Savannah + Charleston

April 26, 2025

We'll begin our day with a 6:00am departure from Belleville making brief stops along the way in Napanee, Kingston, and Gananoque. Once we have picked up everyone in our group, we will begin our trip south!

There will be comfort stops along the way including the duty free and lunch on your own.

We will arrive at the Country Inn & Suites by Radisson in Woodbridge, VA around 6:00pm. Dinner will be on your own this evening.

April 27, 2025

This morning breakfast is included at our hotel. At 7:30am we will check out and continue making our way to Georgia! There will be comfort stops along the way including lunch on your own.

Around 5:00pm we will check into the Doubletree by Hilton located in Savannah's historic district. This hotel boasts bold colors but has kept the Southern charm and architecture that has made Savannah the belle of the South. It is situated between iconic River Street and City Market, allowing you to immerse yourself in the city and discover many nearby attractions.

We will have a little bit of down time before our included welcome dinner at the River House Seafood Restaurant. Locally owned and operated since 1982, the waterfront River House Seafood inhabits an 18th century restored cotton warehouse. Poised for fine dining on the Savannah River, their Head Chef, Miss Gladys, prepares Southern specialties to delight any palette.

Once our meal is over, the rest of the evening is yours to relax or walk the cobblestone streets of downtown Savannah.

April 28, 2025

This morning our breakfast is included at our hotel. At 9:00am our local guide will meet us we as board our coach and begin our Historic Savannah "Snapshot" Tour. Highlights of your tour include the Historic District's rich history with its restored 18th and 19th century buildings and the picturesque waterfront where cotton warehouses are now restaurants, hotels, and shops. Enjoy this two-hour tour of Savannah from the comfort of your motor coach. Included in your tour is The Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist; it is an iconic symbol of Savannah, GA, gracing the skyline with its towering steeples.

Afterwards we will tour the Andrew Low House Museum. Andrew Low commissioned New York architect John Norris to design and construct his house in 1848. Norris came to Savannah to design the Custom House on Bay Street and remained in Savannah to build many desirable residences with the latest in technology and luxury. The Italianate exterior features intricate cast iron railings and side balconies contrasting with the smooth stucco brick walls. The house remained in the family until the death of Andrew Low's daughter-in-law, Juliette Gordon Low; founder of Girl Scouts of the USA.

We will then meet our motorcoach and make our way to River Street where we will board the Savannah Riverboat for our included lunch cruise. During this narrated harbour tour we will cruise along the Savannah River listening to the Captain's intriguing tales and historic facts about the area.

At 2:30pm when the cruise ends, we will meet our guide to begin our Atlantic Ocean Low Country Tour. View outlying areas that showcase river inlets, marshes and tidal creeks as we travel to Savannah's Beach at Tybee Island - hear about the Fort Pulaski National Monument & Park. Before we head back to our hotel, we will visit the Byrd Cookie Company's new flagship store on Waters Avenue and a walk on the beach to experience the Atlantic Ocean!

We will have a little rest at our hotel before our included dinner buffet at the Pirates' House Restaurant. Since 1753, The Pirate's House has been welcoming visitors to Savannah with a bounty of delicious food and drink and rousing good times. Situated a block from the Savannah River, The Pirate's House first opened as an inn for seafarers, and fast became a rendezvous for blood-thirsty pirates and sailors from the Seven Seas.

Around 8:00pm we will say goodbye to our local Savannah guide and enjoy a good night's rest at our hotel.

April 29, 2025

Enjoy your included breakfast this morning before we head to Jekyll Island for the day!

At 10:00am we will arrive at the Jekyll Island Museum for our 60 min. trolley tour.

The Jekyll Island Club members created an exclusive Gilded Age Island retreat for family and friends on this barrier island. This guided trolley tour of our 240 -acre historic district includes entry in a historic cottage and admission in the Mosaic Gallery and Faith Chapel which you can experience at your leisure.

At 11:30am we will depart for St. Simons Pier Village for shopping & lunch on your own. Located on the south end of the Island, St. Simons' Pier Village district serves as the downtown social hub and is a popular destination for shopping, dining and gathering on the pier.

After some exploring, we will meet our guide and begin our St. Simons Island Tour.

On this tour, you will learn about the Spanish missionaries who made their effort at Christianizing the Guale Indians during the 15th and 16th centuries, only to be driven away by repeated uprisings. You will also hear stories about some of the colourful inhabitants, including John & Charles Wesley, the founders of Methodism. When we pass by Fort Frederica, learn about the colonial era and the arrival of General Oglethorpe where the establishment of Fort Frederica brought friendship with the natives.

