GROUPTRAVELLEADER THE KENTUCKY’S COOL FACTOR | BEACHFRONT FUN | HAVE SOME HEARTLAND OCTOBER 2022 BIG DRAW FOR SMALL GROUPS Savannah is a ISSUEOUTDOOR
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4 kyle@grouptravelleader.comKYLE ANDERSON 859.253.0455 The GROUP TRAVEL LEADER is published ten times a year by THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER, Inc., 301 East High St., Lexington, Kentucky 40507, and is distributed free of charge to qualified group leaders who plan travel for groups of all ages and sizes. THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER serves as the official magazine of GROUP TRAVEL FAMILY, the organization for traveling groups. All other travel suppliers, including tour operators, destinations, attractions, transportation companies, hotels, restaurants and other travel-related companies may subscribe to THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER by sending a check for $59 for one year to: THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER, Circulation Department, 301 East High St., Lexington, KY 40507. Phone (859) 2530455 or (859) 253-0503. Copyright THE GROUP TRAVEL LEADER, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of editorial or graphic content in any manner without the written consent of the publisher is prohibited. MAC T. LACY Founder and Publisher CHARLES A. PRESLEY Partner BRIAN JEWELL VP & Executive Editor HERBERT SPARROW Senior Writer DONIA SIMMONS Creative Director KYLE ANDERSON Director of Sales & Marketing BRYCE WILSON Advertising Account Manager ASHLEY RICKS Graphic Design & Circulation SARAH SECHRIST Controller RENA BAER Copy Editor CONTENTS ON THE COVER Young travelers pose for a photo in front of the signature fountain in Savannah’s Forsyth Park. Photo by Geoff Johnson, courtesy Visit Savannah. TRAVEL LEADER THE GROUP 9ISSUE|31VOL 16 REDISCOVERING KENTUCKY Explore the outdoor destinations, small towns and Black history of the Bluegrass State. 6 Editor’s Marks COLUMNS NEWS8Family Matters 10 Take a Hike 38 Beachfront Fun 36 Exploring Savannah 42 AMERICA’S HEARTLAND Discover the iconic attractions and agritourism experiences awaiting groups in the Midwest. CHARTING THE EVOLUTION OF GROUP TRAVEL ISSUEOUTDOOR
Of course, there will always be a place for grand adventures that take you across the country or around the world. But your next adventure could be hiding in plain sight, and it may be closer than you think.
resident, I feel a certain amount of guilt about missing out on highlights around my home state for so long. There’s a part of me that thinks I should have gone everywhere and seen everything by now, especially places and things that are nearby.
EDITOR’S MARKS
BY BRIAN JEWELL
fter 12 years, I finally made it to Cave Run Lake.
As the travel industry continues to grapple with challenging economic circumstances, an irregular labor market and other difficulties, this might also be a good time to focus your group travel efforts on sites closer to home. There’s a good chance your state, or perhaps a neighboring state, has fantastic attractions and sites your travelers haven’t seen before. Taking advantage of destinations close to home will allow you to keep your travel group active without too much cost or hassle.
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Two things struck me on the water that day. The first was how incredibly gorgeous the lake and the surrounding Daniel Boone National Forest are they deserve a mention alongside any of the famous scenic mountain lakes in the United States. But the second thing that struck me was the fact it took me 12 years to get there.
As a tourism professional and a lifelong Kentucky
I’ve lived my entire life in Lexington, Kentucky, a great city surrounded by horse farms and bourbon distilleries. Over the years, I’ve grown to know Lexington quite well. But there are other parts of my home state I have never really experienced.
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One of those places was Cave Run Lake, an 8,270-acre reservoir in Morehead. (You can learn more about Morehead and the lake in our story “Kentucky Adventure Awaits” on page 16.) My wife grew up in Morehead, a town about an hour’s drive east of Lexington, and her parents still live there. We usually visit three or four times a year.
This summer, one of our Morehead visits took place over Labor Day weekend, which also hap pened to be our 12-year wedding anniversary. We celebrated by taking our kids kayaking on the lake.
But I take solace in knowing I’m not the only person with this chal lenge. In fact, it seems to be a universal problem — we all tend to take for granted the things in our own back yards. Some of the best-traveled people I know — the ones who have been to dozens of countries across every continent on earth — haven’t seen the highlights of the places where they grew up.
I’ve been aware of Cave Run Lake for a long time. My wife’s parents frequently talk about it, and we’ve casually discussed going there for years. But despite our best intentions, we had never made time to do it.
Fortunately, this problem is easily solved. Venturing to a foreign country takes months of planning and thousands of dollars. Seeing the sights around your hometown, on the other hand, takes virtually no time at all. You can decide to do it on the spur of the moment. And it will cost you less than a single tank of gas.
“Bryce comes to us with a strong background in sales for someone who is a recent graduate,” said publisher Mac Lacy. “His outgoing personality and ambition were precisely what we were looking for in this position.”
To contact Wilson about advertising, call 859-334-1708 or email him at bryce@grouptravelleader.com.
A native of Lexington, Wilson will work with Anderson to serve advertising clients for all the brands of the company, including The Group Travel Leader, Select Traveler and Going On Faith, as well as on projects for outside organizations.
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Bryce Wilson Named Advertising Account Manager
ryce Wilson is the new advertising account manager for The Group Travel Leader Inc and will be work ing in the Lexington, Kentucky office with Kyle Anderson, director of sales and marketing for the company. Bryce is a 2021 graduate of Eastern Kentucky University, where he played football; was a volunteer with Shriner’s Hospital and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes; and earned a degree in international business.
Gather & Go WITH BRIAN JEWELL Plan, promote and lead better trips with our new podcast, Gather & Go! GROUPTRAVELLEADER.COM/PODCAST GROUPTRAVELLEADERTHE
“It’s impossible to pass over the Visit Cherokee Nation image for three days on the marketplace floor and not want to take a group there,” Presley said.
Presley credited Cheryl Trask of Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism for the success of the floor graphics campaign. You can meet Trask at most Group Travel Family of Brands events or contact her at 918-384-6623 or cheryl.trask@cnet.com
If you are in the travel industry as a DMO, hotel, tour com pany, attraction or restaurant, this is your time to build bookings, establish new relationships and solidify relationships with current group travel planners. Many of your competitors are still hun kered down, so you shouldn’t miss this window of opportunity. Contact your past clients and remind them to keep you in mind for a group visit. And most importantly, develop relationships with new travel groups as fast as possible.
“The Visit Cherokee Nation visual message is a showstopper,” said Charlie Presley of Group Travel Family of Brands.
It represents an increase of 140,000 travelers flying over the holiday, not to mention the increased numbers of people who traveled via automobile. This is the bellwether indicator of pent-up demand for travel.
Travel planners at the 2022 Going On Faith Conference
and step up your community outreach. In fact, this may be a great opportunity to grow your community following.
Group leisure travel historically leads the way in trends, mainly because people have a desire to be with like-minded friends, and travel is a favored way to enjoy such interaction. Leisure group travel exists because people like to visit destina tions in the comfort and security of others they have things in common with. If you are reading this article, chances are you are involved in the group travel industry.
Act now. Pull the trigger and attend a travel conference. You will get new destination ideas, meet new travel planners and begin the healing process. Here are three you should put on your calendar: Small Market Meetings Conference, Big Travel Weekend and Select Traveler Conference.
FLOOR GRAPHICS WEAR WELL FOR VISIT CHEROKEE NATION
SALEM, Ohio Many travel planners attend travel conferences to get information and ideas that influence their buying decisions. That input includes in-person business appointments, social networking and sponsor ships. But it also includes an extremely effective medium that few people think about: floor graphics.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF DEMAND FOR TRAVEL
These events focus on education and networking for group travel planners and the travel industry. For more information, call 800-628-0993 or visit grouptravelfamily.com
Think about it: Many people in your community want to travel and will be open to the new value that your offer. Remember that value is not simply about cost — you can provide value through ease of decision making and interactions with other travelers.
As a group travel planner, you make it possible for people in your sphere of influence to enjoy travel with little effort and in good company. Now is the time to increase your travel offerings
SALEM, Ohio There is finally some great news for the travel industry. The past few years have presented some pretty difficult roadblocks for travel. However, this Labor Day weekend sig naled the reversal of travel trends. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reported that 8.76 million trav elers flew over the holiday weekend. That is the first uptick in holiday travel since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
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Floor graphics are meant to be visual and deliver a quick mes sage as people pass over them, and nobody has used floor graphics to accomplish this goal better than Visit Cherokee Nation.
The bold Native American design is a simple message that generates traveler interest.
Floor graphics are vinyl stickers adhered to the floor at conferences and tradeshows. They can serve informational, directional or marketing purposes, but they all convey a message.
CUSTOM CONTENT
Alabama’s wealthiest suburb. Women flock to Village Sportswear, Beverly Ruff and Marguerite’s Conceits as well as A’mano, where merchandise is handmade, one of a kind or of outstanding design.
Retail therapy and rooftop bars rock for getaways to Birmingham
On a larger scale, The Summit and the Outlet Shops of Grand River serve up nation al chains in pleasant shopping centers. The Summit’s nearly 100 stores and restaurants include chains like Ann Taylor, Anthropologie, Lululemon, Tory Burch, Urban Out fitters and West Elm. The Outlet Shops has bargain branches of brands like Loft, Old Navy, Nike, Chico’s, Michael Kors and Coach as well as Artists Incorporated, with works by Alabama artists, and University Pickers, with more than 100 booths selling anything from steam punk to shabby chic. The Outlet Shops go all out for motorcoach es, with a welcome, discount coupons and a stipend for the driver’s lunch.
