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New Year’s Bucket List Resolutions for the Young at Heart – Charming Ports of the South

New Year’s Bucket List Resolutions for the Young at Heart – Charming Ports of the South

We continue our Bucket List Resolutions for the Young at Heart series with our Charming Ports of the South tour. If experiencing the charming south has always been a dream of yours, then this Bucket List destination is for you! Featuring St. Augustine, Jekyll Island, St. Simon’s Island, and beautiful Savannah, this bus tour offers a wonderful taste of some of the south’s most beautiful port cities.

After making your way down south on Starr’s comfortable motorcoach with expanded legroom, your experience begins with two overnights on the picturesque and tranquil Jekyll Island. What was once a private retreat for families with names like Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, and Morgan, is now one of the largest preservation projects in the southeast; earning state park status in 1948 from the governor and Georgia state legislature. Discover miles of wide-open beaches and live oaks draped in Spanish moss on a tram tour of the historic district including a tour of two of the many mansion-sized “cottages” that still stand today. After the tour, you will have an opportunity to visit the museum exhibits and view a video presentation that reveals the fascinating story of Jekyll Island-from its earliest inhabitants, across its fabled Club Era, to its wondrous restoration programs today.  This afternoon, you’ll visit St. Simons Island, voted America’s #1 Favorite Beach Town by Travel + Leisure Magazine in 2014. Enjoy a two hour tour that includes a view of Fort Frederica – built in 1736, a stop at Christ Church where John & Charles Wesley held church services and where author Eugenia Price is buried. You’ll also see the fabulous “Avenue of Oaks” on former Retreat Plantation, and enjoy free time at the village as well as a visit to the St. Simons Lighthouse. Full of history and southern hospitality, St. Simons Island has a distinctive charm with an unhurried pace and abundant natural beauty. Later this evening, you’ll enjoy dinner at the famed and historic Jekyll Island Club, which opened its doors in 1888 and was once one of the most opulent structures in the south, serving as a centerpiece of the social lives of the nation’s rich and famous. Today, this beautiful resort is still a fabulous destination.

Moss Cottage

The next morning, you’ll board the bus to heard over to the lovely Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation, representing the history and culture of Georgia’s rice coast. The plantation and its inhabitants were part of the genteel low country society that developed during the antebellum period. During your visit, you’ll view a brief film on the plantation’s history, and then enjoy a guided tour that features the home as the last heir, Ophelia Dent, kept it with family heirlooms, 18th and 19th century furniture, and Cantonese China on display. After your tour, you’ll travel to St. Augustine, Florida – the nation’s oldest city. You’ll have some free time for lunch on own on St. George Street, one of several quaint and walkable streets in the historic district, before checking in to your St. Augustine hotel for two nights. This evening, enjoy dinner and a performance of “The Lives and Wives of Harry Flagler” a theatrical portrayal of the Flagler legacy and the man that brought commerce to St. Augustine.

Your next day is filled with fascinating history as you explore St. Augustine on an extensive sightseeing tour by bus that highlights over 430 years of history. Discover the roots of the Timucuan Indians that were native to the North Florida coast and their contributions to the Spanish settlers. Then, embark on a walking tour of the Mission of Nombre de Dios, the landing site of Pedro Menendez, founder of St. Augustine. After, experience more of the history of Harry Flagler on the Legacy Tour of Flagler College, the former Hotel Ponce de Leon that was one of the most exclusive resorts of its day. Last, visit the Lightner Museum featuring one of the finest collections of turn of the century art. Afterwards, quench your thirst at a wine tasting at San Sebastian Winery – tour included! You’ll finish your fun-filled day with dinner at a local restaurant.

Lightner Museum; Photo by Diane Uhley

As you begin your journey back north, you’ll stop in Savannah for an overnight stay beginning with a trolley tour. Enjoy hop-on/hop-off privileges as your trolley tour takes you throughout the historic district and your driver regales you with fascinating history and entertaining stories as you drive past beautiful buildings under the canopy of huge live oak trees dripping with Spanish moss. You’ll also pay a visit to the Massie Heritage Center to learn even more about the history of Savannah, its city plan and beautiful architecture, and the people who have lived here for centuries. After a day of guided sightseeing and time to explore on your own, you’ll understand why Savannah is “the town Sherman refused to burn.”

Savannah, Georgia

As you finish your journey back home, memories of beautiful nature scenes, picturesque towns, and fascinating history will make you realize that you have truly been charmed by these wonderful southern ports.

This is a bus tour you won’t want to miss. Click here to join us in October!

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

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

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!

Hermitage Farm

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!

New Year’s Travel Resolutions for the Young at Heart – Nova Scotia

New Year’s Travel Resolutions for the Young at Heart – Nova Scotia

This week, we offer you a chance to experience an idyllic island like no other. Step out of the hustle and bustle of your life and into the spellbinding tranquility that is Nova Scotia. “Nova Scotia is a place where you can feel your pace fall in sync with the rhythm of the sea, as the clean salt air breathes life into an afternoon. Immerse yourself in culture that ranges from traditional to avant-garde, from bagpipes to world-class golf.”¹ On this tour you will enjoy a vacation filled with rich heritage, scenic wonders, and historic landmarks set in a landscape of breathtaking beauty.

