April 2018 Leisure Group Travel

LEISURE APRIL 2018

GROUP TRAVEL

TOP SITES on the

U.S. CIVIL RIGHTS TRAIL A Premier Travel Media publication • LeisureGroupTravel.com

GROUP-FRIENDLY DESTINATIONS PHILADELPHIA VIRGINIA LOUISIANA ARKANSAS

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CONTENTS

April 2018 Vol. 28, No. 2

LEISURE GROUP TRAVEL

FeatUres 10

A GUIDE TO GROUP-FRIENDLY THEATERS Options range from top dinner venues to Shakespeare and Disney

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A GUIDE TO HISTORIC SITES Consider these eight great places for your next group itinerary

DestINatIONs WEST

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COWBOY CULTURE: ALIVE AND KICKIN’ BY SUE ARKO Museums, ranches and rodeos capture the spirit of the Old West

EAST

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PHILADELPHIA: LESSONS IN LIBERTY BY DAVE BODLE Unearth the roots of our democracy in this historic city MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION BY RANDY MINK A new Philadelphia attraction takes groups back to the 1700s 6 HISTORIC PHILADELPHIA CHURCHES BY DAVE BODLE These houses of worship tell a story of faith and patriotism

SOUTH

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TOP SITES ON THE U.S. CIVIL RIGHTS TRAIL BY DAVE BODLE See where sacrifices were made and history was changed VIRGINIA’S HISTORIC TRIANGLE BY DAVE BODLE Exploring Jamestown, Yorktown and Williamsburg AMERICAN EVOLUTION 2019 BY DAVE BODLE Commemorations in Virginia will mark important milestones WAR BETWEEN THE STATES BY RANDY MINK Civil War days come alive at Virginia military parks MUSICAL HERITAGE IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA BY JASON PAHA The Crooked Road celebrates the region’s traditional music NEW ORLEANS PLANTATION COUNTRY BY RANDY MINK Vestiges of the Old South echo the romance of a bygone era LOUISIANA’S BOOM OR BUST BYWAY BY DAVE BODLE A scenic route through the state’s northwest corner BOOGIE AT LOUISIANA MUSIC VENUES BY MILES DOBIS From New Orleans jazz clubs to Lafayette zydeco joints ARKANSAS HISTORY & HERITAGE TRAIL BY DAVE BODLE From Civil War sites to the infamous Trail of Tears HUMAN RIGHTS SITES IN ARKANSAS BY RANDY MINK Historical venues focus on the fight for equality.

ARKANSAS’ NATIVE AMERICAN PAST BY MILES DOBIS Museums, state parks and other places preserve proud cultures

CENTRAL

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5 DELIGHTFUL MIDWEST TOWNS BY BEN LASHAR Discover Saugatuck, Stillwater, St. Genevieve and other gems

INT’L

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RESIDENCES OF ROYAL LONDON Palatial estates fit for a king or queen: the stuff of fairy tales April 2018

Latest & Greatest 22 32 34 59 Historic Royal Palaces

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WEST EAST SOUTH CENTRAL

COLUMNs 6

ON MY MIND BY

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JEFF GAYDUK

ON TOUR BY

MARTY SARBEY DE SOUTO, CTC >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

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The Tower of London is a tourist favorite.

circle WiSconSin 2018 tour planner— What’S inSide: isconsin is a destination where your groups will find an adventure at every turn. Whether traveling on the interstate, country roads or the state’s many waterways, your guests will encounter beautiful vistas, experience great food, discover arts and entertainment, revel in history and culture, appreciate unique architecture and have just plain FUN.

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4 Featured Articles: Urban Adventures, Wisconsin’s Cultural Mosaic, Road Trip Revelry 8 Sample Itineraries Including: So Much More Off I-94, The Sun Will Shine Along 39, Lighten Your Load on the Great River Road

Check out the online version or download a print copy at: LeisureGroupTravel.com/circle-wisconsin-2018-tour-planner/

only on leiSuregrouptravel.com Still hungry for more great content?

Check out our recent Online Exclusives at bit.ly/2uK063d • Last Chance Tourism Is on a Bucket List, But Whose?

• Day Tours for Groups in Andalusia • Traveling Through Time at 10 Presidential Libraries

et weekly digests of all the best online content with InSite, our free Friday e-newsletter, at: bit.ly/2nJBpje

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ON THE COVER: Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, Jackson.

(Photo courtesy of Mississippi Civil Rights Museum)

April 2018

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ON

MY MIND

Vol. 28, No. 2 April 2018

By Jeffrey Gayduk

Editorial & Advertising Office

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

Publisher – Jeffrey Gayduk

Business Down? Turn Inbound! hile most of us in the group travel business direct our energy towards planning out-of-state and out-of-country tours, maybe it’s time to give the inbound market a look.

This is a subject of which I have historical knowledge, as I operated a receptive/DMC business in Chicago before I started this magazine. As time has passed, the inbound market has changed, of course, and grown tremendously. The sector previously was dominated by gateway cities like New York, Miami and Los Angeles, but as foreign travelers thirst for an authentic American experience, the industry has spread into secondary markets and even rural areas.

Recently, I’ve become reacquainted with the international inbound marketplace, thanks to a custom travel guide we’re developing in partnership with the International Inbound Travel Association. This collection of leading tour operators focuses its efforts on bringing international travelers to the U.S. and showing them all our great country has to offer. While I’m not urging you to set up shop across the street from these behemoths – some of which are well into the hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue - you can play a key role in facilitating both domestic and international travelers near your home.

Here are a few considerations to determine if the inbound market is right for you.

• Do you live in an area that’s a tourist destination? Having a sellable product is the number one must-have ingredient for success in the market.

• Do you have slow periods or a pronounced off-season? An inbound business can offset slow times. A great example is Kelly Cooke (see page 32) who finds that a lot of her New

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Hampshire-based customers don’t travel over the summer because it’s so beautiful in the White Mountains. She started a receptive division of her tour business to share that beauty with out-of-state travelers.

• Are there local attributes that are conducive to overseas business groups? Think manufacturing, agricultural and education. The nice thing about business groups is that they typically spend more and stay longer than leisure travelers.

• Do you have a passion that plays in travel?

Inbound is a great way to combine your love of gardening, fishing, golf, kayaking, art, history, etc., into a niche inbound business. While you’re doing what you love, you’ll be sharing your passion with visitors.

• Do you or your staff speak any other languages? While this isn’t a must, if you’re going to play in the international arena, speaking the native tongue of your customers gives you a leg up.

And those big receptives/DMCs I mentioned earlier? Often they are looking to outsource services in secondary markets with unique tours, step-on-guides and so forth. They might just become your closest allies, as I found out many years ago.

The comfortable aspect of inbound tour operations is that you’ve done the hard part.

You know how to organize tours, so you’re way ahead of the game.

If you’re looking to diversify or expand your existing business, consider the opportunities available as an inbound tour operator.

jeff@ptmgroups.com

Associate Publisher – Dave Bodle

dave@ptmgroups.com

Managing Editor – Randy Mink randy@ptmgroups.com Associate Editor – Jason Paha jason@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 Midwest, Frontier/Mountain West P 630.794.0696 • F 630.794.0652 theresa@ptmgroups.com

Regional Business Development Managers Midwest, Mid-Atlantic/New England – Tom Tobiason P 630.794.0696 • F 630.794.0652 tom@ptmgroups.com

South/West Coast – Cheryl Rash P 563.613.3068 • F 815.225.5274 cheryl@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 subscribe 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

Jeff Gayduk Publisher

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publication

All rights reserved. Materials may not be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher.

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TOP 10 REASONS TO TOUR

COLORADO

SPRINGS

Colorado Springs is a year-round tour destination boasting mild temperatures, more than 300 days of blue skies and spectacular scenery. Create intriguing tours at unforgettable destinations like Garden of the Gods Park and the U.S. Air Force Academy.

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It’s Colorado Springs With unparalleled natural beauty, clients will be thrilled with the stunning scenery.

Western Heritage Discover the deep roots of the Pikes Peak or Bust Gold Rush exploring old and active mines.

All Aboard Trek up Pikes Peak, through Cripple Creek and along the Arkansas River in the Royal Gorge on a historic train.

Cultural Experiences Soak in the region’s multi-faceted culture at museums, historic sites and festivals.

The Great Outdoors Adventure is always close by with thousands of miles of trails and open spaces.

PLAN YOUR TOUR

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Arts Scene Enjoy hundreds of public sculptures, galleries, art walks, classes and performances.

All Seasons From colorful fall days to spring blooms, the region shines with a year-round mild climate.

Olympic City USA See where Team USA dreams are born at the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center.

55+ With more than 55 unique attractions, it’s easy to plan multi-day itineraries in the Pikes Peak region.

Easy Access Located in the center of the country, it’s easy to drive or fly straight into COS, 15 minutes from downtown.

Floy Kennedy, Director of Travel Industry Sales

Floy@VisitCOS.com | Direct: 719-685-7635

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ON

TOUR

Marty Sarbey de Souto, CTC

YOUR PERSONAL KINDNESS – To the locals and to other members of your group so that when you return home you can honestly say that you “gave back” to those whom you met and learned from along the way.

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A Tenedor Tours cooking class in San Sebastian, Spain

A LEARNING EXPERIENCE – Not just learning about the history of the areas you’re visiting but understanding how this history developed through the years.

Bringing history to life through visits to such sites as the Louvre, the Statue of Liberty or something as awful as Auschwitz.

Tenedor Tours

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12 Magical Features of a Tour ave you ever thought what you, as a trip designer and planner, should bring to your prospective traveler? Sure, your travelers are going to buy the exciting itinerary and contents you have mentioned. But they’re buying more than just the day-to-day schedule outlined in your brochure or other publicity materials. Here are the magic 12 features I think a good trip should provide above and beyond hotels, transportation and guides.

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A GLIMPSE OF BEAUTY – Something your tour members will remember as beautiful – a spectacular sunset, a colorful garden, a striking architectural structure.

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A CHANGE OF PACE – Varied experiences, some intense, some fleeting, something totally different in the day’s pacing from what one would be doing at home so that your tour members feel they are really “away” when they’re away with you.

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FRIENDSHIPS – Hopefully developed among your fellow tour members as the trip moves along, culminating in new friendships to be continued long after the tour ends and one returns home. Not only do new friends make for new emotional fodder to warrant future trips, but it always pleases tour members to know that they’ve enlarged their circle.

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April 2018

AN APPRECIATION OF THE PAST – A look back through the ages bringing to life the history your tour members may have studied in school and are now seeing and perhaps understanding for the first time.

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A SENSE OF FUN – Stories, jokes, funny incidents. Laughter all the way around the group. The lighter touch can also balance any unpleasant incidents that may have occurred en route: a rude waiter, an impossible-to-understand local guide, an unhelpful hotel desk clerk.

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SOMETHING SENSUAL – A massage, a visit to a perfume factory, a pedicure.

A walk on the beach with the sand between your toes. Something they will remember by the touch.

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A FOOD EXPERIENCE – Being introduced to totally new and delicious dining experiences. Hopefully not just eating new cuisines but visiting a local market and attending a cooking demonstration or opportunity to “do it yourself” under supervision of a local chef. Being able to return home and pass along this new ability to family and friends.

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MEETING WITH LOCALS – Not just visits to places and buildings, but interacting with local people of the areas you’re visiting. You can pre-arrange a dinner get-together with a local teacher, lawyer or business person who might provide insight to your group.

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PRE-TRIP ADVICE – Help before the trip even starts in information bulletins you may prepare advising them on passports and any necessary visas, packing, clothing suggestions, en route medications, any required inoculations and other suggestions that occur to you.

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A SENSE OF PRIDE – Pride on your part that you were able to provide this unique trip, but also pride on the part of the tour members that they actually had the opportunity to be part of this wonderful travel project. This pride will be the basis for their recommending future travel clients to you and will also mean that they will come back year after year on future travel programs you may plan and offer to them. And while every trip trip you plan may not include all 12 of the points mentioned, it should give you some insight as to what a top-notch operator can aspire. LGT

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Marty is a Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) with a long history in the travel/tourism industry. She has been a tour operator, worldwide trip leader, college tourism instructor and textbook author. Her consulting firm is Sarbey Associates (sarbeyassociates.com).

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A GUIDE TO

GROUP-FRIENDLY

THEATERS

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ooking for an option to keep the whole group entertained? These theaters make perfect additions to any itinerary. Whether your group is in the mood to see a Broadway show, be wined and dined or take a behind-the-scenes tour, these theaters have something for everyone.

AMERICAN MUSIC THEATRE he 1,600-seat American Music Theatre each year delights over 250,000 guests and hosts more than 300 performances that range from touring concerts to original shows and comedy acts.

Original shows are written, directed and produced in-house, and includes a popular Christmas show. The theater presents concerts by Grammy, CMA, Tony and Oscar winners. In 2018, the all-new show Songs of the Silver Screen captures the music and glamour of Hollywoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest hits. (amtshows.com)

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Tibbits Opera House in Coldwater, Michigan offers a variety of performances year-round.

Lancaster, Pennsylvania

BEEF & BOARDS DINNER THEATRE eef & Boards Dinner celebrates its 45th anniversary in 2018 with an exciting lineup of shows that appeal to a range of audiences. Beef & Boards works with each group leader to provide the best possible experience for his or her travelers, with a variety of options available including actor talk-backs after the show.

Family-owned and-operated, it provides quality Broadway musicals in an intimate atmosphere. (beefandboards.com)

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GROUP-FRIENDLY THEATERS

BROADWAY PALM DINNER THEATRE roadway Palm, located in sunny Fort Myers, is the area’s premier dinner theater and is celebrating its 25th anniversary season. The season includes the best of Broadway, combining your favorite shows of the past along with the most recent musical hit sensations. Broadway Palm features nationally selected performers, dazzling sets and costumes, and a live orchestra. Also check out the Off Broadway Palm, Broadway Palm Children's Theatre, Special Engagements and the Annual Concert Series. (broadwaypalm.com)

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Fort Myers, Florida

CLAUSON FAMILY MUSIC SHOW n afternoon of spectacular entertainment awaits you at the Clauson Family Music Show. Experience a live music show in the Historic Barn Theatre. The April-December season features an array of themed shows ranging from country/western to 1950s & 60s rock 'n' roll and everything in between, including a special Christmas season. Enjoy a delectable dinner, browse in the gift shops and then experience a great show featuring a high-energy cast and exceptional live music. (clausonfamilymusicshows.com)

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Coloma, Wisconsin

DERBY DINNER THEATRE ocated just minutes from downtown Louisville, Kentucky, the 500-seat dinner theater this season features professional Broadway musicals and comedies, including The Little Mermaid, The Church Basement Ladies in RISE UP O MEN, Web of Murder and Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn. Included in the ticket price is a freshly prepared home-style buffet featuring a salad bar, vegetables, fish, fried chicken, turkey, hot rolls and a beverage. Group rates are available. (derbydinner.com)

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Clarksville, Indiana

DISNEY THEATRICAL ou’re invited to discover that love is a force of nature… at FROZEN, Disney’s new musical. FROZEN comes to life on Broadway in an all-new production created for the stage by an award-winning team. The show’s expanded score features twice as many songs as the film. This is the timeless tale of two sisters, pulled apart by a mysterious secret. Both are searching for love.

They just don’t know where to find it. Playing eight times a week at Broadway’s legendary St. James Theatre. Book your group today. (disneytheatricalsales.com)

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“Wonderful.”

G R E AT R I V E R

SHAKESPE ARE F E S T I VA L

Tick availa ets ble n ow! grsf.o 507.4 rg 74.79 00

Season 15 6/22 - 8/5, 2018 Winona, MN

Venus in Fur All’s Well That Ends Well A Midsummer Night’s Dream Shakespeare in Love (Regional Premiere)

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GROUP-FRIENDLY THEATERS

DUTCH APPLE DINNER THEATRE utch Apple Dinner Theatre offers many dining options, from a buffet to served dinners to appetizers and desserts. The 2018 season offers The Wizard of Oz, Swing!, Sister Act and A Christmas Carol. The 238-seat theater combines a live orchestra with directors and performers selected from across the United States. It provides group leader and driver comps and discounts.

