FINLAND’S
Arctic domain
Are you looking for new ideas in your old favorites or a new destination for your group to enjoy?
Register for one of our FAMs to learn about these great destinations from the local experts.
FAMs are open to tour operators and group leaders with active travel clubs. Participants are responsible for their own travel to and from the destination. All other expenses including hotel accommodations, meals and admissions will be covered by our CVB hosts.
Stunning Finland
BY MAC LACY
affinity
MATTERS
Afew years ago, a couple told me over dinner that the tour we were on in Nice, France, had too much shopping time. That wasn’t the case. The tour had more free time for travelers to create experiences than this couple was accustomed to. During the afternoon they were at loose ends, I bought a local bus pass and visited both the Matisse Museum and the Marc Chagall Museum, before walking several blocks through historic neighborhoods back to our hotel.
Trends happen quickly in group travel, and there are several you are probably acting upon for 2025 — or should be. Even travelers in their 70s and 80s are seeking these emerging characteristics for their trips:
• Smaller groups: My wife and I recently returned from a trip to Finland
that had 22 travelers in the group. The trip was more personal and more energetic and encountered fewer delays due to our group’s size.
• Longer stays in fewer hotels: It has been a while since we’ve had to pack and unpack luggage several times on one trip. It’s not hard to avoid itineraries that require multiple check-ins and waste valuable time.
• Use of knowledgeable local guides: Good local guides point out places that today’s travelers return to on their own time. The best guides inspire decisions that alter your plans in some way.
• Free time on tours: Travelers today are independent; they welcome mornings or afternoons of free time in cities, especially if their hotel allows easy walking options. If a local guide has made a place irresistible, even better!
Mac Lacy — Publisher
Email me anytime with your thoughts at maclacy@grouptravelleader.com.
going places
WITH ASHLEY RUNYON
A Defined Email Strategy Will Enhance Your Program
Our world is becoming increasingly digital with each passing day. As a travel planner, you can leverage the evolution of digital technologies to improve the way you communicate, particularly through email. It’s a great way to instantly connect with your audience and establish relationships that will be both long-lasting and profitable.
Of course, sending individual messages from your mail program will always be an important part of working with clients. But there’s more you can do to make email work well for you. I encourage investing in a blast email platform that will allow you to create multiple campaigns to advertise various trips and communicate with the passengers who sign up for them.
An Announcement Email
Before you start sending blast emails, though, you need to have a solid strategy in place. Start by creating a communication plan for each of your tours. Each tour should have an initial marketing email sent to your entire list; from there, you can narrow your communications to focus on those who have booked the tour to keep them engaged and informed. This helps build some excitement around the trip, as well as some word-of-mouth buzz that might bring in new customers.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to the kinds of emails you should plan for each trip.
Your itinerary is planned, your marketing materials are ready, and it’s time to announce your tour to the public. Create an engaging email that offers your brochure and a reservation form (or a link to a reservation form on your website). Ensure your email has all the information customers need to make a decision about whether to attend. Keep your subject line short and to the point but also make it eye-catching. Ensure the body of the email isn’t too wordy and that it’s easy to find the tour, dates and pricing. Configure the brochure and registration forms as links or attachments. This will help the email stay clean and not overwhelming with information.
Ashley Runyon is a longtime bank and travel club planner. She lives in Ashland, Kentucky, with her family of six.
Hype Emails
Once your travelers start signing up for a tour, create a separate email list for those who have registered. Send them periodic “hype” emails with fun facts and countdowns until tour departure. This will keep them engaged, build anticipation and hopefully inspire them to spread the word about their upcoming tour. Word of mouth is the best way to increase your business. Also, the more you communicate with your travelers, the stronger your relationships become.
Pre-Departure Meeting Emails
You will likely offer a pre-departure meeting for a big trip, so announcing that meeting via email is another way to get your travelers excited. Create a slogan for your meeting and include it, along with date and time info, in an attractive email. Try creating videos or including pictures in the email, which will help increase meeting attendance. If your departure meeting is a webinar, record it. If the meeting is in person, take lots notes and share the information in a follow-up
email. It’s easy to miss or forget something that was dis cussed during the meeting, and this will allow customers to scan back over the information to answer questions that might have already been asked.
A Final Documents Email
There was a time when tour companies sent final documents for a tour by mail, but increasingly they are sending that information electronically. You may have some customers that would still prefer to receive those packages by mail, but email cuts costs for everyone and ensures travelers get information promptly. If you choose to use email for final documents, put a positive spin on it by telling your travelers how much faster they get their information. Be clear and to the point with your final documents email and try including some packing tips.
A Tour Director Email
The final documents email doesn’t have to be the last time you touch base with your travelers before the tour. When you’re just a few days away from your upcoming tour, and everyone is excited, find something lighthearted but exciting to communicate with your travelers. A great example would be a note from the tour director or a link to a video about the destination. Even better would be a video from the tour director expressing their excitement to get to know everyone, as well as the parts of the trip they are most looking forward to.
Creating great relationships with your travelers is the best way to grow your business, and great relationships require frequent communication. Engaging emails can help with that.
connection
Bluegrass and Red Carpets
OWENSBORO HAS BIG PLANS FOR STC 2025
BY RACHEL CRICK
Collaboration, networking and friendship are among the things bank, chamber of commerce and alumni group travel planners can expect to find at the annual Select Traveler Conference. Each year, travel planners are invited to gather alongside destination, hotel and other travel industry representatives for two days of marketplace appointments, sponsored meals and presentations that forge connections within the industry.
This year’s conference will take place March 9–11 in Owensboro, Kentucky. The official conference hotel is the 150-room Hampton Inn and Suites Downtown Owensboro/Waterfront, and the conference marketplace sessions will be held at the adjacent Owensboro Convention Center. Both properties are on Second Street and offer
“We’re going to roll out the red carpet for these people and let them enjoy our Southern charm and hospitality.”
