Going On Faith Fall 2020

ON T H E M A G A Z I N E F O R FAITH-BASED TRAVEL PLANNERS VOL. 23 - NO. 3

FIND YOUR FUN

FALL 2020

AT

A M E R I C A’ S T H E M E PA R K S PLYMOUTH MASSACHUSETTS

TENNESSEE

TUNES GOING ON FAITH

CONFERENCE COVERAGE

THINK

BIGGER

Plan your adventure at ArkEncounter.com (South of Cincinnati)

GOF

THE MAGAZINE F O R FA I T H - B A S E D T R AV E L

FA L L 2 0 2 0

22 26

Tennessee Tunes Follow this itinerary for a musical journey through the Volunteer State.

28

Plymouth Rocks

Holiday Lights

This Massachusetts city offers Pilgrim history and much more.

Celebrate the season in these iconic destinations.

DEPARTMENTS Columns 6 EDITOR’S NOTES: No Longer Numb

Spotlights

CONFERENCE COVERAGE 8 Tourism began its comeback at the successful Going On Faith Conference in French Lick, Indiana.

News

20 PROFILE:

18 ARK ENCOUNTER announces major gospel festival

Thomas Smith

34 RETREAT: ON THE COVER: A family enjoys the lakefront beach at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. Photo courtesy Cedar Point.

GOING ON FAITH

Pine Creek Retreat Center

19 TOURISM NAVIGATOR solves pandemic planning challenges .

Mac T. Lacy Founder and Publisher

Eliza Myers Associate Editor

Kelly Tyner VP, Sales and Marketing

888.253.0455

Going On Faith is published quarterly by THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER, Inc., 301 East High Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40507, and is distributed free of charge to qualified group leaders who plan travel for churches, synagogues and religious organizations. All other travel suppliers, including tour operators, destinations, attractions, transportation companies, hotels, restaurants, and other travel-related companies, may subscribe to Going On Faith by sending a check for $39 for one year to: Going On Faith, Circulation Department, 301 East High Street, Lexington, KY 40507. Phone: (859) 253-0455 or (859) 2530503. Copyright THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER, Inc. All rights reserved.

Reproduction of editorial or graphic content in a ny manner without the written consent of the publisher is prohibited.

Charles A. Presley Partner

Christine Clough Copy Editor

Kyle Anderson Director of Advertising Sales

Brian Jewell VP & Executive Editor

Donia Simmons Creative Director

Melissa Riley Accounting Manager

Herb Sparrow Senior Writer

Ashley Ricks Graphic Design/Circulation

kelly@grouptravelleader.com

CUSTOM CONTENT

Museum welcomes visitors via virtual experiences as it plans reopening

BY VICKIE MITCHELL

I

n September, the Museum of the American Revolution hopes to reopen, welcoming visitors back as it follows health and safety guidelines. After such a difficult spring and summer, a trip to the Philadelphia museum makes good sense, given the lessons it shares about another challenging time in American history.

Open since April 2017, the museum has been praised for its engaging exhibits, which describe the American Revolution through the perspectives of people who were there.

The multifaceted story they tell of how America rose up, battled Britain and forged a democracy helps put the challenges we now face in perspective.

New experiences highlight the reopening When the museum opens, visitors also will see a new special exhibit, tied to this year’s centennial celebration of the ratification of the 19th amendment. “When Women Lost the Vote: A Revolutionary Story, 17761807” will open October 2 and run through next spring. It explores a little-known chapter in women’s voting in early America, the 31 years that women and free people of color in New Jersey legally held the right to vote.

As with all the museum’s exhibits, it features

personal items and people’s stories--journals, clothing, art, poll lists, a ballot box, even a letter written by Abigail Adams to her husband, John, in 1776, asking him to “remember the ladies.”

In the meantime, or even after the museum does reopen, groups can virtually step inside it at their convenience and enjoy numerous virtual experiences created to connect with audiences through the pandemic’s lockdowns, including a virtual tour of the women’s voting rights exhibit.

Leading up to an in-person tour, a virtual tour can familiarize travelers with the museum and help them focus on aspects that most interest them before they arrive in Philadelphia.

Using a computer, tablet, or smartphone visitors can begin their tour with a 360-degree whirl beneath the spreading limbs of a re-creation of Boston’s Liberty Tree and learn about the decade before the fight for independence began.

In each gallery, the virtual tour enables visitors to zoom in on details like the first book of poetry published by an enslaved African American, author and poet Phillis Wheatley, or life-size figures on horseback of Banastre Tarleton’s Loyalists Dragoons of the British, a loyalist corps of Americans who sided with the king.

With a few quick clicks, they can enlarge artifacts and informational placards and activate audio overviews in each gallery.

Faith-based groups will love new, deeper discussions For faith-based groups that want to learn more or have deeper discussions about particular issues, the museum’s Read the Revolution Speakers video series features historians and professors who talk about books they’ve written on topics ranging from slave revolts to Benedict Arnold. More information can be found by contacting the group sales team below.

For an entertaining and educational video addition to a luncheon or small gathering, groups can watch as interpreters portray apprentice bookbinders, carpenters and shoemakers or as museum curators demonstrate how to make colonial treats like gingerbread or cook a whole pumpkin over hot rocks as one starving solider who served under George Washington described doing in his journal.

www.amrevmuseum.org

267-579-3525 GROUPS@AMREVMUSEUM.ORG

EDITOR’S

NOTES BRIAN JEWELL

I

NO LONGER NUMB

can’t feel half my face today.

I was at the dentist’s office this morning to have an old filling replaced. It’s a situation I find myself in about once a year now.

If I had known as a kid what a hassle it would be to maintain and replace old fillings, perhaps I would have been more diligent about brushing my teeth.

Sometimes the chip in a filling is small enough or shallow enough that the dentist can repair it without much drilling. Those visits are quick and easy. And they don’t require any anesthetic. I’m done in 20 minutes, then go on about my day.

Today wasn’t one of those visits. My dentist wasn’t able to repair the filling. Instead, she had to remove it, then replace it with a new one. And that meant she had to numb me before she began drilling.

Don’t get me wrong — I’m thankful for the anesthetic. Without it, dental work would be excruciating. But the numbing sensation it causes brings its own set of problems. Have you ever tried to eat lunch when you have no movement in parts of your mouth?

As I sat at my desk contemplating the strange feeling — or lack of feeling — in my face, it occurred to me that in 2020, numbness has come to be a familiar sensation.

The early part of this year was a whirlwind of tourism events, including a convention in Omaha and a fun family trip to the New Orleans area. This spring and summer were supposed to be jam-packed with travel too. But in early March, when I was with several hundred tourism friends at a conference in Baton

Rouge, the world began to fall apart.

By the time I returned from that trip, it was clear that nobody would be traveling anywhere for a long time.

After 16 years in the travel industry, that development came as a shock to me. Shock leaves many people feeling numb. And if I’m honest, I’ve been numb for much of this year.

The tide of bad news came so quickly and with so much force that it overwhelmed me.

The impact on the tourism community that I love so much has been unfathomable. Trying to keep up with the news or absorb the magnitude of the loss became too much. So instead, I chose to feel nothing.

But as I write this column in late August, there are hopeful signs on the horizon. The COVID outbreak seems to be on the wane.

People are talking openly about traveling again. And the Going On Faith Conference just proved that even during a pandemic, the will to travel is unstoppable.

Much like the feeling in my lips and gums is gradually coming back, tourism is showing signs of life.

By tomorrow, I won’t be thinking about my dentist visit anymore. By next year, I won’t even remember it happening.

If you, like me, have spent much of this year numb, let me encourage you to begin feeling again. There’s a tingle of change in the air.

Before you know it, the pandemic won’t be part of our present anymore. It will only be part of our past.

When that moment comes, your travelers will be desperate to hit the road again. Will you be ready to take them?

BRIAN JEWELL [ EDITOR ] brianj@grouptravelleader.com

6

going on faith [ fall 2020 ]

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GOING ON FAITH ATTENDEES RENEW FRIENDSHIPS IN FRENCH LICK

GOING ON FAITH

CONFERENCE COVERAGE

Enjoying the French Lick Resort

M

BY DA N DICKSON

ore than 175 group travel planners and travel industry professionals scored a major victory for tourism’s comeback when they gathered in French Lick, Indiana, for the Select Traveler and Going On Faith conferences.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the annual events were merged into a single meeting. It was the U.S. travel industry’s first major conference since travel shut down in March.