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(dutchapple.com)

Lancaster, Pennsylvania

THE FIRESIDE he Fireside, Wisconsin’s #1 year-round motorccoach attraction, has been entertaining groups for more than 50 years. Exciting professional musicals, memorable dining, spectacular gift shops, Klopcic Family hospitality and fabulous service make The Fireside a complete destination in itself or the perfect complement to any Wisconsin tour. Multiple dining options are available. The Fireside’s 2018 season includes Broadway hits 42nd Street, A Second Helping of Church Basement Ladies, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Grease and Elf. (firesidetheatre.com)

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Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin

GREAT RIVER SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL reat River Shakespeare Festival is Minnesota’s largest professional Equity theater outside the Twin Cities.

Located in the scenic Mississippi River town of Winona, just two hours south of Minneapolis, the 15-year-old festival is a one-of-a-kind experience. With four professional productions running in repertory, free outdoor concerts before every performance and educational activities for all ages, the festival goes above and beyond to not only inspire, but make patrons feel at home. (grsf.org)

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Winona, Minnesota

GROUP THEATER TIX

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roup Theater Tix is your one-stop shop to Chicago theater for adult and student groups with group discounts to professional dance, theater, local premieres and traditional Broadway musicals.

Upcoming shows for the 2018 season include Spamalot, A Christmas Schooner, Late Nite Catechism and Gypsy. Productions announced for the 2019 season include A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, A Chorus Line and DJEMBE The Show, with more to come. There is a show for everyone in your group. (grouptheatertix.com)

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PENN'S PEAK enn’s Peak, a unique mountaintop venue boasting a 50-mile panoramic view of the Appalachians, offers a variety of luncheon shows. From Bill Haley’s Comets to a tribute to Ol’ Blue Eyes, Penn’s Peak has something for everyone in the group. Concerts are often held at Penn’s Peak. Upcoming artists include Trace Adkins and Ted Nugent, as well as a variety of well-known cover bands. (pennspeak.com)

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Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania

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GROUP-FRIENDLY THEATERS

PINES DINNER THEATRE et ready for a great afternoon or evening of entertainment at Pines Dinner Theatre, located in Allentown’s West End Theatre District. A ticket includes a full-course dinner with fresh-baked bread, salad, choice of entree and dessert followed by an uproariously entertaining production performed by professional entertainers from across the country. Upcoming shows for 2018 include Yankee Doodle Dandy, The Rat Pack Lounge and The Marvelous Wonderettes. (pinesdinnertheatre.com)

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Allentown, Pennsylvania

RAINBOW COMEDY PLAYHOUSE ainbow Comedy Playhouse is America’s only all-comedy dinner theater. Rainbow has a number of dining options to fit every group’s needs. Buffet-style, menu dining, Lighten Up Lunch or Pub Night are some of the great selections available for your group. Upcoming shows for 2018 include Getting Momma Married, Love, Lies & the Lottery and Christmas in Paradise.

Experience dinner and a show in a fresh way at Rainbow Comedy Playhouse. (rainbowcomedy.com)

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Lancaster, Pennsylvania

RIVERSIDE CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS iverside Center for the Performing Arts presents Broadwayquality musical theater productions with professional performers and live orchestra. Featuring waiter-served, plated three-course meals and easy motorcoach access, Riverside Center is the perfect addition to your tours passing through or visiting Virginia. Upcoming shows for 2018 include A Chorus Line, Beauty and the Beast and A Rockabilly Christmas. La Cage Aux Folles and The Color Purple are scheduled for early 2019. Behind-thescenes tours are available for your group. (riversidedt.com)

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Fredericksburg, Virginia

TIBBITS OPERA HOUSE uilt in 1882, Tibbits is one of the oldest theaters in Michigan and is rich in history and ambiance. This intimate 499-seat theater hosts concerts, children’s programs, art exhibits and local events year-round. Every summer Tibbits holds a professional summer theater series. Shows this summer include Mixed Emotions, JC Superstar, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder and Resident Alien. Group tours are available and are adaptable to fit your group’s interests. (tibbits.org)

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P E N N S Y L VA N I A

P E N N S Y L VA N I A I N D I A N A

W I S C O N S I N

P E N N S Y L VA N I A

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ndta.us

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Historic Sites

A GUIDE TO

HISTORIC SITES

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he United States was founded in 1776, more than 240 years ago. Since then, each state, city and town across the country has amassed vast amounts of history and heritage waiting to be discovered by visitors. The options below are perfect for group itineraries and will be sure to satisfy any history buff.

DOTHAN, ALABAMA stablished in 1885, Dothan has been known for its rich contribution to the agricultural industry, specifically peanuts.

The “Peanut Capital of the World” hosts a 10-day National Peanut Festival to celebrate the end of the peanut harvest. Groups can visit the George Washington Carver Interpretive Museum and the Dr. George Washington Carver Monument. Dr. Carver is famous for his inventions in the agricultural world, creating more than 300 uses for the peanut. (visitdothan.com)

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FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS ort Smith was a town on the edge of the nation in the late 1800s and the last stop at civilization before entering Indian Territory (now Oklahoma). The Visitor Center is located in Miss Laura’s, a restored brothel listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Fort Smith National Historic Site includes the barracks, courthouse and frontier jail. Fort Smith will host the U.S. Marshals Museum, which is scheduled to open September 24, 2019. (fortsmith.org)

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Fort Smith Museum of History is one of many attractions in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

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Historic Sites

HISTORIC FORT STEUBEN ocated on the Ohio River, Steubenville is one of the oldest cities in Ohio and boasts numerous significant sites including Historic Fort Steuben, a fully reconstructed and furnished 19th century frontier fort that protected the surveyors of the Northwest Territory. Other attractions are the First Federal Land Office, built in 1801 as a 19th century home office, the Jefferson County Mansion Museum, Union Cemetery and 17 historic churches. (oldfortsteuben.com)

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Steubenville, Ohio

LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS s Arkansasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; capital city, Little Rock is renowned for its charming hospitality, history and culture. Its roots run deep at iconic Little Rock Central High National Historic Site, where nine young students bravely crossed racial boundaries during the 1957 desegregation crisis. It is a Top Ten site along the new U.S. Civil Rights Trail. In fact, the 14-state trail includes multiple Little Rock landmarks. Discover them all, and experience the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rich heritage. (littlerock.com)

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NATCHITOCHES, LOUISIANA atchitoches, established in 1714, is the original French colony in Louisiana. Celebrate its history and visit Fort St. Jean Baptiste State Historic Site, a full-scale replica of the fort built in 1716. Explore the National Historic Landmark District, a historic hub with French Creole architecture, historic homes and much more. Discover the Cane River Heritage Trail that explores cultural legacies and traditions through historic landmarks and plantations. (natchitoches.com)

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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA ew Orleans, founded in 1718 by the French, is celebrating its 300th birthday. It may be surprising that architecture has a Spanish flair as the Spanish ruled for 40 years until the French regained the city. The United States wanted to control the mouth of the Mississippi River and bought Louisiana from the French as part of the Louisiana Purchase. African, Caribbean and European cultures influenced the music, food and uniqueness of this American city. (neworleans.com)

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RONALD REAGAN PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY

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he Reagan Library is one of California’s most beautiful and unique historical destinations. Groups can go through the actual Air Force One that flew seven U.S. presidents, view a full-scale Oval Office replica, touch an authentic piece of the Berlin Wall and stroll through replicas of the White House Rose Garden and South Lawn. The library is home to President and Mrs. Reagan’s memorial site. Docent-led tour group packages are available. (reaganlibrary.com)

Simi Valley, California

VERMILION PARISH, LOUISIANA ver 150 years in the making, Vermilion Parish is a multi-cultural blend, steeped in history and seasoned with a dash of joie de vivre.

From permanent displays and art exhibitions to one-of-a-kind works of art, groups can learn about the unique history and cultures at the parish museums and cultural attractions and festivals.

Experience all the pleasures of true Cajun country. You never know what you’ll discover when you stop in for a visit. (vermilion.org)

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Latest

& Greatest

A State for Beer Lovers • Montana

Montana Office of Tourism

Surprisingly, Montana has the fourth highest number of craft breweries in the country.

Thanks to a wealth of local ingredients, including wheat, barley and hops, along with fresh glacier water, brewers pride themselves on providing a unique taste in every pour.

Groups can tour breweries or enjoy the local brews at restaurants and taprooms across the state. In May the state celebrates the start of summer with a number of craft beer festivals, but these beers can be enjoyed year-round.

The Mob Museum’s Major Renovation • Nevada The Mob Museum, the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, debuted its major first-floor renovation, which includes a brand-new exhibition space called Organized Crime Today. Two new experiential spaces at the Las Vegas attraction include the Use of Force Training Experience and Crime Lab, which join the museum’s already robust experiential platform, focusing on methods employed by law enforcement to apprehend and prosecute criminals and their organizations. These new exhibits and experiences represent the first phase of the museum’s largest capital improvement project since opening in 2012. The next phase of the museum’s expansion will be completed this April with the opening of The Underground, a working speakeasy and distillery.

New Movie Museum for Los Angeles • California The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is building the world’s premier movie museum in the heart of downtown LA. The 50,000-square-foot, six-story Academy Museum is set to open in 2019 featuring state-of-the-art galleries, exhibition spaces, movie theaters, educational areas and special event spaces. It’s the world’s first institution dedicated to the art and science of movies.

The museum will draw from the unparalleled collection of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which includes more than 12 million photographs, 190,000 film and video assets, 80,000 screenplays, 61,000 posters, 20,000 production and costume design drawings and 104,000 pieces of production art.

The Academy Museum has also been acquiring three-dimensional motion picture objects since 2008. Its holdings now number approximately 2,500 items representing motion picture technology, costume design, production design, makeup, and hairstyling. (academymuseum.org) Avid movie fans will flock to the state-of-the-art Academy Museum when it opens next year in downtown Los Angeles.

west Region Lift off for Space Travel • New Mexico Those looking for a taste of astronaut life will find it in Southern New Mexico.

Spaceport America, the world’s first commercial spaceport, has launched a half-day interactive tour inside its secure space launch facility. Guests can experience the G-Shock simulator that mimics the rapid acceleration that astronauts feel, interact with crew members in the Spaceport Operations Center and tour the Gateway to Space terminal/hangar.

Spaceport’s mission is to make space travel as accessible to all as air travel is today. (spaceportamerica.com)

Oregon Trail Celebrates Milestone • Oregon This year marks the 175th anniversary of the granddaddy of all trails. The historic 2,000-mile Oregon Trail was used by pioneers in search of fertile land in the Willamette Valley. See actual wagon ruts settlers created as they traversed the trail at the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center in Baker City and learn how to churn fresh butter at the End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center in Oregon City.

The Academy Museum

The Mob Museum

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WEST

An Academy Riding Stables guide leads a group of greenhorns through Garden of the Gods, near Colorado Springs.

REGION

AMERICAN

COwbOy CultuRE

IS ALIVE AND KICKINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Museums, ranches and rodeos capture the spirit of the Old West

By Sue Arko VisitCOS.com

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O

riginating in Mexico in the 1500s, cowboys played an important role during the era of U.S. westward expansion. By the late 1800s, the American cowboy had created a reputation and iconic lifestyle that was glamorized in countless books, followed in the 20th century by Western movies and television shows. While the number of working cowboys has declined, the culture lives on throughout the West in attractions, museums, ranches, entertainment and rodeos.

Few Western states embody the attitude and atmosphere of the working cowboy as much as Wyoming. This rugged, remote territory got its start with cattle ranching but eventually added leisure tourism to its economy when the world’s first national park was established at Yellowstone. Featuring a perfect mix of Western heritage and natural beauty, Cody, Cheyenne, Casper and Jackson Hole bring the lore of the cowboy to life.

Cody, Wyoming was founded as a hospitality center in 1896 by the legendary Colonel William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody. A popular gateway to Yellowstone, Cody is located 50 miles from the park’s east entrance and 80 miles from its northeast gate. The Wild West comes alive in Cody with rodeos, gun fight re-enactments, cowboy music and the worldclass Buffalo Bill Center of the West.

Since 1927, the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, formerly known as the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, has been committed to keeping Western experiences alive. An affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, it encompasses the complete American West experience—history and myth, art and Native culture, firearms, and the nature and science of Yellowstone. The Center of the West was the recipient of the 2012 National Tour Association’s award for Favorite Museum for Groups.

The Cody Cattle Company offers an allyou-can-eat dinner buffet followed by live entertainment from June to September. The show ends in time to attend the Cody Nite Rodeo, which takes place every night June through August. Each rodeo performance is approximately two hours long with events from bronc riding to bull riding and team roping to barrel racing.

Cody’s Red Canyon Wild Mustang Tour is one of the premier wild horse tours in America. Travel 22 miles outside Cody to the McCullough Peaks Wild Horse Management Area. Stand in the open prairie and observe the grace of a wild mustang, a symbol of our Western heritage, in its natural habitat.

Also during the two-hour excursion, see pronghorn antelope, golden eagles, coyotes and black-tailed prairie dogs.

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Cheyenne Frontier Days

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Get ready for rough-and-tumble action at Cheyenne Frontier Days, a celebration of everything Western. Rodeos, featuring events like bronc riding and bull riding, are daily.

Cheyenne Cheyenne, the capital of Wyoming, is also considered the capital of rodeo and railroad.

Explored first by the pioneers and molded by the path of the railroad, Cheyenne attracted rowdy town bars alongside elegant opera houses, theaters and business establishments.

Even today it exemplifies the romantic lure of the West.

The Cheyenne Depot, a former Union Pacific Depot, is now home to a visitor center, LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

restaurant and railroad museum. A National Historic Landmark, it has been restored to its original glory.

Bit-O-Wyo Horse Barn Dinner Show, on a ranch in the foothills of Medicine Bow National Forest, features Western music and comedy following a steak dinner. Trail rides are available.

The Western skits and escapades of the Cheyenne Gunslingers are performed in Gunslinger Square, located in the heart of

downtown, during June and July. Shows are family-friendly and full of excitement and laughs. Performances are at 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday and noon on Saturdays, except during July’s Frontier Days celebrations, when performances are daily at noon.

Often referred to as the “Daddy of ‘Em All,” Frontier Days is the West’s largest outdoor rodeo. It features the Western Art Show and Sale, Indian dancing, carnival rides and entertainment in addition to daily rodeos.

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Casper

Jackson Hole

Colorado Springs, Colorado

Before settlers arrived in the Casper area, Native American tribes flourished on the plains for over 12,000 years. The first Indians in Wyoming were nomadic tribes that today are known as the Plains Indians; they include the Arapaho, Arikara, Bannock, Blackfeet, Cheyenne, Crow, Gros Ventre, Kiowa, Nez Perce, Sheep Eater, Sioux, Shoshone and Ute. The National Historic Trails Interpretive Center provides interactive, engaging exhibits that bring Wyoming and U.S. history to life.

It interprets Native American culture and the trails of Western migration. Other themes include the Pony Express Trail and Transcontinental Telegraph. The center offers a virtual wagon ride across the North Platte River where you feel every bump and jolt of the wagon. Or sit in a virtual stagecoach and ride by wagons and a buffalo herd. The 18-minute film Footsteps to the West re-creates the lives of the pioneers; many of the stories were taken from their journals and diaries.

Jackson Hole, often referred to as “The Last of the Old West,” is famous for its Western locale, cowboy culture, and worldclass skiing and outdoor activities. In 1890 Sylvester Wilson brought the first group of settlers over Teton Pass into what is now Jackson Hole. He came here with his family to raise cattle on the abundant grass in the fertile valley. Over 120 years and six generations later that pioneer spirit lives on.

Rodeo has always been part of Jackson Hole’s culture. Each May, Jackson Hole hosts its annual Old West Days Celebration. Visitors from all over the country come to delight in the live music, theatrical entertainment, arts and crafts, delicious food and rodeo events.

American cowboy culture is not unique to Wyoming, however. The following cities also offer a rich Western experience:

Rodeo is to the American cowboy what soccer is to most of the world. The ProRodeo Hall of Fame & Museum of the American Cowboy pays tribute to cowboys and cowgirls participating in the professional sport of rodeo. Live rodeo animals and special exhibits are part of the museum.

For more adventurous groups, head to Academy Riding Stables for its famed tour through Garden of the Gods Park via horseback. For experienced riders and beginners, the trained cowboys have the knowledge and skill to ensure an amazing adventure.

The M Lazy C is an authentic dude ranch located about an hour away from Colorado Springs. Enjoy a hayride, sing around the campfire and live the life of a real cowboy.

