Select Traveler January February 2021

THE MAGAZINE FOR BANK, ALUMNI AND CHAMBER TRAVEL PLANNERS

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OKLAHOMA SOJOURNS | EVOLVING ATLANTIC CITY | SPONSORS AWAIT IN PANAMA CITY BEACH

AMERICA’S LIGHTHOUSES

have stood for

centuries

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

RESTART YOUR MARKETING TO BANK, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & ALUMNI TRAVEL PROGRAM DIRECTORS MARCH/APRIL The South Special Section Conference Coverage We’re Known For: Museums Travel Focus: Dining Experiences State Feature: South Dakota City Feature: Colorado Springs, CO Big City Feature: Indianapolis

JULY/AUGUST Marquee Directory Issue Cruising Special Section We’re Known For: Sports Travel Focus: Arts & Culture State Feature: Kentucky City Feature: Eureka Springs, AR Big City Feature: Seattle

MAY/JUNE The Midwest Special Section We’re Known For: Beaches Travel Focus: Thriving Downtowns State Feature: Tennessee City Feature: Napa Valley, CA Big City Feature: Montreal

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER Coastal Cities Special Section We’re Known For: Gardens Travel Focus: Theater State Feature: Missouri City Feature: Lincoln, NE Big City Feature: New Orleans NOVEMBER/DECEMBER International Buyers Guide We’re Known For: Winter Travel Focus: Resorts State Feature: Ohio City Feature: Charlotte, NC Big City Feature: Boston

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THE MAGAZINE FOR BANK, ALUMNI AND CHAMBER TRAVEL PLANNERS

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VOL.29 NO.1

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

LIGHTHOUSES LEAD THE WAY

contents checking in:

LARRY DAWSON

MAC T. LACY CHARLES A. PRESLEY BRIAN JEWELL ELIZA MYERS HERBERT SPARROW DONIA SIMMONS ASHLEY RICKS CHRISTINE CLOUGH RENA BAER KELLY TYNER KYLE ANDERSON MELISSA RILEY

ON THE COVER: Pigeon Point Lighthouse in San Mateo County, California, stands at 115 feet high, making it one of the tallest lighthouses in the country. Photo by Jim Patterson.

READY FOR 2021

PREVIEW MARDI GRAS

INSPIRE TRAVEL

8 10 28 32 KYLE ANDERSON

888.253.0455

DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING SALES

K YLE@ GROUPTR AVELLE ADER.COM

Founder and Publisher Partner VP & Executive Editor Associate Editor Senior Writer Creative Director Graphic Designer/Circulation Manager Copy Editor Proofreader VP, Sales and Marketing Director of Advertising Sales Accounting Manager

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20 revealed evolving 24

OKLAHOMA

toolbox: conference known for: marketing:

6

Courtesy San Mateo County/Silicon Valley CVB

ATLANTIC CITY

26

holidays at MYRTLE BEACH

Select Traveler, the Magazine for Bank, Alumni and Chamber Travel Planners, is published bimonthly by The Group Travel Leader, Inc., 301 East High Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40507 and is distributed free of charge to qualified travel program directors throughout the United States. All other travel suppliers, including tour operators, destinations, attractions, transportation companies, hotels, restaurants and other travel-related companies, may subscribe to Select Traveler by sending a check for $49 for one year to: Select Traveler, Circulation Department, 301 East High Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40507. Copyright The Group Travel Leader, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of editorial or graphic content in any manner without the written consent of the publisher is prohibited.

NAME OR ADDRESS CHANGES: If your copy of Select Traveler should be mailed to another manager in your organization, or if you personally know another travel director who is not receiving Select Traveler, please send your correction to: Select Traveler, 301 East High St., Lexington, Kentucky 40507, or call (859) 253-0455.

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perspective P U B L I S H E R ’ S

A

nybody ready for some good news?

There is a lot of optimism on the part of major tour operator members of the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) for a strong return to both domestic and international travel this spring and summer. These bellwether companies are an excellent source of in-

dustry intelligence.

If you have travelers who are interested in rediscovering America, you’re in luck.

And if you have members who are itching to use their passports again, tell them to dust them off.

Half these companies are already exploring the U.S., and almost 70% have international bookings in place for the second quarter of this year, April through June. A third of them have international trips in this quarter, January through March.

This could be a great time to take a small group of your adventurous travelers somewhere exotic. USTOA president Terry Dale said two-thirds of his members plan to resume travel operations this year despite the possibility of lower passenger counts and lower margins.

For those of you looking at leaving the country, here are just a few destinations examined in USTOA’s research: • Canada — Sixty percent of responding tour operators expect to have trips to this border country by this spring.

• Europe — Half the respondents expect to return travelers to the continent by late spring, and a third expect to do that in April.

• Middle East — A third of these companies expect to have groups in the region early this year.

Here’s to a global vaccine program that inspires safe and smart travel in 2021.

Email me anytime with your thoughts at maclacy@grouptravelleader.com.

Mac Lacy 4

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P L A N N E R S

T A L K

B A C K

What is one of your group’s favorite repeat destinations?

CHRIS HARRIS

CENTRAL BANK CLASSIC JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI “Alaska has long been a favorite destination for our Classic customers. I believe we first brought a group there in the late ’80s, and we continue to plan a trip there each summer. With the pandemic throwing a kink into travel in 2020, we rebooked our cruise group for 2021 and added a land tour for 2021 as well.”

ROBIN ANDERSON

MASON CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MASON CITY, IOWA “One of our favorite repeat destinations is South Africa. We have taken three groups there and could probably do it again. The photo safari adventures in Kruger National Park defy description.”

DESIREE OZBURN FIRST STATE BANK

SHANNON, ILLINOIS “Scandinavia, in particular Sweden, Denmark and Norway, are favorites for our customers. It seems our travelers were romanced by the natural beauty and wide variety of eclectic attractions that Scandinavia has to offer. The delight is ours each time we visit this pristine part of the world.”

RONNI HANNAMAN

CARSON CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CARSON CITY, NEVADA “Collette’s Heritage of America tour is always a bestseller. The tour is popular for those of us out West who are unable to easily drive to where the history of the United States was made. Our travelers come back from this trip elated to have been able to walk in the footsteps of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.”

CRAIG FARRELL

WEST BEND AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WEST BEND, WISCONSIN “Groupwise, I haven’t repeated a trip. However, if I did, it would probably be China. Personally, London and Paris are my favorite repeat destinations.”

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5

checking in LARRY DAWSON

W I T H

L A R R Y

D A W S O N

ELITE ADVANTAGE DIRECTOR AND REGIONAL MARKETING DIRECTOR

HAWTHORN BANK

The Elite Advantage Club members pose before a ride on the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad in Colorado with U.S. Tours.

CLINTON, MISSOURI Hawthorn Bank has 25 locations in western and midwestern Missouri.

The bank’s Elite Advantage Club is available for customers over 55 and with a bank account of at least $5,000. More than 1,300 members are involved in the program.

Born: Muscatine, Iowa Education: Dawson has a degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Iowa.

Employment: Dawson spent 35 years on-air as a radio morning show host in Kansas City, Missouri. He joined Hawthorn Bank in 2018.

Family: Dawson and his wife, Joyce, have been married for 40 years. They have two children and five grandchildren.

Hobbies: Dawson enjoys hunting, fishing, riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle and boating on Truman Lake.

BY ELIZA MYERS

I

n January 2020, Larry Dawson felt like he’d finally mastered the ins and outs of group travel planning. His two years of managing Hawthorn Bank’s Elite Advantage Club in Clinton, Missouri, had taught him a lot.

Then the pandemic hit.

“I told my wife at the beginning of the year, ‘I think 2020 is going to be a piece of cake. I think I’ve got this down,’” said Dawson, Elite Advantage director and regional marketing director for Hawthorn Bank. “Then it was like someone threw a bomb in the room.”

Though not the most experienced group leader, Dawson had a skill that served him well in 2020: the ability to improvise. Dawson called upon his years of experience as a radio morning-show host to figure out how to manage his travel program during the COVID-19 pandemic. He thought outside the box for a way to take a bank group to Colorado in September.

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“I would be lying if I didn’t admit I felt a little bit like I was on the Lewis and Clark expedition,” said Dawson. “I’ve always been a trailblazer.

We took every precaution we could. The group had a blast. Every one of them said they would do it again.”

After a successful group trip during the pandemic, Dawson is already planning his group’s next safe adventures to meet the needs of his eagerto-travel members.

