February 2016 Leisure Group Travel by Premier Travel Media

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LEISURE FEBRUARY 2016

GROUP TRAVEL

For the Love of Beer MIDWEST MICROBREWERIES GREAT FOOD MARKETS of Europe

Sampling

California’s

Culinary Scene

A cornucopia of epicurean delights, from organic produce to fine wines A Premier Travel Media publication • LeisureGroupTravel.com

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BRING YOUR GROUP TOUR TO LIFE Good times are inevitable with hands-on experiences and uncommon access offered exclusively for groups. Plan your groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Live the Life Adventure at VisitVirginiaBeach.com/GroupTour.

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CONTENTS

February 2016 • Vol. 26, No. 1

LEISURE GROUP TRAVEL

10 12

FEATURES ON LOCATION American Group Travel Awards honors high achievers during New York gala TAKE 5 with Jennifer Bohac, Director, Texas A&M Traveling Aggies

DESTINATIONS

27 39 47

5 FOODIE HOTSPOTS BY MILES DOBIS/RANDY MINK Flavorful destinations in New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Massachusetts reflect the growing importance of culinary culture and its impact on tourism Memorable Museums (pg. 16), Scenic Rail Excursions (pg. 17)

WEST SAMPLING CALIFORNIA’S CULINARY SCENE BY

MARTY SARBEY DE SOUTO

From organic produce and fine wines to cheese, seafood and Danish pastry, your group will find a cornucopia of epicurean delights in the Golden State Memorable Museums (pg. 22), Scenic Rail Excursions (pg. 24)

CENTRAL FOR THE LOVE OF BEER BY ALEX KELLY The microbrewery scene is energizing many smaller communities in the Midwest Memorable Museums (pg. 30)

SOUTH

8 ITINERARY- INSPIRING SEAFOOD FESTIVALS BY DAVE BODLE Turn groups loose at a Southern seafood festival and they’ll discover delightful food, great music and old-fashioned fun Memorable Museums (pg. 42)

INT’L GREAT FOOD MARKETS OF EUROPE BY RANDY MINK Appealing to foodies, photographers and people-watchers, these beehives of activity dish up tasty slices of local life

COLUMNS 6 ON MY MIND BY JEFF GAYDUK 8 ON TOUR BY MARTY SARBEY DE SOUTO, CTC 50 ON MARKETING BY MIKE MARCHEV 4

February 2016

Bergen Tourist Board/Per Eide/visitbergen.com

EAST

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

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The Fish Market in Bergen, Norway, attracts tourists with seafood snacks and irresistible photo ops.

INSIDE THIS EDITION

e hope you enjoy this month’s special bonus, the 6th annual Religious Travel Planning Guide. Faith-based travel has never been stronger, and this edition explores new concepts in philanthropic cruising with Fathom, major milestone events such as Jubilee 2016, the big Protestant Reformation anniversary in 2017, theme park celebrations for youth groups and retreat planning 101.

Get more @ www.ReligiousTravelPlanningGuide.com

ONLY ON LEISUREGROUPTRAVEL.COM

tay at the head of the pack with Group Travel Essentials, a tutorial video series built to educate and enhance your skillset. Join Stuart Cohen for lively sessions brimming with fresh ideas.

e inspired by Site InSpections, uncovering new destinations, niche travel opportunities and hidden gems.

ut costs and ease hotel booking stress with a unique reverse RFP model guaranteeing the lowest group hotel rates.

et weekly digests of all the best online content with InSite, our free Friday e-newsletter.

LeisureGroupTravel.com <<



ON THE COVER: Fruit of the vine in California’s Napa Valley. (Courtesy Visit Napa Valley)

February 2016

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MY MIND

Vol. 26, No. 1 February 2016 By Jeffrey Gayduk

621 Plainfield Road, Suite 406 Willowbrook, IL 60527 P 630.794.0696 • F 630.794.0652 info@ptmgroups.com

Check Out Our New Look W

hen I published my first edition of Senior Group Travel in February of 2000 I had no idea what I was doing. Having inherited the business from the former publisher a month earlier, I cobbled together a few destination articles and made a lot of advertising phone calls, managing to sell enough ads to pay the printing bill. I spent a disproportionate amount of time on that first editorial column. Readers knew the magazine, but didn’t know me from Adam, so I needed to make a good first impression. After all, I had grand ambitions. This New Year’s Day I was reorganizing my office files in preparation for what promises to be another busy year. I pulled out a copy of that first magazine and reading through my rookie column, there was no doubt that despite my naiveté, I was ready to take on whatever ailed the group travel industry. Fortunately, the magazine has matured, and so have I. I thought about this a lot over the past few weeks as we’ve been preparing a NEW Leisure Group Travel. This February’s edition marks the fourth time we’ve taken this magazine “under the knife” and is by far our most extensive rework ever. Aside from the obvious new folio size and paper, there are a number of fundamental changes we’ve made to serve you better. First and foremost, we’re profiling successful travel planners in a new Take 5 section. Every other week I interview an attention-grabbing travel planner on LeisureGroupTravel.com. A selection of these interviews will now appear in print, signifying a stronger tie-in between our print and online portfolio. Second, we’re promoting industry trade shows and conferences like never before.

Editorial & Advertising Office

This month we spotlight the recent Group Travel Awards event in NYC (sponsored in part by this magazine), along with a calendar of industry trade events scheduled for this spring and summer. Most significantly, we’ve enhanced our destination editorial coverage. Gone are the state and country articles, replaced by regional themed editorial stories. With this shift, we can now cover a wider geographical area and report on trends and new developments faster than ever before. Just as culinary travel is the focal point of this issue, subsequent editions will explore live entertainment, outdoors and adventure, holiday travel and beyond. This industry has pivoted towards niche & affinity travel, and I hope and anticipate our preemptive coverage will help you identify new opportunities for your travelers. Finally, itineraries. For the past 8 years we have been publishing sample itineraries from CVBs in our June Itinerary Planning Guide. It was easily our most popular magazine of the year. As we sat down and looked to enhance your magazine, we thought, “What better way to showcase new destinations, new themes and new touring ideas than sample itineraries in each edition?” So we did. There you have it, a new and improved Leisure Group Travel. 16 years in the making. LGT Happy Traveling,

Jeff Gayduk Publisher

Publisher – Jeffrey Gayduk jeff@ptmgroups.com

Associate Publisher – Dave Bodle

dave@ptmgroups.com

Managing Editor – Randy Mink randy@ptmgroups.com Staff Writer – Miles Dobis miles@ptmgroups.com Editorial Coordinator – Danielle Golab danielle@ptmgroups.com

Chief Development Officer – Lance Harrell

lance@ptmgroups.com

Director, Design & Production – Robert Wyszkowski rob@ptmgroups.com

Vice President – Theresa O’Rourke theresa@ptmgroups.com

Regional Business Development Managers Northeast & Eastern Midwest/Canada – Harry Peck

P 330.830.4880 • F 630.794.0652 harry@ptmgroups.com

Mid-Atlantic/New England/ Wisconsin/Arkansas – Ellen Klesta

P 630.794.0696 • F 630.794.0652 ellen@ptmgroups.com

Southeast/West Coast – Cheryl Rash

P 563.613.3068 • F 815.225.5274 cheryl@ptmgroups.com

Frontier & Mountain West/ Illinois/Minnesota/Southwest – Linda Ragusin

P 630.794.0696 • F 630.794.0652 linda@ptmgroups.com

Southeast/Texas – Eric Moore

P 352.391.3314 eric@ptmgroups.com

The publisher accepts unsolicited editorial matter, as well as advertising, but assumes no responsibility for statements made by advertisers or contributors. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information published, but the publisher makes no warranty that listings are free of error. The publisher is not responsible for the return of unsolicited photos, slides or manuscripts.

Leisure Group Travel (ISSN-1531-1406) is published bi-monthly by Premier Travel Media, 621 Plainfield Road, Suite 406, Willowbrook, IL 60527. The magazine is distributed free of charge to qualified tour operators, travel agents, group leaders, bank travel clubs and other travel organizations. Other travel-related suppliers may sub scribe at the reduced rate of $12.00 per year. The regular subscription price for all others is $18.00 per year. Single copies are $4.95 each.

Send Address Change to:

Premier Travel Media 621 Plainfield Road, Suite 406 Willowbrook, IL 60527

publication

February 2016

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

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TOUR

Marty Sarbey de Souto, CTC

Motor Coach Industries (MCI)

provide bottled drinking water as part of its amenity package? Is there an adequate overhead storage area for your travelers to put jackets and en route purchases? Is there a restroom on board – important in areas where there are inadequate clean and frequent restroom stops. And very importantly, does the microphone come through loud and clear so everyone can hear the guide easily or enjoy music at times on the sound system. When hiring a van or mini-coach, it is important that all seats face forward, that all seats have arm rests, and that there is adequate luggage space at the back or under the vehicle.

A Few Thoughts On Coach Protocol For Tours Y

ou’re planning an upcoming tour, much of it on board a coach, van, bus – whatever the term. The success of your trip can often depend on this vehicle, so it’s wise to plan professionally. IS YOUR BUS SAFE? Our first and most important duty in undertaking any tour is to check that the coach has cleared all the requirements for operating in the state (or foreign country) in which you will be touring. This will mean getting a copy of the company’s insurance, checking the validity dates, and learning of its maintenance, driver training and other compliance requirements. Last November many of us who live in Northern California turned on our evening TV news to read about a double-decker runaway tourist bus accident that had occurred in the center of the busiest shopping area in

February 2016

downtown San Francisco, causing property damage and injury to pedestrians. How would you feel if you and your company/organization had been the one who had hired this vehicle or if you had depended on a tour operator who had hired it for your group as part of their services? What if you or they, in turn, had not provided the diligence in checking out the coach company that was hired for your group? IS IT COMFORTABLE? The next thing you’ll want to be assured of is that your coach will be comfortable. This can be particularly important if your itinerary is covering a lot of territory. Is the seat padding suitable or are you trying to save money by utilizing the school bus? Is the window visibility adequate? Is the coach airconditioned? Is the coach equipped with wi-fi and video screens? Does the coach company

WHAT ABOUT THE DRIVER? Second only in importance to the vehicle safety issue, in my opinion, is the driver. To me a good driver not only drives well and conducts him/herself in a professional manner, but also interacts graciously with the passengers, works well as a team with the guide and simply goes the extra mile. On my last tour to Holland and Belgium, I had a scary moment when one of my tour members fell on the cobblestone street, hitting her head on the storm sewer. I helped her up and headed for our bus, looking up to see our wonderful driver running towards me with a large first aid kit in hand, carrying her in his arms back to the bus and heading right to the hospital, which he knew well. We let the other tour members off at our hotel, and he then remained with me at the hospital until 2 a.m. when we were able to bring her back to the hotel. PARTING THOUGHTS Plan to rotate seating – giving everyone in turn a chance to sit in the forward seats, if they want to. En route be sure the tour members all know the coach number. And lastly, be sure you have signed a contract with the coach company so that you know you have the coach reserved well in advance and jot down the payment dates so you comply with your part of the bargain. LGT Marty is a Certified Travel Counselor who designs and leads tours. Her travel industry consulting and educational firm is Sarbey Associates (sarbeyassociates.com). Her e-book How to Plan, Operate and Lead Successful Group Trips can be ordered on groupuniversity.com.

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

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There’s something for everyone in your group, including you. From our homestyle cooking that satisfies the pickiest eaters to our country store filled with gifts and games for everyone. With our designated tour bus parking*, dedicated group phone line, and large party seating accommodations, it’s like we were custom built just for you. And as always, a meal for your driver and guide is on the house. It’s just one of our ways of making sure everyone on the road is taken care of.

crackerba el.com/tourgroups • 1-800-576-7693 Sunday–Thursday 6 a.m.–10 p.m., Friday & Saturday 6 a.m.–11 p.m. All locations company owned and operated. *DESIGNATED TOUR BUS PARKING AT MOST LOCATIONS. ©2015 CBOCS PROPERTIES, INC. “CRACKER BARREL OLD COUNTRY STORE” NAME AND LOGO ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF CBOCS PROPERTIES, INC., REG. USPTO.