Your journey through the Appalachian region of Canada begins in St. John, New Brunswick.  “Step into a vibrant past with an intriguing modern edge. Here, hundreds of years of history are alive. Feel it in the architecture, parks, and galleries that have survived to delight today’s visitor. As the oldest incorporated city in Canada, no other place in the country offers the experiences of Saint John,”² like Reversing Falls rapids where the extreme tides of this region create a unique tidal phenomenon.

CAN_NewBrunswick-BayofFundy_CreditJosefHanus_shutterstock_132065546--max600x600Enjoy the wind in your face as you look for whales and other sea life aboard the ferry from New Brunswick to Nova Scotia (indoor seating also available) followed by time exploring and experiencing a few of the best areas of Nova Scotia. Take part in a ceremony that began in 1605 and be officially inducted into “The Order of Good Cheer,”  visit Grand Pré  – a powerful monument that unites the Acadian people – located in the heart of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, step back in time in the quaint village of Peggy’s Cove, and witness the marvel of the the world’s highest tides in the Bay of Fundy.

CAN_NS-InternationalTattoo-stageshot_NovaTat--max600x600Experience a true taste of Nova Scotia at the world’s largest annual indoor show, The Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo Festival, featuring the unique and varied talent of hundreds of Canadian and international military and civilian performers. You will see bagpipes, highland dancers, military traditions, innovative acrobatic acts, comedy, modern music, contemporary dancing, trampoline routines, cutting-edge videos, and more! The Festival takes place in Halifax, the capital city of Nova Scotia and an urban city center bordered by seacoast and brimming with history.

Travel home through Prince Edward Island where “the beauty of the land, the living Celtic, Acadian and Mi’kmaq heritage, and the smiling faces and warm hospitality of Islanders create a special and unforgettable place to visit.”³

CAN_NS-PeggysCove_pixabay--max600x600Nova Scotia is a land of lush beauty and simple life. Her people are warm and friendly, her land is like that of Ireland in its richness, and her atmosphere is that of a simpler time. Gorgeous natural landscapes are dotted with picturesque sleepy villages. You can lose yourself here in a peaceful paradise away from big box chains and rural life, without giving up great amenities. Experience it for yourself this summer!

 

 

References:

¹ Nova Scotia
² Discover Saint John
³ Prince Edward Island

New Year’s Travel Resolutions for the Young at Heart – Cross Country

“Travel More” is a common New Year’s Resolution, but like many resolutions, it will easily fall to the wayside without ideas and plans for how to make it happen. Throughout the month of January, we’ll be offering a destination a week on our blog with New Year’s Travel Resolution destinations that you should check out to fulfill your “Travel More” resolution!

Traveling across the country is a free spirited dream held by many. The open road, endless possibility, and the chance to see so much of our beautiful country is such a tempting idea. When we get out of our daily routine and travel away from home we gain perspective, embrace new challenges and passions, and find fulfillment. Traveling across the country truly is a vacation of a lifetime and it is about time you experienced it!

cc-2017-max600x600On our 26-day Cross Country by Bus tour you’ll be guided by an experienced driver and knowledgeable tour director who will make your trip effortless and stress free so you can fully experience every fantastic destination, comfortable hotel, delicious meal, fascinating attraction, breathtaking sight, and more!

Speaking of which, exactly what will you get to experience on your trip? How about 5 national parks, 15 states, 3 monuments/memorials, and 9 historic landmarks for starters? You’ll visit the St. Louis Gateway Arch and take its tram up through the arch itself to the Observation Deck, 630 feet above the ground, where you can see for 30 miles on a clear day. In Albuquerque, New Mexico, you’ll take a ride on the Sandia Peak Tramway, the world’s longest aerial tramway spanning a distance of 2.7 miles above deep canyons, and breathtaking terrain.

Photo Courtesy of the Greater Phoenix CVB

Visit Arizona and fall in love with the breathtaking beauty of this unique state with a visit to the must-see Grand Canyon, a stop in beautiful Sedona, and a trip through Petrified Forest National Park and the Painted Desert. Spend a day in thrilling Las Vegas, Nevada. Travel all the way to California and take in the many sights and attractions you’ve only ever dreamed about, including Hollywood, Los Angeles, and Alcatraz! Begin to make your way back home by crossing through the northwest and stopping at Mount Rushmore, and Wall Drug Store. Experience Old Faithful’s timely eruption, gaze in amazement at the painted landscape of Badlands National Park, and take in the excitement of downtown Chicago. All of this and so much more make this trip an unforgettable journey!

Passengers on our past Cross Country tours (over 10 years worth!) have formed close bonds that extend through the years. It’s hard not to become friends with people you travel with for 26 days! And we make it even easier to connect with past and present Cross Country Travelers with our private Facebook group where you can get advice on how to prepare for your “Journey of a Lifetime,” meet others on your trip, and share memories and photos afterwards.*

So what are you waiting for? Put aside your worries about being gone for a month and travel the scenic roads of our great country! Trust me, you’ll be glad you did!

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*You must be a current Starr customer to join the Facebook group.