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| 1647 Gainesville, Savannah and St. Augustine ** Departure: March 25, 9:00 am Expected time of return: March 31, 6:00 pm Join us as we journey north on a seven day/six night trip to three great cities of the South. It will be azalea time in Savannah, and there will be lots of things to do and explore in each place. Our first stop will be in Gainesville, where, after a light lunch, we will tour the Harn Museum of Art on the University of Florida campus. Here we will have the opportunity to see the Museum’s impressive collections, including African art and Ancient American objects primarily from Mesoamerica, Central America, and the Central Andes of Peru. Our next stop will be the Florida Museum of Natural History to view their extensive collections of Florida fossils, local archaeology, and the natural sciences. Our visit will also include the wonderful Butterfly Garden. This is a four-story outdoor screened enclosure with waterfalls, a walking trail, lush subtropical and tropical plants, and hundreds of butterflies. Following a convivial dinner, we will overnight in Gainesville. After breakfast the next day, we will continue on to Savannah, an elegant and refined yet secretive and seductive city. Upon our arrival, we will have a buffet lunch in the well-known Pirate’s House, followed by a guided walking tour of the historic area. Some free time in the afternoon will allow you to continue exploring on your own. This evening’s dinner is on your own too, giving you an opportunity to sample another of Savannah’s excellent restaurants. The following morning we will take the Savannah trolley tour and visit the Telfair Museum of Art and the City Market, the “art and soul” of Savannah. We will also tour some of the sites mentioned in the novel Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Dinner tonight will be at Lady & Sons, owned by Paula Dean of the Food Cooking Network. Then it’s on to the Savannah Theater for the musical show “Return to the 50’s.” The next day will begin with a tour of Jekyll Island, one of the Golden Isles of Georgia, and the town of Darien. This area was settled in the early 1700s by a band of Scottish Highlanders and played a significant role in the larger area’s history, especially during the Civil War. Returning to the city, we’ll participate in the Seventy-Third Savannah Tour of Homes and Gardens. This long-time annual event offers an opportunity to see the interior of some of the beautiful homes and courtyard gardens in Savannah’s historic neighborhoods. Dinner this evening will take place at another of Savannah’s fabulous restaurants. In the morning we leave for St. Augustine, the nation’s oldest city and one of its most charming. Upon our arrival we will have a guided tour of the city before proceeding to our hotel. Dinner this evening will be at a popular local restaurant. After a restful night, we will be given tickets for the trolley that tours all of the sights; you can get on and off wherever you wish. You might want to visit the Lightner Museum, stroll through the colonial Spanish Quarter, or see the movie “Struggle to Survive,” which depicts the early years of St. Augustine. Following dinner that evening at another fine restaurant, we’ll attend the play, The Lives and Wives of Henry Flagler. On our last day, before heading for home we will enjoy a scenic cruise of the St. Augustine coastline. Lunch on your own will provide a final chance to enjoy the local cuisine. Then it’s back home to St. Petersburg, remembering all the wonderful adventures that we’ve shared. The tour includes breakfast each morning as well as two lunches and five dinners, insurance, deluxe coach transportation, and an experienced tour guide. We will also have docent tours in the Harn Museum and the Florida Natural History Museum. In Savannah and St. Augustine, local guides will take us to the points of interest and give us the history and background of the various sites we will be visiting. Spring is blossom time in the area, featuring azaleas, dogwoods, etc., so we will have the opportunity of admiring Mother Nature’s handiwork – meaning don’t forget your cameras. Member: $1540; Non-member: $1740 Single suppliment: $390 Deposit of $300 due at time of registration. Final payment due January 12, 2008. |