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Hospitality Champions Crowned at 2nd Annual American Group Travel Awards

Hosted by TV personality/author Dylan Ratigan (left), the gala was a night of fun and festivity. Leisure Group Travel publisher Jeff Gayduk was one of the award presenters.

celebratory night filled with excitement and surprises marked the second annual American Group Travel Awards. Presented by HotelPlanner.com, the event attended by over 300 group travel industry professionals was held on November 9 at the Diamond Horseshoe Theatre in New York City’s Paramount Hotel. The black-tie affair included a sit-down dinner, live acrobatic performances from Queen of the Night and one of the top DJs in New York City. The evening’s master of ceremonies, Dylan Ratigan, is a former CNBC host and New York Times best-selling author. Throughout the evening Ratigan ushered presenters on to the stage to recognize highachievers in 20 different categories from top hotels, cruises, ground transportation, airlines and more. 10

February 2016

“These awards represent not only unwavering dedication of leading group travel organizations, but have also impacted the continuous growth of group travel by providing the finest experiences,” stated HotelPlanner CEO Tim Hentschel. During the evening Hentschel urged guests to bequeath funds to students attending Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration. Leisure Group Travel readers have a say in selecting the winners as the magazine invites readers to vote for their favorite suppliers in early fall. “We are proud to be a sponsor of American Group Travel Awards,” stated Jeff Gayduk, publisher of Leisure Group Travel. “It’s a first-class event with A-list attendees, an energetic pulse and there’s always a few surprises.” The 2016 event is scheduled for November 14. Learn more at www.americangrouptravelawards.com. >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

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Congratulations to the following 2015 American Group Travel Award winners and runners-up Best Group Hotel Brand - Boutique Winner: W Hotels Runner-up: Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants

Best Independent Hotel Brand Winner: Loews Hotels & Resorts Runner-up: Ayres Hotels

Best Online Travel Agency for Group Travel Winner: Hotels.com Runner-up: Expedia

Best Leisure Group Hotel Brand Winner: Holiday Inn Runner-up: Comfort Inn & Suites

Best Live Stage Performance for Groups Winner: The Phantom of the Opera Runner-up: Cirque du Soleil

Best Sports Team Travel Hotel Brand Winner: Quality Inn Runner-up: Holiday Inn Express

Best Theme Park for Groups Winner: Universal Orlando Runner-up: Disneyland

Best Group Shopping Winner: Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino Runner-up: Mall of America

Best Group Casino Hotel Winner: Bellagio Las Vegas Runner-up: Caesars Palace Las Vegas

Best City Destination for Groups Winner: Las Vegas Runner-up: Washington, DC

Best Airline for Group Travel Winner: United Airlines Runner-up: Delta Air Lines

Best Beach Destination for Groups Winner: The Island of Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ahu, Hawaii Runner-up: Cancun, Mexico

Best Cruise Line for Group Travel Winner: Carnival Cruise Lines Runner-up: Royal Caribbean International

Best State for Group Travel Winner: New York Runner-up: California

Best Group Ground Transportation & Tours Winner: SuperShuttle Runner-up: BusBank Best Golf and Spa Resort for Groups Winner: Streamsong Resort Runner-up: The Breakers Palm Beach Best Extended Stay Brand Winner: Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham Runner-up: Cambria hotels & suites

Trade Show and Conference Calendar, Spring/Summer 2016 Travel South March 6-9, 2016, Winston-Salem, NC Discover unique destinations and attractions in the authentic South. www.travelsouthusa.org

Midwest Marketplace April 17-19, 2016 Lake Lawn Resort, Delavan, WI Meet with group friendly suppliers from Wisconsin and surrounding states in one-on-one appointments. www.circlewisconsin.com

Heritage Clubs International March 14-18, 2016, Honey Creek Resort Moravia, IA Features educational sessions, banker networking, partner-banker roundtables, and travel expo with scheduled appointments. www.heritageclubs.com Mountain Travel Sy mposium April 3-9, 2016 Keystone Conference Center, Keystone, CO Grow your business at the most important ski industry event in the world. www.mtntrvl.com

LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

Spotlight on the Southwest April 17-19, 2016 Suncoast Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NV A regional tourism conference which combines educational seminars, networking functions and a trade show. www.spotlighttravelnetwork.com ETI 2016 Where the World Meets ALL of the Caribbean May 11-14, 2016 Puerto Rico Convention Center www.internationaltourismexpo.com

Circle Wisconsinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s booth is always a hotbed of activity at Midwest Marketplace, set this year for April 17-19.

Spotlight on the Southeast June 11-13, 2016 Doubletree Hotel, Asheville, NC Develop new tour itineraries to off-the-beatenpath destinations using connections made at this unique regional tourism conference and trade show. www.spotlighttravelnetwork.com

February 2016

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Jennifer Bohac Director, Texas A&M Traveling Aggies TELL US ABOUT THE TEXAS A&M ALUMNI TRAVEL PROGRAM We’ve been around for almost 50 years. My predecessor retired after 25 years and when I was hired in 2001 the president/ CEO’s goal was to grow the program. We currently have almost 400,000 living former students and in order to meet the demand we needed to have a more varied, larger travel program. At the time, we were doing 10 to 12 trips a year. Now we’re doing upwards of 70 trips annually. My goal is when they open our travel catalog that there’s something for everybody, for our younger alumni as well as our retired alumni. For somebody who wants to relax on a beach or do expedition trips.

WHAT’S LEADING TO THE INCREASE IN ALUMNI PARTICIPATING IN YOUR TRIPS?

Leisure Group Travel talks with the director of one of the nation’s top alumni travel programs to see how she manages dozens of trips a year 12

February 2016

We’re at almost 65,000 students so we’re quite large. We also have a very young former student body, which is unusual. Over half of our former students have graduated since 1995. We’re trying to meet those needs. We start this early with one particular student trip; it’s called our “Essential Europe for Graduating Seniors.” So when a Texas A&M student graduates, we offer them an “Essential Europe” trip. This past year we had about 85 Aggies onboard. It’s a great introduction to our program and some of our younger alumni trips. The retired former student that has the means to travel is still our target market, but by offering different types of trips that are attractive to younger adults, for instance, a trip that’s shorter in duration— like a Kentucky Derby or the Masters — where you’re only gone for a long weekend has more appeal. But we also are getting some of our younger former students on trips like our Tanzania safari. We see sometimes if they have the resources but don’t have somebody to go with, they have found that we’re a safe, great environment, and they have somebody to travel with. >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

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“

We do something unique that I don’t know if any other school in the country ’s doing— sporting travel. Now, some schools probably would shy away from that, but several years ago we figured if people want to go bird hunting or fishing, we’d offer those trips. We’ve had success with it.

I do about 15 and I am on the road about 240 days a year. I think it’s unusual for most travel directors to do that much, but it was the model that I inherited and so it becomes a relationship with our travelers. I call them my travel family because of the bond that’s created after 14 years of traveling with a lot of the same people. On top of that, I know the destinations. I know the product, I know the ships, so I can help share that knowledge with our travelers.

WHERE DO YOU GET NEW IDEAS FOR TRIPS AND HOW DO YOU KEEP THEM UNIQUE? Sometimes my travelers will come and give us some ideas about different trips or destinations. Probably most of it is from my colleagues, spending time with them, either at the Educational Travel Conference or at a Southeast travel planners’ conference. We do something unique that I don’t know if any other school in the country’s doing— sporting travel. Now, some schools probably would shy away from that, but several years ago we figured if people want to go bird hunting or fishing, we’d offer those trips. We’ve had success with it. Something else we try to do is get our alumni involved when we’re at the destinations. For years the head of the Panama Canal was one of our alumni. He would send some of the Aggies that work for the Panama Canal onboard the ship while we were transiting the canal….We also have an Aggie that’s a pilot for the Panama Canal and he comes on board and pilots the ship while we’re transiting. LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

In April we did a pretty special trip to Washington, D.C. It was a long weekend — we did monuments tours at night and dinners. We had our U.S. Congressman, who’s an Aggie, give us a tour of the Capitol and a tour of the White House with some behindthe-scenes that most groups don’t get. But probably the highlight of that tour was with General Mark Welsh, who’s the chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force. We’re good friends and I’ve known his family for years. We let him know we were coming up, and he and his wife invited our whole group into their home for dinner. He set up tours of the Pentagon, we toured Arlington Cemetery, and then he and his wife hosted our entire Aggie group at their house. It was great for our travelers, their having dinner with the chief of staff of the U.S Air Force and they couldn’t have been nicer.

“

HOW MANY TRIPS DO YOU TRAVEL ON EACH YEAR?

AS A BOARD MEMBER OF ETC, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE STATE OF THE ALUMNI TRAVEL MARKET? I think there’s a lot of potential for growth. We see our peaks and valleys depending on world situations and economies, but people want to travel and they see this as a great way to do it with a commonality, that shared experience going to the same university or traveling with fellow educated travelers. It’s a unique bond in that sense. Instead of traveling with a random group off the Internet, you can make new friends or see fellow alumni. It makes a huge difference. LGT

Tanzania is one of the more distant places visited by alumni groups organized by Texas A&M Traveling Aggies.

February 2016

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EAST REGION

Making grape pies has been a tradition in Naples, New York since the 1960s – just ask Monica of Monica's Pies.

5 Foodie

Hotspots By Randy Mink and Miles Dobis

Finger Lakes Visitors Connection

Flavorful destinations in New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Rhode Island and Massachusetts reflect the growing importance of culinary culture and its impact on tourism ong after a trip’s historical attractions and scenic highlights have faded, the conviviality of a good meal, the thrill of sampling new foods and the aromas wafting from the kitchen or outdoor grill seem to linger in our memories. “Eating is at the heart of all vacations,” said Norris Flowers, president of Destination Gettysburg. “Communities around the country aren’t just looking at food as simply meals that travelers need, but rather experiences that are sometimes at the very core of their getaway.” Indeed, destinations like Gettysburg, Pennsylvania have discovered the value of their culinary assets and are promoting them big time to food-savvy travelers. The emphasis these days is on farm-to-table freshness and seeking out foods distinctive to the location. Prowling farm markets, shopping for regional fare in specialty stores and rolling up your sleeves at a cooking class are all great experiences that will enhance any group tour. Here are five places that have put themselves on the culinary map:

February 2016

FINGER LAKES, NEW YORK. Nibbling and sipping your way through the countryside is a favorite pastime for groups touring the Finger Lakes region of western New York, a paradise for foodies and the largest wineproducing region in the eastern United States. Many of its 100+ wineries offer tours, tastings, even restaurants. Your group can sample the state’s agricultural bounty all in one place at the New York Wine & Culinary Center in Canandaigua, an idyllic town at the north end of Lake Canandaigua, about an hour south of Rochester. They can enjoy farm-totable fare in the casual dining atmosphere of the Upstairs Bistro, where at least 85 percent of the ingredients featured on the seasonal menus come from the Empire State. In addition, the building has two private dining rooms and a tasting room for New York wine, beer and spirits. Other group options at the center include cooking demonstrations in a state-of-the-art educational amphitheater and one-hour cooking classes in the fancy, hands-on kitchen.

Classes range from Pizza-Making Workshop to Cooking with Wine. And leave time for the gift shop, which sells wine and cheese accessories, plus New York-produced items like mustards, cheeses, pumpkin seed oil and Arbor Hill chocolate cabernet sauvignon wine sauce. Arbor Hill Grapery & Winery, located in Naples, has a gourmet food store that deals in everything grape, from grape gummi bears to wine jellies, syrups, sauces and vinegars. In a 160-year-old barn in back, groups can enjoy craft beers, sherried wine sausage and the winemaster’s sauerkraut at Brew & Brats at Arbor Hill. Arbor Hill also makes grape pies, a local specialty, and sells jars of grape pie filing. In fact, Naples is the Grape Pie Capital of the World. You can find this purple treat in several Naples locations, including Monica’s Pies and Joseph’s Wayside Market. GETTYSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA. Gettysburg’s growing culinary reputation is rooted in the agricultural bounty of Adams County, >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

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North America’s Only Steam Train & Riverboat Connection! Come to Essex, CT, for an escorted adventure by train and boat through the pristine Connecticut River Valley—named one of the “last great places on earth” by the Nature Conservancy. • Enjoy an optional 3-course lunch for an additional charge • Check out our many other products and special events. . . .