When the stores close, shoppers can sit, have a sip, socialize and enjoy the scenery from a rooftop bar or patio. Thanks to mild climate and portable heaters, it's a year round treat.
BY VICKIE MITCHELL
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At Zelda’s Lounge at the Marble Ring, the rooftop patio is posh; cozy nooks inside include chords to pull for service. Getting into the bar is a trip; a secret phone booth is involved.InMountain Brook, plush purple Victorian chairs with views of the village snuggle around a fire pit at the Grand Bohemian Hotel’s Habitat Feed and Social rooftop bar. Roots and Revelry’s city-view terrace looks out on downtown Birmingham. It’s on the second floor of the restored Thomas Jefferson Tower. Far above the city streets is Moon Shine, a rooftop bar at the top of the 17-story Elyton Hotel, where Southern-influenced eats pair with contemporary cocktails. On the rooftop patio at Carrigan’s Public House downtown, a tequila-based She’s Hot, She’s Smoking is the perfect drink to toast a successful end to a Birmingham shopping expedition.
FOR MORE INFORMATION,SARACONTACT:HAMLIN GREATER BIRMINGHAM SHAMLIN@INBIRMINGHAM.COM800-458-8085CVBOR205-458-8000INBIRMINGHAM.COM 800-458-8085inbirmingham.com
Sip and take in the scenery
In Birmingham, the Greater Birmingham CVB has put a spotlight on shopping adventures with its Girls Wanna Have Fun itinerary. The itinerary is a great starting place, says the CVB’s Sara Hamlin, and she and her staff will gladly help planners tailor it for their group. Here are some of the itinerary’s highlights.
Four shopping destinations
Each of Birmingham’s four compact, walkable shopping destinations is a little dif ferent. In Homewood, one of the city’s nicest suburbs, 18th Street is like an old-fashioned main street. Among the essential stops there are The Cottage Basket, where gift wares wow customers; Alabama Goods, for takehomes like sweet tea, tee shirts or a Dream land barbecue gift box; and Theodora Abbey luxe, a boutique with warm welcomes and cool clothes. For an energy boost, Savage’s Bakery and Deli, in business since 1939, supplies cinnamon rolls and other treats. In Mountain Brook, shoppers find the highend boutiques and upscale stores expected of
etail therapy really can be therapeutic, especially if it’s a trip with girlfriends.
Montana’s Wayfarer’s Loop Trail
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Alaska’s Reflections Lake Trail
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
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The Empire Bluff Trail offers easy access and gorgeous views of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Michigan. BOOTS
The Door Trail at Badlands National Park
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Anna Ruby Falls in GeorgiaSleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
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THESE HIKES ARE PERFECT FOR ACTIVE TRAVELERS
skating, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, depending on the time of year. And from about mid-June through August, the area is blanketed with Alaskan wildflowers.
If the weather is nice, the park also allows for a slew of water activities, from fishing and boating to kayaking and canoeing. Plus, it is known for being a great spot to camp or enjoy a picnic.
MAT-SU VALLEY, ALASKA
STATE PARK, MONTANA
NATIONAL PARK, TENNESSEE
GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS
Found along Glenn Highway in Alaska’s Mat-Su Valley is Reflections Lake, a hidden gem that offers both activity and serenity. Individuals can walk a short 1.1-mile gravel path that circles the lake, all while enjoying views of the Chugach Mountains. Plus, the trail includes an elevated viewing stand and several benches, should visitors want to relax and take in the scenery.
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orgeous views, fresh air, exercise — there’s nothing like a hike in the great outdoors. Across the United States, popular hiking trails give travelers glimpses of landscapes and flora and fauna that distinguish their destinations. Here are 10 iconic hikes you and your group are sure to love.
Wayfarers Loop Trail
BY RACHEL
BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK, SOUTH DAKOTA
Located in Badlands National Park, Door Trail is a unique adventure that leads individuals through an erosion wall on the north side of the valley dubbed Badlands Wall. During the excursion, hikers follow a boardwalk that runs through the natural door way to a viewing platform. From there, they make their way along a path to an overlook replete with eye-catching canyons and gullies. While only one mile out and back, the trail provides up-close views of the prairie grass and eroded clay-rich soil that make up the Badlands’ stunning terrain. The col ors alone, from the blue sky and green grass to the orange and brown clay, are exquisite.
Other than a small set of stairs, a short, flat path makes up the trail that leads to the beautiful Cataract Falls in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. While the destination — crystal clear water cascad ing down a portion of the mountain — is a sight to behold, the hike itself provides beautiful views of Fighting Creek, greenery and a multitude of trees. The roughly 1.1-mile out-and-back trip begins behind Sugarlands Visitor Center, where benches and picnic tables are available for resting. While the trail is enjoyable throughout the year, autumn’s changing leaves offer a picturesque scene that is hard to beat.
In addition to being a great place to hike, the lake is also perfect for bird-watching, fishing, ice
BY LINDSEY HYDE
Reflections Lake Trail
Door Trail
An easy 1.8-mile loop with breathtaking views awaits at Wayfarers/Flathead Lake State Park. Here, the park’s one and only trail runs along the shore and cliffs of beautiful Flathead Lake, which has a surface area of approximately 200 square miles. During the hike, visitors can often spot waterfowl, songbirds, deer and other small animals. Benches are available in the park for individuals to relax and enjoy the view.
Cataract Falls
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Adams Falls
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Empire Bluff Trail
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area. The path ends at a bluff overlooking gorgeous Lake Michigan and its shoreline. Here, visitors can relax and enjoy the view from boardwalks and an observation deck. Many have found that this is the perfect place to watch the setting sun, not to mention gaze at the stars. Out and back, the trail runs 1.5 miles.
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SLEEPING BEAR DUNES
Anna Ruby Falls Trail
Nestled in the heart of Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest is Anna Ruby Falls, a pair of twin waterfalls whose simultaneous cascades make for a spectacular view. To come upon this beautiful natural attraction, hikers travel along Anna Ruby Falls Trail, a wide, paved path framed by trees and shrubbery that follows along a stream. The trail, which begins at the recreation area’s visitor center, sees elevation gain in the beginning, but the hike itself is just under a mile. Plus, once hikers near the falls, they can relax and take in the pretty scene from two wooden viewing platforms. The falls are formed by two streams, Curtis Creek and York Creek, which merge to create Smith Creek.
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While just under one mile roundtrip, the trail to Adams Falls allows individuals to feel one with nature. Beginning on the East Inlet Trail in Rocky Mountain National Park, hikers travel along a path lined with pine and aspen trees before turning off on another trail that leads to an overlook of the falls. Like a scene from a nature film, shimmering water cascades roughly 55 feet into a narrow gorge below. From here, visitors can also climb to the top of the falls for a slightly different view. Grand Lake can be seen in the distance from this spot as well. If visitors hike past the falls, they’ll soon come to a pretty valley where wildflowers and moose are occasionally seen.
A highlight of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is Empire Bluff Trail, a semi-hilly course that runs through a beautiful forest full of beach maples. Along the way, hikers pass a series of num bered posts that correspond with descriptions of each
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Two miles from Mount Rushmore. More than a hotel, an experience! Mountain setting in Keystone close to shopping and dining. Free continental breakfast, fitness center, guest laundry, meeting room, on-site bus parking and group rates. 605.666.4483 // RushmoreExpress.com
Monumental EXPERIENCE PLAN YOUR NEXT GREAT ADVENTURE SEETHEBLACKHILLS.COMAT
RUSHMORE BORGLUM STORY
Discover the life of Gutzon Borglum. Creator of Mount Rushmore! An exciting and educational experience for everyone. Explore his works, then watch the blasting and carving film. Group rates! A “must-see” to enhance your Mount Rushmore visit. 605.666.4448 // RushmoreBorglum.com
ANGEL'S CATERING & RECEPTIONS
SANFORD HOMESTAKELABVISITOR CENTER
CAMBRIA HOTEL
Located 3 miles from historic Deadwood, Lead, SD, is home to the Sanford Underground Research Facility and the former Homestake Gold Mine. Free admission, tour group friendly, spacious motorcoach parking, custom tour packages. 605.584.3110 // SanfordLab.org/SLHVC
WALL-BADLANDS AREA CHAMBER
Have us cater your group meal - Or hold it at our newly updated venue that easily seats up to 200 with a full bar. We offer delicious food, friendly service, easy access, and plenty of bus parking on-site. 605.721.9229 // AngelsReceptions.com
Set among the picturesque backdrop of expansive plains and breathtaking views of Badlands National Park, the Wall-Badlands Area offers all the expected and plenty of the unexpected. Enjoy western history, outdoor recreation, wildlife, amazing landscapes, and more! 888-852-9255 // Wall-Badlands.com
RUSHMORE EXPRESS
& FAMILY SUITES
Convenient location with easy access, clean and spacious guest rooms, tasty breakfast, and excellent service. Plenty of on-site motorcoach parking with nearby service stations. Call to reserve your block of rooms now! 605.721.7360 // CambriaHotelRapidCity.com
OZARK NATIONAL SCENIC RIVERWAYS, MISSOURI
The exquisite Big Spring, which is said to be one of America’s largest, is Big Spring Branch Trail’s main attraction. Eyes are immediately drawn to the gorgeous, clear water, especially when the sun’s rays kiss its surface.