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going on faith [ fall 2020 ]

A hardy band of travel industry buyers and sellers, all with faces masked, sanitizers at the ready and practicing social distancing, gathered August 19-21 at southern Indiana’s beautiful and historic French Lick Resort.

During the general session, Mac Lacy, a conference partner, asked all delegates to stand. Lacy then praised them for attending and for continuing to promote travel.

“Bringing the travel industry back from the worst

health crisis in our lifetimes will require people with resilience and resolve,” Lacy said. “Those people are in this room right now. By coming, you have proven that you are such a person. You didn’t have to be here. A lot of our travel friends are not. But one day you’ll be able to look back and say, ‘I was there.’”

Charlie Presley, another conference partner, echoed the sentiment.

“This is the first travel conference of the year in the whole travel industry, and you are part of it,” he said.

A big thumbs up

Resort hospitality

A welcome applause Photos courtesy French Lick Resort

“That is absolutely wonderful. Thank you for doing that.”

Presley also commended the operators of French Lick Resort for accepting this combined conference with just 40 days’ notice after Cheyenne, Wyoming, and then Wichita, Kansas, had to cancel the meetings.

“We’ve had a relationship with Group Travel Family [the conference organizer] for 16 years, and when they needed us, we just said, ‘Yes, come on back to French Lick,’” said Joe Vezzoso, vice president of resort operations and sales. “It was an easy

“I THINK WE’RE ALL SEEING IMPROVEMENT IN THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY, AND THIS CONFERENCE IS A GREAT WAY TO SHOW THAT THE INDUSTRY IS BACK IN BUSINESS.” — JOE VEZZOSO

decision really. I think we’re all seeing improvement in the travel industry, and this conference is a great way to show that the industry is back in business.”

Delegates enjoyed the large resort property. Many could be seen in the casino, playing golf, hiking trails or just enjoying the wide and peaceful veranda on the front side of the French Lick Hotel. One night of the conference was designated a dine-around. Many delegates walked one or two blocks into the town of French Lick to sample a surprising range of restaurants.

going on faith [ goingonfaith.com ]

9

“We read that every month.”

TRAVEL WINS, VIRUS LOSES.

T

Faith-based conversation

Protocols were followed

he Going On Faith Conference draws faith-based organizations that like to send their travel groups on tours of the nation and the world. All have felt the impact of the pandemic but are still plunging ahead, like Regina Sheu of Damascus Road Travel in Pasadena, California, who operates a new travel business.

“I prayed and said, ‘Lord, if you’re going to have your hands on everything, then I will go with faith,” Sheu said. “I prayed that everything would be safe and smooth. I’m glad I’m here so I can expand my network.”

Ralph Turney of Wings and Sails in Weldon Springs, Missouri, is determined.

“We’re planning for 2021,” said Turney. “What I bring back from this conference I will share with my staff, which I expanded. We’re going to hit it hard.

We know people are pent up to get out and see things, and we’re going to be the ones who provide it for them.”

Some buyers, like Ann Anderson of Ann’s Adventures in Clio, Michigan, were testing the waters.

“My goal is to take the temperature of everyone else around the country in terms of travel and what’s possible in 2021,” she said. “Most of my trips were canceled this year, so everything will reschedule for next year, plus all the new stuff. So I’ll be busy.”

Joe and Lori Jackson of LAJ Tours in Fairfield, Pennsylvania, were researching.

“The big thing here is to find out what everybody else is doing with travel by smaller groups during this pandemic,” said Joe Jackson.

“The country is so divided,” said Lori Jackson. “Some people are perfectly willing to travel, and others wouldn’t travel if you paid them a million dollars. We need to figure out where to start and to let people know you can travel safe.”

Networking in French Lick

10

going on faith [ fall 2020 ]

Sue Sowders of Glenburn Travelers in Linton, Indiana, knew what she wanted.

“We are a Methodist-based facility, and I’m looking for good, clean trips,” she said. “No casinos or anything like that. We do some religious sites. We visited the Ark Encounter in Kentucky right before COVID-19 hit. We usually do 11 trips a year, often on motorcoaches.”

Meanwhile, Going On Faith travel sellers were pitching their clients. Laine Garner of the Louisiana Travel Association was one of them.

“I am here to represent Louisiana and to show what’s open and what’s happening, and how we are able to protect and sanitize and get people safely around our state,” she said. “We hope to inspire them to come next year and get out and see our sites.”

One hard-hit state seems determined to make a comeback.

“We want to bring groups back after this COVID-19 episode,” said Chris Richards of the Lewis County CVB in Weston, West Virginia. “It has been very hard. Our state closed down completely for weeks. It has been quite a process to get everything back open. It has been a very tough year, but we’re fighting.”

Joellyn Furmage from the Holiday Inn in Greenbelt, Maryland, craves a return to normalcy. “I’m trying to stir up some business and get ready to get back to work,” she said. “We’ve been shut down for so long, it’ll be nice when people feel comfortable about traveling again. We’re targeting 2021. We’re a full-service hotel that specializes in tour and travel markets.”

“WE’RE PLANNING FOR 2021.

WHAT I BRING BACK FROM THIS CONFERENCE I WILL SHARE WITH MY STAFF, WHICH I EXPANDED. WE’RE GOING TO HIT IT HARD... WE KNOW PEOPLE ARE PENT UP TO GET OUT AND SEE THINGS, AND WE’RE GOING TO BE THE ONES WHO PROVIDE IT FOR THEM.” — RALPH TURNEY

Outstanding conference cuisine

It’s great to be back.

Photos courtesy French Lick Resort

going on faith [ goingonfaith.com ] 11

Welcome to French Lick Resort

Don’t miss the Derby!

SPONSORS

BRING POSITIVE MESSAGES

S

ponsors always bring great value to conferences, providing meals, events and travel ideas for delegates. Veteran travel guru Bob Buesing from CATours in Mason City, Iowa, appeared several times at the conference and, in one motivational pep talk during a buyer breakout session, explained the similarities between scenes in the baseball-influenced movie “Field of Dreams” and the current travel industry.

In the film, the main theme was “If you build it, they will come.”

“If you build it right, the customers will come,” said Buesing. “You have to believe your inner voice and your passion for travel to make this happen. You are meeting travel suppliers, and so you have to choose and build your travel packages and get people out of their basements and houses and into your tours.”

Eddie Lutz, a breakfast sponsor, is from the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky. It’s a biblical attraction that is growing and changing every year. Lutz had big news.

“We’ll be holding the world’s largest Christian music festival at the Ark for 40 days and 40 nights, August 2 to September 10, 2021,” he announced.

“Virtually every single major gospel group will perform at this event.”

Bob Cline of U.S. Tours in Vienna, West Virginia, was another breakfast sponsor. He always brings clever group tour ideas to the conference.

“We are a three-time winner of America’s most innovative tour operator because of some of the wild and crazy events that we produce, like our renting Graceland for a night,” he said. “Yes, Elvis Presley’s home, for what we call Blue Christmas.”

Jim Edwards of Collette sponsored a lunch and encouraged delegates.

“COVID-19 led to the cancellation of many of our tour departures this year, and now we are being very selective about what itineraries we operate. But our philosophy remains ‘We will travel again.’”

12

going on faith [ fall 2020 ]

How can we help?

Count me in.

We’re ready when you are.

Auction action

How does he do that?

JUGGLING JEFF

Load up!

Thanks, Joe!

T

he conference’s keynote speaker wasn’t glued behind a podium during his presentation. Funny, inspiring and energetic, Jeff Koziatek delivered motivational messages on ways delegates can improve their personal and professional lives. He managed this as he juggled bowling pins or balanced large objects on his chin or remained upright on a large red ball while struggling to work out of a straitjacket. And he never skipped a beat with his rapid-fire chatter.

Koziatek stressed the human capacity in delegates’ business lives.

“You are the human being behind the human doing,” he said. “You support the travel business, but you are more than what you do. The work must define what you value personally, professionally and relationally. If you make decisions that don’t align with your personal values because you’re stressed and anxious and grasping for straws, you’ll go down the wrong path.”

WE’RE OPEN!