THINK FAST

For 35 years, Dawson didn’t know what was going to happen next.

He would talk to callers live on his classic-rock morning show program, then decide what to say on the fly.

“I had to be creative on the radio,” said Dawson. “Radio is like theater of the mind. It is a performance that you have to improvise the entire time you are on the air.”

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After deciding to retire, Dawson and his wife moved from Kansas City, Missouri, to Clinton, Missouri. Before retirement could begin, Dawson seized an opportunity to try something different. He became the Elite Advantage director and regional marketing director for Hawthorn Bank.

Dawson had previously helped plan trips to concerts for his radio show listeners, though nothing as detailed as group travel planning.

“I think it was a little overwhelming at first,” said Dawson. “But with any job, you use a little common sense and ask a lot of questions.

Sooner or later, if you are smart enough, you will figure it out. One of the assets that a travel coordinator needs to possess is the ability to be flexible, which is something that I’ve always been good at.”

He first tested out his skills as a group leader on a winter trip to Alaska.

“I thought Alaska is the last place I would want to be in the winter,” said Dawson. “Once we go there, it was an amazing trip. Everybody got to take their own three-mile dogsled ride. I would do that trip again.”

R EA D Y TO EX P L O R E

Dawson had 42 people signed up for a September trip to Colorado when the COVID-19 pandemic started altering people’s travel plans. In July, when the final payment for the trip was due, only three couples canceled; the rest of the travelers wanted to find a way to go.

Dawson worked with his tour operator, U.S. Tours, and other vendors to figure out how to safely travel to Colorado. By the time the trip started, Dawson had reworked the Colorado itinerary 15 times.

The trip kept running into new snags. One unexpected problem came after an announcement that anyone traveling into New Mexico had to self-quarantine for 14 days. The Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad ride originally had a scheduled stop in New Mexico. Dawson worked with the railroad company to allow the group to go on the same route, just not to deboard.

“They did a great job working with us,” said Dawson. “All of the vendors were so happy to see group travel, they bent over backward to accommodate us.”

Among the precautions taken were vigorous cleaning protocols aboard the motorcoach, wearing masks and taking passenger temperatures.

The group also separated itself from other travelers by riding in separate train cars and eating away from other patrons. Hotels sanitized rooms, then put seal stickers on the doors after each room had been cleaned.

“The whole trip went a lot smoother than I had anticipated,” said Dawson. “When we got back from our trip, everybody was happy. I thanked them for placing their confidence in me and the bank to keep them safe.”

in my power to keep you safe and make sure you have a good time.”

All of Dawson’s 2021 trips focus on domestic destinations with outdoor activities. The bank group is slated to travel to Yellowstone this winter. Other trips include Mackinac Island, Michigan; a Columbia River cruise; and Branson, Missouri, for Christmas.

“We saw plenty of people out traveling in Colorado,” said Dawson.

“Everyone wants to travel, but they are mainly traveling right now in their own cars. We in the travel industry have to convince people that traveling by bus or plane is as safe as traveling in your car.

“People are starving for any kind of entertainment or travel at this point. You have to learn how to adapt to the new normal, but you can still go do things. The places are still open, and they are waiting for us.”

D E S T I N AT I O N

faves

• Rhine River Cruise: It’s a place I have always wanted to go. We have a trip scheduled for 2022.

• Ireland: We went in 2019. It was an incredible trip.

• Columbia Snake River: This is by far the most impressive domestic cruise offered by the American Queen.

PAND EM IC PL A N N I N G

Instead of letting the pandemic stop his group trips, Dawson is thinking outside the box for 2021 tours.

“I’ve already proven it can be done,” said Dawson. “I wouldn’t advise throwing caution to the wind or encouraging someone with a preexisting condition to travel with us. But if you are healthy and you want to go, I am going to do everything

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T R A V E L

T O O L B O X

Restarting travel in 2021 begins with the decision to do so

A

BY BRIA N JE W E LL

fter a year of struggle, it’s time to start traveling again.

We have always maintained that it is possible to travel safely with a group despite the pandemic, and many travel planners and tour operators have found ways to do it. But many more companies and organizations have put their travel programs on hold since last March to await significant gains in public health.

With several COVID-19 vaccines now rolling out across the United States, it appears those gains may come soon. When they do, your members will be eager to travel again. But ramping up a travel program that has been dormant for a year will require some thoughtful planning, and the aftershocks of the pandemic will make some things trickier than they used to be.

Here are five strategies to employ as you prepare yourself and your groups to return to the road in 2021.

P I C K UP W H E RE YO U LEF T OF F Chances are you had some exciting trips lined up for 2020 and most of them got shelved because of the pandemic. If your travelers are still enthusiastic about the destinations you planned to visit last year, consider reintroducing them as trips for 2021. Your tour operator partners should be able to easily replicate itineraries and packages you previously had in place, albeit with some modifications.

They are likely already working on the logistics of postpandemic travel on these trips, so you can travel confidently without having to reinvent the wheel.

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P RE PA RE F O R VACCINES Many experts believe that widespread vaccination is critical to ending the pandemic and returning to life as we know it. As such, it is likely that vaccination will be required for travel in the second half of 2021.

Numerous travel organizations, including some airlines and cruise companies, are contemplating requiring proof of COVID-19 immunity for uture travel, and many foreign countries will mandate that travelers be vaccinated before entering. So regardless of your personal feelings about COVID-19 vaccines, you need to prepare your travelers to be vaccinated if they want to travel in the near future.

RE S E T E X P E C TAT I O N S Your members are eager to hit the road again, and you’re probably excited to take them. But as you prepare for upcoming trips, it would be wise to spend some time resetting travelers’ expectations.

While 2021 should be better than 2020 on almost all accounts, some side effects of the pandemic will affect the travel experience through much of this year.

Expect masks to be mandatory in most places at least until fall. And prepare for modified procedures as hotels, attractions and restaurants continue to maintain social distancing protocols. Travel will be a welcome relief to the quarantine-weary, but it may be a while before it returns to normal.

S E E A M ERICA F IRST One of the most shocking effects of the pandemic was worldwide border closures. And though some countries have started easing restrictions, many popular destinations, including Canada and Europe, remain closed to Americans. Since there’s no telling how long this situation will last, consider focusing your 2021 travel on domestic destinations. Even if your

S TAY F L EX I B L E

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Flexibility has always been an important asset for group travel planners, but in 2020, the ability to pivot and adapt became more important than ever. If you intend to travel in 2021, prepare yourself to be more flexible. There are plenty of sudden events that could have an impact on the trips you have planned, such as a hotel or restaurant closure, a government policy reversal, a traveler illness or an unexpected change

groups are accustomed to luxurious travel abroad, there are plenty of cultural, historical and natural treasures around the United States to keep your members thrilled. You’ll have a great time while also helping revive America’s hospitality and tourism economy at a crucial time.

in the trajectory of the pandemic. You can’t prepare for every unforeseen event, but you can prepare yourself to handle them with grace and confidence.

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C O N F E R E N C E

connection Sea Dragon Pirate Cruise

MAJOR SPONSORS

ARE COMING TO THE SELECT TRAVELER CONFERENCE IN PANAMA CITY BEACH All photos courtesy Visit Panama City Beach

BY DAN DICKSON

T

ravel planners who attend the next Select Traveler Conference, February 28 to March 2 in Panama City Beach, Florida, have a perfect opportunity to learn about new travel destinations and itineraries during marketplace sessions. But they also can soak up an enormous amount of travel information from the many conference sponsors.

“The greatest value that sponsors bring to delegates is the increased awareness of their unique destinations,” said Charlie Presley, conference partner and founder of The Group Travel Family, which manages the Select Traveler Conference. “They

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also convey the message that delegates are important enough to them as a group that they are out in front of them sponsoring parts of the conference, whether it be a meal or something else. Sponsors essentially help planners to be there.”

SPONSOR VALUE

Select Traveler planners represent travel clubs affiliated with banks, chambers of commerce, and colleges and universities. Naturally, sponsors want to showcase their brands to this prestigious audience.

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Panama City Beach

SkyWheel Panama City Beach

U.S. Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center

“THE

GREATEST

VALUE

THAT

SPONSORS BRING TO DELEGATES IS THE INCREASED AWARENESS OF THEIR UNIQUE DESTINATIONS.” — CHARLIE PRESLEY

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Some sponsors buy a booth that is one of a dozen or so that ring the floor of the marketplace hall, giving them added exposure to delegates throughout the two-and-a-half-day conference. The whole point is for travel sellers in the booths to interact with travel buyers milling about the meeting space.

