Leisure Group Travel Magazine Aug 2016

LEISURE AUGUST 2016

GROUP TRAVEL

-The Daily Telegraph

LIMITED ENGAGEMENT I BOOK YOUR GROUP S TODAY

SaigonBroadway.com

-Evening Standard

-The Times

LGT_3_CVR 1 7/19/16 12:39 PM Page 3

LEISURE AUGUST 2016

GROUP TRAVEL

Expedition Cruising in

Patagonia

6

National Parks Worth A Closer Look Shake up your itineraries with some less obvious choices

A Premier Travel Media publication • LeisureGroupTravel.com

Missouri Tour Guide Great discoveries await group travelers in the Show Me State

LGT_4-5_Layout 1 7/19/16 5:04 PM Page 4

CONTENTS

August 2016 • Vol. 26, No.4

LEISURE GROUP TRAVEL

12 14

INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT Boyd Gaming Rolls out the Red Carpet for Spotlight on the Southwest Casino Best Bets (pg.11) TAKE 5 With Shannon Stowell, President, Adventure Travel Trade Association

DESTINATIONS INT’L

EXPEDITION CRUISING IN PATAGONIA BY RANDY MINK Penguins, glaciers and raw scenic beauty intrigue nature-minded travelers exploring the tip of South America

16

WEST

43

SOUTH

48

WILD, WONDERFUL WEST VIRGINIA BY DAVE BODLE In addition to outdoor pleasures, the state abounds with group-friendly attractions, from dinner theater to rail excursions.

50

CENTRAL

53

WISCONSIN’S HORICON MARSH BY MARY BERGIN The nation’s largest cattail marsh is a haven for an ever-changing symphony and ballet of migrating birds.

56

EAST

23

SPECIAL SECTION

4

I

COLUMNS

6 NATIONAL PARKS WORTH A CLOSER LOOK As the National Park Service celebrates its centennial, now is the perfect time to consider lesser-known parks like Crater Lake, Great Sand Dunes, Big Bend and Capitol Reef.

The West’s Wildest Rodeos (pg. 18)

6 ON MY MIND BY JEFF GAYDUK 8 ON TOUR BY MARTY SARBEY DE SOUTO, CTC 59 ON MARKETING BY TAMIKA C. CARTER

SOARING IN POPULARITY BY DAVE BODLE The increase in birding as an outdoor recreation option and as a catalyst for ecotourism is not lost on the astute tour planner.

NFL Stadium Tours (pg. 45)

5 ECOTOURISM GEMS BY MILES DOBIS The Midwest’s parks and nature trails appeal to groups seeking a light vacation footprint. Minor League Ballparks (pg. 52)

BIKING IN THE BIG CITY BY ELISSA GILBERT Active travelers want to get off the bus and onto their own set of wheels. Major League Baseball Stadiums (pg. 58)

MISSOURI TOUR GUIDE: Great Discoveries Await Group Travelers August 2016

Greater Des Moines CVB

10

FEATURES

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

LGT_4-5_Layout 1 7/19/16 12:58 PM Page 5

C’MON IN, THE WATER IS FINE

C

ruising is one of the most popular group options available today, but with the continual expansion of the cruise industry—new lines, more ships, more port options—planners are faced with a lot to sort out. Group University’s new How to Organize a Successful Group Cruise is your life preserver.

This detailed e-book includes overviews of 27 major cruise lines, how to choose the right cruise itinerary and ship, and insider tips. Make the right choices during the planning process, learn how to book space with extra incentives and perks in this new guide.

Download your free copy at LeisureGroupTravel.com/cruiseguide Chicago Cubs fans flock to Principal Park in Des Moines to watch the minor league Iowa Cubs.

ONLY ON LEISUREGROUPTRAVEL.COM

A

s a group travel organizer, you need ideas that work – that cut through the noise – from companies that understand what it takes to deliver outstanding experiences. That’s Group Travel Directory. Browse hundreds of directory listings, or download/order a copy of the current print guide @ GroupTravelDirectory.com.

R

emember that great article we wrote about Costa Rica last fall? Or Mike Marchev’s column from the February 2016 edition? If you read something in a previous edition of Leisure Group Travel that you’d like to reference, check out our magazine archives @ LeisureGroupTravel.com/magazine-editions/

V

oting is now officially open for the 2016 American Group Travel Awards. Presented by HotelPlanner.com, the leading online provider of group travel accommodations and services, the event recognizes top organizations in the hospitality sector in North America. Cast your vote online.

G

et weekly digests of all the best online content with InSite, our free Friday e-newsletter.

LeisureGroupTravel.com <<



ON THE COVER: Whale watching on an Australis cruise in Patagonia.

(Photo courtesy of Australis)

August 2016

5

LGT_6_Layout 1 7/18/16 9:33 PM Page 6

ON

MY MIND

By Jeffrey Gayduk

f I had just one word to describe the travel industry we live and work in today, it would be Global. The interconnectivity with society, the economic benefits that accrue to local communities, and the speed upon which we can transition from our couch to the corners of our planet engrain the footprint of the travel industry in more humans than any other industry.

Chances are in the last few years your business has recognized this global shift.

This could be an uptick in the number of trips you’re planning to international destinations, or the types of destinations you’re fielding questions about. Bellwether tourist favorites like Italy, Ireland, Australia and France are now sharing shelf space with the likes of Romania, Panama, Botswana and Thailand.

On the flipside, the easing of visa restrictions and aggressive overseas marketing by Brand USA has led to a steady increase in interest for travel to the U.S. from foreigners.

These travelers typically stay longer and spend more than domestic tourists. Good news if you have local tours, step-on guides and unique itineraries; you’re now talking to a global audience.

More people are traveling today than at any time in the history of our planet. This is important to note, as it represents more

Editorial & Advertising Office

621 Plainfield Road, Suite 406 Willowbrook, IL 60527 P 630.794.0696 • F 630.794.0652 info@ptmgroups.com

Discover the World I

Vol. 26, No. 4 August 2016

than a fad or short-term trend, but a growing movement in modern day society. Technology has not distanced us from each other, but brought us closer to the far-reaching corners of Earth. Now that people have a taste for it, they want more.

Are you preparing for the globalization of your travel business?

A good place to start is World Travel Mart in London. This November 7-9, 50,000 global travel professionals representing over 180 countries will meet, network, negotiate and conduct business under one roof at what’s billed the world’s largest travel trade show.

Whether you’re looking to create new business opportunities with international destinations or inbound tour operators, develop new quality contacts or build communities with like-minded professionals, you’ll find an abundance of opportunities this November. And with exchange rates at a 31-year low, it’s more affordable to visit London. Learn more about World Travel Mart on pages 60-61 of this edition. LGT Hope to see you there!

Publisher – Jeffrey Gayduk jeff@ptmgroups.com

Associate Publisher – Dave Bodle

dave@ptmgroups.com

Managing Editor – Randy Mink randy@ptmgroups.com Staff Writer – Miles Dobis miles@ptmgroups.com Editorial Coordinator – Danielle Golab danielle@ptmgroups.com

Chief Development Officer – Lance Harrell

lance@ptmgroups.com

Director, Design & Production – Robert Wyszkowski rob@ptmgroups.com

Vice President – Theresa O’Rourke theresa@ptmgroups.com

Regional Business Development Managers Ohio/Pennsylvania – Harry Peck

P 330.830.4880 • F 630.794.0652 harry@ptmgroups.com

Mid-Atlantic/New England/ Wisconsin/Indiana/Kentucky – Ellen Klesta

P 630.794.0696 • F 630.794.0652 ellen@ptmgroups.com

Southeast/West Coast – Cheryl Rash P 563.613.3068 • F 815.225.5274 cheryl@ptmgroups.com

Southeast – Eric Moore P 352.391.3314 eric@ptmgroups.com

Southwest – Dolores Ridout Jeff Gayduk Publisher

P 281.762.9546 dolores@ptmgroups.com

The publisher accepts unsolicited editorial matter, as well as advertising, but assumes no responsibility for statements made by advertisers or contributors. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information published, but the publisher makes no warranty that listings are free of error. The publisher is not responsible for the return of unsolicited photos, slides or manuscripts.

Leisure Group Travel (ISSN-1531-1406) is published bi-monthly by Premier Travel Media, 621 Plainfield Road, Suite 406, Willowbrook, IL 60527. The magazine is distributed free of charge to qualified tour operators, travel agents, group leaders, bank travel clubs and other travel organizations.

Other travel-related suppliers may sub scribe at the reduced rate of $12.00 per year. The regular subscription price for all others is $18.00 per year. Single copies are $4.95 each.

Send Address Change to:

Premier Travel Media 621 Plainfield Road, Suite 406 Willowbrook, IL 60527

A

publication

All rights reserved. Materials may not be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher.

6

I

August 2016

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

LGT_7_CVR 1 7/18/16 9:35 PM Page 7

Nature’s Beauty reveals itself

Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica

Bringing travelers where they want to be - up-close to the world’s natural wonders to truly get to know the wildlife, ecology and magnificent beauty only mother nature can create.

Guanacaste

Toucan

Offer the world to your travelers with journeys to seven continents.

To learn about our extensive tour selection, call 800.762.5345 or your local Travel Agent.

CST# 2006766-20 UBN# 601220855 Nevada Seller of Travel Registration No. 2003-0279

LGT_8_Layout 1 7/18/16 9:32 PM Page 8

ON

TOUR

Marty Sarbey de Souto, CTC

who get bored and may wander off or may start talking with someone while the guide is speaking.

©iStockphotos.com/Susan Chiang

9

What To Expect From A Tour Guide W

hen booking a tour with a reputable company, we assume that we’ll be assigned an excellent tour guide – a guide we’ll all love to death by the end of the trip.

And there are many such guides – guides who are so fabulous you’d love to take them home with you. But have we really thought through what makes for a good guide – what we expect of a guide? And what are the personal qualities we want in a guide? Here are my expectations:

1

That our guide will HAVE A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE about the areas the group is visiting – history, customs, culture. In short, someone who is well-educated.

2

The ABILITY TO SPEAK IN PUBLIC comfortably and, particularly with American groups, to SPEAK ENGLISH WELL. Of course, many professional guides are proficient in several languages, which can be a great benefit in a place like Europe where one is often traveling from one country to another.

3

That he/she will be AWARE OF SAFETY ISSUES – reminding the group to leave valuables checked at the hotel, dress conservatively (regardless of how the locals are 8

I

August 2016

dressed) and not to go off by themselves, but rather with a “buddy.” When walking and crossing streets, it’s important to have someone leading and someone else named to bring up the rear.

4

To remind the group each day when MEAL TIMES will be the following day so they can plan accordingly. (In many countries meals are served quite a bit later than here at home).

This can be important to any tour members who may be diabetic or have diet restrictions and may need to bring along a snack.

5

Will GET TO KNOW THEIR AUDIENCE (or learn about them fast) so as not to offend tour members with some comment that might be amiss.

6

DRESSES APPROPRIATELY, taking into account their audience, the weather, local customs and other pertinent factors.

7 8

Will wear a NAME TAG so tour members can always locate him/her by name.

Have a FEEL OR SIXTH SENSE for the group’s energy level and ongoing interest in any one subject so as not to “lose” people

Not give the impression that he/she is IN IT FOR THE TIPS. Actually, your group leader and your pre-tour literature should have indicated wherein guide tips are already included in the tour price or wherein the tour participants are expected to tip and the suggested amount.

10

Have the ABILITY TO FOLLOW THE DAY’S TIME SCHEDULE – not let one or two tour members monopolize his/her time with endless questions or chit chat in which others in the group may have no interest.

11

Will NOT TAKE CELL-PHONE INTERRUPTION CALLS. Of course, sometimes the guide’s office may need to get in touch. But lately we’ve been hearing complaints about guides being frequently interrupted with personal non-urgent calls – always irritating to the tour participants.

12

To NOT PLAY PREFERENCES. It’s often a temptation for the guide to pay more attention to any young, beautiful members or members who constantly ask good questions. Guides should attempt to follow the “Equal Time and Attention” rule with all tour members.

13

When on a motorcoach, the guide should always POINT OUT THE COACH NUMBER before getting out, so a tour member who may wander and get lost might find the way back to the coach. When 50 or more coaches are parked in a lot, it may be difficult for a tour member to locate or recognize the coach or driver.

The above are just my expectations after many, many years of tour escorting and observation of the guides in many countries.

If readers have any other expectations, please let me know. LGT Marty is a Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) with a long history in the travel/tourism industry. She has been a tour operator, worldwide trip leader, college tourism instructor and textbook author. Her consulting firm is Sarbey Associates (sarbeyassociates.com).

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

LGT_9_CVR 1 7/18/16 9:44 PM Page 9

LGT_10-11_Layout 1 7/19/16 1:20 PM Page 10

Boyd Gaming Rolls out the Red Carpet for Spotlight on the Southwest

A

10

I

August 2016

Suncoast Hotel & Casino, host of Spotlight

Las Vegas News Bureau

pproximately 80 delegates from around the country converged in Las Vegas, Nevada to take part in the 18th annual Spotlight on the Southwest Tourism Conference April 23-25.

Presented by Free Spirit Vacations and Events, the conference is designed to better acquaint tour operators with destinations, hotels, attractions and restaurants in the southwestern United States. Speakers, brainstorming and networking sessions, a supplier trade show and area touring are among the activities offered to delegates.

The host for this year’s Spotlight was the Suncoast in Las Vegas. The conference began with an Early-Bird Reception sponsored by the Suncoast and Boyd Gaming. During the reception, Spotlight delegates Jasmin and Dick Shaw surprised the group by renewing their wedding vows, courtesy of Las Vegas Wedding Connection.

The following morning, keynote speaker Mark Rowland, chief actualizer for DTP (Downtown Project) Ventures, spoke on the topic “Delivering Happiness to Your Employees and Guests Leads to Success.” Delivering happiness is something the travel industry does every day, and it is the driving force behind the Spotlight Travel Network, an informal

group of travel professionals throughout North America who value and seek mutually successful business relationships.

The trade show featured 32 supplier delegates from throughout the Southwest.

The energy in the room was contagious and operators walked away with new information and trip ideas.

Lunch was sponsored by the Southern Nevada Regional Office of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Bureau. Long-time Spotlight supporter Meg McDaniel spoke of the hidden treasures tour operators can find in and around Laughlin, Mesquite, Jasmin and Dick Shaw renew their vows.

Boulder City and Primm, Nevada.

After lunch all delegates divided into teams and brainstormed to create new itineraries based on the information they received at the trade show. Teams were comprised of both buyer and supplier delegates. The creative juices were flowing!

A progressive dinner, sponsored

by Boyd Gaming, followed, beginning with bowling and appetizers at The Orleans. The next stop was the Gold Coast, which hosted a slot tournament as well as a delicious dinner. Sam’s Town concluded the dinner with a laser light show followed by scrumptious desserts.