BIEDENHARN MUSEUM & GARDENS 2020 EXHIBITS: ADAM & EVE STATIONS OF THE CROSS

FEATURING- BIBLE MUSEUM, COCA-COLA MUSEUM, FORMAL GARDENS & HISTORIC HOUSE 318-387-5281 | 800-362-0983 | BMUSEUM.ORG 5¢ COCA-COLA MONROE-WEST MONROE.ORG FOR HOTEL/RESTAURANT INFO going on faithINgoingonfaith.com [ A GLASS BOTTLE ] 13 Courtesy Christ in the Smokies

PLANNERS COMPARE NOTES ON TRAVEL’S MOST DISRUPTIVE YEAR

Cheyenne visits French Lick

T

he collective responses of more than 60 group travel planners who attended the breakout session at the combined Select Traveler/Going On Faith conferences in French Lick, Indiana, August 19-21, is both a tale of woe, and a tale of “Go.” The disruption of 2020 is measurable, but the determined optimism for seeing the world again in 2021 comes across loud and clear. Fundamental changes to group travel are coming as well, according to this collection of veteran travel planners.

“If you want to know where this industry is going, ask the people in the trenches,” said conference partner and Going On Faith publisher Mac Lacy. “These are veteran travelers themselves, and they have followers who trust them implicitly. When they say the coast is clear, their members will head to the airport. That’s apparent when they sit across from each other in masks and compare notes.”

The buyers in the session counted more than 300 group trips that have already been cancelled between them in 2020 due to COVID-19. For planners at smaller organizations, it was only two or three, but for planners with larger travel programs, the numbers were well into the dozens. One determined respondent replied that they had not cancelled any trips — only postponed them.

When the talk turned to 2021, those same planners ticked off destinations across America and around the globe for their return to travel. They all reported having a core group of travelers who are resolute and who will go as soon as they have a trip ready.

Domestic destinations mentioned numerous times included favorites that seemed somewhat like comfort food — places like The Ark Encounter in Northern Kentucky; destinations such as Nashville and Branson; and baseball trips to favorite cities.

International destinations that came up more than once also had a familiar ring to them — countries like Spain, Ireland, Italy and Iceland, as well as Caribbean and Mediterranean cruises and destinations.

The planners agreed on several structural changes that will take place in group travel as a result of this pandemic: Groups will continue to grow smaller and more familiar with one another; prices will likely increase as a result; fewer sites each day will be visited due to lengthier stays at each; fewer groups will be combined by tour operators because people will want to travel with those they know; and trips will sell out earlier due to smaller traveler counts.

This demoralizing year has taken its toll on many planners’ psyches. When asked how they felt about trying to run a trip or trips in what remains of 2020, many responded, “forget it,” but many others said, “full speed ahead.”

The political environment has not helped in 2020. Several responded they would sit tight until after the election in November before venturing out and several others mentioned governors in their states who had more or less brought travel to a halt.

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going on faith [ fall 2020 ]

I have a question!

Taking a break

I’m writing that down.

Meeting of the minds

Where is my next appointment?

We have a winner!

Marketplace networking

Masked musician

Getting down to business

I’m ready!

Ark Invitation

Masked for business

going on faith [ goingonfaith.com ] 15

SPONSOR POWER!

These companies and destinations bring excitement to the Going On Faith Conference!

AMERICAN QUEEN STEAMBOAT COMPANY Buyer Breakouts

INTERTRAV CORP Buyer Delegate Orientation

ANDERSON MADISON COUNTY CVB Going On Faith Marketplace

LEAVENWORTH CVB Going On Faith Name Badges

ARK ENCOUNTER AND CREATION MUSEUM Breakfast Day One

LOUISVILLE TOURISM Opening Ceremonies

AVENTURA WORLD Marketplace II Kickoff

BRANSON’S BEST RESTAURANTS Know Your Sponsors Auction

BRILLIANT EDVENTURES Conference Registration

CHEROKEE NATION CULTURAL TOURISM Stepping Stones

COLLETTE Official Luncheon Official App Advertisement

MAYFLOWER CRUISES & TOURS Delegate Mixer | Vendor Seminar

MIDDLETON TOURISM COMMISSION Marketplace Booth Drop

MSC CRUISES (USA) Super Session

SELECT TRAVELER AND GOING ON FAITH MAGAZINES Official App Advertisement

SOUTHERN NEVADA REGIONAL OFFICE/LVCVA Destination Presentation STAR DESTINATIONS Vendor Showcase

DUTTON FAMILY THEATER COMPLEX Sponsor Booth THE SHRINE OF CHRIST’S PASSION Destination Spotlight EF/GO AHEAD TOURS Marketplace I Kickoff

EXPERIENCE GRAND RAPIDS Sponsor Booth

FRENCH LICK RESORT Conference Padfolio

GLOBUS FAMILY OF BRANDS Closing Luncheon

GO NEXT Destination Showcase 16

going on faith [ fall 2020 ]

THE TRAVEL CORPORATION Vendor Presentation

TOUR ‘IN 64 Select Traveler Name Badges

TRIPS Breakfast Day Two

US TOURS Breakfast Day One | Marketplace Sponsor

SPONSORS VISIT MCKINNEY Phone Charging Stations

VISIT PANAMA BEACH Next Year’s Host

VISIT SARASOTA COUNTY Hotel Key Cards

VISIT WICHITA Opening Night Entertainment Second Night Dinner & Entertainment Sightseeing Tours Airport Shuttles Host City

VOLGA DREAM CRUISES Buyer Breakout Session

Another great appointment

We came prepared.

going on faith [ goingonfaith.com ] 17

NEWS WORTHY

ARK ENCOUNTER TO HOST GOSPEL MUSIC FESTIVAL IN 2021 WILLIAMSTOWN, Kentucky — The Ark Encounter has announced a new event that will be the world’s largest Christian music festival, to be held in 2021.

The event, 40 Days and 40 Nights of Gospel Music at the Ark, will take place August 2 through September 10, 2021, and will span 40 days with multiple concerts daily.

40 Days and 40 Nights of Gospel Music at the Ark will feature the largest talent roster of any Christian music festival in the world, with more than 60 artists, including the Hoppers, the Isaacs, the Booth Brothers, Karen Peck and New River, Triumphant, the Martins, Greater Vision, Brian Free and Assurance, Lynda Randle, Ernie Haase and Signature Sound, Jeff and Sheri Easter and Joseph Habedank. In addition, several of the most sought-after national speakers will make appearances during this event, among them Robert Jeffress, David Jeremiah, Jerry Vines, Johnny Hunt, Tim Hill, C.T. Townsend and Barry Clardy.

“We are extremely pleased to partner with the Ark Encounter and its outstanding team to produce the world’s largest Christian music festival,” said Ray Flynn, president of festival organizer Abraham Productions. “This event will give us the potential to reach more than 200,000 people with the blessings, encouragement and good news of Jesus Christ through music and inspiring messages.”

During the festival, concerts will be held at 10 a.m. with the main event at 5 p.m. in the new state-of-the-art Answers Center near the massive ark. Music will also be presented daily in Noah’s Village nearby.

Daily admission to the Ark Encounter gives free access to all the concerts and speakers and allows guests to explore the Ark, which, at 510 feet long is the largest timber-frame structure in the world. Built according to the dimensions given in the Bible, the Ark features three decks of striking teaching exhibits. Other attractions include the live animal Ararat Ridge Zoo, movies, a family playground, zip lines, the new Virtual Reality Experience, family dining at Emzara’s Kitchen, coffee shops, gift shops and more.

“As a big fan of gospel music, I’m thrilled our world-renowned Ark attraction will be hosting this highly ambitious music festival,” said Ark Encounter founder Ken Ham. “We expect to welcome visitors from all over the country and even abroad.”

Admission prices, discounts, annual passes, hotel information and other details are available at 40daysofgospelmusic.com.

For more information on the Ark Encounter: arkencounter.com

The Ark Encounter in Kentucky will host a 40-day gospel music festival next August and September.

Photos courtesy Answers in Genesis

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going on faith [ fall 2020 ]

Restart Your Travel Plans with Tourism Navigator

I

f you’re ready to plan group trips again, Tourism Navigator is the place to start.

The coronavirus pandemic and resulting government regulations have made group travel planning a complicated mess. Tourism Navigator helps you find critical information to plan successful trips to the places you want to go. And best of all, it’s 100% free.

Created by The Group Travel Leader, Tourism Navigator is a one-stop source for important opening and operational information from hundreds of destinations, hotels, attractions and restaurants around the country.

The coronavirus crisis brought a lot of upheaval to the tourism industry. Many sales professionals who worked at CVBs, hotels and attractions for years are no longer there, and the tour operators and group leaders who relied on them for help planning group trips are not sure who to turn to now.

Additionally, pandemic-related restrictions have been implemented at state and local levels, which means there is no uniformity for travel planners. And for those organizing trips to multiple destinations, finding current information on what is open and available is difficult, if not impossible.