— TERESA JONES, VISIT OWENSBORO
views of the Ohio River and easy access to some of Owensboro’s most popular attractions.
“We’re really excited to have delegates explore our city,” said Teresa Jones, destination account executive at Visit Owensboro. “We’re not a big city, but they’re going to feel welcome, and we’re going to roll out the red carpet for these people and let them enjoy our Southern charm and hospitality.”
A WELCOME FROM OWENSBORO
Owensboro is known for several things: bluegrass music, bourbon and barbecue. This year’s Select Traveler Conference will showcase all three. The town is less than two hours from Louisville and 45 minutes away from Evansville, Indiana, making it a convenient place for planners and their groups to consider. An estimated 70% of the population of
the U.S. is within driving distance to the city.
“We’re very excited to show them this part of Kentucky,” Jones said. “It’s all about that new connection between our city and the travel planners and making plans for further down the road.”
For a town with a population of just over 60,000 people, Owensboro packs a punch with its vibrant waterfront downtown district. That’s thanks to its public parks, restaurants and annual events.
Its food scene is something to write home about, with three beloved restaurants serving up some of the bestloved barbecued mutton and burgoo in the Bluegrass State. As far as locals are concerned, it’s a three-way tie between Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn, Ole South Barbeque and Old Hickory Bar-B-Que.
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY VISIT OWENSBORO
Owensboro sights, left to right: An aerial view of downtown Owensboro; Green River Distilling Co.; the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Another notable attraction unique to the area is the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum, which provides a one-of-a-kind look at a genre that defines Kentucky, and more broadly, the Appalachian region of the country.
The city’s hometown bourbon comes from Green River Distilling Co., which has a long history of producing the spirit. A handful of other Owensboro attractions draw in tourists and contribute to its reputation as an up-andcoming, thriving city.
CONFERENCE DETAILS
The conference’s agenda will seamlessly blend opportunities for education, networking and entertainment.
The first day will feature a buyer breakout session, during which delegates meet for roundtable discussions to brainstorm solutions to industry problems.
The opening night will kick off with a welcome address at the Owensboro Convention Center. Then, delegates will take the short walk to an event at Owensboro’s Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Here, they’ll enjoy catering from Ole South Barbeque, a dessert bar, and live entertainment from The Lowland Ramblers, a progressive bluegrass group. They’ll also have the opportunity to tour the museum and learn about the musical genre’s fascinating history and iconic musicians.
Meals at Select Traveler Conferences are sponsored by organizations like Mayflower Cruises and Tours, Collette, James B. Beam Distilling Company and others. Presentations will be given by CroisiEurope, NYS Destination Marketing Organization, The Great Passion Play and Central Holidays.
The second and third days will feature marketplace sessions held at the convention center, where loyalty travel directors will meet with travel industry representatives for six-minute appointments to build business relationships.
The conference will also feature a conversation between Charlie Presley, founder of The Group Travel Family of Brands, and Stacey Cabell, founder of Starstuff Travel. Their conversation will focus on topics such as the benefits of utilizing convention and visitors bureaus and advice for new travel planners just entering the industry.
SIGHTSEEING TOURS
Select Traveler Conferences feature the opportunity for delegates to explore the delights of the host city. In Owensboro, those delights will be on display during site-seeing tours on the afternoon of March 10.
The barbecue doesn’t end with the welcoming event. The first sightseeing tour will take delegates to Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn for a tour of the hickory-fired pit where its mutton is cooked. They’ll learn about how Moonlite’s famous mutton is made, from the basting to the tasting, and enjoy a little bite themselves.
The second sightseeing tour will take delegates to Green River Distilling Co., the 10th-oldest licensed distillery in the
state. They’ll tour the distillery, which is set on more than 20 acres, learn about its history, see how bourbon is produced and enjoy samples of some of its spirits with a tasting.
The third sightseeing tour of the afternoon will be to the new Churchill Downs facility, Owensboro Racing and Gaming, which will open February 12. This historical horse racing entertainment venue will feature 600 historical racing machines, as well as a sportsbook for delegates ready to put down some bets. The venue also features a restaurant for food and beverage offerings.
“The tours are a collaboration of all the things we’re known for – bluegrass, barbecue, bourbon, and now, betting,” Jones said.
That evening, there will be a Kentucky Derby-themed party where delegates will make Derby hats upon arrival. They’ll also drink mint juleps and celebrate everything Kentucky. Dressing up like it’s Derby day will make the evening event an unforgettable celebration.
PRE-FAM OPPORTUNITY
The city of Owensboro is hosting an optional FAM on March 8, one day before the conference begins. This pre-FAM will give group travel planners the opportunity to further explore the city and all it has to offer in a customized format.
The Owensboro Convention Center
“The tours are a collaboration of all the things we’re known for – bluegrass, barbecue, bourbon, and now, betting.”
— TERESA JONES, VISIT OWENSBORO
“We welcome them to explore our beautiful riverfront walk,” Jones said. Possible activities include learning to play the banjo at the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum, toasting the sunset at Green River Distilling Co. and enjoying drinks along the Ohio River.
Participating in this pre-FAM is free of charge and can be arranged by contacting Teresa Jones at 270926-1100 or via email at teresa@ visitowensboro.com.
Group travel planners can register for the 2025 Select Traveler Conference at selecttravelconf.com.
A train ride through Switzerland’s wine country.