The trail itself is at the base of the cliff where the spring emerges. It loops around the spring and then follows a stream that feeds into Current River. Just one mile roundtrip, this woodsy, sometimes rocky path is scenic year-round. Spring wildflowers and autumn’s burnt orange and deep red leaves are sights to see. In addition to nature, the trail also allows hikers to see the Historic Dining Lodge built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, which Congress formed to help create jobs during the Great Depression.
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Big Spring Branch Trail
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This short, rocky path found in Guadalupe Mountains National Park is the perfect way to enjoy all that the Chihuahuan Desert has to offer. Before climbing up a southwest slope, hikers pass an intermittent seep, or a pool of water that seeps from the ground. Once at the top, they are rewarded with a view of the mouth of McKittrick Canyon before traveling down the northeast slope, which is said to be the lusher of the two sides. Hikers are surrounded by beautiful century plants and prickly pear cactuses, not to mention the open sky above, which offers shades of blue that catch and hold the eye.
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Once the trolley line that tourists traveled to get to Chickies Rock, this now-dirt trail in Lancaster County leads hikers to a cliff where they are met with a picture-perfect view — the Susquehanna River surrounded by rural landscape and the Marietta, Columbia and Wrightsville communities. Along the path, indi viduals can enjoy the beautiful Pennsylvania foliage. A hike during the winter when the leaves have fallen allows for clearer views of the countryside once individuals reach the top. The trail is a short jaunt, just one mile out and back.
Chickies Rock Overlook Trail LANCASTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
McKittrick Canyon Nature Trail NATIONALGUADALUPE MOUNTAINSPARK,TEXAS
“I’d take everyone out to Cumberland Falls to see their beauty,” Monhollen said. “The paved path is short and leads to a viewing platform.”
Kentucky ADVENTURE
“They’re just breathtaking. Waterfalls nestled inside the Daniel Boone National Forest? It’s awesome,” Monhollen said.
“We’re nestled in the heart of the Daniel Boone National Forest,” said Paige Swartz, Morehead-Rowan County Tourism’s visitor operations director. “So the landscape is carved with family-friendly hikes, unique rock formations and everything in between.”
Morehead is a small community with a big outdoor draw, starting with the northern part of the Daniel Boone National Forest. The forest has plenty of hiking and walking trails with varying levels of difficulty and accessibility. And at the northern end of the national forest is Cave Run Lake, which lets groups tailor their experiences to their person alities. Need a place for calm and quiet reflection? Cave Run Lake is an ideal place. Long for adventure, speed and excitement? Cave Run Lake is perfect for boating, viewing wildlife and hunting, to name a few activities visitors enjoy.
On the night of the full moon, as well as the two before and after, take your group to see Corbin’s mysterious moonbow. Mother Nature created this strange gift with the orientation of the moon in the sky and the mist from Cumberland Falls.
OUTDOOR OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND THROUGHOUT THE BLUEGRASS STATE
“We get people from all over the world who come to the park to see the moonbow,” Monhollen said. “Moonbow nights are always busy. The best time to see them is in the winter; the atmospheric pressure changes and the conditions are clear.”
ere’s something transformative about wild and natural spaces that can add both energy and reflection to the spirit of a trip. And those spaces abound in Kentucky.
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Depending on the fitness level of your group, Dog Slaughter Falls and Bark Camp Cascades are good choices, too.
Just an hour east of Lexington in the Eastern Highlands region of the state, Morehead’s vast network of explorable forests has earned it the designation of a Kentucky Trail Town.
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From peaceful natural havens to exciting places to commune with the great outdoors, these Bluegrass State destinations offer fun and unique outdoor activities for groups.
What makes this southeastern Kentucky town an ideal outdoor group destination? For starters, the trail to the falls is 100% accessible.
CORBIN
“If you’re an outdoor adventure enthusiast, we have got it,” said Maggy Monhollen, executive direc tor at Corbin Tourism. The Kentucky town smack dab in between Knoxville and Lexington owes its outdoor credentials to the stunning public treasures to its west: Cumberland Falls State Resort Park in the Daniel Boone National Forest. There, visitors can be awed by the eponymous cascades known as the Niagara of the South. Have night owls in your group? If there’s a full or nearly full moon, make the pilgrimage after dark to the falls, one of only two places in the world where you can see a mysterious nighttime rainbow illuminated by lunar magic, known as a moonbow.
MOREHEAD
17GROUPTRAVELLEADER.COMGROUPTRAVELLEADER THE COURTESY CORBIN TOURISM Kentucky COURTESY CORBIN TOURISM COURTESY VISIT BOWLING GREEN COURTESY PRESTONSBURG TOURISM COURTESY CORBIN TOURISM TOP TO BOTTOM: CUMBERLAND FALLS IN CORBIN; LOST RIVER CAVE IN BOWLING GREEN; PRESTONSBURG’S MIDDLE CREEK NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD; LAUREL LAKE NEAR CORBIN AUTUMN BRINGS GORGEOUS COLOR IN DANIEL BOONE NATIONAL FOREST. ISSUEOUTDOOR
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Where can you explore a cave system and yet remain in town? Bowling Green, Kentucky.
“Everything in Bowling Green is super close,” said Nora Bryant, communications director for Visit Bowling Green. “Everyone is surprised to learn the Lost River Cave is still very much in the city; it’s smack in the middle. When you’re in the cave you’re under a very large intersection, and you’d never know it.”
Before you write off this activity, rest assured that experiencing Bowling Green belowground doesn’t involve rappelling with headlamps from inside a bat-lined cavern.
COURTESY MOREHEAD-ROWAN CO. TOURISM COURTESY PRESTONSBURG TOURISM FISHING ON MOREHEAD’S CAVE RUN LAKE COURTESY MOREHEAD-ROWAN CO. TOURISM RODBURN HOLLOW PARK IN MOREHEAD WILD ELK PRESTONSBURGIN 19 hotels + over 80 Restaurants Right Off INTERSTATE 75 INTERSTATE 64 +
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Bowling Green sits near the seam where the Highland Rim and the Shawnee Hills regions come together in south central Kentucky.
Do you have any birders in your group? Morehead’s Minor E. Clark Fish Hatchery and Shallow Flats Wildlife Viewing area offer accessible bird watching, a fish viewing pool, nice hikes and the chance to see a variety of wildlife, Swartz said.
BOWLING GREEN
Kentucky State Parks
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Get away from it all, to discover all we have. Whether for 20 or 400, we will help you find the perfect environment. From seminars and retreats to holiday events and weddings, one of our 17 state resort parks is waiting for you. Speak to a group sales professional to learn more about Kentucky State Park opportunities and discover your next destination: jovan.wells@ky.gov or call parks.ky.gov/meetings-weddings502-892-3341.#kystateparks
the highlight for your group on their next trip. The region around Prestonsburg is home to one of the largest elk populations in the country, and the town offers plenty of elk viewing from September to March for visitors keen to catch a glimpse. “It’s like a little taste of the West in the East,” Johnson said.
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Prime viewing of the elk takes place with park naturalists from the nearby Jenny Wiley State Resort Park. There, with the naturalists as your group’s guide, your guests will learn about the history and ecology of the species as well as how to make their uniqueNextcalls.head to the park’s theater, where plays explore the famous capture and escape of pioneer woman Jenny Wiley from among local native tribes.
Sighting wild elk in the Star City of Eastern Kentucky could be
“I’m no historian, but it’s amazing how many contacts we get a week with people wanting to tour the historical sites,” Dennis said. “I’m amazed by it.”
“That’s one of the good things about Campbellsville,” said Julie Dennis, interim director of the Taylor County Tourism Commission. “There’s great city life with restaurants and shopping, but in a matter of minutes you can be out in the country, and you feel like you’re away from civilization.”
Cave exploration and other outdoor activities for any level are plentiful in Bowling Green.
Many visitors come to Campbellsville to put a line in the water. The tourism office can help orga nize guided fishing expeditions for groups.
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“A lot of people think of bass fishing, catfishing or fishing for walleye on Green River Lake,” Dennis said. “But when you pull a monster muskie out of the lake, that’s all you need. Everyone loves the muskies.”
After spending some time on the water, many travelers also make time to visit the area’s historic attractions. Taylor County is rich with Civil War history. Visitors can step back in time while visiting battlefields, toll gates or the Atkinson-Griffin Log House. There, visitors will notice the bloodstains still marring the floor of an upstairs bedroom.
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“I highly suggest a boat tour and the trails at Lost River Cave,” Bryant said. “Baker Arboretum is also a wonderful choice, accompanied by the Downing Museum, which is also located on the grounds. And of course, Mammoth Cave. They have many tours that are great for any level of Thosephysicality.”caveformations that Bowling Green is famous for are due to the karst region in south central Kentucky where the city was built. Karst — a type of porous bedrock — is responsible for the caves and underground streams that attract visitors year-round. Groups can explore them by foot or even boat in Bowling Green.
Wildlife viewing, engaging with pioneer women or firing Civil-War replica arms are just a few outdoor activities in store for group travelers in Prestonsburg, “PrestonsburgKentucky.isaterrific getaway for those looking to experience both the thrill and calming peace of the great outdoors,” said Samantha Johnson, executive director of Prestonsburg Tourism.