“We’ve been talking closely with tour operators and other travel planners since the crisis began in March,” said Kelly Tyner, vice president of sales for The Group Travel Leader.

“Many of them are interested in restarting their travel programs, but they’re having trouble finding current group sales contacts or deciphering which destinations are open or closed. Tourism Navigator solves both those problems.”

When you visit Tourism Navigator, you’ll be able to search for information from the leading

“The organizations that have uploaded information on Tourism Navigator are the ones who are most eager to welcome groups back.”

— K E LLY T Y N E R

group tour destinations and attractions in the country. For each one, you’ll get current contact information, including the name, phone number and email address of the person there responsible for group sales.

The Tourism Navigator listings also have up-to-date information on openings, closures and travel restrictions that apply to destinations, attractions, cruises lines and other travel companies. In addition, many detail the steps they are taking to keep visitors safe.

“The organizations that have uploaded information on Tourism Navigator are the ones who are most eager to welcome groups back,” Tyner said. “They have done a lot of work to put health and safety protocols in place, and they want to make sure you have all the tools you need to start bringing your travelers back to visit them again.”

To access this critical information and begin planning your group’s return to travel, visit Tourism Navigator at grouptravelleader.com/navigator.

Travel industry representatives who want to include information to Tourism Navigator can submit information at grouptravelleader.com/listing.

going on faith [ goingonfaith.com ] 19

FACES

of FAITH

‘Make a Big Difference’

TRAVEL

BY A SHLE Y R ICKS

THOMAS SMITH EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TOURS

TRAVEL PROGRAM Founded in 1974, Educational Opportunities Tours offers faithbased trips for all denominations.

More than 400,000 people have traveled with the company. Based in Lakeland, Florida, the organization has served a wide range of groups, among them a pastor traveling with a couple of members and a megachurch with several hundred people.

BY E L I Z A M YE R S

W

hen Thomas Smith first noticed the expression on a fellow traveler’s face during his third trip to the Holy Land, his life changed.

“My first trip to the Holy Land was in 1984, so I’ve been going to the Holy Land for a long time,” said Smith, executive director of travel ministry for Educational Opportunities Tours. “It was on my third trip when I quit being so enthralled with seeing things through my eyes and I began to see the Holy Land through other people’s eyes. When I saw their light-up moment, I began to realize the Holy Land can make a big difference for some folks.”

His revelation made him an advocate for faith-based travel during his time as a pastor. He noticed that when people visited biblical sites, they came back more passionate about their faith.

“The Bible becomes a pop-up storybook,” said Smith. “You listen to the Scriptures differently because you can see the places in your mind’s eye. I have found that these people are more engaged with the sermon and with worship. They are more willing to join church groups or step up their leadership. They have deepened their faith because of their experience.”

FAVORITE BIBLE VERSE John 1:5 “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

TRAVEL TIPS

HOMETOWN Hopkins County, Kentucky

TIP 1 FAVORITE DESTINATION Smith’s favorite domestic destination is Alaska, which he has explored extensively over the years. His top international destination is the Holy Land. His preferred mode of transportation is by European riverboat.

He is booked as the speaker on a Christmas markets Danube River cruise in 2021.

Relationships are important. You can see people as clients or you can see them as guests. That can make a difference in the long term.

TIP 2 Mind the details. Remember you are the expert.

Your guests are counting on you.

TIP 3

HOBBIES Smith loves exhausting himself while working on his farm.

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Develop long-term partnerships with providers.

I need providers that I know will be there in any situation.

After Smith had spent 37 years in pastoral ministry, James Ridgeway, the CEO of Educational Opportunities Tours, asked him if he would serve as the company’s executive director of travel ministry. Ridgeway wanted Smith to help ensure that the quickly growing travel company didn’t lose its roots in the church.

“It took me less time than it should have to decide that I wanted to step into that role,” said Smith. “That was a big change. Last year I traveled to 17 countries. My little map has grown. It has been kind of surreal. I am just a country preacher from western Kentucky. I’m visiting places I would have never dreamt of. I know it has transformed me, so I hope I can find ways to transfer that to other people.”

Educational Opportunities Tours is one of the country’s largest faith-based companies offering trips to the Holy Land. It began as a United Methodist ministry and has since grown to include all denominations and destinations around the globe.

Smith travels with groups to make sure the pastors have everything they need and to help provide quality control. About 50% of the tours are customized, so Smith can help facilitate the group’s individual needs of included prayers and scheduled worship services.

“Our tours let groups know that if you want to walk where Jesus walked, you have to embrace and engage the local people,” said Smith. “Unless you have done that, you haven’t walked where Jesus walked because he was always embracing people. We partner with 14 different Christian ministries so guests can see the living people.”

Although current COVID-19 travel restrictions have slowed down Smith’s travel, he looks forward to more pilgrimages in the future. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by his travel schedule, Smith looks forward to each trip and the impact he will be able to see in the lives of his fellow travelers.

“I have even seen travel make people more generous,” said Smith. “I had one gentleman tell me that all the youth in the church should be able to go to the Holy Land because this could change a teenager’s life forever. He gave me a check for a scholarship that helped 30 youth and their parents go to the Holy Land last year.

They will be different from thenceforth.”

Thomas Smith has led groups to places as diverse as Cuba (left) and Israel (right).

SPECIAL EXHIBITION OPENING OCTOBER 2

WHEN WOMEN A Revolutionary Story, 1776–1807 Presented by

Supported by

A story of rights, wrongs, and redemption.

BOOK YOUR GROUP VISIT TODAY! groups@amrevmuseum.org

www.amrevmuseum.org

going on faith [ goingonfaith.com ] 21 Courtesy Christ in the Smokies

4 N ASHVILLE

A

STATE OF FAITH

5

M EM P H I S

MORE THAN

COUNTRY

Courtesy Birthplace of Country Music Museum

A T E N N E S S E E M US IC TOUR DELIGHTS FANS OF ALL GENRES

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Tennessee music snapshots, clockwise from top: a historic microphone at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum; Knoxville’s Blue Plate Special; the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol

going on faith [ fall 2020 ] Courtesy Birthplace of Country Music Museum

By Grace Toensing, courtesy WDVX

1 KNOX V IL L E

TENNESSEE

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B R I STOL

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BY TOM AD K INSON

ennessee divides fairly neatly into thirds — East, Middle and West — but there is a single theme that stretches from one corner of this long and skinny state to the other: music.

What’s cool is that it’s not just one kind of music. Tennessee’s country music is known around the world, but even that entertainment juggernaut is only one part of a Tennessee music tour. A roll from Bristol to Knoxville to Chattanooga to Nashville to Memphis adds Americana, bluegrass, rock ’n’ roll, blues, rock, rockabilly, soul and perhaps a couple of other genres to the mix.

You could do this trip in five days, but why rush? With tunes this good, a Tennessee music tour deserves a full week.

World-famous music venues and attractions are on this itinerary, plus some places that are fairly new or known only to devoted fans. It’s OK to sing along, but do try to stay on key.

3 CHAT TANOOGA

1

2

BRISTOL

KNOXVILLE

HIGHLIGHT | BIRTHPLACE OF COUNTRY Bristol, where the line separating Virginia and Tennessee goes right down the main street, is where today’s commercial country music began. It was the site of the “big bang” that created the country music universe, a 10-day recording session in 1927 when New York producer Ralph Peer sought talent for the new-fangled recorded music industry.

He set up a studio in a hat company building and, in less than two weeks, recorded 76 songs by 19 acts. Some performers became legends, among them Ernest Stoneman; the Carter Family, the First Family of Country Music; and Jimmie Rodgers, the Father of Country Music.

Peer’s work became known as the Bristol Sessions, which the Library of Congress declared among the 50 most significant sound recording events in history.

The Birthplace of Country Music Museum brings the Bristol Sessions to life. The museum occupies an imposing structure on the Virginia side of the state line just blocks from the recording site on the Tennessee side.

It is high-tech, high-touch and high-emotion. The lush “Bound to Bristol” video sets the stage for displays about the Bristol Sessions personalities, an opportunity to mix a record yourself and a look at an operating radio studio.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE: As your clients enjoy the museum, walk a block away to the Blackbird Bakery, a Bristol favorite, and load up on apple oatmeal cookies for the ride to Knoxville. Janette Carter, a stalwart of the second generation of the famous Carter family, provided the recipe.