The final morning, the group

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

LGT_10-11_Layout 1 7/19/16 1:23 PM Page 11

CASINO BEST BETS

B

ountiful dining options, diverse entertainment, the chance to strike it rich—all ingredients for an electrifying escape from the everyday. Include one of these gaming hotspots in the itinerary and you’re bound to have happy campers.

convened one last time to present the itineraries that they put together the afternoon before and to share best practices. Then, 25 operators departed on the Post-Fam to Mesquite; St. George, Utah; Zion, Henderson; and Laughlin. Highlights were a performance at Brigham’s Playhouse, a lunch cruise on Lake Mead and Casa de Shenandoah.

Free Spirit owner and conference organizer Sue Arko announced the third annual Southeast version of the event (July 11-13, 2016 in Asheville, North Carolina) and the Inaugural Spotlight on the Northwest to be held Sept. 18-20, 2016 in Albany, Oregon. Also on the drawing board is the Inaugural Spotlight on the Mid-Atlantic slated for Oct. 27-29, 2017 in Baltimore.

A quote from the book Good Morning Beautiful Business by Judy Wicks describes Spotlight perfectly: “When a coin passes from one hand to another, it is not the coin that matters, it is the warmth of the hand.”

That is what Itinerary-building session Spotlight is all about— relationships.

For more information on the Spotlight Travel Network and registration details, visit spotlighttravelnetwork.com or contact Sue Arko at 480-926-5547 or via e-mail at sue@freespiritvacations.com. LGT

Hollywood Casino Aurora Aurora, Illinois Located in west suburban Chicago, Hollywood Casino offers 53,000 square feet of gaming options. With more than 1,110 slots in a wide range of denominations and 26 table games, this casino has something for everyone in your group. Discover one of the many restaurants such as Fairbanks Steakhouse and the Epic Buffet. Catch a live show at Center Stage, one of Chicagoland’s top casino entertainment venues. (hollywoodcasinoaurora.com)

Coeur D’Alene Casino Resort Hotel Worley, Idaho Guests at this Inland Northwest playground can indulge in a massage or facial at the spa, hit the bingo hall or try their luck at more than 1,600 video gaming machines.

Every month there are more than 1,000 jackpot winners.

Another popular amenity is Circling Raven Golf Club, one of the finest new golf challenges in the region. Guests at the 202-room resort can choose from multiple restaurants and bars, including a food court, Red Tail Bar & Grill and Chinook Steak, Pasta & Spirits. (cdcasino.com)

Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort Cherokee, North Carolina Nestled at the edge of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, just a mile from the North Carolina entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway, Harrah’s Cherokee has it all. The Southeast’s premier casino offers 3,800 slots and 100-plus table games. Guests enjoy pampering at Mandara Spa and have preferred access to Sequoyah National Golf Club. The 21-story hotel has 1,108 rooms.

Among the 10 restaurants are Chef’s Stage Buffet and Ruth’s Chris Steak House. (harrahscherokee.com)

Las Vegas News Bureau

Scioto Downs Racino Columbus, Ohio Open 24 hours seven days a week, Scioto Downs features more than 2,100 of the industry’s best games, ranging from penny to high-limit action, with live harness horse racing May through September and live music—all together in one total entertainment destination. Visitors can feast on exquisite cuisine in several dining locations, including the Grove Buffet, the Clubhouse and Brew Brothers Restaurant. (sciotodowns.com) August 2016

11

LGT_12-13_Layout 1 7/18/16 11:09 PM Page 12

Shannon Stowell President, Adventure Travel Trade Association

Adventure of a Lifetime In Nepal

In Patagonia

12

I

August 2016

I

t’s been said that adventure travel is the future of tourism. But how does the industry balance growth with responsible tourism initiatives? We talked with Shannon Stowell, president of the Adventure Travel Trade Association, to learn what’s fueling the growth and how the organization is trying to ensure that the travel industry pursues a more responsible future.

Leisure Group Travel: The travel industry as a whole seems to be performing well.

How’s the adventure travel sector stacking up against the global travel industry?

Shannon Stowell: It’s growing at a very rapid rate. UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organization) pegs the annual growth of the global industry somewhere around 4 or 5 percent per year, and the last time we did an analysis of adventure travel we saw significant growth in the double-digit range – 65%!

LGT: When some people conjure up the image of adventure travel they picture rock climbing or class-five whitewater rapids and that scares them. How do you define the adventure travel industry?

SS: We did a number of interviews with travelers to get a sense of what people consider to be adventure travel. We found that there were three main elements that shone through. Some sort of connection to nature, some sort of activity and an immersion in culture. So when you put the three of those together that seems to be the core of adventure travel for most people. It can be more luxurious, more extreme or anything in between.

LGT: Talk about a place or two that nobody would consider “adventure travel” but would really surprise people.

SS: One that seems to surprise people a lot is Mexico. It’s been perceived as a sun and beach destination with Cancun and the other coastal cities, but it’s also a destination that has a rapidly growing adventure sector. A lot of climbing, mountain biking, trekking, cave exploring and cultural activities. If you look at places like Chiapas, Veracruz or Oaxaca, there’s a super-active group of adventure travel companies based there that are seeing increases in their business.

Brazil is another place that is absolutely loaded with adventure travel opportunities that >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

LGT_12-13_Layout 1 7/18/16 11:05 PM Page 13

are some of the most amazing water-based and land-based adventures I’ve done in the last decade.

LGT: A lot of associations struggle in growing their membership globally. That doesn’t seem to plague ATTA, why?

SS: There’s an interesting ethos in the adventure travel community that is shared— one of the things I love about our events is you walk in the room and even though the attendees are from China, Ecuador, Brazil, Turkey and Scotland, they’re all talking about the exact same opportunities and struggles with access to land, to rivers, to environmental problems, to seasonality of guide hiring.

We have members from 90 different countries in the ATTA right now. There’s higher concentrations in some places versus others, but it is quite diverse.

LGT: How do you continue to fuel that international growth?

SS: I think part of it is happening on its own now. Good companies tend to tell other good companies about it. We also make the effort to speak at international events and get involved wherever we can to try to spread the message of ATTA. We have a reliable, predictable service for our members.

LGT: What are you doing to grow your U.S.-based membership?

SS: We feel strongly enough about the market that we launched the North Americanonly event in 2015. We also have our summit coming to Alaska this August. Our first two were in the U.S., but it’ll be a decade that we’ve been wandering around the world before coming back to in the U.S., so we’re very excited about it.

LGT: The travel industry has gone from being high-touch to increasingly high-tech.

What role does technology play within the adventure travel sector?

SS: It is interesting because in one sense, part of the reason that people go on adventure trips is to escape their digital lives and reconnect with nature. But that doesn’t mean that LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

we don’t need cutting-edge selling tools, marketing tools and certainly as far as social media, there’s definitely plenty of advances and a lot of things being attempted.

The adventure travel industry is certainly not at the front edge of technology. Online bookings have always been a challenge because of the complex nature of itineraries.

However, there are companies like Tour Radar that are now making it possible to book multiday trips online.

Adventure Travel World Summit 2015

LGT: Where does ATTA go from here?

SS: It is something I think about every day.

On the surface it’s somewhat simple: I’d like to see the ATTA grow in size and scope, in large part so that we can continue to impact the travel industry and push towards a more responsible future. There’s still a lot of tourism that is exploitative, that is damaging to the environment, that is not helpful to local people who don’t have access to the benefits that tourism can bring.

I would like to see us grow in our ability to

“

“

I’d like to see the ATTA grow in size and scope, in large part so that we can continue to impact the travel industry and push towards a more responsible future.

advocate this. I feel like we’re in a position now where we can do good and we’re tackling a couple of tough subjects at the summit this year in Alaska that previously we might have shied away from. For example, we’ve got a guy coming to speak on how to deal with corruption. We’ve got a panel that will be examining the impacts of the cruise industry.

LGT: Those are substantial topics for an association to advocate.

SS: The more that we’re clear about our message of responsibility, the more like-minded companies tend to join the community. We provide them business services and create opportunities; we’re helping strengthen them to do the good work. I’m aware that many of our members are fighting different battles in their destinations – trying to protect habitat, local people, wildlife, etc. Our team is helping put a solid foundation under those folks.

But as professionals we still have a lot to learn, and figuring out how to involve local communities in tourism for the benefit of all is really, really hard. It’s going to take commitments from companies and individuals to put the effort in to figure it out.

I hope everybody wants to see tourism move away from parasitic behavior and to be more symbiotic.

LGT: Tell us about a place you’re itching to visit.

SS: I think that the time is still not right, but I am very interested in both Pakistan and Afghanistan. Mongolia is a place I’ve always wanted to go and have not been able to get there yet. Then you’re going to laugh at this one, but I’ve never been to Italy. Just being in the adventure space we tend to end up going to the more emerging destinations and that’s where I love to be. But I would definitely like to do Italy.

I’ve always been drawn to the fringes, to the remote places on the planet, than I am the more well-traveled ones, but as I get older I also see that there’s a reason that places like Italy are such a huge hit. LGT August 2016

13

LGT_14-15_Layout 1 7/19/16 11:37 PM Page 14

INT’L

By Randy Mink

F

or most of us aboard the Stella Australis, reaching Cape Horn—the southernmost point of the Americas —and actually going ashore was a big reason for booking the four-night cruise out of Punta Arenas, Chile. But during the briefing in the Darwin Lounge the night before, the staff warned that wind conditions and high surf occasionally prevent a landing in these tricky, sometimes treacherous waters.

The crew, they told us, would go out in Zodiac inflatable craft early the next morning to assess the situation before giving the okay to land on Horn Island, a lonely outpost at the bottom of the world, the point where the Atlantic and Pacific oceans meet.

Happily, we got the go-ahead for our scheduled 7 a.m. Zodiac invasion and spent an hour on the little island, reveling in being able to set foot at the end of the earth

Expedition Cruising

Patagonia in

despite fierce winds that made it seem a lot colder than 43 degrees. Horn is just one of many islands that make up the remote, windswept archipelago known as Tierra del Fuego, a bucket-list destination that calls out to adventure-hungry globetrotters.

This is Patagonia, a largely untouched region of southernmost Chile and Argentina that’s custom-made for nature fans. Bleak yet majestic, the scenery—fjords, bays, glaciers and snow-dusted peaks at the tail end of the Andes—reminds you of Alaska or Scandinavia. Antarctica is less than 600 miles away.

Operated by the Chilean cruise line Australis, the Stella Australis is an expedition ship that sails the sheltered passages of Tierra del Fuego between September and April (spring through fall in the Southern Hemisphere), offering three-, four- and seven-day

cruises from Punta Arenas and Ushuaia, Argentina. The vessel has a passenger capacity of 210 but rarely carries more than 190, according to expedition leader Mauricio Alvarez, a native of Punta Arenas. He says Europeans comprise 60 percent of guests; another 30 percent are North Americans.

Our December sailing carried 144 travelers representing 16 nationalities. For Zodiac shore excursions we divided into groups based on language. The ship, launched in 2010, has a Chilean crew of 63.

As for tour groups onboard, Alvarez says National Geographic does six trips a season and brings its own trip leader and study leader. Companies like Overseas Adventure Travel, Road Scholar, Smithsonian Odysseys, Vantage, Gate 1 and Grand Circle also book Stella Australis trips and may employ their own lecturers, though Alvarez and his staff give excellent presentations as well. University alumni groups also include the cruise in their program offerings.

Penguins, glaciers and raw scenic beauty intrigue nature-minded travelers exploring the maze of mountain-backed passageways at the very tip of South America

14

I

August 2016

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

LGT_14-15_Layout 1 7/19/16 6:00 PM Page 15

Hiking in sub-polar forests practically untouched by mankind and getting up close and personal with massive glaciers in the Darwin Range is all part of a cruise in Patagonia.

Asked what attracts people to the cruise, Alvarez says, “Ten years ago the big attraction was Cape Horn as a landmark, but with the new trend in learning trips, the focus these days is wildlife—penguins in particular. In fact, we’ve adopted the penguin as our logo because it’s such a highlight.” Seeing whales (at certain times of year) and glaciers, he adds, also is important to passengers, as is the history connected with early explorers like Ferdinand Magellan, Sir Francis Drake and Charles Darwin—names that pop up in guides’ shipboard and on-shore commentaries.

Seeing penguins was certainly a priority for me, and boy, did we see penguins—at one location anyway. We were giddy with delight as our sturdy inflatable approached the stony beach on Santa Cruz Island in Tucker Islets.

Santa Cruz is a spring breeding ground for Magellanic penguins, one of 16 species of the flightless bird found only in the southern seas—and the most common kind in Patagonia. We couldn’t leave the boat but had a field day taking photos of the clumsy, tuxedoed creatures preening and waddling about, just 10 or 12 feet from us. Our guide explained their nesting, mating and feeding

habits as we snapped away. The one-hour Zodiac excursion also took us close to islets populated with rocky and king cormorants.

Gliding through Tierra del Fuego’s labyrinth of islands at speeds no faster than 14 mph, we also got our glacier fix. At Pia Glacier on the Beagle Channel we hiked up a smooth rocky slope within several hundred feet of the wall of bluish ice backed by jagged peaks of the Darwin Range. Gazing out at our anchored ship, we feasted on panoramas of ice chunks floating in the fjord’s milky green waters.

We saw Marinelli Glacier at our Ainsworth Bay stop at—Alberto de Agostini National Park, where we hiked through a sub-polar forest rarely visited by anyone but Stella Australis passengers. With temperatures in the mid-50s, there was no need for gloves or hats, though I did take out my poncho during a brief drizzle.

Until the completion of the Panama Canal in 1914, rounding Cape Horn was the roughest part of the well-traveled route between the Atlantic and Pacific. A signboard at the Naval Museum in Punta Arenas sums up the trepidation and exhilaration associated with reaching the tip of South America: “Rounding the Horn gave a man the craved status of ‘real seaman’

and the unquestionable right to be listened to everywhere with respect and awe.”

Not only did weather conditions allow us to set foot on Cape Horn, but Mother Nature was kind enough to let us sail around the island afterwards, something that’s not usually possible. However, it did involve some serious rocking and rolling on the Drake Passage, an infamous stretch familiar to those who have cruised to Antarctica.

After the Zodiacs zipped us over to Horn Island, we walked 161 steps up a steep wooden stairway that snaked up the cliff and had time to check out the Cape Horn Monument, a metal sculpture that commemorates navigators who have lost their lives at sea. At the lighthouse some of us had a chance to chat with the Chilean naval officer who lives there with his wife and children.

My Patagonian adventure came to an end in Ushuaia, a city of 60,000 best known as the jumping-off point for Antarctica cruises.

Though somewhat scruffy, it certainly commands a magical setting at the foot of snowcovered mountains. I spent two days exploring the world’s southernmost city, my first time in Argentina, and hope to return someday to launch another end-of-the-world experience, this time a voyage to Antarctica. LGT

Australis recently sold the only other ship in its fleet, the 136-passenger Via Australis, to Lindblad Expeditions but has plans to build a vessel similar to the Stella Australis. The new sister ship should be completed by the end of 2017. For more information, visit australis.com.

Magellanic penguins, recognizable by a white stripe on the face, are the most common species in Patagonia.

They feed on crustaceans, fish and squid.

(Photos courtesy of Australis)

LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

August 2016

15

LGT_16-22_Layout 1 7/19/16 11:16 AM Page 16

WEST

REGION

6

National Parks Worth A Closer Look

By Sue Arko

I

t all began with our nation’s first national park, Yellowstone, designated as such in 1872. Along with Yellowstone, other popular parks, including the Grand Canyon, Great Smoky Mountains and Yosemite, have been front and center in 2016, the National Park Service Centennial.

More than just a birthday, the centennial celebrates the achievements of the past 100 years but is really about the future as the National Park Service kicks off a second century of stewardship. The goal is for every American to embrace, explore, learn, be inspired or simply have fun in their national parks.

Featured here are some of the lesser-known (and uncrowded) gems in the West that deserve to be on your radar.

CRATER LAKE NATIONAL PARK Oregon

C

rater Lake is described as “Deep Water in a Sleeping Volcano.” The lake was formed over 7,500 years ago when a violent eruption caused the collapse of a towering volcano. Crater Lake National Park protects the deepest (1,943 feet) and one of the most pristine lakes in the country. A drive completely around the lake is suggested. While the West Rim Drive boasts outstanding views and a quicker route through the park, the East Rim Drive is just as spectacular and much more varied. The closest airport is in Medford, Oregon and Amtrak provides service to Klamath Falls, which is 60 miles away.

16

I

August 2016

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

LGT_16-22_Layout 1 7/19/16 11:23 AM Page 17

BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK

Texas

W

est Texas is home to Big Bend National Park, which is visited by an average of 300,000 visitors each year. Scenic vistas, diverse wildlife, historic sites and border culture draw groups to this vast, wild and isolated park. The Rio Grande River serves as the border between Texas and Mexico, cutting through the ancient limestone to carve temple-like canyons. Big Bend is a birderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s paradise with April and May being peak months. A driving tour through the park can take hours, if not days. Panther Junction Visitor Center, located at the park headquarters, is the best place to begin your visit.

LASSEN VOLCANIC NATIONAL PARK California

L

ocated in northeastern California, Lassen Volcanic National Park is home to steaming fumaroles, thumping mud pots, boiling pools, meadows full of wildflowers, clear mountain lakes and numerous active volcanoes. Hot water continues to shape the land and further eruptions are anticipated from the Lassen volcanic center. There are five separate entrances and a main road that runs north-south through the park.

Many park roads are closed to vehicles part of the year due to snow.

GREAT BASIN NATIONAL PARK Nevada

D

iverse best describes Great Basin National Park in central Nevada. Here you can explore the solitude of the desert, the beauty of the alpine peaks, the wonder of the underground caves and some of the darkest skies and best visibility of the Milky Way in the continental United States. Great Basin is probably best known for its 4,000-year-old bristlecone pine trees that grow on rocky glacial moraines or for Lehman Caves. To see the bristlecones, take the scenic drive up Wheeler Peak and hike out to the groves. Lehman Caves is a beautiful marble cave full of stalactites, stalagmites, helictites, flowstone, popcorn and over 300 rare shield formations.

LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

August 2016

17

LGT_16-22_Layout 1 7/19/16 12:06 PM Page 18

THE WEST’S WILDEST RODEOS

R

odeo began in the late 1800s as riding and roping contests derived from the working skills of the American cowboy to support the open-range cattle industry in North America.

And although its development as a sport occurred mainly in the United States and western Canada, rodeo’s popularity has gone global. The following rodeos are among the most popular and will add some Western flair to any itinerary.

La Fiesta de los Vaqueros Tucson Rodeo Feb. 18-26, 2017 Tucson, Arizona La Fiesta de los Vaqueros (meaning “Party of the Cowboys”) features everything from top-notch bull riding and barrel racing to team roping and steer wrestling, showcasing the talents of 700 cowboys and cowgirls. The Tucson Rodeo Parade, a highlight, is the world’s longest non-motorized parade. Groups can enjoy a behind-thescenes look at the rodeo, including clinics with rodeo professionals, a behind-the-chutes tour, mimosa brunch and entertainment in the chick pit, and reserved rodeo seating, as part of the nonprofit Chicks and Chaps program that benefits breast cancer while teaching the sport of rodeo. (tucsonrodeo.com)

Cody Stampede Anticipated Date: June 30-July 3, 2017 Cody, Wyoming Cody is known as the Rodeo Capital of the World. The Cody Stampede has its roots in ranch contests and games as well as spectacle and drama borrowed from the world-famous Wild West shows produced by Col. William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody. In addition, the Cody Nite Rodeo takes place every night from June through August.

The Cody Cattle Company offers an all-you-can-eat dinner buffet followed by entertainment that concludes in time to attend the evening rodeo. (codystampederodeo.com)

National Western Stock Show Jan. 7-22, 2017 Denver, Colorado The National Western Stock Show is the second largest rodeo in the United States.

Dating back more than 100 years, the event takes place at the Coliseum in Denver each January. It is home to professional rodeos, Mexican rodeo extravaganzas, professional bull-rider events, the Martin Luther King Jr. African-American Heritage Rodeo and Wild West shows.

Sporting more than 15,000 head of livestock, the competition for the best in class is heavy with hopefuls. (nationalwestern.com) 18

I

August 2016

LGT_16-22_Layout 1 7/19/16 12:05 PM Page 19

GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK Colorado

M

ost groups travel to Colorado to see the Rockies and ride the trains, so Great Sand Dunes is always a fun and unexpected surprise. Located just 35 miles northeast of Alamosa, New Mexico, the tallest dunes in North America are surrounded by a diverse landscape of grasslands, wetlands, conifer and aspen forests, alpine lakes and tundra. Activities in the park include hiking, sand sledding, wading in Medano Creek and wildlife watching. Groups can schedule a special ranger program to enhance their park experience.

CAPITOL REEF NATIONAL PARK Utah

C

apitol Reef is located in south-central Utah in the heart of red rock country.

Probably the least well-known of Utah’s “Mighty Five,” the park is a hidden treasure filled with cliffs, canyons, domes and bridges.

Western Leisure, a tour company specializing in the national parks, always includes a picnic lunch in Capitol Reef as they travel from Bryce to Moab. Vice President Shawn Horman explains, “Capitol Reef has one of the most beautiful picnic areas with the most magnificent giant cottonwood trees I have ever seen. It became apparent right away that this was a highlight along the route and our passengers absolutely love the experience.”

LGT_20_Layout 1 7/19/16 12:20 PM Page 20

V

isit Mount Rushmore, Devils Tower and Yellowstone three of the top attractions in the American West all in one trip. Plus, a two-night stopover in Gillette, Wyoming to tour a gigantic surface coal mine, a working buffalo ranch, a working cattle and sheep ranch, or just to rest up and refuel at over 70 restaurants, plus local brew pubs and Wyoming’s first authentic meadery.

Campbell County, Wyoming

The MONUMENTAL Route-Rushmore to Devils Tower to Yellowstone Day 1

Mount Rushmore

Nothing brings history to life like seeing it in person, and the tour starts off with a bang at Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Encourage your guests to find their state flags on the Avenue of Flags, a flag-lined approach to the monument.

Then stump them with the fact that there are actually 56 flags—one for each state and territory of the U.S. Seeing the faces of influential presidents—George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson and Theodore Roosevelt— that paved the way for the country’s future will remind everyone of how hard the path had been for those before us.

Day 2

Devils Tower

Devils Tower National Monument juts 1,267 feet out of the flat land surrounding the Black Hills in Wyoming, where magma intruded through the layers of sedimentary rock in the earth. Step-on guides and ranger-led tours are available at the Tower. Or, your group might want to do it themselves on the 1.3-mile paved trail that encircles the Tower. They can learn about the many Indian tribes, including the Lakotas, that considered this place sacred. Your guests will be fascinated that so many tribes had such a strong spiritual connection to this raw place in nature.

CAMPBELL COUNTY CVB Mary Silvernell, Executive Director mary@visitgillettewright.com 307-686-0400 VisitGilletteWright.com

20

I

August 2016

Day 3

Gillette, Wyoming

Plan two nights in Gillette. First, schedule a group tour of one of the largest surface coal mines in the world. That night, hit the Big Lost Meadery. Your guests will love the recycled wood interior, diverse types of tables and the engaging conversation with the employees, who will end up feeling like their friends. Guests will enjoy drinks out of real cow horns.

Day 4

Durham Ranch

End your time in Gillette with a tour of Durham Ranch, one of the world’s largest and oldest working buffalo ranches, which includes 55,000 acres and more than 3,000 bison. Your guests will learn about the history of bison in the Western U.S. and how Durham Ranch manages resources sustainably to provide a home for bison today and far into the future. There are awesome photo opportunities in an open field with a group of bison, hundreds strong, close enough to hear them snort and snuffle. A delicious barbecue after the tour will be the perfect way to complete the experience.

Day 5

Yellowstone

The final destination is Yellowstone National Park. Leave Gillette early in the morning and arrive in Yellowstone five hours later. Your guests may become overwhelmed by the unspoiled nature of the land if this is their first visit to the park. Be sure to take them to Lower Falls, Yellowstone Lake and Old Faithful. For the final night in the park, enjoy an Old West cookout. >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

LGT_16-22_Layout 1 7/19/16 11:52 AM Page 21

NOVEMBER 13, 2016–APRIL 2, 2017 Star Wars™ and the Power of Costume was developed by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service in partnership with the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art and in consultation with Lucasfilm Ltd. Objects in this exhibition are on loan from the Archives of Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. © & ™ 2016 Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved. Used under authorization.

Exhibition support at the Denver Art Museum is provided by the generous donors to the Annual Fund Leadership Campaign, and the citizens who support the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD).

Promotional support is provided by 5280 Magazine, CBS4, Comcast Spotlight, and The Denver Post.

PLAN YOUR GROUP VISIT NOW GROUPS OF 10+ RECEIVE SPECIAL PRICING Contact group services for reservations and pricing at 720-913-0088 or groupsales@denverartmuseum.org.

Darth Vader, Star Wars™: Return of the Jedi. © & ™ 2016 Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved. Used under authorization.

LGT_16-22_Layout 1 7/19/16 11:49 AM Page 22

LGT_23-42f_Layout 1 7/19/16 4:49 PM Page 23

MISSOU R I Tour Guide Great Discoveries Await Group Travelers

GENIUS TRAIL

Special Supplement

LEISURE August 2016

GROUP TRAVEL

Following Highway 36

MID-MISSOURI

Culture and Cuisine

ROUTE 66

Slice of Americana

LGT_23-42f_Layout 1 7/19/16 1:52 PM Page 24

Mark Twain, the creator of characters like Tom Sawyer, is remembered at attractions in his hometown of Hannibal, Missouri.

Cover Photo by Linday Moser

24

I

August 2016

MO Highway 36 Heritage Alliance

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

LGT_23-42f_Layout 1 7/19/16 1:55 PM Page 25

W

A

alt Disney, Mark Twain, J.C. Penney. Name-dropping comes naturally when planning a road trip across northern Missouri, an incubator of creativity that has gifted our country with a few pretty influential people, small-town folks who made a big impact on American life. It doesn’t take a genius to realize the collection of towns along Highway 36 —a straight line stretching between Hannibal on the Mississippi River and St. Joseph on the Missouri—is custom-made for themed itineraries. Museums, historical sites, fun shopping in charming downtowns—it’s all there.

In the mid-1800s, St. Joseph, as a wagon train staging area and supply depot, was one of the most important towns on the western frontier. In 1860-1861 it served as the eastern terminus of the Pony Express, an experiment in cross-country postal delivery that to this day conjures up visions of the Old West. Lore of the short-lived operation captivates groups browsing the Pony Express National Museum, which occupies the stables where young riders left on the first leg of the 1,966-mile, 10-day journey to Sacramento. In the Patee House Museum, a former hotel where the Pony Express had its office, you can prowl the Streets of Old St. Jo and see all kinds of

Stroke of Genius A FOUR-LANE ROAD, DUBBED

THE WAY OF AMERICAN GENIUS, STITCHES TOGETHER HISTORIC

MISSOURI COMMUNITIES THAT GAVE US GREAT INNOVATORS AND INNOVATIONS antiques, including a locomotive, carousel, horse-drawn hearse, automobiles and fire trucks. On the museum grounds is the Jesse James Home, where the notorious outlaw was shot and killed in 1882. A St. Joseph native who became a giant in television news is remembered at the Walter Cronkite Memorial at Missouri Western State University.

A 48-mile trip east leads to Hamilton, the hometown of James Cash Penney. The J.C. Penney Memorial Library and Museum honors the department store pioneer who was born in 1875 on a nearby farm. He often came back to visit Hamilton, contributed to community causes and opened his 500th store there.

Everyone knows the phrase “greatest invention since sliced bread,” but few know the Chillicothe Baking Company in 1928 was the first to use the bread-slicing machine, an innovation against which all innovations since have been compared. A series of beautiful downtown murals depicting town history includes one that recognizes Chillicothe as the “Home of Sliced Bread.” (The slicer was invented by an Iowan, Otto Rohwedder.)

LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

August 2016

25

MO Highway 36 Heritage Alliance

LGT_23-42f_Layout 1 7/19/16 2:04 PM Page 26

The bread-slicing machine was first used in 1928 at a bakery in Chillicothe, Missouri.

St. Joseph served as the eastern terminus of the Pony Express, the legendary mail-relay system.

The town of Laclede, 23 miles east of Chillicothe, salutes a native son who became one of America’s greatest military leaders. The General John J. Pershing Boyhood Home is a state historic site that includes a museum inside a one-room schoolhouse where the leader of U.S. forces in World War I taught until he left for West Point. Next to the home is a statue of the General of the Armies, whose nickname was “Black Jack.”

The next stop on The Way of American Genius is Marceline, where Walt Disney spent his formative childhood years. The creator of Mickey Mouse and other beloved characters patterned Disneyland’s Main Street USA after Main Street in Marceline.

The Walt Disney Hometown Museum, housed in a restored railroad depot, has exhibits on his early life and those who influenced him. The Walt Disney Barn, a reconstruction on the site of the family’s farm, was where he put on his first show.

In Kirksville, a short drive north of Highway 36, visitors can explore the Museum of Osteopathic Medicine and learn about Dr. Andrew Taylor Still, who in 1892 founded the first osteopathic medical school, today known as ATSU/Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine. In the atrium adjacent to the museum are the school’s original classroom building and the birthplace log cabin of the man who questioned medical traditions by focusing on prevention and a holistic approach to treatment.

Walt Disney Hometown Museum in Marceline, Missouri

Missouri Division of Tourism

26

I

August 2016

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

MO Highway 36 Heritage Alliance

LGT_23-42f_Layout 1 7/19/16 2:11 PM Page 27

Itineraries in northern Missouri might include the Museum of Osteopathic Medicine in Kirksville and a memorial to General John J. “Black Jack” Pershing, the World War I commander who taught school in Laclede, his hometown.