The family-owned cattle ranch, homesteaded just over 100 years ago, provides hands-on adventures, but guests can do as much or as little as they would like.

Shopping for genuine Western merchandise at July’s Cheyenne Frontier Days brings out the inner cowgirl or cowboy.

Cheyenne Frontier Days

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Prescott, Arizona

VisitCOS.com

Prescott was the first territorial capital of Arizona and is home to three of the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most prized museums: Sharlot Hall Museum, the Phippen Museum of Western Art and the Smoki Museum. Each one explores Western culture and heritage in ways that both entertain and educate.

Whiskey Row depicts some of Prescott's earliest history. At one point it hosted a total of 40 saloons, primarily due to the gold rush culture that drew all kinds of settlers, cowboys, prospectors, bawdy girls, gamblers and outlaws to the town. Present-day Prescott celebrates the history of Whiskey Row, which is now known for its art galleries, candy shops, and, of course, its famous saloons.

This year will mark the 131st anniversary of Prescott Frontier Days, the Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Oldest Rodeo. It is a deep-rooted Western tradition that people from around the world come to enjoy. Held annually during the Fourth of July week, the rodeo has grown into eight days of first-class rodeo competition and features a host of special events like the Rodeo Dance and Prescott Frontier Days Parade.

These cities and many more throughout the West provide a glimpse of the strong, independent and romantic heritage of the American cowboy. Introduce your groups to the down-home hospitality and natural beauty that make these destinations so appealing. LGT The lore of the West captivates visitors to the ProRodeo Hall of Fame & Museum of the American Cowboy in Colorado Springs. The statue depicts famous rodeo champion Casey Tibbs.

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PHILADELPHIA

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Lessons Liberty in

Whether it’s a school group, adults needing the story refreshed or international visitors curious about the roots of our democracy, a visit to Philadelphia is essential

By Dave Bodle t’s a priceless experience to stand inside Independence Hall, where the nation’s Declaration of Independence and Constitution were debated and signed.

Imagine representatives from the original 13 colonies coming together in Philadelphia.

Imagine how that diverse group of patriots from different religions, social positions and

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A must-see in Independence National Historical Park, the Liberty Bell Center enshrines a true symbol of America.

slavery opinions overcame all obstacles and created a new nation unlike any other.

Independence Hall was built to be the Pennsylvania State House. The legislature loaned the Assembly Room for meetings of the Second Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention. So much happened in that room. In 1775 George Washington

was appointed commander-in- chief of the Continental Army. In 1781 the Articles of Confederation were adopted. In 1787 Ben Franklin viewed the rising sun on the back of Washington’s chair and found it appropriate for a new nation rising.

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which served that purpose in the 1700s.

In addition to a number of significant trials, an act of rebelliousness happened on July 8, 1776. British King George III’s coat of arms was defiantly torn down by a group of Pennsylvania militiamen that had charged into the building.

On the second floor of Independence Hall are Long Gallery, Governor’s Council Chamber and Committee of the Assembly Chamber. Long Gallery became a hospital for wounded American prisoners during the British occupation of Philadelphia. Later the room became one of America’s earliest museums, Peale’s Museum. The Governor’s Council Chambers was the scene of fugitive slave trials in the 1850s. Ironically, the Committee of the Assembly Chamber served as a holding area for fugitive slaves prior to trial, directly above the very room where the Declaration of Independence was signed.

The Great Essentials exhibit in the west wing of Independence Hall includes documents from the 1770s and the inkstand that was likely used in signing the Declaration of Independence.

An unforgettable way to visit Independence Hall is with Historic Philadelphia and its “Independence After Hours” tour. Begin your journey back to 1776 with dinner at historic City Tavern and a visit from Thomas Jefferson. Next, it’s on to Independence Hall, where your group eavesdrops on a discussion of the Declaration of Independence with Jefferson, John Adams and Franklin.

Independence National Historical Park, part of the most historic square mile in the United States, has plenty of options to fill any itinerary. A must-see is the Liberty Bell Center. The story of how this ordinary statehouse bell has become a significant message of liberty to the world is fascinating. Ordered from a London Foundry in 1751, the bell cracked on its first use. Two Philadelphia metalworkers melted it down and cast a new one. With its inscription clear, “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants thereof,” by the 19th century the bell had become a herald of liberty.

From 1790 to 1800 the Philadelphia courthouse became Congress Hall. Both Presidents Washington and Adams were inaugurated here. Carpenter Hall was the site of the First Continental Congress and also Franklin’s meeting with a French spy that led to the French Alliance.

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Philadelphia Museum of Art

Upon entering Franklin Court the first thing you’ll see are steel “ghost structures.”

Although Franklin’s home and grandson’s printing office were demolished in 1812, the steel structures help visitors imagine the size of the property. The Benjamin Franklin Museum, located in Franklin Court, pays tribute to the contributions and character of the great patriot with educational, challenging and fun displays. The replica Franklin Court Printing Office showcases the importance of the printed word in the founding of the nation.

Extend your historical area itinerary with one or more of these additions: Portrait Gallery in the Second Bank, Old City Hall, National Constitution Center, Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site, Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial and the Museum of the American Revolution. Begin your planning at nps.gov/inde/index.htm and visitphilly.com.

The famed Benjamin Franklin Parkway is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2018.

This tree lined boulevard travels from City Hall to the steps that adorn the Philadelphia Museum of Art. More than a dozen museums and attractions grace the parkway. Following the historical theme, two stops that epitomize the city’s art history and heritage are a must.

The Barnes Foundation, by the numbers, is incredible. With 181 works by PierreAuguste Renoir, it’s the largest single group of the artist’s work in the world. There are 69 works by Paul Cezanne, 59 by Henri Matisse and 46 by Pablo Picasso.

The story begins with Dr. Albert Coombs Barnes, born in Philadelphia of working-class parents. After accumulating his wealth, he began collecting in 1912, and in 1922 the Barnes Foundation was chartered as an educational institution dedicated to promoting

the appreciation of fine art and horticulture.

The Barnes house and arboretum displayed the collection.

Today, the Barnes Foundation art collection is presented in 23 individual galleries replicating the dimensions and shapes of the original house spaces where the collection had been shown since 1925. Pamphlets in every room describe each piece that’s on display.

Docent-led tours are available for groups of more than 15. The Gardens Restaurant and Reflections Cafe are open for lunch. For more about the Barnes Foundation, visit barnesfoundation.org.

Even on a rainy day in January, as I approached the famous steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, there were visitors showing their best Rocky impersonations from the original Rocky movie. There’s a photo op with the Rocky statue located near the steps. Groups can avoid the steps by entering the museum from the rear at the will-call entrance.

Art treasures from around the world are displayed in more than 200 galleries.

A favorite of many first-time visitors is The Art of the Peales, America’s first artistic dynasty. Chinese Buddhist Art and Literato Pursuits: Chinese Paintings and Objects from the Scholar’s Study collections showcase the beauty of the Orient.

The museum also presents regularly scheduled, multiple exhibitions featuring different mediums and themes. Through September 3, 2018, Modern Times: American Art 1910-1950 will be on display. Visit the website at philamuseum.org.

For assistance in developing any Philadephia itinerary, contact Jim DePhilippo, 215-636-3312; jim@discoverphl.com. Begin planning online at discoverphilly.com. LGT April 2018

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PHILADELPHIA TOUR IDEAS

Museum of the American Revolution This new Philadelphia tourist magnet tells the story of our nation’s founding

S

ince its opening a year ago this April, group organizers looking to include Philadelphia’s most buzzworthy sight in their tour itineraries have been marshalling their troops for visits to the Museum of the American Revolution. Located just two blocks from Independence Hall, the new attraction tells the story of our nation’s founding through artifacts, theater experiences, digital displays and hands-on activities.

On a chronological journey from the roots of conflict in the 1760s through the creation of the American republic, visitors learn about the rise of the armed resistance to British taxation, the drafting of the Declaration of Independence, the long years of warfare and the Revolution’s continuing relevance.

In the first-floor orientation theater, guests are swept up in the heart-pounding drama of the times through the introductory film Revolution. In immersive theaters in the second-floor exhibit galleries, they can watch an angry mob tearing down the statue of England’s King George III in New York City and the back-and-forth among Continental Congress delegates at Independence Hall as they debate whether to declare American independence. Another theater presentation puts audience members on the front lines of the Battle of Brandywine, with a rumbling floor, smoke effects and the smell of gunpowder.

Recreating historical moments, more than 20 life-like figures appear individually or in historical vignettes, or tableaux, that recall particular incidents during the American Revolution. Scenes include a brawl among Revolutionary soldiers broken up by George Washington in Harvard Yard.

The museum’s inclusive approach explores the personal stories of the diverse range of individuals who were part of establishing the nation, including laborers, farmers, seamen, women, native people, and free and enslaved people of African descent. Visitors, for example, will listen to members of the Oneida Indian Nation debate whether to support the 30

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Revolutionary cause and examine artifacts like child-size slave shackles and a signed 1773 volume of Poems on Various Subjects

by Phyllis Wheatley, America’s first published black female poet.

One digital interactive allows museumgoers to explore the experiences of enslaved African-Americans in Virginia in 1781 through

a touchscreen based on the lives of five men and women who followed different paths to seek freedom during the Revolutionary War. Another lets visitors virtually handle weapons to learn more about their uses, owners and makers.

In addition to digital installations, visitors enjoy hands-on experiences throughout the exhibition. They can mix-and-match pieces of a soldier’s uniform to learn about how soldiers displayed their loyalties; learn about the common soldiers and their families who endured the harsh winter at Valley Forge with flip-doors that explore the complex workings of a war camp; assume George Washington’s role as president of the Constitutional Convention by sitting in a reproduction of the “Rising Sun” chair; board an 18th century privateer ship; and try their hand at an early American stitching lesson in a gallery on the role mothers

played in educating children as citizens.

The museum’s collection of historic artifacts, one of the best of its kind, ranges from silver camp cups from Gen. George Washington’s field equipment and a religious book signed by Martha Washington to an elaborately decorated mug wishing “Liberty Forever” to the town of Boston. Also displayed are diaries, fine art, newspapers, books, colonial currency and rare military firearms.

The crown jewel of the collection, however, is Washington’s War Tent, which served as the general’s office and sleeping quarters from mid-1778 until 1783, including throughout the 1781 Siege of Yorktown, the last major land battle of the war. In fact, the canvas tent is the focal point of a 12-minute multimedia presentation in a dedicated, 100-seat theater, a signature museum experience that builds to the dramatic tent reveal. Created for use as a mobile headquarters during the Revolutionary War, the tent was made in Reading, Pennsylvania while Washington was camped at Valley Forge in 1778. Measuring 23 feet long by 14 feet wide, it comprises three chambers, including an area for luggage and sleeping quarters for his enslaved AfricanAmerican valet, William Lee, who traveled with Washington through the entire war.

The culminating experience of the core exhibition is the Legacy Theater, where visitors are invited to reflect on the struggle to create the first modern democracy and the ongoing responsibility to perpetuate the ideals the nation was founded on. In one display, museum-goers have the extraordinary opportunity to see the faces of the Revolutionary generation through a collection of photographs of 70 people who lived through the American Revolution and survived into the age of photography.

Adult group tickets (for groups of 15 or more) are $12 each; student group tickets are $10 each. Group visits are generally selfguided, but a one-hour “Museum Highlights Tour,” using headsets to follow along with the guide, is available for an additional $10 per person. Programs on various topics (Revolutionary women, historic firearms, the city of Philadelphia, etc.) can be arranged in the museum’s classroom for $7 per person.

For more information on the Museum of the American Revolution, visit amrevmuseum.org.

The group sales manager is Alison English, groups@amrevmuseum.org; 267-579-3525.

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Historic Churches Early Philadelphia churches tell a story of faith and patriotism

W

illiam Penn’s “Holy Experiment” was an effort by Quakers to establish a community for themselves and persecuted religious minorities.

The place was what would become Pennsylvania; the beginning was Philadelphia. It’s hardly surprising that a city with such status in the birth of America would have so many historic churches, and they’re still in service.

CHRIST CHURCH Founded in 1695 as part of William Penn’s charter, Christ Church is tied to the history of Philadelphia and the new nation that followed. George Washington, Betsy Ross and Benjamin Franklin all attended. Other patriots and 15 signers of the Declaration of Independence also worshiped at Christ Church. Although the church (built in 1727) went through alterations in the 1800s, much of its original appearance remains today.

Tour groups are welcomed for talks and tours of the church and burial ground.

Christ Church

GLORIA DEI CHURCH Dating from 1698, Gloria Dei Church, also known as Old Swedes’ Church, is the oldest surviving building in the historic boundaries and the oldest church in the city. A member of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania, the church is located in South Philadelphia.

By 1704 the walls began to bow and a sacristy was built on the north side and a vestibule on the south. Through multiple challenges the congregation continued to grow, and a renovation was completed in the 1846. The building was restored in 1999 but remains essentially unchanged since 1846.

MOTHER BETHEL AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH Founded in 1794 by former slave Richard Allen, Mother Bethel is one of the oldest African-American churches in the United States and the country’s oldest continuously owned African-American property. The land was purchased three years earlier with the help of financial backers including George Washington. Allen preached in Philadelphia but was becoming unwelcome in white churches due to his large following.

The building that sits on 6th Avenue, the congregation’s fourth, was dedicated in 1890.

ST. PETER’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH Worship services began in 1761 in a building set on land donated by William Penn’s sons. The interior of the church, an offshoot of Christ Church, looks much like it did in the 18th century and features a stunning pulpit.

Many Founding Fathers worshipped here, including George Washington on several occasions. The large cemetery is the final resting place for several Founding Fathers.

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Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church, one of the country’s oldest black congregations, was founded in the late 1700s. The current building dates from 1890.

CATHEDRAL BASILICA OF SAINTS PETER AND PAUL Great museums are an important part of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, but the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul on Logan Square should not be missed.

With its oxidized copper dome and brownstone exterior, the church has an unusual look for a place of worship but blends with Philadelphia’s architecture. The beautiful painted ceiling lends itself nicely to the striking interior. Construction was completed in 1864 at the height of the Civil War. As the main cathedral of the Catholic Church in Philadelphia, the cathedral welcomed Pope Francis in 2015 and Pope John Paul II in 1979.

OLD PINE STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Founded in 1768 as the Third Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia, this is the city’s only Presbyterian church dating back to the American Revolution. Its pastor served as a chaplain for the First Continental Congress in 1774. Jared Ingersoll and John Adams were notable attendees, though many Founding Fathers were known to have passed through the church, known as “Church of the Patriots.” The British used it as a hospital during their occupation. The beautiful cemetery was a filming location for National Treasure, a 2005 Disney movie.

To discover more historic Philadelphia churches, begin at visitphilly.com.

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Latest

& Greatest

Hard Rock to Open in Atlantic City • New Jersey

Buffalo Niagara CVB Features 12 Tour Itineraries • New York

Atlantic City’s famed Boardwalk welcomes a fresh new face when the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino opens this summer. Adjacent to Steel Pier and just north of famed Resorts Casino, the newest Hard Rock property will bring thousands of new jobs with incredible entertainment offerings to the city. The ambitious development aims to become Atlantic City’s go-to entertainment destination with a gaming floor that includes 2,200 slots and 125 table games. Set on 17 acres, the property will boast a rock-chic interior, fine-dining steak and seafood concepts, and casual eateries.

There’s a renaissance going on in the upstate community of Buffalo. Restored historic architecture, new hotels, innovative restaurants and craft breweries show off a revitalized waterfront. The bureau’s group tour staff has captured a collection of things to see in do in a series of 12 itineraries featured on their website. Themes include family fun, art & architecture, students, holidays, natural splendors, gardening, scouting, religious and technical tours.

Download them at visitbuffaloniagara.com/ travel-trade/group-itineraries/.

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

Impressive Broadway Line-up in Providence • Rhode Island Celebrating its 90th anniversary, the Providence Performing Arts Center has rolled out its line-up of shows through the summer of 2019. The theater will host three tour-opening shows—Miss Saigon, The Band's Visit (currently on Broadway in NYC) and Cats. Additionally, the much-anticipated local debut of Hamilton is slated for in the summer of 2019, plus Broadway favorites Anastasia, School of Rock and Waitress will all appear at the center.

east Region

New Online Tour Guide for Great Lakes • Pennsylvania Four counties in Northwestern Pennsylvania have joined forces on a regional tour guide promoting the area’s group-friendly activities and events. Known as Pennsylvania’s Great Lakes Region, Crawford, Erie, Mercer and Venango counties partnered together to create the digital guide, which features a handy regional map showing close proximity to gateway cities, a series of group tour experiences and what’s new throughout the counties. Download a copy at pagreatlakes.com/grouptourguide.html Providence Performing Arts Center

Tour Operator Launches Receptive Business • New Hampshire Terrapin Tours, a regional group tour outfit based in the White Mountains, has launched a receptive tour division.

