southern cuisine.
Hotel
Accommodations
Days One and Two – Embassy Suites Historic District, Charleston,
South Carolina
Days Three and Four – Jekyll Island Club Hotel, Jekyll
Island, Georgia
Days Five and Six – Hilton DeSoto Historic District, Savannah,
Georgia |