After learning about the island, we will enjoy our included dinner this evening at Iguana's Seafood Restaurant in St. Simons Island Village. Located in the heart of the historic village, Iguana's serves up some of the best seafood on St. Simons Island! They use the freshest ingredients to make your favourite meals.

After our delicious dinner, we will make our way back to our Savannah hotel for the rest of the evening.

April 30, 2025

After enjoying your included breakfast this morning, we will check out of the hotel and head to Charleston for our next adventure!

We will begin our adventures today around 10:30am with a tour of the Charleston Tea Garden. Over 100 years ago, tea planters brought their finest tea bushes from China, India, and Ceylon to the South Carolina Lowcountry. Now the descendants of those very plants are growing strong at the nation's only tea plantation, nestled on a serene sea island near the historic city of Charleston. Highlights of this excursions will be an informative and educational tour of the factory as well as a visit to the gift shop. The shop is stocked with interesting and exciting items including the American Classic Tea which is produced here and has a wonderful flavor. Our lunch is included in the tea garden this afternoon.

Afterwards, we will board our coach and make our way to downtown Charleston; along the way, we will stop to view the Angel Oak Park for a photo op!

Once we arrive downtown, we will begin our tour of one of the most beautiful and historic cities in the south. Stately homes with their lovely gardens, and magnificent public buildings and her majestic churches will enchant you. During your tour you will see the College of Charleston, Harleston Village (one of the early suburbs of the city), the Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina, and of course the famous Battery with its elegant town houses built by planters and merchants in the 18th and 19th centuries. You will see the city's famous landmarks on this tour including the Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon (one of the three most important buildings in the country from the Revolutionary period) St. Michael's Episcopal Church whose bells have crossed the Atlantic seven times, the Old City Market (a public market for over 2 hundred years) and more!

After a full day of sightseeing, we will check into the Springhill Suites Charleston Riverview; their beautifully renovated lobby overlooks Charleston and the Ashley River Marina. Our included dinner this evening is at the Galpa Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse Restaurant at 6pm; get ready for a great dining experience! Their menu is inspired by the Gaucho culture and the authentic dining tradition of the Brazilian cowboy - grilled meats and fresh salads. With 17 different cuts of meat, ranging from beef, pork, chicken, lamb, and fish, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

Afterwards, our motorcoach will take us back to our hotel for the rest of the evening to relax.

May 1, 2025

This morning, we will have our included breakfast at the hotel.

Our day will begin with a trip to Boone Hall Plantation. Boone Hall Plantation is listed on the National Register of Historic Places; the plantation is one of America's oldest plantations still in operation. While we are visiting, you will experience the Tractor and House Tour along with the Gullah Presentation.

Afterwards, we will make our way to downtown Charleston where we will enjoy lunch on our own and some free time for shopping at the Old City Market. At 4pm we will experience the Palmetto Carriage historic Charleston Tour. Enjoy the sights of Charleston the way your ancestors did, aboard a horse-drawn carriage. This leisurely ride through narrow streets and alleyways carries you past carefully restored 18th and 19th century homes and buildings. Your knowledgeable guide relates three hundred years of history to the accompaniment of horse's hooves clopping along the pavement.

After a wonderful day, we will board our motorcoach and make a short drive to our included dinner at Mrs. Rose's Fine Dining. They offer a delicious menu with a space that is a little bit vintage, a little bit modern, and a little bit surprising; some call it eclectic; Ms. Rose calls it "divine"!

Once dinner is over, we will make our way back to our hotel for the rest of the evening.

May 2, 2025

After we enjoy our last included breakfast in the south we will begin our journey north. There will be comfort stops along the way including lunch on our own.

We will be staying at the Country Inn & Suites by Radisson in Woodbridge, VA this evening. Dinner will be on your own.

May 3, 2025

We will have an included breakfast at our hotel this morning. After we check out, we will board our motorcoach and head home.

There will be comfort stops along the way including lunch on your own and the duty free.

We can't wait to get away with you again soon!

Home Times (all approx.)
Gananoque - carpool lot by the casino @ 7:00pm
Kingston - McCoy Offices @ 7:30pm
Napanee - Flying J @ 8:00pm
Belleville - Quinte Mall @ 8:30pm

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner