Leisure Group Travel Magazine October 2017

LEISURE OCTOBER 2017

GROUP TRAVEL

Women’s Travel Takes Center Stage Demand is surging for female-only trips

Group-Friendly

Alabama From inspiring museums to the local cuisine scene

Missouri

Tour Guide

Irresistible ideas for Show-Me State itineraries A Premier Travel Media publication • LeisureGroupTravel.com

8

OKC FAVORITES

Must-see sights in Oklahoma City

A D V E R T O R I A L

Register for

WTM LONDON 2017 WTM London, the leading global event for the travel industry, has opened registration to WTM 2017

W

TM London 2017, which takes place between Monday, November 6, and Wednesday, November 8, is poised to be the most successful yet. The leading global event for the travel industry will again be a three-day event following the overwhelming success of last year’s WTM London. WTM London 2016 was three days for the first time and attracted a record 51,500 attendance, including an all-time high of buyers (9,900). A record £2.8 billion of business will be conducted due to last year’s event.

It is expected WTM London 2017 will be the catalyst for an even greater amount of business, as an extra speed networking event has been added to the second day of the event, meaning all three days will host a speed networking event.

2

I

October 2017

Monday, November 6, will see 200 buyers seated based on the geography they purchase.

Tuesday, November 7, will see the buyers seated by sector, including responsible tourism, gastronomy, adventure tourism and weddings and honeymoons.

Wednesday, November 8, will see the renamed Digital Influencers’ Speed Networking (formerly called Bloggers’ Speed Networking) take place. The event has been renamed to reflect the increase in bloggers and Instagrammers attending WTM London.

Speakers already confirmed include easyJet CEO Carolyn McCall and Travelocity founder Terry Jon es. The WTM Inspire Theatre – a 300-seater amphitheater – returns to the exhibition floor following last year’s successful introduction.

Around 80 conference seminars will take place throughout the three days covering all the key sectors, including aviation, hotels, gastronomy, weddings and honeymoons, responsible tourism, blogging, social media and travel technology.

Monday, November 6, will remain an exhibitor invite-only day, allowing exhibitors to conduct business meetings with key suppliers.

Tuesday, November 7, is the new day for the UNWTO & WTM Ministers’ Summit.

Wednesday, November 8, is the new day for World Responsible Tourism Day,

“WTM London continues to improve every year, with 2017 poised to be the most successful yet.”

— WTM London Senior Director Simon Press

keeping sustainability at the heart of the event. WTM London 2017 will conclude with the WTM Festivals, which will see a number of exhibitors hosting parties showcasing their culture, music and cuisine.

WTM London’s senior director, Simon Press, said “WTM London continues to improve every year, with 2017 poised to be the most successful yet. With 5,000 exhibitors from 182 countries and regions conducting business deals with almost 10,000 buyers forming the WTM Buyers’ Club, we expect business deals to reach £3 billion.” LGT

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

To book discounted hotels through HotelMap, please visit: wtmlondon.com/discounts. >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

CONTENTS

October 2017 • Vol. 27, No. 5

LEISURE

64 Mississippi’s Gulf Coast abounds with options for girlfriend getaways.

GROUP TRAVEL

FEATURES

10 12 16

INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT Mississippi hosts the annual Spotlight on the Southeast conference WOMEN’S TRAVEL COMPANIES TAKE CENTER STAGE Demand grows for vacations designed for female travelers FEMALE-OWNED TRAVEL COMPANIES BY LISA S. CURTIN Challenges facing women who own travel businesses

SPECIAL SECTION

27

MISSOURI TOUR GUIDE Irresistible ideas for Show-Me State itineraries

DESTINATIONS INT’L

18

BONDING IN BUDAPEST BY RANDY MINK How girlfriend groups spend their days in Hungary’s capital

WEST

22 24

8 OKC FAVORITES BY RANDY MINK Must-see sights that will keep tour members happy in Oklahoma City OKLAHOMA’S NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE BY RANDY MINK Groups encounter tribal traditions at attractions across the state

SOUTH

50 52 56 60 64 66 68 70 4

MUSEUMS HONOR SPECIAL ALABAMIANS BY DAVE BODLE Celebrating Rosa Parks, Jesse Owens, W.C. Handy and others ALABAMA CVB PROS SHARE LOCAL FAVORITES BY DAVE BODLE What three tourism leaders like to do when going out with the girls ALABAMA CUISINE IS SECOND TO NONE BY JASON PAHA Tasty food choices range from barbecue to oysters to buttermilk pie MISSISSIPPI’S NEWEST MUSEUMS BY DAVE BODLE Two new Jackson attractions will spotlight the state’s history GIRLFRIEND GETAWAYS IN MISSISSIPPI BY DAVE BODLE The Gulf Coast, Greenwood and Natchez welcome girls-only groups TWO STANDOUT NEW ORLEANS MUSEUMS BY DAVE BODLE National World War II Museum and Mardi Gras World draw groups LOUISIANA’S NORTHUP TRAIL BY DAVE BODLE Following the path of the man featured in 12 Years a Slave

COLUMNS

GEORGIA GIRLFRIEND GETAWAYS BY DAVE BODLE Gone With the Girls itinerary options in the Atlanta area

6 8

October 2017

ON MY MIND BY JEFF GAYDUK ON TOUR BY MARTY SARBEY DE SOUTO, CTC >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

2018 COLORADO GROUP TOUR PLANNER rom the heart of downtown Denver to the top of Pikes Peak, Colorado abounds with options for group trips. Tour Colorado’s inaugural planner for the group travel industry offers itinerary ideas in all corners of the Centennial State.

F

Check out the online version or download a print copy at: LeisureGroupTravel.com/2018-colorado-group-travel-planner/

ONLY ON LEISUREGROUPTRAVEL.COM STILL HUNGRY FOR MORE GREAT CONTENT? Check out our recent Online Exclusives at bit.ly/2uK063d

• 8 Places to See Before They Disappear • The Best of North Georgia for 2018 • Best View in Los Angeles and Much More

et weekly digests of all the best online content with InSite, our free Friday e-newsletter at: bit.ly/2nJBpje

G

LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

*

ON THE COVER: Mary Cecchini, founder of Living Big, takes small groups of women on tours in all parts of the world, including China.

October 2017

5

ON

Vol. 27, No. 5 October 2017

MY MIND

By Jeffrey Gayduk

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

Publisher – Jeffrey Gayduk

No Men Allowed, Part II I

n an industry dominated by females, both

shows under their umbrella. Read about the

in terms of passenger counts and employ-

latest event in Mississippi and upcoming shows

ment ranks, it seems to me that men get too much of the credit in the travel business.

While females account for 7 in 10 jobs in

for the remainder of 2017 and 2018.

women travelers. From “Bonding in Budapest”

leadership positions, grace halls of fame and

and “Girlfriend Getaways in Mississippi”

hold the lion’s share of board-of-director seats.

to Gone with the Girls itinerary options in Georgia and Alabama’s female tourism

whack, this edition of Leisure Group Travel

leaders sharing their local favorites, we’ve

isn’t. Our second annual women’s travel issue

packed a lot of female-friendly trip ideas

focuses on unique challenges facing women in

into this issue.

the travel business, profiles successful women’s

Associate Publisher – Dave Bodle dave@ptmgroups.com

Managing Editor – Randy Mink randy@ptmgroups.com Associate Editor – Jason Paha jason@ptmgroups.com

Destination coverage in this edition uncovers unique vacation spots that appeal to

this industry, males typically dominate c-level

Even though the industry seems a bit out of

jeff@ptmgroups.com

As we were assembling this edition, I

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

travel companies and provides destination

thought of my own mother countless times.

theresa@ptmgroups.com

inspiration for new girls getaways.

She worked for United Airlines in the early

Regional Business Development Managers

In “Women’s Travel Companies Take Center

days when it was headquartered at Chicago’s

Stage,” I interviewed the leading women’s-

Midway Airport. Back then, airplane travel

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

only, women-run tour companies to better

was a novelty reserved for the rich and famous

understand the dynamics of tours designed for

or business executives, not the huddled masses

P 630.794.0696 • F 630.794.0652 ellen@ptmgroups.com

women. We learn how this sector started,

that I typically sit next to.

where groups are traveling and why there’s a

She’d often relay tales of boardroom battles

growing demand for vacations designed exclu-

at UAL where tight-fisted executives chain-

sively for small groups of female travelers.

smoked, started in on highballs at 3 each

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

Southeast – Eric Moore

afternoon and, from what I could gather, swore

P 352.391.3314 eric@ptmgroups.com

in her article “Female-Owned Companies in

and shouted their way to the top of the United

Southwest – Dolores Ridout

the Travel Business,” it’s a balancing act for

food chain. She’s the reason I’m in the travel

female leaders who strive for success in their

industry, telling this story to you today.

P 281.762.9546 dolores@ptmgroups.com

As contributing writer Lisa Curtin illustrates

Thanks to all the moms in our lives,

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.

Network. Sue Arko and her regional (all

Jeff Gayduk

female!) partners now have four regional

Publisher

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 subscribe 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.

business and home life. (See page 16.)

Our Industry Spotlight focuses on the only group travel conference that’s run exclusively by women-owned businesses, Spotlight Travel

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

October 2017

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

ON TOUR

Marty Sarbey de Souto, CTC

Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Cruises passengers encounter exotic wildlife in the Galapagos Islands.

Adventure Travel…

Have You Tried it? aybe your travelers are too elderly, too infirm or too set in their ways to attempt an adventure trip – even a short one. On the other hand, you may find that some of those among your clientele are tired of just riding around in a motorcoach, getting out occasionally to stretch their legs, visit the restroom and perhaps grab a bite of lunch. If this is your scenario, perhaps it’s time to educate yourself as to what “adventure travel” really is and discover an alternative kind of trip that might excite your past clientele and, hopefully, your future travelers.

First of all, we must understand what “adventure travel” is and what it is not.

Wikipedia defines it as “….. .a type of niche involving exploration or travel to remote areas where the traveler should expect the unexpected.” Another definition says “a type of tourism involving remote or exotic locations in order to take part in physically challenging outdoor activities.”

Those in the know understand that there

M

8

I

October 2017

are really two kinds of adventure travel: hard adventure and soft adventure. Hard adventure often involves specialized skills and physical exertion. Soft adventure, on the other hand, can be tailored to include gentle hiking, a singa-long around the campfire or overnights in an elegantly appointed tent instead of a hotel room. Most likely, if you opt to market an adventure trip to your clientele, it will be the soft-adventure kind.

To ensure maximum care and attention to newbies, adventure tour groups are usually small (often only 10-15 participants). They are not necessarily less expensive than “regular” tours. In fact, sometimes they are more expensive due to the expertise and care that must be given to the unexperienced. They are a wonderful opportunity to include children and grandchildren who welcome the activity.

Parents love seeing their teenagers away from their electronic devices and enjoying the outdoors.

If you would like to investigate the possi-

bilities of adventure travel, here are the names of a few companies you might like to contact and ask for a brochure. Some of them do international trips only, while others have both international and domestic offerings.

Activities range from walking and hiking to kayaking, mountain biking and expedition cruises.

Backroads, 800-462-2848, backroads.com; based in Berkeley, California.

G Adventures, 888-800-4100, gadventures.com; originally called Gap Adventures, based in Toronto.

Gutsy Women Travel, 866-464-8879, gutsywomentravel.com; operated by Overseas Adventure Travel, Boston.

Himalayan High Treks, 800-455-8735, hightreks.com; based in San Francisco.

Intrepid Travel, 800-970-7299, intrepidtravel.com; based in Petaluma, California.

Mountain Travel Sobek, 888-831-7526, mtsobek.com; based in Emeryville, California.

Road Scholar, 800-454-5768, roadscholar.org; based in Boston.

In speaking with any of these companies be sure to explain that you’re looking for soft-adventure trips suitable for your potential group and then tell them a bit about your clientele. They might even tailor a private small-group trip for you.

If you ultimately sign on with a company to do such a trip, ask to see the material they will be sending your clients to help them prepare for the trip. It’s most important that your travelers know the realities of what type of weather, clothing and activities they will be encountering so they will be prepared for all eventualities. They’ll want to be sure they wear comfortable shoes and have properly layered clothing so they can put on or take off as necessary.

This may prove to be a brand new experience – both for you as their leader and for them as the travelers involved. Help them to make it the best trip ever! 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

INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT The three days went fast for Spotlight delegates who enjoyed their time in Ridgeland, Mississippi.

Spotlight on the Southeast Conference Draws Travel Professionals to Mississippi ore than 100 delegates from around the country converged on Ridgeland, Mississippi, July 10-12 to take part in the 4th Annual Spotlight on the Southeast Tourism Conference.

Spotlight conferences are designed to better acquaint tour operators with destinations, hotels, attractions and restaurants in the United States. Speakers, brainstorming and networking sessions, a supplier trade show and local area touring were among the activities offered to delegates.

Big business is done in small groups, and Spotlight on the Southeast was the perfect example. Delegates discovered the musical

M

10

October 2017

and historical treasures of the region while experiencing the networking opportunities that have made Spotlight conferences so popular.

Delegates had a grand time at the earlybird reception co-sponsored by Evan Williams and Bullitt County/Shepherdsville, Kentucky Tourism. The next day, keynote speaker Willy Bearden regaled the crowd with his stories about life in Mississippi. Craig Ray, tourism director for Visit Mississippi, addressed the group during lunch, which was sponsored by Visit Mississippi.

A trade show and itinerary-planning session filled the third day and was followed by a progressive dinner sponsored by the Ridgeland Tourism Commission. Beginning with a hardhat tour of the new Museum of Mississippi History and Mississippi Civil Rights Museum >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

in Jackson, the group continued to Pelican Cove at Ross Barnett Reservoir for appetizers and cocktails. Dinner was served at the Mississippi Craft Center on the Natchez Trace. The final day featured the sharing of itineraries and best practices.

Mark Dennis of First Class Charter commented, “I have attended conferences all over the country and, quite frankly, in the past have said that I would not go to another one. They are usually all the same, no matter what. Now, with that said, this one was different.”

Mark added, “I really enjoyed the open conversation when presenting the itineraries and being able to discuss the obstacles that we face trying to execute them.”

Prior to the conference, tour operators experienced the history of Mississippi music on a three-day pre-fam, beginning in Memphis and concluding in Ridgeland. The Memphis CVB rolled out the red carpet for the operators. The Guest House at Graceland was the host hotel in Memphis, and operators were treated to the Peabody Hotel’s iconic Duck March as well as tours of The Rock and Soul

continued to Cleveland, Mississippi, where the group toured the Grammy Museum. A surprise highlight took place at Mont Helena in Rolling Fork, where local volunteers presented an excerpt from their annual musical retelling of the home’s history. In Greenwood the group toured sites featured in the movie The Help and ended with Mississippi blues and a catfish dinner at Tallahatchie Flats. LGT

A three-day pre-fam for Spotlight on the Southeast attendees included the Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale, Mississippi.