Call 800-377-3987 or Visit ESSEXSTEAMTRAIN.com

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MEMORABLE MUSEUMS National September 11 Memorial Museum, New York, New York The National September 11 Memorial Museum is the country’s primary institution for exploring the events of 9/11 and examining the impact of those events around the country. The museum is located within the heart of the World Trade Center site and uses archives, multimedia displays and authentic artifacts to reveal the story of 9/11. After learning about the historical aspect of 9/11, your group can visit the outdoor memorial that honors the victims of the 9/11 attacks. (911memorial.org)

Smithsonsian, Washington, D.C. The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s biggest museum and research complex. Your group will find everything here, from the African American History and Culture Museum to the Museum of Natural History. The Smithsonsian has it all and it is free of charge. Groups can check out educational films in the IMAX theaters and Einstein Planetarium at the National Air and Space Museum. Dining packages and food vouchers are available in the museum’s restaurants and food courts. (si.edu/groupsales)

Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center Mashantucket, Connecticut Mashantucket Pequot Museum tells the story of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and brings their culture to life. Visitors can view the museum’s multi-sensory dioramas and exhibits while immersing themselves in the natural history and culture of the Eastern Woodland tribes. With its 185-foot tower and a building that embraces the treeline, this museum is in harmony with nature and provides fantastic views of the scenic landscape and swamp that surround it. (pequotmuseum.org)

one of the prime apple-growing regions in the country. Here in the heart of the Pennsylvania Fruit Belt, the Gettysburg Wine & Fruit Trail, a collection of orchards, farm markets and wineries, is getting more visitors out into the scenic countryside. Perhaps most exciting is the town’s fast-growing hard cider industry, which has seen cider makers infusing other fruits and spices to make special varieties. Last year one producer, Reid’s Orchard & Winery, opened a downtown tasting room and cider house that pairs food with flights of hard cider; evening entertainment is offered as well. The inaugural Pennsylvania Cider Festival on June 25 will bring 30 cider makers to the Gettysburg area. Savor Gettysburg Food Tours offers a three-hour food tasting experience that visits a variety of downtown restaurants, from ethnic eateries and historic taverns to family-owned bistros and wineries. These walking tours touch on town history as well.

PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND. The state’s capital city has emerged in recent years as a foodie capital, its culinary landscape a mix of old-line Italian restaurants, other ethnic eateries and cutting-edge places orchestrated by young, creative chefs. It doesn’t hurt that many in the restaurant business are students or alumni of Johnson & Wales University, recognized worldwide for its culinary school. Groups can arrange a welcome reception at the school’s Culinary Arts Museum. Atwells Avenue in Federal Hill, Providence’s Little Italy neighborhood, boasts 40-some restaurants— many of them Italian—plus Italian food shops. Places like Scialo Bakery and Spirito’s welcome groups for cooking demonstrations. Everyone likes shopping for Italian imports at Tony’s Colonial Food Store. Cindy Salvato, a certified pastry chef, guides a three-hour “Savoring Federal Hill” tour that drops by bakers, butchers and other food purveyors.

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Atlantic City, Baltimore, Niagara Falls, Times Square, Toronto Ripley’s Believe It or Not! features 95 attractions all over the world. Some of the oddest collections imaginable are housed in their famous Odditoriums. True to Ripley’s nature, these odditoriums take residency in unusual looking buildings. Exhibits include illusions, interactive displays, videos, photos, wax figures, artifacts and top-rated special effects, all in bizarre themed settings. Works of art are made up of everything from everyday objects to incredible collections to strange hobbies. Each museum has its own exclusive exhibits. Your group will find a roulette table made from jelly beans in Atlantic City, shrunken heads and a 12-foot transformer in Baltimore, two-headed animals in Niagara Falls and an albino giraffe in New York. Along with its odditoriums, Ripley’s also has aquariums. Its Toronto aquarium gives your group on an in-depth look at the ocean, offering exhibits such as Canadian Waters, Rainbow Reef, Planet Jellies and Ray Bay. Your group can enter the Dangerous Lagoon to catch glimpses of sharks, stingrays and green sea turtles. End the visit at Shoreline Gallery, where your travelers can touch stingrays and small sharks. (ripleys.com) 16

February 2016

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BURLINGTON, VERMONT. While overshadowed by flashier East Coast culinary hotspots, the modest and antique charms of Burlington have been drawing foodies for decades. Surrounded by the Green Mountains and overlooking beautiful Lake Champlain, the city boasts everything from intimate bistros to destinations aimed at large groups. Those with a sweet tooth in your group will want to spend some time at Lake Champlain Chocolates, which has been crafting all-natural, preservative-free truffles for over two decades. Visitors can view the factory floor, learn about the history of chocolate and, of course, try some free samples. A progressive college town, Burlington is also a major center for the localvore movement, which favors short distances from field and farm to table. Restaurants like the Skinny Pancake and Viva Espresso prize local bakeries and farms for their delicious offerings. Located just 20 minutes outside of Burlington, The Essex, Vermont’s Culinary Resort & Spa combines the quaint personality of a New England bed and breakfast with world-class cooking classes and restaurants.

Finger Lakes Visitors Connection

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Girlfriends gather in Finger Lakes wine country

After working up an appetite from exploring the property’s hiking trails, golf courses and swimming pools, your group can indulge in the Essex’s two premier dining establishments. Junction features regional specialties like venison striploin and Champlain Valley cheeses in a cozy cabin atmosphere, while The Tavern specializes in upscale pub food like flatbreads and burgers flavored with fresh herbs and spices grown on property. Visitors create their own dishes in the Cook Academy, where aspiring chefs can take a variety of group lessons for all ability levels. Classes include Nola, where participants explore New Orleans’ culinary heritage

by making bayou staples like jambalaya and beignets, and Bistro Favorites, which focuses on hearty dishes like French onion soup and steak with wild mushroom demi-glace. Craft brew lovers can discover the area’s burgeoning beer scene in Cooking with Vermont Beer, making beer-braised chicken and chocolate stout cake with brews made just down the road. THE BERKSHIRES, MASSACHUSETTS. For gourmands looking for fresh and authentic New England cuisine, the Berkshires are becoming an increasingly popular place to be. A cluster of cities located around the Connecticut River and Appalachian Mountains, the Berkshires enjoy a flourishing arts and food scene while retaining the pace and atmosphere of an earlier era. The area’s cool mountain climate is ideal for orchards, and groups can visit local favorites Sweet Brook Farm and Bartlett’s Orchard to pick their own apples and even syphon their own maple syrup. Craft spirit fans will enjoy the smallbatch creations from Berkshire Mountain Distillery, which specializes in bourbon and the local favorite Ethereal Gin. LGT

SCENIC RAIL EXCURSIONS Essex Steam Train, Essex, Connecticut The only steam train and riverboat connection in the country spotlights the unspoiled Connecticut River Valley on a two-and-a-half-hour journey that begins at the historic rail station in Essex. Equipped with vintage coaches, the train travels through the quintessential New England towns of Deep River and Chester and near tidal wetlands. Sights on the cruise aboard the Becky Thatcher, a Mississippi-style riverboat, include Gillette Castle and the Goodspeed Opera House. (essexsteamtrain.com)

Mount Washington Cog Railway Bretton Woods, New Hampshire One of the only two cog railroads in the United States, the Mount Washington Cog Railway is the oldest cog line in the nation (1869). Originally thought to be impossible to build, it ascends 6,288-foot-high Mount Washington and takes passengers to Mount Washington State Park, which features hiking trails, an observatory and a visitor center. On a clear day, you can see four states while locomotives do the hard work of getting your group to the top. (thecog.com)

Strasburg Rail Road, Strasburg, Pennsylvania The oldest railroad in the country provides a nine-mile round trip from Strasburg to Paradise. The 45-minute trip will take your group through more than 1,000 acres of Amish farmland. Your group can choose from a range of accommodations including coach, open-air, deluxe lounge and first-class. Lunch, dinner and wine-and-cheese trains are available. A shop tour lets visitors experience the railroad’s mechanical shop and the hostling tour shows how the trains are prepared daily. (strasburgrailroad.com)

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hether it’s by train, boat, bus or on foot, this itinerary has a little something for everyone, so ALL ABOARD! for this multi-modal adventure.

THE LAKE GEORGE AREA IN NY'S ADIRONDACKS

Lake George Area in NY's Adirondacks

Rails, Sails, Treasures and Trails Day 1

Day 2

Board The Saratoga & North Creek Railway at the Saratoga Springs Station for a scenic two-hour train ride along the Mighty Hudson River to historic North Creek. In September 1901, Teddy Roosevelt learned he was to be the 26th president of the United States when he reached the North Creek Station at dawn after hiking in the Adirondacks. The North Creek Depot Museum at the North Creek Station warmly reunites the past with the present with exhibits that tell the tale of Teddy’s midnight ride to the station and the impact of his Presidency on American life, as well as the history of the Adirondack Railroad and its effect on the Gore Mountain Region. Wander the shops of quaint Main Street before lunch at the elegant Copperfield Inn or the rustic, Adirondack-style Garnet Hill Lodge. There are many options for Adirondack soft adventure in the afternoon. Take a self-guided or guided trail walk at Natural Stone Bridge and Caves, home of the largest marble cave entrance in the Northeast, and enjoy breathtaking views on the Northwoods Gondola at Gore Mountain. Treasure seekers can visit the world’s largest garnet deposit at Barton Garnet Mine and Mineral Shop to learn the history and geology of the mine. Guides will explain and demonstrate how to find garnet gemstones, large garnet crystal faces and beautiful, museum-quality mineral specimens to take home. For even more active groups, hiking and whitewater rafting trips can be pre-arranged.

Rise and shine for the most spectacular 100-mile view of Lake George and the mountains beyond at the top of Prospect Mountain. Buses can travel the 5½-mile highway to the 2,030-foot summit, stopping at its three overlooks for photo opportunities and different vantage points of the 32-mile-long lake. Head into the Village of Lake George for a cruise (lunch is optional) aboard one of Lake George Steamboat Company’s or Lake George Shoreline Cruises’ sailing vessels. Whether it’s the famous sternwheel steamship the Minnie Ha-Ha or the intimate Horicon, your group is sure to enjoy the lake breezes and stately homes and resorts dotting the shores of “The Queen of American Lakes.” The afternoon offers free time to explore Lake George’s streetscape. Challenge your newly-made tour friends to a round of miniature golf, peruse the gift shops, stop into Adirondack Winery & Tasting Room for a sample of locally produced wine and food products or just relax in one of the shady lakeside parks.

Tanya Brand 518-761-6575 • brandt@warrencountyny.gov

VisitLakeGeorge.com

February 2016

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Locations in the Northeast to Amaze Your Groups!

NEW YORK

BALTIMORE

ATLANTIC CITY

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Ripley’s Marvelous Mirror Maze Ripley’s Impossible LaseRace groupsales@ripleysnewyork.com Ripley’s 4-D Moving Theater baltimoregroups@ripleys.com 212-398-3133 443-615-7878

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Laser Maze Challenge ripacac@aol.com 609-347-2001

TORONTO

NIAGARA FALLS

Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada groups@ripleysaquariumofcanada.com 877-773-1497 x2642

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Louis Tussaud’s Waxworks, Ripley’s 4-D Moving Theater cammelli@ripleys.com, 905-356-2238

For nearly 100 years, Ripley Entertainment has been a world leader in family fun. Built on a foundation of a tiny daily newspaper cartoon which debuted in 1918, the company now operates more than 95 world-class attractions on four continents. Each attraction is UNIQUE in its architecture, its collection and presentation. Every Ripley’s attraction is built with interactivity in mind, from LaseRace adventures to underwater viewing tunnels … the longest one in North America being at the Ripley’s Aquarium in Toronto!