MORE INFO | discoverbristol.org

HIGHLIGHT | BLUE PLATE SPECIAL While you may find a blue plate special at a Knoxville diner, your target here is a live radio show called “Blue Plate Special” on WDVXFM, a listener-supported community public radio station. It broadcasts Monday through Thursday and again on Saturday from the Knoxville Visitors Center. Fridays are at a bigger venue: Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria in the Old City. Attending a “Blue Plate Special” broadcast adds a dose of Appalachia to your tour.

“Our mission is to promote the cultural heritage of the southern Appalachians,” said WDVX operations manager Anne Williams. “Much of our music is traditional country, and we really enjoy promoting musicians.”

Although access is free, the small visitors center venue, with room for about 70 enthusiastic listeners, usually accommodates everyone who is interested. It’s an intimate experience, whether the performer is a singer or a group new to you or a big-name artist such as Marty Stuart, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, Chris Stapleton, Rodney Crowell and Sturgill Simpson.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE: A nice “dessert” after a “Blue Plate Special” performance is the nearby Museum of East Tennessee History, an underappreciated Knoxville attraction. Its signature exhibition, “Voices of the Land: The People of East Tennessee,” examines everything from the region’s native Cherokees and early European settlers to African Americans’ contributions, the creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, World War II’s Manhattan Project and — yes — the origins of country music.

MORE INFO | visitknoxville.com

going on faith [ goingonfaith.com ] 23

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CHATTANOOGA

NASHVILLE

HIGHLIGHT | SONGBIRD STATION

HIGHLIGHT | MUSIC MECCA

You don’t even have to know how to strum a chord to appreciate Songbirds Guitar Museum in Chattanooga.

Songbirds opened in 2017 to display a private individual’s collection of approximately 1,400 instruments. Up to 600 are in the museum at any one time. The focus is on solid body electric guitars, plus some acoustic guitars, banjos and amplifiers. The museum’s story begins in the 1950s with well-known names such as Fender, Gibson, Gretsch and Rickenbacker.

Entertainers sometimes help tell a story or offer historical context, but guitars are the stars here. An example is a corner display that features a Fender Stratocaster along with a photo of Buddy Holly and a replica poster advertising his last show, the February 2, 1959, Winter Dance Party in Clear Lake, Iowa.

“You won’t hear us brag about a player or someone who owned an instrument. We want the guitar to be the show,” said general manager Damien Rogers.

The museum reveals the gradual evolution of electric guitars in shape, decoration, construction and, especially, color. Rogers points to a Gibson Les Paul with a sunburst finish, made only from 1958 to 1960.

“That design didn’t sell all that well, so it’s rare by definition,” Rogers said. “It has become one of the most desired electric guitars in the world.”

WHILE YOU’RE THERE: Songbirds is in the famous Chattanooga Choo Choo complex and fits nicely on Station Street, an emerging restaurant and entertainment area. Explore the Chattanooga Choo Choo history and perhaps find some live music in the neighborhood.

Songbirds itself has a major performance venue.

Country music is the lifeblood of Nashville tours, and it’s practically a law to attend the Grand Ole Opry, the longest-running radio show in the world, which marks its centennial in 2025, and visit the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. However, music abounds elsewhere.

Only four blocks from the historic Ryman Auditorium, a recommended destination itself, is a gigantic but almost hidden treasure: the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum.

The Musicians Hall of Fame honors the unsung heroes of recorded music, the extraordinary musicians who create the audio worlds singers enhance. It is national in scope, spotlighting powerhouse music cities such as Memphis; Los Angeles; Muscle Shoals, Alabama; Detroit; and Nashville, of course.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE: The Time Jumpers is a collection of friends that happen to be among the world’s best studio musicians.

Most are unknown outside their own circles, although you may have heard of one member: Vince Gill. The Time Jumpers frequently play on Monday nights at a group-friendly venue called 3rd and Lindsley.

MORE INFO | visitmusiccity.com

Musicians Hall of Fame

Blackstone Lighthouse in St. Mary’s

MORE INFO | visitchattanooga.com

Songbirds Guitar Museum

The Time Jumpers in Nashville Photos by Tom Adkinson

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5 MEMPHIS HIGHLIGHT | BLUES AND MORE Memphis is replete with music and music history — Elvis Presley’s Graceland proves that — and the Rock ’n’ Soul Museum puts everything in perspective. The museum began as a project of the Smithsonian Institution, so it goes deeply into the story of the music Memphis has exported to the world and how Memphis grew as rural populations migrated to the city.

The Rock ’n’ Soul Museum explains how entertainment was often a bridge between black and white cultures and about how country, gospel, soul and rock music are united. Just think of how many styles of music Elvis conquered. He, like the music of Memphis, was as faceted as a finely cut diamond.

A point of trivia: The Rock ’n’ Soul Museum reports that Memphis is in the lyrics of more than 1,000 recorded songs, more than any city in the world.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE: For a personality-driven experience, check out the Memphis Music Hall of Fame. This is where you can see one-third of Jerry Lee Lewis’ wall-mounted Cadillac El Ballero — a customized El Dorado — and the pink “Funky Chicken” suit and cape Rufus Thomas wore onstage.

Where to conclude a Memphis music tour is the challenge, when attractions such as Sun Studio, the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, the Blues Hall of Fame and others clamor for your time.

A listening session at Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum

Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum

MORE INFO | memphistravel.com

Come home to the place where Elvis Presley’s dreams came true.

120 acres dedicated to the life and career of an American legend, the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. See the gold records, the jeweled jumpsuits, the classic cars and all-new immersive exhibits that let you experience Elvis like never before.

Memphis Music Hall of Fame Photos by Tom Adkinson

Memphis, TN

800-238-2000

Graceland.com

© EPE. Graceland and its marks are trademarks of EPE. All Rights Reserved.

going on faith [ goingonfaith.com ] 25

TRAVEL

SNAP SHOT

BY BRIA N JEWEL L

PLYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS All photos courtesy See Plymouth unless otherwise noted

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Top: Historic interpreters play the parts of 17th century Pilgrims at Plimoth Plantation.

Bottom: Plymouth Grist Mill

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here’s only one Plymouth Rock.

History plays a central role in many destinations around the country. But few can boast the iconic status of Plymouth, Massachusetts, which was settled by the Pilgrims almost 400 years ago.

This history inhabits nearly every aspect of Plymouth and the surrounding area. Groups can engage with it firsthand by visiting the city’s most famous attraction, Plimoth Plantation. This living-history site, just a few miles from the site of the original settlement, tells the story of both the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Indians they met when they arrived.

“You begin your journey in a Wampanoag home site, and it gives you a sample of how a Native family would have lived in the 17th century,” said Paula Fisher, director of marketing and group services for See Plymouth. “The staff are both native and nonnative. They address the past and talk about what life was like prior to the Pilgrims. But they also talk about what’s going on today with their own lives and cultures.”

From there, visitors proceed to the English village, where about a dozen dif-

ferent homes are staffed with historic reenactors representing Pilgrim families.

“The people are addressing visitors from the 17th-century standpoint,” Fisher said, “so if you ask them about something from the Civil War or even the Revolution, they’re not going to have a clue, because it’s 1627. The amount of training that goes into portraying the Pilgrims is amazing.”

Groups that visit Plimoth Plantation can also spend time in the visitors center, the craft center and the museum shops. The staff can also arrange for groups to have special barbecues, clam bakes or turkey dinners.

Plimoth Plantation also oversees the Mayflower II — a replica of the Pilgrim’s ship — that is moored on the Plymouth waterfront.

“When you board the ship, you are once again met by role-players,” Fisher said. “They might be sailors or some of the passengers who came over on the first ship.”

After leaving the Mayflower, groups can visit the reproduction of Plymouth’s 1636 gristmill. After that, there are many more ways for travelers to immerse themselves in the area’s distinctive history and natural scenery.

Forefathers Monument

CITY TOURS With 400 years of history, Plymouth has an impressive list of notable landmarks and other sites worth seeing. Numerous organizations around town offer tours of various types to highlight historic spots and other notable stops.

Groups can take walking tours organized by the Jenney Museum that include stops at the famous Plymouth Rock and the National Monument to the Forefathers. Another option, Explore Natural Plymouth, focuses on the natural environment of the area and how the Wampanoag people lived in it. After hours, groups can indulge the spookier side of the city with the Dead of Night Ghost Tour or the Plymouth Night Paranormal Tour.

MUSEUMS For a deeper look at the history of the Wampanoag, the Pilgrims and others who have made their homes in the area, groups should plan to visit several museums in and around Plymouth. Opened in 1824, the Pilgrim Hall Museum is the oldest continuously operating public museum in the United States. It features a large collection of Pilgrim furniture, household items and other possessions.