NH Discover Tours is the brainchild of Kelly Cooke and her team of tourism professionals.

Cooke commented, “I'm born and raised in the White Mountains so this is my favorite part of the state, and I just don't think that you can top the beauty of this area. But we're certainly planning to focus on the whole state and be able to show people that we've got so much to offer. We can literally go from eating lobster at the seacoast to the top of Mount Washington in a day.” (nhdiscoverytours.com) 32

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Latest

& Greatest

Chihuly at Biltmore • North Carolina Experience the large-scale glass sculptures of Dale Chihuly as part of Chihuly at Biltmore (May17-Oct. 7), the first-ever art exhibition in the historic gardens of Biltmore House in Asheville, North Carolina. On select Chihuly at Biltmore

evenings, Biltmore will be open for special viewings after dark. “Chihuly Nights at Biltmore” combines these spectacular installations with dramatic lighting and Blue Ridge Mountain sunsets. A group tour itinerary complementing Chihuly at Biltmore is available from Explore Asheville (exploreasheville.com/ motorcoach/itineraries).

Indoor Snow Tubing • Tennessee

© Chihuly Studio

Snow, the first indoor snow facility of its kind in the U.S., will offer real snow and indoor snow tubing year round. The new Pigeon Forge attraction will use snow-making technology to transform the 35,000-sq.-ft. space into a winter wonderland, complete with 15 lanes for snow tubing. Instead of synthetic material, the attraction’s slopes will be covered in genuine fresh powder. The temperature inside will be 60 -70 degrees.

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south Region Memories of the Great War • Virginia The Virginia Museum of History & Culture in Richmond is hosting one of the biggest centennial commemorations of World War I (1914 to 1918) this year.

WWI America, the largest traveling exhibition about the Great War, displays hundreds of original artifacts through July 29 on its only East Coast stop. The Commonwealth and the Great War, running through November 18, tells the stories of individual Virginians who carried the state’s proud military tradition to the battlefront during World War I; 100,000 of them served and 3,700 died. Hundreds of Virginia nurses and doctors followed soldiers to Europe.

Military facilities established in Virginia became essential centers for the war effort, while thousands labored at home to produce vital war supplies.

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SOUTH

REGION

Significant Sites on the

U.S. Civil Rights Trail

The emotional weight of the stories told cannot be fully absorbed without standing where sacrifices were made and history was changed

By Dave Bodle n 14 states and the District of Columbia, there are historic sites—including churches, museums, courthouses and schools—along the U. S. Civil Rights Trail.

Each played a pivotal role in the civil rights story. Each pays tribute to the people, sacrifices and events that took place there.

Although Kansas, Delaware and the District of Columbia have key civil rights sites, the Southern states have the bulk of the landmarks, more than 100 of them. Here are just a few stops on the U.S. Civil Rights Trail.

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ALABAMA Diagonally across from Birmingham’s 16th Street Baptist Church is Kelly Ingram Park. A gathering spot for protesters, it was the scene of police turning them back with dogs and fire hoses. Sculptures in the park depict the 1963 riots. Thirty years later the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (located across the street) opened to chronicle the civil rights movement’s struggles and victories.

The Four Spirits statue in Birmingham’s Kelly Ingram Park memorializes victims of a deadly 1963 church bombing.

ARKANSAS In September 1957, three years after the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision that ended public-school segregation, a federal court issued an order requiring Little Rock to comply. Governor Orval Faubus defied the order. Central High School and the “Little Rock Nine” were thrust into the national spotlight. The Central High School National Historic Site is located within walking distance of the school, which is still educating students of all races.

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Mississippi Civil Rights Museum

Little Rock Central High School

Kelly Ingram Park

GEORGIA A visit to the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site in Atlanta includes King’s birth home, Ebenezer Baptist Church (where he shared the pulpit with his father) and his gravesite. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Non-Violent Social Change, Inc. is located across the street from the church. The National Park Service operates a visitors center that features exhibits about King’s life and the civil rights movement. The National Center for Civil and Human Rights is also in Atlanta and should be part of your itinerary.

KENTUCKY Berea College in Berea was founded in 1855 specifically to educate black and white students together. The forward-thinking program came to a halt in 1904 when Kentucky state legislators passed a law dictating mandatory segregation. Berea College fought the law all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court but lost. The ruling was overturned in 1954 after Brown v. Board of Education.

LOUISIANA Louisiana did not experience extensive violence during the civil rights movement, but there were protests, boycotts, sit-ins and marches. Baton Rouge was the site of the first bus boycott in June 1953. The “free ride” system designed to get African-Americans to work and supported by churches was the model for the Montgomery Bus Boycott three years later. The Capitol Park Museum has a display on the Baton Rouge Bus Boycott and other significant events in the fight for freedom.

MISSISSIPPI The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum in Jackson, opened in December 2017, focuses on the often violent years 1945-1976. During that time, Mississippi was ground zero in the national civil rights movement. Eight chronological galleries encircle a central area titled “This Little Light of Mine.” As people gather around, the dramatic sculpture glows brighter, while music from the movement increases in volume. This state-of-the-art museum uses interactive displays and touch screens as well as donated artifacts.

Museums, parks and schools showcase momentous civil rights developments that took place in mid-20th century America.

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MISSOURI Part of the Gateway Arch campus in St. Louis, the Old Courthouse is where Dred and Harriet Scott sued for freedom from slavery. Eventually, the case found its way to the Supreme Court but was defeated.

Another significant case in the Old Courthouse had Virginia Minor suing for her voting rights. Although defeated, it set the stage for the women’s suffrage movement.

NORTH CAROLINA Located in the Downtown Greensboro Historic District, the F.W. Woolworth Building houses the International Civil Rights Center and Museum. Exhibits take visitors on a journey through time and help build an understanding of the injustice to African-Americans during segregation and under “Jim Crow” laws. A particularly moving exhibit is the film re-enactment involving the four students who staged the historic sit-in at the Woolworth store’s lunch counter.

Their thoughts, concerns and commitment on the eve of the momentous event are presented.

SOUTH CAROLINA The passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act was certainly not the end of the struggle.

In 1968, a protest by students of South Carolina State College in Orangeburg resulted in a police-student clash at the All-Star Bowling Lanes. The Orangeburg Movement focused on desegregating public facilities.

A few days later, on February 8, 1968, violence again broke out but on campus this time. After a patrolman was hit in the face, others began firing into the students. Three died and 27 were wounded. The South Carolina State College Historic District consists of 10 academic buildings constructed between 1917 and 1969.

TENNESSEE It was at Memphis’ Lorraine Motel on April 4, 1968, that Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. The Lorraine was a black-owned business and had prominent entertainers among its guests. It was due to this historical importance to the community that King chose to stay there during his support of and address to striking sanitation workers. It just seems appropriate that the National Civil Rights Museum is located there. >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

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VIRGINIA Virginia’s role in the civil rights movement is often overlooked, but its landmark legislation made a significant contribution.

The lawsuit resulting from a student-led boycott protesting conditions at Farmville’s Moton High School became part of the 1954 Supreme Court decision Brown v. Board of Education. The Virginia State Capitol Building in Richmond is home to a sculpture of student leader Barbara Johns at the front

lines of the Moton High boycott. Other lawsuits of importance stemmed from Virginia courts. Irene Morgan’s 1946 suit desegregated interstate bus travel. Another case extended desegregation to interstate bus waiting rooms and restrooms. A 1963 case integrated juries. A successful suit by Richard Perry Loving overturned 17 states’ laws banning interracial marriage.

The National Civil Rights Museum is housed in the Memphis motel where Martin Luther King was assassinated in 1968.

WEST VIRGINIA Elizabeth Harden Gilmore was a civil rights advocate and business leader. Her commitment to integrate her state’s schools, housing and public accommodations was characterized as “ongoing and steadfast.” Gilmore’s accomplishments are considerable. The Elizabeth Harden Gilmore House in Charleston was her home from 1947 until 1986.

For more information on the U.S. Civil Rights Trail, visit civilrightstrail.com. LGT Capitol Park Museum

Lorraine Motel

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SI SITE INSPECTION

Cheekwood Estate & Gardens Built on a peaceful hillside on the west side of Nashville, Cheekwood is an elegant setting for a group tour with its beautiful mansion, tranquil gardens and educational opportunities ontaining lovely gardens, priceless art and historic manor rooms, Cheekwood is a 55-acre estate that promises discovery behind every corner. Constructed as a home for Leslie and Mabel Cheek in 1929, the property was converted into a public art museum and garden in 1960.

Since then, Cheekwood has welcomed an average of 225,000 annual visitors, and the grounds are one of the Nashville area’s top draws. You can tour the elegant grounds while admiring the brilliant Georgian architecture year-round, and accompanying dining and shopping facilities make your Cheekwood visit comprehensive for groups of any size.

Cheekwood is one of the grandest surviving examples of the American Country Place Estate Movement. Made popular by Gilded Age industrial barons in the late 1800s, the movement’s aesthetics drew from the architecture and interior design of France’s Beaux-Arts style. The origin of Cheekwood, as a concept, is traced to an old family story involving a gilded gold mirror. After a

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successful return on investment in the Cheek-Neal Coffee Company, creators and brewers of Maxwell House Coffee, Mabel Cheek made sure her husband kept his word, they decided to hire one of the movement’s most notable designers: Bryant Fleming. The New York landscape architect drew inspiration from 18th century English country estates, and the final product is a stunning mansion that contains 36 rooms, a hidden elevator and a library containing thousands of books.

After touring the mansion, your group can walk through the property’s crown jewel— the estate grounds. Cheekwood’s botanical gardens cover 55 acres and include hundreds of species, and designated areas are available for large picnic lunches. Smaller groups can gather in the Sigourney Cheek Literary Garden, whose amphitheater design was commissioned to host poetry and book readings, while larger parties can wander the Wills Perennial Garden, a natural environment of asters, salvias and ornamental grasses.

Themed areas include the Martin Boxwood

Gardens (modeled after Georgian-style manors), Suomi-en (a tranquil Japanese garden with a bamboo forest and courtyard to promote mindfulness) and the Carrell Woodland Sculpture Garden featuring contemporary sculptures.

Groups can also admire beautiful works of art in the galleries or gardens; from the Cheekwood Permanent Collection of Fine Art to world-renound temporary exhibitions.

Coming soon is the renovated Frist Learning Center. Housed in the building that originally served as the Cheeks’ horse stables and garage, the updated center will include the Courtyard Café, retail space and classrooms to host student groups.

No matter the season, Cheekwood features beautiful grounds and gardens that will astonish groups of any age or interest.

CHEEKWOOD Amanda Bjorklund, Tour and Visitor Experience Manager abjorklund@cheekwood.org, 615-353-6971 Cheekwood.org

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

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VIRGINIA TOUR IDEAS

Virginia’s Historic Triangle Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown saw an English colony blossom into a new nation

By Dave Bodle Visitors to Jamestown Settlement, one of America’s best open-air museums, can board replicas of the three ships that carried English settlers to the New World in 1607.

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efore the Civil War bloodied Virginia soil and finally came to an end at Appomattox, other significant events in American history took place on a peninsula jutting into the Chesapeake Bay. Today a number of group-friendly attractions, conveniently linked by the 23-mile Colonial Parkway, are found in communities that helped shape our country.

JAMESTOWN SETTLEMENT Recalling the first English colony in the New World, Jamestown Settlement visitors embark on a journey that introduces them to the diverse cultures, events and environment of 17th century Virginia. This living-history museum is located near the original site settled by the English in 1607. The story is told through films, a timeline gallery and historical interpretation in re-created settings.

A visit should begin with the docudrama film 1607: A Nation Takes Root. The film provides a look at Virginia’s first two decades, including the evolution of the Virginia Company, sponsors of the Jamestown Colony.

It examines the relationship between the settlers and Powhatan Indians along with the arrival of the first Africans in 1619.

Spanning the length of the museum’s exhibition galleries is a chronological journey from 1600 to 1699, the year Virginia’s capital was moved from Jamestown to Williamsburg.

The galleries are split into three sections.

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Objects from 17th century Europe, Africa and Virginia are on display along with three-dimensional structures and small theaters.

The first gallery looks at the period before the arrival of English colonists, with full-scale dioramas, exhibits and objects representing each of the parent cultures: Virginia Indian, African and European. The second gallery explores the relationship between the English colonists and the Powhatan Indians. The need for labor in the tobacco fields and the arrival of the first Africans is also explored. Political, social and economic development is introduced in the third gallery.

After touring the museum and its indoor exhibits, visitors venture to the archaeologically accurate Powhatan Indian Village.

Historical interpreters share stories and demonstrate how the Powhatans farmed and prepared food, processed animal hides, and made tools and pottery.

From the Powhatan village the path leads to re-creations of the Susan Constant, Godspeed and Discovery. These three ships transported the English colonists to Virginia in 1607. Historical interpreters invite visitors to board and learn about the four-and-a-half month voyage from England.

At re-created James Fort, the colony’s military and commercial culture is on display.

Interpreters provide visitors with a glimpse into 17th century life from forging metal and woodworking to food preparation and sewing.

Jamestown Settlement is ideal for groups with even a minimal amount of interest in history. Guided tours and dining and shopping options are available. For information, call 888-868-7593 or 757-253-4939, email group.reservations@jyf.virginia.com or visit online at historyisfun.org.

HISTORIC JAMESTOWNE It was on Jamestown Island that Virginia Company settlers landed May 14, 1607. Just days after landing they were attacked by Powhatan Indians. Starvation, disease and occasional attacks from the Powhatans took a toll on the first successful English colony in North America.

Today, the Historic Jamestowne Visitor Center features a theater-in-the-round orientation film highlighting the history from prehistoric times to the present. Nearby the Archaearium presents more than 4,000 artifacts from the ongoing archaeological work being done by the National Park Service.

Members of the Jamestowne Rediscovery team regularly provide archaeological tours; a weekly schedule is available online. Specialty tours such as “In the Trenches” and “Curator’s Artifact” are available for smaller groups.

“Archaeology in Action” and “Finds and Forensics” educational tours are perfect for school groups. For details, call 757-856-1250 or visit historicjamestowne.org.

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COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG It’s the dawn of America and you’ve stepped into a 300 acre-town. There are some revolutionary thoughts surfacing in this 18th century community. Meet the men and women, the artisans and shopkeepers, the politicians and servants and hear their stories. Dozens of re-created and restored buildings line three main thoroughfares and side streets.

Interpreters in period clothing bring life to this leading living-history museum. More than a dozen Colonial Williamsburg Nation Builders portray historic figures who lived in 18th century Williamsburg. Equally important to colonial life were the tradespeople involved in the community’s daily life. From the blacksmith shop to the apothecary to the cabinetmaker, their stores are told. There’s so much to see and do in the Revolutionary City that Colonial Williamsburg group tour representatives suggest “let your interest be your guide.”

Ladies, this one’s for you; gentlemen welcome, too. The founding mothers played an important role in our nation’s history. The women’s perspective begins with the “Talk of the Town” women’s tour. Next, learn the rules of high society at The Polite Academy. Tour the Governor’s Palace and meet the charming Lady Dunmore.

Businesswomen contributed to the economy with numerous trades. Enjoy tea at Christina Campbell’s Tavern with Mrs. Campbell. There will be time to visit with Mrs. Washington as she shares the duties of the president’s wife.

During the 18th century, half of Williamsburg’s population was black, and slavery was an important part of Virginia society. You’ll visit the Peyton Randolph House and discover the differences among a prominent family and enslaved members of the household. AfricanAmerican religion heritage is explored in the Taliaferro-Cole Stable, across the street from the original site where African-American Baptists worshiped. Witness the daily working life at the Great Hopes Plantation, where the importance of story and song was presented.

Whether you’re blessed with a green thumb or not, gardens may be your initerest. The formal gardens at the Governor’s Palace and Bassett Hall with its famed “Garden Walk” shows how status and wealth were presented.

Roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty in the Colonial Garden. Handle the specialty tools used in planting, while garden historians demonstrate early techniques. Expand your interest by visiting during Colonial Williamsburg Garden Symposium or Historic Garden Week 40

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in Virginia, both springtime events.

Those interested in art and antiques will want to visit the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum and Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum. Stops at the Governor’s Palace and Bassett Hall follow the museums.

The demonstration kitchens at the Governor’s Palace, R. Charlton’s Coffee House, Raleigh Tavern and Chowning’s Tavern will satisfy your interests in cuisine and spirits. At the Taste Studio you’ll do a “Chef’s Garden Tour and Tasting” followed by American Heritage classics presented in the full-service demonstration kitchen.

Colonial Williamsburg group tour representatives can help you with a customized tour.

Call 800-228-8878, email groups@cwf.org, or visit colonialwilliamsburg.com/grouptours.

AMERICAN REVOLUTION MUSEUM AT YORKTOWN Hear the nation’s story from the colonial period to the Constitution and beyond, including the surrender of English forces signaling the end of the American War of Independence.

Exciting galleries, interactive and hands-on exhibits, and dynamic films and outdoor living history areas enthrall groups.

Begin your experience with the introductory film Liberty Fever. A storyteller shares his accounts through a panoramic presentation that draws visitors into Revolutionary America.

The film received the American Alliance of Museum’s 2017 Gold MUSE Award and sets the stage perfectly for the exhibition galleries.

Five additional films continue throughout the galleries, the most dramatic being The Siege of Yorktown. The action occurs on a 180-degree screen with the smells of gunpowder, coffee and seawater accompanied by rumbling seats, wind and smoke.

The five permanent exhibition galleries follow a 1750s-1790s timeline with period artifacts and numerous hands-on opportunities helping visitors feel a real connection with the period. The British Empire and America is the first gallery. The period inspects the geography, commerce and culture of the original colonies and what prompted England to levy taxes.

Rising tensions are explored in the second gallery, The Changing Relationship – Britain and North America. From the Stamp Act to the First Continental Congress, the rift continued to grow.

Revolution is the third gallery and presents the war from early confrontations in Concord >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

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and Lexington to victory at Yorktown. American victories in 1775 and 1777 led to a formal alliance with France. Conflicts in the South are shared and the wartime home front is portrayed with the stories of patriots, Loyalists, women, and enslaved and free African-Americans. The fourth gallery is The New Nation. From the 1783 Treaty of Paris recognizing the United States to the recognition of the need for a strong government, the challenges facing the new nation are addressed.

The American People, the final museum gallery, examines the growing identity of the new nation. Immigration, demographic, political and social changes are explored. Providing a powerful conclusion, this gallery is a look at how the birth of American democracy has influenced the world.

After departing the museum, groups experience a re-created Continental Army encampment.

Historical interpreters share the daily life of the soldiers. Visitors are trained in military drills and the basics of espionage. Nearby a Revolution-era farm invites visitors into a dwelling, tobacco barn and kitchen. You can help with tending the garden and processing plant fiber for cloth.

The American Revolution Museum at Yorktown features guided tours with dining and shopping options available. For information, call 888-868-7593 or 757-253-4939, email group.reservations @jyf.virginia.gov or visit online at historyisfun.org.

For information and itinerary assistance in the Greater Williamsburg Area, contact Vivian Bunting, tourism sales manager, at 800-368-6511 or bunting@visitwilliamsburg.com. Begin planning online at visitwilliamsburg.com/topic/group-tours.

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VIRGINIA TOUR IDEAS

American Evolution 2019 Commemorations in Virginia will mark the 400th anniversary of four events that dramatically impacted our nation’s beginning

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ust 12 years after Jamestown, North America’s first English colony, was established in 1607, several important events occurred in Virginia. Each was significant in the development of the colony and the founding of the United States. These milestones are being remembered in American Evolution, a 2019 celebration with special museum exhibitions and other observances.

The Virginia Company of 1606 was chartered with the objective of establishing settlements on the coast of North America.

It was empowered by the English crown to govern itself. By 1618 a group within the Virginia Company was granted a series of reforms resulting in what would be known as the Great Charter.

A governor was selected to begin serving a term in 1619 and granted authority to select two representatives from each of the 11 settlements. From July 30 through August 4 they met in Jamestown. Although the governor maintained veto power over legislation and could dissolve the General Assembly, this was the first representative legislative assembly in the New World.

In observance of this milestone, the National Park Service and its Jamestown Rediscovery Jamestown Fort

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Virginia is gearing up for commemorations of major historical events to be celebrated in 2019.

archaeology unit will present programs and exhibitions tied to the theme “Jamestown Island: Democracy & Diversity” from April 1, 2019, to September 30, 2019, at Jamestown Settlement. The focus will be on the establishment of representative government and rule of law, protections for private property, and sustained encounters among different peoples – Native Americans, Europeans, and Africans – who first came together at Jamestown. Public archaeology tours will showcase the remains of Historic Jamestowne’s 1617 Memorial Church, where the first General Assembly was held. On July 30, 2019, Jamestown Settlement will hold a ceremony commemorating the 400th anniversary of the assembly’s founding.

August 1619 saw an English privateer vessel arrive near what is now Hampton. The 20 Angolan Africans were traded to colonial officials as indentured servants for provisions.

With labor-intensive tobacco being the largest commercial crop, the arrival of the first recorded Africans to English North America was crucial to the economic success of the colonies, and blacks have been central to debates about America’s national identity ever since. From June 1, 2019, to December 31, 2019, the Virginia Museum of History & Culture in Richmond will host the exhibition After 1619: The Legacy of Africans in America.

The men of Jamestown colony had faced severe hardships since their arrival. The Virginia Company realized that the addition of women would be absolutely necessary to stabilize the colony and have a productive, permanent society. The recruitment of English women in significant numbers

materialized in November 1619 with the arrival of 147 women.

Tenacity: Women in Jamestown and Early Virginia Special Exhibition will run from November 10, 2018 through January 5, 2020, at Jamestown Settlement.

Thirty-eight colonists at the Berkeley Hundred settlement celebrated the first official English Thanksgiving in North America on December 4, 1619. Captain John Woodlief led the ceremony of Thanksgiving, declaring that it “…shall be yearly and perpetually kept holy as a day of thanksgiving…” The Virginia Thanksgiving Festival at Berkeley Plantation annually marks this event (November 4, 2018) with a day dedicated to history, food and fun, including tours of the 1726 manor house.

The Virginia Company from its inception was an example of entrepreneurialism. Laws were passed in 1619 allowing and encouraging colonists to experiment with cloth and silk and other industries. The entrepreneurial and innovative spirit of the Virginia colony was the beginning of America’s free enterprise system. Related events in 2019 include the exhibition The New Virginians: 1619-2019 and Beyond at the Library of Virginia in Richmond. It explores the impact of immigration and the experiences of immigrants in Virginia.

For additional dates and events, visit americanevolution2019.com. For groupfriendly itineraries, contact the JamestownYorktown Foundation. Call 888-868-7593 or 757-253-4939; email group.reservations @jyf.virginia.gov; or visit historyisfun.org.

—By Dave Bodle >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

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ime travelers are welcome in Colonial Williamsburg.

Imagine jumping into a living, breathing 18th-century city complete with historic reenactors and nearly 100 reconstructed buildings. Come and share thoughts with our tradespeople, business owners and Nation Builders. Meet their animals, enter their homes (there is even a royal palace!) and immerse yourself in the culture of the dawn of America.

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COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG Group Sales groupsales@cwf.org 1-800-228-8878 ColonialWilliamsburg.com/grouptours

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Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Destination:18th Century Day 1

Day 2

A day in Colonial Williamsburg begins with a visit to the Capitol, a recreation of the building that served as the home for the House of Burgesses— colonial Virginia’s representative government. Here, visitors can witness laws being passed and debates over American independence. Continue down Duke of Gloucester Street by foot or buggy to Raleigh Tavern, where you can debate American sovereignty with local patriots or learn about 18th century brewmaster techniques. At the Apothecary, you’ll learn about how much medicine has changed since the days of George Washington, while the Foundry demonstrates how buckles, knobs and utensils were created using metal castings. If your group has spare time in the afternoon, visit the many craftspeople who create objects using accurate period tools. Weavers, wigmakers and wheelwrights are all willing to share their knowledge and discuss their art.

Be sure to see the Fife and Drum Corps march down Duke of Gloucester street, one of the most iconic parts of Colonial Williamsburg.

After a long day of walking, relax at one of the Historic Taverns and enjoy one of the evening programs. As the sun sets, an uneasy air descends upon Williamsburg as groups prepare for the Ghost Walk. For an engaging hour, listen to tales of the restless souls who still wander the town and explore the buildings they are reported to haunt.

Your second day begins with a journey through the Governor’s Palace, which evokes the grandeur of Virginia’s early state government before the capitol was relocated to Richmond in 1780. Famous occupants included Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry, and your group can pass through the elegant dining room and reception areas. Down the road lies the Colonial Garden, which grows herbs and vegetables using accurate 18th century methods. Farther down the Palace Green, your group will find the George Wythe House, home to the prominent attorney who was a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

On the corner lies Bruton Parish Church, a threecenturies-old Episcopal worship center where several Founding Fathers worshiped. Be sure to observe a trial at the Courthouse, one of Williamsburg’s signature attractions. Groups can witness court sessions, prosecutions and justice meted out at the pillory and stocks outside.

Few visitors realize that half of Williamsburg’s 18th century population was black, and groups can learn about the stark contrast of freedom and slavery in the African-American Experience areas throughout the town. Notable stops include the African-American Religion building, the slave quarters at the Peyton Randolph House and “Century of African American Quilts” exhibit at the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum. For more art, visit the Dewitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum. The building houses the world’s largest collection of Southern furniture and one of the largest collections of British ceramics outside England. Relax in the Portrait Gallery, attend a lecture or musical event in the Hennage Auditorium or take part in a hands-on activity in the Education Studio. Conclude your day with a hearty colonial-inspired meal at Chowning’s Tavern. Illuminated by candlelight, this restaurant serves old favorites such as Brunswick stew and Welsh rarebit, as well as shepherd’s pie and bangers & mash.

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VIRGINIA TOUR IDEAS

War Between the States National military parks take travelers back to the 1860s

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irginia saw 122 conflicts during the Civil War, more than any other state. Visitors can experience this troubling time in our nation’s history through exhibits, films, re-enactments, walking trails and driving tours at two outstanding attractions operated by the National Park Service. Guided walking tours by park historians are available.

FREDERICKSBURG AND SPOTSYLVANIA NATIONAL MILITARY PARK Because of its strategic location halfway between Washington, D.C., and the Confederate capital of Richmond, Fredericksburg was of prime military importance. This 8,400-acre national military park, the second-largest in the world, covers four great battlefields that witnessed more than 100,000 casualties between 1862 and 1864. All the battlefields— Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Spotsylvania Court House and the Wilderness—are within a 17-miles radius of Fredericksburg. (Only Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Miltiary Park, on the Tennessee-Georgia border, is larger.)

Most well-known was the Battle of Fredericksburg, one of the largest and deadliest of the war. It raged from December 1115, 1862, and marked the first time that Union and Confederate troops fought on city streets.

Pitting the men of Union General Ambrose Burnside against those of General Robert E. Lee, the battle (involving nearly 200,000 soldiers) resulted in a Confederate victory.

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The Fredericksburg Battlefield Visitor Center offers a 22-minute orientation film about the battle; driving and walking tours begin there. Points of interest in the park include the Kirkland Monument, which honors a 19-year-old Confederate sergeant who risked his life to give water to wounded and dying Union soldiers, and Old Salem Church, which served as a refuge for fleeing civilians during the Battle of Fredericksburg and later used by Confederates to tend to the wounded on both sides in the Battle of Chancellorsville. More than 1,500 U.S. veterans, most of them Union soldiers, are buried in Fredericksburg National Cemetery; more than 80 percent of the men are unknown.

Chatham Manor, an 18th century Georgian mansion, served as Union headquarters and a field hospital during the Civil War. Clara Barton was among those who provided care to the wounded there. Visitors can see a film and exhibits on Chatham Manor’s role in the war, and tour the outbuildings and gardens.

The park’s Three Battles Visitor Center at Chancellorsville has a film and exhibits on the Chancellorsville, Spotsylvania Court House and Wilderness campaigns. A 12-mile driving tour begins there, and a seasonal walking tour leads to the place where General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson was mistakenly shot by his own men; he had to have his left arm amputated, and he died a week later.

NPS Photos

Re-enactments make Civil War days come alive. Right: the old Tredegar ironworks building is now a visitor center.

RICHMOND NATIONAL MILITARY PARK With 13 different sites and four visitor centers in three counties, this park paints a picture of Richmond’s role in the Civil War and attacks by Federal troops to capture the Confederate capital. Completely touring the park involves a 60-mile drive.

Artifacts, audiovisual presentations, electronic battle maps and trail markers chronicle General George McClellan’s 1862 Peninsula Campaign, which included the Seven Days’ Battles at Beaver Dam Creek, Gaines’ Mill Glendale and Malvern Hill.

Also featured are the battlefields of General Ulysses S. Grant’s 1864 Overland Campaign.

Living history programs are presented in summer at Fort Harrison and other Confederate strongholds in the park.

The main visitor center is the Civil War Visitor Center at Tredegar Iron Works in downtown Richmond, which has three floors of displays inside the plant that produced cannons and ammunition for Confederate troops. Another downtown stop is the Chimborazo Medical Museum, housed in a hilltop hospital that treated more than 76,000 Confederate patients. Exhibits and a film tell the story of hospital life.

—By Randy Mink >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

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Virginia’s Crooked Road Owns a Proud Musical Heritage The state’s southwest corner features the best of bluegrass, old-time and traditional country music

The Birthplace of Country Music Museum hosts a variety of live performances that focus on early commercial country music.

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ith its rolling terrain consisting of foothills and mountains, Virginia’s landscape is teeming with crooked roads.

Only one of those roads, though, enables visitors to thoroughly explore the state’s rich musical legacy.

The Crooked Road, Virginia’s musical heritage trail, weaves through almost 300 miles of striking landscape, 19 counties, four cities and 54 towns in Southwest Virginia.

The region celebrates the state’s music yearround, as bluegrass, old-time and traditional country songs are performed at the Crooked Road’s nine major venues, more than 60 affiliated venues and festivals, and more than 25 wayside exhibits.

Those looking to traverse the Crooked Road will find an abundance of engaging settings where they can learn about the state’s melodious history, sing, dance or simply tap their toes to infectious tunes.

Here are a few of those locales: For more than 40 years, Ferrum College’s Blue Ridge Institute and Museum has documented the folk heritage of those living in and around the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The traditions of the region’s music, crafts and customs are on display at the institute, the only Virginia museum dedicated to folklore and folklife. From festivals and concerts to exhibits, workshops and publications, the institute offers educational and entertaining programming as well as lectures, guided tours and group tours.

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The Floyd Country Store is an acclaimed place to experience authentic Appalachian music. The store, which sells barrels of oldfashioned candy and vintage toys and games, is also home to a group of musicians, flatfoot dancers and cloggers. Year-round, visitors can enjoy music and dancing every Friday evening, Americana music every Saturday afternoon and a traditional mountain music jam every Sunday.

The Birthplace of Country Music Museum

The sounds of the fiddle, banjo and guitar are prevalent daily at the Blue Ridge Music Center in Galax. Visitors can enjoy traditional tunes as local musicians perform each day of the week. The center hosts a summer Roots of American Music Concert Series, where concerts take place in a 2,500-capacity outdoor amphitheater.

Every Friday evening in Galax, radio station WBRF 98.1 FM broadcasts 100,000 watts of live, old-time and bluegrass music from the stage of the historic Rex Theater.

This show, called Blue Ridge Backroads Live, is presented by area volunteers and has been entertaining audiences at the historic

The Birthplace of Country Music Museum

theater since 1999.

Heartwood in Abingdon is a place where visitors can hear old-time, bluegrass and gospel music from local artists. Heartwood enables attendees to savor live shows and interact with musicians, or they can listen to a huge collection of CDs and DVDs. Abingdon is also home to the Barter Theatre, the state theater of Virginia. It opened in 1933 and is the longest-running professional theater in the nation.