Ask About our Special Trade and Group Rates: Book Your Groups Today!

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WEST

REGION

f you had to pick one spot on earth to sample the best of the organic food movement, it would probably be the state of California. With over 400 crops, virtually three rather than two growing seasons in many places, and the entrepreneurial spirit of its farmers, it’s a combination hard to beat. Let’s take a look at some of the special areas of California you might visit if you were to bring a group to see (and taste) the state’s agricultural bounty.

Sampling

California’s Culinary Scene From organic produce and fine wines to cheese, seafood and Danish pastry, your group will find a cornucopia of epicurean delights in the Golden State By Marty Sarbey de Souto, CTC

San Francisco You might want to start your trip flying into San Francisco for a couple of days enjoying the basic touristic sites of the City by the Bay – the Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, maybe your first view of the Pacific, the swank shops of Union Square and the colorful Mission district. But the event you won’t want to miss is on Saturdays – the Farmers’ Market at Ferry Plaza at the foot of Market Street. It draws 25,000 shoppers a week to the front of the Ferry Building with its 245-foot clock tower (modeled after the 12th century Giralda bell tower in Spain’s Seville Cathedral.) Within the building itself you’ll find a number of permanent vendors of California’s agriculture – all small regional producers that practice traditional farming or production techniques: Peet’s Coffee and Tea, Frog Hollow Farm, Acme Bread, Hog Island Oyster Co., Sur La Table and The Gardener for starters. And on the esplanade outdoors in front, local farmers stream in and set up their stalls to display their wares. To round out the scene, popular restaurants like The Slanted Door are part of the festivities.

California’s Top Ten Valued Agricultural Commodities Milk $9.4 billion Almonds 5.9 Grapes 5.2 Cattle & Calves 3.7 Strawberries 2.5 Lettuce 2.0 Walnuts 1.8 Tomatoes 1.6 Pistachios 1.6 Hay 1.3 20

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Source: California Department of Food and Agriculture 2014.

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San Francisco Travel

The vineyards in Napa Valley, a premier destination for wine lovers, have been producing grapes commercially since 1858.

The Farmers’ Market at Ferry Plaza, a big Saturday event in San Francisco, welcomes almost 100 vendors every week.

Berkeley and the Gourmet Ghetto But the real food history is across the San Francisco Bay in Berkeley’s so-called “Gourmet Ghetto.” While Berkeley may have been known for hippies and student protests back in the 1960s, it’s also where Alice Waters started the organic movement with her landmark restaurant Chez Panisse. She uses Northern California produce and has trained a generation of chefs, many of whom have gone on to open their own establishments. A fixedmenu dinner will set you back anywhere from $75 to $150 a person (depending on the day and the menu) and it’s by reservation only. Other organic spots not as pricey include Wendy Brucker’s wonderful Rivoli Restaurant and Jorge Saldana’s tasty and casual Cancun, which uses produce from his family’s Sonoma County farm, some from heirloom seeds handed down from his family in Mexico. Another landmark for foodies is the Berkeley Cheese Board Collective, which helped to supply ingredients for the birth of California Cuisine. Here knowing patrons stand in line patiently to sample cheeses and be served by knowledgeable owner-workers to find (and taste) just the right cheese for tonight’s recipe.

City of St. Helena/Bob McClenehan

Agricultural Smarts in Davis

LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

An hour or so from Berkeley is another college town – Davis, site of the University of California’s College of Agriculture and Environmental Studies. Here students study animal science, plant pathology, viticulture, enology, nutrition and more. Sometimes private lectures can be arranged for visiting tour groups who may have special interests or careers in these areas. Also located here is the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science.

Napa and Sonoma Wine Country Probably the area of most interest to outof-state visitors is the famed Napa-Sonoma area north of San Francisco. Here we’re talking about grapes, wine, cheese, charming (and pricey) kitchenware shops and summer music festivals under the trees, not to mention attractive hotels, spas and endless restaurants for food lovers.

A minimum of three days is recommended for this area to allow time for visits and tastings, although many groups spend a great deal more time here. Remember that in addition to its focus on food and wine, the area also has a rich history. You’ll want to enjoy downtown Sonoma with its central plaza, a remnant of the town’s Mexican colonial past. Perhaps you’ll visit the Mission San Francisco Solano, established here in 1823 as the last and northernmost mission built in what was then called Alta California. You’ll want to include a variety of tastings at a myriad of vineyards, farms, ranches and country stores, their offerings depending on the season. You might also visit the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in nearby St. Helena. The Institute (affiliated with their world-renowned flagship campus in Hyde Park, New York) offers AA degrees in either the culinary arts or in baking and pastry arts, as well as wine and beverage studies. You may wish to sample an elegant student-prepared meal in the restaurant here. February 2016

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MEMORABLE MUSEUMS Denver Art Museum, Denver Since its opening the Denver Art Museum has accumulated over 68,000 works of art, one of the largest collections of art between Chicago and the West Coast. Known around the world for its cultural collection of art, the museum features permanent collections of American Indian, Asian, African, Oceanic, Western American, Spanish Colonial and preColumbian art. Architecture, design, graphics, photography, textile art and fashion are among other features of this diverse museum. (denverartmuseum.org)

The Mob Museum, Las Vegas The Mob Museum, located in downtown Las Vegas, is devoted to telling the true stories of organized crime and law enforcement by taking visitors on an interactive journey through history. Your group will get a behind-the-scenes look at how law enforcement infiltrates the Mob, get an in-depth look at the Mob in Vegas and around the country and see how the Mob has influenced Hollywood. Your group will leave enriched in mob history. (themobmuseum.org)

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, Simi Valley, California One of the most revered U.S. presidents of the 20th century is honored with exhibits that will give groups an inside look at the Reagan presidency. Your group can explore Air Force One and reflect at a section of the Berlin Wall. The newly renovated museum houses hundreds of artifacts and displays, like the president’s newly digital, handwritten diary. (reaganfoundation.org)

The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens, San Marino, California What began in 1919 as Henry Huntington’s pursuit of his interests in reading, horticulture and the arts blossomed into one of the most varied museums in the United States. Visit the botanical gardens and wander through 120 rolling acres of rare flowers, idyllic ponds and breathtaking sculpture. Head to the library where you’ll find rare works like Gutenberg’s Bible, then swing by the art galleries and enjoy pieces by American and European masters. (huntington.org)

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Heading South Now it’s time to head south. In late July perhaps you can celebrate with the locals at the Gilroy Garlic Festival, watching “pyro-chefs” put on a spectacular flame-up show preparing garlic-laced calamari and scampi in huge iron skillets. Continuing south, make your way to the Carmel-Monterey area. The Monterey Bay Aquarium with its giant 28-foot-tall Kelp Forest was founded here in 1984; it’s on the

site of a former sardine cannery on Cannery Row of John Steinbeck fame. There are great seafood restaurants here on Cannery Row and then there’s the famed 17-mile scenic drive with breathtaking ocean views and Pebble Beach Golf Course. You may wish to visit Hearst Castle about half way between San Francisco and Los Angeles, nestled above the village of San Simeon. Here newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst inherited 250,000 acres in 1919 and with architect Julia Morgan created

Your kids will love spiraling down America’s tallest slide. Following them down is your call.

Hearst Castle with its 165 rooms and 127 acres of gardens. What surprises many is that there is an 82,000-acre cattle ranch surrounding the castle. Here they practice sustainable agriculture and managed grazing on the nation’s largest single-source supplier of free-range, all-natural, grass-fed beef. Other spots to visit as you head southward in your California exploration would include Santa Barbara with its wide beautiful beach and perhaps the interesting Danish town of Solvang, nestled in the Santa Ynez Valley. It’s a Danish village complete with windmills, real Danish pastries and a year-long calendar of events. The surrounding area hosts 120 wineries, mostly small family-owned operations. It’s all well and good to know that all these resources are out there available to weave into a spectacular group tour itinerary, but putting all the parts together is another thing. One California tour operator does just that – Oakland-based Harvest Travel International (harvestt@sbcglobal.net) has been specializing in custom-designed agritourism group tours since the ’70s and knows the people and places that can make your group’s trip happen. LGT

THE HUNTINGTON See more at VisitOKC.com

Because OKCing is Believing.

Nature, Art, Culture...

Making your way up the six-story SkyTrail Adventure Course is fun enough. It’s when you’re choosing how to get back down that you realize OKC knows real family fun. A 72-foot slide, or a harnessed free-fall leap or a zipline trip across the Oklahoma River. With choices like that, choosing OKC for your next family trip makes thrillingly good sense.

Group Tours Specialists VisitOKC.com | #SeeOKC

626-405-2240 | Pasadena, CA-adjacent Tours@Huntington.org

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SCENIC RAIL EXCURSIONS Experience the Authentic West! The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, located in Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado, is run by coal-fired, steam locomotives that worked the original Denver & Rio Grande Western Route. Take a journey into the past and enjoy the scenery of yester year while experiencing the authentic West. Trips run from Memorial Day weekend to mid-October.

Verde Canyon Railroad, Clarkdale, Arizona Verde Canyon Railroad offers a one-of-akind train ride that will take your group across bridges, alongside rock formations and through a 680-foot tunnel. Travelers w ill embark on a fourhour historic ride, passing through national forests from Clarkdale to Perkinsville. Narration throughout the ride focuses on the canyon’s history, geology, archaeology and wildlife. Featured events like eagle watch and fall color rides take place throughout the year. (verdecanyonrr.com)

Alaska Railroad Seward to Anchorage and Fairbanks This is simply one of the best ways to see Alaska. Built to link the Pacific seaport of Seward with the interior before there were highways, it offers 500 miles of track. The flagship train, the Denali Star, operates daily between Anchorage and Fairbanks, but there are also trains such as the Coastal Class, Hurricane Turn and Glacier Discovery. Groups of 20 or more get a complimentary guide and can choose from two classes of service. (alaskarailroad.com)

Amtrak’s Coast Starlight, Los Angeles to Seattle The Coast Starlight, considered one of the country’s most spectacular train routes, provides service daily between Los Angeles and Seattle. The train passes through Santa Barbara, the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento and Portland, showcasing beautiful scenery along the way. Your group will marvel at snowcovered mountain peaks of the Cascade Range, voluminous forests, lush valleys and the Pacific Ocean shoreline. Attractive options include sleeping accommodations with meals. (amtrak.com) 24

February 2016

Special Summer Pricing for Groups Full-day excursions departing daily from two locations: Chama, New Mexico & Antonito, Colorado

· · · · ·

Mid-May to Mid-October Group Friendly Restrooms Lunch Included ADA Accessible Bus Parking

*URXS 6DOHV 2IßFH 1.877.890.2737

www.cumbrestoltec.com/groups

NOVEMBER 13, 2016–APRIL 2, 2017 Star Wars™ and the Power of Costume was developed by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service in partnership with the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art and in consultation with Lucasfilm Ltd. Objects in this exhibition are on loan from the Archives of Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. © & ™ 2016 Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved. Used under authorization. Exhibition support at the Denver Art Museum is provided by the generous donors to the Annual Fund Leadership Campaign, and the citizens who support the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD). Promotional support is provided by 5280 Magazine, CBS4, Comcast Spotlight, and The Denver Post.

PLAN YOUR GROUP VISIT NOW GROUPS OF 10+ RECEIVE SPECIAL PRICING Contact group services for reservations and pricing at 720-913-0088 or groupsales@denverartmuseum.org. Advance reservations required. Single tickets go on sale May 4, 2016.

