New Year’s Bucket List Resolutions for the Young at Heart – New Orleans

January 12, 2018Posted in Bus Tours, DestinationsWritten by Shana DattilioLeave a comment

Last week, we introduced our Kentucky Derby bus trip as part one of our New Year’s Bucket List Resolutions for the Young at Heart. This week’s tour destination is “The Big Easy” – New Orleans!

Your October vacation will begin on the road to one of the world’s most exciting cities well known for its nightlife, vibrant live-music scene, and spicy, signature cuisine that reflects its melting pot history of French, Creole, and Cajun cultures. This destination is sure to be unlike any city you’ve ever encountered with its beautifully unique architecture (from Shotgun Houses to Creole Cottages and Raised Center Hall Villas), fascinating history of a city founded by pirates, famous jazz music, and captivating personality. It is nearly impossible to walk down any street in the French Quarter without hearing live music being played either on the street by talented performers, or billowing out of their many bars and jazz clubs. Come fall in love with the character and passion of this lovely city!

Your hotel is conveniently located right in the French Quarter, a walkable series of streets filled with restaurants, music clubs, art galleries, unique shops, and plenty to see and do. On your first full day in The Big Easy, you’ll enjoy a guided sightseeing tour of the fascinating French Quarter, and the beautiful Garden District filled with stately mansions, some of which belong to famous movie stars! Of course, no trip to New Orleans is complete without experiencing some of the mardi gras magic for which the city is famous. Your vacation includes a visit to Mardi Gras World where you’ll learn all about this festive tradition, see former floats and decorations and get a sneak peek at the studio where the floats for the next Mardi Gras are being created. Photo opportunities abound! This evening, the New Orleans fun and tradition continues with a special dinner cruise aboard the Steamboat Natchez! Experience the lively sounds of one of New Orleans’ best (Grammy-nominated) live jazz bands while enjoying a lavish buffet as the sweet Mississippi River breezes and the city skyline slips by. Don’t forget to bring your camera to capture breathtaking views of the city from the water and be sure to visit their museum quality engine room.

Steamboat Natchez, Photo by Bald Eagle Bluff, Flickr

The following morning you’ll enjoy a live jazz brunch in the French Quarter courtyard of the award-winning The Court of Two Sisters. Once you’re all fueled up and ready to go, you’ll pay a visit to the National World War II Museum, a top-rated New Orleans attraction and the #1 thing to do in New Orleans according to TripAdvisor.com. “Offering a compelling blend of sweeping narrative and poignant personal detail, The National WWII Museum features immersive exhibits, multimedia experiences, and an expansive collection of artifacts and first-person oral histories, taking visitors inside the story of the war that changed the world.” The rest of your day is on own to explore all that the city has to offer.

On your final day in New Orleans, you’ll leave the city for an epic adventure into a privately owned wildlife refuge for an authentic Louisiana swamp eco-tour where you’ll learn about the early days of Louisiana bayou and swamp explorations and have plenty of opportunities to view the unique flora and fauna as well as the abundant wildlife, including the American Alligator! You don’t want to forget your camera for this one! Your native Cajun Captain is chock full of knowledge and humor, making this excursion a wonderful, outside-the-norm, experience. Upon our return to land, we’ll head out to Oak Alley Plantation. View the beautiful canopy of giant oak trees lining the impressive avenue leading to the classic Greek-revival style antebellum home. Later, you’ll visit the New Orleans School of Cooking to learn about the wonderful food and rich culture of New Orleans and Louisiana from Creole and Cajun experts who teach New Orleans’ specialty dishes and season them with history, trivia, and folklore.

As you make your way home on a comfortable Starr bus, you’ll be reflecting on all of the fantastic sights and experiences you’re taking with you – memories to truly last a lifetime!

So, join us in October for this truly remarkable vacation!

New Year’s Bucket List Resolutions for the Young at Heart – Kentucky Derby

January 5, 2018Posted in Bus Charters, DestinationsWritten by Shana Dattilio1 Comment

Instead of resolving to deprive yourself in order to meet your goals this year, why not focus on improving your life through achievements? A New Year’s Bucket List takes the idea of resolutions and turns them into more concrete goals to focus on and check off, for example resolution: “travel more” vs. bucket list: “see the annual Run for the Roses.” Throughout the month of January, we’ll be offering a destination a week on our blog with New Year’s Bucket List Resolution destinations that can help you check off items on your Bucket List in 2018!