A Camp Cass meal in Paso Robles
A sushi experience at Nobu Chicago
Exploring California wine country at Camp Cass
COURTESY
A tea ceremony in Tokyo
Red and green chili at the Santa Fe School of Cooking
TRAVEL FOCUS
Culinary Encounters
Treat your foodies to a cooking class
BY CYNTHIA BARNES
Food consistently ranks as one of the top travel experiences, which is no surprise. More than simple sustenance, food is a gateway, a passport to a specific destination’s history, culture and diversity. And while sitting down to a multicourse meal is an undeniable enjoyment, immersive, hands-on culinary experiences offer a richer, more flavorful way to explore both the food and the
people who prepare it with you.
Cuisine is a major draw for domestic and international travelers, and the possibilities for tasting the world have never been bigger. From Santa Fe to Switzerland, here are five culinary experiences sure to leave sweet memories long after the plates are cleared, the glasses are empty and your trips have concluded.
OLD TOWN FOOD TOUR WITH TEA CEREMONY AND WAGASHI LESSON TOKYO, JAPAN
Japan’s capital is known for cutting-edge architecture and the world’s best sushi, but there’s more to explore in the nation’s largest city. A walking food tour of Yanaka, a neighborhood renowned for its Edo-period charm and tranquil atmosphere, allows visitors to explore hidden temples and wander through narrow streets while trying local foods. An artisan area where crafts like textiles, pottery, and wood carvings are still produced, Yanaka survived the Great Kanto Earthquake and Fire of 1923 and escaped bombing during World War II, leaving much of its historic charm intact.
Following the walking tour, travelers visit Gallery Okubo, a cherished family-run cultural hub and antiques shop with a tearoom that has preserved Japanese traditions for five generations. Here, the experience begins with a hands-on wagashi-making workshop. Using ingredients like sweet bean paste and rice flour, participants craft delicate, seasonal Japanese sweets inspired by nature, such as cherry blossoms or autumn leaves. Guided by a skilled host, they’ll shape and decorate your wagashi, blending creativity with traditional craftsmanship.
Then, travelers can experience a tea ceremony (chanoyu), led by Atsuko, daughter of Gallery Okubo’s owner and a certified tea master. The handmade wagashi is served as part of the ceremony, paired with expertly prepared matcha (powdered green tea). The perfect complement to bitter matcha, wagashi became a key part of Japanese tea ceremonies during the Edo period. With Atsuko’s guidance, your travelers will learn about the philosophy and history of the tea ceremony, which emphasizes harmony, respect, purity and tranquility.
tours.arigatojapan.co.jp
PRIVATE SUSHI CLASS CHICAGO
There’s no need to tackle Tokyo to learn the secrets of sushi, Japan’s most famous food. The name “Nobu” is almost synonymous with sushi, and legendary chef Nobu Matsuhisa now helms a global empire of restaurants and hotels that showcase elegant Asian minimalism, sparkling cuisine and exemplary hospitality that embody the Japanese philosophy of Shiawase — a celebration of happiness and well-being — infused with Omotenashi, the Japanese spirit of hospitality.
In Chicago’s trendy West Loop neighborhood, groups of up to 30 can experience a hands-on sushi class at the 115-room Nobu Chicago. The private space is located on the hotel’s mezzanine level and features a beautiful dining room anchored with a sushi bar and an airy bar lounge embellished with floating glass leaves.
The class is led by an executive sushi chef from Nobu Chicago, who takes students through a six-step, 10-finger process to craft the fish and rice into their very own sparkling seafood feast. Two- and three-hour class options include lunch sushi, lunch hand roll and dinner nigiri. Groups have the availability to add a sake pairing enhancement featuring Hokusetsu sakes, which have been brewed on the island of Sado since 1872. All guests
receive a keepsake Nobu Chicago apron as a souvenir of their class.
“Our sushi classes provide the perfect opportunity for people to learn this culinary art,” said Luke Bjoin, director of food and beverage at Nobu Chicago. “Chef CJ guides guests through this distinctive method, inspiring them to embrace it ‘kokoro,’ meaning ‘from the heart.’”
noburestaurants.com/chicago
SANTA FE SCHOOL OF COOKING SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO
From complex moles to corn tortillas, the family-owned Santa Fe School of Cooking has been demystifying classic New Mexican cuisine for 35 years, since it was founded by Susan Curtis in 1989.
“Every event for a private group is designed specifically for their needs, so they, the group, can pick the menu, they can pick the format, add something like a salsa competition or a specialty cocktail,” said director Nicole Curtis Ammerman. “It’s all designed based on whatever the client would like to have the experience be here.”
Ammerman is Curtis’ daughter and has been working with the school for 32 years.
“In Santa Fe, we have a very unique regional cuisine. The most common offerings that people choose are to make are traditional New Mexican food, so tamales, chili sauces, enchiladas, rellenos, empanadas — the majority of groups lean toward the regional New Mexican cuisine. We have different work stations, so there’s a tamale-making station, there’s a chili-roasting station and a corn tortilla-making station, so different groups can be in charge of different components of the meal.”
The Santa Fe School of Cooking is located in the city’s historic downtown, just minutes from attractions like the iconic colonial plaza, the Palace of the Governors and the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. In addition to hands-on custom classes, the school also offers demonstrations and restaurant walking tours, along with monthly evening events featuring fine dining and jazz performances. santafeschoolofcooking.com
CAMP CASS
PASO ROBLES, CALIFORNIA
Located along the beautiful back road countryside of Paso Robles, California, Cass Winery is an award-winning 145-acre vineyard featuring estate-grown Rhone and Bordeaux wines. The entire region is an oenophile’s dream, but fine wines are only the beginning. The culinary and events programming at Cass gives visitors the opportunity to harvest honey, press olive oil and create their own vintages, all while enjoying — and creating — locally sourced standouts of California cuisine like cold-smoked duck breast and fig on rosemary skewers.