Save Now with Amtrak

VALUE SEASON FARES GROUPS OF 20 OR MORE RECEIVE 20% OFF LONG-DISTANCE TRAIN TRAVEL. New group bookings of 20 or more passengers traveling together receive a 20% discount off regular adult coach rail fares. Offer is valid for sale through May 15, 2017 for travel January 11, 2016 to May 23, 2016, and September 16, 2016 to May 23, 2017. For reservations call 1-800-USA-1GRP (1-800-872-1477) and mention discount code X521. This offer is valid for 20% off the regular full adult rail fare. This offer is valid for group travel only. This offer is valid for sale 26OCT15-15MAY17 and valid for travel 11JAN16-23MAY16 and 07SEP16-23MAY17. Blackouts apply on the following dates: 24-28MAR16, 22-23NOV16, 26-28NOV16, 21-24DEC16, 26-30DEC16, 01-02JAN17, 13-14APR17, and 17APR17. This offer is valid for travel on all long distance trains excluding the Auto Train. This offer also includes short distance trains connecting to long distance trains as part of the complete itinerary. Offer is not valid on entire short distance train itineraries. Seating is limited; seats may not be available on all days. Fares are subject to availability. Up to 2 children ages 2-12 may accompany each adult at half fare. This offer is not valid for travel on Acela Express. This offer is valid for new sales only; existing reservations do not apply. This offer is valid for coach seats; upgrades are available upon full payment of accommodation charges. This offer is not combinable with any other discount offer. In addition to the discount restrictions this offer is also subject to any restrictions, blackouts and refund rules that apply to the type of fare purchased. Fares, routes and schedules are subject to change without notice. Once travel has begun; no changes to the itinerary are permitted. Other restrictions may apply. Amtrak, Auto Train, and Acela Express are registered service marks of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation.

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CENTRAL

REGION

For the

Lâ?¤VE of

BEER The microbrewery scene is energizing many smaller communities in the Midwest By Alex Kelly

Lakefront Brewery, a fun place to hang out in Milwaukee, can arrange 45-minute private tours that include four beer samples and a souvenir glass.

he Midwest may be best known for its dairy farms and corn fields, but it is quickly becoming a popular area for another product â&#x20AC;&#x201C; craft beer. Though microbreweries produce less beer than big-time corpoLeisureGroupTravel.com <<

rate behemoths, they hold the distinction of creating rare beers with unique flavors that draw in enthusiasts by the thousands. Beer fans all over the country flock to the Midwest every year to enjoy craft beers made in independently-owned bars and to take part in

exclusive tastings, events that become oncein-a-lifetime experiences. One popular microbrewery, 3 Floyds Brewing Co. in Munster, Indiana, has porters and stouts on draft alongside its more famous pale ales, including Zombie Dust, Space Station February 2016

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Middle Finger and its flagship ale Alpha King, with caramel and citrus flavors that wow tasters. 3 Floyds brewpub also offers a menu filled with cheese plates, sandwiches and pizza to be paired with their “not normal” draft beers, as well as a kiosk where everchanging bottled beers can be ordered to go seven days a week. The brewery’s website sells t-shirts, hats, stickers and other merchandise that 3 Floyds fans love. Other beloved microbreweries such as Perennial Artisan Ales in St. Louis and Seventh Son Brewing Co. in Columbus are also worth the visit. Perennial offers a brewery tour on Saturdays as well as a tasting room with a seasonally-changing menu, and is also the sponsor of Abraxas Day, where the company releases its barrel-aged Abraxas stout to a small group of approximately 100

people. The Mexican chocolate stout is served on draft with other Abraxas variants, which don’t last long – the coffee flavor Abraxas served at 2013’s event sold out in less than two hours. In comparison, Seventh Son Brewing Co. puts more emphasis on its brewpub, which features beers such as the namesake Seventh Son American Strong Ale and Humulus Nimbus Super Pale Ale that contains notes of blueberry, pine and dandelion. Seventh Son also has food trucks available to pair with their beer tastings, though the trucks change daily – Wednesday tasters will see Challah!, a food truck that offers traditional Jewish food, while those with Thursday reservations can try Aromaku, with its Indonesian cuisine. In Monroe, Wisconsin, Minhas Brewery, the second oldest brewery in America with

the largest beer memorabilia museum, offers 90-minute tours seven days a week; included are generous samples in the lounge afterwards. In nearby New Glarus, the New Glarus Brewing Company, which produces 146,000 barrels a year, has free self-guided tours in addition to a “Hard Hat” tour every Friday that takes visitors around the former brewery site as well as the new Hilltop brewery, complete with special beer and cheese taste pairings. (It does not offer group tours, however.) Visitors to New Glarus should be sure to explore the town, which is very fond of its Swiss heritage as well as its reputation for good beer; Oktoberfest festivals are held every year, as is the Beer, Bacon and Cheese Festival. The Leinenkugel Brewery, a few hours north in Chippewa Falls, holds similar festivals every year. Leinenkugel offers tours

Tours of Milwaukee’s Lakefront Brewery provide a close-up look at the bottling line and other production areas.

February 2016

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six days a week, with free sample glasses for participants and with proceeds going to water conservation efforts for Lake Wissota. Lakefront Brewery in Milwaukee, a city with a strong beer-making heritage, is known for having some of the funniest, most entertaining tours anywhere. For the biggest beer enthusiasts, its Technical Tours feature four six-ounce samples and specially crafted pairings with fish boards, chocolate and, of course, Wisconsin’s famous cheese. While tours at Lakefront are offered seven days a week, it is best to visit the brewery on a weekend, when tour groups may see the entire brewery. In St. Louis, home of Anheuser-Busch, Schlafly Bottleworks offers what they call Beer School on Sundays in addition to their general tours. Schlafly holds the distinction of being the first brewery to open post-Pro-

hibition, giving tour groups something to celebrate during their visit. Another big part of the Midwest’s microbrewery scene is the festivals, with tickets that can sell out in minutes due to the limitedrelease beers often sold at these events. Among these events is the Festival of Barrel Aged Beers (FOBAB) in Chicago, a multi-day event in November with beers that are often not released to the public. FOBAB hosts competitions such as the Barricale competition, where 20 Illinois craft brewers fill a pre-determined type of barrel with their beer and age it for several months, as well as the National Wood-Aged Beer Competition, where gold, silver and bronze medals are awarded in 12 different categories such as Porter/Stout and Classic Beer styles. Another fun event is Michigan’s Winter Beer Festival, which

exclusively features Michigan breweries such as Hopcat and Dark Horse Brewing Company. At the festival, each participant receives 15 tokens that they may put towards three-ounce samples of craft beers. 2016’s event, which will take place at Fifth Third Ball Park just north of Grand Rapids, will also have a fire pit and ice sculptures. The Great Taste of the Midwest, which is attended by 6,000 every year and hosts hundreds of craft beers from 150 breweries, is held in Madison, Wisconsin. It features exhibits from beer ingredient providers and affiliates in addition to food vendors and live music. Similarly, the Craft Beer Expo in Mankato, Minnesota allows beer lovers to participate in educational seminars, after which they may enjoy beer samples and vote for whichever beer they believe is most

Schlafly Bottleworks in St. Louis offers free weekend tours on a first-come basis, plus a restaurant and bar.

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February 2016

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deserving of the expo’s People’s Choice Award. One of the Midwest’s most famous craft beer festivals is Dark Lord Day, sponsored by 3 Floyds Brewing Company. It’s the only day of the year where 3 Floyds’ Dark Russian Imperial Stout may be purchased, and tickets for the event can sell out within minutes. The stout is so rare that the purchase of it is not even included with ticket sales – those with general admission may buy it on tap, while only group ticket holders may stand in line for the chance of buying a single allotment of the bottled Dark Lord. However, the best part of the festival is arguably the company. Like all of the Midwest’s microbrew festivals, it allows brewers and drinkers alike to gather together and enjoy well-prepared beer with other individuals who enjoy the craft as much as they do. LGT

MEMORABLE MUSEUMS National Museum of United States Airforce, Dayton, Ohio The world’s largest military aviation museum is located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, near Dayton, Ohio. Explore more than 19 acres of indoor exhibit space featuring over 360 unique, historical and cutting edge aircraft, along with thousands of artifacts that chronicle the evolution of military flight from the Wright brothers to today’s stealth aircraft. A fourth building with four new galleries opens in June. (airforcemuseum.com)

Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center Hutchinson, Kansas Home to the world’s largest collection of U.S. and Soviet space artifacts, the Cosmosphere uses interactive experiences and world-class exhibits — including a Russian Vostok capsule and Apollo 13 command module — to tell the compelling stories behind man’s conquest of space. With live demonstrations and a state-ofthe-art digital dome theater and planetarium, the Cosmosphere experience brings history to life, ignites the imagination and inspires visitors of all ages. (cosmo.org)

Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Home to 30,000 works of art, Milwaukee Art Museum houses many pieces of unique paintings, sculptures, photographs, video art, prints, drawings and decorative art. By collecting art for over 125 years, this museum is a treasured landmark in Wisconsin because of both its art and architecture. Forty galleries are rotated and feature well-known artists such as Andy Warhol, Claude Monet and Georgia O’Keeffe. Tours, live music and after-hours events will keep your group entertained. (mam.org)

National Corvette Museum Bowling Green, Kentucky The National Corvette Museum is dedicated to showing off America’s Sports Car, produced only in Bowling Green, Kentucky. This specialty museum features over 80 Corvettes from different times and includes mint classics, unique prototypes and modern designs. Rotating displays and interactive trivia kiosks will make every trip to this museum exclusive. Your group can get the real feel of a Corvette by sitting in a 2015 Stingray and taking a trip to NCM Motorsports Park. (corvettemuseum.org)

Minhas Brewery, Monroe, Wisconsin

February 2016

The Field Museum, Chicago, Illinois

Minneapolis Institute of Art Minneapolis, Minnesota

The Field Museum is one of the largest natural history museums in the world and is home to the largest, best preserved and most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex ever found, Sue. Its 3D Theater brings life to prehistoric animals right before your eyes. Mummies: Images of the Afterlife, The Machine Inside: Biomechanics, Nature Unleashed: Inside Natural Disasters and Mammoths and Mastodons: Titans of the Ice Age are a few other popular permanent exhibits. (fieldmuseum.org)

From Monet to Matisse, Asian to African, ancient artifacts to world-famous pieces, the Minneapolis Institute of Art has something for everyone in your group. Containing over 89,000 works of art that are from six continents and span over 20,000 years, this institute hopes to enrich the community through diversity in art. Decorative Arts, Textiles & Sculptures, Art of Africa and the Americas, and Japanese and Korean Art are just a few of the regular collections. (new.artsmia.org) >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

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SI SITE INSPECTION

Eating Farm-to-Table in Columbus

ood culture in Ohio’s capital city is alive, well and thriving. It offers everything from the now-familiar urban sight of the food truck to upscale dining experiences. Many restaurants, food trucks and markets make use of the abundant farmland outside the city to draw high-quality meats, grains, cheeses, vegetables and more. So, food-loving travel groups can enjoy Columbus’ eats in two ways: dining at farm-to-table restaurants and exploring the farmers’ markets.

Columbus’ Farm-to-Table Restaurants The Worthington Inn emphasizes obtaining items from nearby farms and even lists the sources online. Look for house-cut fries and chips, locally-baked bread, Ohio grass-fed beef, homemade dill pickles and 32

February 2016

chef-inspired dishes. Next door, the Worthington Farmers’ Market boasts over 70 vendors to make it the largest market of its kind in the state. In nearby Sunbury, the Glass Roster Cannery specializes in sustainable farming and traditional craftwork. Visitors can learn about soap making, home preserving and baking. Farm-to-fork buffet lunches are available along with candle-making and canning classes.

Columbus’ Farmers’ Markets A Columbus icon, North Market is the city’s oldest operating farmers’ market, located in the heart of downtown. A daily selection of produce, meat and baked goods is available year-round and additional outdoor markets on Saturdays occur during growing season.

CENTRAL REGION Q

Offering artisan products, ethnic foods and the freshest produce, North Market is a group travel favorite in downtown Columbus.

Located in an expanded alleyway in downtown Columbus, Pearl Market offers an urban alternative to the city’s other farmers’ markets. Besides local produce and baked goods, vendors here also sell unique handcrafted items such as jewelry and custom picture frames. Clintonville Farmers’ Market welcomes riders and urban hikers with bike racks and seating ideal for a lunch break. Entering its 14th season, the market ensures producers travel no more than 90 miles to provide this market with freshly picked veggies and fruits, freshly baked breads and sweets, and cheese, milk and honey.