In 1927, a recording studio was formed in a building on State Street in Bristol. Over a two-week span, 76 songs were recorded by 19 different artists, including Ernest V. Stoneman, The Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers. This legendary session was one of the first in country music history, and Bristol celebrated its role in that history with the 2014 opening of the 24,000-square-foot Birthplace of Country Music Museum.

This museum tells the story of the Bristol sessions, presents special exhibits, and also hosts a variety of live performances and programming that focus on early commercial country music.

Country Cabin II in Norton was built in 2002 and is the descendent of the original Country Cabin, which was constructed in 1937-38 with the purpose of hosting live shows. This venue is the longest continuously running site for traditional music along the Crooked Road and presents old-time bluegrass every Saturday night, featuring local and regional musicians.

—By Jason Paha April 2018

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here the Chesapeake Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean, the vibrant coastal city of Virginia Beach is a place where artistic expression thrives and vibrant local heritage comes to life. Take time to explore Virginia Beach’s rich history and cultural arts scene with your group through these Live the Life Adventures, and let these experiences take you into the heart of your own creativity.

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Virginia Beach, Virginia

Explore Local Coastal Culture In Virginia Beach Day 1 P.M. – Once you arrive in Virginia Beach, spend the afternoon strolling the boardwalk and enjoying live entertainment along the oceanfront set against the majestic backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean. Then head over to Town Center, a hot spot for high-end shopping, dining and entertainment. While here plan to visit the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, a beautiful venue offering world-class entertainment year-round, for “Backstage Broadway – Behind the Scenes” for a reception and meet the cast. Experience a fresh approach to seafood at McCormick & Schmick’s or a wine tasting at Sonoma Wine Bar & Bistro. Save room for dessert at Cold Stone Creamery or The Royal Chocolate.

Day 2

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

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A.M. – Fuel up for the day ahead at Commune, Virginia Beach’s first farmer-owned restaurant in the heart of the ViBe Creative District. Here you’ll find a menu inspired by Virginia Beach’s seasonal bounty with its herb garden and commitment to using only locally-sourced ingredients to create local staples – from house-crafted coffee to a hearty harvest-ful porridge bowl and fresh crepes.

Afterward, embark on an oyster-farming boat tour through Pleasure House Oysters’ Waterman’s Tour. Learn about the legendary Lynnhaven oyster, see how they’re grown and experience tasting these savory bivalves from the water directly beneath them – waders included!

P.M. – Head back to the ViBe Creative District to explore your afternoon creativity at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art with a personalized guided tour. The museum is an exploration of the masterpieces of today by artists of regional and national notoriety. With regularly changing exhibits

there is always something new to see, but don’t miss the permanent staples, including a 14-foot glass chandelier by Chihuly, New Waves Exhibit highlighting local artists and outdoor sculptures.

Day 3 A.M. – Enjoy a hearty, old–fashioned breakfast at Doc Taylor’s, a lovingly-preserved 1920s beach cottage that was once the office of the town doctor and now serves the community as a beloved brunch spot. Then hop aboard the Atlantic Explorer for the Virginia Aquarium’s Sea Adventure boat trip and enjoy a morning dolphin tour on the Atlantic Ocean.

Since 1989, the 90-minute excursions have been staffed by marine educators. The 90-minute excursion will leave you feeling relaxed, refreshed and ready to continue your coastal explorations.

P.M. – The Military Aviation Museum is home to meticulously restored WWI- and WWII-era military aircraft and aviation infrastructure. Learn about the Tuskegee Airmen, the first black servicemen to serve as military aviators in the U.S. Armed Forces.

While there, be sure to explore the museum’s newest addition, a fully restored control tower from America’s first air base in England during WWII. Be sure to bring your appetite and enjoy “SwingTime in the Skies,” a tour and history-themed meal with high-flying songs and entertainment.

Day 4 A.M. – On your final morning, wake up to ocean views, dolphins swimming, Navy jets flying and boats everywhere. Enjoy breakfast in your hotel and then climb the steps of the Cape Henry Lighthouse, the first federal construction project under the new government after the Revolutionary War.

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

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SITE INSPECTION

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Groups traveling to Nashville should not miss the impressive collections of music memorabilia ountry music has always been part of America’s soundtrack. The catchy lyrics have captured the hearts of millions.

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum shares the history and traditions of the genre and is a must-see attraction for music-loving groups visiting Nashville.

A range of tours can be added to your group’s museum visit for an additional fee.

Among them are:

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Star for a Day – RCA Studio B Group Itinerary This experience begins on Nashville’s famed Music Row. After a tour of historic RCA Studio B, your group will gather around the legendary microphone for a recording session with a professional sound engineer. Following their recording debut, the group will head to the museum to explore the exhibits. The tour concludes with optional lunch and line-dancing at the Wildhorse Saloon. As group mmbers are kicking up their heels, they’ll hear their recording playing over the sound system. (2.5 hours)

Inside Tracks with Meghan Linsey and Tyler Cain Experience a day in the life of a country musician. Your group will sit down with 48

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Nashville artist Meghan Linsey and record producer Tyler Cain to co-write and produce a song from scratch. These stars will help your group compose a beat and write accompanying parts to an original track. (1 hour)

Cash on Cash This one-of-a-kind program gives groups a private performance and discussion with Johnny Cash and June Carter’s only child, John Carter Cash. (1 hour)

Historic RCA Studio B Tour Get a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most famous studios in the world.

Opened back in 1957, the Historic RCA Studio B became the birthplace of more than 35,000 songs and more than 1,000 popular hits. Artists who recorded here include Dolly Parton, Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Martina McBride and Carrie Underwood.

(1 hour)

Stories Behind the Songs Behind every great country song, there’s a deeper story. This experience allows groups to discover those stories during a private session with one of Nashville’s hit-making songwriters.

(1 hour)

Sharing the Art of Songwriting Become a famous songwriter – or at least feel like one for a day. This interactive co-writing program lets groups work closely with one of Nashville’s accomplished songwriters. The session ends with a group recording of the new tune. (1 hour)

Get Inky – Hatch Show Print Group Itinerary Groups can put their design and printing skills to the test on this exclusive tour. The experience begins at the legendary letterpress icon Hatch Show Print’s production shop. Groups will listen to the presses cranking as they learn all about the history of the 135-year-old business. They will admire the colorful, centuries-old posters that made the shop famous, as well as some of the more recent works from contemporary entertainers. The tour ends with groups handling the tools and printing their own keepsake pieces.

(1 hour)

COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME Brad Henton bhenton@countrymusichalloffame.org 800-852-6437 CountryMusicHallOfFame.org/groups

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

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LOUISIANA TOUR IDEAS

New Orleans Plantation Country Vestiges of the Old South echo the romance of a bygone era

Houmas House is one of several showplace homes on Louisiana’s Great River Road.

By Randy Mink

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efore the Civil War, more than half the millionaires in the country lived along the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, their wealth derived from vast fields of sugarcane and other crops. Today a few of the lavish estates have been preserved as historical attractions and invite groups to tour the antique-filled mansions, outbuildings and landscaped grounds. Lying on both banks of the Mississippi along the Great River Road, these homes in St. Charles, St. John and St. James parishes make ideal day trips from New Orleans, a short drive away.

Vacherie, Louisiana claims three of the antebellum estates in New Orleans Plantation Country, the most notable of which is Oak Alley Plantation, the “Grand Dame of the Great River Road.” Framed by a canopy of moss-draped, 300-year-old live oaks leading up to the Greek Revival-style mansion, Oak Alley is the most photographed plantation house in Louisiana and has appeared in many TV shows and Hollywood movies. Tours of the stately “Big House,” built from 18371839 and decorated with period furniture, provide a look at a bygone era. An artifact room that just opened in January has some pieces original to the house.

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On the Oak Alley grounds, groups can see a reconstructed slave quarters with an exhibit about its occupants, Civil War and sugarcane exhibits, and the blacksmith shop housing the plantation’s original forge. The West Pavilion banquet facility serves a Cajun buffet lunch for groups of 25+.

Tours of nearby Laura Plantation, with its 1805 Creole main house and original 1840s slave cabins, are based on the memoirs of Laura Locoul, the original owner’s greatgranddaughter. Her hand-written manuscript from 1936 was rediscovered in 1993 and

offers rare, first-hand glimpses into life on a sugarcane estate in Creole Louisiana. Visitors also learn that the Br’er Rabbit tales, which originated in West Africa, were recorded in the slave dwellings at Laura and neighboring plantations.

Last year a permanent museum exhibit, From the Big House to the Quarters: Slavery on Laura Plantation, was opened in a restored overseer's cottage. One room holds a large collection of slave purchase documents and rare photographs that help bring to light the names and faces of long-forgotten people.

Oak Alley

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

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Visitors learn the personal stories of individual slaves such as Lucy, bought as an 8-year-old girl to be the slave companion of the master’s daughter. For more than 20 years, Laura Plantation has been at the forefront of interpreting the experience of enslaved people in Creole Louisiana.

Also in Vacherie is St. Joseph Plantation, a working sugarcane plantation dating back to 1830 and owned by the same family since 1877; many docents are family members who proudly share their heritage. Tours include the raised Creole manor house, a detached kitchen, slave cabins and other dependencies.

Among the period furnishings are a square baby grand piano and 1840 Melodeon organ.

Famed architect Henry Hobson Richardson was born on the plantation in 1838, at which time it was known as Priestly Plantation.

Exhibits at St. Joseph include tokens used to pay freed slaves who labored there after the Civil War, old farm equipment and a short film on growing and processing sugarcane.

Destrehan Plantation, the oldest documented plantation home in the Lower Mississippi Valley, is just a 30-minute drive from downtown New Orleans and 10 minutes from Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. The home’s central portion was built from 1787-1790, and the wings were added about 1812. Gracing the grounds are 200-year-old live oaks bearded with Spanish moss. After a 45-minute house tour conducted by costumed guides, there’s a demonstration of a period craft like indigodyeing, quilting and weaving, or perhaps a look at African-American herbal remedies or 18th and 19th century fashions. Of special note is an original document signed by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Museum exhibits showcase the 1811 slave revolt and Rost Home Colony, a program established by the Union Army to teach newly freed slaves various trades so they could transition into a self-sufficient life.

San Francisco Plantation House in Garyville, built in 1854 in the flamboyant Steamboat Gothic style, is billed as “the most opulent plantation house in North America.”

Decorated in vivid colors, it features artistically-painted ceilings and door panels, faux marbling and faux wood graining, not to mention an enviable collection of fine antiques. The house was so distinctive that it inspired novelist Frances Parkinson Keyes to write Steamboat Gothic, a story about the LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

family she imagined lived there. Viewed from some angles, the galleried house, a vision in cream and turquoise, resembles the ornate, yet graceful superstructure of a Mississippi riverboat. Guides in period attire take visitors through all 14 rooms on a 45-minute tour that includes live oak-shaded grounds containing an 1840s slave cabin and 1830s schoolhouse.

Houmas House, located in Darrow, once farmed sugarcane on tens of thousands of acres and became the largest sugar producer

in the country. The estate was so grand that the home was known as “The Sugar Palace.”

Today called the “Crown Jewel of Louisiana’s River Road,” it offers tours of the mansion and lush gardens, which are replanted throughout the year to reflect the seasons.

Houmas House has three restaurants, including the world-class Latil’s Landing and a casual lunch spot, Cafe Burnside.

For information on these and other historic homes in New Orleans Plantation Country, call 866-204-7782 or log on to visitnopc.com. LGT

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LOUISIANA TOUR IDEAS

NORTHWEST LOUISIANA’S BOOM OR BUST BYWAY

Scenic splendor, outdoor recreation, historical attractions and specially designed group experiences await travelers The Boom or Bust Byway, a 136-mile scenic route, features sunflowers and other blooms, along with many historical attractions and remnants of failed oil and gas ventures.

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unning through four Northwest Louisiana parishes, the Boom or Bust Byway follows Route 2 and is defined by the Louisiana/Texas border and Highway 3049 on the west and Lake Claiborne on the east. Although much of Louisiana is known for a rich heritage comprising multiple ethnicities, the parishes of Caddo, Bossier, Webster and Claiborne have a slightly different story to tell.

Along the 136-mile scenic route, group travelers will witness prosperity to poverty and a return to prosperity by Northwest Louisiana’s resilient people. The drive is filled with spectacular scenery highlighted by colorful wildflowers. With towering pines as a backdrop, sunflowers and other blooming plants create a sense of relaxation. In appreciation for the beauty the sunflower brings to the area, the good folks of Gilliam hold an annual Sunflower Trail and Festival in mid-June.

The bayous and country churches also contribute to the byway’s beauty, but there’s another side to this boom or bust story. There had been oil busts as far back as the 1980s, 52

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but those that occurred in 2015 and 2016 greatly impacted Louisiana along with five other states. A reminder of that bust is the oil field equipment graveyards that dot the byway.

The good news is prosperity is returning with oil and natural gas production booming.

The forestry and agricultural industries are also prospering after surviving hard times from overharvesting forests to floods and draught impacting crops.

Although the scenic drive alone is worth venturing to this corner of Louisiana, there are plenty of reasons to stop and discover its unique treasures. Here are just a few attractions along the way: The impact of oil on the region is interpreted at the Louisiana State Oil & Gas Museum in Oil City. Focusing on the early history of the oil industry, the museum tells the story through photographs, films and life-size dioramas. Across the street is a collection of machinery, rigs and equipment.

In Vivian the Vivian Railroad Station Museum depicts the area’s history and culture.

Built in 1921 by the Kansas Southern Railway, the station is on the National Register of Historic Places. Railroad lore is shared through both rotating and permanent exhibits.

Plain Dealing may have the most interesting town name of any in the region, but it’s the downtown experience that draws visitors. The original storefronts on its main street (Palmetto Street) still house businesses, and there are several lovely churches and 1800s homes downtown. The mural on the building next to the drugstore tells the story of transportation’s importance to the area.

In Benton, Heritage Village provides a glimpse at how people lived at the turn of the 20th century. The 1845 Hughes Home, 1884 Heath Log Cabin and 1900s One-Room School relocated from Rocky Mount are each worth a stop.

Shreveport and Bossier City are no strangers to the “bust” that flooding can bring to a community. Possibly, it was the area’s gamble that crops would survive or oil and gas would return that brought a half-dozen >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

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casinos to Shreveport and Bossier City. It’s the hardy attitude of the community that always brings “boom” back.

Besides the casinos’ gaming floors and entertainment stages, many individual businesses are contributing to the boom. Along with the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau, those businesses are offering specially designed group experiences. Here are just a few to tempt you: • The Great Create takes place at Agora Borealis. Amidst the 150 artists’ creations that are on display, groups get to show off their creative talents. Prior to the activity a local artist shares a little about his or her work and passion.

• How can you say no to The Perfect Pair – Wine and Chocolate Tasting? The Chocolate Crocodile, a locally owned shop at the Louisiana Boardwalk Outlets, provides the chocolates. A wine expert fills you in with fun facts and how to create excellent pairings. Jimmy’s Seafood & Steak at Margaritaville Resort and Casino is your host.

• Black contributions have been important to the area’s history and culture. To learn more, there’s no better group experience than The Art and Soul of Shreveport. Journey to the Southern University Museum of Art to hear the stories, sights and sounds of black life in Shreveport.

• Whether you begin or end with Louisiana Archaeological Treasures, it should be part of your byway experience. It’s at the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum, where you’ll dig into the area’s history and discover hidden gems from the past.

For more on group experiences and itineraries in the ShreveportBossier City area, visit shreveport-bossier.org. To learn more about the Boom or Bust Byway, go to boomorbustbyway.com. —By Dave Bodle

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LOUISIANA TOUR IDEAS

Boogie at These Vibrant Louisiana Music Venues From the jazz clubs of New Orleans to the zydeco road houses of Lafayette, the following music attractions will keep your groups tapping their feet

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o visit Louisiana is to indulge all five senses. Groups can treat their taste buds with spicy Creole cuisine or appreciate the timeless French architecture, and they can also hear perhaps the state’s greatest cultural contribution: music.

It’s no exaggeration to claim that contemporary Western music is fundamentally unrecognizable without the development of jazz, blues and zydeco in the juke joints and music halls of the region’s bayous. The state has produced legends such as Allen Toussaint and Dr. John, and young performers continue to cut their teeth in the state’s dozens of live venues. Every Louisiana visit requires some engagement with this quintessential art, whether through museums, festivals or the venues where it originated.