FUTURE SPOTLIGHT TRAVEL NETWORK CONFERENCES INCLUDE:

Museum, Sun Studios and Memphis Music Hall of Fame. A stop was made at the Bass Pro Pyramid for an Inclinator Ride to the top for cocktails, and a delicious dinner was enjoyed on Beale Street.

The tour continued down America’s Blues Highway 61 to Clarksdale, Mississippi, where the group toured the Delta Blues Museum and enjoyed dinner and entertainment at Ground Zero, a blues restaurant and nightclub owned by Morgan Freeman. Iconic Delta spots like The Shack-Up Inn and Po’ Monkey’s Lounge provided great photo stops. The tour

Inaugural Spotlight on the Mid-Atlantic – October 27-29, 2017 – Baltimore, Maryland 20th Annual Spotlight on the Southwest – April 8-10, 2018 – Tucson, Arizona 5th Annual Spotlight on the Southeast – July 9-11, 2018 – Birmingham, Alabama

Registration information for these conferences is available at spotlighttravelnetwork.com or by contacting Sue Arko at 480-926-5547 or via e-mail at sue@freespiritvacations.com.

A RETREAT BETWEEN THE MOUNTAINS AND THE RIVER At the foot of the stunning Smoky Mountains, across the street from Ripley's Aquarium, in the heart of downtown Gatlinburg, and just a short drive to all the fun and entertainment of Dollywood, the Greystone Lodge on the River is the ideal location for your next meeting, retreat or conference.

2017

G AT L I N B URG • T E N N E S S E E

800-451-9202 | groupsales@greystonelodgetn.com

NEWLY RENOVATED LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

October 2017

11

Women’s Travel Companies Take Center Stage There’s a growing demand for vacations designed exclusively for female travelers

Debra Asberry of Women Traveling Together takes in the splendor of Mooney Falls in Grand Canyon National Park.

12

October 2017

WOMEN’S TRENDS omen’s-only travel companies have been around for decades, but as the sector of the travel industry matures, diversification of product and customized experiences are being curated for an increasingly sophisticated audience. Our interviews with leading women’s travel companies uncover why this thriving niche shows no sign of letting up, where their customers are coming from and where they are traveling.

W

EARLY ROOTS PLANT SEEDS In 1982, Susan Eckert founded AdventureWomen, a company designed to inspire fun, educational and participative options for active women who wanted to learn about other cultures.

Now run by three partners, AdventureWomen is considered a pioneer of the women’s-only travel movement. It took some 15 years for the segment to start picking up steam.

“In 1997 I was just like other women unable to persuade friends or family to take a big trip with me, and not wanting to go alone or be a fifth wheel in a large tour group of couples,” says Debra Asberry, president and founder of Women Traveling Together, one of the largest purveyors of women’s trips with some 80 destinations annually.

“I decided to build a company that would offer a broad range of travel choices, in a small-group environment for women traveling solo.”

Others share a similar tale. Jennifer Vander Lind of Women Traveling the World adds, “I found a need for solo female travelers wanting smallgroup travel with other ladies. They did not want the big bus tours or to be on tour with other couples as a single female traveler.” Vander Lind began offering tours for women in 2000.

Marianne Southall of Women’s Travel Club saw this trend emerging before she started her outfit in 2013. “I was working as a travel agent and had many women who wanted to travel but didn’t always have someone to travel with, so we started matching ladies up to travel together. It didn’t take much to see that there was a need.”

Some tour operators came into the industry from the corporate world. “I was in Europe on a break from my career to think through what I wanted my next chapter of life to look like,” says Mary Cecchini, founder of Living Big. “One idea I thought of at the time (and eventually tested in the fall of 2014) was hosting adventures for small groups of women. I started Living Big because I believe travel is a force for good that has the power to change women’s lives.” >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

HOW WOMEN’S TRAVEL IS UNIQUE Regardless of how they came into the industry, there is a need for trips curated just for female travelers. Deb Asberry points out, “What woman over the age of 40 could have imagined finding someone to travel with harder than finding the time and money to travel?” But that's the reality for an evergrowing number of women today. Offering a safe, convenient travel solution along with ready-made female companionship in a smallgroup experience is not just important, it's the only way most women would feel comfortable traveling alone.

Phyllis Stoller, another pioneer in the women’s-only travel movement, agrees that women’s trips fill an important void. “Many older women are single and want to travel but are afraid. Many younger women make big incomes and want to travel but are swamped building careers. In the middle you have military women with early pensions,

“I was working as a travel agent and had many women who wanted to travel but didn’t always have someone to travel with, so we started matching ladies up to travel together. It didn’t take much to see that there was a need.”

—Marianne Southall, Women’s Travel Club professional lawyers, doctors—all women with good incomes. They all want experiences more than stuff.”

Indeed, tour operators are catering to the specific needs of their customers. Judi Wineland of AdventureWomen points to the pressures facing her clients: “Women are busy people. They are homemakers. They are entrepreneurs and community leaders. They run companies and family businesses. And like all busy people, they need some downtime.”

Jennifer Vander Lind indicates that some of her clients are single and can't find friends to travel with, while others are married and

“Women are busy people. They are homemakers.

They are entrepreneurs and community leaders.

They run companies and family businesses. And like all busy people, they need some downtime.”

— Judi Wineland, AdventureWomen

their husbands don't want to travel. “They enjoy the small-group travel and enjoy making new friends while on tour,” Vander Lind says.

Friends on tour often become future travel companions, with companies reporting above-average repeat clientele. Marianne Southall of Women’s Travel Club states, “Women have become more independent and have more disposable income which has given them the means to travel. These women really enjoy the small-group, womenonly atmosphere. They feel safe traveling with other women and appreciate the cost benefit of matching roommates.”

WHERE DO THEY GO? The companies we spoke with specialize in small groups traveling to international destinations, with some mixing of domestic U.S. tour product. Living Big’s Cecchini states, “Our most popular international destinations

Female-only trips provide a chance to make friends with women from all walks of life—and meet the locals as well.

LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

October 2017

13

“I see more people gravitating towards hosted group trips and other turn-key experiences.

With growing competition for their time and attention, consumers are going to look for alternative ways to travel without taking on all the work involved in planning their own trip.”

—Mary Cecchini Founder, Living Big

Members of a Women’s Travel Club trip to Japan are transformed into geishas for the afternoon, typical of special experiences included in the operator’s tours.

WOMEN’S TRENDS are Thailand, Italy and Iceland, and domestically, the annual ‘glamping’ adventures at national parks have sold out within days!”

“Our most popular destinations are a mix of stable and trending,” says Marian Marbury of Adventures in Good Company. “Perennially popular destinations are Italy, the Canadian Rockies, Utah’s national parks and the Appalachian Trail.

Recently trending are Portugal and the Balkans, particularly Croatia.”

Other companies offer more traditional destinations. Peggy Coonley of Serendipity Traveler produces four- and five-star trips to bucket-list destinations like the Chelsea Flower Show. The firm also does an annual trip to the Caribbean island of Dominica that includes yoga and spa treatments daily along with hiking and snorkeling.

A spring trip to Charleston and Savannah combines house and garden tours in two of America's favorite cities.

A common element of each trip is a sense of experience and adventure. Wineland points out, “Some women like very active challenges like climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania or rafting the Rogue River in Oregon. Others prefer a more relaxed barge trip, snorkeling or swimming with wildlife, or a hiking-based cultural tour. Still others thrive on culinary experiences where you can take cooking classes, shop local markets with a chef, dine on exceptional cuisine and learn about how food expresses the local culture.”

AdventureWomen produces over 25 unique trips throughout the world.

And as customer needs change, so must the tour operators that serve them. “It’s our job as a travel company to design tours that meet our clients’ ever-evolving interests,” states Asberry.

WHAT LIES AHEAD? From our interviews, the women’s-only travel sector is in good hands. A vibrant community of entrepreneurial leaders understands what motivates customers to action. Whereas other sectors of the travel industry rely on copycat tactics, companies we talked with had a diverse product line and unique selling proposition to woo customers. Most have built beautiful websites, are actively engaged on social media and have a community newsletter to aid in taking down solo-travel barriers and help prospects take that next step in discovering the advantages of travel curated just for them.

These companies are positioned well as >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

“I decided to build a company that would offer a broad range of travel choices, in a smallgroup environment for women traveling solo.”

—Debra Asberry, President & Founder Women Traveling Together

sophisticated travelers increasingly look to specialization. As Marian Marbury of Adventures in Good Company remarks, “I think mass tourism will become a smaller part of the travel mix as people look more for experiences that are authentic and local.”

Mary Cecchini agrees: “I see more people gravitating towards hosted group trips and other turn-key experiences. With growing

competition for their time and attention, consumers are going to look for alternative ways to travel without taking on all the work involved in planning their own trip.”

“After 35 years, I don’t see this ‘trend’ of women’s travel slowing down anytime soon,” industry veteran Wineland says. “If anything, as the women’s travel business has evolved, more segments are emerging as women actively pursue their passions.” LGT

“I found a need for solo female travelers wanting small-group travel with other ladies. They did not want the big bus tours or to be on tour with other couples as a single female traveler.”

—Jennifer Vander Lind, Women Traveling The World

LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

October 2017

15

WOMEN’S TRENDS

iStock.com/julief514

Female-Owned Companies in the Travel Business What challenges, if any, do women who own travel businesses face?

By Lisa S. Curtin emale business owners in the travel industry often started their companies as a way to supplement the household income.

My contemporaries today may disagree with this last statement, but if you talk to women in the travel industry, as I have many times over the years, the same grassroots story plays itself out over and over again. However, it is quite important to note that many of these same women successfully grew their business to a point where they became and are still the main breadwinner in the household.

It’s estimated that 33 percent of all travel companies are owned by women and approximately 70 percent of employees in the travel business, as a whole, are women.

That leaves 67 percent of businesses owned by men, yet only 30 percent of the workforce

F

16

October 2017

are male. Proportionately, men in the travel business are in leadership positions as the CEO, COO, director of sales or finance director.

The majority of women in the travel industry are employed as travel agents, reservationists, tour guides, sales representatives, customer service representatives or other operational support roles.

IT’S A BALANCING ACT As a woman, balancing work and home life continues to be a challenge. Today’s woman, while accomplished in so very many ways, traditionally remains the hearth of the home. Balancing the needs of a business and family means women often take less care of themselves than those with whom they feel responsible.

As a businesswoman in tourism, which is often a 24/7 world, female business owners or those in leadership positions tend to focus their attention on the need at hand, whether real or perceived. For example, women tend to answer emails from clients during non-business hours, perhaps while cooking dinner or helping a child with homework.

As a result, women often feel compromised in tending to the needs of their business or family, and feel guilty as a result. Figuring out a healthy work/life balance is key to the overall success of a female business owner.

This is not an easy task.

HOW DOES ONE FIND BALANCE? As women, we need to realize that taking care of ourselves will lead to a more success>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

ful business, balanced family life and most importantly, our own mental health. Several years ago I participated in a 360 review. For those who are unfamiliar with 360 reviews, your peers and staff are asked to “review” you in three areas: What should you continue to do? What should you stop doing? What should you start doing? A real eye opener for me was a peer who stated that operating at the level I did, 365/24/7, was daunting to others. This insight came from a female peer who didn’t feel anyone else could achieve that level of energy – and it made others feel guilty.

Interestingly, I was exhausted trying to be that person, and I had no idea how it was affecting my staff much less how it affected my family.

iStock.com/IPGGutenbergUKLtd

BUILDING THE RIGHT TEAM Women often feel that in order to prove themselves, or prove it to themselves, they must do everything. Every call, every situation and every obligation (often imagined) must rest on their shoulders. Redirecting thoughts and becoming more aware of how this affects those around one is the first step on the path to success. No one can do it alone, and building the right team, then trusting that team, allows women business owners and leaders to focus on growing their business while staying mentally and physically healthy.

It takes time to build a team, just as it does to successfully raise children or manage a healthy relationship. And along the way there will be bumps, but that is okay. I cannot think of one successful business owner or leader who has not made mistakes along the way.

CAN WOMEN BUSINESS OWNERS AND LEADERS OVERCOME CHALLENGES? Female business owners and leaders can overcome the challenge of balancing work and home.

By focusing on themselves and actually sitting down and creating a growth plan for their business while considering the impact on themselves or their family, women can successfully balance both.

Part of the process includes giving up the idea that in order to prove yourself one must be everything to everyone. Not only is the latter a very bad business practice, it leads to absolute exhaustion and ultimately failure. Like a sugar rush, a behavior pattern such as this has a very limited run. LGT

Lisa S. Curtin consults to the tourism community and is a contributing author to Premier Travel Media. Following 20-plus years of experience in the tourism community as the vice president of operations for a leading tour company, Lisa now works as the chief operations officer of Caldwell & Companies, a Washington, DC-based Certified Public Accounting firm. Lisa has learned to balance work and home and it’s been a life-changing experience.

LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

October 2017

17

INT’L

By Randy Mink or sightseeing, shopping, dining and pampering, Budapest lends itself to girlfriend getaways better than any other city in Eastern Europe. Fun, fashionable and a bit off the beaten path, it makes for a great two- or three-day escape for women traveling together. Much of the tourist action takes place in the city center, just steps from the fabled Danube River.

Your group will want to spend time exploring on foot and visiting individual attractions, but a city bus tour will provide a good overview of Budapest’s top offerings before you go poking around on your own.

One stop will be Castle Hill, located on the Buda bank of the Danube, where skyline landmarks include the Royal Palace and Matthias Church. With its charming squares and narrow streets, this neighborhood is the medieval heart of Budapest. Fishermen’s Bastion, a lookout terrace on the old castle ramparts, provides panoramas of the river and busy Pest side of the city. Dominating Pest’s embankment are the spires, turrets and central dome of the grandiose Hungarian Parliament building, a neo-Gothic masterpiece.

Another stop on your city tour will be Heroes’ Square, a broad plaza with statues and monuments honoring Hungarian kings and statesmen going back a thousand years.

Facing the square are the Museum of Fine Arts and Palace of Arts, which you may want to come back and visit independently. (Several companies have hop-on, hop-off sightseeing buses that allow unlimited rides over a 48-hour period, a good option for first-time visitors.)

Other museums include the House of Terror, which chronicles the Hungarian government’s persecution and torture of ordinary citizens when the country was under Communist rule from 1947-1989. Most fascinating are the eyewitness interviews (English subtitles) of those whose relatives were interrogated or brutalized in this very building. The National Jewish Museum, covering the history of Hungarian Jewry (including the Holocaust), is housed in the ornately decorated Great Synagogue, the largest synagogue in Europe. A memorial garden behind the synagogue honors the hundreds of thousands killed and those who saved persecuted Jews during the Nazi era.

F

18

October 2017

Bonding in Budapest In Hungary’s capital city, girlfriend groups find plenty of ways to spend their days

And for a look at Hungary through the ages, put the Hungarian National Museum on your checklist.

Take a break from sightseeing and soak in hundred-degree water at one of the city’s famed thermal baths, a must-do experience.

Budapest has 118 hydrothermal and mineral springs, more than any other capital city in the world. Bathing in or drinking the water is said to cure a range of disorders, from gastric to gynecological. Take the waters in style at the Gellert Hotel and Baths, with its colorful mosaics, marble columns, stained-glass

windows and original Art Nouveau fittings.

Szechenyi Baths in City Park, popular with locals, has a big outdoor pool surrounded by a palatial yellow building with a copper dome.

The city’s longest pedestrian street, Vaci utca, is the obvious place to go for shopping, dining and people-watching. A favorite place for the well-to-do to promenade in the 18th century, the street brims with quality shops housed in hundred-year-old buildings.

Anchoring one end of the car-free street is the Great Market Hall, a cavernous bazaar bursting with local color. Produce and meat >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

Library Hotel Collection

Yoga sessions can be arranged at the Aria Hotel Budapest’s rooftop bar, which overlooks St. Stephen’s Basilica.

stands, some festooned with strands of garlic, fill the ground floor, while the second level abounds with souvenir stalls selling everything from T-shirts to hand-embroidered tablecloths. Bags of paprika, the signature Hungarian spice, and bottles of wine (like the golden Tokaj Aszu) also make good trip mementoes. Souvenir flags and other items bear the national colors of Hungary—red, green and white.

At the other end of the bustling pedestrian way is Vorosmarty Square, where it’s fun to grab a grilled sausage or goose thigh from LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

one of the vendors and mingle with locals at the picnic tables. Or try goulash soup in a bread bowl, stuffed cabbage with duck meat or boiled, smoked pigs’ knuckles. A ubiquitous snack is langos, a fried bread typically served with sour cream, garlic sauce and grated cheese—watch the cooks roll out the dough and fry it in oil.

Dominating one side of Vorosmarty Square is Gerbaud Cafe, a traditional Hungarian restaurant and coffee house dating to 1858.

Have a coffee or perhaps cherry lemonade at an outdoor table and watch the world go by.

Or dine inside under the vaulted ceilings and crystal chandeliers. A popular meeting place, Gerbaud is best known for its exquisite pastries, like the classic apple strudel in vanilla sauce, butter custard cream cake and palatschinke, a crepe rolled with walnut cream filling and garnished with homemade chocolate ice cream, apricot ragout and chocolate sauce.

The High Note SkyBar, a rooftop lounge and dining spot in the Aria Hotel Budapest, is another smart hangout for girls out on the town. It offers 360-degree views of the city and overlooks the domes and towers of St. Stephen’s Basilica, Budapest’s biggest church.

Striking a chord with discriminating guests, the music-themed Aria is divided into four wings, each celebrating a major genre— Classical, Opera, Jazz and Contemporary— through decor, art and music. Guest rooms, each with a music giant’s caricature portrait, are named after people like Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, Maria Callas, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Elvis Presley and The Beatles.

A tiled piano-key floor, decorative gold harp fixtures and a grand piano set the tone for the glass-covered Music Courtyard, the hotel’s lobby/social center; adjacent is Stradivari, a bistro-style dining room festooned with violins. Satchmo’s Bar and Lounge, with a colorful painting of Louis Armstrong, lies right inside the hotel entrance. The Harmony Spa offers musically enhanced massage and body treatments featuring the vocals of operatic tenors like Andrea Bocelli and jazz greats such as Billie Holiday. Rooftop yoga sessions can be arranged to let your group reset and restore.

The Aria is a harmonious fit for a country rich in musical traditions and that has been home to Franz Liszt, Bela Bartok and other renowned composers. For evening entertainment, the choices are many. Not far from the Aria is the lavishly appointed Hungarian State Opera House, which offers world-class performances at reasonable prices. Other Budapest theaters present classical music concerts and folk music and dance shows popular with tourists. Another after-dark option is relaxing over drinks or dinner on a Danube riverboat as it glides past the floodlit domes and spires of churches, the Royal Palace and Hungarian Parliament.

Budapest has all the right elements for an urban girls getaway filled with memorable sights and sounds. LGT October 2017

19

he various military museums and collections located throughout the city, along with the opening of the National Veterans Memorial and Museum, make Columbus the perfect place to bring your group for a military-themed adventure. You’ll also taste some of the city’s best food and explore the unique neighborhoods, all with different experiences.

T

Columbus, Ohio

Patriotic Places and Historical Spaces Day 1 Morning: Join Columbus City Adventures or Capital City Tours for a step-on guided tour of Columbus. Travel through downtown and the surrounding neighborhoods with the Ohio Statehouse as the historical centerpiece.

Lunch: Established in 1876, the North Market is Columbus’ only remaining true public market. More than 30 merchants vend a variety of fresh, local, authentic foods.

Afternoon: Visit Camp Chase Cemetery, a military staging and training camp established in Columbus in 1861 after the start of the Civil War. The camp was dismantled after the war, and the site has been redeveloped, except for the Confederate cemetery containing 2,260 graves.

Evening: See new displays at the Ohio History Center featuring military collections from 20th- and 21st-century service members. Then enjoy the dinner theater experience A Red Herring Mystery.

Day 2

EXPERIENCE COLUMBUS Roger Dudley, CTA, rdudley@experiencecolumbus.com 614-222-6136, 800-354-2657 Sarah Doodan, CTA, sdoodan@experiencecolumbus.com 614-222-6146, 800-354-2657

ExperienceColumbus.com 20

I

October 2017 January 2016

Morning: Visit the Motts Military Museum, dedicated to preserving the memory of all individuals that served in the United States military.

Lunch: The 94th Aero Squadron, a themed restaurant full of military memorabilia and aviation relics depicting the WWI and WWII eras, was once a French farmhouse. Located between runways of John Glenn Columbus International Airport, it offers dramatic views of plane traffic.

Afternoon: Take a factory tour at American Whistle Corporation, the nation’s only manufacturer of metal whistles. Everyone leaves with a shiny new whistle. Spend the rest of the day exploring Old Worthington, a historic neighborhood with noteworthy buildings and churches. Pick from

hundreds of fragrances before pouring your own custom-scented candle at The Candle Lab. Or make your own greeting card on an antique printing press at Igloo Letterpress.

Dinner: The Worthington Inn restaurant is a mainstay offering refined fare, Victorian-style decor and a pub in a historic 1831 building.

Seasonal Afternoon/Evening Options: Huntington Park is the home of the Columbus Clippers, Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, and offers a variety of group seating options. In fall or winter, head to Nationwide Arena for a Columbus Blue Jackets hockey game.

Day 3 Morning: Welcome to German Village, Columbus’ premier downtown neighborhood and one of the preeminent historic districts in the United States.

Stop at the Meeting Haus for a quick video and to pick up your step-on guide. After touring the district, it’s time to shop. The Book Loft, one of the largest independent book stores in the country, offers 32 rooms of bargain-priced books. Helen Winnemore’s, the oldest store of its kind in the United States, features usable, wearable art handcrafted in America.

Lunch: Located in a historic brick livery stable, Schmidt’s Restaurant und Sausage Haus has offered award-winning, handcrafted food by five generations of the Schmidt family since 1886. Save room for dessert—the cream puffs are worth the trip itself!

Afternoon: Visit the National Veterans Memorial & Museum, which features dynamic exhibits, an outdoor memorial grove and a spiral processional that ascends to a rooftop sanctuary.

Dinner: Finish your trip with dinner at The Boat House at Confluence Park, the only waterfront restaurant with a view of the downtown Columbus skyline. >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

SEE WHERE GREAT TOURS BECOME GRAND TOURs Downtown takes center stage with events and entertainment at beautiful Bicentennial Park.

Grand tours are made in Cbus. Enjoy captivating performances and backstage experiences from BalletMet. Interpret world-renowned works of art at the Columbus Museum of Art. And anticipate the grand opening of the new National Veteranâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Memorial & Museum in July of 2018. Plan the perfect itinerary in Columbus, with something for everyone in your group.

experiencecolumbus.com/tours

These must-see sights will keep your tour members happy during their visit to Oklahomaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capital city

WE ST

REGION

By Randy Mink

8 OKC

FAVORITES A reflecting pool provides a contemplative setting at the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, which recalls the horrific terrorist bombing of a downtown office building on April 19, 1995.

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

lending Western swagger with urban flair, Oklahoma City brims with groupfriendly attractions. Tour planners cannot go wrong by including the following eight crowd-pleasers in their Oklahoma itineraries.

B

Photos by Lori Duckworth/Oklahoma Tourism

BRICKTOWN WATER TAXI In Bricktown, a former warehouse district filled with restaurants and nightlife options, hop aboard a Bricktown Water Taxi and cruise the mile-long Bricktown Canal, a 40-minute trip from the eastern edge of downtown to the northern edge of the Oklahoma River. Taxis are staffed with ambassadors who narrate points of interest along the way.

22

October 2017

NATIONAL COWBOY & WESTERN HERITAGE MUSEUM One of the greatest repositories of memorabilia relating to the wild and wooly American West, this attraction covers everything from pioneer and Native American life to rodeo traditions and heroes from the Silver Screen. Immerse yourself in the past at Prosperity Junction, a replica turn-of-the20th-century cattle town, which includes structures like a saloon, school and church.

The Western art collection features works by Frederic Remington, Albert Bierstadt and Charles M. Russell.

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

OKLAHOMA CITY NATIONAL MEMORIAL & MUSEUM Fresh from a $10 million renovation featuring enhanced technology, additional hands-on exhibits and new displays of artifacts, the museum chronicles a horrific 1995 event known as the Oklahoma City bombing.

It stands on the site of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, which was destroyed in the blast that killed 168 people and injured 850.

Serving as a reminder of the city’s resilience, it honors victims, survivors and rescuers.

Adjacent to the museum is an outdoor memorial with a reflecting pool and rows of bronzeand-stone chairs, one for each life lost.

CRYSTAL BRIDGE TROPICAL CONSERVATORY Take a trip to the tropics at this cylindrical conservatory in Myriad Botanical Gardens, a downtown oasis. Covered by more than 3,000 acrylic panels, the 224-foot-long, seven-story structure has a tropical wet zone at one end and a tropical dry zone at the other.

In the lush wet zone you’ll find a 35-foot waterfall and a skywalk across the center of the conservatory that offers panoramic views.

Exotic vegetation includes more than 750 plant varieties, from orchids to palms. The 15-acre botanical gardens feature a lake, winding paths, sculptures, hundreds of trees and colorful plantings that bloom year-round.

SCIENCE MUSEUM OKLAHOMA Explore hundreds of interactive exhibits, see a planetarium show and view vintage aircraft at this Smithsonian affiliate. A Segway course lets visitors ride one of these selfbalancing vehicles, while you can blast off into space in the Mercury Simulator. Science Live! performances engage audiences in scientific fun. In Eye on the Sky, step into a tornado simulator or try your hand at being a weather forecaster.

STOCKYARDS CITY In this historic commercial district that the Oklahoma National Stockyards calls home, you can find shops specializing in all things Western, from boots and hats to pearl-snap shirts. For a hearty breakfast or steak dinner, indulge at Cattlemen’s Steakhouse, the oldest continuallyoperating restaurant in OKC. Live cattle auctions (open to the public) take place every Monday, and the Rodeo Opry serves up country music every Saturday night. LGT

new

take your next tour somewhere

OKLAHOMA HISTORY CENTER This Smithsonian affiliate, located across from the State Capitol, tells the story of Oklahoma in five galleries filled with thousands of artifacts and more than 200 interactive exhibits. Besides touching on land runs, cowboys and pioneers, the museum spotlights aviation, World War II, the oil industry and the state’s location in Tornado Alley. One gallery spotlights the 39 Indian tribes of Oklahoma.

What tour doesn’t need to stop somewhere new to ensure an experience that’s

OKLAHOMA CITY ZOO & BOTANICAL GARDEN The zoo is home to nearly 2,000 animals, including more than 50 endangered or threatened species. See chimpanzees, orangutans and gorillas in the Great EscAPE rainforest environment. The Oklahoma Trails exhibit has animals native to Oklahoma, including grizzly and black bears, mountain lions, bobcats and bison.

Other diversions include Safari Voyage boats, a ride on the endangered Species Carousel and the sea lion show at Noble Aquatic Center.

LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

fascinating, fresh and fun? In Oklahoma City there’s something new to discover on every corner. From our gleaming new downtown to the Old West at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. From a new appreciation of our spirit at the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum to being welcomed like a new friend everywhere you go. Add us to your next itinerary and you’ll soon discover that around here, things are more than just new. They’re OKC new.

October 2017

23

TOURING OKLAHOMA

Diligwa Village, a re-creation of a 1710 Cherokee settlement, is part of the Cherokee Heritage Center in Park Hill. Visitors see demonstrations of old skills, from cooking to arrowhead making.

Oklahoma’s Native American Heritage nce known as Indian Territory, Oklahoma is still home to more American Indian tribes than any other state. Thirty-nine tribal headquarters and members of at least 67 tribes make their home within the state’s borders. Oklahoma license plates bear the words “Native America,” and you’ll see many plates with “Cherokee Nation,” “Muscogee Nation” and other tribal designations.

Native American culture is woven into everyday life in Oklahoma, as evidenced in artwork, festivals, museums and historic sites.

Powwows bring tribe members together for traditional competitions, dancing, music and foods—and they’re big tourist events.

O

24

October 2017

At Oklahoma City’s Red Earth Festival, the largest powwow in the world, members of more than 100 tribes turn out in full costume to share their heritage the first weekend in June, creating a photo-worthy spectacle.

Year-round, the city’s Red Earth Art Center displays historical artifacts and contemporary Native American art; highlights include totem poles and an extensive collection of cradleboards.

South-central Oklahoma is Chickasaw Country. Near Sulphur, the Chickasaw Cultural Center, one of the largest tribal cultural centers in the U.S., brings Chickasaw Nation traditions to life through indoor exhibits and films, plus a Native American

Photos by Jeremy Charles/Cherokee National Businesses

Groups encounter tribal traditions at attractions across the state

Cherokee National Prison Museum

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

Oklahoma City CVB

village with hands-on activities like stickball and demonstrations of blowguns, archery, cooking and other skills. In the 320-seat amphitheater, see Chickasaw stomp dance and living history performances. The village also features a Council House, two summer houses, two winter houses, a replica mound, a corn crib and stockade fence.

In northeastern Oklahoma, groups will find many Cherokee attractions and can take advantage of day-long tours offered by Visit Cherokee Nation. (After the Navajos, the Cherokees are the largest group of American Indians.) At the Diligwa Village, a re-creation of a 1710 Cherokee settlement at the Cherokee Heritage Center in Park Hill, you can see demonstrations of various crafts, from cooking and gardening to arrowhead, pottery and basket making. The centerpiece of the Cherokee National Museum, part of the Cherokee Heritage Center, is the Trail of Tears exhibit, which explores the tragic exodus of some 16,000 Cherokees forced from their homes in Tennessee, North Carolina and other Southeastern states in 1838-39. They were rounded up and put in

unsanitary stockades before boarding wagons for the long journey to Oklahoma. Thousands died of hunger, disease and heat, and were buried on the trail.