EXPERIENCE COLUMBUS

Roger Dudley 800-354-2657 • rdudley@experiencecolumbus.com

ExperienceColumbus.com

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

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Can memories be measured measured by db y the scoopful? scoopful?

Where can I ﬁnd the Perfect Créme puff? puff Fr From om legendary cr créme éme puffs tto o behind-the-sc behind-the-scenes enes culinary ttours, ours, C Columbus olumbus is full of one-of-a-kind food food experiences experiences your your group group won’t won’t soon forget. forget. Start Start planning your your C Columbus olumbus visit today today at at e experiencecolumbus.com/tours xperiencecolumbus.com/ /tours or call 800-354-2657. 800-354-2657.

W What ha h t does mead taste like? tas te lik e?

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hampaign County is a culinary destination with over 40 locally-owned restaurants in Downtown Champaign alone. Sample farm-grown ingredients, sip vintage soda, learn the roasting process of coffee beans and enjoy a cheese tasting right on the farm. This one-day tour is designed to delight those of all ages.

VISIT CHAMPAIGN COUNTY Leah Longueville 217-351-4133 • leahl@visitchampaigncounty.org

VisitChampaignCounty.com

February 2016

Champaign County, Illinois

Taste of Champaign County This one-day itinerary will make your taste buds crave more as you get a behind-the-scenes look at our culinary hubs.

Day 1 Start your morning in the small town of Homer, population 1,000, where you’ll find the Homer Soda Company. This popular soda shop and deli will take you back to your days of old where heaven was found in a cold bottle on a summer day. With over 250 bottles of soda from ginger root beer to huckleberry soda, you’ll get nostalgic as you sample a variety of sodas and discover something new…or something old! Next treat your taste buds at Columbia Street Roastery, a self-contained coffee operation. Any product bearing its name is roasted and packaged at their local plant on Columbia Street in downtown Champaign. Take a virtual tour of the bean, from harvesting to brewing, as you sample their most popular brews. After your fill of caffeine, get your hands dirty at the Pekara Bakehouse. This behind-the-scenes look at what goes into the baking of their delicious bread and pastries will get at the heart of why Pekara is so well-known in the Midwest. For lunch, get a taste of local and regional farms at Big Grove Tavern, downtown Champaign’s first farm-to-table restaurant. With a separate space available for groups, this vibrant eatery offers an intimate and delicious dining experience.

Following your delicious meal, immerse yourself in Japanese culture at the University of Illinois’ Japan House. Discover the way of tea through a traditional tea ceremony—the time-honored art of Chado with four spirits: harmony, respect, purity and tranquility. You’ll take part in this ceremony and find yourself renewed for the remainder of your day. Now go directly to the source at Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery, Illinois’ first farmstead cheese-making facility and a group-tour favorite. Learn about the cheese-making process at this “Animal Welfare Approved” goat dairy. Visit with the owners, Wes and Leslie; enjoy a short walking tour of the farm; sample their heavenly goat’s milk gelato; and taste the delicious, award-winning varieties of goat cheese. Conclude your day with a taste of some of the finest wines produced in the United States. Alto Winery and Vineyards has won dozens of awards for their quality wines, and with their tasting room stationed in Champaign County, groups have the opportunity to experience several wines first-hand.

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

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LEISURE GROUP TRAVEL

Looking Ahead To Our April Issue Live Entertainment: Broadway, Community & Dinner Theater, Outdoor Dramas, Music Destinations Top Aquariums, Theme Parks & Water Parks Student & Youth Travel Market Update

See our page-flip edition & past issues at

LeisureGroupTravel.com

We can help showcase your business to groups. Call us at 630.794.0696 or email advertising@ptmgroups.com

BOOK YOUR GROUP TODAY Bring your group to discover world-renowned art, magniﬁcent architecture, and stellar exhibitions! Nature and the American Vision: The Hudson River School Feb 26–May 8, 2016 Lanford Wilson Collection of Folk Art April 15–July 3, 2016 American Epics: Thomas Hart Benton and Hollywood June 10–Sept 5, 2016 grouptours@mam.org 414-224-3842

mam.org

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ffingham has multiple sites to see and products to experience for food lovers. With stores such as John Boos & Company and renowned restaurants like Firefly Grill, Effingham is sure to please even the toughest food critic.

Effingham, Illinois

Effingham is for Foodies Day 1 For the Foodie Start the day out by making your way to John Boos & Company to see what all the hype is about. With celebrity chefs like Emeril Lagasse and Mario Batali using cutting boards and butcher blocks from this plant, guests certainly will want an up-close look at Boos Butcher Blocks. John Boos and Company is the oldest industry in Effingham, Illinois and has been in business continuously since 1887. The company has four dry kilns that will dry up to 210,000 board feet of lumber on a continual basis. Visit www.johnboos.com for more information. After visiting John Boos, have dinner on a John Boos table at a one-of-a-kind restaurant. Firefly Grill in Effingham is much more than just a restaurant; it is a culinary experience that brings thousands of people each year to the Effingham community. The Firefly Grill has been recognized in several publications including the Chicago Tribune, Bon Appetit and St. Louis Post for its unique atmosphere and efforts to go green. The Firefly Grill offers an unforgettable experience for travelers. Groups are invited to explore the gardens where food is grown for the restaurant, participate in demonstrations and spend time relaxing on the beautiful grounds. For more information, visit www.ffgrill.com.

Day 2 EFFINGHAM CVB Jodi Theole 217-342-5305 or 800-772-0750 • thoelej@ci.effingham.il.us

VisitEffinghamil.com

February 2016

Great Grains & a Show Another culinary gem located in the heart of Effingham, Hodgson Mill is a one-of-a-kind

company that focuses on your health. Hodgson Mill is a family owned company with more than 125 years’ experience in producing their one-of-akind products. They focus on producing delicious stone-ground, whole-grain and organic foods made from premium quality whole grain, including flours, corn meals, cereals, baking mixes, pastas and more. Since 1882, their family of employees has been grinding 100% whole grain to create wholesome, naturally healthy food - with no artificial preservatives, additives or colorings. Visit their website at www.hodgsonmill.com. End the day with a show at the Effingham Performance Center. This is a 1,564-seat theater that hosts 40 performances a year. Local, regional and national acts are scheduled to perform, with categories including country, pop/Top 40, contemporary Christian, comedy, jazz, dance, classical and bluegrass. Several nationally recognized performers will take the stage during the theater’s fourth season. For more information, visit www.theepc.org.

Day 3 Enjoy Great Wine with a Tuscan Feel Spend your last day in Effingham relaxing while enjoying some great wine. Established July 1, 2011, Tuscan Hills Winery focuses on offering exceptional quality wines. They offer wine tastings daily and host a number of meetings, parties and special events year round. They also feature live music every Friday night. The full range of wine styles and sweetness levels is covered, providing something for every guest. For more information, visit www.effinghamwinery.com. >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

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ake a journey to the past that’s loaded with plenty of modern-day fun in the third largest Amish area of the United States. Get a true look at the Amish lifestyle and learn about their history. Tour country roads more traveled by buggies than cars. Stop at shops filled with goods your grandma probably used. Step into an Amish kitchen and learn cooking secrets. Savor hearty Amishstyle fare, including a yummy traditional Amish “Haystack.” Meet Amish business owners who make the products and craft the wares for their culture. Delight in scenic backroads, peaceful people and local products that make Amish Country so memorable. Blend it all in a multi-day group experience that is a sure-fire-hit for your groups.

Amish Country of Northern Indiana

Backroad Treasures in Amish Country Unveil the secrets of the Amish lifestyle and see what an ordinary day is really like for this friendly but uncomplicated community in Northern Indiana, which is located 120 miles East of Chicago and one of the Midwest’s popular group destinations. You’ll leave with an appreciation for a way of life that blends modern realities with old-fashioned values (and maybe a few extra pounds from the fabulous meals).

Day 1 Your visit begins with a stop at the Shipshewana Flea Market, the Midwest’s largest outdoor market with more than 1,000 vendors. Not enough for you? Then stroll down to the charming shops at the town center. After checking in to your hotel, you’ll journey to an Amish home for a behind-the-scenes introduction to an authentic Amish wedding, complete with the sumptuous feast Amish wedding guests would enjoy.

Day 2

AMISH COUNTRY OF NORTHERN INDIANA Sonya Nash, CTP 574-262-8161 or 800-262-8161 • sonya@amishcountry.org

AmishCountryTours.org

LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

Today will be your day to soak in the Amish lifestyle, led by a local expert, on a backroads tour of the bucolic countryside. Explore the rolling farmland, dotted with tidy farmhouses and barns. Fill your Brown Bag with local goodies and treats as you shop where the Amish shop. Add to your experience from stops that include authentic backroads shops including an Amish coffin maker, buggy maker or camel dairy farm who each charm and explain their creations PLUS two how-to cooking experiences at mealtime. You’ll cook and eat like you’ve lived on the farmstead all your life.

Day 3 Start the day at Menno-Hof for an interactive history lesson about the origins of the Amish. From there, you’ll have a chance to make your own one-of-a-kind souvenir by painting and accessorizing a birdhouse at an Amish furniture shop. In the afternoon, your group will head to Amish Acres in Nappanee, the nation’s only Old Order Amish farmstead listed on the National Register of Historic Places, for lunch, a farm and wagon tour and a class to make your own shoofly pie. Enjoy their famous family-style Threshers Dinner and then the Broadway musical Plain & Fancy, the musical of Amish life and love, in the state-of-the-art Round Barn Theatre.

Day 4 Housewives don’t get any more real than with Amish housewives! Your day will shadow the lives of authentic Amish women. Experience how they do everyday chores such as cooking and cleaning with no electricity to how a teacher manages a one-room school. After a busy day, you’ll ease into the evening with a tasty dinner at Das Dutchman Essenhaus, Indiana’s largest restaurant located in Middlebury, and your choice of theater, shopping, mini golf, carriage rides or a weekly classic car cruise-in.

Day 5 You’ll check out in the morning and, after breakfast, get a small dose of the modern world again with a tour of a recreational vehicle factory. Four in five of all RVs in the U.S. are made in Northern Indiana Amish Country, so you’re definitely in the RV Capital of the World. Before you leave, enjoy one last taste of Amish culinary goodness with a homemade cinnamon roll demonstration by talented Amish baker extraordinaire Elaine Jones in her home. February 2016

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SOUTH

REGION

Itinerary Inspiring

Seafood Festivals

Turn groups loose at a Southern seafood festival and theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll discover a mainstay of the coastal culinary scene. Delightful food, great music and old-fashioned fun are the perfect recipe for a special experience. By Dave Bodle

LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

February 2016

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rom the Chesapeake Bay to the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico, Southern coastal states are blessed with a rich bounty of fresh seaf ood. Throughout the region, that abundance is celebrated at seafood festivals honoring watermen who apply their trade and the chefs who create their magic. From Virginia to Louisiana, here are eight festivals you can build an itinerary around.

Crowds throng Morgan City, Louisiana for the Shrimp & Petroleum Festival.