Considered America’s one truly original art form, jazz mirrors the character of Louisiana itself. Just as the state’s history blends plantation culture and European colonialism, so the music is an improvisatory mixture of West African rhythms, French quadrilles and Southern roots music. Groups can learn about the genre’s legacy at the New Orleans Jazz Museum at the Old U.S. Mint. This preserved Greek Revival compound houses Louis Armstrong’s trumpet and ragtime sheet music, and local bands frequently perform on property. From there, recruit a National Park Service staff member to lead a Jazz History Walking Tour past 11 historic jazz landmarks.

Stops include Congo Square (a Tremé plaza famous for its jazz funerals), J&M Recording Studio (which welcomed legends like Fats Domino and Little Richard) and the Tango Belt (the famous entertainment district where jazz was popularized in the 1920s).

However, nothing surpasses the live jazz experience. New Orleans is teeming with legendary venues and up-and-coming clubs awaiting your discovery. Your first priority 54

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should be Preservation Hall, whose unassuming tavern exterior in the heart of the French Quarter undersells the energetic evenings hosted five nights a week. Groups crowd the stage and sit on modest benches to listen to improvised sets from the legendary Preservation Hall Jazz Band—the house band and brainchild of famed New Orleans tuba player Allen Jaffe.

For a more elegant setting, consider the white tablecloths and bistro chairs of the Palm Court Jazz Café. Housed in a refurbished French Market warehouse, the space books Dixieland bands, torch singers and brass soloists on its intimate stage, while your group can partake in Creole specialties like beef indienne and crawfish nantua.

Smaller groups and fans of trad (short for traditional) jazz quartets should grab a bench and craft cocktail at Fritzel’s European Jazz Club. A Bourbon Street mainstay since 1969, the narrow space harkens back to traditional juke joints with its exposed brick walls, cramped bar and musicians playing the Great American Songbook. Not all New Orleans music is trapped in the 20th century— listen to cutting-edge younger artists in the Faubourg Marigny neighborhood. Removed from the glitz and tourists of the French Quarter, this unassuming local hangout features smaller clubs favored by up-and-coming artists. Here your group can listen to brass bands on Frenchman Street, catch an intimate set at the Snug Harbor and listen to blues revivalists at d.b.a.

New Orleans’ signature art form is also featured in many festivals for groups to consider, most notably the Jazz & Heritage Festival held every spring. Twelve stages erected in the city’s fairgrounds feature not

Palm Court Jazz Café

only jazz but gospel, R&B and funk, and the festival partners with local hotels to package tickets, lodging and transportation for groups.

Undervalued but no less in important in bayou culture is zydeco music. A rustic amalgamation of French Creole folk and two-step shuffle, it deploys unusual instruments such as accordions and washboards to create a raucous sound found nowhere else in American music. Groups seeking out this distinctly Louisiana genre should prioritize a visit to Lafayette, home to the century-old Blue Moon Saloon. A bric-a-brac interior that features Christmas tree lights and highway signage welcomes local favorites like the Lost Bayou Ramblers, and your group can either boogie on the dance floor or relax with a drink on the outdoor rocking chairs.

Also consider a zydeco breakfast at Buck and Johnny’s in nearby Breaux Bridge. This formerly abandoned auto repair shop is now a multi-use event space that welcomes local Cajun acts, and group members disinclined to dance can try a craft cocktail at the Filling Station bar. For a step into history, venture 30 minutes north to Miller’s Zydeco Hall of Fame in the small town of Lawtell. Legendary performers like B.B. King and Clifton Chenier have graced this modest dancehall’s stage, and the venue continues to draw national acts for its signature weekend sets. If your group happens to be in Lafayette on Labor Day weekend, stop by the Original Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival. The annual event draws thousands for it live music, craft fair and Creole cuisine provided by local restaurants.

—By Miles Dobis >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

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ARKANSAS TOUR IDEAS

Throughout the state, group organizers will discover educational and entertaining additions to their itineraries

Arkansas History & Heritage Trail

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he number of significant historical events that occurred in Arkansas may surprise a first-time visitor to the Natural State. From the Trail of Tears to the Civil War to westward expansion, there’s a journey awaiting you. Here are just a few of the three dozen sites on the Arkansas History & Heritage Trail.

CONWAY Cardon Settlement Park is on the National Register of Historic Places. Included are the Blockhouse restoration, the Cherokee Trail of Tears exhibit, a historical mural of this pioneer settlement, interpretive signs, a pavilion and picnic facilities.

FAYETTEVILLE Trail of Tears Park & Historic Site is the place where 1,200 Cherokee camped on the Trail of Tears march from their homeland in the southern Appalachian Mountains to what is now Oklahoma. The park is 4.5 landscaped acres of trees, grasses and plants found along the state’s Trail of Tears route. A stone sculpture and plaque memorialize their journey.

FORDYCE Marks’ Mills Battleground State Park highlights an April 1864 battle in which a Confederate cavalry captured a Union supply train and the brigade of Federal troops guarding it.

FORT SMITH Fort Smith National Historic Site contains the remains of two frontier garrisons and preserves 80 years of history. Exhibits include Hangin’ Judge Isaac C. Parker’s courtroom, jails and gallows. From 1873 to 1896 there were more than 86 hangings. The original fort was a stop on the National Trail of Tears Scenic Route and played an important role in the Civil War. As a strategic point for both sides, it was seized by Confederates in April 1863 and recaptured by Union troops two years later.

LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism

By Dave Bodle

Historic Washington State Park, a re-created 19th century town, transports travelers back to simpler times.

Fort Smith Museum of History features a variety of exhibits on the area’s rich past, including an old-fashioned drug store complete with a working soda fountain.

GILLETT Arkansas Post National Memorial represents the first European settlement in the lower Mississippi Valley region. It was acquired by the United States as part of the 1803 Louisiana Purchase. The park contains the battlefield where Union troops defeated undermanned Confederates. Arkansas Post’s vibrant history is told at the park’s museum.

HELENA-WEST HELENA The Delta Cultural Center exhibits highlight the lifestyle and history of the Delta.

The popular Delta Sounds exhibit features blues and other music with area roots. Part of the center is located in a 1912 train depot where bluesmen once played. Other permanent exhibits feature the Civil War in the Arkansas Delta. Heritage of Determination is an overview of the Delta’s history with emphasis on overcoming hardships, disasters and setbacks. Another exhibit pays tribute to the country’s longest-running daily blues radio show, King Biscuit Time.

Fort Curtis is a reproduction of the Union Civil War fort, whose heritage includes Federal occupation, seven Confederate generals and an encampment for thousands of freed slaves. The fort played a pivotal role in the siege of Vicksburg with a Union victory in July 1863.

JACKSONVILLE Jacksonville Museum of Military History, housed on the grounds of the WWII Arkansas Ordinance Administration Building, explores both the Civil War battlefield and home front.

Exhibits cover the Civil War Battle of Reed’s Bridge, a 3-D Gulf War outpost, an interactive Titan II Missile Launch control exhibit and other events.

LITTLE ROCK MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History is located in the tower of the Old Arsenal, a National Historic Landmark. This 1880 birthplace of General Douglas MacArthur presents Arkansas military history from territorial days to the present.

WASHINGTON Historic Washington State Park recreates and interprets a 19th century town between the years of 1824 and 1875. The Morrison Tavern Inn, a blacksmith shop where the first Bowie knife was forged, residences and a steam-powered gin, along with a museum, highlight the community. The Old Southwest Trail passed through the town and brought famous travelers Jim Bowie, Sam Houston and Davy Crockett. Williams Tavern Restaurant serves Southern favorites for lunch.

From wine and blues to brews and BBQ, Arkansas has almost a dozen trails, including a not-to-be-missed Pie Trail. Begin planning online at arkansas.com/travel-tools/trips-trails.

For itinerary assistance, visit arkansas.com/ group-travel/tr. LGT April 2018

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ARKANSAS TOUR IDEAS

Human Rights Sites Historical venues focus on the fight for equality

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he eyes of the world were watching in 1957 when nine black students were escorted by federal troops past a mob of integration protesters and walked through the doors of all-white Little Rock Central High School for the first time. Landmark events during that high-profile desegregation crisis played a major role in America’s civil rights movement.

Though Central High School National Historic Site is the best known, other sites throughout Arkansas recall past injustices and the struggle for equality. For example, markers commemorate the indignities suffered by Native Americans along the Trail of Tears in the 1830s, and two attractions shed light on an almost forgotten chapter in 20th century history—the internment of JapaneseAmericans during World War II. In Little Rock, a museum/visitor center operated by the National Park Service tells the story of the Central High confrontation, in which Gov. Orville Faubus used the state’s National Guard to block desegregation and thwart the Little Rock Nine, as the defiant African-American students were known. On

September 24, 1957, President Dwight D. Eisenhower ordered units of the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division—the “Screaming Eagles”—into Little Rock and federalized the Arkansas National Guard. In a televised speech delivered to the nation, Eisenhower stated, “Mob rule cannot be allowed to override the decisions of the courts.” The 101st Airborne left in October, and the federalized National Guard troops remained throughout the year.

Group tours include the high school itself (across the street) on days when it’s in session.

Today Central High, with an enrollment of more than 2,500, is 54 percent black. The former visitor center, a retro-looking former Mobil/Magnolia gas station located between the current visitor center and the school, is being developed into an educational center for the historic site. (nps.gov/chsc) The Arkansas Civil Rights History Audio Tour, available on iTunes at littlerock.com, will guide you to 30 other important sites in the downtown Little Rock area. Sidewalk plaques honoring Freedom Riders, sit-in activists and former President Bill Clinton Central High School National Historic Site

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A restored gas station is part of Central High School National Historic Site in Little Rock, Arkansas.

are found along the Arkansas Civil Rights Heritage Walk, which goes from West Markham Street to the Clinton Presidential Library.

The World War II Japanese American Internment Center Museum in McGehee, with its exhibit Against Their Will, opened in 2013 to chronicle the plight of 17,000 American citizens of Japanese descent who were put in camps in the aftermath of the Pearl Harbor bombing. The Arkansas camps were in the nearby towns of Rohwer and Jerome. Rohwer Relocation Center Cemetery, a National Historic Site 12 miles north of McGehee, has interpretive kiosks and wayside panels with audio narration

by Star Trek actor George Takei, who was interned with his family in the camp, which was surrounded by barbed wire and armed guards. Also on the grounds are monuments sculpted by camp residents. (rohwer.astate.edu) The Trail of Tears is the name given the route used by five Indian tribes forced to relocate from the southeastern United States to Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma).

All five tribes—the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek and Seminole—passed through Arkansas, and their journey is marked at locations across the state. On the North Shore Riverwalk in North Little Rock, the Trail of Tears Exhibit runs parallel to the Arkansas River, commemorating a significant station on the infamous trail. Other Trail of Tears sites are mentioned in “Discover Arkansas’ Native American Past” on page 58. (arkansasheritagetrails.com/tears) —By Randy Mink >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

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Like the sun breaking over the horizon, our trip to Little Rock was inspiring.

Touring the Clinton Presidential Center and seeing the Anne Frank Tree sapling, then visiting Heifer Village and learning about their work to end hunger and poverty using sustainable practices was impressive and empowering.

Catching a great exhibit at the Arkansas Arts Center and a stirring performance at the beautiful, new Robinson Center â&#x20AC;&#x201D; who knew? You can enjoy all this and more in Little Rock.

Clinton Presidential Center > To see more visit LittleRock.com PHOTO COURTESY CLINTON FOUNDATION

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ARKANSAS TOUR IDEAS

Discover Arkansas’ Native American Past Explore museums, state parks and other places that preserve the region’s native cultures

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erived from the Quapaw word meaning “southern place,” Arkansas was inhabited by five distinct Native American civilizations for millennia before European settlers arrived in the 16th century.

These cultures were nearly extinguished from centuries of Western disease and forced relocation, but their traditions and art are still accessible throughout the state. Museums, historic sites and tribal centers all welcome visitors to experience these cultures.

Thirty minutes southeast of Little Rock is Toltec Mounds Archaeological State Park, a heritage site that preserves the work of a culture known as the Plum Bayou people.

Believed to have occupied the area between 650 and 1050 A.D., they used these earthen embankments for civic events and religious ceremonies. While only three mounds survive, the area was originally a large 18-mound government complex that aligned with the solstice and equinox and was surrounded by an eight-foot-tall ridge that remains. Groups can enjoy the park’s two trails, Mound Pond boardwalk and Plum Bayou Garden, a living demonstration of the plants and raw materials the ancient people drew upon for food and medicine.

Farther north is Parkin Archaeological State Park, believed to be the remains of the city Casqui and site of a meeting with Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto in 1541.

Located at the fertile confluence of the St. Francis and Tyronza rivers, the village was an important trading hub for the Mississippian people who occupied modern-day northern Arkansas. Park rangers can accompany groups to show how the city was divided into “neighborhoods,” explain the ancient sport of chunkey and indicate areas of ongoing excavation and research. The accompanying visitor center includes an interpretive costume area, auditorium and exhibits filled with rare Spanish artifacts.

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See rare items at Parkin Archaeological State Park’s visitor center.

journey that spans 14,000 years. Located in Bentonville—once a rich hunting ground for the Osage Nation—the museum features ancient artifacts belonging to Ice Age hunters, Mississippian pottery and elaborate artifacts from pre-Columbian Mayan and Incan civilizations. Audio wands are available for self-guided tours and will provide detailed information on blankets, woodworking tools and the Sweetwater Biface, a notable innovation in arrowhead design first perfected by the Caddoan Ozark tribes.

Named for the famous Cherokee linguist, the Sequoyah National Research Center in Little Rock is the largest assemblage of Native American expression in the world.

Massive storage areas contain tribal newspapers, poetry, history books and paintings, with University of Arkansas at Little Rock faculty often on-hand to answer questions about the collection. The adjacent gallery houses rotating exhibits that showcase everything from childhood toys to medicine. Also in Little Rock is the Historic Arkansas Museum, a restored 1827 tavern that houses the permanent exhibit We Walk in Two Worlds: The Caddo, Osage & Quapaw in Arkansas.

Representatives from the three tribes were consulted for this collection of 158 objects that runs chronologically and examines agriculture, art and spirituality in southeastern Native American culture.

The Ozark plateaus and Ouachita Mountains northwest of Little Rock feature pockets of rock shelters and caves inhabited by native peoples 8,000 years ago. A short quarter-mile hike will bring your group in touch with these ancient tribes with a walk through Rock House Cave in Petit Jean State Park. This hollowed-out archway contains over 100 pigmented images drawn on the walls and ceiling depicting bear claws,

salmon and other animals of spiritual importance. A local guide can explain the lifestyles and art of ancient Ozark residents, and additional trails will pass by the Arkansas River and Lake Bailey fishing sites used by the tribes.

Unfortunately, Arkansas is also pocked by many reminders of the Trail of Tears, a tragic forced removal of Chickasaw, Cherokee and Seminole people from their native lands in the 1830s. Families were often separated or forced to walk hundreds of miles from the southeastern U.S. to modern-day Oklahoma through Arkansas Territory, and thousands died during the journey. Preserved reminders of that tragic chapter in American history remain throughout the state, most notably at Cadron Settlement Park. This preserved military settlement sheltered a group of emigrating Cherokees who were struck by a cholera epidemic, and the site includes over 50 unidentifiable Native American graves.

The property also includes a trading post and Trail of Tears exhibit that explains Arkansas’ involvement in the Indian Removal Act. Groups further interested in Trail of Tears history should visit Little Rock’s Mount Holly Cemetery, site of Quatie Ross’ gravestone. The wife of Cherokee chief John Ross, Quatie died near Little Rock in 1839 when she gave her blanket to a freezing child. Her original gravestone remains along with a memorial, where your group can leave sacred tokens in the Cherokee tradition. For a more in-depth exploration of 19th century Native American life, consider the National Park Service’s Trail of Tears National Historic Trail. The route shadows the path refugees walked nearly two centuries ago, from the Delta Cultural Center along the Mississippi River to Fort Smith National Historic Site on the Arkansas-Oklahoma border.

—By Miles Dobis >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

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Latest

& Greatest

centraL region

St. Louis National Park Renamed • Missouri

Pizza Hut Museum to Open in Wichita • Kansas

Opening June 23 at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul, the exhibition Somalis + Minnesota will explore Somali culture, from traditional life in Africa, through the massive migration that began after the outbreak of civil war in the 1990s, to today’s well-estab-

The National Park Service has announced that Jefferson National Expansion Memorial is now Gateway Arch National Park, better communicating to the public its status as a national park and home of the internationally recognized Gateway Arch.