As Presley put it, “Sponsors are telling the planners that they care about them and made the time and effort to be there in person.”

Sponsors may include states, cities, resorts, hotels, attractions and all types of travel companies. Sponsors want to showcase their offerings to just the right people and to edu-

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C O N F E R E N C E

connection cate planners who may need their services. Sponsors get to do that in several ways, such as during registration time when planners are checking in and have a few minutes to stop by a sponsor’s booth for a chat. Sponsors hand out “auction dollars” to the delegates with whom they speak, and those can be used to bid on valuable prizes awarded later during a fast-paced and fun auction. Or it may come during a mealtime when sponsors and planners mingle and then planners watch and listen to sponsors deliver their travel pitches from the stage.

With a limited number of marketplace appointment slots available, sponsors and other travel industry reps know they will not be able to sit down with every travel planner. But they can still reach quite a few of them during “booth time.” Another advantage for travel planners of visiting a sponsor’s booth is time savings. With personal introductions already out of the way, a sponsor and planner can save time later when the sixminute clock is ticking during their marketplace appointment.

Then both sides can get right to the point and see if they want to do business.

Sponsors also get their names out there with signage, name badges, videos, printed materials and the entertainment they may bring to the conference.

“GETTING

IN

FRONT

Cheyenne trolley tours

A pier at Panama City Beach

OF

A ROOM FULL OF GROUP LEADERS IS A GREAT WAY TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT.” — MICHAEL LUNDQUIST, MAYFLOWER CRUISES AND TOURS

Shopping at Pier Park

Eddie Lutz, The Ark Encounter

Bob Cline, U.S. Tours

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Charlie Presley, Select Traveler Conference

Michael Lundquist, Mayflower Cruises and Tours

Jim Edwards, Collette

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C O N F E R E N C E

connection SPONSORS SHARE IDEAS

Bob Cline of U.S. Tours, based in Vienna, West Virginia, has sponsored opening breakfasts for travel conferences for years and promotes his company through other conference sponsorships.

“It gives us a chance to bond with the planners, develop friendships and enhance our credibility,” said Cline. “We don’t need to speak at great length about any one travel product; instead, we just need to make a presence. I want my people to be known as the friendly team.”

Cline said he loves the friendships that have developed over the years and the new ones he begins wherever he goes. “But when those folks are ready to get serious about planning a trip, you can bet we’ll work with them.”

U.S. Tours has also sponsored numerous pre-FAM tours just before a conference. “We like to put 20 or 30 of our best customers on a bus and take them sightseeing at that destination or near it,” he said. “If you get to spend three or four days with planners on a FAM trip, you really get to know them. You’ve got a relationship.”

U.S. Tours has also brought entertainment to a meal function, such as a band or a singer. Cline also enjoys announcing creative travel events he has put together. He once presented a Janis Joplin look-alike who performed at a conference breakfast to promote the 50th anniversary of Woodstock.

“I get 20 minutes to present something, and people like that are way more entertaining than I am,” said Cline. “So I let them have at it.”

Michael Lundquist of Mayflower Cruises and Tours in Lisle, Illinois, is a frequent Select Traveler Conference sponsor. He represents part of the wide cross-section of the industry that is at the conference to sell travel. He strives to make an impact with planners.

“Every sponsorship we do is good for delegates,” said Lundquist. “Whether it’s meals or receptions with drinks or giving out Starbucks gift cards, there’s a mutual benefit because sponsors get to talk about what they do and their products and how they differ in unique ways from other sponsors that are attending the show.”

Lundquist is sure to pick up fistfuls of business cards from the travel planners he meets so the Mayflower sales team can make follow-up contacts after the show.

Lundquist loves sponsoring conference segments for Mayflower because he says the company is always coming up with new travel ideas to share with delegates.

“Now that we are owned by Scenic Group, I can talk about our new small ships and our products and itineraries,” he said.

“Getting in front of a room full of group leaders is a great way to get the message out.”

Sometimes a sponsor will have a conversation with a planner with whom they did not even have an appointment, and that leads to some new, unexpected business for them.

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Goofy Golf

Pier Park at night

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SPONSOR POWER!

These companies and destinations bring excitement to the Select Traveler Conference!

VISIT PANAMA CITY BEACH (HOST) Opening Dinner Travel Industry Report

GO NEXT Destination Showcase

STAR DESTINATIONS Vendor Showcase

U.S. TOURS Breakfast

MAYFLOWER CRUISES & TOURS Vendor Seminar

TRIPS Breakfast

COLLETTE Luncheon

CHEROKEE NATION CULTURAL TOURISM Stepping Stones

VISIT CHEYENNE Luncheon

SOME PEOPLE SEE A PILE OF TOOLS. WE SEE A WAY TO HELP IMPROVE A DESTINATION IN NEED.

Tourism Cares can help you see the world differently. By participating in our outreach, education and volunteering programs you’ll be able to more successfully connect needs to opportunities.

And, you’ll gain the direction, networking, tools and skills required to shape a more resilient and sustainable future for the destinations and communities we all sell and rely upon. Join us and unite with your industry colleagues to harness the transformative power of travel.

Visit TourismCares.org. See the possibilities.

Join these companies in seeing the possibilities.

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Beloved

BEA CONS

Big Sable Point Lighthouse in Ludington, Michigan, is one of the oldest continuously working lighthouses in the state.

By Toddandbradreed.com

Lighthouses stand guard for centuries

BY ELIZA MYERS

S

ometimes a light saves the day — or night, as it were.

Single beams of light have saved untold numbers of sailors looking for safe passage through choppy waters and rocky coasts. The lifesaving effect of lighthouses eventually became a symbol of hope, not just for sailors lost in a storm but also for regular people trying to get through a frequently dark and confusing world.

Today, we could all use a little light in our lives. Groups can visit historic lighthouses across the country to admire their beauty and learn about their fascinating history.

Though some have temporarily halted tours due to the COVID-19 pandemic, lighthouse staff expect to open access to these national treasures as soon as possible.

At these iconic American lighthouses, groups come for the views and leave feeling inspired.

PORTLAND HEAD LIGHT CAPE ELIZABETH, MAINE

On Christmas Eve 1886, a ship struck the ledge at the Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. The lighthouse’s keeper and a few volunteers rigged an ordinary ladder to use as a gangplank between the shore and the ledge the ship was heeled against. The entire crew managed to climb across safely. It was a Christmas miracle.

Groups can hear this compelling story on their visit to the Portland Head Light. The 1791 lighthouse is so recognizable that many groups pose for photos in front of the Maine landmark. One of the most photographed lighthouses in the world, it stands surrounded by the dramatic coastline of Casco Bay, historic buildings and 90-acre Fort Williams Park. Groups can tour the site on their own and rent a picnic shelter for a group lunch.

Inside the Museum at the Portland Head Light, groups can see the 1891 former keeper’s house and exhibits on the history of the lighthouse. Models depict changes made to the lighthouse from the original structure commissioned by George Washington to its modern appearance.

Groups can shop for lighthouse- and Maine-related gifts at the site’s gift shop. Though Maine’s oldest lighthouse doesn’t frequently allow visitors to climb its 80-foot tower, groups can book a Casco Bay boat tour to see the white, conical lighthouse from sea.

VISITPORTLAND.COM

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TYBEE LIGHT STATION AND MUSEUM TYBEE ISLAND, GEORGIA

Gen. James Oglethorpe, governor of the 13th colony, ordered the building of the Tybee Light Station on Tybee Island, Georgia, in 1732.

Since its original construction, the lighthouse has guided mariners safely into the Savannah River.

The Tybee Light Station is known as one of America’s most intact historic lighthouse sites because it has retained all of its original support buildings. Rebuilt several times, the current 1916 lighthouse stands 145 feet tall. Groups can climb 178 steps for panoramic views of Tybee Island and massive ships sailing the Atlantic Ocean.

Georgia’s oldest and tallest lighthouse welcomes groups to its fiveacre site with self-guided tours. Staff are stationed throughout the grounds to answer any questions. Admission to the lighthouse also includes the Head Keeper’s Cottage, the Second Assistant Keeper’s Cottage and the Summer Kitchen.

The keeper’s cottages give a sense of the lives of those who kept the lighthouse functional all those years. A 15-minute video in the Second Assistant Keeper’s Cottage lays out the lighthouse’s history for a quick overview.

The lighthouse ticket also allows access to the Tybee Island Museum, located across the street. The museum covers 400 years of the island’s past with exhibits on the history of Tybee’s Euchee tribe, Tybee’s Golden Era and Fort Screven.