Samuel Clemens, better known to the world as author and humorist Mark Twain, grew up in Hannibal, the town on the mighty Mississippi that inspired classics such as Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. The Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum comprises five historically significant buildings and two interactive museums, including the home where Clemens lived between ages 8 and 17, and a gallery with 15 Norman Rockwell paintings used to illustrate special editions of the Tom and Huck books.

Groups in Hannibal also can enjoy a cruise on the Mark Twain Riverboat, tour Mark Twain Cave (where Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher got lost) and attend a live performance of a Mark Twain

LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

impersonator dishing out wit and wisdom. You can even eat and drink with a literary twist. Mark Twain Brewing Company has beers with names like King Arthur’s Court Imperial IPA and Jumping Frog India Pale Ale. Cave Hollow West Winery offers a Mark Twain Reserve, The Gilded Age (a term coined by Twain) Port and a cheese that is aged in Mark Twain Cave. Downtown Hannibal abounds with shops that purvey everything from art and antiques to chocolates and quilts.

Whether you start in St. Joseph or Hannibal, following The Way of American Genius from river to river will spark your imagination and shed light on great Missourians who changed the world and gave us lasting memories.

August 2016

27

LGT_23-42f_Layout 1 7/19/16 5:17 PM Page 28

Touring the Heart of Miss Caption here on these lines here Caption here on these lines here Caption here on these lines here Caption here on these lines here

28

I

August 2016

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

LGT_23-42f_Layout 1 7/19/16 5:21 PM Page 29

S

traddling an area where Ozark highlands meet the western plains, the central Missouri region combines heartland hospitality and cosmopolitan variety. Outdoor-lovers and city types both will find attractions to love in small riverside hamlets and growing cities, while foodies will enjoy some of the best eats in the Midwest. Here is a small sampling of what mid-Missouri has to offer.

Home to the University of Missouri and a thriving arts community, Columbia is the cultural hub of mid-Missouri. Your group will want to spend time touring the university campus, whose highlight is historic Francis Quadrangle. Based on a Thomas Jefferson design and the site of his original tombstone, the “Quad” encompasses the university’s most famous academic buildings, including the towering Jesse Hall and Switzler Hall, the school’s oldest surviving structure at 144 years old.

Pause to admire the famous Columns, once the supports for the original Academic Hall before it was destroyed in a fire and is now

one of the most photographed landmarks in Missouri. A few blocks away is The District, where your group can sample dozens of restaurants and boutiques for an afternoon on the town. Local favorites include Shakespeare’s Pizza and Booches Billiard Hall, where you can taste burgers consistently ranked among the best in the U.S. (it’s cash only, so plan accordingly). Nearby on historic 9th Street is the Missouri Theatre, designed after the Paris Opera House and completely restored in 2008 to its former glory. Bands, speakers and traveling Broadway shows take the stage nearly every night.

About 30 minutes south of Columbia is Jefferson City, Missouri’s state capital and a city with many historic sights. The Missouri State Penitentiary, decommissioned in 2004, now allows tours in what was once called “the bloodiest 47 acres in America” for its many riots and executions. Your group can pass by the cells of famous heavyweight Sonny Liston, who learned to box during his time behind bars, and James Earl Ray, the gunman in the Martin Luther King, Jr. assassination.

Stone Hill Winery in Hermann features 182 acres of American and French grape varietals used in award-winning blends.

Missouri Division of Tourism

souri LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

CENTRAL MISSOURI

OFFERS CAPITOL TOURS, HISTORIC CAMPUSES AND TEMPTING CUISINE August 2016

29

LGT_23-42f_Layout 1 7/19/16 5:25 PM Page 30

Missouri Division of Tourism Photos

With views of the Missouri River and priceless artwork inside, the Missouri State Capitol is worth a tour. Inside, you can study the murals of famed artist Thomas Hart Benton, see bronze statues of Lewis and Clark and even watch state government representatives in session. Your group will also want to explore the Capitol grounds and nearby downtown, home to High Street’s welcoming diners and specialty shops.

North of the Missouri River is Fulton, an ideal destination for a day trip. The National Churchill Museum, where the British prime minister delivered his famous “Iron Curtain” speech in 1946, houses exhibits about his military and political career on the Westminster College campus. Rooms include a simulation of the London Blitz and interactive displays of the European theater during World War II, and your group will want to admire the 17th century church the museum is housed in. Moved stone-by-stone from London, the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury features many preserved walls and the original cupola. Also worth exploring is the nearby Auto World Museum, which displays vintage cars, Route 66 memorabilia and exhibits depicting the history of the automobile.

The quaint town of Hermann is nestled among the rolling hills along the Missouri River in countryside reminiscent of Germany’s Rhine Valley. Your group can wander through the charming downtown and enjoy lunch or wine tastings at Stone Hill Winery. Housed in the beautifully restored carriage house and horse barn, Vintage Restaurant is an excellent culinary complement to Stone Hill’s selection of wines, serving hearty German cuisine alongside traditional American fare.

If your group has additional time, there are many more towns, attractions and historic sites in mid-Missouri to experience and treasure.

30

I

August 2016

Overlooking the Missouri River in Jefferson City, the Missouri State Capitol offers tours and historical exhibits.

Missouri Division of Tourism

The famous University of Missouri columns survived a fire in 1892 and are the centerpiece of Francis Quadrangle.

Modeled after the Paris Opera House, Columbia’s Missouri Theatre welcomes bands, speakers and touring Broadway shows.

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

LGT_23-42f_Layout 1 7/19/16 2:18 PM Page 31

S c e n i c B e a u t y Great Shopping

Year- R ound G o lf 54,000 Acre Lake

I T â&#x20AC;&#x2122; S J US T B E T T E R H E R E Let our Group Sales Manager assist you.

Jen West, Group Sales Manager, jen@funlake.com | (573) 348-1599 ext. 257

WHAT’S

NEWIN Branson

Hallmark Presents Maxine’s Christmas Carol: The Andy Williams Performing Arts Center will host a live-musical version of A Christmas Carol starring one of Hallmark’s most popular characters, Maxine. You can be assured the self-appointed “Queen of Crabbiness” will put a new twist on the Dickens classic. (10 a.m. Monday-Saturday, Nov. 1-Dec. 10.)

Runaway Branson Mountain Coaster: This ride at the new Branson Mountain Adventure Park features a track winding more than 5,000 feet through the Ozark Mountains.

Branson Ferris Wheel: With a new electronic lighting system and completely refurbished, the Branson Ferris Wheel is the latest addition to the town’s entertainment corridor.

Hermann Hermann Living History Farm and Museum: More than 160 years of farming experiences are on display at this 160-acre living history farm. Tours feature the restored Husmann home and outbuildings, trading post, distillery log house and office, sweet springs, tinsmith shop and gardens.

The livestock farm will exhibit a variety of animals, including Shire draft horses and Missouri mules.

The Hallmark character Maxine will amuse Christmastime audiences in Branson.

32

I

August 2016

MISSOURI

LGT_23-42f_Layout 1 7/19/16 3:11 PM Page 32

The National Blues Museum in downtown St. Louis celebrates the genre as the foundation of all modern American music.

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

LGT_23-42f_Layout 1 7/19/16 3:07 PM Page 33

A collection of classic cars dazzles visitors at the new Route 66 Car Museum, located on “The Mother Road” in Springfield, Missouri, the “Birthplace of Route 66.”

St. Louis National Blues Museum: Located downtown, the 23,000-square-foot museum is dedicated to the history of the blues and its impact on music and culture throughout the world. It features interactive technology and a 150seat performance venue.

Jefferson National Expansion Memorial: The Gateway Arch continues renovations as part of the CityArchRiver project. The Arch has reopened and offers Journey to the Top tram rides and screenings of the documentary film Monument to the Dream. The Museum of Westward Expansion exhibits can be seen at the Old Courthouse.

The project will connect the Gateway Arch to the central business district hotels and attractions and is scheduled for completion in 2017.

Springfield Route 66 Car Museum: The 90th anniversary of the birth of Route 66 in 2016 seems the appropriate time and place to open the museum. For the first time the public will have an opportunity to see the 67 vehicles in the Guy Mace collection.

Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium: It’s one of the largest and most thorough conservation and education attractions in the world, with more than 225 live animal species in 160 displays. Wonders of Wildlife is adjacent to the flagship Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World.

Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium in Springfield offers visitors an immersive wildlife experience.

LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

August 2016

33

LGT_23-42f_Layout 1 7/19/16 3:26 PM Page 34

4

Must-see M

Missouri Events

Garden Glow, St. Louis While the Missouri Botanical Garden is beautiful any time of year, the annual Garden Glow event during the holidays brings a festive atmosphere to the 79 acres of outdoor and indoor greenspace. Iconic structures such as the Climatron and Tower Grove House are decked out in half a million lights in addition to 20 new twinkling structures in the shape of Christmas trees and snowmen. Walkways are transformed into sensory light tunnels and the Kaeser Memorial Maze becomes a glowing labyrinth perfect to explore with friends and family. Winter-themed concessions, Reindeer Ring Toss for children and Glowmen Glen photo-ops make this a merry evening out.

Garden Glow See the World in Branson Music Fest Branson’s largest springtime event, held each April, features acrobats from China, tenors from Ireland and country artists from Nashville all on one stage and with no passport necessary. The festival grounds include a Vintage Marketplace with crafts from local artisans and Savor the Flavors of the World, a culinary center with dozens of vendors offering a taste of international cuisines and cooking demonstrations by local and celebrity chefs. Your group can take photos with Branson entertainers in the Welk Resort lobby throughout the festivities.

issouri’s acclaimed cultural celebrations draw visitors from around the world, and the American Bus Association has recognized four exceptional events for its annual “Top 100 Events” list. These noteworthy productions will make a sparkling addition to your next Missouri itinerary.

Route 66: Main Street Through St. Louis Running through July 16, 2017, this exhibit at the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis features memorabilia and artifacts from the world’s most famous highway, which celebrates its 90th anniversary in 2016. Learn about the motels, tourist traps and diners that flourished as America became a car country and take an interactive trip along Missouri's portion of Route 66. Vintage road signs and gas pumps are must-sees for fans of mid-century pop culture, while history buffs can learn about the Mother Road’s decline and revival in the late 20th century.

Missouri History Museum Ozark Mountain Christmas, Branson Take a Clydesdale-pulled carriage or walk along a “magical mile and a half” in the heart of the Ozarks. This annual Christmas Village features attractions such as a 6,000-square-foot holiday shopping tent, the North Pole Express and the magical mile itself, a road filled with illuminated pine trees and Nativity scenes. Sip on cider or hot chocolate while your group enjoys the many new festival additions, such as selfies with Santa and holiday sing-a-longs, in this traditional celebration that runs from Nov. 1 through Dec. 31.

Branson Music Fest

Ozark Mountain Christmas 34

I

August 2016

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

LGT_23-42f_Layout 1 7/19/16 3:18 PM Page 35

LGT_23-42f_Layout 1 7/19/16 5:47 PM Page 36

ROUTE

Missouri Division of Tourism

66 CELEBRATES Its

90th

Missouri Division of Tourism

BIRTHDAY Missouri Division of Tourism

Missouri Division of Tourism

Following World War II, Route 66 became a popular vacation route for those seeking adventure.

Stretching from the Midwest to the West Coast, the highway known as “The Mother Road” featured motor courts, popular eateries and quirky roadside attractions. Today, tourists in Missouri are still tapping into Route 66 experiences for a slice of Americana.

A

lthough you will no longer find the 310-mile highway featured on a Missouri map, there are still many things to discover on and around old U.S. Route 66.

36

I

August 2016

ST. LOUIS The best place to begin your Route 66 journey is the Missouri History Museum.

Continuing through July 16, 2017, the exhibit Route 66: Main Street Through St. Louis will share the important role the highway played in 20th century America.

While in St. Louis, stop by Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, just 15 minutes from the Gateway Arch. They've been serving their famous concretes for more than 60 years.

STANTON It’s rumored that outlaw Jesse James used Meramec Caverns to hide out and stash his loot. If he did hide anything, it hasn’t been discovered…yet. >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

LGT_23-42f_Layout 1 7/19/16 5:49 PM Page 37

CUBA & ST. JAMES From signs to gas pumps, the vast collection of roadside memorabilia at Bob’s Gasoline Alley is sure to impress. The fully restored and charming Wagon Wheel Motel has been welcoming Route 66 travelers for more than 80 years.

The nearby Fanning U.S. 66 Outpost & General Store is the shopping spot for Route 66 souvenirs—look for the giant rocking chair.

A visit to St. James Winery will not disappoint. You can sample 30 different varieties of wines and juices.

ROLLA & ST. ROBERT Visit the Missouri University of Science and Technology campus for the opportunity to see a halfscale replica of Stonehenge. It was created using water jet technology.

The Mahaffey Museum Complex at Fort Leonard Wood provides escorted tours. The museum focuses on three U.S. Army divisions: Engineer, Chemical and Military Police.

LEBANON Route 66 Museum and Research Center, inside the Lebanon-Laclede County Library, has re-creations of a 1950s gas station and diner, books and memorabilia.

The “mom & pop” Munger Moss Motel features a few Route 66-themed rooms.

SPRINGFIELD Following a meeting at the Colonial Hotel in Springfield, highway officials sent a telegram to Washington, D.C., on April 30, 1926, proposing the new highway be designated U.S. Highway 66. The Route 66 Visitor Center, Steak 'n Shake Drive-In and Gary’s Gay Parita in nearby Ash Grove are icons attesting to Springfield being the birthplace of Route 66. The Best Western Route 66 Rail Haven celebrates the nostalgia with vintage signage and gas pumps.

Inside Fantastic Caverns it’s always a comfortable 60 degrees. Sitting in comfort, you’re driven through this underground attraction on a bright red tram.

CARTHAGE & WEBB CITY Precious Moments Chapel and Gardens in Carthage is devoted to artist Sam Butcher’s virtuous figures. Check out historic Boots Court Motel with its 1949 Art Deco-Streamline Moderne design. The Webb City Route 66 Center is a good stop before visiting the 32-foot-tall Praying Hands statue and the Kneeling Miner, a tribute to area mining history.

JOPLIN An old rock tavern was converted into the Candy House Chocolate Factory. Sample before you buy.

At Sandstone Gardens plan to be immersed in beauty and tranquility. There are photo ops galore at the nearby Route 66 mural.

LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

August 2016

37

LGT_23-42f_Layout 1 7/19/16 3:44 PM Page 38

Branson- Route 66 Side Trip

Just 35 minutes from Springfield, Branson offers so much to experience that even five days is not enough.

Regardless of how long you choose to stay, Branson will fill your cup with excitement.

B

ranson’s reputation as “The Live Entertainment Capital of the World” is well deserved.

The Highway 76 strip alone has dozens of performance venues and a mind-boggling diversity of entertainment, from every music genre to comedy, magic and acrobats.

You can certainly fill your mornings and afternoons with shows, but Branson offers much more.