Finally, while in Prestonsburg, visitors can explore the Middle Creek National Battlefield. This particular battle is often referred to as “the battle that launched a presidency.” Col. James Garfield, who would later become president of the United States, led his Union troops to victory on a cold January day. Period reenactors bring the site to life. Groups have the chance to fire one of the civil warera replica guns.
Getting sun and fresh air from a trip to Campbellsville is simple.
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Williamstown, KY (south of Cincinnati)an attraction of Answers in Genesis
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Just a few blocks away is the Roots 101 African American Museum, a project of Louisville native Lamont Collins, whose goal is for you to understand the entirety of the Black experience in America and to see Blacks’ historical reality, talent, success and perseverance.
Much of the rest of the Ali Center focuses on Ali’s core principles of confidence, conviction, dedication, giving, respect and spirituality.
Ask about Bullock’s role in an episode involving President Theodore Roosevelt. He was a notable player in a libel suit about Roosevelt’s drinking.TheBlack presence in baseball is clear at the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory. The museum details the contributions of Black players such as Jackie Robinson, Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, Willie Mays and Ken Griffey Jr., all of whom have swung Louisville Slugger bats.
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Nearby at the Evan Williams Experience, a lower-level speakeasy is the stage for actor George Harris to portray bartender Tom Bullock. Bullock, born in 1872 to a formerly enslaved man who fought in the Union Army, is famous in cocktail circles because he wrote “The Ideal Bartender,” the first cocktail book by a Black author.
Consider all that would not have happened had the youngster not met that particular officer. No Olympic gold medal, no heavyweight championships, no resistance to war, no comfort for the afflicted in nations around the world.
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While here, find the newspaper clipping that promotes the 1908
His “Red Bicycle Moment,” as explained early in the center, is eye-opening. At age 12, he reported the theft of his new bicycle to a police officer and said he wanted to “whup” the thief. By chance, or perhaps grace, the officer was a boxing coach who
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AFRICAN AMERICAN STORIES TAKE CENTER STAGE AROUND KENTUCKY
The boxer, of course, is Muhammad Ali, whose career, impact and spirit generated the Muhammad Ali Center. Ali’s fame would be secure if he’d done nothing beyond winning an Olympic gold medal and multiple championship fights, but he was much more than that.
ultimately trained Ali (then Cassius Clay) for six years.
You can learn their stories — and many others — in locations scattered around the state.
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Compare Roots 101 to an introductory college course with potential for much deeper study. Artifacts spread through two levels highlight everything from Blacks’ African heritage and the horrors of slavery to Jim Crow, Motown, family life and the death of Breonna Taylor.
“We are descendants of kings and queens, not just slaves. Roots 101 is an open-heart story,” Collins said. “This is a healing place. If we treat the wounds, we get better.”
humanitarian boxer famous around the world, a jockey who should be famous, a bartender who chronicled what may be your favorite cocktail, generations of cave explorers and soldiers who volunteered to save the nation all played roles in Kentucky’s Black heritage.
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Louisville is the site of multiple Black heritage attractions, and several are packed into a small por tion of downtown. Within easy walking distance of each other are a tribute to the humanitarian boxer, a new museum housing one man’s extensive Black heritage artifact collection, a speakeasy to learn about the cocktail-mixing bartender and the bonus of a combination factory tour and museum.
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KENTUCKY TOURISM COURTESY LOUISVILLE SLUGGER MUSEUM TOP TO BOTTOM: STEPHEN BISHOP, AN EARLY MAMMOTH CAVE GUIDE; THE IDEAL BARTENDER INTERPRETER AT THE EVAN WILLIAMS EXPERIENCE; CAMP NELSON; A NEGRO LEAGUES EXHIBIT AT LOUISVILLE SLUGGER MUSEUM BY CRYSTAL LUDWICK, COURTESY KY DERBY MUSEUM
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25GROUPTRAVELLEADER.COMGROUPTRAVELLEADER THE Kentucky GROUPS CAN HAVE POWERFUL IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES HIGHLIGHTING THE LEGACY OF BLACK JOCKEYS AT THE KENTUCKY DERBY MUSEUM.
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more Black jockeys rode Derby winners, but the last was in 1902. Black jockeys and trainers then were mostly pushed aside by Jim Crow laws and attitudes.
matchup between the Reccius Club (a Black team) and the Unions (a white team). The game was on the Reccius Club’s turf, and the article points out “there will be special grandstand seats for white people.”
All of the horseracing world and almost everyone else pays attention to Louisville the first Saturday in May, when upward of 150,000 people pack Churchill Downs for “the fastest two minutes in sports”: the Kentucky Derby.
KENTUCKY HORSE PARK BY TOM ADKINSONBY TOM ADKINSON A BLACK KENTUCKYEXHIBITHORSEMENATTHEHORSEPARK MUHAMMADCENTERALI LOUISVILLE’S ROOTS 101 AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM Did you know that Danville, Kentucky is the perfect place to start your Kentucky Bourbon Trail® tour? Begin at one of our local bourbon & spirits bars before you stamp your first official trail visit at legendary Wilderness Trail Distillery. Danville, Kentucky – it all starts here! Plan your trip by visiting us at danvillekentucky.com
Touring the Kentucky Derby Museum is much calmer. The core of your visit is an 18-minute film, “The Greatest Race,” where your perspective is from the middle of the track. After that, a guide leads you into the stands and to the track’s edge.
After getting that background, turn your attention to indoor museum displays, especially the substantial exhibit called “Black Heritage in Racing.” It tells the poignant story of how Black jockeys and trainers were central to the Derby’s early years. Black jockey Oliver Lewis rode Aristides to the first Derby victory in 1875.Eleven
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In Lexington, the International Museum of the Horse at the Kentucky Horse Park tells an even deeper story through its permanent “Black Horsemen of the Kentucky Turf” exhibition. Learn how Isaac Murphy, born in 1861, became one of the most famous sports heroes of the late 1800s and the first jockey in the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame.
The USCT’s role in the war has been largely ignored until recent years, but Camp Nelson shows its scale. More than 10,000 Blacks enlisted here (eight regiments of infantry, cavalry and artillery), and the camp was the largest USCT camp in Kentucky and the third largest in the nation.
A film, ranger-led programs (group leaders should inquire about
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Twenty miles southwest of Lexington past Nicholasville is one of America’s newest national monuments, Camp Nelson. The U.S. Army established the camp in the Civil War as a staging ground for its cam paign into east Tennessee. Its mission grew to be a major recruitment and training camp for U.S. Colored Troops (USCT) and a refugee camp for USCT families.
The exhibition uses Blacks’ experience in horseracing to examine the broader societal story of slavery, Reconstruction and Jim Crow.
While in Lexington, find the 11 interpretative signs marked in the VisitLEX African-American Heritage Guide. Among the topics are the equality protests on what now is Park Plaza Square, Lexington’s role in slave sales and Charlotte Dupuy’s court fight starting in 1829 to secure her freedom from one-time U.S. Secretary of State Henry Clay.
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Tourism was underway in Mammoth Cave by the mid-1800s, and a self-educated enslaved man named Stephen Bishop was only 17 when he began leading tours. He was the first to go beyond what now are known as the Bottomless Pit, Mammoth Dome and Fat Man’s Misery. His reputation grew, and white visitors asked for him to lead them into theAnotherdarkness.enslaved man, Mat Bransford, was brought to the cave to be a guide. He was the first in a five-generation line of Black guides in Mammoth Cave. If you’re lucky, Jerry Bransford, who is in that fifth generation, may be your guide today. He is a seasonal National Park Service ranger.
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tailored events) and hikes on five miles of national monument trails bring Camp Nelson’s story to life.
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A Kentucky Black heritage tour is incomplete without Berea College. Presbyterian minister John Fee founded the school in 1855 as the South’s first interracial coeducational school. Considering the Civil War (Fee had to flee from the college to Camp Nelson where he advocated for freedmen and their families), Jim Crow and a state ban of integrated education in 1904, Berea College has had a difficult history.Carter Godwin Woodson, a 1903 graduate of Berea College, became a scholar of African American history and became known as the father of Black history for launching the precursor of Black History Month. Today, of course, Berea College is interracial and coeducational and has another nota ble attribute — it has not charged students tuition since 1892. Berea College students work on campus in return for their educations.
To the west, the most extensive cave system on earth — Mammoth Cave — is yet another Kentucky spot with a notable Black heritage. In one of American history’s ironies, it was enslaved men who mined saltpeter for gunpowder production in the early 1800s that was critical to the nation’s keeping itself free as it fought the War of 1812.
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group travel made easy
Shelbyville • Simpsonville Shelby County, Kentucky
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Centrally located between Louisville and Lexington, ShelbyKY has beautiful meeting spaces, several brand-name hotels and 65+ vacation rentals, two distilleries, and is the perfect home base for exploring the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®. Known as the Saddlebred Capital of the World, groups of all sizes will love our farm tours, unique dining and shopping, and bourbon experiences. In other words, ShelbyKY makes group travel easy. Learn more at visitshelbyky.com/groups.
“We say ‘We’re on the Ohio River but never in it,’” Dixon said. “Henderson is high enough to have never been flooded by the river, so we have untouched beautiful historic architecture.”
entucky’s small towns have been home to some big characters.