Under the direction of chef Charlie Paladin Wayne,
A Nobu sushi demonstration
Cheesemaking in Switzerland
Camp Cass offers a smorgasbord of culinary experiences, from watching and learning (while sipping and tasting) demonstrations to handson Chef Challenges, where groups race against the clock to prepare dishes using a secret ingredient revealed only at the start of the competition. There are also classes focused on kitchen skills to up the “wow factor” at dinner parties; Sip Like a Sommelier classes to improve participants’ tasting; or a Winemaker in Training experience, where teams blend their own Rhone and Bordeaux varietals.
During harvest season, there’s also a three-day “Winemaker’s Dude Ranch” where visitors can pick, stomp, blend, wine and dine while staying at the winery’s Geneseo Inn or nearby properties, before departing with branded merchandise, six bottles of Cass Wine and an at-home winemaking kit to continue the journey. Guests can also participate in activities like horseback riding, archery, axe-throwing, a photography scavenger hunt or an “Amazing Race” adventure through the winery. casswines.com
CULINARY TRAIN JOURNEYS SWITZERLAND
Spectacular Alpine scenery, a vintage train and delectable dining options — is there a more delicious and quintessentially Swiss way to spend a day? Home to an impressive railway system and an unmatched public transportation network, trains are a comfortable and practical way for groups to explore. And many of those routes are accompanied by cheese, charcuterie, chocolate, wine and other delicacies.
In the foothills of the Jura — a little-known but amazing wine region in its own right — the Gare de Morges to Bière line boasts a 1925 restaurant car, where guests may sustain themselves on the gastronomic excursion with fondue and other traditional offerings. A winemaker’s train along the same route pairs phenomenal local wines with a gourmet feast.
Departing from Montreux or Zweisimmen to Château-d’Oex, guests will observe a farmer crafting a “Le Chalet Bio” cheese in the traditional way, from 100 gallons of fresh milk over an open-wood fire, followed by fondue.
For those who prefer their culinary experiences to remain stationary, a sausage-making class is available at the Gustarium Breitenmoser in the Appenzell region. After a demonstration on the traditional class on the making of Siedwurst, a light-colored sausage flavored with cumin and garlic, guests can enjoy a meal before the fireplace in the cozy butcher’s parlor, browse the gourmet shop and take home some traditional recipes. travelswitzerland.com
COURTESY TRAVEL SWITZERLAND
A Japanese temple in Yanaka
BY LAUREN SHANNON, COURTESY ARIGATO TRAVEL
DON’T MISS A BEAT ON YOUR ROUTE 66 RETREAT!
Will Rogers Memorial Museum
Claremore Museum of History
JM Davis Arms & Historical Museum
Finland winter in
Your travelersadventurous will love this cold weather trip
Birdhouses adorn Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort.
PHOTOS
BY MAC LACY
The next time your veteran travelers ask about seeing a new part of the world, you might suggest a destination that includes the Arctic.
Finland is such a place, and it may intrigue even your most experienced globe-trotters. In winter, it’s a land of reindeer and dogsleds, hot drinks and campfires. The Northern Lights are often just a sunset away. Finland’s nighttime skies invariably tease and frequently deliver on the solar system’s grandest moments.
My wife, Kim, and I joined a Collette Explorations group there last November. Finland’s Lapland region lies far north, sandwiched between Sweden and Russia, and when coupled with a few days in sophisticated Helsinki, this remote Arctic region makes for an exotic wintertime trip.
Helsinki
We flew to Helsinki and were greeted by our tour director, Wendela Wiik, a native of Sweden with years of experience in Scandinavia’s upper regions. “Welcome to the second-most-northern capital in the world,” she said as we drove into the city. “The first is a bit west of us in Reykjavik.”
The Lilla Roberts Hotel is a charming property within walking distance of many Helsinki sites, including its harbor and Old Market Hall, its bustling promenade, and its Lutheran landmark, Helsinki Cathedral. Finland’s capital city is an international diplomatic center and home to 650,000 residents, most of whom are friendly but direct, practical by nature, and advocates for technology and sustainability.
Our group met for an opening dinner at Ravintola (restaurant) Savotta, directly across from Helsinki Cathedral. This monumental church is a jewel of Finland. It was completed in 1852 and dominates an entire block of the city’s Senate Square. Statues of 12 apostles are spread like sentries along its roofline.
We spent a morning getting our bearings with a local guide. “Finland is 70% trees and 20% water,” she said. “That leaves 10% for people and cities. We live in apartments in Helsinki. A family of four uses 750 square feet.”
As we neared the Vantaa River, she summed up Finland’s outdoor ethos: “We don’t have many swimming pools. We prefer to swim in the river, the lakes and the sea.”
Downtown Helsinki’s Temppeliaukio Church is carved from a rock outcropping. Better known as the Rock Church, it was completed in 1969 and welcomes traveling worshipers regularly. The city’s Central Library Oodi is an architectural landmark that opened in 2018 as a literary hub and a laboratory of sorts for sustainable lifestyle practices. A massive metal sculpture near the harbor honors Jean Sibelius (1865–1957), Finland’s revered composer whose best-known work may be “Finlandia,” a symphonic tribute to his homeland.
Over a couple of free afternoons in Helsinki, we browsed in shops in the Old Market Hall, opened in 1889, where we enjoyed salmon soup, a Finnish favorite, at Eriksson’s restaurant. Helsinki is known for its bookstores, so we bought children’s books as Christmas gifts at Academic
Helsinki Cathedral
Jean Sibelius memorial
Helsinki’s Rock Church
Bookstore on the promenade. The promenade is the city’s pedestrian artery; its park-like setting anchors blocks of dining and shopping options. We also strolled through the sprawling outdoor market on the harbor, where Kim bought woolen earmuffs and mittens.
Helsinki is worthy of a trip unto itself, maybe in summer. As a major European capital, its vibe is busy and purposeful, but it’s walkable and blessed with a port city’s maritime charm. Helsinki projects Finnish confidence.