Groups can end their visits with a stop at the lighthouse’s gift shop for souvenirs and other related items.

VISITTYBEE.COM

BIG SABLE POINT LIGHTHOUSE

LUDINGTON, MICHIGAN

In 1986, the Big Sable Point Lighthouse in Ludington, Michigan, seemed doomed to wash out to sea. The state and federal government abandoned it when the lake’s water level came within four feet of the tower. The 1940s-era seawall stood under water, and many outbuildings had washed into the lake.

Local citizens banded together to install a new seawall and renovate the property. The group formed the Big Sable Point Lighthouse Keepers Association, which continues to manage the property, as well as three other historic Michigan lighthouses.

Groups can learn how the second-tallest lighthouse on the east-

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Cape Lookout Lighthouse Courtesy Crystal Coast TDA

Pigeon Point Lighthouse

Tybee Light Station and Museum Courtesy Visit Tybee

Courtesy San Mateo County/Silicon Valley CVB

ern shore of Michigan was saved on a visit to the black-and-whitestriped lighthouse. One of the oldest continuously working lights in the state, the lighthouse lies within Ludington State Park. To reach the lighthouse, groups can walk the one-way trail or arrange for special bus access.

Once at the site, visitors start by viewing historic pictures of the lighthouse. A video room shows a historic video about the Big Sable Point Lighthouse and its properties. A volunteer talks to the group about the artifacts on display before directing guests to the tower.

Those who wish to climb the 112-foot tower can admire spectacular views of Lake Michigan and Ludington State Park. A gift shop inside the original keeper’s quarters helps support the lighthouse’s ongoing preservation.

Ludington State Park offers guests more views with hiking trails, a canoe route, and beaches with calm waters and sandy shores.

PURELUDINGTON.COM

MARBLEHEAD LIGHTHOUSE MARBLEHEAD, OHIO

Each night, Benajah Wolcott, a Revolutionary War veteran, would light the wicks of 13 oil lamps in the Marblehead Lighthouse in Marble-

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Portland Head Light

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Courtesy Visit Portland

head, Ohio. He continued this nightly ritual until his death in 1832 when his wife, Rachel, took over his duties and became the Great Lakes’ first female lighthouse keeper.

Groups can learn more about early life as a lighthouse keeper at the Marblehead Lighthouse, the oldest lighthouse in continuous operation on the Great Lakes. Built in 1822, the lighthouse is part of the nineacre Marblehead Lighthouse State Park.

Groups can climb the tower’s 77 stairs for views of Lake Erie, Kelleys Island, South Bass Island and Cedar Point. The on-site Keeper’s House Museum tells the history of the lighthouse with artifacts, historic photos and the last used Fresnel lens. The museum sits inside the 1880 keeper’s house, which replaced the original 1821 house.

Groups can opt for a guided tour in the summer. After the tour, guests can shop for lighthouse-themed items at the gift shop.

A replica of the 1876 U.S. Lifesaving Station was constructed in 2016. Groups can explore this museum to discover the difficulties involved in rescuing Lake Erie sailors. One exhibit showcases a restored 27-foot Coast Guard rescue boat.

The lighthouse history continues 2.7 miles west of the site at the Wolcott House, which served as the original keeper’s house. Costumed guides give tours of the historic home.

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CAPE LOOKOUT LIGHTHOUSE

HARKERS ISLAND, NORTH CAROLINA

The image of the black-and-white-checkered Cape Lookout Lighthouse in Harkers Island, North Carolina, appears everywhere on the Crystal Coast, from business logos to lawn lighthouse replicas. The beloved lighthouse can only be reached by ferry, which doesn’t stop visitors eager to see the impressive structure.

North Carolina’s Crystal Coast is an 85-mile stretch of coastline that extends from Cape Lookout National Seashore southwestward to the New River. Cape Lookout National Seashore includes three underdeveloped barrier islands, including Harkers Island.

Passengers enjoy the three-mile ferry ride as part of the experience by keeping an eye out for dolphins, bald eagles, sea turtles and beachloving wild horses.

Once on the island, groups visit the Keepers’ Quarters Museum on the first floor of the 1873 keeper’s house. Exhibits and a film chronicle the lighthouse keepers of the past and shipwreck rescues.

Groups can climb the lighthouse’s 207 steps to the viewing level to look across the island and over the surrounding ocean. Once back outside, an island boardwalk accesses the ocean beach for shelling and beachcombing.

The Harkers Island Visitor Center contains artifacts and displays on the Cape Lookout National Seashore.

Marblehead Lighthouse

CRYSTALCOASTNC.ORG

PIGEON POINT LIGHTHOUSE

PESCADERO, CALIFORNIA

In 1852, the commercial vessel Carrier Pigeon launched on its maiden voyage from Boston. It wasn’t until it reached San Mateo County, California, that the ship ran into trouble. The area’s rocky coast sank the Carrier Pigeon. The wreck became so well known that the subsequent lighthouse built on the same spot in 1872 was named Pigeon Point Lighthouse.

To aid sailors navigating the central California coastal area, the lighthouse was outfitted with a 16-foot-tall lens. The original Fresnel lens is no longer in use, but guests can see the 2,000-pound light on display in the site’s Fog Signal Building.

The building displays information on the lighthouse’s evolving fixtures, from a five-wick lard oil lamp to its current automated LED beacon.

Half-hour guided walks around the lighthouse grounds explain the history of the lighthouse.

Tours also visit the keeper’s office and the oil bunker for more artifacts and exhibits on the lighthouse.

Though the lighthouse tower is now closed, the grounds offer gorgeous views of the jagged coastline with constantly crashing waves. Standing 115 feet high, the Pigeon Point Lighthouse is one of the tallest lighthouses in the country. The lighthouse is easily spotted from the scenic Highway 1 coastal route.

Groups can also explore the town of Pescadero, with stops at historic Duarte’s Restaurant, the Arcangeli Grocery Company and Harley Farms Goat Dairy.

Courtesy Light Erie Shores and Islands

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S T A T E

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M I N D

Will Rogers country OKLAHOMA INSPIRES ITS TRAVELERS AND GUESTS

BY ELIZABETH HEY

A

rt lovers, adventure seekers and history hounds can all find a way to get their kicks on a tour of Oklahoma.

A sample of what the state offers can be found in Oklahoma City’s Western experiences, Native American culture and world-class outdoor thrills. Your group will be delighted by Tulsa’s welcoming vibe coupled with outstanding museums surrounded by lovely gardens, and the city’s Gathering Place offers multifaceted outdoor amenities.

The state also serves as headquarters to 39 Native American tribes. Scenic Chickasaw Country in south-central Oklahoma touts rolling hills, waterfalls and abundant activities.

Stretching nearly 400 miles across the state, Oklahoma’s portion of Route 66 helps to enhance any itinerary with plenty of quirky and memorable sites.

OKLAHOMA CITY

Slated to be completed mid-September 2021, Oklahoma City’s First Americans Museum will tell the collective story of Oklahoma’s 39 tribes from a historic perspective and contemporary reality. Groups can take advantage of the fullservice restaurant and grab-and-go cafe. The large museum store, akin to an artistic marketplace, will sell one-of-kind handcrafted artworks.

For an authentic Western experience, the National Cowboy Western and Heritage Museum showcases the American cowboy, rodeos and Native Americans. Outside, visitors can explore replicas of Native tribal dwellings and watch on-site demonstrations.

Saturday evenings in Stockyard City, Rodeo Opry delivers family-friendly entertainment. Before or after, dine

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Turner Falls in Oklahoma’s Chickasaw Country is the state’s tallest waterfall.

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CLAR EM O R E

TULS A

O K LAHO M A CI TY ELK CI T Y TI S HO M I NGO

at the legendary Cattlemen’s Steakhouse and shop Little Joe’s Boots and Langston’s for all things cowboy.

In the Boathouse District, Riversport OKC delivers outdoor thrills. Groups can raft, kayak or tube on Class II to Class IV rapids. Professional guides give instruction beforehand, and the whitewater experience lasts approximately 60 to 90 minutes. In addition, the SandRidge Sky Trail features a six-story ropes course and an 80-foot free-fall jump.

A zip line crosses the river, and there’s a climbing wall and four high-speed slides. Indoors, visitors can try the surfing simulator, and come late spring, a ski simulator will be operational.