Speaking of bourbon, with Bulleit and Jeptha Creed distilleries, Shelbyville is on the state’s Bourbon Trail. “We have two more distilleries in the works and hopefully even more than that,” Marson said.
“Our festival scene in the summer is top-notch,” Dixon said. “The W.C. Handy Blues and Barbecue festival is the largest. Think Nashvillestyle listening rooms like the Bluebird Cafe without the hustle and bustle.”
After a tour and possibly a tasting, head to downtown Shelbyville. There, plan to let your group explore the Mainstreet boutiques, shops, dining and coffee shops.
“Near the end of his life, Colonel Sanders wanted to create a restaurant for his wife,” Marson explained. The restaurant features Kentucky fried chicken and an array of Southern cuisine. “And if you call in advance they will roll out the red carpet,” Marson added.
From groundbreaking naturalists to innovative distillers, horse farm owners and even a famous chicken-frying colonel, groups can get to know some of the most memorable people in Kentucky history at small towns through out the state. The next time you’re in the Bluegrass State, consider incorporating Henderson, Shelbyville, Paducah, Danville and Georgetown into the mix.
“Motorcoaches love to do the farm tours, as well, just to experience horses up close and personal,” said Janette Marson, president of ShelbyKY Tourism.
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“We house the largest collection anywhere in the world and we’re pretty proud of that,” said Abby Dixon, executive director of Henderson County Tourism. “Visitors can’t come without spending time at the Audubon Museum. It’s incredible even if you’re not particularly into birds.”
They say birds of a feather flock together. James Audubon, the famous ornithologist, lived in Henderson longer than anywhere else — and it’s here that he started his famous Birds of America collection.
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Today, Shelbyville is one of the only places left in the state whose small businesses offer guided trail rides. “When you get to Kentucky you want to do two quintessential things: bourbon [tours] and saddle riding,” Marson said.
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To dine all under one roof, look up the Claudia Sanders Dinnerhouse.
“Each place has its own special flavors,” Dixon said. “We have trendy downtown barbecue joints and hole-in-the-wall dive bar atmospheres too.”
With so many horse farms, Shelbyville’s claim to fame is as the Saddlebred Capital of the World.
KENTUCKY’S SMALL TOWNS RAISE BIG PERSONALITIES
During the trip planning phase, check with the tourism office to learn about any upcoming celebrations.
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After letting your group’s curiosity take flight,
sample your way through some of the town’s local barbecue joints.
Other options are readily available as well. Henderson’s downtown on the Ohio River benefits from a topographic advantage.
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TOURISM COURTESY PADUCAH CVB TOP TO BOTTOM: A HENDERSON RESTAURANT; DANVILLE’S GREAT AMERICAN BRASS BAND FESTIVAL; A CAR SHOW IN SHELBYVILLE; QUILTWEEK IN PADUCAH COURTESY GEORGETOWN TOURISM
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Some towns anchor themselves on the map with showy landmarks. Others, like Paducah, stitch together their reputation one patch at a time.
Other popular attractions include the River Discovery Center, Paducah Railroad Museum and the Hotel Metropolitan, a hotel where African American legends like Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington and Billie Holiday once stayed.
“Paducah is unique because of its big city feel and small-town culture. Here we like to say you can go to the symphony on Friday night and tend chick ens on Saturday,” said Liz Hammonds, director of marketing for the Paducah Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We’re known for our signature cultural and artistic experiences. See the quilts, then a movie at Maiden Alley Theater, the region’s only nonprofit movie and art house.”
urrounded by the beauty of the Appalachian Mountains, Corbin is located in the outdoor adventure mecca of Kentucky, and is the perfect destination for your next group tour. Conveniently located off of I-75 at exit 25 by the shores of the beautiful and pristine Laurel Lake, Corbin is home to the Cumberland Falls, Daniel Boone National Forest, the Original KFC, Sanders Park, and the 7,000 seat Corbin Arena which hosts a variety of entertainment and different shows. Corbin is home to a host of locally owned restaurants who can accommodate large groups and satisfy any pallet. Whether you enjoy history, outdoor adventure or shopping and culinary treats, Corbin, KY can offer a variety of itineraries for your group! We cannot wait to see you … Corbin Loves Company!
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One of only nine UNESCO Creative Cities in the United States, the creative hub in western Kentucky draws visitors from far and wide for its cultural con tributions, including the National Quilt Museum. Influential Paducah residents and founders of the American Quilters Society envisioned a museum that would celebrate quilting and the fiber arts. Today, their vision welcomes more than 100,000 visitors annually.
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COURTESY SHELBYKY TOURISM A SHELBYVILLE HORSE FARM COURTESY PADUCAH CVB EXPLORING THE ARTS IN PADUCAH KISMET FARM SHELBYVILLEIN COURTESY SHELBYKY TOURISM Corbin Loves Company! 606-528-8860www.corbinkytourism.comS
200 Artisan Way, Berea, KY 40403 kentuckyartisancenter.ky.gov THE KENTUCKY ARTISAN CENTER AT BEREA CENTER HOURS: 9 AM - 6 PM CAFE HOURS: 9 AM - 4 PM
“Our history is what sets us apart in Danville and is one of the things that draws people here, espe cially to our downtown area,” said Kendall Clinton, CEO of Visit Danville. In 1792, delegates drafted and signed the state’s constitution at what is now Constitution Square Park. Groups can visit these hallowed grounds in Danville throughout the year.
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TOURING THE TOYOTA FACTORY IN GEORGETOWN
Just across the street, groups enjoy touring the famous and slightly macabre McDowell House.
“Whether you are a bourbon drinker or not, a tour and optional tasting at the Wilderness Trail Distillery is another popular stop for visitors to Danville,” Clinton said.
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Battlefield, find miles of trails, a Civil War ceme tery, and wildlife and butterflies.
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“The little downtown is what sold me on Georgetown,” said Lori Saunders, executive director of Georgetown Tourism. “During the spring and summer, we have these hanging baskets with flow ers that almost touch the bourbon barrels that are underneath them. And the American flag is always flying, with beautiful banners during each season. It’s everything I expect a patriotic town to be.” Georgetown is a magnet for history buffs and bourbon aficionados.
“Nothing’s better than feeding carrots to a racing star of yesterday, getting to pet them and taking a selfie with them,” Saunders said. “It’s the perfect start to a Kentucky day. And you always feel better when you’re around horses.”
Your group may also find themselves drawn to experience Georgetown’s Toyota Plant, the largest Toyota Motor Manufacturing plant in the world.
“We were founded in 1784 by none other than Reverend Elijah Craig, an enterprising Baptist minister renowned for his innovations in distilling bourbon,” Saunders said.
After a horsey start to your day, stroll the lively display of local shops, boutiques, restaurants and Kentucky artistry in Georgetown’s historic downtown.“Ourdowntown is a not-miss,” Saunders said. “It’s a huge attraction in and of itself.”
“Groups love it, especially if they have a Toyota, since they get to see where it was made from begin ning to end,” Saunders said. “Visitors ride on a tram; a guide tells them about the plant as they go through, and it’s an amazing tour. Everyone who goes through, it loves it.”
“The McDowell House is another legendary location, where Dr. Ephraim McDowell removed an ovarian tumor from a Ms. Jane Todd Crawford in 1809 without any sort of anesthesia,” Clinton said.
And it wouldn’t be a Kentucky town without paying homage to the state’s favorite beverage.
Contemplate history just 10 miles to the town’s west.
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“Many people stop in to check out the Perryville Battlefield, where the most important and one of the most deadly Civil War battles was fought in Kentucky,” Clinton said. At the Perryville
Turn Back Time
Check out a virtual visit to get a sneak peak of what you’ll find! visitwinchesterky.com
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Whether it’s the intrigue of Daniel Boone’s adventures, the courage of civil rights activists, or the stories of our local citizens turned military heroes, Winchester-Clark County has plenty to show and tell through one of our community’s gems — the Bluegrass Heritage Museum. Stroll through levels of exhibits and artifacts as you learn more about Winchester’s prominent role in Kentucky history. Great information and fun for the entire family.
If your group visits in June, incorporate the Great American Brass Band Festival into your plans. It takes place on Centre College’s campus.
Bourbon isn’t the only asset in Georgetown. Whether it’s horses, horsepower or small-town charm, Georgetown has unique Bluegrass experiences around every corner. Hoof it to the expansive Kentucky Horse Park or the Old Friends Retirement Farm.
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GEORGIA’S OLDEST CITY IS A NATIONAL TREASURE
avannah has been charming visitors for centuries with its elegant architecture and the natural beauty of its coast and surrounding marshlands.
The museum strives to present groups with unique, compelling and educational experiences through docent guided tours of the expansive home and its garden. Groups can admire the home’s Federal-style architecture and antique furniture while they take in the rich history of the house and Savannah in the 19th century. Tours can be specialized to fit a variety of historical topics and events, from yellow fever to clothing and fashion to the lives of urban slaves in the 1800s. Another fun activity for groups is watching 19th century dance demonstrations performed by actors dressed in elegant, vintage attire.
Georgia’s oldest city was founded in 1733, making it home to some of the oldest historical sites in America. Here, groups will find opulent, centuries-old cathedrals and synagogues; antebellum mansions; marsh and island communities; and museums dedicated to exploring every aspect of Savannah’s history. From the Colonial period to the Gilded Age, every era of American life is represented by Savannah.