North to the Arctic
After two days in Helsinki, our group flew up to Ivalo, 150 miles north of the Arctic Circle in Finnish Lapland.
“This area is a popular summer destination for Finnish families,” said Wiik on the drive to our resort. “They come here for peace and quiet. They also come in winter for
skiing and to see Santa — he has an office here.
“Sami people are indigenous to this area,” she continued. “There are still as many as 100,000 living in Finnish Lapland. Sami culture has a history much like the Native American culture in the United States. After years of repression, their culture began to be respected and appreciated in the 1970s. Their joik music was forbidden for a time but now is embraced as the spiritual soundtrack for Lapland.”
Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort began as a roadside chalet and café for travelers to northern Finland 50 years ago. Today, it offers guests from across the world Northern Lights viewing opportunities eight months a year, from September through April.
The resort features dozens of accommodations, including fully glass igloos, Kelo-glass igloo/cabins and rustic log cabins. A reception lodge highlighted by massive log beams and timber floors serves as home base for guests.
Our Collette group stayed in the rustic log cabins, or as an upgrade, in igloos that offer views open to the stars. There were about 20 of us, which is a signature of the company’s small group Explorations brand. Travelers who did not purchase igloos for their entire stay were upgraded into them by Collette on their final night.
“Sami people are indigenous to this area. There are still as many as 100,000 living in Finnish Lapland. Sami culture has a history much like the Native American culture in the United States.”
Central Library Oodi in Helsinki
An artisan shop at Suomenlinna Fortress
Helsinki harbor
The resort also features a fully furnished Santa Claus house, a reindeer-viewing area, a stable for horses and horse-drawn wagons, a kennel and dogsledding concession, and a planetarium complex that includes an art gallery, an upscale gift shop, a microbrewery, a viewing tower and a theater.
The Aurora restaurant in the lodge was quite good. We enjoyed generous European-style breakfast buffets, as well as lunches that included at least two hearty soups and salads, plus numerous breads, meats and cheeses. Our group dined together in the evenings at long wooden tables and enjoyed appetizers like smoked salmon mousse, entrees that included reindeer or local fish such as arctic char, and desserts like caramel chocolate pudding served with local berries. Numerous types of edible berries grow wild across Finland, and residents stop and pick them at will.
Every evening at Kakslauttanen, Wiik organized a search for the Northern Lights. One evening, we went by coach to the shore of nearby Lake Inari. On another, we walked to a dark field and enjoyed gluhwein she brought in a thermos. On a third, we gathered for a horse-drawn wagon ride to a remote viewing site. Our hosts gave us
Outdoor view from an igloo cabin
Reindeer sculpture at resort
PHOTO BY KIM LACY
PHOTO BY KIM LACY
PHOTO BY KIM LACY
Northern Lights from resort
Resort lodge and restaurant
Feeding reindeer at resort
PHOTO BY KIM LACY
Seafood at Old Market Hall
insulated overalls and blankets, and we bumped along a wooded trail before stopping to enjoy campfires and treats while we scanned the heavens.
The sun is the source for these cosmic events. Light particles originating from the sun’s atmosphere are drawn on solar winds to our atmosphere by the Earth’s magnetic field. We saw the Northern Lights with varying degrees of intensity on two nights of our stay. For me, they appeared first as white cascades of light against a greenish sky, and then as green lights shining against a dark sky.
“It’s still very special to most of us who have known the Northern Lights during our lifetimes,” said Wiik. “We’ve seen them this trip in shades of green or white, and the next five or six years they are predicted to be intense due to favorable atmospheric conditions. These will be good years for the ‘dance.’ They dance more than they move, if that makes sense. They’re more like clouds in a way. On nights when they don’t show, it’s enough just to relax by a fire and enjoy the sky.”
Santa and Saunas
Our first morning at Kakslauttanen, we were greeted by Sparkles, the resort’s elf, for a walk up to Santa’s Home, where Saint Nick himself greeted the group and sat for selfies. Finns revere the Christmas season as we do, complete with Santa, gifts, treats and holiday lights. Afterward, we walked over to the resort’s reindeer enclosure to feed the animals lichens and jostle for photos.
The resort has numerous roads and trails for afternoon walks that many guests follow up with a sauna. Saunas are a staple of Finland’s social fabric.
In late afternoons, for a few in our group, the resort’s Igloo Bar became a familiar place in a faraway land. Its arching windows spread across the ceiling and offered unobstructed views of Lapland’s darkening skies.
One morning, we walked over to the resort kennel after breakfast and put on overalls and muck boots to visit the
Sparkles the elf
Walking to the kennel
A campfire for Northern Lights viewing
Northern Lights from the resort Early evening sky
Wendela Wiik with sled dog
residents. Some of us laughed as we came face to face with the culprits whose late-night howling had become eerily familiar. Had there been more snow, we’d have boarded dogsleds for a mushing session in the wilderness. As an alternative, we toured the kennel and nearly 200 sled dogs seemed thrilled to see us. We stayed for at least an hour to learn more about dog sledding in Lapland.
“A large group here would require 20 sleds and possibly as many as 100 dogs,” the proprietor told us. “Standard is two persons per sled, one driving and one seated, with six dogs pulling. A good team consists of two lead dogs, who are disciplined enough to not get sidetracked by nearby reindeer. The second pair needs the same qualities, and the third requires the strongest dogs because they must turn the sled to follow the leaders.”
After three nights at Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort, we flew back to Helsinki and returned to the Lilla Roberts Hotel for a night. We enjoyed a celebratory farewell dinner at Ravintola Fusion-Kamppi and said our goodbyes. As it turned out, one member of our group was celebrating a birthday, and Wiik sang a beautiful Scandinavian song to her. It was a touching close to our collective adventure in Finland.