The center also includes another outdoor museum, Adams Corner Rural Village, which represents a late 19th century community in the final years of the Old Cherokee Nation.

Sights in downtown Tahlequah, the Cherokee capital, include the 1867 Cherokee National Capitol, 1844 Cherokee National Supreme Court Museum and 1844 Cherokee National Prison Museum.

The Cherokees, who initially lived in the southeastern U.S. before being forcibly removed by the federal government to make room for white settlers, had developed an advanced civilization that placed a high emphasis on education. Their constitution was modeled after the U.S. form of government. Unlike the Plains Indians, who moved from place to place, the Cherokees were farmers and merchants. The first written Native American language, based on a syllabary (alphabet) of 86 characters, was introduced by a Cherokee in 1819. Street

signs in Tahlequah are in both English and Cherokee.

Visit Cherokee Nation offers an itinerary devoted to the late humorist Will Rogers, America’s most famous Cherokee. The tour visits the Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore and Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch near Oologah.

In Muskogee, a short drive southwest of Tahlequah, the Five Civilized Tribes Museum spotlights the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek and Seminole Indians. It is housed in the 1875 Indian Union Agency building.

In southwestern Oklahoma, Andarko preserves its Indian heritage at the Southern Plains Indian Museum, which has great displays of featherwork, beadwork and hide painting. At Andarko’s National Hall of Fame for Famous American Indians, bronze busts of 42 well-known Native Americans line a garden path.

Getting acquainted with America’s first inhabitants is one of the best ways to experience Oklahoma and get a handle on what makes it special.

—Randy Mink

Red Earth Art Center

LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

October 2017

25

M I S S O UTourRGuideI 2018

BEAUTIFUL SPACES & FAMOUS FACES of Southwest Missouri

BRANSON

Behind the Scenes

ST. LOUIS RIVERFRONT

Magnificent Makeover

6

Places to Quench Your Thirst

ITINERARIES, TRAVEL TIPS

and more!

I T ’ S S I M P LY G O L D E N

50

th

ANNUAL

DOGWOOD-AZALEA FESTIVAL APRIL 19 -22, 2018 Twice Voted

Top 5 festival@charlestonmo.org • 573-683-6509

www.charlestonmo.org/festival

Spring Flower Festival in the USA

by Fodor’s

A variety of fun and surprising experiences are ready for you in Missouri.

Whether you’re creating lasting memories with the family, seeking live entertainment and nightlife, striving to learn more about regional arts and culture, connecting with Missouri’s great outdoors or rooting on your favorite team, Missouri offers getaways to suit every style, taste and budget.

Your tour may include a trip to one of the Show-Me State’s major metropolitan areas, any of its charming small towns, or a bit of both.

As you travel into and across Missouri, visit one of the Missouri Division of Tourism’s Welcome Centers.

Located in Eagleville, Rock Port, Kansas City, Joplin, Conway, Hayti, St. Louis and Hannibal, these centers are staffed by knowledgeable tourism ambassadors who provide helpful information about the variety of destinations and attractions in the Show-Me State.

While you're here, enjoy the hospitality provided by the 307,000 people who work in the state’s tourism industry. They'll help ensure you have a great vacation experience as you enjoy the show that is the Show-Me State.

Welcome to Missouri. Thank you for visiting us.

Dan Lennon Director

www.visitmo.com

8

10

13

16

M I S S O UTourRGuideI 2018

FEATURES 8

Magnificent Makeover A major renovation enhances St. Louis’ most visible attraction

10

6 Places to Quench Your Thirst in Missouri Sit back, relax and savor a locally crafted beverage

13

3 Behind-the-Scenes Tour Options in Branson Dick’s 5 & 10, Sight & Sound Theatre, College of the Ozarks

16

Beautiful Spaces and Famous Faces Captivating places for group tours in Southwest Missouri

SAMPLE ITINERARIES 21

Central Missouri: Postcards from the Heartland

22

Kansas City: Show-Me the Money

DEPARTMENTS 6

Missouri Map and Driving Distances

23 4 MISSOURI TOUR

GUIDE

Missouri Travel Tips

ON THE COVER: The symbol of St. Louis rises 630 feet into the sky.

(Photo courtesy Gateway Arch)

Missouri Driving Distances At a glance, this handy chart shows distances in miles between popular tourist cities.

Branson Cape Girardeau Charleston Columbia Hannibal Hermann Independence Jefferson City Joplin Kansas City Rolla St. Charles Ste. Genevieve St. Joseph St. Louis Sedalia Springfield

Branson 0 275 256 201 275 217 205 170 107 211 144 254 286 264 251 156 43

6 MISSOURI TOUR

Cape Girardeau 275 0 35 225 217 185 342 220 321 350 158 126 61 408 115 279 255

GUIDE

Charleston Columbia Hannibal 256 201 275 35 225 217 0 258 249 258 0 98 249 98 0 214 65 86 375 119 192 252 31 106 319 227 302 382 126 201 198 94 151 166 108 99 101 175 165 448 184 194 147 125 117 313 67 163 255 162 237

Hermann Independence Jefferson City Joplin 217 205 170 107 185 342 220 321 214 375 252 319 65 119 31 227 86 192 106 302 0 181 48 250 181 0 142 154 48 142 0 202 250 154 202 0 188 9 148 157 72 204 62 178 60 225 117 284 129 290 168 297 243 63 208 211 81 242 122 284 107 82 61 175 182 163 133 70

Kansas City Rolla St. Charles Ste. Genevieve St. Joseph St. Louis Sedalia Springfield 211 144 254 286 264 251 156 43 350 158 126 61 408 115 279 255 382 198 166 101 448 147 313 255 126 94 108 175 184 125 67 162 201 151 99 165 194 117 163 237 188 72 60 129 243 81 107 182 9 204 225 290 63 242 82 163 148 62 117 168 208 122 61 133 157 178 284 297 211 284 175 70 0 210 233 298 55 252 87 167 210 0 108 112 269 106 123 110 233 108 0 66 290 22 173 220 298 112 66 0 354 54 227 232 55 269 290 354 0 307 144 219 252 106 22 54 307 0 186 215 87 123 173 227 144 186 0 118 167 110 220 232 219 215 118 0

Out-of-State Driving Distances From Chicago Dallas Minneapolis Memphis

To St. Louis Kansas City Branson St. Louis

Miles 297 508 643 283

MISSOURI TOUR GUIDE

7

MAGNIFICENT

MAKEOVER

A major renovation enhances St. Louis’ most visible attraction or group planners who have been organizing tours of St. Louis over the years, the iconic Gateway Arch is certainly an “old standby,” but a transformation of the Arch makes your next visit a dramatically new experience. The four-year, $380-million CityArchRiver project is nearing completion, and all the pieces should be in place by summer 2018. Its overarching goal: seamlessly connecting downtown St. Louis with the Arch and riverfront, a plan that was part of renowned architect Eero Saarinen’s winning Arch design.

The stainless-steel Gateway Arch, rising 630 feet from a forested park set above the banks of the Mississippi River, is part of Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, the area for which was designated a National Historic Site in 1935. The Arch, built between 1963 and 1965, is the tallest manmade monument in the U.S. and

F

commemorates America’s westward expansion in the 19th century. One of the Midwest’s prime tourist magnets, it stands on the site of the original village of St. Louis established by Pierre Laclede in the 1760s.

Groups visiting the Arch in 2018 will find new landscaping along with a new visitor center and museum.

The project’s “park over the highway,” completed in 2015 to create pedestrian walkways bridging the interstate, allows visitors to walk from downtown’s Luther Ely Smith Square (located across from the Old Courthouse) to the Arch grounds and down to the riverfront in one continuous greenway without a curb, stair or intersection in the way. It eliminates the need for pedestrians to cross six lanes of traffic to get to the Arch. Tour operators are glad to hear that bus drop-offs and parking will be more convenient, too.

The Arch’s new visitor center will lead to a museum with exhibits on the American West. Its curved glass entrance will face the Old Courthouse (top).

8

MISSOURI TOUR GUIDE

Gateway Arch Park Foundation renderings

Top: A gently sloping ramp now connects the riverfront and Arch grounds. Center: A new museum under the Arch, set to open in 2018, will tell the story of westward expansion.

Bottom: A land bridge over the interstate will aid access between downtown and the Arch.

The Old Courthouse, also part of Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, is a free attraction with a magnificent rotunda, historical exhibits, and ranger talks and tours. It’s most famous as the site of the Dred Scott trial, in which slaves Dred and Harriet Scott sued for their freedom in 1846. After 11 years in court, the case was finally settled in a U.S. Supreme Court decision that was not in their favor. A History Channel video explains how the case was a leading cause of the Civil War and a defining moment in the nation’s civil rights struggle. Groups (up to 30 people) can arrange a ranger-led courthouse tour or a re-enactment of the Dred Scott (or another historical) trial in which guests read scripts, argue facts and decide on a verdict. The Old Courthouse features artifacts from the Arch’s former Museum of Westward Expansion in galleries that tell the stories of Colonial St. Louis, Lewis & Clark, American Indians and the fur trade.

When opened, the Arch visitor center’s curved glass entrance will lead to an interactive 21st century museum (under the Arch) with all-new exhibits on the American West and the role St. Louis played in its settlement. Themed areas will include Jefferson’s Vision, Riverfront Era, New Frontier, Manifest Destiny, Colonial St. Louis and Building the Arch.

During construction, the Arch remains open for tram rides to the top, a highlight of any St. Louis trip. The five-passenger, barrelshaped capsules lead to the Arch’s observation deck, where everyone enjoys the views of the city and Mississippi River from little windows in the lofty perch. Landmarks on the horizon include Busch Stadium, home of baseball’s St. Louis Cardinals, and the stately, Romanesque-style tower of the 1894 St. Louis Union Station, which houses a Hilton hotel and in 2019 will host the St. Louis Aquarium. Journey to the Top tickets include admission to Monument to the Dream, a documentary movie on the building of the engineering marvel.

On the north entrance to the Arch grounds, shaded lawns, bike and pedestrian paths, and a natural amphitheater for performances and other events are part of a 7½-acre addition that replaces a parking garage. Also in this quiet area is an interpretive garden featuring flora that Lewis & Clark would have seen on their famed journey west. This greenspace improves access to historic Laclede’s Landing, the adjacent riverfront district with cobbled streets and old industrial buildings housing shops and restaurants.

Those who remember the grand staircase between the Arch and the river will be happy to know that now a gently sloping ramp means there’s no need to trudge up any steps. Food trucks, streetlevel stages, and new walking and bike paths bring more people to the riverfront promenade, which has been raised three feet to make it less susceptible to flooding. On the dock of the Gateway Arch Riverboats, the Arch View Cafe serves cooked-to-order fare.

Groups can order box lunches to enjoy on the dock, aboard the Tom Sawyer or Becky Thatcher sightseeing cruises, or on the go.

Other riverside restaurants are anticipated in the future.

The downtown improvement initiative also has yielded a revitalized Kiener Plaza, an outdoor gathering spot just west of the Old Courthouse. It boasts new trees, event space, an interactive water feature (splash pad) and abundant seating with tables and benches.

A game-changer for St. Louis tourism, the monumental CityArchRiver project surely will add to the experience for the 2.4 million people who annually visit the Gateway Arch, a bucket-list destination by any definition. I MISSOURI GUIDE COLORADO GROUPTOUR TOUR PLANNER

9

6

Places to Quench Your Thirst in

MISSOURI Sit back, relax and savor a locally crafted beverage Visitors to Stone Hill Winery in Hermann, a charming town famous for vineyards and German heritage, enjoy touring the cellars and indulging in the fruit of the vine.

F

or an authentic taste of Missouri, take your group straight to the source.

The state abounds with wineries and craft distilleries and boasts breweries big and small. Here are just a few places where you can see the processâ&#x20AC;Śand sample the product.

10

MISSOURI TOUR GUIDE

Stone Hill Winery, Hermann Located in a quaint winemaking town settled by German immigrants, Stone Hill Winery has been around since 1847. In fact, it’s Missouri’s oldest winery. A free, 30-minute tour includes experiencing the largest series of underground arched cellars in North America. For $5 per person, your group can enjoy sampling six wines in the tasting room. If staying for lunch in the winery’s Vintage Restaurant, try wines paired with German specialties like schnitzel, sauerbraten, bratwurst, red cabbage, spaetzle and warm, housemade German potato salad. Housed in the property’s former carriage house/ horse barn, the restaurant has a private dining room that seats 50. (stonehillwinery.com)

Boulevard Brewing Company, Kansas City Enjoy a glass of “Kansas City’s Hometown Beer” in the Beer Hall at Boulevard Brewing Company, the Midwest’s largest specialty brewer and 12th largest craft brewery in the U.S. Located on the second floor of the brewery’s Tour and Recreation Center, the 10,000-square-foot space offers 24 beers on tap, food and an expansive deck with great city views. Groups of 10 to 25 can arrange a private brewery tour ($20 a person) that includes samples in the Tasting Room and one more beer in the Beer Hall afterwards. Boulevard’s Unfiltered Wheat Beer is the best-selling craft beer in the Midwest. On the Beer Hall’s limited menu are meat and cheese boards, pretzel bites with beer cheese sauce, and pretzel dogs, including a sausage made with Bully!Porter beer and served with Pale Ale mustard. (boulevard.com) MISSOURI TOUR GUIDE

11

Anheuser-Busch Brewery, St. Louis One of the largest and oldest breweries in the nation, AnheuserBusch’s St. Louis location is a tour-circuit staple, and its Biergarten is the perfect place to enjoy a cold beer. The 45-minute tour of the brewing plant includes the historic stables housing the famous Budweiser Clydesdales. Wet your whistle with a Budweiser sample during the tour and then choose from 20 different beers (Bud, Michelob, Shock Top, Bass Ale, etc.) on draught at the indoor/ outdoor Biergarten. If your group chooses the Biergarten as a dining or snack option, members can select from a menu that features signature items like the Biergarten Brat poached in Budweiser and served on a pretzel bun with Parmesan-dusted fries and coleslaw.

For lighter fare, try the Bavarian Pretzel Sticks, flash-fried and served with Michelob Golden Light cheddar sauce and Shock Top whole-grain mustard. (budweisertours.com)

St. James Winery, St. James One of the largest wine producers in Missouri, St. James Winery is located in the Ozark Highlands with convenient access to I-44. In 2016 it opened the Gardens, a beautifully landscaped outdoor space between the winery and next-door-neighbor Public House Brewing Company. While enjoying a glass of wine or pint of beer at one of the umbrella-shaded tables, play around on the bocce courts or life-size chess board. The Gardens features a huge fire pit and has live music on occasion. In spring and summer from Thursday to Sunday, the garden kitchen serves wood-fired pizzas and cool, refreshing wine slushies. St. James Winery offers complimentary tours and tastings; the sweet Velvet Red is its best seller. The winery also makes sparkling juices and fruit wines.