Another interesting museum in the city can be found at the Plymouth Cordage Company, a 19thcentury rope-maker. And not far away in Brockton, the Fuller Craft Museum is New England’s only art-collecting institution focused exclusively on crafts.

HISTORIC HOMES None of the original structures built by Pilgrims exist anymore — they were intended as temporary structures. But there are still numerous historic homes in Plymouth that give visitors snapshots into life in the city during various periods of its history.

Among the oldest is the 1667 Jabez Howland House, the only remaining structure in Plymouth that was lived in by a Pilgrim: The Howland family lived there until 1680. Other homes include the 1677 Harlow House, built by a local militia leader; the 1749 Spooner House, which was occupied by the same family for 200 years; and the 1809 Hedge House, an example of Federal period architecture.

Alden House Historic Site

BOAT EXCURSIONS It would be a shame to visit coastal Massachusetts without spending some time on the scenic waters of Plymouth Bay. There are a variety of ways to do that. Many groups enjoy cruises on the Pilgrim Bell, a paddle-wheeler that offers 90-minute sightseeing cruises in the harbor and the bay.

Groups can take the cruises during daytime or at sunset, and full-ship charters are also available.

Many visitors to Plymouth enjoy whale watching cruises, and several companies in town offer these excursions. Most last several hours and feature onboard naturalists to teach travelers about whales and other marine life. Groups can also take Highline Cruises to Cape Cod and back.

Mayflower II Courtesy Plimoth Plantation

going on faith [ goingonfaith.com ] 27

L IT HGE H T

LIGHTS

B Y JIL L GL EES ON

AT T HE E N D OF A DIF FICULT Y EAR, HOLIDAY TRAVEL OFFERS H O P E

Industrial buildings are lit up in Christmas colors for the holiday celebration in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

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Holiday handcrafts in Bethlehem Courtesy Discover Lehigh Valley

Holiday lights on the Virginia Beach boardwalk

Courtesy Visit Virginia Beach

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Courtesy Discover Lehigh Valley

hey’re just about everywhere you look here in the Northside of this historic, somewhat sleepy little Pennsylvania city. It’s Christmastime in Bethlehem, and thousands of white lights are setting homes, businesses and streets aglow in honor of the city’s Moravian heritage.

The people who founded Bethlehem nearly 300 years ago beat back the night by placing candles in their windows. Today’s citizens of what’s been called the Christmas City keep the tradition going, welcoming strangers from near and far with their own spectacular illumination.

It’s a sight to behold but not the only one worth experiencing in Bethlehem during the most wonderful time of the year. Like such cities as San Antonio; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Virginia Beach, Virginia; and Branson, Missouri, Bethlehem serves up an enlivening mix of special Yuletide attractions, holiday events and great shopping. Best of all, all five cities also offer faith-based travelers what many others don’t: celebrations that recall the reason for the season. As such, they make a great destination for groups in search of glad tidings of comfort and joy.

BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA Bethlehem gives group travelers two distinct experiences at Christmas, in essence offering double the fun at the same price. The city’s historic Northside is home to lantern-lit holiday walking tours led by costumed interpreters as well as descendants of the city’s Moravian founders, who will hop on motorcoaches to talk about their ancestors. A religious group, the Moravians christened the town Bethlehem — in a stable, no less — on Christmas Eve, 1741.

During the holiday season, there will also be rustic huts with artisans selling their wares set up around the Northside’s Colonial buildings. In addition, Alicia Quinn, vice president of marketing and strategic alliances for Discover Lehigh Valley, recommends that groups experience the Goundie House’s live Advent calendar.

“Each night at 5:30, from the first through the 23rd, someone will knock on the door of the Goundie House, and they’ll come out and tell the Christmas story, and then everyone who gathers gets a treat,” she said. “There are usually live musical performances, so it’s quite fun for groups.”

Meanwhile, Bethlehem’s Southside provides its own inspiring Yuletide sights and sounds at SteelStacks, a 10-acre arts and culture destination located at the former Bethlehem Steel plant. Every Christmas, the old blast furnace is lit in red, green and white lights while in front of it bustles a Christkindlmarkt. Featuring an array of local artisans in tents selling everything from traditional nutcrackers to jewelry, art and food, it also offers a glassblowing tent where group members can make their own ornaments.

Leaders can also arrange a special reserved area with catering for their group at the Christkindlmarkt. discoverlehighvalley.com

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS If, as it’s said, they really do things bigger in Texas, that’s especially true of San Antonio at Christmas.

Once events get going with the Ford Holiday River Parade on November 27, they don’t slow down until after New Year’s. It should be noted, however, that like many Christmas festivities happening in San Antonio and cities across the country, the parade remains pending at this time.

Among the many special events that groups can enjoy is the SeaWorld San Antonio Christmas Celebration, which offers not only carolers, hot cocoa and Santa, but also one of the state’s biggest Christmas holiday light displays. And for groups that want to take part in a unique cultural tradition, Market Square is home to La Gran Tamalada, a day of tamale making, with lessons, vendors, corn husk doll-making and a visit from Pancho Claus, who arrives wearing a red sombrero.

Speaking of Santa Claus, groups will see him at the conclusion of the River Parade, riding the last float, which of course floats, as Dee Dee Poteete, director of regional communications for Visit San Antonio noted.

“It’s just fantastic, with costumed float riders, music, bands and highly decorated float barges,” she said. “It runs for two and a half miles with something like 30-plus floats and hundreds of thousands lining the Riverwalk.”

The Riverwalk, which is lit during the holiday with millions of Christmas lights, also hosts boatsful of carolers that float down the water serenading visitors. It’s lovely, but even more meaningful is the Riverwalk’s Fiesta de las Luminarias.

“The luminarias symbolically show the lighting of the way for the Holy Family,” said Poteete. “It is a very Hispanic tradition. We use 2,000 luminarias to line the Riverwalk. It’s breathtaking.” visitsanantonio.com

VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA Christmas at the beach is never a bad idea, and groups will especially love it at Virginia Beach. Yuletide lights take on a special magic when seen, as Visit Virginia Beach tourism sales manager Jim Coggin said, “from the comfort of your motorcoach as you’re driving down the iconic boardwalk.”

“You have lights on the beach, lights above your head, you have lights on the land side,” he said. “It’s a mile of holiday lights, and they give you a station to turn your radios to, so you have Christmas carols as you go along. It’s a fun tradition that many groups come back and do every year.”

Group leaders should also plan a stop, if not a stay, at the Colonial-style Founders Inn and Spa, on the campus of the Christian Broadcasting Network.

The property is decorated to the hilt at Christmas with lights, a gigantic tree and plenty of gingerbread houses and will work with tour leaders to host events like a special dessert reception. Afterward, groups can head down to the TV studios to watch a live taping of Pat Robertson’s “700 Club.”

Speaking of food, Coggin also suggests that groups make time for an oyster tasting at Rockafeller’s Restaurant and to sample the sweets at the Royal Chocolate. The Holiday Parade at the Beach on December 5 is always good fun for motorcoach tours that are in town. And shoppers in the group, Coggin said, will find “every imaginable holiday trinket that you might ever think you might need at the Christmas Mouse.” visitvirginiabeach.com

Christmas at SeaWorld in San Antonio

Ford Holiday River Parade on the San Antonio River Walk

Photos courtesy visitsanantonio.com

going on faith [ goingonfaith.com ] 29

Tour

SOUTHEAST INDIANA

Fall Mums, Farms & Markets Meet a friendly herd of alpaca, tour a greenhouse, visit an orchard and find locally made specialty foods and fresh produce in the Fall.

“Fun Farm & Market Experiences!”

- Clarksville Parks & Rec, Clarksville, IN

MYRTLE BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA Myrtle Beach is known for combining sun and surf with Broadway-quality live shows, and the good times don’t stop during the Christmas season. Companies including the Alabama Theatre and the Pirates Voyage Dinner and Show offer their own takes on the holiday, offering wholesome performances at discounted prices for groups, with added services often included. Among the standouts is the Carolina Opry Christmas Special, dubbed the Christmas Show of the South, now in its 35th season. Opening November 2, it will feature not only performers like Delvin Choice, from NBC’s “The Voice” but also decorations, including a 30-foot tree with more than 25,000 lights.