Afterward, Mark Clark, of Newburgh, Indiana, captured the essence of this Collette Explorations tour when he mentioned the group’s pace to me.
“On other trips we’ve done, we’ve had people everybody waited on,” he said. “This group was different. Nobody slowed us down.”
Suomenlinna FORTRESS
Upon our return to Helsinki, Kim and I had a free afternoon, so we took Wiik’s suggestion and bought tickets for the 15-minute ferry over to Suomenlinna Fortress. A UNESCO World Heritage site, this historic island was developed and manned for centuries as a military outpost, first for Sweden in the 1700s, then for Russia for over a century ending in 1918 and finally for Finland when it won its independence. Its name means “Castle of Finland”.
Today, Suomenlinna is a historic village with 800 residents that draws 600,000 visitors annually. Its revered Lighthouse Church remains the only church on earth that also serves as a lighthouse. It stands above the island on a hill, and its bell tower is a beacon for ships and ferries. Massive cannons built during the island’s Russian era remain intact and surround the fortress walls overlooking the Baltic Sea.
The village is filled with 18th and 19th century architecture, and its museum, cafes, artisan shops and military structures are remarkably well preserved. We walked the length of the fortress, passing through its courtyard and along its seaside walls until we arrived at the King’s Gate (1754). Suomenlinna’s evening offerings must be plentiful, as the last ferry back to Helsinki that day left at 2 a.m. suomenlinna.fi
Sparkles and Santa
Suomenlinna’s light house church
Selfies with Santa
Surf Cities
BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH
The USS Wisconsin on the Norfolk waterfront
A lighthouse on North Carolina’s Bald Head Island
Fishing in Southport
The tides favor these Southern favorites
Is there anything more appealing than a great waterfront view?
Along the South’s Atlantic and Gulf coasts, cities and towns leverage scenic settings to create memorable visitor experiences. With miles of pristine beaches, beautiful islands, and history and culture that date back to the country’s earliest settlers, these six Southern waterfront destinations are perfect places for groups to get away from the frantic pace of urban life and commune with nature.
Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama
Located in one of the most biodiverse areas in the country, Alabama’s Gulf Shores and Orange Beach serve as a crucial flyover point for migratory birds and monarch butterflies, a nesting area for three endangered species of sea turtles, and home to the largest artificial reef program in the U.S. Groups can explore the area’s white sand beaches, go snorkeling or diving in the crystal blue waters, or book charter fishing expeditions. Stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, boating and dolphin cruises are a must for any group visiting this beautiful destination. Gulf State Park features nine distinct ecosystems, three freshwater lakes, the largest fishing pier on the Gulf of Mexico and more than 28 miles of accessible trails. Many of the area’s accommodations are also beachfront, including two full-service resorts.
Visitors will want to tour Fort Morgan, a masonry fort built between 1819 and 1833 that stands guard where Mobile Bay meets the Gulf of Mexico, or Fort Gaines, which sits on the eastern tip of Dauphin Island. Both forts played a major role in the Battle of Mobile Bay in 1864. Visitors can also step aboard the USS Alabama Battleship and USS Drum submarine at USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park.
GULFSHORES.COM
St. Augustine, Florida
Founded in 1865, St. Augustine is the oldest city in the United States. Not only is it a major historical destination, but it is also known for its beautiful sandy beaches and water sports.
Exploring beautiful Gulf Shores
Kayaking in St. Augustine
One of the most iconic structures in the city, Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, overlooks the city’s bayfront. The Spanish fort, which was built from 1672 to 1790 is the oldest masonry fort in the U.S. and the only standing 17th century military construction in the country.
Much of the city’s rich history took place along the waterfront. Groups can visit several historical sites there, including the St. Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum, which details the city’s rich maritime history and allows guests to climb the 219 steps to the top for an eagle’s eye view of St. Augustine and the Florida coast.
Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park is believed to be where the Spanish explorer and conquistador came ashore in 1513. It offers exhibits, demonstrations, shows and reenactments across 15 acres. Groups can visit Fort Mose Historic State Park, just north of the city, which is the first free slave settlement in North America. It was sanctioned by the Spanish in the late 1600s and was where runaway slaves would come to seek freedom. Along with an interactive museum and self-guided Flight to Freedom Trail, the park also offers opportunities for birding and wildlife viewing on the waterfront.
FLORIDASHISTORICCOAST.COM
Bay St. Louis, Mississippi
Bay St. Louis is a small town on Mississippi’s Gulf Coast where visitors can park their boats in the middle of town to wander the downtown area, eat at its many local restaurants and listen to live music at several waterfront clubs.
The Depot District, about six blocks from the water, is centered around the L&N Railroad Depot, which was built in 1927 and includes boutique shops, restaurants and bars. The area has an expansive green space that offers free live music during the spring and fall.
Groups can take charter boats from the pier to Cat Island for fishing or a relaxing day trip, rent kayaks to get out on the water, or host a barbecue or crab boil on the beach.
The town is a great jumping-off point for visiting the entirety of coastal Mississippi, including 12 casinos and seven golf courses. The Mississippi Aquarium in Gulfport features more than 200 species of animals and 50 species of native plants. Groups can also make a day trip to Ship Island or take a sunset cruise out of Biloxi or Gulfport. The area is known for its fresh seafood.
COASTALMISSISSIPPI.COM
Southport, North Carolina
In North Carolina, Southport is located where the Cape Fear River, Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway come together. The historic city has a rich maritime past that is on display at the North Carolina Maritime Museum at Southport and is an ideal gateway for exploring all the Brunswick Islands have to offer.