Public House Brewing’s St. James Taproom serves farm-to-table food and has an upstairs mezzanine for groups; brewery tours are available. (stjameswinery.com, publichousebrewery.com)

Polly’s Pop, Independence Craft sodas, along with craft beers, are carving out their own market segment, and one of the best places to tap into this trend is Independence, Missouri, home to reborn Polly’s Pop. The new company’s first sodas came off the antique bottling line in August 2016, 39 years after the brand ceased operations and almost a century since L.L. “Polly” Compton and Dorothea Compton started Polly’s Pop. Today, the soft drink made with cane sugar comes in eight flavors (including strawberry, grape, black cherry and cream soda) in glass bottles with parrot-adorned labels. Groups can tour the bottling plant on downtown’s Independence Square and then sample the product at nearby restaurants like Courtyard Exchange and Clinton's Soda Fountain. Hometown boy Harry Truman got his first job at a pharmacy in the 19th-century building that houses Clinton’s, a nostalgiafilled diner where patrons come in to have a sandwich or just treat themselves to Polly’s Pop in a classic phosphate topped with a scoop of ice cream. (pollyssodapop.com, clintonssodafountain.com)

Ozark Distillery, Osage Beach Situated near Lake of the Ozarks, Ozark Distillery invites groups to tour the small, familyrun operation and sample spirits in the tasting room afterwards. Made with Missouri-grown corn and limestone-rich water, the traditional Corn Whiskey Moonshine recreates the drinks produced all over the Ozark Hills region before Prohibition ended in 1933. The distillery also makes bourbon whiskey, vodka and a line of flavored moonshine products infused with apples, blackberries, vanilla beans, cinnamon or butterscotch. (ozarkdistillery.com) I

12

MISSOURI TOUR GUIDE

3

Behind-the-Scenes Tour Options in Branson Greenhouses, a fruit cake kitchen, a full-scale carpentry shop behind the stage and a retail store with so much merchandise you won’t believe it

B

ranson is certainly well known for its music culture and rightfully so.

Since the 1960s, this Ozarks community has been welcoming and entertaining groups of all ages. Like any energetic community, Branson continues to grow its brand. Leading the way are sports tourism, student/youth offerings, family and military reunions, and outdoor adventure.

Of course, music certainly fits any Branson itinerary, but there’s also an opportunity for a behind-the-scenes look at three unique Branson sites.

Dick’s 5 & 10, a fixture in downtown Branson, Missouri for more than a half century, offers everything you need along with fond memories of yesteryear.

MISSOURI TOUR GUIDE

13

Dick’s 5 & 10

Nostalgia abounds at Dick’s 5 & 10.

You have to love a retailer that proudly displays a sign that states, “We Got What You Forgot.” Once you walk through the aisles, you might decide that’s an understatement. In the 11 departments you find just about anything, from candy, sports gear, home decor and housewares to toys & games, pop-culture memorabilia, inspirational items and hardware. That’s 10,000 square feet of retail, but just as impressive are the collections found on the walls. Most noteworthy are their baseball “Hall of Fame” signed portraits and collector trains.

Dick Hartley worked for Kresge Company following World War II and after college. Hartley and his wife, June, dreamed of having their own 5 & 10. Their vision became reality in 1961 when, after searching possible locations near their hometown of Springfield, Missouri, they decided on Branson. The original store was small, only 1,500 square feet of retail space. In the early 1970s they moved to their present location and greatly expanded their retail space.

Guided by June Hartley, Dick’s 5 & 10 continues to operate as a family business. Son Steve Hartley joined in 1993 and son-in-law Dave Montgomery came onboard in 2008. The store itself is unlike anything most people have ever seen and certainly well worth the visit. What’s downstairs from the retail space is just as amazing.

How the massive amount of merchandise is organized and inventoried is fascinating, even for the non-shopper. The stairs are narrow, but for those in the group who can handle them, it’s worth the effort. If Steve Hartley is available, he’ll share some wonderful stories about his dad and the store’s history. Make sure he tells you the one about how he and his buddy dug another room in the basement. (dicks5and10.com)

Bible stories come alive at Sight & Sound.

Sight & Sound Theatre The Sight & Sound experience was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, 70 years ago with a couple of projectors, slides, a turntable and microphone. The second Sight & Sound Theatre found a home in Branson 10 years ago. Today, Bible stories are brought to life on a 300-foot stage that surrounds the audience. State-of-the-art technology, stunning sets and live animals enhance epic productions in the 2,000-seat theater.

In creating such extravaganzas, no detail is left out. From grand sets to masterfully created period costumes, the result is a delight for guests’ eyes and ears. Vocals are delivered live on stage to original composed and recorded music from world-class orchestras. Outstanding actors perform their craft with commitment and flair. The entertainment is designed to bring families and groups together for a shared experience with an uplifting message. That experience goes far beyond what’s seen and heard when the curtain rises.

The stories begin to be staged in Lancaster at the first Sight & Sound Theatre. The marvelous sets are designed and built there before being shipped by truck to Branson, where carpenters assemble sets and build from scratch the smaller components needed in the stage production.

Seamstresses maintain a large wardrobe of period costumes and create new ones when required. Animals native to biblical lands are used in many productions, and they are well cared for by animal handlers.

When making show reservations for your group, inquire about a backstage tour. Along with the show, this behind-the-scenes peek will be an itinerary highlight. (sight-sound.com)

14

MISSOURI TOUR GUIDE

College of the Ozarks Founded in 1906, College of the Ozarks does not charge students tuition. Full-time students work campus jobs to defray the cost of their education. Most likely that’s why the Wall Street Journal described it as “one of the most unusual little liberal arts colleges in the country.” The college mission is “to provide the advantages of a Christian education for youth of both sexes, especially those found worthy, who are without sufficient means to procure such training.” Groups are more than welcome to visit and enjoy the campus.

There are numerous sights and experiences waiting for visiting groups. You’ll want to begin or end your stay on campus at the Keeter Center. Dobyns Hall, a rustic Maine lodge displayed at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, was relocated to the campus and stood there until 1930. One hundred years after the World’s Fair, the Keeter Center was designed to reflect that original structure. Thirty wonderfully decorated suites are well worth viewing and the facility can accommodate small groups. Some of the best dining in Branson is calling you at the Keeter Center, where groups are given personal attention by their student hosts.

The executive chef, when given notice, is delighted to share creative insights.

A guided tour of the greenhouses includes a look at the vegetables grown on campus. Also, be certain to visit the 7,000plant orchid collection, much of which was donated by one of

College of the Ozarks greenhouse

the school’s first students. Nearby Edwards Mill has students grinding whole-grain meal and flour on a 12-foot wheel. The finished products are available for sale along with items created in the upstairs weaving studio and downstairs basket-weaving area. Visitors also are welcome in the Fruit Cake and Jelly Kitchen, where students have been producing their famous fruitcakes since 1934.

There are numerous other sights to see on campus, but don’t miss Williams Memorial Chapel and its impressive stainedglass windows. Remember that the students you encounter are working for their education and providing your group a special behind-the-scenes look. (cofo.edu) I

MISSOURI TOUR GUIDE

15

Beautiful Spaces and Famous Faces Idyllic landscapes, first-class attractions and shrines to great Americans are captivating for group tours in Southwest Missouri

16

MISSOURI TOUR GUIDE

Springfield, Missouri’s newest attraction is Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium.

I

t seems logical to begin this story with an attraction that combines a famous face with a beautiful place. The George Washington Carver National Monument in Diamond, Missouri, is the childhood home of educator, scientist and humanitarian George Washington Carver. Carver was born into slavery in 1864 on the Moses and Susan Carver farm. Caught in the chaos of the Civil War on the Missouri-Kansas border, he was kidnapped as an infant along with his mother.

He was found in Arkansas years later and returned to the Carvers, orphaned and ill. His poor health spared him from regular chores, allowing him to explore and develop a love for flowers and all things that grew from the earth. Much of what he learned during those years cemented his love of nature and commitment to education.

Today, the Carver Trail leads you through the park’s woodlands, streams and a tall prairie grassland restoration that reflects the beauty from Carver’s childhood. The Carver statue sits in a natural setting similar to what Carver enjoyed exploring. The Visitor Center is both a museum and an educational center with interactive exhibits on history and science. Allow time for viewing the film. (nps.gov/gwca/index.htm) Next up is Carthage and a bite to eat at Carthage Deli & Ice Cream, located in the former Bank of Carthage. It has great sandwiches, and if you aren’t ready for lunch, at least enjoy an ice cream cone before touring the city. The centerpiece of the dozen Grand Avenue historic homes is Phelps House. Headquarters for the Historical Society, the late-Victorian mansion offers guided tours.

Stations of the Cross, depicted in 13 scenes, represents the final days of Jesus Christ. The statues were created in Vietnam and feature a narrative in both English and Vietnamese. The landscaping enhances the statues’ beauty. Each year Carthage takes on a festival atmosphere as 14,500 residents welcome 80,000 visitors. The annual Marian Days festival and pilgrimage has been bringing Vietnamese Catholics to Carthage since 1978. (visit-carthage.com) In Joplin, the crossroads of I-44, I-49 and Historic Route 66, there’s no shortage of famous (and infamous) people associated with the area. The notorious Bonnie and Clyde hid out in Joplin, the city where poet and novelist Langston Hughes (a primary contributor to the 1920s Harlem Renaissance) was born.

George Washington Carver National Monument

MISSOURI TOUR GUIDE

17

outside Joplin they are nameless and faceless, but in a special In addition to George Washington Carver, artist/muralist way they are famous to the residents of Joplin.

Thomas Hart Benton, from Neosho, also has roots in the area.

The TV show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition was in town to The best place to begin your Joplin visit is the Murals at City restore seven homes near Cunningham Park and took on the Hall. Joplin at the Turn of the Century, 1896-1906 was Thomas task of building a play area and basketball court at the park. Since Hart Benton’s final signed mural and considered by many as his that initial restoration, another feature, a reflecting finest. Benton focused on Route 66 and its impool connected by waterfalls that honors the lives portance to Joplin’s Main Street success. In adof children lost, has been constructed. The north dition to his masterful creation, the “Evolution of end of the park features a tribute to volunteers a Mural” display is located on the mezzanine of and a stainless-steel sculpture depicting a City Hall. With accompanying documents, it wristband. Many volunteers wore wristbands chronicles Benton’s thought process. during the recovery and for those in the area, The Joplin Museum Complex combines it symbolizes hope. The Butterfly Garden and the Everett J. Ritchie Tri-State Mineral Museum Overlook offers a history of the horrific event and and Doretha B. Hoover Historical Museum. the recovery that followed. It took many dedicated Joplin was a boomtown and the mining center faces to create this beautiful place. of five counties in Kansas, Oklahoma and Southwest Missouri has no shortage of Missouri. At one time 50 percent of the nation’s beautiful places. Among the scenic destinations zinc and lead were mined from the area. The in the Ozarks is Grand Falls, a great photo mineral museum tells the story of Joplin mining opportunity. The largest continuously flowing and showcases a variety of minerals found waterfall in Missouri, it cascades 12 feet along a in the area. The historical museum includes Phelps House is the centerpiece of the Grand Avenue mansions in Carthage.

163-foot ledge. Just a few minutes upstream is Route 66 history, the adventures of Bonnie Wildcat Glades Conservation & Audubon and Clyde and the quirky National Cookie Center. Along with Shoal Creek, some of the last remaining Cutter Museum. chert glades combine to make the area a favorite of migratory On May 22, 2011, an EF5 tornado roared through Joplin, claiming birds. More than four miles of walking trails wind through the 161 lives and leaving a path of destruction. In response to the center. Nature exhibits in the visitor center are highlighted by a devastation, thousands of volunteers arrived to rebuild the area 1,300-gallon fresh water aquarium with native species. The center and create a memorial honoring those who were lost. To most

or dinner, Metropolitan Farmer in Springfield and Chef Wes Johnson welcome groups with a menu inspired by fresh, local ingredients.

You cannot beat breakfast at the Aviary Creperie and Cafe (one of two) in Springfield.

Try Hurts Donuts if you’re in a rush. Wilder’s Steakhouse in Joplin features a fine selection of hand-cut steaks and fresh seafood. Co-owner Marsha Pawlus is happy to share the building’s history of craftsmanship and gambling. For the authentic local experience in Joplin, small groups paying in cash should try Mary Lee’s Cafe for breakfast.

Springfield, MO CVB

TOUR NOTES

F

Springfield, positioned in the heart of the Ozarks, is the April has a variety of fun and educational programs tailored for groups.

30, 1926, birthplace of Historic Route 66. If there’s any doubt (visitjoplinmo.com) about that fact, begin your visit at the Springfield Visitor Center.

A 45-minute drive north brings you to the Harry S. Truman (springfieldmo.org) Birthplace State Historic Site in Lamar. Truman was born in this Well before Route 66, Springfield helped give birth to the small house on May 8, 1884, and in 1885 the family moved Wild West as the site of the nation’s first to Kansas City. The home and grounds are recorded shootout. Right in the town square furnished with items that would be typical in “Wild Bill” Hickok faced off with David Tutt, western Missouri at the time of Truman’s birth. who had taken a watch as collateral for Take a few minutes at the visitor center where Hickok’s poker game loss. As the story goes, you see the signature of the only Missouri-born Tutt pranced around town showing off the president, who signed the guest list when he watch, claiming Hickok did not pay his debts. returned for the 1953 dedication of his birthplace.

Tutt fired and missed from 75 yards. Hickok Lamar, with just over 4,200 residents today, returned fire and killed Tutt. The event made was where Wyatt Earp began his law-enforcenational news. ment career as the city’s constable.

Your group cannot visit Springfield without No matter where you’re from, you’ll enjoy spending time at the original (and still biggest) the beauty and solitude of Prairie State Park.

Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World. In addition Imagine at one time a fourth of Missouri being to all your outdoor recreation needs, from covered by tall grasses (in ever-changing colors) fishing and boating to hunting and camping, growing to eight feet. Envision early settlers the Grandaddy of All Outdoor Stores, as it’s coming to the area and encountering that land Bison inhabit Prairie State Park, which preserves the area’s native vegetation. often called, features regular fish-feeding inhabited by bison, elk, prairie chicken, and other shows, the National Archery Hall of Fame, native birds and animals. Only 4,000 acres of National Rifle Association Sporting Arms Museum, John A. and this scenic wonder remain at Prairie State Park. The elk are gone, Genny Morris Conservation Education Center and Hemingway’s but a small bison herd and numerous bird species can be seen from Blue Water Cafe. The much-anticipated Wonders of Wildlife the park’s four trails. Before venturing into the prairie grasses, begin National Museum & Aquarium, a world-class fish and wildlife at the visitor center for a session that prepares you for your trail attraction, opened in September 2017. I walk. (mostateparks.com/park/prairie-state-park)

MISSOURI TOUR GUIDE

19

Order your free digital copy of the

2018 Missouri Tour Guide!

Downloaded directly to your desktop, the enhanced digital version of the Missouri Tour Guide is a handy year-long planning reference.