Another group favorite, Brookgreen Gardens, has extended its Nights of 1,000 Candles an extra 12 evenings, to run from November 27 to December 31. The attraction is “renowned all over the world,” according to Julie Ellis, public relations and communications manager for Visit Myrtle Beach.

“Brookgreen is a 9,000-acre sculpture garden, the largest collection of American sculpture art in the world, and at Christmas, they create sculptures with millions and millions of twinkling lights,” she said. “And then hundreds of volunteers light candles every night, and they’re all over walkways, trees, structures, statues. You wander through this huge, beautiful garden and see the different light displays. It’s really magical.”

If groups can pull themselves away from the splendor of Nights of 1,000 Candles and the inspiration found at Myrtle Beach’s Christmas shows, Ellis said they can shop ‘til they drop while saving big bucks at the city’s two Tanger Outlets. visitmyrtlebeach.com BRANSON, MISSOURI Faith-based groups should rest assured — Branson knows how to “absolutely keep Christ in Christmas,” according to Lynn Berry, director of communications for Explore Branson. Take this year’s 72nd annual Adoration Parade, happening the first Sunday in December.

“It’s noncommercial: No organization is promoted,” Berry said. “It really is an outpouring from our community honoring the story of Christ. There’s dozens of bands and floats, and then the walking crews.

The prelude to the parade is the lighting of our giant Nativity scene atop Mount Branson. Those figures on the ridge are 16 feet tall.”

Branson has plenty else to keep groups in the festive mood: Among the city’s legendary holiday shows is Dolly Parton’s Stampede’s Christmas extravaganza, which features a live Nativity. Berry also recommends that groups visit Silver Dollar City’s “An Old Time Christmas.” The theme park also boasts an eight-story special-effects Christmas tree, lit by 144,000 LED bulbs, and the nightly Rudolph’s Holly Jolly Christmas Light Parade, with nine lighted floats. Groups will also be able to cross names off their shopping list thanks to the park’s more than 60 shops and 100 demonstrating craftspeople.

Like Silver Dollar City, the Promised Land Zoo offers groups discounted ticket prices. And like the theme park, its Christmas display is must-see.

“If you take their Santa Safari, you see live reindeer and camels,” Berry said. “You see a beautiful story told all along the route. And at the end, you can get an ‘Elfie’ with one of the reindeer.” explorebranson.com Christmas on the coast in Myrtle Beach

Fireworks at the Market Common in Myrtle Beach

OHIO Indianapolis

INDIANA

By John Muse, courtesy Visit Myrtle Beach 1

Cincinnati

The Bretts perform a holiday show in Branson KENTUCKY

Louisville

Lexington

South of I-74 & west of I-275, 20 minutes west of Cincinnati

www.TOURSoutheastIndiana.com 800-322-8198

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going on faith [ fall 2020 ]

Courtesy ExploreBranson.com

Courtesy Visit Myrtle Beach

SKIP

THE

LINES G R O U P S HAV E A C C E S S TO EXCLUSIVE EXPERIENCES AT THEME PA R K S B Y P AULA A VEN GL A DY CH

Thrill-seekers enjoy a coaster surrounded by Smoky Mountain scenery at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge.

T

heme parks are well known for their crazy coasters and thrill rides that spin guests until they question their lunch decisions. But many of them have worked tirelessly to transform their image from one of just boardwalk rides to entertainment meccas for visitors of all ages. From California to Florida, there are several great parks that offer group travelers live music performances, stage productions, VIP tours and catered meals.

Courtesy Dollywood

Exploring Ghost Town at Knott’s Berry Farm

Courtesy Knott’s Berry Farm

Boysenberry Pie at Knott’s Berry Farm

Courtesy Knott’s Berry Farm

going on faith [ goingonfaith.com ] 31

UNIVERSAL’S ISLANDS OF ADVENTURE ORLANDO, FLORIDA Like many Orlando theme parks, Universal’s Islands of Adventure puts a different spin on the typical amusements. Instead of just thrill rides — and it has plenty — the park offers themed adventures throughout. Visitors become wizards in training in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter-Hogsmeade or take a thrilling raft ride through Jurassic Park. Cast a spell using your interactive magic wand to make magical displays throughout Hogsmeade come to life or cheer on the wizarding students participating in the Triwizard Tournament at a spirit rally. At night, Hogwarts Castle is lit up with lights and music celebrating the four Hogwarts houses.

Groups can take advantage of the Universal Orlando VIP experience, a guided tour through Universal Studios Florida or Universal’s Islands of Adventure, or both. They get an exclusive backstage pass, where they learn the backstories and jump the line at the park’s most popular rides and attractions.

They also get reserved seating at permanent shows and a complimentary continental breakfast and lunch.

The one-day, one-park experience gives guests a five-hour tour with priority entrance into a minimum of eight major rides and attractions at the park of their choice. The one-day, two-park experience gives visitors a seven-hour tour with priority entrance into a minimum of 10 rides and attractions. universalorlando.com CEDAR POINT SANDUSKY, OHIO Cedar Point, which sits on the shores of Lake Erie, is famous for its 18 record-breaking roller coasters, but it also capitalizes on its waterfront location.

“We like to call it shore joy,” said Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Development Services Agency, which oversees TourismOhio.

The park, which opened in 1870, is more like a resort with hotels, campgrounds and lakeside cottages. It also has a water park and access to the beach with swimming and parasailing.

Inside the park, “live entertainment is king with traditional music-style shows and roaming entertainers,” said Tony Clark, director of communications for Cedar Point. The Cedar Point and Lake Erie Railroad is a favorite for guests “who like their thrills a little more tame and closer to the ground,” he said.

Groups love to plan their visits around the park’s many festivals, like the Frontier Festival in June, which fills the streets of FrontierTown with music, square dancing and tasty barbecue; Cedar Point Nights, a mile-long beach festival that lights up the lake with music, games and food during the summer months; and the Great Pumpkin Fest and Haunt at HalloWeekends in the fall.

Large groups can plan a catered all-you-can-eat buffet in one of the park’s private picnic pavilions and enjoy tickets to Cedar Point and Cedar Point Shores Waterpark.

Cedar Point offers three VIP tours of the park. One, its Sunrise VIP Tour, takes guests on a behind-the-scenes look at Cedar Point’s roller coasters and even on a ride in Valravn’s lift elevator to watch the sun rise from 223 feet above the park. cedarpoint.com

KNOTT’S BERRY FARM BUENA PARK, CALIFORNIA California’s first theme park, Knott’s Berry Farm, got its start 100 years ago as a roadside berry stand. The owners of the Buena Park farm eventually branched out by starting a restaurant famous for its chicken dinners. The popular destination attracted so many people that the owners built a Westernthemed town to keep guests entertained while they were waiting. The Western town is still a big draw at the center of Knott’s Berry Farm; gunfights, can-can dancers, stagecoach rides, a steam train and panning for gold are featured.

Guests can visit the historic Ghost Town or watch the resident blacksmith do his thing.

Other themed areas in the park include Boardwalk, Fiesta Village and Camp Snoopy.

The park is known for its thrill rides and roller coasters, but it also presents elaborate stage shows and other interactive entertainment. Knott’s Berry Farm hosts several festivals throughout the year, including the Knott’s Peanuts Celebration, a multiweekend event honoring Snoopy, Charlie Brown and the rest of the Peanuts gang. The Knott’s Boysenberry Festival happens every spring in the park’s Ghost Town. The 30-day festival offers boysenberry delicacies, entertainment, a wine and craft brew tasting garden, dueling country fiddlers, line dancing, Snoopy’s Boysenberry Jamboree, an ’80s nighttime dance party and other entertainment.

The park’s 100th anniversary celebration was supposed to take place in 2020. It has been rescheduled for mid-June through Labor Day in 2021.

Knott’s Merry Farm takes place mid-November through early January and includes an ice skating spectacular called “Merry Christmas, Snoopy!” In Santa’s Christmas Cabin, guests can talk to Santa and give him their toy wish lists. The Knott’s Christmas Crafts Village is a great place to shop for unique crafts and wares made by local artisans, and even the residents of Ghost Town get into the holiday spirit. knotts.com

Cedar Point’s Maxum XL-200 coaster at sunset

Courtesy Cedar Point

A log ride at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park

Raptor Encounter at Universal Islands of Adventure Courtesy Universal Islands of Adventure

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Courtesy Knott’s Berry Farm

CAROWINDS CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA Carowinds has been a fixture in North Carolina since it opened in 1973. It is known for having the tallest and fastest giga coaster in the world, Fury 325, which takes passengers up to 325 feet before dropping them into barrel turns and S-curves. But it also features live performances and the Carolina Harbor waterpark.