A Federal-style home in Savannah, the Davenport House is open for visitors to tour. Built in 1820 by a prominent Savannah artisan, the home contains vintage furnishings and décor reflecting its period of origin. The museum tells the stories of its inhabitants, both freed and enslaved, and allows visitors to discover the past of this stately home and Savannah itself. While Savannah has no shortage of historic homes for groups to check out, the Davenport House has some unique offerings.
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“It’s just a fun way to step back into the history of that time and enjoy the ambience with something more interactive,” said Tanvi Chauhan, communications man ager at Visit Savannah.
These diverse attractions are Savannah staples that will let groups travel back in time to visit the city’s enthralling past.
“Pin Point Heritage Museum is a museum curated to the Gullah-Geechee culture,” said Chauhan.
The community of Pin Point can be found in the marsh lands that stretch across the lands just south of Savannah. It was founded in the late 1800s by freed slaves and is still home to a thriving Gullah-Geechee community. The area is known as a fishing village, but it’s also notewor thy because of its preservation of West African cultural influences and the strong connection between its people and the land they occupy.
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The museum, located in what was once the A.S. Varn and Son Oyster and Crab Factory, is a place where groups can discover what it means to live in Pin Point. Community members lead the tours of the museum, which uses artifacts from previous residents and businesses,
Tybee Island offers Savannah visitors history, scenery and numerous attractions.
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PIN POINT HERITAGE MUSEUM
Pin Point Heritage Museum
Groups can enter the church during regular visitor hours and request docent-guided tours in advance. Or they can simply wander at their leisure, taking in the stained glass, high ceilings and detailed architecture of the building. Docents can provide groups with trivia about the building and lead them through the 28,000 square feet of decadently designed space. This includes its 26 stainedglass windows, 16 terra cotta gargoyles and many other unique and noteworthy architectural features.
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One of the main historic attractions to visit on Tybee Island is Fort Pulaski, a well-preserved Civil War fort and national monument. History comes alive at the fort,
as well as photographs, to explore the area’s past and present. Exhibits cover topics such as Gullah-Geechee culture, the importance of the area’s environment to its residents and one of its most prominent industries: har vesting blue crab and oysters. Groups also get a showing of the award-winning documentary “Take Me to the Water,” as well as a tour of the oyster and crab factory buildings. Additionally, entrance to the Pin Point Heritage Museum is part of a package of other historical museums throughout Savannah.
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HISTORIC TYBEE ISLAND
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“It was one of the first Catholic Churches to be inau gurated in America,” said Chauhan.
Tybee Island, technically a city unto itself, is also a travel staple for groups visiting Savannah. This small barrier island has a little over three square miles of land and is known for its sandy beaches, lighthouses and fresh seafood. Like the rest of Savannah, it has a rich history sure to enthrall groups that visit.
Another historic site for groups to check out while on the island is the Historic Tybee Island Light Station and Museum. The historic lighthouse, built in 1736, is one of seven remaining in the country from the Colonial era. Groups can tour the lighthouse and “enjoy amazing views of Savannah, of the beach and get to know one of the oldest light stations in America,” said Chauhan.
where historic weapon-firing demonstrations are staged weekly by performers in period costumes. Many of the fort’s interior rooms are still furnished with authentic antiques, while the exterior of the fort still harbors dam age from Union cannon fire. Groups can take tours of the fort or explore at their leisure. The fort is surrounded by marshlands, beaches and walking trails, which give groups ample opportunity to enjoy the outdoors.
Open for tours every day but Sunday, when mass is held, the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist was completed in 1876. The French Gothic-style cathedral is one of Savannah’s architectural wonders, drawing visitors from near and far to see the towering 214-foot steeples. This church may be old, but the parish it houses is much older, having formed in 1799 when Catholics were first allowed to live in Georgia under the newly written Constitution. Following the Revolutionary War, the Catholic presence in the area only grew in strength; this church’s congregation became the cornerstone for the impressive structure’s creation, which took approximately three years and several additions to complete.
Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist
The sun rises over Daytona Beach’s Main Street Pier.
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BY KATI HYER
f anything promises to heighten beach fun in America, it’s the landmarks that punctuate the space between the oceanfront cities and the waters they’re built on. Beach attractions range from the classic and sleepy to the soaring and adrenaline-filled, proving there truly is something for every member of your group. No matter which attraction draws your group in, you’re sure to find something that will entertain, feed members bellies and make memories that last.
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Steel Pier may have first opened at the turn of the 20th century, but this quintessential beachside theme park has remade itself into a modern attraction.
The Showplace of the Nation first operated as a showstop ping music venue. There was a time when artists couldn’t “make it big” unless they first played at the Steel Pier in Atlantic City. Today Steel Pier has stepped into a different role.
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Attractions nearby include a Shark Attack 5-D experience. A popular place for souvenir shopping and lingering over a drink is Murdoch’s, a family-owned establishment sitting over the gulf next to the Pleasure Pier.
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For food, plan to stay close. Concessions on the pier include carnival-themed selections like pizza, burgers, hot dogs and funnel cakes that taste just like childhood. In addi tion to the snack concessions, a full-service Bubba Gump Shrimp Company restaurant is located near the entrance. Alternatively, head to Fish Tales or a Chick-Fil-A, both within an easy walk from the pier.
The Daytona Beach Boardwalk is adjacent to the pier and is a great place for family fun rides and amusements, a classic arcade and other video game favorites.
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“The biggest attraction on the Steel Pier is the wheel,” Kasunich said of the Ferris wheel with climate-controlled gondolas. “You can bring on cocktails, there’s music, and it’s open year-round, pending weather. They also have a cool attraction at the end of the pier with helicopter rides down the skyline of Atlantic City or the marina district.”
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Anglers among your group or even those group members trying out a hook and lure for the first time can try their luck on the east end of the pier. The pier is typically open for fish ing from dawn to dusk, seven days a week. Planners will be pleased to note that fees and fishing licenses are not required.
One sole restaurant is located on the pier — Joe’s Crab Shack.
“Fishing from the pier, taking a selfie at an iconic land mark and the musical entertainment at the bandshell are the simple pleasures available at the pier,” Andrew Booth, communications manager at the Daytona Beach convention and visitors bureau.
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If you plan for an entire day in Atlantic City, the Steel Pier is a great hub-and-spoke spot for your guests. They can plan to stay on the pier for adrenaline-filled rides and food or explore the adjoining boardwalk’s nine casinos, thriving culi nary scene, a lighthouse, watersports and tax-free shopping.
Galveston’s Historic Pleasure Pier
“I would call Steel Pier a family and group attraction over looking the Atlantic Ocean,” said Jessica Kasunich, commu nications manager for Meet AC. “It’s free to walk through, but the rides have different ticket options. You can do a wristband option or a package for different rides.” Tour operators, that’s your reminder to work with the group sales managers to secure discounted and bundled tickets ahead of time.
Steel Pier and the Atlantic City Boardwalk
“One of the more popular locations for groups to have an outing in the boardwalk and pier area is on the roof of Joe’s Crab Shack,” Booth said. “It’s a unique experience for a group outing with wonderful views.”
Reminiscent of the pier that stood at its current location 80 years ago, Galveston’s Pleasure Pier juts out over the Gulf of Mexico, demanding attention and focus. Its 16 rides are a great way to please a crowd, transporting them back in time to the rides they knew as kids.
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There is also a selection of tamer rides including an old-fashioned carousel, bumper cars and a Ferris wheel that provides spectacular views of the water.
“There are rides; there’s midway games, concessions, full services restaurants on site, so many things,” Kunz said. “People love it because it truly is family-friendly with something for everyone.”
DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA
MAIN STREET PIER
Also known as the Main Street Pier, the Daytona Beach Pier is one of six wooden piers in Florida. The pier has been part and parcel of Daytona Beach since 1925. At 1,000 feet long, it is at the heart of the Daytona Beach community and open every day, Atlantic hurricanes notwithstanding.
“The Iron Shark is a roller coaster that goes past vertical,” said Bryan Kunz, Visit Galveston’s director of group sales. “Then one of my favorites is the Lone Star Flyer. It’s a really tall swing ride. You go a good 150 feet high and get the most amazing view of the island and the gulf.”
BELMONTVISITMYRTLEBEACH.COMAMUSEMENT
Feelinglounger.snacky?
Other group-centric itinerary options include visiting Ripley’s Aquarium and lunch at Broadway at the Beach. The 350-acre entertainment complex comes with shopping and plenty of restaurant choices.
Jutting out into Maine’s Saco Bay, the Old Orchard Beach Pier draws visitors for its family-friendly games and small-town charm.
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While on the pier, there’s plenty to see. Your group can view the Prouts Neck Peninsula and Bluff Island from the pier. Plan for fireworks every Thursday. The operating season runs from May to September.
Tour operators can contact the team at the SkyWheel directly for group purchases and discounts. Ticket pricing is based on an age tiers, and children 2 and under are already free.
The Giant Dipper celebrates its centenary in 2025, the same year as the park. Belmont Amusement Park, funded by a wealthy businessman in the sugar trade, first welcomed excited crowds on an Independence Day in the middle of the Roaring ’20s as part of a development plan to build the now world-famous Mission Beach.
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How many people come to Myrtle Beach just for the SkyWheel? Hard to say, but you can see them for miles.