Get your copy today! bit.ly/2yiJ25B

20

MISSOURI TOUR GUIDE

CENTRAL MISSOURI ITINERARY

Postcards from the Heartland: A Tour Through Missouri’s Picturesque Towns Discover all there is to see and do in Boonville, Fulton, Jefferson City and Hermann, Missouri’s “Pretty as a Postcard” towns

5

UNIQUE EXPERIENCES ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Warm Springs Ranch National Churchill Museum Missouri State Penitentiary Stone Hill Winery Hermann Living History Farm and Museum

Duration: Three days Available: April through October This Itinerary is Ideal For: Adults 21+

Day 1 Your tour begins in Boonville at Warm Springs Ranch, a breeding farm for the Budweiser Clydesdales. Resting on 300-plus acres of lush, rolling hills in the heart of Missouri, the facility is home to more than 70 Clydesdales ranging from foals to stallions.

Lunch in Boonville or Columbia Travel east to Fulton and the National Churchill Museum. Located inside the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury, an English church designed by Sir Christopher Wren in 1667, the museum has permanent exhibits dedicated to Sir Winston Churchill, who made his famous "Iron Curtain" speech on the Westminster campus in 1946. The grounds also are home to the Breakthrough sculpture, which was created by Churchill’s granddaughter, Edwina Sandys, and features sections of the Berlin Wall.

Depart for Jefferson City and dinner after check-in.

Cap your day – and perhaps ensure a sleepless night! – with a Ghost Tour at the Missouri State Penitentiary. Decommissioned in 2004, the penitentiary is open for a variety of tours. Before it closed, MSP was the oldest continually operating penitentiary west of the Mississippi. The tour showcases housing units and cells, including those of inmates such as heavyweight champion Sonny Liston, who learned to box during his time in the big house, and James Earl Ray. In 1967 the prison was called the “bloodiest 47 acres in America” by Time magazine because of the high number of serious assaults on the grounds between 1963-1964. Operates, weather allowing, March through November.

Day 2 After breakfast, depart Jefferson City for Hermann.

Nestled among the rolling hillsides of the Missouri River, in a countryside reminiscent of Germany's Rhine Valley, is the little town of Hermann. Your outing can include shopping tours, a village tour with music or a visit to Swiss Meat and Sausage Company. The arts and crafts of yesteryear are well preserved in Historic Hermann Museum at the German School. Built in 1871, the building served as Hermann's elementary school until 1955. The town clock, a favorite subject for photographers, has been operating since 1890.

While in Hermann, enjoy lunch and wine tasting at Stone Hill Winery.

Take the winery tour to see the largest series of underground cellars in North America. Stone Hill’s Vintage Restaurant is situated on the winery grounds in a beautifully restored carriage house and horse barn.

Hermann Living History Farm and Museum brings more than 160 years of farming experience, exhibits of early trades and history to its nearly 200-acre living history farm. Tours include the restored Hussmann home and outbuildings, Trading Post, Distillery Log House and Office, Tinsmith Shop and Gardens. Tram rides are available to see more of the farm and its place in history.

Return to Jefferson City by 6 p.m. to enjoy a stop at Central Dairy. The dairy is an excellent stop any time of year and is a longtime favorite of locals and many throughout the Midwest.

Overnight: Jefferson City

Day 3 Start your morning inside the Missouri State Capitol, where you find the Missouri State Museum, which features exhibits of outstanding historical significance. The 45-minute guided Capitol tour is the best way to experience the historic and decorative features of the building, including the Thomas Hart Benton mural A Social History of Missouri.

From there, take the 10-minute drive east to the Missouri National Guard’s Ike Skelton Training Center, home of the Museum of Missouri Military History. It offers exhibits dating back to 1808. Learn about Missouri’s role in various wars and humanitarian relief efforts.

Enjoy lunch at one of Jefferson City’s locally owned restaurants.

Depart for home with rich memories of Central Missouri’s gems!

MISSOURI TOUR GUIDE

21

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI ITINERARY

Show-Me the Money

Day 1

It’s easy to spend a few days in Kansas City indulging yourself in its varied attractions, exciting shopping, entertainment and flavorful dining options

It doesn’t take winning the lottery to see what $40 million looks like.

A stop at the Money Museum at Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City offers an insider’s view of the economy through hands-on exhibits. Your visit is complete with a free souvenir bag of shredded U.S. currency!

5

UNIQUE EXPERIENCES ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Money Museum at Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City Hallmark Visitors Center Arabia Steamboat Museum American Jazz Museum Negro Leagues Baseball Museum

Duration: Three days Available: Year-round This Itinerary is Ideal For: Adults 21+

At the Hallmark Visitors Center, learn the Hallmark story, from J.C. Hall’s humble beginning in 1910 to the creation of the world’s largest greeting-card company. See a demonstration of the processes used in the manufacturing of Hallmark cards and a collection of 12 unique Christmas trees created by Hallmark employees.

The Arabia Steamboat Museum tells the story of a group of men that uncovered the Arabia, which had been lost more than 100 years earlier when it sank in the Missouri River just north of Kansas City. The river had changed courses and the steamboat was buried and ultimately discovered, with remarkably preserved cargo, under a cornfield. The museum features a massive collection of pre-Civil War artifacts.

Check in at your Kansas City hotel before ending the day at the Power and Light District, an $850 million entertainment district. From retail therapy and diverse cuisine to nightclubs and live entertainment, this hot spot has everything for a fun night on the town.

Day 2 Coffee connoisseurs “perk” up with a tour of The Roasterie Air Roasted Coffee. Get a behind-the-scenes look at their factory and learn about the cupping, roasting and blending processes.

Nearby Boulevard Brewing Company has been producing popular beers since 1989. Your visit starts at the Tours & Recreation Center where you find a gift shop and exhibits about the company’s history. A walking tour of the brewery gives you more insight on the creation process and you get a chance to sample the end result in the Tasting Room.

And what goes better with beer than BBQ? Kansas City-style BBQ is known for its well-rounded tomato/molasses-based sauce that is sweet, tangy and spicy. You’ll become a believer, too, after having lunch at one of these local favorites: Arthur Bryant’s Barbecue, Gates Bar-B-Q, Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue and Q39 are just a few.

Next stop is the 18th & Vine District to acquaint yourself with the jazz that made Kansas City famous. The American Jazz Museum offers a plethora of interactive exhibits that help you truly appreciate the music genre.

At night, the neighborhood comes alive with music. The Blue Room, a working jazz club within the museum, features live music four nights a week.

Dedicated performances can be seen at The Gem Theatre. But music isn’t the only lure of this district; America’s favorite pastime and some of the game’s greats are honored at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.

Day 3 After breakfast let out your inner-child at the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures. Fine-scale miniatures and hands-on exhibits conjure memories of the good old days. You’re sure to recognize a beloved toy.

Shopping enthusiasts can't miss the Country Club Plaza, a premier retail area designed after Seville, Spain. Interesting architecture and fountains abound on every corner. Spend some time exploring the Plaza and grabbing a bite to eat at one of the many restaurants.

After three days exploring Missouri’s largest city, you depart Kansas City with fond memories…and plans to return soon.

22

MISSOURI TOUR GUIDE

Travel Tips for Your Missouri Tour Local information to get you on your way to the Show-Me State.

Fly/Drive from These Missouri Airports

S

taffers at Official Missouri Welcome Centers are ready to assist you with information about the surrounding area and the entire state. Picnic areas, vending machines and playground equipment are available at most Official Welcome Centers. (visitmo.com/official-welcome-center.aspx) Joplin Official Missouri Welcome Center Interstate 44 East, Mile Marker 2 Rest Area Joplin, MO 64803 417-629-3030 Tourism.Joplin@ded.mo.gov

Eagleville Official Missouri Welcome Center 11687 Interstate 35 South Eagleville, MO 64442 660-867-5566 Tourism.Eagleville@ded.mo.gov

Kansas City Official Missouri Welcome Center 4010 Bluff Ridge Cutoff Kansas City, MO 64133 816-889-3330 Tourism.KansasCity@ded.mo.gov

Hannibal Official Missouri Welcome Center 1700 Highway 61 South Hannibal, MO 63401 573-248-2420 Tourism.Hannibal@ded.mo.gov

Rock Port Official Missouri Welcome Center 23181 Interstate 29 South Rock Port, MO 64482 660-744-6300 Tourism.RockPort@ded.mo.gov

Hayti Official Missouri Welcome Center Interstate 55 North, Mile Marker 20 Hayti, MO 63851 573-359-0330 Tourism.Hayti@ded.mo.gov

St. Louis Official Missouri Welcome Center Interstate 270 at Riverview Drive St. Louis, MO 63138 314-869-7100 Tourism.StLouis@ded.mo.gov

Discover Missouri Train Travel Aboard Amtrak

t

great way to experience the Show-Me State is the twice-daily Missouri River Runner route.

Travel between St. Louis and Kansas City with stops in travel-friendly communities such as Kirkwood, Hermann, Jefferson City, Sedalia, Warrensburg and Independence. (amtrak.com/missouri-river-runner-train) Amtrak also offers daily service to Missouri aboard the Texas Eagle with stops at St. Louis, the Arcadia Valley station in Arcadia and Poplar Bluff. The Acadia stop is the closest Amtrak station to the Missouri Ozark region. (amtrak.com/texas-eagle-train) The Southwest Chief is another option for travelers coming from outside the state. With stops in La Plata and Kansas City, your next adventure is only a ride away. (amtrak.com/southwest-chief-train)

A

Charter and Tour Services

T

here are primary commercial airports servicing all regions of Missouri, providing a seamless opportunity for a fly/drive tour of Missouri.

T

Conway Official Welcome Center - Westbound 110619 Interstate 44 West Conway, MO 65632 417-589-0023 Tourism.ConwayW@ded.mo.gov

v

he American Bus Association lists 38 Missouri Tour and Bus Operator members on its website. Motorcoach operators provide a variety of services, including charters, sightseeing and local receptive operations. (buses.org).

v

Official Missouri Welcome Centers

Columbia Regional Airport American Airlines and United Airlines provide direct, non-stop service to Dallas/ Fort Worth, Chicago Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Hare and Denver International airports. (flycou.com) Joplin Regional Airport American Airlines/American Eagle provides non-stop service to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. (joplinmo.org/693/welcome) Kansas City International Airport Fifty-three national, Canada and Mexico flights arrive at Kansas City International.

Airlines include Aero Mexico/Funjet, Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines and United Airlines. (flykci.com) Springfield-Branson National Airport American Airlines, Allegiant Airlines, Delta Airlines and United Airlines provide non-stop service from Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Orlando, Tampa/St. Petersburg Phoenix and seasonal service to Punta Gorda/Ft. Myers, and Destin/Ft. Walton. (sgf-branson-airport.com) St. Louis Lambert International Airport Sixty-five national and international flights, including Canada, Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Mexico, serve STL. The airport is serviced by Air Canada, Air Choice One, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Cape Air, Charter Flights, Delta Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines and XTRAAirways. (flystl.com) Branson Airport VIA Airlines services Branson with flights from Dallas/Fort Worth, Chicago, Austin, Denver and Houston. (flybranson.com) MISSOURI TOUR GUIDE

23

SOUTH

REGION

Alabama Museums Honor Extraordinary Contributions Even the most astute historians are amazed at the influences ordinary Alabamians have made to both Alabama and USA history and culture

Noteworthy Alabamians are remembered at the Rosa Parks Museum in downtown Montgomery (top) and Kathryn Tucker Windham Museum at Alabama Southern Community College in Thomasville.

By Dave Bodle pread throughout the state are attractions that recognize Alabamians who made a difference. Here are just a few to get you started.

Troy Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rosa Parks Museum spotlights the life of civil rights icon Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott. It is located in downtown Montgomery at the site where Mrs. Parks was arrested. That event brought about racial integration in transportation and worldwide attention to civil rights. The museum contains historically significant items along with interactive exhibits and multi-media presentations.

Highlights of the collection include the origi-

Alabama Tourism Department

S

50

October 2017

Meg McKinney

nal fingerprint record of Mrs. Parks, who was arrested for breaking the bus segregation law in Montgomery. Four days later she was convicted and fined for her actions and released from her employment at a department store. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a bus from the 1955 fleet of Montgomery city buses and a restored station wagon used to transport black workers during the bus boycott. Witness her arrest, attend a mass meeting at Holt Street Baptist Church and experience how the boycott succeeded with just 19 station wagons.

At the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Jesse Owens, the son of sharecroppers, earned a record-winning four gold medals. Thirty years later in Oakville, where he was born, the Jesse Owens Memorial >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

STILL LOOKING FOR MORE OPTIONS? The Hank Williams Museum in Montgomery pays tribute to the man and his music legacy. The campus of Alabama Southern Community College in Thomasville is home to the Kathryn Tucker Windham Museum, which takes visitors through Windham’s childhood, her career as a journalist and her fame as a national storyteller.

Ivy Green in Tuscumbia is the childhood home of Helen Keller. The property LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

includes the cottage where Keller was born, her childhood house and the well where she first communicated with Anne Sullivan.

Hank Aaron Childhood Home and Museum

in Mobile includes memorabilia from Aaron, the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, Louisville Slugger Museum and Negro Leagues Museum. LGT

It’s a Birthday Celebration and You’re Invited labama is commemorating 200 years of statehood with a three-year celebration honoring its rich history, beautiful places and cultural diversity. Across Alabama's 67 counties, bicentennial events and activities started this year and will continue through 2019.

Throughout 2017 ALABAMA 200 has focused on "Discovering Our Places,” a celebration of its towns, cities, mountains and coastlines. In 2018, "Honoring Our People" will highlight those who made Alabama great. Storytelling will take the spotlight in Alabama's 200th year in 2019 as "Sharing Our Stories" presents Alabamians' timeless experiences.

Now is the time to plan your Alabama itinerary. Call Rosemary Judkins at 334-2424493, or e-mail Rosemary at rosemary.judkins@tourism.alabama.gov. For information online, visit alabama.travel.

Art Meripol

A

Ivy Green in Tuscumbia is the childhood home of Helen Keller, who became a world-renowned author and lecturer.

Alabama Tourism Department

Park and Museum was dedicated. The 30acre park includes the visitor center, a bronze statue depicting Owens at the finish line, a long jump pit and replicas of the 1936 torch and his birth home.

Large panels in the museum display Owens’ life from Oakville to his death in 1980, chronicling his athletic accomplishments and humanitarian efforts. The museum displays a rare collection of programs from the 1936 Olympics, replicas of track uniforms and shoes, medals and trophies. The theater plays Return to Berlin, a film in which Owens recalls his 1936 Olympic experience.

Born 1873 in Florence, William Christopher Handy is honored as the “Father of the Blues.”

The W. C. Handy Birthplace, Museum & Library, a simple cabin, contains personal papers, memorabilia and artifacts, including his piano and the hand-written sheets of music from many of his original tunes. Handy was best known for composing “St. Louis Blues,” “Beale Street Blues” and “Memphis Blues.”