Southport is a very walkable city with art galleries, historic homes and unique shops. History buffs will enjoy a visit to Fort Johnston, a fort from Revolutionary times with a Garrison house that is now a museum and welcome center. A self-guided walking tour of the town takes visitors past historic homes and businesses, as well as downtown film locations.
There are five islands in the Brunswick Islands and six beaches. Groups can take a ferry from Southport to Kure Beach or Bald Head Island. On Kure Beach are miles of unspoiled beach and a quaint coastal town. Groups can also tour Fort Fisher State Historic Site, the location of the largest land-sea battle of the Civil War. The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher is another must-see stop.
From Southport’s waterfront, visitors can see the Bald Island Lighthouse and the Oak Island Lighthouse, which is the oldest lighthouse in North Carolina. Groups can book fishing charters out of Southport or play golf at several courses in the area. There are several places to rent paddleboards and kayaks or take a guided kayak tour. NCBRUNSWICK.COM
Sunrise over the St. Augustine coast
Biloxi casino
Georgetown and Hammock Coast, South Carolina
South Carolina’s Hammock Coast is located between Myrtle Beach and Charleston, stretching from Garden City to Georgetown. The area is known for its stunning beaches, scenic islands and water activities. The vibe is more laid back and nature-centric than the larger cities on the coast, and every small town has its own charm.
Georgetown, the third-oldest city in South Carolina, has a wonderful historic district along Front Street with a boardwalk called the Harborwalk that goes along the Sampit River. Pawleys Island is known as the oldest seaside resort in America, dating back to the 1700s, and Murrells Inlet is a former fishing village that is considered the seafood capital of South Carolina. Huntington Beach State Park, Brookgreen Gardens and Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge are all worth a visit.
There are thousands of acres of preserved land along the coast, including marshland and longleaf pine forest. Before the Civil War, multiple plantations there produced rice. Groups can take boat tours out of Georgetown that will take them around the former plantations and the Georgetown Lighthouse, which is only accessible by boat.
HAMMOCKCOASTSC.COM
Oak Island
Lighthouse near Southport
Norfolk, Virginia
Located in the heart of coastal Virginia, near Chesapeake Bay, Norfolk is a walkable waterfront destination with 144 miles of shoreline. It is also home to the world’s largest naval base, which brings in people from around the world.
The Nauticus discovery center in downtown gives a great overview of the city’s maritime history. Visitors can explore the last battleship ever built by the U.S. Navy, the USS Wisconsin, which is moored outside, as well as the Schooner Virginia, a reproduction of the last all-sail vessel built for the Virginia Pilot Association.
The area is perfectly suited for kayaking, sailing and boating. Groups can explore the Elizabeth River Trail, a 10.5-mile urban trail that connects Norfolk’s working waterfront with scenic routes that wend past historic landmarks and 28 neighborhoods. The city also is home to the Norfolk Botanical Garden and Virginia Zoo. Groups can take a walking tour that highlights the city’s architecture, murals and Neon District, which includes the world-renowned Chrysler Museum of Art. The museum has one of the largest glass-art collections in the country and gives glass-blowing demonstrations in its Perry Glass Studio.
VISITNORFOLK.COM
A Gullah Geechee presentation at Hopsewee Plantation
Norfolk’s Plum Point Park
A horseback beach adventure near St. Augustine
Biking on Norfolk’s Elizabeth River Trail
With the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean as its backyard, Virginia Beach is a favorite destination for groups looking to share experiences within a vibrant coastal community. Beautiful beaches, inland waterways and nature parks offer outdoor adventures from hiking to kayaking, while attractions like the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center and the Military Aviation Museum provide opportunities for learning.
A thriving arts and entertainment scene as well as culinary specialties that showcase fresh, locally sourced seafood and produce add to the charm of Virginia Beach, where memorable moments can happen during a sunset cruise, along the Boardwalk or simply gathering around the table. In Virginia Beach, you’ll find everything you need for an adventure filled with laughter, learning and lasting memories.
Local Color
BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH
A meal with Cajun Food Tours in Lafayette
A historic marker at the Daisy Bates House in Little Rock
Touring downtown Lexington
Great guides enhance Southern cities
Every Southern city has something to showcase. From rich cultural heritages to famous cuisines, musical legacies and more, travelers can get to know destinations around the region by taking special-interest tours led by locals.
These six Southern cities offer a selection of wonderful, wacky, tasty and informative city tours that will have groups coming back for more.
Little Rock Civil Rights Tour
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock, Arkansas, was at the forefront of desegregation efforts after the Supreme Court decision in Brown V. Board of Education made it illegal to segregate school children by race. In 1957, when the city was forced to desegregate its first all-white high school, nine African American students, dubbed the Little Rock Nine, from neighboring allBlack schools, made national headlines as the first to attend the all-white Little Rock Central High School.
The school is one of the top Civil Rights landmarks in the country and is now a National Historic Site managed by the National Park Service. Visitors to the city can take a guided tour of the grounds with a park ranger. Other stops on the trail include Testament, a bronze monument that depicts life-size replicas of the Little Rock Nine facing the state’s Capitol; the Daisy Bates House Museum, which served as the headquarters of the Little Rock Nine; and the William J. Clinton Presidential Center and Park, which focuses on expanding civil rights to peoples around the world.
The Arkansas Civil Rights Heritage Trail is a collection of sites in Little Rock that were significant to the Civil Rights Movement. The trail starts with trail markers outside the Old State House Museum and stretches down Markham Street. Honorees include sit-in participants and freedom riders, the Little Rock Nine and those responsible for desegregating downtown Little Rock.
LITTLEROCK.COM
Bites of the Bluegrass Lexington, Kentucky
Erin Goins got the idea to start a food tour of Lexington, Kentucky, after the pandemic. She partnered with several downtown restaurants and pieced together a historical
Little Rock’s Central High School, a Civil Rights landmark
Pizza and beer on Lexington’s Bites of the Bluegrass tour
narrative of the area to tie the tour together, and Bites of the Bluegrass was born. Her tours start at the city’s visitor center.