The Branson Scenic Railway’s Ozark Zephyr takes passengers in vintage train cars through the scenic Ozark Mountains. The famous Ride the Ducks tour offers visitors a fun-filled land and water ride while sharing insight and humorous Branson stories.

A visit to College of the Ozarks campus, known as “Hard Work U,” offers the opportunity for fine dining and sightseeing. A tram tour of Dogwood Canyon Nature Park is a must. If you remember “Kewpie” dolls a visit to designer/illustrator Rose O’Neill’s home and studio at Bonniebrook is an option worth exploring. Don’t miss the new Ferris wheel (once a fixture at Chicago’s Navy Pier) at one of the four locations of Track Family Fun Parks.

Area zip lines provide aerial fun and adventure.

Silver Dollar City is well worth a day on any itinerary. The theme park has thrill rides, shows and the original attraction around which it grew,

Marvel Cave. It’s about 300 feet below ground to the cave’s Cathedral Room. More than 100 craftsmen demonstrate a variety of disciplines as they preserve the 1800s culture of the Ozark Mountains.

Although there are plenty of shops at Silver Dollar City, you may want to save a few dollars for Dick’s Oldtime 5 & 10 in the historic downtown area; you’re sure to find exactly what you’re looking for among the 50,000 items in this relic of yesteryear.

For more traditional shopping, the waterfront Branson Landing features more than 100 stores, plus dining and a spectacular fire and water spectacle.

LGT_23-42f_Layout 1 7/19/16 3:30 PM Page 39

LGT_23-42f_Layout 1 7/19/16 4:22 PM Page 40

Endless Possibilities with Missouri Itineraries Need ideas to start your Missouri adventure?

One of these tours is sure to please.

HANNIBAL HUB AND SPOKE

MISSOURI EAST TO WEST

2 days / 2 nights Hannibal, La Grange, Newark, Kirksville, Macon

4 days / 4 nights St. Louis, St. Charles, Boonville, Kansas City

Day 1

Day 1-2

Arrive in Hannibal

Arrive in Hannibal and tour the town aboard an old-fashioned trolley. Take a stroll down historic Main Street where specialty shops abound. It’s Hannibal tradition to lunch at Mark Twain Dinette.

Bring out your inner explorer with a lantern-lit cave tour of Cameron Cave, the third largest maze cave in the Northern Hemisphere (flashlights available). For those who dare, take an afternoon Haunted Hannibal Ghost Tour. A guide will regale you with tales of the departed and guide you through your own paranormal investigation at a local cemetery. Cap off the day with a delicious meal at Rustic Oak Grill & Pub, Mark Twain Brewing Company or a dinner cruise on Mark Twain Riverboat. For those with a sweet tooth, check out Ole Planters Restaurant’s famous homemade pies. Then return to your hotel or join in on the fun at Mark Twain Casino in nearby La Grange.

Day 2

Touring Northeast Missouri

Kick off your day with a tour of Rockcliffe Mansion. Built in 1900, this site graces you with majestic views of the Mississippi and an impeccably restored interior. It’s a short drive to Newark where a step-on guide leads you through Heartland Dairy, which produces 24,000 gallons of milk per day. Lunch is sure to be a hit at Solid Rock Café. Browse through the attached Heartland Ford Museum, which displays vehicles dating back to 1906. Stretch your legs in Kirksville at the Adair County Historical Society Museum. Proceed to Macon for dinner at Ashley’s Apple Basket Cafe or My Uncle Thad’s BBQ before catching a performance at the acclaimed Maples Repertory Theatre. Return to Hannibal for a well-deserved rest.

40

I

August 2016

St. Louis

Arrive in St. Louis for a Skyline Dinner Cruise with Gateway Arch Riverboats. Day 2 begins with a visit to the Gateway Arch, where guests can ride a tram to the top, watch a documentary film and browse the museum (opening in 2017). For the rest of the day, take time to visit the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, Missouri Botanical Garden, National Blues Museum and Anheuser-Busch Brewery. A delicious dinner out on the town rounds out a fun-filled day.

Day 3

Touring St. Charles and Boonville

Start your day with a short drive to St. Charles for a guided tour of the historic district and a stop at the Lewis & Clark Boat House and Nature Center. Enjoy lunch downtown at Lewis and Clark’s Restaurant, Hendricks BBQ, Mother-in-Law House Restaurant or Ameristar Casino.

Continue to Boonville for a tour of Warm Springs Ranch, breeding facility for the Budweiser Clydesdales. Next stop is Kansas City.

Day 4

Touring Kansas City

The day begins with a driving tour of the “City of Fountains.”

Then it’s on to the Arabia Steamboat Museum, where you’ll learn the history of the sunken ship and see the largest collection of pre-Civil War artifacts in the world. The Hallmark Visitors Center awaits your group and shares the story of Hallmark’s humble beginnings in 1910 to today’s empire. Lunch and shopping at Crown Center precedes a visit to the National World War I Museum and Memorial. Factory tours of Harley-Davidson Vehicle and Powertrain Operations is an option. Your day concludes with dinner followed by a live performance at one of Kansas City’s theaters. >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

LGT_23-42ff_Layout 1 7/20/16 10:44 AM Page 41

ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI

4 days / 3 nights Imperial, Kimmswick, Ste. Genevieve, Cape Girardeau, Sikeston, New Madrid

Day 1

Arrive in Imperial

Day 2

Touring St. Genevieve

Arrive in Imperial for a museum tour at Mastodon State Historic Site, home to one of the largest Ice Age fossil deposits in North America. Lunch is in Kimmswick at The Blue Owl Restaurant and Bakery. Make sure you try their Levee High Apple Pie. A tour of Anheuser Museum and Estate, affectionately known as Fredmar Farms, tells the story of the family behind the brewery fortune. Browse the art galleries and shops in Ste. Genevieve’s historic district before settling in to your hotel. Dine at Sirros or Audubon’s by Chaumette.

Begin your day with a stop at the Ste. Genevieve Museum. After learning about the city’s French Colonial heritage it’s time to tour the historic homes. Felix Valle House State Historic Site, Bolduc House Museum and Jacques Guibourd Historic House are a few favorites.

For lunch try the buffet at The Anvil Restaurant & Saloon or have a meal in the oldest brick building west of the Mississippi River, Old Brick House. Take a step into the wild side with a walking tour of Crown Ridge Tiger Sanctuary before the drive to Cape Girardeau.

Day 3

Touring Cape Girardeau

Visit the Red House Interpretive Center where you’ll discover what life was like for settlers in the 1800s. A guided city tour of Cape Girardeau will entice you with sights of the Mississippi River Tales Mural, Missouri Wall of Fame Mural, Common Pleas Courthouse and historic Fort D Civil War Site. Break for lunch at Bella Italia Ristorante, Port Cape Girardeau Restaurant and Lounge or Dexter Bar-B-Que before heading to My Daddy’s Cheesecake for dessert.

The Victorian era greets you at The Glenn House, established in 1883. The Crisp Museum reveals southeast Missouri’s rich history, displaying one of the largest collections of Native American artifacts in North America. Continue to the Trail of Tears State Park Visitor Center to discover where nine Cherokee Indian tribes crossed the Mississippi River in the 1830s during their forced relocation.

Day 4

Touring Sikeston

A Historic Homes Driving Tour in Sikeston features more than 24 properties constructed during the region’s cotton boom, when millionaires flourished. Find great deals at the Sikeston Factory Outlet Stores before lunch at Lambert’s Café, home of “Throwed Rolls.” Learn about local art and culture at Sikeston Depot Museum. Finish your tour at the New Madrid Historical Museum to learn about the famous earthquakes that made the Mississippi River appear to flow backward.

For more sample itineraries, visit Industry.VisitMO.com/grouptours/groupitineraries

LGT_23-42f_Layout 1 7/19/16 4:15 PM Page 42

LGT_43-47_Layout 1 7/19/16 10:04 AM Page 43

SOUTH

REGION

The increase in birding as an outdoor recreation option and as a catalyst for ecotourism, along with easy access to bird clubs, is not lost on the astute tour planner

With eyes to the skies, birding enthusiasts are in ecstasy upon spotting sought-after species.

Soaring in Popularity

kesipun/Bigstock.com

By Dave Bodle

T

he most recent National Survey on Recreation and the Environment (NSRE) showed birding with one of the most significant rates of growth among outdoor recreational activities.

Thirty-three percent, or more than 70 million people 16 and above, are participating. The South has shown the largest growth in birding.

Fifty-six percent of the birders are female, and 37 percent are between the ages of 40 and 59. Birders are also reporting that walking LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

and travel to seashores and mountains are regular activities. The demographics are right.

The American Birding Association lists bird clubs in 37 states and five Canadian provinces. Most hold regular meetings and have websites focusing on birding in their areas. With more than 200 birding festivals and events held each year, birders are known to travel.

Here are eight top Southern birding destinations that welcome groups. Bring your binoculars and cameras.

Gulf Islands National Seashore Ocean Springs, Mississippi The Gulf Islands cover Florida and Mississippi with the latterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only access in the Davis Bayou Area. A great place to begin is the William M. Colmer Visitor Center, which has informative exhibits and a film.

A two-mile trail takes visitors through a coastal forest and two bayous. Expect to see spring migrants and wading birds.

Ocean Springs fun is just a click away at oceanspringsfun.com.

August 2016

43

LGT_43-47_Layout 1 7/19/16 9:52 AM Page 44

Grand Isle State Park Grand Isle, Louisiana

Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge Dardanelle, Arkansas

Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel Cape Charles, Virginia

One birding expert believes Grand Isle may have more birds per capita than any other destination. The lagoons and Gulf shore are attractive to numerous species, including shorebirds, gulls, ducks, wading birds and song birds, in the spring and fall. Louisiana’s only inhabited barrier island is convenient to nearby New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Lafayette. For accommodations, dining and things to do, visit the Jefferson Parrish website at visitjeffersonparish.com.

This might just be the place to be for a winter tour. Snow geese and bald eagles are easy to spot. Spring and summer bring the scissor-tailed flycatchers and lark sparrows.

The refuge’s environment and location near the transitional zone for eastern and western species make it a rewarding destination.

The woodlands are particularly attractive to orioles, warblers, buntings and vireos during migration. The refuge’s website is fws.gov/southeast/pubs/holla-bend_birdlist.pdf.

This prime area at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay is home to numerous species of birds and waterfowl. You’ll be viewing from one of the Bay Bridge-Tunnel’s manmade islands. Only small groups of 15 or less are permitted and will be accompanied by security.

Identification will be checked. An application for a birdwatching permit is online at cbbt.com/activities/birding. The Virginia Beach CVB (visitvirginiabeach.com/grouptour) and Norfolk CVB (visitnorfolktoday.com) are ready to share all there is to see and do in the area.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore Outer Banks, North Carolina Along with summer visitors from inland, coastal beach nesting birds make the seashore their home. Terns and black skimmers tend to nest in groups, or colonies. American oystercatchers and the threatened piping plover are solitary nesters. Open ocean trips in May are recommended to see a half-dozen species, including shearwaters, black-capped petrels, and Wilson’s and Leach’s storm-petrels. The Outer Banks Tourism Authority is the place to begin planning at outerbanks.org.

Wildcat Glades Audubon Center Joplin, Missouri The center is a prime example of the impact birding has on our ecosystem. Here you’ll find chert glades a globally unique habit and Shoal Creek, which are both a critical place for migratory birds. To date 163 species have been recorded with 48 being confirmed nesters. Recommended trails are available online at wildcatglades.audubon.org. (visitjoplinmo.com)

Birders are rarely disappointed at Wildcat Glades Audubon Center in Joplin, Missouri.

44

I

August 2016

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

LGT_43-47_Layout 1 7/19/16 9:39 AM Page 45

NFL STADIUM TOURS

O

n your next trip that includes a city with a pro football team, why not schedule a tour of an NFL stadium and get an insider’s look at game day. It can be a welcome addition to the mix of attractions on the itinerary. Here are four stadium tours that are sure to impress your group.

Arrowhead Stadium

New Miami Stadium (formerly Sun Life Stadium), Miami, Florida

Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina

The NFL Miami Dolphins and the annual Orange Bowl call Miami Stadium home. On tours of this world-class venue, available every weekday, you’ll get a glimpse of how the owner watches his team from the Owner’s Suite. Tours also visit the Bank United Club Level and Club LIV. You’ll see the Dolphins locker room and walk on the field. A series of stadium improvements will be completed for the 2016 season. (ewmiamistadium.com) During your stay in Miami, check out Little Havana, a pulsating community where past and present Cuban culture prevails. The best way to explore this Miami link to Cuba is a guided walking tour. Make sure your walk includes the Futurama Building and the local art galleries that surround the building. Maybe the best way to explore the culture in Little Havana is through its food. El Cristo is perfect for the popular Cuban sandwich or ropa vieja, a shredded steak dish.

The home of the Carolina Panthers offers tours on Wednesday and Friday.

From your starting point at the ticket office, your group gets a look at what makes an NFL team tick on game day, with visits to the locker room, weight room, suites and club lounges. (panthers.com/stadium/tours.htm) Sports fans also know Charlotte as the center of NASCAR. Besides the NASCAR Hall of Fame, a high-tech shrine to motorsports culture, there are numerous working race shops in the area and the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

If you want to eat like a local, try Lebowski’s Neighborhood Grill. Besides being voted best wings in Charlotte, they’re known for Roast Beef on “Weck” (a German-style roll) and the Haddock Fish Fry.

Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida The Tampa Bay Buccaneers play here and you’re invited to see their stage.

Guests get a behind-the-scenes look at the field and locker room. A glance inside a private suite shows how the game should be enjoyed, while a stop at Buccaneer Cove is a must. Raymond James Stadium partners with the University of South Florida Bulls and the Outback Bowl. (raymondjamesstadium.com/about-the-stadium/stadium-tours) A community with both a historic past and a vibrant new economy, Tampa has much to offer visiting fans. Whether your visit to Tampa is just for the guys or it’s a multi-generational family sports vacation, a visit to Busch Gardens is a must. Enjoy thrill rides, live music and exotic animals in natural habitats, all in an African setting. For a special meal in Tampa, consider Columbia Restaurant, the nation’s largest Spanish restaurant.

Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri Home to the Kansas City Chiefs, Arrowhead Stadium provides guided tours for groups. Plan to spend about an-hour-and-a-half. You’ll be visiting the Chiefs locker rooms to get into the game day mood. There are plenty of photo opportunities on the field, and you can test your passing skills with a few tosses on the sidelines. (chiefs.com/arrowhead/tours) Football fans in Kansas City might also be interested is seeing where the hogs come from. At one of only four Harley-Davidson motorcycle American plants open to the public, visitors get on the floor and see the production up-close. As almost any local will say, you cannot come to Kansas City without enjoying a steak dinner. Jess and Jim’s Steakhouse has been a favorite for more than 75 years.

Stadium tours take wide-eyed guests behind the scenes of professional football.

Stops on the tour might include a locker room, luxury suite, the press box and field itself.