Handy traced much of his music to the sounds he heard as a child in Florence. Work songs and field hollers, hymns and spirituals, and even the sounds of birds, frogs and farm animals provided a canvas for what was to become his unique sound.

Novelist and short story author F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda resided in Montgomery from 1931 to 1932. The F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald Museum is located in an apartment at the home where they stayed. Zelda was a Montgomery native, and the couple returned regularly after their marriage in 1920. It’s the only museum dedicated to the author and his wife and the only house that survived their seemingly endless traveling. Fitzgerald authored four novels, including The Great Gatsby and Tender is the Night, plus four collections of short stories.

The Hank Williams Museum in Montgomery features artifacts like the music legend’s 1952 baby blue Cadillac.

October 2017

51

ALABAMA

GIRLFRIENDS Pam Williams Tourism Sales Manager Huntsville/Madison County CVB

Alabama Tourism Leaders Share Favorite Hometown Getaways

After 12 years at the CVB, Pam still embraces travel to the major industry trade shows and vacations with friends and family.

When home, though, the Huntsville native has a few favorite spots she and friends enjoy.

Pam shared the news that the Huntsville Botanical Garden opened a new visitor center this past spring. But her interest extends past the new structure to the gardening classes, which are quite fun when friends are in the classroom. Another favorite is Lowe Mill Arts & Entertainment, an extraordinary sensory treat. With more than 120 visual, culinary and performance studios and independent businesses, there’s always something new to see. A visit to the Saturday farmers’ market on the premises is always a delight.

One place that Pam will never tire of and enjoys with friends is the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, her employer prior to joining the CVB. She always feels a strong sense of patriotic pride when she visits. Pam’s preferred shopping spot is Bridge Street Town Centre with its 100-plus stores and restaurants. Asked about where she and friends go for dinner and an evening out, she replies Campus 805 without hesitation. A premier brewery and entertainment venue, it’s located on the site of a high school that served city and county students.

Campus 805 is home to more than a dozen craft breweries, restaurants and specialty shops. (huntsville.org)

Tara Walton Director of Tourism Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau

With a full schedule of trade shows, sales blitzes and even some vacation travel, these three ladies are true road warriors.

Here’s a look at what they like to do when going out with the girls back home.

Born and raised in Birmingham, Tara has been with the CVB for 26 years. To say she knows her town may be an understatement.

The premise of Red Clay Tours is that local expertise takes a tour from good to great.

Tara recommends the “Craft Brewery Tour” and “Bham BBQ Tour.” Red Clay will pick you up at any downtown hotel or Airbnb. If you’re ready to party, book your party of eight to 14 on Birmingham Pedal Tours. Perfect for any occasion, it’s a fun two-hour tour of Birmingham’s best watering holes.

Escape games have become the rage for teams of two to 10. At Locked In, Tara’s ladies group from Sixteenth Street Baptist Church

Campus 805, Huntsville

52

October 2017

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

October 2017

53

ALABAMA

GIRLFRIENDS challenged the youth. Asked how the youth fared, Tara’s replies, “They passed the challenge with flying colors.” No comment offered on how the ladies did.

Other fun parts of the Birmingham scene, Tara says, are The Market at Pepper Place, Ozan Vineyard and Mr. P’s Deli. The M arket, located in a former Dr Pepper syrup and bottling plant, houses a design center, galleries, a theater, restaurants, shops and a seasonal farmers’ market. There’s even an outdoor kitchen with chef demonstrations. Located between Birmingham and Montgomery, Ozan Vineyard offers unique options. The Ozan Train provides a morning ride and the popular Souvenir Lunch Train, a three-hour experience with tasting, gourmet lunch and train excursion. Before departing Birmingham, do stop

by Mr. P’s. It’s like going back in time to the neighborhood store. Fresh-cut meats and specialty items along with local Alabama products will certainly fill your cooler. (birminghamal.org)

54

I

October 2017

Patty T. Kieffer, CASE Senior National Sales Manager Visit Mobile Other than time away for children, Patty has been with Visit Mobile since 1991.

However, her southwest Alabama roots go back to the 1600s when her French ancestors settled in the area.

Living in the home of the first Mardi Gras, she never tires of visiting the Mobile Carnival Museum. In addition to the magnificent costume designs, scepters and crowns on display, the museum spotlights Carnival’s rich history in Mobile. The Azalea Bloom-out in March at Bellingrath Gardens is also a favorite of Patty’s, but she says any time of the year is perfect for a visit to the gardens and historic home. With Carnival Cruise Line extending its contract with the City of Mobile through December 2018, Patty was asked if she and friends planned a Caribbean escape on the Carnival Fantasy. It certainly had crossed

Girlfriend groups can sample a variety of watering holes with Birmingham Pedal Tours

her mind, she implied, but time is always an issue.

Mobile, the birthplace of Mardi Gras, knows how to organize an event, and the regular Art Walk and Antique Events are special preferences of Patty’s. As for dining out, she likes the magnificent view and menu at Dauphin’s on top of the Bank Trust building and the locally sourced, seasonal menu at Kitchen on George, a hidden gem. (mobile.org) —Dave Bodle

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

SOME HISTORY IS WRITTEN IN BOOKS. OURS IS FORGED IN STEEL. Visiting Birmingham not only provides an opportunity to experience #.3 )( ." ,#- } /. .) - Ĺ? ,-.Â&#x2019;" ( ." )/( .#)( /*)( 1"# " #.

1 - /#&.| /, . & Ă&#x160;#.3 )/, -")1 - - "#-.),# & *& - &#% &)-- /,( -} ( ) ,- , , !&#'*- #(.) -. & #( /-.,3 * -. ." .Â&#x2039;- -.#&& )( #-*& 3 .) 3| Ă?))% 3)/, ( 2. .)/, #( *& ,# " 1#." "#-.),3| Ă?))% 3)/, ( 2. .)/, #( Ă?#,'#(!" '| #( #,'#(!" '| )' Â&#x2014; # INB irmingham Â&#x2014; yqq Â&#x2019; uvy Â&#x2019; yqyv

ALABAMA

FOOD

All Steak Restaurant in Cullman is famous for its delectable orange rolls. Made from a secret recipe, the rolls are topped with a tangy orange glaze.

VIRGINIA TOUR IDEAS

ALABAMA CUISINE IS

SECOND TO

N NE From barbecue to oysters, Alabama offers some of the finest food in America Alabama Tourism Department

labama is an amiable state with a reputation for exceptional football and even better food. Which is a bold statement considering the University of Alabama football team is an absolute powerhouse.

With a prime location bordering the Gulf

A 56

I

October 2017

of Mexico, Alabama has established itself as a world-class destination for seafood. Not to be outdone, the state’s pitmasters have honed their craft and turned Alabama into one of the finest barbecue havens in the country. And don’t get us started on the exquisite baked

goods that are served from the northern hills of Huntsville to the southern marinas of Mobile.

Regardless of where your travels take you in Alabama, you are certain to be within range of marvelous cuisine. Let’s take a look at some of those offerings. >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

ALABAMA

FOOD SEAFOOD With only 53 miles of coastline along the Gulf of Mexico, Alabama harvests an incredible amount of enticing seafood. Historically, Alabama is one of the biggest oyster producers in the country, and few places can match Capitol Oyster Bar in Montgomery for the tastiest fare. While Capitol is acclaimed for serving top-notch seafood against a backdrop of captivating live music, it is hardly the only oyster game in town. Other lauded oyster establishments include the Tin Top Restaurant and Oyster Bar in Bon Secour (a no-frills bayside destination that serves large oysters and classic fried green tomatoes); Wintzell’s Oyster House in Mobile (known for serving oysters fried, stewed, nude or chargrilled and topped with cheese and peppers); and Doc’s Seafood Shack and Oyster Bar in Orange Beach (best known for serving fried shrimp and oysters on the half shell since 1984).

Alabama is also recognized as a producer of some of the choicest shrimp in the country, be it fried, steamed, enveloped in a po’ boy or surrounded by grits. Among the best places to savor this delicacy are King Neptune’s Seafood Restaurant in Gulf Shores, which serves steamed royal red shrimp alongside traditional red potatoes, corn on the cob and garlic toast; the Shrimp Basket in Evergreen, which features steamed, fried, grilled and blackened shrimp; and Classic On Noble in Anniston, a white-tablecloth destination that serves creamy shrimp and grits with andouille sausage and bacon.

BARBECUE Unlike other barbecue sanctums like Kansas City, Memphis or Texas, Alabama doesn’t possess a definitive style of barbecue.

The northern portion of the state tends to gravitate toward vinegar-based sauces whereas southern parts of Alabama feature variations of tomato-based sauces. Perhaps the most distinguishing element regarding the state’s barbecue is its white sauce, a mixture of vinegar, mayonnaise, apple juice and cayenne pepper that is poured over chicken, turkey or ribs. Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur is credited with creating the white sauce in 1925 and still serves it to this day along with some of the country’s finest ribs and chicken. Big Bob Gibson’s is also renowned for serving chicken wings that are marinated in a spicy apricot sauce.

Perhaps the most legendary barbecue establishment in the state is Dreamland Bar-B-Que, which originated in Tuscaloosa in 1958, but has since expanded to Birmingham, Montgomery, Huntsville, Mobile and Northport. Dreamland serves ribs cooked over a hickory fire that are seasoned with a dry rub and served with a signature red sauce consisting of vinegar with a tomato underpinning. Another venerable barbecue institution is Archibald’s, which opened in 1962 in Northport. The small cinderblock building where George and Betty Archibald first served barbecue still stands and adheres to the original formula of utilizing hickory wood to add a smoky richness to their meat and sauce.

The newest entry to the state’s heated barbecue competition is SAW’s BBQ in Homewood, which debuted in 2009 to rave reviews.

SAW’s is esteemed for its smoked chicken, Carolina-style pulled pork sandwiches, ribs and distinctive white barbecue sauce.

Wintzell’s Oyster House

Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q

DESSERTS Much like its barbecue scene, Alabama isn’t known for one particular dessert or baked good, giving it a multifaceted feel when one pays a visit to the bakery. If forced to choose, the buttermilk pie, an iconic Southern specialty, may be the dessert most affiliated with the state and few can match the Irondale Cafe in Irondale for its acclaimed pie. Opened in 1928 and made famous by the film Fried Green Tomatoes, the Irondale Cafe has been serving an exceptional buttermilk pie since those early days. Not surprisingly, the cafe is also extolled for its fried green tomatoes, which pairs nicely with the pie. For those craving a different style of pie, Peach Park in Clanton sells the popular combination of a peach pie with a scoop of peach ice cream. Peach Park also lays claim to a fruit market, fried pies and a fresh fruit bar.

For more than 80 years, All Steak Restaurant in Cullman has been serving fabulous orange rolls, which have brought scores of tourists to the modest town. Made from a secret recipe, these slightly buttery sweet rolls are topped with tangy orange glaze instead of the classic sugar coating.

Another fabled locale is Trowbridge’s Ice Cream and Sandwich Shop in Florence.

Opened in 1918, Paul Trowbridge developed a recipe for orange pineapple ice cream that is the shop’s signature flavor and most popular product. Sisters’ Restaurant in Troy has been serving what many consider the state’s best banana pudding since 1997. The pudding consists of layers of vanilla custard, banana slices and wafers and can be garnished with whipped cream or meringue and served either hot or cold.

—Jason Paha

All photos courtesy Alabama Tourism Department

Peach Park peach pies

58

I

October 2017

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

MISSISSIPPI

MUSEUMS

MISSISSIPPI’S NEWEST MUSEUMS Jackson attractions will spotlight the state’s history

hroughout 2017 Mississippi has been celebrating its 200th anniversary of statehood with numerous events honoring its people, music, food, agriculture, and contributions to science, literature and art. The capstone of the year is the December 9, 2017 opening of two new museums—the Museum of Mississippi History and Mississippi Civil Rights Museum. They are located on a shared campus in Jackson, the capital city.

T

MUSEUM OF MISSISSIPPI HISTORY Nine galleries encourage visitors to discover Mississippi’s rich past. Start with the First Peoples Gallery, which explores the Indian mounds that are on the state’s landscape even today. The story on the origins of the native Choctaw and Chickasaw people is shared.

The Cultural Crossroads Gallery looks at the arrival of Europeans and Africans.

Dramatic artifacts, including iron slave shack60

October 2017

les, showcase this period.

The United States Gallery covers the clashes that occurred as Mississippi transitioned from a territory to statehood on December 10, 2017. Examine the federal laws forcing native peoples to leave their ancestral homelands.

Early in the Cotton Kingdom period there were more enslaved African-Americans than whites in Mississippi. Visitors peer into the lives of an enslaved family, farmers and a

wealthy plantation owner.

Freedom, Reconstruction and Regression are featured in the World Remade Gallery.

View the challenges faced by farmers in an unfair sharecropping system. A state torn by the Civil War faced numerous challenges in Reconstruction.

Progressivism, repression and World War I all contributed to the years portrayed in the Promise and Peril Gallery. Positive inventions improved the way some lived, but flooding >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

The Museum of Mississippi History (left) and adjacent Mississippi Civil Rights Museum will be major additions to Jackson’s tourism offerings.

and that pesky boll weevil challenged many Mississippians.

The time frame that covers the Bridging Hardship Gallery explores the Great Depression, New Deal and World War II. People went back to work with New Deal programs, and more than 10 percent of the state’s population signed up for military service.

Civil Rights, Diversification and Innovation are addressed in the Forging Ahead Gallery, LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

which covers the period from 1946 to the present. Activists, artisans, businessmen, politicians and everyday citizens impacted Mississippi’s story as the social landscape of the state changed. (mmh.mdah.ms.gov) MISSISSIPPI CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM This museum advances an understanding of the Mississippi civil rights movement and changes it brought to the nation. Eight galleries focus on the years 1945-1976 and

encircle a central space called This Little Light of Mine.

The gallery on Mississippi’s Freedom Struggle is an introduction to civil and human rights violations and the need for a civil rights movement. The inhumanity of slavery and the people affected are presented.

The Mississippi in Black and White gallery covers 1865-1941. Blacks emerge from slavery and establish communities with strong bonds to church and family. A “colored” entrance sign and monoliths engraved with the names of five known lynching victims are stunning exhibits.

The central gallery, This Little Light of Mine, is filled with natural light. Civil rights activists are honored. The music of the movement comes from a dramatic light sculpture, and as more visitors gather the light shines brighter and the music grows.

A Closed Society explores 1941-1960 and shares experiences of black Mississippians who returned from WWII and helped fuel the civil rights movement. Two theaters show how Brown v. Board of Education and Emmett Till’s murder sparked the civil rights movement. A Tremor in the Iceberg draws its name from activist Bob Moses, who described those times as the “tremor in the middle of the iceberg.”

The critical importance of 1963 and 1964 are studied in the I Question America gallery.

Local gatherings in churches and community centers grew into state organizations and influenced the Democratic National Convention, where they demanded their voices be heard. Hear the compelling story of Freedom Summer and experience significant events through interactive touch screen displays.