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“We can accommodate large groups as each of our more than four gondolas can seat up to six adults comfortably,” said Sean Baily, marketing manager for SkyWheel Attractions.
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Constructed in the early 2010s, the SkyWheel has helped downtown Myrtle Beach reclaim its stake as a core destina tion for South Carolina vacationers.
Quintessential beach theme parks, boardwalks and piers aren’t limited to the East Coast or the Gulf of Mexico. Sarah Toth of San Diego’s Belmont Amusement Park invites groups to experience a timeless beach attraction with a classic Southern California flair.
“The pier is iconic,” said Kim Howard, executive direc tor of the Old Orchard Beach Chamber of Commerce. “It’s had a long history. As a wooden structure, it’s burned down and been rebuilt twice.”
The pier has gelato, cotton candy, lemon ade and other treats to nosh on. “My perfect Saturday ends at the Patio restaurant at the end of the pier for a drink, more beautiful views of the Atlantic and some dinner,” Howard said.
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MYRTLE BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA
A thrill ride at San Diego’s Belmont Park
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“The great thing about Belmont Park, and Mission Beach, is it is a true all-day experience,” Toth said. After park rides, connect with small businesses that offer yoga on the beach, mimosas during brunch, and surfboard, skateboard and bike rentals.
Groups will have to experience the 1898 Old Orchard Beach Pier to see why it’s held a place in the hearts of coastal vacationers for more than a century.
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“The SkyWheel is a great choice for groups,” said Julie Ellis, public relations manager for Visit Myrtle Beach. “Plus the beach itself for sure.”
Howard recommends getting on the beach early to claim a prized spot in the sand, then playing in the surf. For lunch, feast on Gulf of Maine seafood and Pier Fries (“the best French fries in Old Orchard Beach!”) then head to the arcade at nearby Palace Playland for old-fashioned games like Skee-ball and wooden coaster rides. After lunch, catch a few chapters of a favorite novel while relaxing on a beach
“Make sure to ride the Giant Dipper, our 97-year-old roller coaster,” Toth said. “There are only three left in the United States like the Giant Dipper.”
“San Diego is home to some of the best weather and beaches in the world if I do say so myself,” Toth said with a laugh. Combine that weather with great views of the Pacific Ocean and Mission Bay, access to nearly two dozen rides and you get Belmont Park, an irreplaceable anchor on San Diego’s beachfront.
In the big band era, stars like Duke Ellington and Rudy Vallée both played here. Today, live music of all kinds forms the pier’s summer soundtrack.
The SkyWheel towers over Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, like a famous landmark. Your group could visit the Grand Strand for peace and quiet on the beach or exciting nightlife fun. Either way, the SkyWheel awaits to show off the ocean, the skyline and the waterfront.
experiences
enjoy safely.
Celebrate the gifts of land and sea with epic Virginia Beach adventures the entire group can With 400 square miles of wide open space, revel in hands-on and unique access to a group tour that’s as safe as it is memorable.
VISITVIRGINIABEACH.COM/GROUPTOUR{ }
Heartland Icons
The Gateway Arch stands sentinel over the city of St. Louis and the Mississippi River like a shiny silver rainbow. The iconic destination, a monument to western expansion, received a $380 million renovation to its grounds and museum in 2018.
Heartland
The arch is made up of 43,000 tons of concrete and steel that rises 63 stories above its surroundings, which are now a national park. Groups begin their visit with the site’s new interactive pre-boarding exhibits featuring 1960s-era animation and Gateway Arch trivia. Then they ride the tram 630 feet to the top for unparalleled views of the city and river. Each tram tour lasts 45-60 minutes.
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Gateway Arch National Park St. Louis, Missouri
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THESE BIG STOPS ARE MIDWESTERN MUST-SEES SECTION
The museum is well worth a visit. It traces the history of Native Americans, explorers and pioneers who helped make America what it is today. Exhibits explain westward expansion, St. Louis’ role and what life was like in colonial St. Louis. Visitors also will learn more about the Louisiana Purchase and Thomas Jefferson’s vision of Manifest Destiny. Other exhibits detail the additional elements of the area’s history and how the Gateway Arch was built.
BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH
COURTESY MALL OF AMERICA
rom monuments to museums, America’s Heartland is chock full of iconic attractions that group trav elers will not want to miss, including everything from St. Louis’ Gateway Arch and Minnesota’s Mall of America to the Henry Ford museum com plex in Michigan, the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indiana and one of the top zoos in the country in Omaha, Nebraska.Buildyour next group tour through the Heartland around some of these popular attractions.
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The arch is made up of 43,000 tons of concrete and steel that rises 63 stories above its surroundings.
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Home to the Indianapolis 500, Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a major destination for any groups interested in cars or racing history.
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The renovated museum and visitor areas at Gateway Arch National Park offer immersive experiences for groups.
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mall features more than 520 stores, from clothing, shoes and toys, to books, games, bakeries, fast food and sit-down restaurants. The mall hosts more than 400 events a year and attracts 40 million people from around the world annually.
Mall of Bloomington,AmericaMinnesota
If groups have time, they can take a sightseeing, dinner or specialty cruise on a replica 19th century paddle-wheel riverboat, which offers amazing views of the arch from the Mississippi River. The Gateway Arch National Park also includes the Old Courthouse, which was where the Dred Scott decision took place. Groups of 20 or more wanting a guided tour of the Gateway Arch must reserve in advance.
The largest shopping and entertainment complex in the U.S. at 5.6 million square feet of space, the Mall of America has two major hotels attached to it, the JW Marriott and Radisson Blue, as well as an indoor amusement park and aquarium, making it a major destination for U.S. and international travelers. Celebrating its 30th birthday in 2022, the
The View from the Top Tour drives through the south end of the infield on Hulman Boulevard with audio commentary recorded by an Indianapolis Motor Speedway personality, as well as a 30-minute guided tour and 360-degree views of the Speedway facility. It also includes a
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
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Groups may enjoy visiting the Sea Life Minnesota Aquarium, which holds 1.3 million gallons and features a 300-foot-long ocean tunnel for better viewing of sharks, sea turtles, jellyfish, stingrays and seahorses. The mall is also building a 250,000-square-foot indoor waterpark with water slides, rides and a wave pool.
Top attractions include Nickelodeon Universe, a seven-acre indoor theme park with roller coasters, Nickelodeon-themed retail shops and restaurants. Other mall attractions include Moose Mountain Adventure Golf, Rock of Ages Blacklight Mini Golf, The LEGO Store (which fea tures a 34-foot-tall LEGO Robot) and FlyOver America (an immersive flight simulation ride). There’s also Crayola Experience, 5D Extreme Attraction, Amazing Mirror Maze, the Escape Game, Xscape Arcade, Xscape Midway and an M&M store.
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Indianapolis Motor IndianapolisSpeedway
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum offers a variety of tours throughout the year, including tours of the speedway grounds. One of the most popular is the “Kiss the Bricks” tour, which includes a 30-minute narrated lap around the oval track with a stop at the finish line and the famous Yard of Bricks, where guests can take photos and have their own “Kiss the Bricks” moment, which is how drivers celebrate a victory at the Speedway.
Nickelodeon Universe at Mall of America
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The name Henry Ford is synonymous with Michigan, birthplace of America’s automobile industry. Car and history buffs will want to set aside a day or two to explore the Henry Ford, an expansive museum complex in Dearborn that includes the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Greenfield Village, Ford Rouge Factory and Giant Screen Experience.
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For car lovers, the Ford Rouge Factory Tour shows visitors how the F-150 pickup truck is man ufactured and allows them to visit the assembly plant. The Automotive Hall of Fame highlights the people behind the auto industry.
GreenfieldHistoric Village
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The museum explores past innovations in flight, railroad and automo biles. The museum encompasses 12 acres, including Buckminster Fuller’s aluminum Dymaxion House of the future and an exhibit that explores transformative moments in American history from the Revolution, antislavery movement and Civil War era to women’s suffrage and the civil rights movement. Visitors can step inside the bus where Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat, or learn about America’s extensive history of automobile racing.
At Greenfield Village, families can take a ride in a Model-T or visit four working farms. The village sits on 80 acres and has more than 80 his toric structures to visit, including the laboratory where Thomas Edison created the lightbulb, the George Washington Carver house, the home where Henry Ford was born and Orville and Wilbur Wright’s bike shop.
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A classic car exhibit at The Henry Ford
self-guided tour of the museum’s 37,500-square-foot exhibit space. The Behind the Scenes Tour is a 60-minute tour that takes groups to see the media center, victory podium, a corporate suite and the pagoda where timing and scoring and race control rooms are located. The tour drives through Gasoline Alley and the Garage Area and then visitors can visit the museum.
The Henry Ford Dearborn, Michigan
Ford Rogue Factory Tour
For groups interested in a more VIP experience, tours are available of The Basement Collection, a collection of rare and rarely seen racecars, passenger cars and some of the most valuable cars in the world. The museum is open 363 days a year.
THE HENRY FORD
COURTESY BRAND USA COURTESY THE HENRY FORD
Create an adventure in central Missouri filled with sights, destinations and experiences for every traveler and any interest.
Check out art galleries, cafes, restaurants and distilleries in The District in Columbia.
MAKE MISSOURI MEMORIES
Celebrate the life and career of Sir Winston Churchill at America’s National Churchill Museum.