Bank of America Stadium

LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

August 2016

45

LGT_43-47_Layout 1 7/20/16 9:56 AM Page 46

Fort Myers Beach/ Little Estero Lagoon Fort Myers Beach, Florida

Guntersville Lake, which is actually a wide section of the Tennessee River, is a perfect spot for wintering ducks, grebes and loons. Bald eagles are quite prevalent. More than 290 bird species will rest, nest, breed and winter in the refuge. Sandhill cranes and whooping cranes are regulars. The easternmost point on the Mississippi Flyway, the refuge is Alabama’s largest concentration of wintering waterfowl. To start planning, contact the Decatur Morgan County CVB at decaturcvb.org. LGT

Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism

There are more than a dozen top birding spots in Florida, from Everglades National Park to St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge.

Few are more easily accessible than the lagoon/beach area of Fort Myers Beach, both a popular vacation spot and excellent habitat for many species. Summer brings the magnificent frigatebird, while wood storks and osprey are found year-round. Peregrine falcons hunt from the fall through spring. (fortmyers-sanibel.com)

Wheeler National Wildlife Center Decatur, Alabama

Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge in Dardanelle is one of Arkansas’ premier birding destinations.

The Heart of Historic Hot Springs National Park

TWO LOCATIONS

TOO MUCH FUN NOW TWICE THE FUN FOR YOUR GROUP

Enjoy exciting casino action with over 3,600 games and all the amenities your groups are looking for at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort.

Or bring your groups for a fun gambler’s getaway at Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel in Murphy, NC. For more information on incentives for you and your group or to book your group, call toll free 1-877-778-8138 or email mpegg@cherokee.harrahs.com.

CHEROKEE, NC

MURPHY, NC

Must be 21 years of age or older to enter casino floor and to gamble. Know When To Stop Before You Start.® Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-522-4700.

An Enterprise of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation. ©2016, Caesars License Company, LLC.

Relax at The Arlington Thermal baths and spa.

A national park outside any door.

Great dining choices.

4HE Twin cascading outdoor pools.

Championship golf.

2 % 3 / 2 4 ( / 4 % , 3 0!

Private beauty www.ArlingtonHotel.com and facial salon.

!RLINGTON

Contact Our Sales Professionals at 1-800-626-9768 46

I

August 2016

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

LGT_43-47_Layout 1 7/19/16 9:49 AM Page 47

Come see the earthworks of an ancient culture – a people who called Macon home, long before it was ever Macon. This year marks 1,000 years of the floor inside North America’s only reconstructed earth lodge.

It’s all happening at the Ocmulgee National Monument, and it’s only in Macon.

Plan your trip today. It’s more than a place on a map. It’s a vibe all its own.

800.768.3401 | VisitMacon.org

LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

Ocmulgee National Monument

August 2016

47

LGT_48-49_Layout 1 7/19/16 7:13 AM Page 48

Don’t miss the Stirrup Gallery at Davis & Elkins College.

Wild, Wonderful

West Virginia

Canaan Valley Resort offers unlimited recreation options year-round.

With more than 30 state parks, six national parks, state forests, national scenic trails, rivers and heritage areas, there’s no limit to West Virginia’s outdoor experiences. But that’s just the beginning of your vacation memories.

By Dave Bodle

L

ocated in the north-central section of the state, Canaan Valley Resort is the perfect spot to enjoy the outdoors and make a hub & spoke tour of the surrounding area. The full-service, 160-room resort is about three hours from Pittsburgh, a bit less from Washington, D.C. Twenty-three cabins and cottages are great for reunions of all types and outdoor specialinterest groups. The four-season mountain resort has excellent group menus and spectacular views from the Hickory Dining Room.

Outdoor Pleasures Forty-seven slopes and trails at the Canaan Valley Ski Resort ensure skiers and snowboarders of all levels have a snow option just right for them. Snow tubers and ice skaters also will find plenty to do. From spring through fall there are biking and hiking trails to explore.

For groups that just want to enjoy the scenery, a ride on the ski lifts (open yearround) could be your ticket. Those with a birding interest might consider a four-day weekend in early June for the annual Canaan Valley Birding Festival. If you’ve never shot sporting clays, attempted street bowling, gone geocaching, done a turtle slide tube ride or explored a mild survivalist activity, just ask the Canaan Valley Resort group sales team to make it happen.

At the West Virginia State Wildlife Center in French Creek, many of the native animals on display have been rescued from the wild.

It’s an easy one-mile walk on wide paved paths (perfect for showing off those new Reeboks) with each animal’s expansive enclosure highlighted by interpretative signs. Schedule a personal, informative and often humorous tour from one of the center’s rangers.

More West Virginia Memories Nighttime is the right time in the Gandy Dancer Dinner Theatre in Elkins. First, what’s with the name, Gandy Dancer? The term has an origin that’s difficult to trace. Two things are certain. The term was tied to Northern railway workers. Secondly, rhythm is involved whether it came from the dance-like movements that developed from carrying the “lining bar,” or African-American workers with their tradition of tying tasks to music. Either way, Elkins and the theater are tied to the railroad history and culture of the area.

Before the curtain rises, you’re in for a treat and it’s more than the homemade sticky rolls in the lobby. Chicken cordon bleu and pork loin are the main entrees.

Musicians and vocalists lead the audience through a variety of genres. Blend in some comedy and you have the perfect recipe for

Ride into yesteryear on the Durbin & Greenbrier Valley RR.

48

I

August 2016

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

LGT_48-49_Layout 1 7/19/16 7:16 AM Page 49

West Virginia’s only dinner theater.

From Durbin, Cass or Elkins, rail excursions transport riders through the magnificent West Virginia countryside. Durbin & Greenbrier Valley RR offers a variety of remarkable options for groups. A two-hour excursion to Bald Knob on the Cass Scenic Railroad departs from Cass. The Durbin Rocket is a rare steam locomotive pulling open-air cars on a riverside rail. If one train isn’t enough, the popular “Wild Heart of West Virginia Adventure Package” combines two train rides with one ticket and overnight options in Elkins or Cass. Step back to the 1920s for a wilderness excursion on the climate-controlled New Tygart Flyer. The Mountain Explorer Dinner Train combines memorable views and a fine meal.

On the campus of Davis & Elkins College is one of the most interesting museums you’ll ever visit, The Stirrup Gallery. You may never experience as much history in such a limited space. From a collection of beautiful Amazon butterflies and projectile points of the Native American Iroquois Nation to one of the top powder horn collections in the United States and an extensive collection of firearms, the gallery brings history up close.

Both school and adult groups receive personalized visits from period-costumed Mark Lanham, coordinator of special collections, or his intern.

One of the more intriguing tours you can take is in Weston at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum.

Constructed of hand-cut stone, it’s believed to be the second largest masonry building of its type, trailing only the Kremlin. Serving as a sanctuary for West Virginia’s mentally ill, it was designed to house 250, but topped 2,400 in the 1950s. You’ll learn about these pioneers of humane treatment, go where the criminally insane went and discover the place the Civil War held in the building’s history.

For the courageous, ghost tours are available. LGT

August 2016

49

LGT_50-52_Layout 1 7/19/16 7:30 AM Page 50

CENTRAL

REGION

By Miles Dobis

O

ne of the fastest-growing trends in travel, ecotourism emphasizes trips to natural environments and animal watching. With its expansive prairies and forests, the Upper Mississippi River Valley has steadily become one of the nation’s most popular regions for ecotourism. National parks, protected wetlands and extensive caves can all be found in the Midwest states surrounding the river, and the parks offer prime locations for birdwatchers and fishers. Here are five sites that showcase the beauty of the area and offer plenty of activities and resources for ecotourists.

5 Ecotourism Gems The region’s parks and nature trails appeal to groups seeking a light vacation footprint The Devils Island Lighthouse overlooks Lake Superior at the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.

St. Croix National Scenic Riverway

Effigy Mounds National Monument

50

I

August 2016

St. Croix National Scenic Riverway: St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin

Effigy Mounds National Monument: Marquette, Iowa

Located an hour northeast of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, this expansive park covers over 92,000 acres of Wisconsin and Minnesota wilderness. A major tributary of the Mississippi, the St. Croix River is surrounded by land once used by French voyageurs when the area was known as the Northwest Territory. Your group can visit archeological sites where Fox and Ojibwe tribal tools are unearthed, and hike through the woods that once made this a timber capital of the world. However, your group will want to spend most of its time on the water. For 200 miles, the St. Croix is surrounded by campsites and landings ideal for multi-day excursions. Rangers can augment your float trip with wildlife-spotting tips, and while canoeing or boating you can see deer, wolves, bobcats and 244 species of birds.

The river is recognized as one of the best bass-fishing waterways in the world, and your group can also catch plentiful pike, catfish and sturgeon. For more information, visit nps.gov/sacn/index.htm.

Fourteen hundred years ago, the Effigy Moundbuilder culture created massive earthen mounds shaped like birds and bison.

While the tribe has long disappeared, the mounds remain historic sites and are wellpreserved monuments of ancient American spirituality. Home to over 200 mounds, Effigy Mounds National Monument is a wonderful sight for your group to combine hiking and history. Scenic paths wind along the Yellow River and marshland, where your group can spot egrets and snapping turtles that can weigh up to 40 pounds.

The northern half of the park includes scenic outcroppings with stunning views of the Mississippi River and surrounding forest. From the Hanging Rock you can locate the roving groups of white-tailed deer, and the Twin Views outcropping offers views of the oak, maple and shagbark that surround the river’s edge. Rangers are available to guide your group through the mound areas and explain their symbolism. (nps.gov/efmo) >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

LGT_50-52_Layout 1 7/19/16 11:34 PM Page 51

LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

August 2016

51

LGT_50-52_Layout 1 7/19/16 5:55 PM Page 52

MINOR LEAGUE FUN IN THE MIDWEST

A

day or evening at the old ballpark is all about sitting back with a hot dog and beer and watching America’s pastime, enjoying the company of friends or fellow travelers.

Compared to the majors, minor league baseball offers a more intimate experience in a more family-friendly setting—at a much more affordable price. Toss your cares away and step up to the plate for a memorable group outing.

Fort Wayne TinCaps Parkview Field Fort Wayne, Indiana The TinCaps, the Class A affiliate of the San Diego Padres, draw an average of 6,000 fans a game to a retrostyle brick ballpark just voted best Class A park by Baseball Digest. Parkview Field boasts one of the largest video boards in the minors and offers groups a variety of seating options, from suites and a picnic pavilion to left field’s Home Run Porch with padded seats and waiter service. Besides four concession stands, there are 18 carts peddling everything from Mexican specialties to cheesesteaks. The Treetops area across the street, modeled after the rooftop buildings overlooking Wrigley Field in Chicago, offers an all-you-can-eat menu. (fortwaynetincaps.com)

Toledo Mud Hens Fifth Third Field, Toledo, Ohio Dozens of group spaces are available at the 8,943-seat ballpark and in Hensville, a collection of historic Warehouse District properties next to the field. Hensville boasts new suites and rooftop viewing areas, two new restaurants, and new party and banquet spaces. Popular group spots at the field include the Home Run Picnic Terrace, with three tiers of picnic tables in deep right and left field, and the Picnic Patio at the Fowl Pole in the left field corner. The Mud Hens are the Triple A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. The mascots, Muddy the Mud Hen and Muddonna, represent the marsh bird that inhabited the area around the original ballpark. (mudhens.com)

Indianapolis Indians Victory Field, Indianapolis The 14,200-seat stadium, located in downtown’s White River State Park, has been named “Best Minor League Ballpark in America” by Sports Illustrated and Baseball America. The Indians franchise has been around since 1902 and today is the Triple A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Former players have included Randy Johnson, Paul Konerko and current Pirates star Andrew McCutcheon. Ballpark tours are available. (indyindians.com) For more minor league outings, see the Online Exclusive at LeisureGroupTravel.com/4-great-minorleague-parks-in-the-midwest.

52

I

August 2016

Maquoketa Caves State Park: Maquoketa, Iowa Discovered by settlers in the 1830s, this is the most extensive cave system in the state, with immense stalagmites and chimneys in its many passageways. The surrounding park is part of the Driftless Area untouched by the last Ice Age, and the unique erosion that took place has left the park with lush forests and creeks unusual for Iowa. Thirteen caves are available for public tours, and they range in size from massive (the subterranean Dancehall Cave is over 1,000 feet long) to the cramped (Dugout Cave and Hernando’s Hideaway are only accessible by crawling).

Other park highlights include the Natural Bridge, a 50-foot stone archway, and Balanced Rock, a 17-ton oblong boulder with a tiny base. Boardwalks and lighting are available for easy access, and rangers are on hand to explain the caves’ limestone structures and former Native American visitors. Twenty-nine campsites can accommodate large groups, while the interpretative center offers exhibits on the ancient pottery found in the caves. (iowadnr.gov/places-to-go/state-parks-rec-areas)

Audubon Center at Riverlands: West Alton, Missouri One of America’s most acclaimed nature centers, this complex lies near the convergence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers north of St. Louis. Over 300 species of songbirds and waterfowl migrate through this wetland habitat. Your group can view eagles, meadowlarks and herons in warmer months, while in winter watch migrating trumpeter swans with eight-foot wingspans.

A variety of programs hosted by conservationists and expert bird spotters can supply

your group with the proper binoculars and field guides before venturing into the 3,700 acres of marshland, and they can even accompany you to point out the best observation points. The garden at the Audubon Center features plants and grasses native to the region and attractive to mating bird species. Beautiful cardinal flowers and wild bergamont surround the center, and your group can learn about invasive grass species and efforts to preserve the natural landscape. (riverlands.audubon.org)

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore: Sand Bay, Wisconsin This cluster of 21 islands and the 12 miles of shoreline on Wisconsin’s Lake Superior coast have attracted birdwatchers and campers for decades. Guided ferry tours can bring your group on a day trip to many of the park’s islands, which provide stunning views of the beaches and boreal forests. Unique to the area are sea caves, amazing cliff towers sculpted over millions of years from ancient sandstone river deposits. In winter months, your group can venture onto the frozen lake to view these incredible structures up close, and guides can explain what the landscape looked like during the latest ice age. Those interested in nature should head to the park’s beaches, a rare mating ground for regional birds such as piping plovers and herring gulls, while red foxes, white-tailed deer and beavers can be found inland in the park’s protected hemlock groves. For overnight trips, many of the park’s islands have campsites designed for large groups, and rangers are available with cold-weather camping tips. (nps.gov/apis) With many other national and state parks available to the public, the Midwest has seemingly endless options for ecotourists.

Campsites, nature trails and friendly Midwestern guides all ensure low-cost trips to the region are memorable and welcoming, and the animals and natural wonders your group will encounter are sure to draw you back for a return visit. LGT >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

LGT_53-55_Layout 1 7/19/16 7:53 AM Page 53

O C S I W

By Mary Bergin

T

he prevailing call of the wild,

By Mary Bergin when autumn arrives in Wisconsin, is the mournful honking of Canada geese that blacken the fields of Horicon Marsh, a refuge located one hour northwest of Milwaukee.

LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

S â&#x20AC;&#x2122; N I S N

N O C I R O H ARSH M haven a s i arsh m l i a t t y and a n c o t h s large ging symp s s â&#x20AC;&#x2122; n o ati an g bird n i The n an ever-ch t a r f mig for o t e l l ba August 2016

I

53

LGT_53-55_Layout 1 7/19/16 8:08 AM Page 54

Passengers on pontoon boat tours of Horicon Marsh will see a wide variety of bird species, such as (at left) white pelicans, great egrets and great blue herons.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service describes the area as globally significant because it is home to endangered species and a crucial stop for migrating birds. The nation’s largest cattail marsh – about 14 miles long and up to five miles wide – also is among the largest freshwater marshes.

Horicon’s northern two-thirds (22,000 acres) are federally protected and only open during daylight. The remaining 11,000 acres is Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area.

Admission is free.

Within the refuge are large nesting areas for redhead ducks and great blue herons. It didn’t happen by accident. Refuge work began in 1941 because of the vulnerable ducks; now thousands nest here every year.

Bird watchers have spotted at least 300 types of birds – egrets and owls to pelicans and bald eagles – that are protected and nourished by Horicon’s complex ecosystem.

Shorebirds and songbirds make their way here. So do broad-winged hawks and kingfishers. Binoculars capture a fleeting glimpse of the marsh’s smaller creatures, but even the naked eye might notice a cluster of cormorants perched on swaying branches.

Horicon Marsh Bird Club members count all they see in a designated area from dawn to dusk during the Big Sit, on the second Saturday of October. Visitors are welcome to help.

At the annual Horicon Marsh Bird Festival in May, the area’s marquee event, expect an array of workshops and field trips. Horicon Marsh Bird Club organizes the two-day festival, and many events are free admission.

It is smart to pre-register when fees are involved, particularly sunrise and twilight 54

I

August 2016

birding tours and all-day bus-boat outings.

During any time of year, skirt the perimeter of the wetlands by driving or bicycling Horicon Marsh Parkway, a 36-mile loop in Dodge and Fond du Lac counties. Horicon Marsh International Education Center offers interpretive programs, exhibits, a research library, visitor center and panoramic hilltop views.

Serious photographers can reserve time in a bird blind, through the Horicon Marsh State Wildlife office. Much remains a mystery to all because much of the refuge is not accessible to motorized vehicles, boats, horses or hikers.

Up-close views are the best, and that requires time on water to find well-camouflaged wildlife in feathered and furry forms.

The best way to get acquainted is through Horicon Marsh Boat Tours, which offers one- to two-hour excursions on pontoon boats for up to 50 people. Guided group canoe or kayak trips of at least two hours are arranged, too.

Tour captains understand the area’s rhythms and nuances. Owner Marc Zuelsdorf’s first trip into these wetlands happened during childhood, while fishing with his father more than 50 years ago.

“It’s a surprise every time you’re out there,” he says of the marsh. If he is the guide, expect nearly nonstop narration about nature’s subtleties. You may see beaver lodges, swimming woodchucks or dive-bombing predators in search of fish for supper.

An estimated 200,000 Canada geese are what add dramatic effect to Horicon during autumn, but it is not unusual to spot dozens of other birds during these boat tours, offered May to October.

What is seen will depend on time of day, time of year, type of weather and mood of wildlife. More often than not, guides identify species by what is heard, not seen.

For more about the refuge and tours, visit horiconmarsh.org and horiconmarsh.com. LGT

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

LGT_53-55_Layout 1 7/19/16 8:46 AM Page 55

Celebrating Over 50 Years of Klopcic Family Hospitality!

Superb Dining • Professional Broadway Shows Beautiful Gift Shops • Award-Winning Hospitality

2017 Season On Sale Now! Mamma Mia! • Beauty and The Beast South Pacific • Back to the 50’s Elvis Lives • Miracle on 34th Street

Fort Atkinson, WI 53538 • 800-477-9505 • www.firesidetheatre.com

LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

August 2016

55

LGT_56-58_Layout 1 7/19/16 8:57 AM Page 56

EAST

REGION

BIKING IN THE

BIG CITY

Active travelers want to get off the tour bus and onto their own set of wheels

By Elissa Gilbert

B

icycle tours bring travelers closer to their surroundings than looking out a bus window allows. And with more cities adding bike lanes and bike-share programs, including biking as part of a city tour is easier than ever. Some hotels even offer free bikes to guests.

Electric-assist bikes let travelers who aren't in the best shape travel on two wheels. You can also look for a bike with more than two wheels; party bikes let groups of a dozen or more pedal their way together.

56

I

August 2016

If you include biking as part of your tour, make sure you know the local rules, such as whether riding on the sidewalk is allowed and whether helmets are required. Be prepared with locks to secure your bikes when you stop. In the busiest cities, riding in traffic can be overwhelming for out-of-town visitors, even on streets with bike lanes, so stick to quieter streets or trails designed for bikes and pedestrians.

Here's a look at biking options in some East Coast cities your bus is likely to visit.

Urban AdvenTours bike trips visit downtown Boston, the historic North End and Fenway Park, among other places.

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

LGT_56-58_Layout 1 7/19/16 9:00 AM Page 57

Boston

Biking in Boston can be challenging during the winter season, when the city's bike-share system may shutdown. During the rest of the year, the system spans Boston and the surrounding communities. You can also rent bikes and get guided bike tours from Urban AdvenTour.

Within Boston, biking options include 18 miles along the Charles River Esplanade, looping around both sides of the river; slow down to watch sailboats in the water. Riders pedal through greenery on paved roads at the Arnold Arboretum. The "Emerald Necklace" links parks designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. A ride from the JFK Presidential Library and Museum to Castle Island allows views of the harbor and a chance to poke through Fort Independence, an early fortification and harbor defense.

For a chance to ride in the footsteps of Paul Revere and other American revolutionaries, ride along the Minuteman Bikeway, which runs from Cambridge to Bedford, passing through Lexington along the way.

Washington, D.C.

Philadelphia The City of Brotherly Love welcomes bikers with 435 miles of bike lanes and a bike-sharing program. The Benjamin Franklin Parkway takes you past a mile of museums and monuments. Stop to visit the Rodin Museum or the Philadelphia Museum of Art. You can pedal from the city center along the Schuylkill River out to Valley Forge, riding across a boardwalk with views of the city's skyline.

The Forbidden Drive in Wissahickon Valley Park lets you pedal along the creek through a wooded landscape; the terrain is rugged enough that mountain bikes are recommended. There's more mountain

are car-free: there's biking in Central Park, in the outer boroughs or on the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway that circles the entire city at the water's edge.

Pick up your bike from the Citi Bike share program or from one of the rental shops in the city. In Central Park, follow the park drives clockwise. Your path can be as long as 6 miles. You can pedal on your own or take a guided tour to park landmarks like Belvedere Castle and Strawberry Fields.

Ride the Hudson River Greenway downtown through Riverside Park on the West Side; pass the USS Intrepid floating museum and continue south for great views of the Statue of Liberty as you reach the southern tip of Manhattan. You can wrap around and head back uptown on the East River Greenway, though that will require some biking in the street, depending how far uptown you go.

Another classic bike ride in Manhattan, with views of the skyline, takes you across the Brooklyn Bridge. Once in Brooklyn, there's more biking, including the first bike path in the US, Ocean Parkway.

These routes are easy to follow on your own, and you can also arrange guided bike tours from companies like Bike and Roll NYC or Bike the Big Apple.

Urban AdvenTours

Bike and Roll NYC

Washington is a great city for biking, with 40 miles of bike lanes and 800 miles of bike trails.

Almost all are flat, though some may be pebble, dirt or clay, instead of paved. The Capital Baltimore Bikeshare program offers day Baltimore's Charm City Riders on a Bike and Roll tour explore the Wall Street financial district and other parts of Lower Manhattan. passes that include 30-minute Bike Share program is expected biking on the Belmont Plateau inside Fairrides; there are rental companies that offer to start in late 2016; there are also bike mount Park. more cost-effective rentals for day-trippers. rental companies.

Philly Bike Tour Co. offers guided bike Riders can pedal past the major attracWithin the city, bike rides around the tours around the city, while Wheel Fun offers tions and around the National Mall. For those Inner Harbor offer views of the water and self-guided options. Wheel Fun also rents who want guided sightseeing, Bike and Roll many chances to stop for refreshment. tandem bikes and covered surreys in addition offers tours that cover the major monuments, You can pedal past many points of interest, to conventional road and mountain bikes. Big including options to see them illuminated at ranging from Federal Hill to Fort McHenry, Red Pedal Tours' "pedicycle" takes 12 pedalers night. For rides out to Mount Vernon, Bike where the battle that inspired the Starand three riders on tours around Philadelphia, and Roll has tours that let riders with less Spangled Banner occurred. (The ride to with stops to turn it into a history tour or endurance take a boat or bus ride for the Fort McHenry requires one uphill leg). pub crawl. return trip.

If you can't get enough of airplanes, the Besides riding through the city streets, BWI trail takes you around the airport with consider pedaling the Capital Crescent rail great views of the runway. There's a more New York City trail, which takes you through Georgetown; natural view if you ride the Gwynns Falls Trail New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unyielding congestion makes it the Mount Vernon Trail, which runs along the or the Jones Falls Trail following the stream's a forbidding destination for bikers unfamiliar Potomac and offers D.C. skyline views; and downhill flow. Light Street Cycles offers with crowded busy streets. Although bike lanes the Chesapeake & Ohio Towpath, which takes guided rides through the waterfront and have been added to many of the avenues, you through the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Baltimore's historic areas as well as both it's probably best to stay out of traffic. FortuNational Historic Park. falls trails. LGT nately, it's easy to find biking options that LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

August 2016

57

LGT_56-58_Layout 1 7/19/16 9:32 AM Page 58

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME

W

atching Major League Baseball players in action could be a highlight of your next tour of the East Coast, but even if you don’t include game tickets, you can still give your travelers the big-league experience. Try arranging a ballpark tour, visit to the team store or meal at a stadium restaurant that’s open yearround. On hour-long tours, fans and non-fans alike enjoy going behind the scenes with peeks into the dugouts, clubhouses, press box and luxury suites.

Oriole Park at Camden Yards

Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore

Yankee Stadium, New York

Citi Field, New York

Debuting in 1992, this architectural gem of green steel and red brick inspired a generation of ballparks built with a retro look. The outfield area artfully incorporates the historic B&O warehouse, the longest building on the East Coast.

Food options include Boog’s BBQ, where former Orioles All-Star first baseman Boog Powell may be seen serving up his barbecue beef, pork and turkey.

Open year-round is Dempsey’s Brew Pub and Restaurant, named for Orioles Hall of Fame catcher Rick Dempsey. The Babe Ruth Birthplace Museum is two blocks away, and the shops and tourist attractions of the Inner Harbor are a 12-minute walk. Private ballpark tours can be scheduled throughout the year. (baltimore.orioles.mlb.com)

One of the most expensive stadiums ever built, the “new” Yankee S tadium r eplaced the “old” home of the Bronx Bombers in 2009. Despite the loss of some history with demolition of the original, the team’s storied past lives on through exhibits in the New York Yankees Museum and in center field’s Monument Park, a shrine to greats like Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle.

Design elements borrowed from the old “House That Ruth Built,” such as the imposing arched windows, have been incorporated into the new.

Among the new food choices this year are the “G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time) Burger”—which includes crispy bacon, pastrami and American cheese piled high—and the “Double-Double,” a double cheeseburger with a pair of grilled cheese sandwiches for buns. Also new is The Big Cheese Grilled Cheese Stand, with four different sandwiches made with artisan cheeses. Tours for groups of 15-35 can be scheduled year-round, with lunch or dinner at the stadium’s Hard Rock Cafe part of the package. (newyork.yankees.mlb.com)

Dark blue exposed steel and dark green seats accent state-of-the-art Citi Field, built in 2009 to replace 45-year-old Shea Stadium as home to the New York Mets. The classic design features a facade of red brick, granite and cast stone that mirrors Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, with the front entrance featuring a rotunda named after Brooklyn Dodgers legend Jackie Robinson. Citi Field, located in Queens, is nationally known as one of the best ballparks in the country for food. Celebrity chef Danny Meyer has played a big part in upping the quality, serving barbecue, burgers and tacos at his Blue Smoke, Shake Shack and El Verano Taqueria.

When a Mets player hits a home run, a giant apple with a Mets logo lights up and rises from center field. Group tours include the Mets Hall of Fame and Museum. (newyork.mets.mlb.com)

Yankee Stadium

PNC Park, Pittsburgh With sweeping views of the Allegheny riverfront and downtown skyline, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ classic-style PNC Park opened in 2001 as one of the most beautiful and smallest parks in the majors. On game days Roberto Clemente Bridge is closed to vehicular traffic and fans are met with a dynamic retail and sports pavilion beyond right field. PNC food choices include Primanti Bros. sandwiches and a barbecue spot run by former player Manny Sanguillen. This year Riverwalk Grill’s crazy offering is the Cracker Jack and Mac Dog, a hot dog in naan bread with macaroni and cheese, salted caramel sauce, deep-fried pickled jalapenos and a sprinkling of Cracker Jack popcorn for crunch. Groups of 25 or more can book a ballpark tour, with or without lunch, for weekdays and select Saturdays from early April to early October. (pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com)

Fenway Park, Boston Just as much a Boston landmark as Fanueil Hall and Paul Revere’s house, the oldest operating ballpark in Major League Baseball looks much as it did on opening day in 1912. Sacred ground to Boston Red Sox fans, the classic park is best known for its 37-foot-high left field wall, the Green Monster. Sit atop the fabled wall, view the manual scoreboard, and hears tales of Red Sox greats like Ted Williams and Carl Yastremski on daily tours, offered year-round. Besides the usual ballpark fare, fans can get a lobster roll or New England clam chowder. Live music, souvenir tables and food carts create a carnival atmosphere on Yawkey Way, a public street that’s closed to traffic on game days. (boston.redsox.mlb. com) 58

I

August 2016

This amenity-laden park, with the largest video scoreboard in the National League and the city skyline as a backdrop, ranks as among the best in America. Opened in 2004, Citizens Bank Park gets high marks for its food and often places first in vegetarian ballpark fare. New taste options this year include Chick-fil-A chicken sandwiches and Andrew Zimmern’s Korean Fried Pork Belly Sandwich, created by the host of Travel Channel’s Bizarre Foods for Harry the K’s, an outfield sit-down restaurant named for late Hall of Fame broadcaster Harry Kalas. For true Philadelphia flavors, try a cheesesteak or hoagie. Ashburn Alley, named for Phillies legend Richie Ashburn, is a festive outfield entertainment area that includes the Phillies All-Star Walk, Memory Lane and Phillies Wall of Fame. The 35-by-50-foot Liberty Bell in right-center field rings after every Phillies home run. Tours are available most days (except Sundays) year-round. (philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com)

PNC Park

Visit Pittsburgh

Kate Glicksberg

Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

LGT_59_Layout 1 7/18/16 10:44 PM Page 59

ON

MARKETING

By Tamika C. Carter

Get Perked Up About Off-Peak Travel Y

ou can only take groups to ski resorts when there is snow or to the beach when it’s warm, right? Wrong! For savvy group travel planners, hitting the slopes in 80-degree weather or watching ocean waves crash to shore when there is light snow is something to get excited about. Why? Because suppliers roll out the red carpet for groups who travel “off-peak.”