“Groups can get day passes for multiple activities within the district, or they can come and experience one particular activity,” said Lindsay Vidrine, vice president of marketing for the Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau. “A food truck can be brought in, plus there’s event space and catering options from casual to very formal.”

Downtown’s 70-acre Scissortail Park hosts concerts and weekend farmers and holiday markets. Pavilions with picnic tables accommodate a food truck area on the park’s east side, and paddleboat rental is available on the lake. The OKC Streetcar connects six miles of the city’s core and stops at the park.

Liichokoshkomo’ at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum

Courtesy Chickasaw Nation Dept. of Tourism

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Courtesy Oklahoma City CVB

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Your group can take the high-speed elevator to the 49th floor of the Devon Energy Tower to the memorable restaurant Vast. According to Vidrine, the restaurant is well known for its locally sourced seasonal menu and unique cocktails. Numerous options for a private reception or dinner are backdropped by stunning views.

Riversport OKC

TULSA

Tulsa’s art scene continues to expand outdoors. The Philbrook Museum of Art showcases American, European, Renaissance and baroque works within a 1920s Italianate villa. Linger at the lovely La Villa restaurant overlooking the formal gardens or opt for outdoor movies, live music and programming in the gardens.

Northwest of downtown, the Gilcrease Museum’s world-class collection of Western American art spans Colonial times to the present. Self-made oilman Thomas Gilcrease had a fondness for Remington bronzes, as well as Moran and Russell paintings. Guided garden tours highlight horticultural styles from the American West, and visitors can spend several hours walking additional trails on the grounds.

The excellent museum store features Native American and contemporary arts and crafts.

From Broadway shows to the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra, the Tulsa Performing Arts Center (TPAC) offers a full calendar of events. Gracing the interior and grounds, more than 70 works of art feature well-known Oklahomans, Native Americans and international superstars. TPAC houses four theaters, plus studio and event space.

For more open-air socializing, the Gathering Place stretches alongside the Arkansas River.

Nearly 100 acres feature nature trails, a concert lawn and the OneOK Boathouse, where visitors can rent paddleboats, kayaks and canoes for cruising Peggy’s Pond. The Boathouse

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Courtesy Oklahoma City CVB

Riding the rapids with Riversport OKC

Courtesy Oklahoma City CVB

Oklahoma City’s Rodeo Opry

Farmers Market at Scissortail Park

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Courtesy Oklahoma City CVB

Courtesy Oklahoma City CVB

Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa

Courtesy Tulsa Regional Tourism

Restaurant offers elegant dining, while the casual Overlook Deck affords panoramic views.

Anchoring it all and built from primarily Oklahoma materials, the glass and stone Williams Lodge hosts activities, and its great room features a floor-toceiling rock fireplace.

“Everyone is focused on bringing new, unique experiences to their outdoor spaces through music, dance, art and outdoor projects,” said Ray Hoyt, president of Tulsa Regional Tourism.

Just 45 minutes southeast of Tulsa, Sequoyah State Park lies on the shores of Fort Gibson Lake amidst tall pines. The state’s largest lodge offers a variety of rooms along with an expansive bunkhouse and A-frame cabins.

Activities range from swimming to golf and trail rides. The Three Forks Nature Center schedules naturalist-led programs.

CHICKASAW COUNTRY

Your group will find culture, shopping and entertainment in Tishomingo, the historic capital of the Chickasaw Nation. The Chickasaw Council House and Museum holds one of the largest collections of Chickasaw art and artifacts. The museum shop sells artwork and jewelry

by Chickasaw artists.

Inspired by Blake Shelton’s hit “Ol’ Red,” the Ole Red Restaurant features live music every weeknight, as well as dance parties Friday through Sunday evenings. Private space for groups is also available.

On 184 pristine acres of rolling hills and woodlands, the Chickasaw Cultural Center in Sulphur honors the Chickasaw Nation’s living culture, past and present. Outside, groups can take the winding path or four-story Sky Bridge to the traditional village that replicates the 1700s Chickasaw homeland, including dance and craft demonstrations, before European contact. Nearby,

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Museum honors the Oklahoma native. This fascinating museum highlights Rogers’ career as an actor, cowboy, humorist, newspaper columnist and social commentator.

In Chelsea, quirky Totem Pole Park claims the world’s largest concrete totem, and the 11-sided Fiddle House displays handcarved fiddles. And near Tulsa, the 80-foot-long Blue Whale beckons as one of Route 66’s most recognizable icons.

Stop for a photo at Tulsa’s Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza, where eight state flags represent the states crisscrossed by Route Mother Road Market in Tulsa 66. The Cyrus Avery Memorial Courtesy Tulsa Regional Tourism Bridge lies over the original route.

“Between Peoria and Lewis on 11th Street, Tulsa’s original Route National Route 66 Museum 66 is currently being developed with the Mother Road Market as the anchor,” said Hoyt. “It’s a unique food court that features upand-coming local chefs. This stretch Route 66’s of street also has four microbrewerBlue Whale

By Lori Duckworth, courtesy Oklahoma

By Lori Duckworth, courtesy Oklahoma ies, boutiques and lots of neon.” of Catoosa Tourism and Recreation Dept.

Tourism and Recreation Dept.

In between Tulsa and Oklahoma Courtesy Wicomico County City, one-of-a-kind memorabilia fills Chandler’s Route 66 InterpreChickasaw National Capitol tive Center. This 1937 National Guard armory displays historic travel guides, vintage billboards and virtual hotel rooms. Visitors can “ride” in a 1930 Model A Ford, a 1948 Willys Jeep or a 1965 red Mustang while watching short films about the Mother Road.

On Oklahoma City’s outskirts, an iconic 66-foot-tall pop bottle puts Pops on the map.

The futuristic building displays a rainbow of soda bottles. Inside, Courtesy Chickasaw Nation Dept. of Tourism nearly 650 flavors of specialty sodas include flavors like Jelly Belly Blueberry and Sonoma Pear Natural Sparkler. The 1950s-style diner serves Exhibit C Gallery in meals or snacks. Patio seating overlooks 66 redCommonly dubbed the Mother Road, Oklahoma City buds, Oklahoma’s state tree.

Route 66 was conceived by Tulsa businessAnother highlight, the National Route 66 man Cyrus Avery, Oklahoma’s first highway and Transportation Museum, lies near the Texcommissioner. Groups that follow portions of as border in Elk City. The four-museum comthe original route through the state will find a plex features first-person accounts of Route number of unique experiences.

66’s heyday, along with a collection of vintage The elegant Coleman Theatre in Miami cars. Visitors can hop into a 1959 red Impala at showcases a 1929 Mighty Wurlitzer pipe organ. the drive-in theater to watch clips from classic Instead of vaudeville shows of yesteryear, the movies such as “The Blob.” theater now offers a variety of entertainment.

Courtesy Chickasaw Nation Dept. of Tourism travelok.com In Claremore, the Will Rogers Memorial

the Chickasaw Retreat and Conference Center combines upscale amenities, such as its Sole’renity Spa, with outdoor activities that include a ropes course, fishing and canoeing.

“Chickasaw Country offers many amenities in nature and outdoor recreation,” said Paige Shepherd, director of corporate development and tourism for the Chickasaw Nation. “We’re looking forward to welcoming groups back in a safe environment because we’re in rural Oklahoma, and our attractions provide great experiences without the crowds.”

Halfway between Oklahoma City and Dallas, Lake Murray State Park is the state’s largest park. Tucked into forested hills on the shores of Lake Murray, the iconic Tucker Tower History Center affords panoramic views for those who climb to the top. Groups can opt for a sunset dinner cruise, watch local entertainment or attend naturalist-led programs.

There’s an exceptional trail system for hiking and horseback.

The lake offers swimming, fishing, boating and scuba diving in its clear waters. Sports range from an 18-hole, par 72 golf course with pro shop to tennis courts and ballfields.

Returning through Oklahoma City, Bricktown’s Exhibit C is part gallery and part boutique. Here, handcrafted artwork is displayed and sold by First American artists. Gourmet Bedré Fine Chocolates, made by the Chickasaw Nation, can also be purchased.

ROUTE 66

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TIDES OF CHANGE

BY JILL GLEESON

atlantic city never stops reimagining itself

I

Steel Pier

Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall

Photos courtesy Meet AC

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t all started with salt water.

Atlantic City — legendary Prohibition good-time town, birthplace of the Miss America pageant, iconic gaming destination — got its start in the mid-1800s as a health resort.

Believed to be good for what ails you, its ocean shoreline was enticing hundreds of thousands of travelers by 1870. That was the year Atlantic City’s first permanent boardwalk was built as a way to keep sand out of the grand hotels that fronted the beach.

