South on our radar
New developments give tour planners a variety of fresh new options to offer their groups See what’s creating a buzz in Southern tourism: MULTI-STATE Memphis-based Great American Steamboat Co. has announced the 436guest Steamboat American Queen, the largest paddlewheeler ever built, will offer three- to 10-day river journeys through America’s heartland beginning April 2012. Built by the Delta Queen Steamboat Company in 1995, the 418foot-long vessel is undergoing a multimillion-dollar refurbishment. Memphis’ revitalized Beale Street Landing will be its homeport. Itineraries will be available from Memphis, New Orleans, St. Louis, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Louisville and Chattanooga, with fares starting at $995. Prices will include a preor post-cruise luxury hotel stay, all bottled water and soft drinks, wine and beer at dinner, and complimentary shore excursions in each port of call. (greatamericansteamboatcompany.com) ALABAMA Southern Broadway, best known for its production of The Depot, an original off-Broadway play, has opened a dinner theater on North Main Street in downtown Enterprise. Southern Broadway and Southern Charm Catering will present at least five dinner theaters in 2012. (334-470-6568, southernbroadway.com) LOUISIANA The National World War II Museum just achieved another milestone in its ongoing $300-million expansion project when it unveiled the $3-million
ONLINE EXCLUSIVE North Central Alabama abounds with attractions of interest to religious travel groups. See the article at www.leisuregrouptravel.com/?p=25398.
38 October 2011
Steamboat American Queen will offer journeys from Memphis and other ports.
John E. Kushner Restoration Pavilion. Visitors are now able to see firsthand the techniques conservators use to repair and restore boats, vehicles, weapons and artifacts. The museum also announced its partnership with Gray Line Tours for the “VIP Victory Tour.” Visitors are now able to purchase tickets to any of the museum’s attractions at all of Gray Line’s concierge desks and have the option to purchase tickets with Gray Line and the Natchez all at a discounted packaged price. (504-528-1944, nationalww2museum.org) SOUTH CAROLINA The Pat Boone Family Theater just opened in Myrtle Beach. Located across from Broadway at the Beach, it occupies the former location of the NASCAR Cafe. The grand opening celebration on Oct. 20 will feature appearances by Pat Boone and his family. The Boones will perform daily from Oct. 20 through Oct. 23. Pat Boone will return Dec. 2 through Dec. 4 for special performances featuring songs from his more than five decades of hits. Shows at the 600-seat theater, with HD screen monitors on each side, will star a variety of wellknown performers who appeal to all age groups. (843-213-6880, pbftheater.com)
WEST VIRGINIA The mountains of West Virginia abound with small-town festivals that will enliven any fall tour itinerary, but the biggest annual spectator event is Bridge Day (Oct. 15). More than 80,000 people come to watch as hundreds of brave souls jump or rappel 876 feet off the New River Gorge Bridge. The world’s third-longest single-arch bridge is closed to cars one day a year to hold what’s billed as the largest extreme sports event in the world. More than 200 vendors offer souvenirs and food along the half-mile-long span. Spectators also can take in the action from a number of spots within the gorge, including the National Park observation deck at the New River Gorge Bridge visitors center. (800-927-0263, officialbridgeday.com) Autumn celebrations across the state feature parades, mountain crafts, homegrown vegetables and fruits, Appalachian cloggers, and bluegrass and gospel music. The 75th Mountain State Forest Festival in Elkins (Oct. 1-9) offers more than 100 events, including a lumberjack contest and Irish road bowling. See the state’s largest pumpkins at the West Virginia Pumpkin Festival (Oct. 6-9) in Milton. The 57th West Virginia Black Walnut Festival (Oct. 13-16) in Spencer LeisureGroupTravel.com
includes street concerts and a carnival. For details on these and other fall fests, contact the West Virginia Division of Tourism at wvtourism.com. The Greenbrier, the classic American resort in White Sulphur Springs, has announced plans to revive the luxury train experience in America with the July 2012 debut of The Greenbrier Presidential Express. From Washington, D.C.’s Union Station, guests will board the 15-car train for a five-hour, non-stop trip to White Sulphur Springs. Accommodating up to 240 passengers, the train will feature a board room car, salon car and an open-air observation car. The refurbished cars, built in the 1950s, served as the long distance trains for the Union Pacific and Santa Fe railroads. The resort’s curator, worldrenowned decorator Carleton Varney, president of the Dorothy Draper & Company, and his associate, Brinsley Matthews, have taken The Greenbrier’s signature Dorothy Draper decor and applied it to the train’s interiors and exterior. (greenbrier.com)
RIME TIME
www.greenbrierwv.com • 800-833-2068 LEWISBURG • WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS • RONCEVERTE • ALDERSON • RAINELLE