“There’s something for everyone,” said Lisa Stryker, communications director for Carowinds. “We have over the past few years turned our focus to events and experiences that would appeal to the entire family.”

Carowinds doubled the size of its water park in 2016. Guests to the park can cross the state line between North Carolina and South Carolina via Coastal Currents, the park’s lazy river. It added more family thrill rides for teens and tweens and upgraded Camp Snoopy for its youngest visitors. It also has a hefty lineup of stage shows, from acrobatics and live music performances to large song and dance productions.

“We have put a great focus on more events and activities for our guests,” said Stryker. “Any time of the year, we will have a different event, environment, decor and different performances.”

Scarowinds is one of the park’s most popular seasonal events. For 20 years, the park’s Halloween celebration has drawn visitors from across the country who want to be scared. The Great Pumpkin Festival is a daytime event that isn’t as scary and features many fun activities like a corn maze, a hay bale maze, games, an obstacle course and trick-or-treating. Winterfest is Carowinds’ hallmark holiday experience. Food features prominently in all of the amusement park’s themed events. Guests will enjoy goodies such as cinnamon pullapart bread and hot cocoa during Winterfest and food trucks during Carolina Summer Nights, an event that features lifesize board games.

In the summer, the park hosts Grand Carnivale, a tribute to that epic Brazilian party with parades, dancing and outlandish costumes. carowinds.com DOLLYWOOD PIGEON FORGE, TENNESSEE Dollywood is a multigenerational experience, a place where every member of the family can find something to enjoy. The theme park, which was founded by country music legend Dolly Parton, is known for its shows and live entertainment that changes with the season.

The Dollywood Harvest Festival features Southern Gospel performances and evening light displays throughout the park, and Smoky Mountain Christmas celebrates the true meaning of Christmas through live shows, a massive Christmas tree and holiday light displays.

Along with the variety of entertainment available throughout the park, groups that visit Dollywood can take advantage of great shopping, from Mountain Laurel Home to artisanal shops that demonstrate old-time skills like glassblowing, pottery, blacksmithing, candle-making and candymaking. They also can arrange VIP tours of the park and hands-on lessons in glassblowing or candle-making.

Dollywood works with group tour companies to create different experiences based on what each group wants to see or do. Groups can schedule a dinner show in the park, watching either Dolly Parton’s Stampede, a live

show that features 32 horses and riders, or Pirates Voyage, a dinner show that follows the deeds of Blackbeard and his quarter master, Calico Jack. The park’s coal-fired steam train, the Dollywood Express, takes guests on a fivemile trip through the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.

The Dollywood Splash Country Water Park is 56 acres of water-centered fun set in the natural atmosphere of the Great Smoky Mountains. Slides are built into the hillside for a more natural look and feel.

“You can spend the entire day here, even if you are not a ride person,” said public relations direction Wes Ramey. “You can spend the entire day here with everything else we have to offer. Great food and rides. There’s really an experience that everyone can enjoy.” dollywood.com

A Dollywood blacksmith demonstration

A family ride at Carowinds

Courtesy Dollywood

Courtesy Carowinds

#1 Scenic Train Ride!

Season runs Memorial Day weekend to mid-Oct Departs Antonito, CO and Chama, NM daily at 10:00am Group Pricing Available 1-877-890-2737 ~ www.cumbrestoltec.com/groups going on faith [ goingonfaith.com ] 33

FAITH

CENTERED

PINE CREEK

Groups can find endless recreational opportunities on 85 forested acres at Virginia’s Pine Creek Retreat Center.

RETREAT CENTER

Courtesy Pine Creek Retreat Center

P

BY ELIZA MYERS

ine Creek Retreat Center bills itself as a place “where God speaks.” One look at the property, and it is easy to see why. In Gore, Virginia, the center sits nestled amid 85 acres of the breathtaking Appalachian Mountains.

The retreat center’s remote location guarantees that the outside world can’t disturb the thoughts of participants. Only a passing deer or bird could possibly break a visitor’s train of thought.

The intimacy of the venue has proved especially beneficial during postpandemic times when limited registration numbers and exclusive properties are attractive for groups looking to follow social distancing protocols. The staff of Pine Creek can easily ensure sanitation and prevent large crowds to protect the health and safety of attendees.

Faith-based groups can unwind and feel at home at the property.

The faith-based center offers staff to help organize prayer services, altar calls and other worship-based events.

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LOCATION Gore, Virginia SIZE: 85 acres of forested mountains CAPACITY: 330 overnight guests.

CONTACT INFO: 540-858-2842 pinecreekretreat.org

LODGING Groups can choose from two style of lodging.

Larger groups can stay at the 48-room Mountain View Lodge, the primary lodge building. This space offers dormitory-style rooms for an affordable option for groups of up to 288 people.

Two additional retreat houses accommodate up to 20 people each. The upper level of each house contains a kitchen, a meeting area, dorm rooms and a suite. The lower level offers more dorm rooms and a lounge area.

Staff planning and pastoral leadership meetings often opt for the retreat houses so they can sleep, relax and pray under one roof. These houses have received increased interest lately since their isolation prevents cross-contamination with other groups.

Pine Creek’s largest event venue seats up to 350 guests. Four other meeting spaces vary in size from one room with a maximum capacity of 100 people to two spaces that can fit 40 people in each.

All group retreat packages include a private meeting space. The center’s guest services team sets up the meeting space according to customized specifications before the group arrives.

Meeting rooms come equipped with audio and visual equipment at no extra charge.

OUTSIDE-THE-BOX Since Pine Creek is operated by Christian Retreats Networks, guests have access to the organization’s activity guide for more unusual teambuilding ideas like “hose head tag” and “slipn-slide kickball.” Planners can create unforgettable bonding experiences by working with Pine Creek to organize games of ultimate frisbee, foam noodle relays or scavenger hunts. The guide even suggests a long list of rainy-day ideas like blacklight bowling, a hula hoop relay and toe tag.

Christian Retreats Network also provides planners articles and tips on event planning and church hospitality. Groups can use this information to plan their trip to Pine Creek or to any of the 10 network properties overseen by the company.

Pine Creek offers all-inclusive packages for a stress-free way to organize lodging, dining, meetings and recreational activities on a retreat. The site’s per-person rates allow planners to add linen service, recreation options and additional food options.

ACTIVITIES The Pine Creek Retreat Center sits on the side of a mountain, so guests can enjoy mountain landscapes from the peak of the property at the Mountain View Lodge and Dining Room. The dining room serves buffet meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Staff will also prepare snacks and coffee breaks in the center’s meeting rooms.

Guests take in more untamed beauty while hiking Pine Creek’s trails. Other ways to commune with nature include the center’s three bonfire sites. The Woods Bonfire Site is set apart from the center’s other buildings for a completely private experience.

Groups that want to stay busy can take advantage of a seemingly endless list of activities. Many year-round indoor and outdoor activities come included in basic retreat packages. Attendees can use the site’s gymnasium, recreation field, outdoor pool and the Pine Creek Pond with athletic equipment included.

Youth groups, especially, flock to the human foosball area and the cardboard boat racing area.

Some other basic recreation activities include basketball, dodgeball, soccer and gaga ball.

To spice things up, planners can add a premium recreation activity. Zip lining, rock climbing and teambuilding activities provide teamwork challenges and lighthearted fun.

VENTURING OUT Pine Creek sits 25 miles north of Winchester, Virginia. The charming nearby town makes its own getaway destination, with Shenandoah Valley scenery, a walkable downtown and historic attractions. Planners should check on current travel restrictions before visiting.

The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley preserves the art, history and culture of the region.

Among the collections is a display of miniature houses and furniture. Outdoors, Glen Burnie Gardens proves a peaceful stroll past blooming flowers and an Asian-influenced water garden.

Youth groups can find hands-on learning opportunities at the Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum. Science, math, the humanities are all included in multisensory exhibits.

History lovers will relish exploring the 18thcentury Old Town Winchester, the Shenandoah Valley Civil War Museum and the Fort Loudon Historic Site, among others.

going on faith [ goingonfaith.com ] 35

Other historical attractions explain the what.

We also shine a light on the why.

C O M IN G 2 0 2 1 PHI LA DE L P H IA , PA To learn more, call 215.309.0316 or visit faithandliberty.org/grouptours.

Handheld lamp guests receive to interact with immersive American history exhibits, giving visitors an experience that’s informed, inspired and personalized like never before.