Her most popular tour, the Downtown Walking Food and History Tour, stops at five different restaurants, where guests can sample huge plates of food instead of small bites. Along the way, guests hear about the city’s famous Black jockeys, the Temperance Movement, a world famous madame and the enslaved person who built the courthouse.
“Our city is turning 250 years old this year,” Goins said. “In Lexington, which dates to 1775, there’s a never-ending amount of interesting history and inspiring stories. Figuring out where we come from and how we came to be tells us who we are and where we are going.”
Goins also leads several other excursions with names such as the Distillery District Food and History Tour, the Cocktails and Bites Food and History Tour, and Haunted Lexington: Spirits, Frights and Bites.
Goins and her husband own Cocktail University, on the second floor of an opera house that was built in 1849. Not only is the building a stop on her Haunted Lexington tour but also a place where groups can participate in mixology classes or bourbon tastings.
BITESOFTHEBLUEGRASS.COM
Cajun Food Tours Lafayette, Louisiana
A former Louisiana history teacher, Marie Ducote turned her passion for Lafayette’s culture and food into a tour business. After taking several food tours in other cities she visited, she felt strongly that her city, which is known for its Cajun cuisine, would be a perfect place to host one. Because Lafayette is not very walkable, Ducote purchased a 14-passenger bus and decked it out like a comfortable living room. She then takes guests on the Original Cajun Food Tour to five locally owned eateries where visitors can try everything from boudin and gumbo to fresh local seafood.
Boudin, a local delicacy that combines pork, onions and
peppers and is served already cooked in a sausage casing, is one of her favorite foods and not something that is typically served in area restaurants. The only place to find boudin is at a meat market, so Ducote makes sure to stop at one during every tour.
Because she leads several tours, she stops at different restaurants on each one. Most will include Cajun-style gumbo, Gulf seafood and alligator. She also hosts a downtown Breaux Bridge Food Tour, which takes guests to a quaint small town outside of Lafayette to learn how Cajun cuisine was first developed. Ducote also will step on tour buses and take those visitors to four restaurants that can seat larger groups.
CAJUNFOODTOURS.COM
Memphis Mojo Tour Memphis, Tennessee
Backbeat Tours began in 2006 in Memphis, Tennessee, with its flagship Memphis Mojo Bus Tour, which focuses on the city’s musical heritage and history. The idea was to not just tell visitors where Sun Studio or Stax Records were located but also to put musicians on the bus.
“Who better to tell Memphis music history than people who are actually performing that music?” said Meagan May, vice president at Backbeat Tours.
The 90-minute tour is a good mix of history and storytelling, along with live music. The company uses custom-designed buses with quality sound systems and custom tour guide seats on a raised stage facing the passengers.
The Mojo tour gives a great driving introduction to Memphis, including Sun Studio, Beale Street, Stax Studio, Cotton Row, the Lorraine Motel, the Peabody Hotel, Overton Park, Historic Central Gardens, and the early homes of Elvis, B.B. King, and Johnny Cash. The Beale Street Walking Tour takes visitors along the iconic street, telling the stories behind famous musicians, gangsters, politicians and crooks who helped make the street the Home of the Blues. Other popular tours include Memphis Ghost Tours, Historic Memphis Walking Tour, True Crime Tour, and Elvis and Johnny Cash tours.
BACKBEATTOURS.COM
COURTESY BACKBEAT TOURS
Backbeat Tours
Shepherdstown Mystery Walks
Shepherdstown, West Virginia
Shepherdstown Mystery Walks take visitors on a milelong walking tour through Shepherdstown, West Virginia’s ghostly and historical past. The tour, which takes about 1.5 hours, stops at 10 different sites, including two historic cemeteries, one of which is not open to the public.
Not just a ghost tour, the Mystery Walk relays Shepherdstown’s extensive history, from its beginnings as a Colonial village in 1717 to the impacts the French and Indian War, the Revolutionary War and the Civil War had on its residents. Visitors will also learn about the building of the C&O Canal.
Founded in 1734 on the border of West Virginia and Maryland, the town served as a field hospital for the Battle of Antietam during the Civil War. Antietam is considered the bloodiest battle ever to be fought on American soil, which has fanned the imaginations of visitors and sparked many paranormal encounters. New Street is home to the ghosts of many soldiers, murder victims and 300 C&O Canal workers who lost their lives during a cholera epidemic.
Visitors will hear tales of documented ghost sightings from their guides, who are dressed in Colonial garb.
SHEPHERDSTOWNMYSTERYWALKS.COM
Rock Candy Tours
Macon, Georgia
Rock Candy Tours, powered by Visit Macon, offers customized experiences, from music heritage and the macabre to brewery and distillery tours, for groups of all sizes. Macon, Georgia, is the hometown of Otis Redding, Little Richard, Allman Brothers Band and Capricorn Records, the birthplace of Southern rock.
The Free Birds and Night Owl Walking Tour is an easy two-hour music history tour that takes visitors through the downtown Macon commercial and nightlife district that birthed Southern rock. The Soul Sights Van Tours take groups to even more sights that helped foster Macon’s extensive rock and soul scene. From seeing architectural masterpieces to visiting the places that inspired musical legends, this one-hour tour includes Macon’s “Palace of the South,” The Hay House. It also makes a stop at Ocmulgee Mounds National Historic Park, where 17,000 years of continuous human habitation are marked by earthwork mounds.
Seasonal tours include the Macon Macabre tour in the fall, which is full of legends, lore and spooky tales, or the Cherry Blossom Driving Trail.
VISITMACON.ORG/ROCK-CANDY-TOURS