Today, the boardwalk is more than five miles long and sports enticements like the historic Steel Pier, which features three bars, abundant carnival rides and games and the country’s third-largest observation wheel.

But it’s just one of the attractions that beguiles groups in Atlantic City, the city that is always reinventing itself.

“What’s unique about Atlantic City is that it never stays the same,” said Heather Colache, tourism account and film commission director for Meet AC. “It’s always changing. There’s always something new coming on, something fresh or something that is being remodeled.”

Most recently, that has included the three-block-long development known as the Orange Loop, so named for the group of properties in the game Monopoly, which was inspired by Atlantic City. Among the businesses happy to welcome groups are a beer hall, a chocolate bar

Courtesy Kentucky Bourbon Trail

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Atlantic City combines seaside fun and compelling attractions.

Absecon Lighthouse

White House Subs

Knife and Fork Inn

and a donation-based yoga studio, as well as Bourré, a New Orleansinspired bar and restaurant with live music. The Orange Loop, which frequently hosts outdoor events like craft beer tastings in the warmweather months, offers free motorcoach parking.

COMING DEVELOPMENTS

Looking ahead, as this Boardwalk Empire likes to do, groups will eventually be able to enjoy a completely revamped Bally’s Atlantic City Hotel and Casino. The property was just purchased by a hedge fund operator who has pledged hundreds of millions of dollars for an overhaul. Meanwhile, the hotel Showboat, which does not have a casino, has announced intentions to build an indoor water park on its property, and January is scheduled to see the implosion of Trump Plaza, which may be replaced by a multiuse outdoor space.

And Atlantic City continues to reinvent itself as a prime culinary destination with beloved eateries new and classic. Big names like Guy Fieri, Bobby Flay and Gordon Ramsey can be found at the casino properties, while historic favorite Knife and Fork Inn, which dates to Prohibition, serves upscale steak and seafood. Another iconic eatery, according to Colache, is White House Subs. “The celebrities all come in, and their pictures are plastered all over the wall,” she said. “It’s a little local gem and a must-visit when you come to Atlantic City.”

Despite the city’s love of reinvention, there’s still plenty of tradition to be found in AC. The historic Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall, built in 1929, is home to the Midmer-Losh Organ, the largest, loudest musical instrument in the world. Groups can schedule free tours yearround, and during the summer, there are free half-hour concerts weekdays at noon. Likewise, the Absecon Lighthouse, the third-tallest lighthouse in the United States, also offers tours to groups. Built in 1857, the 171-foot-tall lighthouse, with 228 steps, still boasts its original, first-order Fresnel Lens.

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Groups that want to visit the lighthouse should schedule their stop around a half-day adventure in Historic Gardner’s Basin, just five minutes away. Atlantic City Cruises, which offers three cruises a day, as well as private charters, is based in the little marine community, but it’s not the only attraction to be found there, as Colache noted.

“Within that area are a couple of restaurants, like Gilcrist Restaurant, which is a family favorite famous for its blueberry pancakes,” Colache said. “And then there’s also a small aquarium, and all of the animals are indigenous to our water. It’s just really a beautiful area.

You can bring your own food and have picnics there. There’s a marina as well. You can fish off the pier. And everyone works with groups.

Oh, and AC Cruises can also cater breakfast onto the boat, so you can have your cruise with breakfast.”

UNIQUE ATTRACTIONS

With nine casinos, three on the marina and six on the boardwalk, it might be difficult to tear the group’s gamblers away from Atlantic City. But just outside the city limits in Margate sits a sight that will disappoint no one: Lucy the Elephant. Built in 1881 of wood and tin sheeting to attract tourists and promote real estate, the beloved pachyderm is a six-story marvel that has been happily refurbished and now hosts tours.

“You go all the way to the top, [and] there’s a 360-degree view of Atlantic City and all the barrier islands,” Colache said. “Lucy also has a great gift shop and a little sandwich stand. She’s fun for older groups, younger groups — it doesn’t matter. She’s just really interesting. They can probably take only 10 at a time, but there’s so much to do there [that] people aren’t ever bored.”

Which, when you think of it, might be a fine — if a bit no-nonsense — slogan for Atlantic City itself. After all, the city is an island that offers exceptional sand, surf and sun to go along with its celebrated gaming and, as Colache pointed out, serious shopping.

“We have tax-free shopping on clothes and shoes and over 100 shops in Tanger Outlets, which is in walking distance from the boardwalk,” she said. “So it’s also a very easy, walkable destination. And we have motorcoach parking now, and there are no permits needed to come into the city, so it really is wide open for groups Groups can contact Colache directly for more travel ideas and help planning their Atlantic City itineraries.

“It’s all about the story, and Atlantic City has rich and vibrant stories,” she said. “We want to make sure people have a memorable experience when they come and visit us.”

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PL AN

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h o l i d a y

Alabama Theatre’s “The South’s Grandest Christmas Show” uses talented musicians to spread holiday cheer in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Courtesy Alabama Theatre

MYRTLE BEACH MAKES THE SEASON BRIGHT

P

BY ELIZA MYERS eople react to both the beach and Christmas with the same feeling: joy. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, shows that the excitement of the holidays can mesh nicely with the relaxation of the beach.

From highly rated holiday shows to enchanting light displays, this beach destination offers several Christmas-related events groups enjoy attending. Visitors can’t help but keep smiling on a holiday tour of Myrtle Beach.

ALABAMA THEATRE

If simple carols put people in the holiday spirit, imagine the impact of professional singers belting out Christmas tunes with stunning scen-

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ery and special effects. “The South’s Grandest Christmas Show” at the Alabama Theatre features both classic carols and contemporary favorites. Performances run from November through New Year’s.

The Alabama Theatre was opened in 1993 by the musical group Alabama. The country band had worked for tips in Myrtle Beach before going on to international fame, which motivated them to choose the destination for their namesake theater. They worked closely with Gaylord Productions to create the Alabama Theatre’s most acclaimed show: “ONE The Show.” “‘ONE’ is a high-energy show,” said Ellen Calhoun, national sales manager for the Alabama Theatre. “It goes through all types of music with dancing and elaborate costumes. It is like a Vegas show. We keep it fresh every year. About 30% to 40% of our show changes each year.”

The show offers country, gospel, Broadway, pop and rock hits interspersed with entertainers and comedians. The show celebrated its 27th anniversary in 2020.

Alabama Theatre works with groups to package its performance with dinner at one of 12 nearby restaurants.

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Live Oak Allee at Brookgreen Gardens

BROOKGREEN GARDENS

Courtesy Brookgreen Gardens

Original Benjamin’s Calabash Seafood restaurant’s gingerbread contest

Courtesy Original Benjamin’s Calabash Seafood

Brookgreen Gardens’ Nights of a Thousand Candles

Courtesy Brookgreen Gardens

Duplin Winery

Courtesy Duplin Winery

ORIGINAL BENJAMIN’S CALABASH SEAFOOD

Intricate edible castles with Christmas trees in the window seem a far cry from a traditional gingerbread house. At the Original Benjamin’s Calabash Seafood restaurant, these over-the-top structures make the restaurant’s annual gingerbread contest a holiday highlight.

The contest features both professionally made and locally made houses. Some professional culinary artists begin constructing their edible masterpieces in April for the November and December contest.

However, Original Benjamin’s Calabash Seafood stands out no matter the season.

“We are much more than a restaurant,” said Donna Rebello, marketing and group sales director for Original Benjamin’s Calabash Seafood. “We have one of the largest nautical collections in the Southeast. It is like a museum. These items are in every nook and cranny.

We created a walking tour so that we can highlight some of our favorite items for groups that come in.”

Another unexpected treat for guests comes from watching the restaurant’s own master shipwright constructing model ships onsite. The restaurant displays his completed works, such as an 18-foot model of the Queen Elizabeth II. Opened in 1986, the buffet restaurant serves fresh local seafood daily. The 1,000-seat restaurant was the first in the area to introduce Calabash-style cooking, which consists of lightly battered and fried seafood.

The menu offers more than 170 items, and the restaurant has a raw bar, a carving station, a pasta station, an in-house bakery and a crab bar.

“We serve an incredible amount of groups,” said Rebello. “We talk to the servers and tell them this may be the only trip these travelers take all year. We are honored that groups choose us.”