This May, we’re “off to the races” at our annual bus trip to Kentucky Derby in Louisville, KY! Not only will we be super close to “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports,” but our Kentucky vacation is packed with a plethora of activities and attractions to get us into the racing spirit.

Once we arrive in Kentucky the fun starts with a fanciful Kentucky evening with a bountiful Bar-B-Que Dinner featuring live music at Jeptha Creed Distillery, a new distillery doing things the old fashioned way. In addition to dinner, our evening will include dancing, a tour of the family-owned distillery, and a bourbon tasting!

Day three brings a fascinating visit to the Louisville Slugger Museum, another item on some Bucket Lists. Even if you’re not a huge baseball fan, the museum’s exhibits, fun stories, and fascinating machinery tell the story of a big piece of American history and culture that connects generations so you’re sure to find something here that resonates with you. Next, we’re off to Hermitage Farm, a world-class equine operation where champion thoroughbreds are born and nursed. The foals we observe here could be the winners of future derbies! After we’ve worked up an appetite strolling around the farm, we’ll head over to Claudia Sanders Dinner House for a delicious lunch at the first restaurant owned by Mrs. Sanders and the famous Colonel. In addition to lunch, enjoy a derby hat boutique with a wide selection of hats and accessories to help you get ready for race day! After lunch, we’ll visit Undulata Farm, a private residence and horse training facility. We saw the foals playing in the fields this morning, this afternoon we’ll observe and learn about their training. This evening we’ll enjoy a special “Off to the Races” dinner event featuring a “Taste of Kentucky” with a meal of Kentucky favorites including Derby Pie along with entertainment and Derby racing fun to get you warmed up for the big event!

Photo by 2017 Starr passenger, K. Miller

Derby Day has arrived on day four! After donning our Derby hats and sporty outfits we’ll head over to the Ohio River for an informative and exhilarating riverboat ride on the Mary M. Miller or the Belle of Louisville. As we make our way down the river, we will be treated to insider tips from the experts on the Derby Race as well as a seminar on how to place a bet at Churchill Downs. At the end of the seminar, the two boats will turn downstream for an exciting race back to Louisville. After we disembark our riverboat it is finally time for the main event! We’ll stroll through the twin spires of Churchill Downs and take our 1st Floor Grandstand Seats on the home stretch so we can spend the rest of Derby Day crowd-watching, sipping mint juleps, and placing bets. Take in all of the excitement and wonder as we experience the world’s greatest and most celebrated sporting event!

This bus tour is guaranteed to give memories to last a lifetime and is a fantastic addition to anyone’s Bucket List. Join us this year and make 2018 a year to remember!

Give the Gift of Travel – Vacation Gift Guide

December 1, 2017Posted in Bus Tours, Day Trips, DestinationsWritten by Shana DattilioLeave a comment

Why worry about the perfect color, fit, or style this year? Give something that will always be in season, never goes out of style, and keeps on giving for years to come – give the gift of travel! We’ve already covered how travel experiences enrich life, here are a few suggestions for the perfect vacation, no matter your price range.

For Day Trips by bus under $100:

Atlantic City Air Show – for just under $55 you can send your loved one on a comfortable bus to the Jersey shore for the high-flying excitement of the Atlantic City Air Show and even a little casino fun! They’ll be treated to a casino package with $25 Slot Play and a $10 Food Voucher, along with the intense thrill of the famed military and civilian pilots flying acrobatic maneuvers above their heads!

Coney Island Express – Brooklyn’s famed boardwalk destination is less than $55. Imagine giving them a day at the beach with all of the history and unique flair of Coney Island. They can try one of Nathan’s Famous Hotdogs, explore the New York Aquarium, ride the Wonder Wheel, catch a thrill on the Cyclone, relax on the beach, and more! It’s a perfect day away from the daily grind.

National Zoo, Washington, DC – for just under $70, your loved one can enjoy a day at one of the oldest zoos in the nation! Over 2000 animals call this 163-acre park home including Giant Pandas from China, exotic birds, reptiles, rain forest creatures, and more.