River Street Seafood Fest May 6-7, 2016 Savannah, Georgia

ust when you thought the good seafood festivals only came in the fall, the Savannah Waterfront Association saves the day. The spring Seafood Fest is one of River Street’s longest-running events and a favorite of locals and culinary groups. The setting is distinctive with the broad Savannah River and historic buildings that were once cotton warehouses as the backdrop. You’ll find plenty of great seafood options on the menu and fun events are always on the schedule, none more interesting than the River Street Crabtuck Derby. Hermit crabs racing are something to see and yes, there is a National Crab Racing Association to keep everything on the up and up. Local and regional bands performing from afternoon to evening keep the excitement humming. Learn more at riverstreetsavannah.com/event/river-streetseafood-fest-2/

February 2016

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81st Annual Shrimp & Petroleum Festival September 1-5, 2016 Morgan City, Louisiana

he granddaddy of them all, Louisiana’s oldest chartered festival celebrates years of tradition for five days around every Labor Day weekend. The festival’s unusual name emphasizes the importance of both the seafood and petroleum industries and how they work hand-in-hand culturally and economically. With a location less than two hours away from both New Orleans and Baton Rouge, it’s easy for groups to get into the festival fun. There’s plenty to fill the days and evenings of the 100,000+ festivalgoers with more than 20 events. The Cajun Culinary Classic welcomes visitors to 25 food booths. There’s music from traditional Cajun and zydeco to country and R&B. Parades on both land and water and the annual blessing of the fleet are not to be missed. A tour of an authentic offshore oil rig is possibly one of the most unique festival events in the country. For details, visit shrimpandpetroleum.org

35th Annual Biloxi Seafood Festival September 9-11, 2016 Biloxi, Mississippi

lready a popular destination, the Mississippi Gulf Coast welcomes groups with shopping, casino action, art museums, historic homes and, of course, Biloxi Shrimping tours. There probably isn’t a better time to visit than the second weekend in September and the Biloxi Seafood Festival. You know shrimp is the centerpiece when Subway creates a sub large enough that any festivalgoer that wants a piece is welcome. If you’re a fan of gumbo, it might be your vote that decides the winner in the Gumbo Championship. Professional and amateur teams prepare this Southern favorite and the public votes. More than 150 vendors peddle their wares, while music is always in the background. There’s a popular headliner Saturday evening. More info is online at biloxi.org/events/biloxi_seafood_festival.html.

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

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Tiffany at the

Morse The Morse Museum houses the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most comprehensive collection of works by Louis Comfort Tiffany.

445 n. park avenue winter park, ďŹ&#x201A;orida 32789 (407) 645-5311 www.morsemuseum.org

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30th Annual North Carolina Seafood Festival September 30-October 2, 2016 Morehead City, North Carolina

ore than 200,000 festivalgoers cannot be wrong and neither was the American Bus Association listing the festival as a 2015 ABA Top 100 Event. Less than two hours from I-95, 90 minutes from Wilmington and convenient to North Carolina’s Outer Banks, this three-day celebration of everything seafood is easy to fit into any itinerary. There’s something for everyone at the festival, but seafood is the star. More than 50 food vendors offer numerous options of fresh, local seafood. Look for the yellow NC Department of Agriculture flag of local seafood vendors. The Cooking with the Chefs tent is always a favorite event. Three stages provide an almost constant flow of live entertainment. The Sailing Regatta displays the pure beauty and grace of the sport, while the Flounder Fling is a different kind of sport. Learn more at ncseafoodfestival.org

22nd Annual Beaufort Shrimp Festival September 30 & October 1, 2016 Beaufort, South Carolina

little more than an hour from Charleston and just 30 minutes from Hilton Head Island, Beaufort is a gem of the South Carolina coast. With its outstanding shopping opportunities, great dining and as the filming site for so many memorable movies, Beaufort is a great place to visit anytime. The Shrimp Festival offers a good way to unlock the charm of this Southern community. The festival is free and kicks off with music on the Pavilion Stage Friday evening. There are Saturday morning arts & crafts, beverage booths, restaurants competing for the Silver Cup and shrimp-peeling contests for adults and kids. More information can be found at mainstreetbeaufort.com/beaufort-shrimp-festival. Left: The North Carolina Seafood Festival in Morehead City features fun rides, stage entertainment and over 50 food vendors.

MEMORABLE MUSEUMS Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Nashville, Tennessee One of the things Nashville is most famous for is country music, and there is no shortage of that at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Your group will be immersed into country music history with Sing Me Back Home: A Journey Through Country Music, the core exhibit, which journeys from the 19th century to today. Songwriter sessions, instrument demonstrations and film screenings will keep your group entertained. (countrymusichalloffame.org)

The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art Winter Park, Florida Founded in 1942, this museum features art from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The crowning jewel of this museum is its collection of works by Louis Comfort Tiffany, known for his stained-glass art. Visitors can view his Tiffany Chapel interior from the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, as well as the exhibition showcasing objects from Laurelton Hall, his Long Island estate. Galleries are updated regularly to allow visitors to see more of the permanent collection. (morsemuseum.org) 42

February 2016

West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center/ Tina Turner Museum, Brownsville, Tennessee

Virginia Sports Hall of Fame & Museum Portsmouth, Virginia The Virginia Sports Hall of Fame & Museum honors over 350 Virginia athletes, coaches, administrators, educators and journalists who have made a memorable mark in the sports world. The museum has nine exhibits that showcase 20 different sports. Immerse your group in sports history with compelling exhibits like the Hall of Honor, Redskins Skybox Experience, Bon Secours Training Room, Virginia Golf and Paul Sawyer Auto Racing. (vshfm.com)

This museum celebrates music of the Delta. Explore Flagg Grove School, the one-room school Tina Turner attended as a child. Step inside the shotgun home of Blues pioneer Sleepy John Estes and experience the Country Blues sound that grew from hard work in the cotton fields. Discover other famous musicians of the region, such as Carl Perkins, Eddy Arnold and Hank Williams Jr. (westtnheritage.com)

Jamestown Settlement & Yorktown Victory Center Williamsburg, Virginia Experience a one-of-a-kind history lesson at two living history museums that tell stories of colonial America. Exhibits at Jamestown allow your group to discover America’s first permanent English settlement and the impact of European colonization on Indian culture. Yorktown’s current exhibit, Creating Our New Museum, provides an interactive encounter with the permanent galleries that will be unveiled in late 2016 with the museum’s transition to the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown. (historyisfun.org) >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

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45th Annual National Shrimp Festival October 13-16, 2016 Gulf Shores, Alabama

ore than likely just about every Southern kitchen has some Zatarain’s dinners, rice mixes or spices in their cupboards. A Zatarain’s festival sponsorship is no small accomplishment. Every year 250,000 visitors are drawn to Gulf Shores’ wide sandy beaches the second full weekend in October. The National Shrimp Festival is a great anchor for an itinerary that explores Mobile and Gulf Shores. Shrimp and their preparation are the stars of the festival. Months before the festival kicks off, the Annual Shrimp Festival Restaurant Challenge takes place. An official qualifying event for the World Food Championships, the event attracts the area’s best chefs. A popular event unique to the Shrimp Festival is Singing for Scholarships, which features talented students from Baldwin County high schools. If your festival is at the beach, it just makes sense to have a Sand Sculpture Contest with categories for kids, adults and families. Begin planning at myshrimpfest.com.

36th Annual Poquoson Seafood Festival October 21-23, 2016 Poquoson, Virginia

ith a state that has the Virginia Oyster Trail you can anticipate experiencing the seven regional oyster flavors, the waterman culture of the Chesapeake Bay and festivals that pay tribute to both. Ideally located on a beautiful coastline and just minutes from I-64, Poquoson is convenient to the entire region from Virginia Beach and Norfolk to Hampton, Newport News and the Historic Triangle of Williamsburg/ Jamestown/Yorktown. Where else would you start your visit than the Farm Fresh Seafood Pavilion? From oysters and blue crabs to shrimp and rockfish, you’ll find plenty of fresh seafood to enjoy. Join more than 155 artisans for the Poquoson Art League Arts & Crafts Show, one of the largest juried shows in Virginia. Before filling your shopping bag, enjoy a variety of entertainment genres on two stages throughout the weekend. Start planning at poquosonseafoodfestival.com.

53rd Annual Florida Seafood Festival November 5-6, 2016 Apalachicola, Florida

Music is part of the celebration at the National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

Make Room for the Memories.

lways the first weekend in November, this festival has some cred. In 1963 the Florida legislature deemed it the longest-running maritime event (no small accomplishment in a state surrounded by water on three sides) and from that point on to be known as the Florida Seafood Festival Florida’s Oldest Maritime Event. Just as important, Fodors Travel Magazine listed it as one of “America’s 15 Best Small Town Festivals.” That small-town charm is what draws tens of thousands of visitors each November. Easy to include on any Florida Panhandle itinerary, Apalachicola is convenient to Panama City and Tallahassee. Celebrating the area’s seafood heritage, the festival includes hands-on maritime exhibits, an oystereating and -shucking contest and the Front Row, a seafood lover’s paradise. The parade featuring Miss Florida Seafood and King Retyso is part of Add the Festival Parade complete with Apalachicola’s big November bash, a Panhandle favorite. King Retyso and Miss Florida Seafood, a carnival and musical entertainment throughout the two days, and groups will discover that some really good things often come in small packages. Start planning at floridaseafoodfestival.com. LGT LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

An adventure of historic proportion is waiting for your groups—at two living-history museums that explore America’s beginnings. They can board replicas of colonial ships. Grind corn in a Powhatan Indian village. Try on English armor inside a palisaded fort. And join historical interpreters at a Continental (YT` LUJHTWTLU[ MVY H ÄYZ[OHUK SVVR H[ [OL 9L]VS\[PVU»Z LUK ;HRL WHY[ PU guided tours and hands-on programs. Tell them not to forget their cameras. Because the history here is life size. And their memories will be even bigger!

1-888-868-7593

February 2016

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alk in the footsteps of presidents and generals in the Fredericksburg, Virginia region. You will feel the joy of discovering the area’s unique past within the present time when visiting historical attractions, battlefields, shops, galleries and restaurants. Learn about George Washington’s family history, march historic Civil War battlefields or stroll through Fredericksburg’s charming Old Town, a downtown like no other. The memories made in Fredericksburg always remain timeless.

Fredericksburg, Virginia

It’s Timeless Day 1 George Washington influenced not only Fredericksburg’s history, but also the new nation he helped form. At Ferry Farm you’ll see the site of Washington’s boyhood home (reconstruction of the house is underway) before journeying to the home he purchased for his mother, the Mary Washington House, and his sister’s home, Kenmore, known for its beautiful plasterwork. His brother, Charles, sold his home and it later became Rising Sun Tavern, which remains today a lively interpretation of 18th century tavern life by costumed wenches. Lunch can be enjoyed on your own in Old Town or at any of a wide variety of group-welcoming restaurants. Spend the evening at Potomac Point Winery learning and sampling award-winning wines and the food that is paired with them.

Day 2

FREDERICKSBURG AREA TOURISM Lura Hill, Group Sales 866-405-3046 • lhill@fredericksburgva.gov

TourFred.com

February 2016

Strategically located midway between the capital of the Confederacy in Richmond and the U. S. capital in Washington, D. C., Fredericksburg was the scene of four of the most devastating battles of the Civil War. A local guide will join you as you visit Chatham Manor, a Georgian plantation home that served as a vital Federal headquarters, communications center and hospital. Visitor centers at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville feature museum exhibits, videos and short walking tours that tell the story of the four battlefields in the region. Enjoy evening entertainment at Riverside Dinner Theater, which possesses state-of-the-art facilities and seats 452 guests. Riverside boasts

gourmet cuisine, a choice of four entrees served at your table and a commitment to classic Broadway musicals.

Day 3 There are many unique sites in the area that have an ambience all their own. Gari Melchers Home and Studio at Belmont was the home of the American impressionist artist. Your senses will delight in not only the wonderful artwork and furnishings, but also the gardens on the 27-acre estate. No visit to the area would be complete without some free time for shopping in Old Town Fredericksburg. After lunch on your own in one of the independently owned restaurants, spend time browsing the galleries, antique shops and boutiques that line the brick sidewalks, a portion of the 40-block National Historic District. Medical treatment, colonial style, is available at Hugh Mercer Apothecary Shop. Although Dr. Mercer may not be in at the shop, his apprentice will be certain to have a treatment for whatever ails you. Our fifth President, James Monroe, started his law practice in Fredericksburg and today, the James Monroe Museum and Memorial Library holds the largest collection of artifacts and documents related to his service. Complete your day with a visit to A. Smith Bowman Distillery for a guided walk among hundreds of barrels of aging spirits, learning about the distilling process and tasting the award-winning spirits. Your group will depart the Fredericksburg region with many fond memories and an appreciation for one of the most historic sites in America. We welcome you to experience it for yourself. >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

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irginia Beach celebrates the gifts of land and sea with foodie adventures that get to the heart of the “eat local” movement. Bring your group tour to life with Virginia Beach’s customizable Live the Life Adventures.