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Hand lighting more than 2,800 candles is an impressive feat in itself. Adding more than 1 million electric lights is an order of magnitude grander. Brookgreen Gardens’ Nights of a Thousand Candles event combines the two to bring a soft glow to the already beautiful sculpture garden.

“Live Oak Allee is a fan favorite during the event,” said Anna Lovell, group sales and marketing for Brookgreen Gardens. “It has six 300-year-old oak trees with lights all over them. It is a magical spot.”

Voted “Best Christmas Lights in South Carolina” by Travel and Leisure magazine, the light show is coupled with live entertainment, hot drinks and food options.

Brookgreen Gardens synthesizes nature, art and history across its 9,100 acres. Groups can spend a full day exploring the themed gardens with American figurative sculptures, the Lowcountry Zoo and nature trails.

A typical visit begins with a one-hour guided walking tour that discusses the site’s most famous sculptures and flora. After participants wander the gardens, groups can gather for a catered meal or dine at one of the garden’s three restaurants.

“I recommend that groups do the creek excursion boat ride in the afternoon,” said Lovell. “It is a history lesson of the rice plantations that Brookgreen Gardens once stood on. It is a one-hour pontoon river cruise through the former rice fields.”

Brookgreen Gardens was founded in 1932 by Archer and Anna Huntington. Many of the sculptures were created by Anna and her sister.

DUPLIN WINERY

Christmas-spiced wines bring liquid holiday cheer at Duplin Winery.

The Christmas Wine variety tastes of berries and spices and pairs well with the season’s culinary treats. The other favorite, Naughty and Nice, was developed as a white wine meant to pair well with Christmas dinner.

If not visiting the winery during the holiday season, groups can still enjoy a day of entertainment at the 15,000-square-foot winery.

The largest wine-tasting station on Myrtle Beach’s Grand Strand features events, shopping and tours.

“We’ve been in the business since 1976,” said Morgan Jackson, general manager of the Duplin Winery Family. “We grow the muscadine grape, which is native to the South. They are very fruity and make a great sweet wine.”

The Duplin Winery opened in Rose Hill, North Carolina, before coming to Myrtle Beach in 2015. The Myrtle Beach location bottles wines by hand. Guests can watch and learn how the process produces between 1,000 and 1,200 bottles a day.

During the tour, a bartender walks patrons through the flavors and history of each selection. The tour ends with a tasting of at least 10 wines and comes with gourmet crackers, some cheese dip and a complementary wine glass.

The experience continues in the retail area, which sells upscale accessories, home decor, wine and food. Guests can sample their way through the stores with free bites of homemade fudge and tastes of frozen wine slushies.

“We have just had the best time,” said Jackson. “A lot of people say it is a place where you feel like kicking back and relaxing. We have live music on the patio every day.”

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known L

F O R

et’s be honest — Mardi Gras is bizarre.

During Mardi Gras, otherwise shy and retiring people beg for worthless pieces of plastic magically transformed into momentary treasures. Adults dress up in outlandish feathered costumes that would make Big Bird envious. And plenty of people who have no clue what Lent is celebrate right before it arrives.

Mardi Gras, the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday on the Christian calendar, has deep historical and religious roots. That heritage is celebrated in many American cities, and not just for one day. Today, there’s a Mardi Gras season, and that allows groups to schedule some joyful times in the middle of an otherwise dreary winter.

Mardi Gras 2021 will be most unusual — circumspect, cautious or canceled — so travel planners are looking ahead to the rest of the decade. Here’s a look at five destinations, each with multiple ways to have a Mardi Gras experience.

MARDI GRAS M A R D I G R A S PA R A D E I N N E W O R L E A N S

NEW ORLEANS Courtesy New Orleans and Company

New Orleans is the king-daddy of Mardi Gras and features food, drink, parties and parades galore throughout the city, well beyond the famous French Quarter. Seventy parades fill a normal Mardi Gras season, and New Orleans has staged nearly 2,000 of them since 1857, according to New Orleans and Co., the city’s marketing organization.

“Mardi Gras can be done anywhere, but we take it very, very seriously,” said Kim Priez, senior vice president of tourism. “It is so much fun to see the crazy pageantry of Mardi Gras here. We like the identity of the largest free show on earth.”

Priez’s biggest tip to tour planners is to book a package that involves pre-arranged space in a parade viewing stand that keeps a group together and “makes your group feel pampered and special.”

Priez said New Orleans’ huge inventory of parades, viewing stands and hotels can create memorable itineraries.

Of course, there will be no parades in 2021, but there’s always a Mardi Gras vibe here. Your group can dress up in flamboyant Mardi Gras costumes in a permanent exhibit called “It’s Carnival Time in Louisiana” at the Presbytere museum. And the inside scoop about building those incredible parade floats is told at Blaine Kern’s Mardi Gras World production studio tour.

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BY TOM ADKINSON

M O B I L E M A R D I G R A S PA R A D E B A N D

A F LO AT AT T H E M I S S I S S I P P I G U L F C O A S T M A R D I G R A S PA R A D E

MOBILE, ALABAMA

COASTAL MISSISSIPPI Courtesy Visit Mobile

New Orleans may have the biggest Mardi Gras celebration, but Mobile, Alabama, claims the first American Mardi Gras, held in 1703.

“We have a reputation for being a family-friendly celebration,” said Tara Zieman, director of marketing and communications for Visit Mobile. “That grew organically, and we don’t disagree. Our downtown lends itself to family activities.”

In a nonpandemic year, 40 parades are spread throughout three weeks, with a cumulative spectator total of 1 million. Much focus is on Mardi Gras Park, a large greenspace across from Fort Conde, a partial reconstruction of a French colonial fort. Permanent park residents include Mardi Gras-related statues such as a queen, a trumpet player and Joe Cain. Who’s Joe Cain? Only the creator of Mobile’s modern Mardi Gras. His impromptu parade in 1866 while dressed as a Native American chief he named Chief Slackabamarinico — just call him Chief Slac — got the ball rolling.

Two year-round mainstays are Toomey’s Mardi Gras — heaven for hunters of beads, trinkets and costumes — and the Mobile Carnival Museum, a collection of dazzling costumes, jewelry, floats and photos. Along the way, learn that Mobile’s favorite throw — that’s what souvenirs thrown from parade floats are called — is the Moon Pie and that there’s one parade where anyone can march. It’s the Sunday before Fat Tuesday and is another salute to Joe Cain.

MOBILE.ORG

Courtesy Coastal Mississippi

Biloxi, Pascagoula, Gulfport and several other cities are in a Mardi Gras sweet spot, according to Anna Roy, public and media relations manager for Coastal Mississippi.

“We’re between Mobile’s family atmosphere and the New Orleans party-party scene,” she said. “Mardi Gras is a big event here, and we have the best of both worlds. With a dozen cities, there’s great variety. Each has parades — usually daytime and some at night — and other accessible, fun events.”

Festivities began this year on January 5, Twelfth Night, when the historic Biloxi Lighthouse is bathed in purple, gold and green. The 65-foot-high spire is a Mardi Gras beacon through Fat Tuesday and the Gulf Coast Carnival Association’s daytime parade in Biloxi. The association’s nighttime parade is on the preceding Saturday.

Several communities’ parades are along U.S. 90, with a sparkling Gulf of Mexico backdrop for themed floats and their passengers, who pitch throws to excited spectators. Roy says these parades have a casual, small-town flavor, with good parking and accessible perspectives.

King cakes — colorful, sugary delights, each hiding a plastic baby — are seasonal specialties at coastal bakeries, including Biloxi’s Vietnamese-owned Le Bakery. Tour leaders can delight a group by ordering king cakes ahead of time. New in 2020 was the Coastal Mississippi Mardi Gras Museum in Biloxi’s revitalizing Howard Avenue district. It’s a target even outside of Mardi Gras season.

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B A R KU S A N D M E O U X M A R D I PAW PA R A D E

D O W N T O W N G A LV E S T O N

GALVESTON, TEXAS Photos courtesy Visit Galveston

G A LV E S T O N ’ S M A R D I G R A S PA R A D E

Texans can throw a party, and the folks in Galveston say their Mardi Gras celebration is the largest in the Lone Star State and the third-largest in the nation. However, superlatives don’t matter when your party place is Galveston’s historic district and your backdrop is the Gulf of Mexico.

“We have plenty of fun with more than 25 parades, 300 million beads and 300,000 guests during a normal Mardi Gras,” said Michael Woody, chief tourism officer for Visit Galveston. The city has been honing its party credentials since 1867. The coronavirus pandemic, World War II and a few other incidents have interrupted the string, but Woody says Galveston will be geared up to stage the city’s 110th Mardi Gras in 2022.