Cars, Collectibles, and Yuengling – new for 2018 is a tour just under $100 that offers an afternoon of history and nostalgia as they visit America’s first brewery and revisit the ’50s! At Jerry’s Classic Cars & Collectibles Museum, they will take a journey back in time to the 1950s and leave with an unforgettable experience.

For Broadway Show Packages by bus under $200:

The Lion King – Disney’s classic movie takes center stage in an amazing production of artful puppetry and incredible music.

Carousel – “One of the most hallowed works of the American stage” (The New York Times) returns to Broadway for the first time in more than two decades. Rodgers & Hammerstein’s timeless musical Carousel comes to life in a new production. Elevated to an epic scale with a sweeping musical score and incandescent ballet sequences, this story of passion, loss and redemption introduced Broadway to a new manner of musical drama – one that “set the standard for the 20th century musical” (Time Magazine) and would captivate theatergoers for generations to come.

The Phantom of the Opera – this timeless tale of seduction and despair is Andrew Lloyd Webber’s masterwork and has been running on Broadway for 30 years. The unforgettable score, heart wrenching story, and captivating set make this a must-see show.

Hello, Dolly! – Bernadette Peters takes center stage in one of the most cherished musicals in theater history. Featuring music and lyrics by Jerry Herman and a book by Michael Stewart, “Hello, Dolly!” tells the story of an outspoken matchmaker and her attempts to marry “half-a-millionaire” Horace Vandergelder.

Multi-Day Vacations by bus under $500:

Boston, Massachusetts – The famed and bustling New England city has never been so easy to visit! Your loved one will be treated to a comprehensive city tour by one of Boston’s most knowledgeable guides and enjoy plenty of free time to experience all of the wonders of “Beantown.”

Cooperstown: National Baseball Hall of Fame – perfect for the baseball fanatic in your life. This tour includes a one year membership to the National Baseball Hall of Fame including a subscription to Memories and Dreams magazine, Hall of Fame Yearbook, complimentary admission to the Hall of Fame for one year, and other perks. Combine this with the fun shopping and dining found in Cooperstown and your gift will hit a home run!

Niagara Falls, USA – No passport required! Our newest option for a Niagara vacation makes this wonder of the natural world even more accessible! They’ll enjoy a boat ride into the horseshoe of the falls on Maid of the Mist as well as a tour of the area and accommodations in Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino. What a lucky gift!

Pittsburgh, PA: The Golden Triangle – the intriguing “Steel City” awaits on this tour to western Pennsylvania. Truly a unique destination, Pittsburgh is home to a fascinating mix of historical landmarks, captivating architecture, compelling characters, and more! They’ll tour the Nationality Rooms in the Cathedral of Learning, be treated to an in-depth tour of the city, and more!

Foxwoods & Mohegan Sun Casinos – this tour is every casino lovers dream! Featuring two of Connecticut’s greatest casinos this tour includes a casino package at each and ample time to try their luck at a plethora of table games, slot machines, Poker rooms, and more! They’ll be saying “Jackpot!” when they open this present!

One size rarely fits all and with Starr, you don’t have to settle for the generic! In addition to our immense lineup of incredible bus tours, we also offer gift cards. Our gift cards come in any denomination, and never expire! Whether you purchase a gift card so they can choose their own adventure or surprise them with a vacation you know they’ll love, you can rest assured that when you give the gift of travel, you’re giving a gift that will keep on giving for many years to come!

The Season of Giving – How Travel Experiences Enrich Lives

November 17, 2017Posted in Bus Tours, Family TravelWritten by Shana Dattilio1 Comment

Research shows that travel/experiential gifts create more lasting memories than material gifts. Take, for example, the last holiday season – can you remember every gift you received? Now, think about your last vacation, or a vacation you took in your 40s, or 30s – that’s easier, isn’t it? No matter how much time has passed, we recall fond and challenging memories more easily. Plus, the experience begins before the trip even departs. The planning and the anticipation of the upcoming adventure create joy before the trip begins and the memories from the vacation last a lifetime. So, why worry about the perfect fit, color, brand, style, etc. this year? Give the gift of travel!