Get Educated About Off-Peak Travel Periods The best way to learn about off-peak travel periods is to talk with the convention and visitors bureau (CVB) for the area you are looking to take your group. The CVB collects and maintains data from suppliers regarding their occupancy rates and they can tell you exactly what times of year present the most

What’s the Hype About?

For the most part, hotels, resorts, restaurants and other suppliers don’t close their doors during off-peak seasons primarily because they want to keep their workforce intact for their high-demand period. So during those slow times, suppliers are forced to get creative about getting business into their establishments.

To woo groups in, many lodging suppliers will significantly lower room rates and increase the number of comp rooms given to groups for their stay. For example, instead of one comp room for every ten sold, I have seen as many as one for every five sold. That’s twice as many comp rooms. And as a group travel planner, you have the choice of either passing the extra room along to your group leader or selling the room and cashing in on the extra profits.

Many suppliers also offer extra free nights, food and beverage credits, spa credits, free party rooms and more. Plus, restaurants and tourist attractions jump on board, too, with BOGO 50% off, or even BOGO free offers.

Many suppliers also offer extra free nights, food and beverage credits, spa credits, free party rooms and more.

LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

need for their hotels and resorts. They can help you to understand patterns that exist including seasonal, monthly, even daily patterns. For example, for group travel to Washington, D.C., hotels are primarily in high demand in the fall and spring, largely due to nonprofit association conventions, school groups and Congress’ schedule. But these events typically occur during the week, so hotels are more likely to offer discounted rates and other perks on the weekends to get leisure travelers.

Every destination is unique, so work with your suppliers to learn their “need dates.”

Filling in those gaps shows your suppliers that you are willing to step up for them when needed, just as you want them to step up for you. Ultimately, it creates a true win-win group travel experience.

Planning the Perfect Off-Peak Experience for Your Group One of the hardest things for group travel planners to do when it comes to off-peak travel is to get group leaders and travelers onboard. As a planner, it is your responsibility to paint the visual picture so that they can see how much more amazing the experience will be. For example, consider scheduling that cruise to Eastern Canada in the fall, when the leaves are at their brightest. Instead of Labor Day weekend, consider a Valentine’s Day beach getaway at a mid-Atlantic or midPacific beach instead of Miami or San Diego.

And who wants to go to Las Vegas in the middle of summer? You’d be surprised.

My group travel business specializes in travel to all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean.

Because most people like to travel to warmweather climates when it is cold at home, peak season for the Caribbean is during the winter months. Although it’s hurricane season, I prefer to take groups there during the fall, when pools and beaches aren’t overcrowded, airfare prices are lower and the weather is a bit breezier and cooler. To be safe, I include travel insurance in the package to protect my clients’ investment. Additionally, I purchase special event insurance to protect my business from liability.

During these trips, my groups are the big fish in a little pond. Because we aren’t competing against thousands of other travelers, our on-site representatives give me, my group leaders and my travelers the royal treatment.

They help me to come up with ideas to keep everyone engaged, and everyone almost always gets an upgrade to an oceanview or oceanfront room. As a result, my clients see me as a group travel goddess who magically makes all of these great things happen. And it’s a magical way to guarantee repeat business.

So, think about where you want to take your next group. Then reach out to the CVB to learn about the high- and low-demand periods. Start investigating the benefits of off-peak travel. LGT Tamika C. Carter is the owner of Caribbean Mastermind Retreats, executive director of the International Group Travel Agents Association (IGTAA) and creator of the Create a High Profit Group Travel Business 8-week virtual boot camp. For more information, visit 4grouptravel.org.

August 2016

59

LGT_60-61_CVR 1 7/18/16 10:31 PM Page 60

DID YOU KNOW? WTM London 2016 will be a three day event

MONDAY 7 – WEDNESDAY 9 NOVEMBER That’s a massive

£2.1M for each of the 9,100 WTM BUYERS CLUB MEMBERS

With around

50,000 SENIOR INDUSTRY EXECUTIVES

Buyers at WTM London have a

TOTAL PURCHASING RESPONSIBILITY OF £15.8BN 865,500 ONSTAND MEETINGS take place with

5,000 EXHIBITORS from 182 COUNTRIES

Deals worth

MORE THAN £2.5BN

in attendance

will be agreed

The Travel Tech Show at WTM is

10TH UNWTO & WTM MINISTERS’ SUMMIT

THE UK’S LARGEST TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY EVENT

MORE THAN 18,000 attendees at conference sessions, including 9,000 unique delegates

The

will take place

MORE THAN 38 TRAVEL INDUSTRY SECTORS represented at WTM London

REGISTER FOR WTM LONDON 2016 World Travel Market London, the leading global event for the travel industry, has opened registration to the new-look three-day WTM London 2016.

WTM London 2016, which takes place between Monday 7 – Wednesday 9 November, is poised to be the most successful yet. The new-look three-day format has been universally well received from all participant groups.

Delegates will be able to conduct even more business than last year’s record £2.5 billion and save on the ancillary cost with WTM London being one day shorter. Opening hours have been extended from 10am to 7pm on all three days of the event, to increase the business opportunities available.

The WTM Inspire Theatre, a new 300seater amphitheatre, will be added to the exhibition floor in the North Hall of ExCeL, while the WTM International Press Centre has been moved on to the exhibition floor for the first time (in the South Hall). More than 80 seminars will take place throughout the three days

covering all the key sectors including aviation, hotels, sports tourism, responsible tourism, blogging, social media and travel technology.

Monday 7 November will remain an exhibitor invite-only day, allowing exhibitors to conduct business meetings with key contacts. The event will kick off with the WTM Speed Networking in the WTM Global Stage at 9am – before the exhibition floor opens at 10am. A taste of ILTM at WTM returns for the fifth year across the Monday and Tuesday.

Tuesday 8 November is the new day for World Responsible Tourism Day, keeping sustainability at the heart of the event.

Wednesday 9 November is the new day for the UNWTO & WTM Ministers’ Summit, which is this year celebrating its tenth edition. WTM London 2016 will conclude with the WTM Festivals, which will see a number of exhibitors hosting parties showcasing their culture, music and cuisine.

WTM London 2015 saw almost 50,000 participants, including 9,100 buyers conducting business worth more than £2.5 billion with almost 5,000 exhibitors from 182 countries and regions.

To pre-register visit www.wtmlondon.com/register.

LGT_60-61_CVR 1 7/18/16 10:35 PM Page 61

WORLD TRAVEL MARKET ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

SAVE ON FLIGHTS TO WTM LONDON World Travel Market London delegates can take advantage of discounted air fares with oneworld airlines following a groundbreaking deal between the alliance and World Travel Maket’s parent company Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE).

Visitors and exhibitors are able to make reservations for themselves and a companion via a dedicated channel on the oneworld web site – www.oneworld.com/events – by using the unique code - OW24D15 Flights must arrive at the event’s location no earlier than one week before the event begins and depart no later than one week after the event finishes.

There are 15 carriers in the alliance, serving more than 1,000 destinations. Members of any oneworld alliance carrier’s loyalty scheme will be able to earn points and enjoy the usual benefits when taking advantage of the offer.

Visit wtmlondon.com/discounts for more information and further discounts

FROM ECUADOR TO SOUTH KOREA, WTM LONDON ATTRACTS NEW EXHIBITORS The world's largest hotels search site, an aircraft charter specialist and the fourth largest city in Ecuador are among the new exhibitors already signed up for World Travel Market London 2016.

The highest profile first-time exhibitor is Trivago, a price comparison site focused on hotels which is part of Expedia Inc. It will be present in the Global Village region, where it will be joined by other first-time exhibitors including Autoclick Rent a Car, a car hire business based in Spain.

Visitors to the Travel Technology region will have the chance to do deals with a range of WTM London debutants, including some businesses based in Asia such as Rish Iyagi, a South Korean

Discover the world

marketing agency with branches in Shanghai and Tokyo.

Making a shorter journey is German hotels software business Booklogic.

Airlines are a vital part of the global travel industry and WTM London continues to attract new carriers to the event. Atlas Global, a Turkish airline operating domestic and international flights into Istanbul from many European, Middle Eastern and Asian destinations, is another first time exhibitor.

Coach travel is also an important player in the industry, and DJ Coaches from Kent is taking a stand in the UK and Ireland region for the first time. Finally, the Americas region will welcome for the first time representatives from the city of Machala in southern Ecuador.

£2.5

Billion

of new business

5,000

49,273

exhibitors

attendees

from across the world

from 182 countries

Register now wtmlondon.com

Official Media Partner

LGT_62_CVR 1 7/18/16 9:56 PM Page 62

-Magic FM

Miss Saigon returns to Broadway in March 2017 for a limited time only. This acclaimed new production opened in London to record-breaking box office sales. The epic love story tells the tragic tale of young bar girl, Kim, orphaned by war, who falls in love with American GI, Chris—but their lives are torn apart by the fall of Saigon. Featuring the gorgeous anthems “Sun and Moon,” “Last Night of the World,”

B Lmbee ;^eb^o^% B ] @bo^ Fr Eb_^ _hk Rhn Zg] Ma^ :f^kb\Zg =k^Zf% mabl bgm^kgZmbhgZe l^glZmbhg is coming back to Broadway for a limited time. Book tickets for your groups today.

COMING TO BROADWAY SPRING 2017

C A M E R O N M A C K I N T O S H ’S NEW PRODUCTION OF

TM © 1988 CML

B O U B L I L & S C H Ö N B E R G ’S

FOR TICKE T S FOR GROUP S 12+ CONTAC T YOUR PREFERRED GROUP SALES AGENT

SaigonBroadway.com

WHAT CAN YOU ACCOMPLISH IN

5 MINUTES?

LEISURE AUGUST 2016

GROUP TRAVEL

You could clean out your junk drawer, delete unused apps from your phone, or take out the trash. You could make your bed, clean the kitchen counter or empty the dishwasher. You could help Leisure Group Travel create a better magazine or save the environment.

On the reverse side you’ll find Leisure Group Travel’s Intentions survey.

By understanding your travel patterns and needs we’re better able to shape our editorial coverage. We’re not bribing you with gift cards, asking you how much you love/hate us, or how many times you call advertisers – just a few questions about you and your travel program.

And if you find you don’t want or need Leisure Group Travel any longer, it will take less than 5 minutes to tell us to stop killing trees on your behalf. No hard feelings, promise. samotrebizan/Bigstock.com

FOLD HERE

AFFIX POSTAGE HERE

LEISURE GROUP TRAVEL

Reader Info Center 621 Plainfield Road, Suite 406 Willowbrook, IL 60527

GROUP INTENTIONS 2016

LEISURE AUGUST 2016

Tell us a little about you and your travel program by completing the Group Intentions survey below.

Return via mail, fax or email by September 15.

If you no longer wish to receive Leisure Group Travel, simply mark stop and affix your magazine address label or fill out the address portion.

How many overnight group trips do you/your company operate annually?

______________

Average number of nights per trip?

______________

Average number of passengers per trip?

______________

Where do your trips go? (check all that apply) ❐ Northeast U.S. ❐ Midwest U.S. ❐ Southern U.S. ❐ Western U.S. ❐ Canada ❐ Europe ❐ Asia ❐ Latin America Who are your clients? (check all that apply)

What types of trips do you offer/ plan? (check all that apply) ❐ Traditional tours/cruises ❐ Faith-based ❐ Student ❐ Adventure ❐ Family/Multi-generational ❐ Culinary ❐ Cultural ❐ Educational ❐ Girlfriend/Guys ❐ Other (please list)

❐ Seniors ❐ Boomers ❐ Gen-X ❐ Millennials ❐ Youth/Student

What best describes you? ❐ Plan my own tours ❐ Use a tour operator/receptive ❐ Little bit of both

❏ Please continue sending Leisure Group Travel ❏ Please stop sending Leisure Group Travel Name ____________________________________Title _________________________________ Company ______________________________________________________________________ Address _______________________________________________________________________

II

GROUP TRAVEL

INSTANT INFO CENTER

Learn more about companies featured in August’s Leisure Group Travel by checking the box next to their name. ❑ Arkansas Dept. of Parks & Tourism ❑ Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa, Hot Springs, AR ❑ Aurora Area CVB, IL ❑ Branson Lakes Area CVB, MO ❑ Canaan Valley Resort, Davis, WV ❑ Cape Girardeau CVB, MO ❑ City of Boonville, MO ❑ Clinton Presidential Center, Little Rock, AR ❑ Coeur D’Alene Casino, Worley, ID ❑ Collette Vacations ❑ Colorado Springs CVB, CO ❑ The Dancing Horses Theatre, Delavan, WI ❑ Denver Art Museum, Denver, CO ❑ Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad, Elkins, WV ❑ The Fireside Dinner Theatre, Fort Atkinson, WI ❑ Gillette-Wright County Tourism, WY ❑ Greater St. Charles CVB, MO ❑ Hannibal CVB, MO ❑ Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort, Cherokee, NC ❑ Harry S. Truman Library & Museum, Independence, MO ❑ Jefferson City CVB, MO ❑ Joplin CVB, MO ❑ Lake of the Ozarks CVB, MO ❑ Lewis County CVB, WV ❑ Macon-Bibb County CVB, GA ❑ Manitowoc Area VCB, WI ❑ Meet AC, Atlantic City, NJ ❑ Miss Saigon (Broadway Inbound), New York, NY ❑ Missouri Division of Tourism ❑ Missouri History Museum, St. Louis, MO ❑ Missouri Star Quilt Company, Hamilton, MO ❑ Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, Palm Springs, CA ❑ Scioto Downs, Columbus, OH ❑ Sedalia CVB, MO ❑ St. Louis C&V Commission, MO ❑ U.S. Tours/Princess Cruises ❑ Washburn County Tourism, WI Please have suppliers contact me via:

City _____________________________________State _______________ Zip ________________

Phone _______________________________E-Mail ______________________________________ REQUIRED

Signature _______________________________________________Date ____________________

❐ Mail

❐ Email

❐ Phone

Send more information on companies in the following categories:

❐ Attractions ❐ Casinos ❐ Cruise Lines ❐ Destinations ❐ Hotels ❐ Restaurants ❐ Theaters ❐ Tour Operators ❐ Travel Insurance Send information on the following regions/countries:

● Scan and e-mail this page to ReaderServices@PTMGroups.com ● Fax this page to 630.794.0652, or fold, stamp and mail to Leisure Group Travel ● Visit our Instant Info Center at LeisureGroupTravel.com

❐ Northeast ❐ Midwest ❐ South ❐ West ❐ Canada ❐ Europe ❐ Asia ❐ Latin America

RESPOND BY SEPT. 15