“The name ‘Jefferson National Expansion Memorial’ was established long before the Gateway Arch was envisioned, and has simply never been adopted by our millions of visitors,” says Mike Ward, the park’s superintendent. “We hope this new name will best reflect the magnificent renovations and visitor experience we will unveil in a few months.”

The new Museum at the Gateway Arch and a new visitor center open July 3, and the grounds have undergone major landscaping changes that better connect the site to the riverfront and downtown St. Louis. Besides viewing museum exhibits on westward

The very first Pizza Hut building, soon to be Wichita’s newest museum, will tell the story of the world-famous pizza chain, which was started in 1958 by two Wichita State University students, brothers Dan and Frank Carney. Located on the WSU campus, the museum is set to open this summer and will include artifacts and the humble story behind the local business’s rise to become the world’s largest pizza franchise. The original Pizza Hut building, which had been on the campus since 1986, was moved to the school’s Innovation Campus last September. Dan Carney is donating his sizeable collection of Pizza Hut mementos and artifacts to the new museum.

The building's structure influenced the name of what would become a well-known international chain. The building had a sign that would only accommodate nine characters. The brothers wanted to use "Pizza" in the name and that left room for only three more letters. A family member suggested that the building looked like a hut—and Pizza Hut was born. Pizza Hut today has 6,300 locations in the U.S. and 16,000 worldwide, with locations in 16 countries.

Minnesota Historical Society

Museum to Focus on Somali Community • Minnesota

lished Minnesota Somali community, the largest in the U.S. The exhibit was developed in partnership with the Somali Museum of Minnesota in Minneapolis, which houses a collection of more than 700 pieces and offers a wide range of educational programs about Somali culture. Visitors will see a reconstructed nomadic hut imported from Somalia, meet Somali Minnesotans through videos and interactive photo panels, and learn about Somalia's history through photographs and objects brought to life through commentary by Somali historians now living in Minnesota. A hands-on activity will show visitors how to load a camel for travel across the desert.

Grants to Benefit Tourism Entities • Indiana

Rent a Tesla at Mall of America • Minnesota TREVLS, the Twin Cities-based exclusive rental company of Tesla automobiles, is now open for business at Mall of America in Bloomington. A fleet of over 20 vehicles (including the Model S and Model X) are available for visitors to drive, and attendants will explain the innovative tech available in every Tesla automobile. Opened to coincide when Minneapolis hosted the Super Bowl, the rental car service is located in the Mall’s North Garden, with Tesla retail products such as shorts and hats also available for sale.

Model S rentals start at $75 for an hour, $95 for two hours and $195 for a day. Model X rentals will be $150 an hour, $175 for two, or $350 for all day. Weekend and weekly rental rates are also available.

LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

expansion and riding a tram to the top of the Arch, visitors can see exhibits in the Old Courthouse, part of the park and famous as the site of the Dred Scott trial, in which slaves Dred and Harriet Scott sued for their freedom in 1846.

The Indiana Office of Tourism Development (IOTD) has announced that matching grants have been awarded to the Indiana Railway Museum and City of Jeffersonville.

The railway museum in French Lick was given $250,000 to restore and refurbish two historic first-class passenger cars. Completion of the project will allow it to increase train service between French Lick and Jasper.

The museum will provide regular dinner train service, run private dinner trains and expand special events, such as The Polar Express Train.

The City of Jeffersonville was awarded $220, 000 for the development of its Arts and Cultural District. The money will be used to create a home for artists, makers, historians, inventors and others to have workspace in underutilized buildings and greenspaces. The matching grant will allow shipping containers to become artisan cubes and rail cars to become restaurants.

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CENTRAL

REGION

5

DELIGHTFUL

MIDWEST

TOWNS

Experience big-city activities without abandoning small-town comfort

By Ben Lashar

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Some of America’s most relaxing small towns and hamlets are comfortably tucked into the Midwest. Big cities and coastal tourist hubs are nice but also hectic. Vacations are first and foremost about relaxing, and for relaxation, these friendly towns cannot be beat.

SAUGATUCK, MICHIGAN Resort towns either lean more rural or urban, but in Saugatuck natural and manmade attractions exist in perfect symbiosis. A good example is Mount Baldhead. While the 600-foothigh sand dune is an incredible feat of nature, a small abandoned Cold War radio tower with a large white ball on top gives the dune its character and namesake.

The 300-step climb to reach the top of Mount Baldhead might be difficult for some, but it’s worth it for the view from the area’s highest point. To get down, you can either take a scenic stroll through the majestic forest that keeps Mount Baldhead from blowing away or madly dash directly down the dune’s side. Either way, continue on to find Oval Beach and its beautiful view of Lake Michigan.

There are plenty of manmade wonders to experience in Saugatuck as well, such as the majesty of coffee. Make sure to start the day at Uncommon Coffee Roasters, which imports beans from over a half-a-dozen countries, including Guatemala, Honduras and Ethiopia. In order to assure fair treatment, Uncommon buys directly from small farms in these regions, visiting them whenever possible. This ensures guilt-free coffee with gourmet taste.

Once you’re good and caffeinated, discover why Saugatuck is called the “Art Coast of Michigan.”

It is impossible to walk from one street to another without discovering a piece of public art or a gallery. The best work usually resides at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts. The center features its own theater company, a variety of film festivals, and a gallery showcasing the best of both local and visiting artists.

LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

Visitors to Saugatuck can peruse art galleries and take a lazy cruise down the Kalamazoo River.

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MADISON

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MADISON, INDIANA Due to its location on the Ohio River in southeastern Indiana, Madison was a thriving port back in the 1800s. When the railroad rendered river trading obsolete, Madison fiercely stuck to its roots. In time, this led to what the Chicago Tribune calls the “best preserved town in the Midwest.” Madison continually earns the title though preserving its culture and nature.

History buffs can see Civil War lore on display at the Jefferson County Historical Museum.

Nature lovers can hike along one of Clifty Falls State Park’s scenic trails or drive half an hour for horseback riding at Shilo Farms.

However, the unassuming town hides a dark secret. Madison is also known for preserving the spirits of the dead. Locals tell tales of an unseen woman crying for help at the Historic Broadway Hotel and Tavern, strange floating lights at the Ohio Theater and deceased inmates never released from Old County Jail. Brave visitors should consider the “Ghosts of Madison” tour, the haunted river walk and the haunted pub crawl.

STILLWATER, MINNESOTA There are many great perspectives from which to view Stillwater. While exploring terra firma, it is best visit one of Stillwater’s beautiful parks, the most unique being Teddy Bear Park.

The park’s namesake comes from its numerous cuddly teddy bear statues as large as, and sometimes larger than, people. The figures warm the heart of kids and adults alike. After the park, visit some of Stillwater’s over 100 independently owned stores. Not the least of which is Nelson’s Ice Cream. Daily Meal calls the 95-year-old shop one of the world’s 25 best ice cream stores.

True ice cream fanatics should attempt the five-scoop Lumberjack Challenge and become immortalized in Nelson’s Hall of Fame.

Afterwards, take to the water and experience the St. Croix River, perfect for any kind of aquatic experience. Adventure-seekers can tour up and down the river with a kayak or let loose with a speedboat. Those looking for a more relaxing or romantic venture can leisurely cruise on a paddlewheel boat or a personal gondola.

Travelers can even sail through the air on a hot air balloon ride with Stillwater Balloons.

Experience Stillwater’s glimmering bodies of water and forests from a perspective usually reserved for birds. Flyers might even see sights in the Twin Cities, about 20 miles away. Every flight comes to a close with a champagne toast on landing. >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

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ST. GENEVIEVE, MISSOURI As Missouri’s oldest settlement, St. Genevieve is a city of stories. The town’s welcome center provides a quick glance at St. Genevieve’s history. Travelers can also visit the Bolduc House Museum to hear more stories about what St. Genevieve was like under Native American, French, Spanish and American rule. To touch a piece of that history, visit the Anvil Saloon. In 1855 a steamboat got stuck on a sandbar in the Mississippi River. Desperate to lose weight, the crew unloaded a huge piece of carved maple. To this day that piece of maple has served as the bar for the Anvil Saloon, one of the town’s best places to dine.

While St. Genevieve has no shortage of fascinating historical tales, some of the area’s most interesting stories come from Izzy, Thor and Gracie: the tigers from Crown Ridge Tiger Sanctuary outside of town.

The sanctuary is a rescue facility for tigers previously kept in horrible conditions. Instead of breeding the tigers or exploiting them for profit, Crown Ridge’s mission is the fair treatment of big cats. A variety of tours allow people to meet and possibly even feed Izzy, Thor and Gracie.

In the fall, Cedarburg has its own Oktoberfest, held the second full weekend of October. Like all good Oktoberfest celebrations, it is not just an excuse to drink beer but also a celebration of German culture. Oktoberfest features everything from German food and music to a best lederhosen contest.

Cedarburg’s spring festival, Cedarbrew, showcases the best of the town’s restaurants and distilleries. It’s a great way to support local businesses and fill your stomach at the same time. Cedarbrew is held the second

Friday of April.

Every summer during the last full weekend of June, 100,000 visitors come to Cedarburg’s Strawberry Festival. Chow down on every kind of food that pairs with strawberries, be it classics like strawberry shortcake or a surprise like strawberry brats.

Once you’ve had your fill of strawberries, indulge in the music, shopping and artist showcase. Or visit year-round attractions like Wayne’s Drive In, a 1950s-style diner and rollerblading rink; or award-winning Cedar Creek Winery. LGT

CEDARBURG, WISCONSIN One place where the word “festive” is completely appropriate is Cedarburg, thanks to its huge lineup of festivals. The Winter Festival, held the third full weekend of February, features outdoor music, hayrides and ice sculpture contests. If it’s getting too nippy out, beer tasting, a chili contest and the hearty pancake breakfast are sure to warm you up.

ST. GENEVIEVE LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

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int’l Residences of

ROYAL LONDON Palatial estates cast a sPell on visitoRs looking foR the stuff of faiRy tales

St. George’s Hall at Windsor Castle makes a spectacular setting for a state banquet.

Royal Collection Trust © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth/Mark Fiennes

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s Britain prepares for the May wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle, the eyes of royal-watchers are trained on London. Here’s a selection of castles and palaces, together with some amazing gardens in and around London, that monarchs have lived in over the centuries. They’re all perfect for groups.

Buckingham Palace has been the London residence of the monarch since Queen Victoria came to the throne in 1837. The history of the building and site actually goes back to the early 1600s. The palace has been altered and modernized in several phases and now comprises some 775 rooms.

Buckingham Palace is the working headquarters for the British monarchy, and HM Queen Elizabeth II carries out many of her official and ceremonial duties here.

Traditionally, important royal occasions, such as the wedding of Prince William to Catherine Middleton, are celebrated here, too.

Each summer, when the palace is not being used in its official capacity, the 19 State Rooms are opened to visitors. This year, the summer opening of Buckingham Palace will include an exhibition marking the 70th birthday of Prince Charles, and visits can be combined with a “Garden Highlights Tour.” Groups of 15 people or more receive a 10 percent discount on the price of admission.

Right by Buckingham Palace is The Royal Mews – one of the finest working stables in existence – and home to the carriages and cars that have transported the royal family since the early 19th century. Visitors can see the carriages used for occasions such as state visits and royal weddings, and among the historic vehicles on display are the spectacular Diamond Jubilee State Coach, first used to convey Her Majesty The Queen to the State Opening of Parliament in 2014, and the 1902 State Landau, which transported the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace after their wedding ceremony. Most dazzling of all is the Gold State Coach, which has been used at every coronation since that of George IV in 1821. Details on which carriage may be used on Prince Harry and Meghan’s wedding day have not been released as yet. Groups of 15 people or more enjoy a 10 percent discount and can take a free guided tour with the wardens to learn more about the work needed to prepare for major state and ceremonial occasions.

Another royal home in the capital city is LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

Royal Collection Trust © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Buckingham Palace, seen here from the garden, opens up its State Rooms to the public for two months every summer.

Kensington Palace. Since William III and Mary II lived there in the 1680s, it has been transformed into a fashionable home for Britain’s young royal families. Queen Victoria spent her childhood here before moving to Buckingham Palace. More recent inhabitants have included Diana, Princess of Wales, and Princess Margaret. Currently, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children, and Prince Harry reside at Kensington Palace. There’s lots for visiting groups to see, from the King’s State Apartments and colorful gardens to exhibitions including the popular Diana: Her Fashion Story (until October 2018) and newly re-opened Victoria Revealed.

On the banks of the River Thames in central London stands one of Britain’s most famous fortresses. The Tower of London was built as a luxurious palace by Henry III in the 13th century before it became a prison.

On a visit you will discover its rich past, including tales of murder, stories of imprisonment and execution, and the history of its menagerie of wild animals. See the collection of spectacular Crown Jewels and learn about the Yeoman Warders (Beefeaters) and the ravens. Groups of 15 or more people receive discounted entry.

Travel upstream from central London to Richmond and two more royal palaces can be found. Thames River Boats sail the route during the summer months. Hampton Court Palace was once the home of King Henry VIII, and over the years all his wives lived there, too. This grand medieval complex of

buildings was expanded in the 17th century

by King William III in a Baroque style, meaning the palace looks surprisingly different when viewed from the front and the back. Audio tours allow groups to select different historic themes, or guides can be booked. The Tudor Kitchen will reopen in May with new interactive technology and sensory experiences to bring the suite of buildings and rooms making up the kitchens to life, like never before. Another highlight of a visit to Hampton Court Palace is the extensive gardens, including its fun maze.

Nearby you can visit Kew Palace, which is now tucked away in the midst of the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew – a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This was the private 18th century retreat for King George II and Queen Caroline, and it’s the smallest of the royal palaces. This year a new exhibition Two Weddings and a Funeral marks 200 years since the death of Queen Charlotte in 1818 and tells the story of her life and marriage.

Objects never seen at Kew before will be on display, including Charlotte’s will, her jewelry and one of her carefully preserved dresses.

Another highlight of a visit is the Royal Kitchens, which are virtually unchanged since 1818 and give an insight into Georgian culinary life. Entry to the palace is included in admission to the Royal Botanical Gardens, although groups can book an additional guided tour with costumed palace experts. At Kew Palace this summer, the Great Pagoda, commissioned by the royal family in the 1760s, is being re-opened after extensive restoration.

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ROYAL WINDSOR All eyes will be on Windsor on May 19 when Prince Harry marries Meghan Markle.

The ceremony will take place at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, which is just one of the buildings that can be seen on a tour of this historic site that dates back 900 years.

The oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world, it is an official residence for Queen Elizabeth II and her favorite home. Groups can tour the castle using a multimedia guide with lively commentary on the castle’s history, and as you tour the magnificent rooms you can talk to staff from the Royal Household, who will explain their work, from arranging a state banquet to restoring the historic interiors following the devastating fire of 1992.

Private guided tours can also be booked

for your group, with one option including a visit to Savill Garden within Windsor Great Park. This beautiful wooded garden extending over 35 acres has a Temperate House dedicated to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and magnificent Rose Garden, which was recently opened by the Queen.

New this year is the “Royal Heritage Tour,” which combines a visit to Savill Garden with a guided tour of Windsor Great Park. One of the team looking after the Crown Estate will step aboard your coach to point out famous sites and notable monuments. And, to finish off, groups have the rare opportunity to disembark from the coach at the top of the Long Walk, with time to admire the view down to Windsor Castle from The Copper Horse statue of George III. For information on Buckingham Palace,

This feature was supplied by GTO Magazine.

For more ideas about group visits in the UK and Europe, read the digital issue online at www.grouptravelorganiser.com.

Tower of London Raven Master

© Historic Royal Palaces

Kensington Palace, King's Gallery

the Royal Mews and Windsor Castle, plus other properties looked after by the Royal Collection Trust – Clarence House in London, Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh and Frogmore House in Windsor – visit royalcollection.org.uk/travel-trade-and-groups.

For information on Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace, Kew Palace and the Tower of London, plus other royal residences looked after by Historic Royal Palaces – Banqueting House in London and Hillsborough Castle in Ireland (currently undergoing renovation and reopening in the summer) – visit hrp.org.uk.

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