Check out these four reasons why a travel gift card or vacation is the best gift your money can buy:

Travel lowers stress and enhances creativity. We’ve already covered how travel can lower stress, even for retirees, but did you know that travel enhances creativity as well? Immersing oneself in the different traditions and way of life of a group of people increases cognitive flexibility and the ability to adapt to changes. Trying new things, working through new challenges, meeting new people and getting away from daily routine change a person for the better. You’ll be giving the gift of happiness and health!
According to a Cornell University study, experiences make us happier than material goods do. It turns out, doing things rather than having things brings more lasting joy.
Experiential gifts and the memories they create last longer than the book that will be read in a month, the clothing that will be out of style next year, the object that will eventually break, and the electronic that will be obsolete by the next holiday season. Plus, they require less wrapping and the recipient doesn’t have to figure out where to put it!
You’re giving the gift of friendship. Spending a few days on a bus with a group of people is a surefire way to come home with a few new friends! We have many stories of solo travelers and couples teaming up with other passengers while on vacation and continuing the friendship after they return home. Many regularly meet for dinner or plan to take their next Starr vacation together. There’s also been quite a few matches made on a Starr motorcoach!

Don’t take our word for it, click here to see why Travel is the Secret to Happiness! Then, head over to our website to purchase your gift cards! And don’t forget to bring your kids on your next vacation!

Starr gift cards for bus trips come in any denomination, and they never expire! Your loved one can choose from over a hundred destinations for a day trip, multi-day domestic or international vacation or an all-inclusive cruise! Browse our bus tours, then call or stop by our office to pick up a Starr gift card for everyone on your list!

Stay tuned next week for our Vacation Gift Giving Guide with suggestions for trips you can gift to that special someone!

Not Your Parent’s Motorcoach

October 6, 2017Posted in Bus Tours, Family Travel, MotorcoachesWritten by Shana DattilioLeave a comment

Bus travel has changed a lot in the past few years. Long gone are the days of cramped quarters, stuffy interiors, and endless hours with nothing to do. Modern motorcoaches now come with a host of amenities, unheard of several years ago, to make your ride smooth, easy, and comfortable. As we add new coaches to our fleet, we are making conscious decisions about what to change and improve upon to make your ride even better.

Here are modern improvements that we are currently adding across our fleet:

Wi-Fi Access:
Did you know? All of our motorcoaches now come with wifi so that you can leave home, but stay connected to family and friends. Share pictures and notes to social media, play a game, listen to music, read the news – the world is at your fingertips with your ipad or smartphone connected. We’re a mobile hotspot of connectivity!

Speaking of being connected, when you’re on the road (or at home) be sure to check out Starr’s Facebook page, Twitter account, or Pinterest boards and share your pictures and comments with us!

Onboard Entertainment:
Today’s buses now feature state-of-the-art entertainment systems with a PA System for important announcements and fascinating information to accompany your journey as well as DVD players and TV monitors to make the time pass a bit more quickly.

Comfortable Seating:
Long gone are the days of stiff backed, hard seats. As we add new coaches to our fleet, we consider ways to improve your ride all the way down to what type of upholstery works best. The seats in today’s motorcoaches are more ergonomic with foot rests, arm rests, and reclining options.

Power Outlets:
Stay connected, and stay charged! Our newer buses come with power outlets so that you never have to worry about losing battery power while on vacation.

Safety:
Starr stays on the cutting edge of all safety regulations, trainings, and practices to ensure that we are prepared for anything. Our drivers undergo rigorous training before being hired. We have some of the strictest regulations in the industry to ensure the well-being of our drivers and passengers, and we are constantly making improvements to stay on top. We take your safety very seriously, find out more here.

Clean buses and cleaner energy:
Our staff is committed to giving you a clean and comfortable ride all the way so that you can relax and enjoy your trip. And while you are relaxing, you can also rest assured that you are doing something great for the environment while you do something good for yourself! Did you know? A couple traveling by motorcoach while on vacation cuts their carbon footprint nearly in half, even when compared to driving a hybrid vehicle. Click here to check out all of the ways that motorcoach travel is greener!

So, the next time you are planning your family’s vacation, be sure to check out Starr’s lineup of fabulous tours! Great memories are made on motorcoaches and now they are better than ever!

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Shana Dattilio

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