Virginia Beach, Virginia

Sensational Virginia Beach Day 1

Day 3

Whet Your Appetite

Holistic Health and Healing

PM – Upon arrival in Virginia Beach, take your adventurous spirit to the Boardwalk where you will experience the sights, sounds and fresh smell of the ocean. Cozy outdoor cafes line the coast. Start your culinary journey right with a Boardwalk Food Tour.

AM – Wake up with a “Ray Ray” special at Doc Taylor’s, then head to Edgar Cayce’s Association for Research and Enlightenment for lessons on Holistic Health and Healing. Discover ways to eat for a healthier lifestyle while enjoying tastes of health food that may surprise you.

Day 2 Farm to Table and Craft Brews AM – Rise early and enjoy the beautiful ocean sunrise. Whet your appetite with the oceanfront’s fluffiest pancakes at Pocahontas Pancake House & Waffle Shop. Then head to the Farmers Market to meet your guide who will take you to the southern part of Virginia Beach for the Farm to Table Adventure. Learn some Virginia Beach history, meet the farmers, pick juicy Pungo strawberries and taste the local produce of the season. PM – Enjoy a behind-the-scenes Craft Beer Tour and visit top local breweries. Then check out the Funny Bone Comedy Club or take in a performance at the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts.

PM – Work your appetite back up and get your exercise by climbing one of our historic Cape Henry Lighthouses. Keep driving along the shore and head to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel for lunch at the Chesapeake Grill with spectacular views. Once you are back on this side of the Bay, gear up at Surf and Adventure Co. and kayak your way through the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge on a sunset dinner tour ending with an authentic Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Feast at Blue Pete’s Restaurant.

Day 4 Marine Mysteries AM – Depart for the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center to experience a Marine Mystery adventure and discover more about the Virginia Beach marine environment.

VISIT VIRGINIA BEACH Jim Coggin 757-385-6642 • jcoggin@visitvirginiabeach.com

VisitVirginiaBeach.com

LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

February 2016

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INT’L

Great Food Markets I of Europe

Stalls and shops of Vienna’s Naschmarkt offer a melange of taste temptations.

Wien Tourismus/Peter Rigaud

By Randy Mink

Appealing to foodies, photographers and people-watchers, these beehives of activity dish up tasty tidbits of local life LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

t wasn’t until my 12th trip to London a few years ago that I discovered Borough Market. Now one of my favorite to places to hang out and eat in the British capital—thanks to being alerted by raves from Jason Cochran in his Frommer’s Easy Guide to London—this foodie paradise rates a visit my first or second day in town. European street markets, serving up local color and quick bites, offer a true taste of the city while providing an appetizing alternative to regimented sightseeing. I enjoy wandering at will through the stalls, taking photos and trying the foods (always on the lookout for free samples). The market scene is people-watching at its best and could be the most-talked-about aspect of your group’s visit. Note: Most markets are closed on Sunday. February 2016

Amsterdam Marketing

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Randy Mink

Travelers enjoy ogling breads at London’s Borough Market and exploring Amsterdam’s Albert Cuyp Market (right).

Here are six crowd-pleasers worth checking out: BOROUGH MARKET, LONDON. Under the viaducts and green girders of London Bridge railway station lies this showplace for the bounty from English farms. One of London’s top foodie havens, it’s a great place to have lunch, perhaps a pork-and-Stilton burger or salt beef sandwich at Northfield Farms Butchers. Sillfield Farm has Lancashire pork pies and more exotic meat pies like the wild boar with cranberries. Bread Ahead vendors tempt with bread pudding, gingerbread and olive-and-cheese sticks made with Red Leicester cheese and green olives. Or just graze at your leisure on free samples from purveyors of artisan cheeses, breads, honey and olive oils. One vendor gives out generous forkfuls of paella cooked up in a huge skillet. London’s culinary renaissance in recent years has helped raise the profile of the city’s oldest covered market, whose maze of lanes with its hodge-podge of stalls has occupied the site for more than 250 years. Located on the South Bank of the Thames, Borough Market (busiest from Thursday to Saturday) nestles alongside Southwark Cathedral, London’s oldest Gothic church, which dates to 1220. Of particular interest are a memorial to William Shakespeare and a chapel dedicated to John Harvard, founder of Harvard University. A few blocks away is the Shard, the city’s most distinctive skyscraper. (boroughmarket.org.uk)

February 2016

NASCHMARKT, VIENNA. This collection of stalls and shops, stretching several city blocks just off Mariahilferstrasse, has a bazaar-like feel, and with its many Turkish and former Yugoslavian vendors, mirrors Vienna’s melting-pot cultural mosaic. One of Europe’s most colorful food and produce markets, the Naschmarkt is a Vienna institution patronized by top chefs, a spectacle for tourists who come for the sights and sounds. On the narrow main street, which has seen some sort of market since the 16th century, you can nosh and nibble on everything from strudel to sushi. There are basically three rows of stalls, one reserved for the restaurants and bars where you can sit and eat. Small cafes on the main drag and in the side lanes offer up Turkish kebabs, Chinese food, Korean kimchi and traditional Viennese favorites like Kaiserschmarm, a dessert made of potato pancakes with stewed plum sauce. On Saturday, the busiest day, farmers come to sell their goods at the back end of the market, and there’s a huge Saturday flea market full of antiques, second-hand items and pure junk. (naschmarkt-vienna.com)

Wien Tourismus/Peter Rigaud

VIKTUALIENMARKT, MUNICH Located just south of Marienplatz, the town square famous for its Glockenspiel, the “Victuals Market” is one of Europe’s great food markets and a mecca for gourmets. Founded as a farmers’ market in 1807, the Viktualienmarkt sprawls over a stone-paved pedestrian area with more than 140 tented, open-air stalls selling meats, cheeses, breads, wines, herbs, spices, flowers and freshsqueezed juices, not to mention mountains of almost every kind of fresh fruit and vegetable imaginable. Right in the middle of the market, under hundred-year-old chestnut trees, you can wash down your snacks with cold beer in the 1,000-seat beer garden; its menu lists Bavarian specialties like pork roast with sauerkraut and dumplings. Rising above the popular gathering spot is the copper-spired dome of St. Peter’s Church, Munich’s oldest (1180 A.D.).

ALBERT CUYP MARKET, AMSTERDAM This street market, a favorite with bargain hunters, is the Netherlands’ largest and busiest. Stretching along several blocks of Albert Cuypstraat, just a block south of the Heineken Experience in the lively, ethnically diverse De Pijp district, it reflects the city’s multicultural character, with many of the 300 stalls operated by immigrants from Morocco, Surinam and Turkey. Tourists go to sample Dutch cheeses, enjoy raw herring with pickles and onions, get a cone of french fries (Vlaamse frites) with mayonnaise, try a Surinamese roti or indulge in a stroopwafel (caramel syrup waffle) hot off the griddle. Besides fruits and veggies, fish, crustaceans, olive oils and spices, merchants peddle cheap clothes, accessories, luggage, bike locks and smartphone covers. Holland souvenirs include clogs, Delftware and flower bulbs. Don’t overlook the less-crowded shops and ethnic restaurants hidden behind the stalls. (albertcuypmarkt.amsterdam) >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

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Terje Rakke/Nordic Life AS/www.fjordnorway.com

FISH MARKET, BERGEN. Next to the inner harbor in this beautiful Norwegian city tucked among fjords and mountains, the Fish Market makes a great place to sample the bounty of the ocean. Filled with vendors offering freshly caught food ready to eat, the market, close to the cobblestone streets of Bergen’s old center, is the perfect place for lunch. You might try a smoked salmon sandwich, fish cakes, fish and chips or boiled shrimps. Other items include lobster, calamari, seafood salads and local caviar. If you like jerky, grab a bag of dried cod snacks. Keep an eye out for free samples of minke whale, smoked mackerel and moose sausage; reindeer and elk also may be available. The picturesque Fish Market also sells fruits, vegetables and souvenirs.

CENTRAL MARKET, VALENCIA. A snapshot of daily Valencian life and the perfect place to get in touch with Spanish gastronomy, Mercat Central de Valencia is an impressive building located in the Old Town, within walking distance of major attractions. With around 400 small traders in nearly 1,000 stalls, the market has sections dedicated to different types of products. Meat lovers will appreciate the cured hams and salamis that Spain is famous for; ask to sample a slice. Find freshly squeezed juice in the fruit section, or salmon, lobster and crabs in the fish market. Outside the market are souvenir shops, plus eateries with traditional Spanish foods like tapas and paella. An outdoor market opened as the Mercado Nuevo on the site in 1839, making this one of Europe’s longest-running food markets. A spectacular piece of architecture built between 1914 and 1928, Mercat Central is noted for its ceramic-tile decoration, colorful window panels and iron-and-glass domes. Look for the green parrot weather vane perched atop one of the domes. The building blends perfectly with two other monuments on the square—La Lonja de la Seda (Silk Exchange) and Church of Los Santos Juanes. Two-hour market tours, offered in English and Spanish at 10 a.m. daily, include tastings. (mercadocentralvalencia.es) LGT LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

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MARKETING

By Mike Marchev

are alive and that you may have something of value to offer.

Not allocating enough time. Thinking about prospecting is not prospecting. Prospecting happens when you engage! Too many salespeople allow the day to unfold on its own. Allocate specific hours of the day or week to seek new opportunities in the form of prospecting.

Failing to realize your prospects don’t care about you. Stop sending messages that wax eloquently about your personal achievements and how great your company is. Focus on ways you can help your prospects achieve their goals and objectives. Get out of you, and into them.

9 Reasons Why Most Salespeople 8 Are Not More Successful W

ith just about everything being equal, it perplexes me to see that some travel practitioners are more successful than others. They all have access to the same inventory, and the marketplace is still free to pursue by everybody who can print a business card. Then why are some not more successful than others? I think I have an answer. Here are nine reasons why the majority of salespeople are not more successful in building ongoing profitable business:

They have too many prospects in the pipeline. Ultimately, it’s the quality of your prospects that is going to deliver your profits. Don’t get caught up with “numbers” and “likes.” Work on fine-tuning a systematic approach to discern whether a candidate actually fits your description of a profitable future customer. Get more particular with whom you want to do business.

Not finding the time to follow up and follow through. Without a doubt this is the biggest problem most sales professionals face regardless of their industry. Selling relationships take time to develop today. There is no excuse for not keeping in touch with your prospects and 50

February 2016

continually seeking opportunities to bring more value into the equation.

Not segmenting prospects based on who they are and their needs. Treating everybody the same is a recipe for disaster. This takes time, effort and discipline. Learn to categorize your prospects based on their wants, needs, personality and idiosyncrasies.

Relying on email as your primary prospecting tool. Email is efficient, but it’s also seductive in having you believe that you are reaching your prospect. Selling has always been considered a contact sport. Yes, there is room for digital communication, but don’t ever discount the importance of face-toface contact.

Thinking social media represents the “magic pill.” Social media is in no way, shape or form today’s flavor-of-the-month marketing strategy. It is “real” and it is here to stay. My warning is not to solely rely on this strategy in hope that it will lead you to the Promised Land. It won’t. It is merely another spoke in the wheel to help you let others know that you

Not making your marketing communications about what your prospect wants or needs. This spells research. Find out what they want/need and follow up by giving it to them.

Thinking that prospecting is a waste of time. This thought process creeps into your head when your efforts do not pay immediate dividends. We are living in a world where we seek immediate gratification. We want things now. We expect things now. We become unhappy when we don’t get them now. The truth is not all prospects will become paying customers, nor should they. Your job is to find, isolate, cultivate and reinforce relationships with people who will be grateful they are contributing to you and your family’s eating habits. This takes time. So there you have it. Nine reminders of how you can become more successful by simply paying more attention. And I would be remiss if I did not complement these nine recommendations with my 12-Word Marketing Plan: “Get up. Get out. And make more people glad they know you.” LGT

Mike Marchev is the author of Become The Exception and has been sharing his sales and marketing views and opinions with travel industry professionals since 1984. He has a sincere interest in helping people succeed in the travel industry. Send for complimentary full text version of his 12-Word Marketing Plan. mike@mikemarchev.com

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

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