Uncover supernatural mysteries through history and ghost tours at Missouri State Penitentiary.
Get up close and personal with the Budweiser Clydesdales at Warm Springs Ranch.
Explore German-American heritage and acclaimed wineries in Hermann.
For more information, contact Ashley Sneed with Visit Missouri at Ashley.Sneed@ded.mo.gov or scan for additional travel trade resources like itineraries, tour resources and more.
Sunrise over the Desert Dome at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo
Exploring a jungle exhibit at the zoo
At the 160-acre zoo, animals that would normally be found together in the wild — such as zebras, ostriches, and elephants — are exhibited together. The Desert Dome is something that can’t be found at any other zoo in the U.S. It features plants and animals from the Namib Desert in southern Africa, Red Center of Australia and Sonoran Desert in the southwest U.S. The three deserts are divided by a 55-foot-tall mountain, and the Namib Desert portion features a 30-foot-tall sand dune containing 300 tons of red sand from a mine site near Phoenix.
Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium is a world-renowned zoo and is the No. 1 visitor attraction in in the city. Groups could spend an entire day exploring the zoo and its many first-class exhibits, including the world’s largest indoor desert dome, which resides under the world’s largest glazed geodesic dome; America’s largest indoor rainforest; and the Suzanne and Walter Scott Aquarium.
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Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Omaha,AquariumNebraska
Jellyfish
at the Henry Doorly Zoo aquarium “This year’s group picture will look a lot better from here.” - Vacation From family reunions to group trips, any outing is better with a dash of a Branson vacation. Plan your next group trip at ExploreBranson.com
Visitors to the Lied Jungle can see monkeys, tapirs, macaws and pygmy hippos as they listen to the crashing of waterfalls. The exhibit encompasses rainforests from South America, Africa and Asia. The aquarium is the largest of its kind within a zoo, with sea turtles, sharks, Antarctic penguins and warm-water fish. A 70-foot shark tunnel allows visitors to watch sea life as it circles above them.
PHOTOS COURTESY OMAHA’S HENRY DOORLY ZOO
Mike and Carol Williams own three wineries, including the Winery at Versailles in Ohio. The operation was founded 20 years ago in an old barn the family reclaimed and then added onto over the years. It now has two patios, one enclosed, and two seating areas upstairs. The property has two acres of vineyards growing Steuben and Chambourcin varietals, enough to produce one wine out of the winery’s current list of 40 wines.
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FARMS AND RANCHES ARE A HIT WITH TRAVELERS SECTIONHeartland
Groups can learn about the agricultural prowess that goes into a glass of wine at Ohio’s Winery at Versailles.
BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH
merica’s Heartland is rich with farms, ranches and vineyards that are eager to educate groups about where their food comes from. Here are five agritourism destinations from Iowa to Ohio that will keep group visitors of all ages engaged.
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THE WINERY AT VERSAILLES Versailles, Ohio
Groups under 20 people can go through the tour at the same time. Otherwise, larger groups will be broken up to visit different parts of the operation separately. Travel planners can also add a guided twohour wine tasting session with 10 pre-selected wines, cheese, sausage and crackers. The experience highlights where different varietals of grapes are grown, as well as what makes certain wines dry, semi-dry, dessert or port wines. By telling visitors what to expect from each wine, they are more likely to be adventurous in the wines they try in the future, said Carlena Sneed, events coordinator at the winery.
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Groups visiting the winery can take a walking tour of the vine yard, visiting the press deck, barrel room and tank room and learning about the entire wine-making process. If groups don’t have a lot of time, the tour can be tailored to their needs with a quick visit to the wine-making operation and a wine tasting.
HARDY’S REINDEER RANCH Rantoul, Illinois
Close to Christmas, the ranch sees up to 1,000 visitors a day. The Hardys open up their banquet hall, which looks like a 1930s saloon, offering guests a dinner show and chuckwagon meal of barbecue brisket, cornbread and scalloped potatoes served on tin plates with a spoon and bandanna napkin.
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A reindeer encounter at Hardy’s Reindeer Ranch
COURTESY HARDY’S REINDEER RANCH
They realized that reindeer were a big draw to their tree operation, so they now maintain a herd of between 18 and 20.
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There is nothing more exciting than meeting new people, hearing their stories and being inspired.
LET’S MEET UP IN LINCOLN, NE BRASKA
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“They are just beautiful animals,” Mark said. “People fall in love with them when they see them. A lot of people didn’t believe they were real and are amazed to see they are real.”
Mark Hardy’s ranch in Rantoul, Illinois, started off as a Christmas tree farm with 5,000 trees. After Mark met and married Julie, who had a background in sales, the couple decided they needed to do more than just “sell Christmas trees out of a garage,” Mark said. They put up a gift shop and bought two reindeer. The original idea was to travel around to other Christmas tree farms and sell reindeer as anTheyattraction.realized
Hayrides are offered every 15 to 20 minutes, taking groups of up to 35 people on a tour of the ranch’s 60 acres. There are two sets of reindeer situated on the ranch so they aren’t overwhelmed by too many people at a time, and groups can spend 20 to 30 minutes learning about and interacting with the reindeer. In the autumn, groups can wander through a large corn maze.
that reindeer were a big draw to their tree oper ation, so they now maintain a herd of between 18 and 20 animals that groups can visit with, pet and hand-feed treats.
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Junction City, Kansas
The dairy cows make their home in a free stall barn where they have unlimited feed and water at all times, as well as access to the pasture. The barn is where groups learn more about the cows, how much time they rest, eat and what their basic needs are. Groups then head to the milking barn, which is in the oldest part of the farm. The barn has a double-sided milking parlor with six slots on each side. Then the group follows the milk lines as they travel overhead to the onsite processing plant, where they learn the difference between raw and pasteurized milk and get to watch it being bottled.
The farm store has samples of flavored milks made from the dairy farm’s denizens, including chocolate, strawberry and root beer flavors, and they also can buy an ice cream cone.
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A dairy cow at Hildebrand Farms
& Stay Shores & Islands Ohio is more than just a place, it’s a feeling. Discover something new with each adventure. Whether you’re a first timer or a seasoned regular, experiences here stay in your heart for a lifetime. Find your Lake Erie Love at groups.SHORESandISLANDS.com.
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Hardy’s Reindeer Ranch
HILDEBRAND FARMS
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Hildebrand Farms Dairy is a family dairy operation in Junction City, Kansas, that actually processes and bottles its own milk on the farm. The farm, which was founded in 1930, has been open to visitors since 2008 and has 140-150 cows. Tours begin at the calf barn, where all of the calves come after they are born and have had an opportunity to spend time with their mothers. Calves spend about two months in the barn before graduating to the middle school and high school barn, where they spend about two years enjoying pasture life before they enter the herd as milking cows.
At the end of the tour, groups can visit the store and purchase wine and cheese. Each tour takes between two and two-and-a-half hours.
Group visitors to the farm will learn all about the family’s farm ing“Wepractices.want our guests to learn about the wonder of agriculture,” said John Maxwell, owner of the dairy with his wife, Joan.
Hinchley’s Dairy Farm in Cambridge, Wisconsin, is a 2,500-acre farm run by a moth er-and-daughter team with four robots and 240 cows. Originally founded in 1958, the farm has been hosting group tours for the past 25 years, from April through October.
Group visitors get a hands-on look at what farming entails on this two-hour adventure. Guests can hop on one of the farm’s two wagons to see the farm’s fields up close, learning about corn, soybeans, wheat and alfalfa. They also get to visit the grain silos, bunker silos and grain bins.
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“Our margins are thin,” said Tina Hinchley, owner/operator of the dairy farm. We have to make sure we are doing everything as economi cally sustainable as possible.”
The Maxwells began giving tours of their establishment in the late 1990s. It has been a slow climb entering this side of the business, he said, but by 2019, the farm was seeing about 7,000 visitors, all by the busload, with 2,000 of them visiting from other countries.
Visitors can try their hand at milking a cow and then see how a modern dairy farm uses robots to do most of the milking The farm also has goats, sheep, pheasants, chickens, turkeys and pigs.
Cinnamon Ridge Farms owners John and Joan Hinchley’sMaxwellDairyFarm COURTESY CINNAMON RIDGE FARMS VisitAndersonMadisonCounty.com What Will You Discover? 800.533.6569 MadisonAndersonCounty Visitors 800.533.6569BureauVisitAndersonMadisonCounty.comSPONSOR
HINCHLEY’S DAIRY FARM Cambridge, Wisconsin
CINNAMON RIDGE FARMS Donahue, Iowa
Tours begin at the Maxwells’ house, where visitors watch a video presentation. They then get to go out and see a planter demonstration before visiting the robotic barn, where they learn all about cows and robots. The Maxwells make cheese on the farm, and visitors get to see the process and sample different varieties. For an additional fee, groups can add wine and cheese to their tour. The wine is made locally by John’s cousin, and groups get to sample different varieties of cheddar and gouda.
Everything is grown and sold nearby to cut down on trucking and middlemen costs.
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Sunset at Cinnamon Ridge Farms
Cinnamon Ridge Farms is a fifth-generation, family-owned dairy farm in Donahue, Iowa. Originally founded in 1855, the farm and robotic dairy sits on 4,000 acres. The family raises 800 cows, 10,000 pigs and chickens for eggs, and also grows corn and soybeans.