The city cordons off a large portion of downtown for a festival ground that creates a street fair atmosphere for vendors and concert stages that complement the many parades. Parades use two routes: One concentrates on the historic district, where buildings date to the mid-1800s, and a longer route uses Seawall Boulevard.

The biggest parade is the Knights of Momus Grand Night Parade on the Saturday before Fat Tuesday. But perhaps the most fun is the Funky Uptown Umbrella Brigade Parade. Tour groups are welcome to march along if everyone sports a decorated umbrella.

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“WE HAVE PLENTY OF FUN WITH MORE THAN 25 PARADES, 300 MILLION BEADS AND 300,000 GUESTS DURING A NORMAL MARDI GRAS.” — M I C H A E L W O O D Y, V I S I T G A L V E S T O N

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NEED A QUICK GROUP GETAWAY?

M A R D I G R A S I N S T. L O U I S

ST. LOUIS Courtesy Explore St. Louis

St. Louis says its blowout is the second-largest Mardi Gras celebration in the nation. Never mind that other cities make the same claim. Just have another beer and holler for another throw.

Mardi Gras began inauspiciously here in 1979 when five friends spilled out of a party for an unplanned parade. For some reason, they had beads to throw. A five-person lark grew through the decades into diverse events that include three major parades with total attendance of 500,000. One is the Beggin’ Pet Parade, which organizers call the world’s largest costumed pet parade.

“Most events take place in the Soulard neighborhood, a historic district south of downtown,” said Renee Eichelberger, director of leisure travel sales at Explore St. Louis. She noted that much Mardi Gras action takes place at Soulard Farmers Market, an indoor/outdoor marketplace that predates the city’s Mardi Gras festivities by 200 years. After the pet parade, many revelers reassemble at the market for the Mardi Gras Wiener Dog Derby, which determines “the dashingest dachshund in all the land.”

Other diversions on the calendar include a Cajun cookoff, a Taste of Soulard sampling event and the Run for Your Beads 5-K, which is fun for participants and spectators alike. Remember, too, that tours of the Anheuser-Busch brewery are only five minutes from the market.

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Ridgeland is ready when you are with safe, accessible outdoor shopping venues, a new Malco Theater, over 140 restaurant options and brand hotels. Our location just outside of Jackson, MS off the Natchez Trace Parkway (National Park) offers you a convenient escape.

For more information about visiting Mississippi, explore visitmississippi.org, #VisitMSResponsibly.

Ridgeland Fine Arts Festival May 1-2, 2021

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USE VIRTUAL ELEMENTS TO GENERATE REAL TRAVEL

BY ELIZA MYERS

A

simple photo of a beach is enough to make many people swoon these days. Almost a year into the pandemic, travel lovers are itching to return to the skies and explore the world.

According to recent research by Expedia Group, one in two travelers feels optimistic about traveling this year. This optimism mixed with pent-up global wanderlust can help you and other travel planners reignite group travel.

Encourage your travelers to return to the road with some virtual travel inspiration.

VIRTUAL RECOMMENDATIONS

Most travel planners already send out regular e-newsletters or social media posts to their followers. To maximize your impact in encouraging safe travel, you can recommend activities that remind members why they love to travel.

For example, send them a list of high-quality travel documentaries or travelrelated shows they can watch on Netflix or Amazon Prime Video, such as “Into the Canyon,” “Japan With Sue Perkins” or “Our Planet.” Fiction also has a history of motivating people to travel. List some classics, like “Lawrence of Arabia” and “Out of Africa,” as well as some of your personal favorites.

Travel-related podcasts, books, YouTube videos, blogs, music stations, food-themed shows and history documentaries can also make fun ways to connect with members. For more handson activities, suggest some travel-related hobbies that are available online for free, such as learning a new language, regional dance instruction or international cooking.

The more personal the recommendations the better. Rather

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than randomly listing shows to watch, view some yourself and then share your top picks. Or you could mention ideas that relate to an upcoming trip to build anticipation.

VIRTUAL TOURS

When the pandemic initially caused attractions around the globe to close, virtual tours became a popular alternative to in-person visits. Although everyone would agree there is no replacement for real travel, these tours can excite your travelers about future visits. For example, if you are planning an upcoming trip to Yosemite National Park, you can send a link to the 3D virtual tour to build enthusiasm.

Since the pandemic has negatively affected group travel, try livestreaming the destination yourself. Some group leaders preview destinations in person before sending their members there. If you go on a FAM trip or a solo trip to investigate a future destination, livestream moments of the experience. Groups can see for themselves how safe everything will be if you show them videos of the precautions taken at destinations, hotels and restaurants.

Before livestreaming, you should let groups know what time to watch for the video. For example, if you know you’ll be touring a hotel on a certain day and at a certain time, send out a link on which members can click to watch the tour with you. You can livestream a video on Facebook, YouTube or other platforms.

A simpler tactic is to take the video on-site, then send out a link to the prerecorded video to your members on social media or YouTube.

If you can’t go yourself, request the vendor send you a livestream or prerecorded video to show firsthand what precautions are being taken. Many motorcoach companies have already created these types of safety videos that you can share with your group.

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VIRTUAL PAST AND FUTURE

One way to take members’ minds off the current downturn in travel is to relive the past. Help them recall their previous trips with your group virtually. You can make this as elaborate as you want. Many websites, like traveldiariesapp.com, allow you to create virtual travel books you can share.

For a quick trip down memory lane, share a featured travel photo of the month for your members to enjoy. Facebook makes this process even easier if you regularly post on the social media site. Access the site’s Memories tab to see what you posted on that date in previous years that you can repost for your followers.

But the past should only be one aspect of your virtual travel inspiration. Encourage your members to think about future trips you may be planning.

Vivid images with relevant content are sometimes all it takes. A gorgeous photo of the Grand Canyon with a travel quote for a scheduled Arizona trip might inspire someone to book a trip. Promotional videos encourage even deeper connections with the destination.

However else you decide to virtually inspire your travelers, remember that travel is not the only thing that brings your members together. The relationships between you and the members of your group are the connections that will exist long after this pandemic.

Search for information from the leading group tour destinations and attractions in the country.

Plan your group’s return to travel at:

.

GROUPTRAVELLEADER.COM/NAVIGATOR Travel industry representatives who want to include information to Tourism Navigator can submit information at grouptravelleader.com/listing.

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Trippin With Michelle SPENCER, INDIANA TRIP: CIE Tours TOUR OPERATOR: Mystical Ireland DATE: August 2019 For eight days, the group Trippin With Michelle toured Northern Ireland and the southern Republic of Ireland. In Northern Ireland, they stopped in Belfast, Derry and the Giant’s Causeway.

Other highlights came from cities in the Republic of Ireland, such as Dublin, Bunratty, Galway and Donegal.

“Our group quickly realized why Ireland is called the Emerald Isle. There were beautiful flowers along the rolling landscape dotted with sheep. We especially enjoyed the sheep herding experience, the Cliffs of Moher and the Giant’s Causeway. The pubs were so entertaining. Everyone was so friendly; you felt as if you were visiting kinfolk.”

— MICHELLE DEFORD, PRESIDENT AND OWNER

American Spirit Club SIOUX CENTER, IOWA TRIP: Minnesota Three-Day Tour DATE: September 2019 The American Spirit Club enjoyed a short domestic trip around southeastern Minnesota. The tour stopped at the National Eagle Center in Wabasha, the Red Wing Pottery Museum in Red Wing and the Orphanage Museum in Owatonna and took a cruise on Lake Pepin.

“Our hub for the tour was the beautiful, historic St. James Hotel in Red Wing. We enjoyed the beauty of this area, the quaint shops, stunning scenery and the remarkable history of the region. I think my travelers enjoyed this tour because it was a beautiful time of the year and not so far away from home. I am keeping this type of trip in my mind when planning for 2021 during these unpredictable times.”

— LOREEN MARRA, COORDINATOR

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With everything to see and do in Oklahoma, the seats on your tour will be in high demand. Start at Tulsa’s Philbrook Museum, a Redbook Magazine top-50 vacation destination. Discover Mother Road artifacts at the National Route 66 Museum in Elk City — 5 museums in 1! Mosey on down to Woolaroc in Bartlesville to see the world’s finest collection of Colt firearms. Then explore an 1860’s Red River trading post at Lawton’s Museum of The Great Plains. And that’s just the beginning!

Find adventures and itineraries at TravelOK.com/Group.