The Black Empowerment gallery explores what was happening in the black community from 1965 to the mid-1970s. It shares the successes black citizens enjoyed, such as the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and tragedies like the murder of Vernon F. Dahmer, Sr. In Where Do We Go From Here, take a moment to reflect and read the words of Mississippians as they discuss progress made and challenges remaining. (mcrm.mdah.ms.gov) Both museums offer a group discount for parties of 10 or more, and a dual-admission price is also available. There are special rates for school and educational groups.

Educational resources are available on the Educators page of each website.

—Dave Bodle October 2017

61

MISSISSIPPI

MUSEUMS Mississippi On View icturing Mississippi, 1817-2017: Land of Plenty, Pain, and Promise, the largest art exhibition about Mississippi identity ever conceived, will run from December 9, 2017, to July 8, 2018 at the Mississippi Museum of Art in Jackson. The exhibition, coinciding with Mississippi’s 200 years of statehood, will be free.

Prestigious institutions such as the Harvard University Art Museums; National Gallery of Art and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.; and Minneapolis Institute of Art will lend many of these works. Featured will be individual masterpieces by artists seldom exhibited in the state, including George Caleb Bingham, Robert Indiana, James Audubon, Louis Bahin, Thomas Hart Benton, and John Steuart Curry – as well as a plethora of works by native Mississippians such as James Tooley, Jr., Eudora Welty, William Dunlap and Randy Hayes.

The exhibition will proceed chronologically and thematically, giving visitors the opportunity to perceive the evolving depiction of Mississippi – first by foreign-born artists as a place of immense beauty and prosperity and later as a land laid waste by civil war, farmed by sharecroppers, fractured by segregation and changed forever by the struggle for civil rights. Eventually, new voices rose to express the extraordinary artistic creativity of Mississippians of all races.

A significant component of the bicentennial exhibition will feature art made in response to the events, victims and heroes of the civil rights movement in the South, dovetailing with exhibitions on display at the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum and Museum of Mississippi History.

P

ONE MISSISSIPPI. TWO MUSEUMS.

MANY STORIES.

The new Museum of Mississippi History and Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, opening December 2017 in Jackson, invites visitors inside the state’s rich and complex 200-year history. Come learn the true stories responsible for shaping a state and influencing the world.

www.visitmississippi.org

62

October 2017

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

Jackson, Mississippi is American History!

Learn about the struggle, defeat, triumph and perseverance of a city that helped to shape American History! Journey through the writings and influences of great southern literature legends. Ride the blues music trail or find gospel music for your soul. Jackson, Mississippi, has it all for you! Log on to visitjackson.com to begin planning your unique Jackson, Mississippi experience and be sure to check out the progress of our newest treasures; The Mississippi Museum of History and The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum!

City with heritage. City with history. â&#x20AC;&#x153;City with soulâ&#x20AC;?.

MISSISSIPPI

WOMEN’S TRAVEL

Girlfriend Getaways in Mississippi Greenwood, Natchez and the Mississippi Gulf Coast welcome girls-only groups with unique itineraries and a warm reception elebrating its bicentennial in 2017, Mississippi has been rolling out the red carpet to visitors all year. Long before the special observance, destinations in the Magnolia State were welcoming ladies’ groups with itineraries based on their interests. Here are three places to get you started.

C

MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST When the Mississippi Gulf Coast welcomes Travel South Showcase from March 18-21, 2018, tour planners will have the opportunity to discover why the area has become a favorite of lady travelers.

The options for a Mississippi Gulf Coast getaway are many and may be dictated by your mood. You’ll find experiences to fill your quiet time, creative time, adventure time and party time. Dining options are almost endless, and you’ll find the coast very accommodating with a wide variety of rooms available.

64

October 2017

Fun options for girlfriend trips abound on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, where shrimp boats are a common sight.

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

There’s no better way to begin your coast getaway than dinner featuring fresh-caught seafood, even if your choice is a steak smothered with local crabmeat. From fine dining to local dives, there’s sure to be a spot that satisfies your taste buds. Complete your evening at a music club or with entertainment and gaming at one of a dozen casinos.

Let your creativity flow at the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art in Biloxi. Works by George E. Ohr, the self-proclaimed “Mad Potter of Biloxi,” is featured along with rotating exhibits. Take a walk in the Rue Magnolia Arts District, which has galleries, gift shops and a craft center to fill your morning. After lunch enjoy a relaxing afternoon sailing on the Biloxi Schooners. Later, there’s a chance to show off your hidden originality. A few bottles of wine and a private event at Cocktails and Canvas or BYOB Brush are perfect.

The coast offers ample experiences to fill your adventure time. Consider kayaking the Davis Bayou or Pascagoula River or guided tours deep into the bayous. Test your skill at stand-up paddleboarding along the beaches.

Visit a gator ranch and cuddle a baby gator followed by an exciting airboat ride into the marshland. How about a day of deep-sea fishing? The captain and crew will do all the work and even recommend a restaurant that will prepare your catch.

Quiet time is always needed. Maybe you’re perfectly satisfied catching some sun on coast beaches. Perhaps renting a cabana at one of the casino resorts is more to your liking. The preferred choice of many ladies is a visit to a luxurious spa for a calming and restorative treatment. You’ll find most every service, from massages and aromatherapy to wraps and facials available. Relax. You’re at the coast. (gulfcoast.org) GREENWOOD Located about 100 miles from Jackson, Greenwood sits on the eastern edge of the Mississippi Delta. Blues music and movie-site touring, cooking and rejuvenating spa experiences continue to attract girlfriend getaways.

Arrive in Greenwood early enough to do a driving tour of the eight markers on the Mississippi Blues Trail in Leflore County. The story of Baptist Town is one of Greenwood’s oldest African-American communities and the legendary blues singers who passed through. Blues Deejays tells of the radio disc jockeys who were responsible for the spread LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

of the blues. Again, you’re part of blues history when you view the sign for Elks Hart Lodge No. 640, an important venue for rhythm and blues from 1940 through 1960.

The WGRM Radio Studio broadcast gospel in the 1940s and often featured Riley King on guitar. Later in Memphis, Riley became known as B. B. King.

Grab lunch at the Crystal Grill. The building may be old, but it’s well maintained and the food is nothing short of delicious. Most say it’s the coconut pie that keeps them coming back. Take a few hours in the afternoon for The Help Driving Tour. Filmed in Greenwood,

Viking Cooking School

The Help garnered numerous awards, including a 2012 Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role to Octavia Spencer. The tour takes you to filming locations and favorite spots of the cast and crew.

This evening, class is open at the most pleasurable school around, Viking Cooking School. Even if you feel cooking isn’t your thing, you’ll leave with ideas for entertaining and an appreciation of great food. The threehour Culinary Basic workshops are perfect for visitors.

Begin your second day in Greenwood with a visit to the Museum of the Mississippi Delta, which explores art, archaeology, agriculture, antiques and animals. Take a moment before entering the building to study the Robert Whitfield mural that spans the front. Before departing Greenwood, enjoy lunch and a relaxing spa treatment at The Alluvian Spa. Its popular “Girlfriend Getaway” package consists of three hours of treatment while enjoying each other’s company. (visitgreenwoodms.com)

NATCHEZ While Mississippi is commemorating its bicentennial year of statehood, Natchez, Mississippi’s first state capital, has just completed its tricentennial celebration.

The city’s antebellum architecture and historic homes are perfect for history buffs and lend themselves to a special girlfriends getaway.

Progressive dinners at antebellum homes, with a different course (appetizer, entree and dessert) at each, have become a popular evening option. Due to time restraints, the evening includes a scaled-down tour of the house. Each house on the rotation is able to provide any course, which is often left to the group’s preference.

Along with being a favorite stop on progressive dinners, The Towers offers two special tours: “The Haunting of The Towers,” a tour of the paranormal, and “The Jeweled Christmas at The Towers.” The later was named by USA Today as one of the 10 most unusual displays in the United States.

Natchez Specialties does the catering for owner Ginger Garland.

Choctaw Hall was built around 1836, and today’s owners David Garner and Lee Glover were charmed at first sight while in Natchez looking for a weekend cottage. Purchased in March 2014, Choctaw Hall is now a popular event venue and part of Natchez Pilgrimage Tours. The owners do the cooking themselves.

Magnolia Hall was the last of the great Natchez mansions to be completed before the Civil War. Although occupied by the Union Army, Natchez was not strategic, saw limited engagements and its architecture survived. Today, the Natchez Garden Club owns Magnolia Hall. Natchez Specialties handles the catering. On the tour take note of the doll collection and a unique pilgrimage costume.

A lovely evening deserves a nightcap and the Linden is the perfect spot. Current owners the Feltus family are the sixth generation on the property. Jeanette Feltus is well known for her very own Natchez Brandy Milk Punch, served with cheese straws. One interesting side note states that the door on Tara from Gone With the Wind was modeled after the front door of the Linden. Yes, there’s a Gone With the Wind tour.

Begin planning your getaway with Visit Natchez, visitnatchez.org.

—Dave Bodle October 2017

65

LOUISIANA

MUSEUMS

Two Spectacular Museums That Fit Every New Orleans Itinerary The National WWII Museum and Mardi Gras World captivate groups in the Big Easy NATIONAL WORLD WAR II MUSEUM The Solomon Victory Theater presents a 4D experience of World War II narrated by Tom Hanks. Beyond All Boundaries features dazzling special effects and first-person accounts read by Brad Pitt, Toby McGuire, Gary Sinise, Patricia Clarkson and others.

The Final Mission: USS Tang Submarine Experience invites visitors to board the most successful submarine in WW II for its fifth and final voyage. You’ll relive the USS Tang’s last epic battle and garner a deep appreciation for those who served.

66

October 2017

The Louisiana Memorial Pavilion, the museum’s original building, houses the newest permanent exhibit, The Arsenal of Democracy: The Herman and George Brown Salute to the Home Front. Visitors have an opportunity to connect with the men and women who served on the home front. Highlights of the exhibit are the video, the Gathering Storm Gallery, a House Divided and America Besieged. As in each exhibit area, there are special exhibits rotating regularly.

The Road to Tokyo galleries chronicle the grueling path from Pearl Harbor to Tokyo

Bay and the challenges of a war in the Pacific.

The innovations, courage and sacrifices of Americans who forged a road to an ending of the war are displayed. Highlights include Facing the Rising Sun, Briefing Room: Japanese Onslaught, The New Naval Warfare: First Blood and Guadalcanal: Green Hell.

Road to Berlin: European Theater Galleries tell the story of sacrifices and strategies in America’s campaign to defeat the Axis powers. Personal items spread over actual Normandy sand and a walk through dense hedgerows provide glimpses into the human >> LeisureGroupTravel.com

The Desert War gallery in the National World War II Museum spotlights North Africa, a strategic first front that proved a valuable training ground for inexperienced soldiers.

National World War II Museum

side of war. Highlights include a European/ Mediterranean Briefing Room, Desert WarNorth Africa, Invasion of Sicily and Italian Campaign.

The largest and most complex assault in history is portrayed in The D-Day Invasion of Normandy galleries, which take the visitor from D-Day Planning through the D-Day Beaches. Discover the challenges Operation Overload commanders faced in breeching the fortifications that awaited the Allies. See German and American weapons, uniforms and gear. Experience the most decisive day LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

in WWII—June 6, 1944—when you hear from the men who fought on the Normandy beaches.

Complete your time in the exhibits by viewing the U.S. Merchant Marine Gallery, dedicated to the civilian merchant marine sailors who risked their lives transporting war material overseas.

Groups of 10 or more receive group rates for self-guided tours of the museum and BB’s Stage Door Canteen. A full-day visit is recommended. For more information, visit nationalww2museum.org.

MARDI GRAS WORLD Reports of Mardi Gras-type celebrations with music, masks and dancing are recorded in New Orleans as early as 1730. However, it was 1896 when a group of businessmen gathered in the French Quarter, organized a secret society to celebrate Mardi Gras and founded the Mistick Krewe of Comus, New Orleans’ first krewe (an organization that puts on a parade or ball for the Carnival season). Parades may have been cancelled due to world wars, but there has always been a celebration.

October 2017

67

LOUISIANA

LOUISIANA TOUR IDEAS

MUSEUMS The Mardi Gras World story begins 36 years after that meeting in the French Quarter when Roy Kern and his son Blaine built their first Mardi Gras float on the back of a mule-drawn wagon. Years later, while working on a hospital mural, Blaine’s talent caught the eye of a surgeon who was the captain of a local krewe. Blaine was invited to design and build floats for his krewe.

With that, Kern Studios was founded in 1947 and soon became the leading float designer and builder.

Adamant about his craft, Blaine Kern traveled throughout Europe to apprentice under some of the Continent’s premier float builders. He became stimulated by the European style, which featured extravagant concepts and animation. With fresh ideas he returned to New Orleans and began creating spectacular floats. His contributions to some of New Orleans’ biggest parades earned him the name “Mr. Mardi Gras.”

New Orleans visitors and locals seeking a

sneak peek at the floats began requesting tours of Kern Studios. In 1984 Mardi Gras World was opened to provide visitors a look behind the scenes at the Mardi Gras celebration. One of New Orleans’ busiest attractions, it offers package opportunities for traditional tour groups, field trips, family reunions, private parties and corporate groups.

New Orleans’ Mardi Gras is legendary, and there’s only one place to get an inside look, Mardi Gras World. Visitors learn about the festival’s history, try on a costume, get up close to the floats that roll through the streets and walk through the float den where artists bring their visions to life.

You’ll find Mardi Gras World very accommodating. A dedicated coach drop-off and loading zone, tiered group rates, a lunch option and guided private tours are available.

Mini-float and mask-making workshops can be arranged. (mardigrasworld.com) —Dave Bodle

Tours of Mardi Gras World provide a behind-the-scenes look at New Orleans’ big bash.

68

October 2017

Louisiana’s Northup Trail and One Man’s Fight for Survival More than 20 stops are featured in Rapides and Avoyelles parishes, where Solomon Northup endured 12 years of enslavement on Louisiana plantations free man of color, Solomon Northup was kidnapped from Washington, D.C. in 1841, sold into slavery and sold again to central Louisiana plantation owners. His memoirs published in 1853 were adapted for the film 12 Years a Slave, winner of the 2014 Academy Award for Best Picture. Markers on the 90-mile Northup Trail, a member of Louisiana Trails & Byways, recalls Northup’s experiences, from his arrival in Louisiana to gaining freedom in 1853.

Begin your experience in Alexandria at Red River Landing. Established in 1836, the area was once a transfer point for immigration. Solomon Northup and three other slaves belonging to William Prince Ford arrived at this point in 1841 and subsequently were sold to Edwin Eppes. On the campus of LSU Alexandria is the restored Edwin Eppes House. Eppes was a cruel and depraved man who believed slavery was normal. Northup spent 10 years on the Eppes property.

There are a half-dozen locations in

A

Begin the trail in Alexandria

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

Bunkie, one involving Sue Eakin, owner of the Bunkie Record newspaper. In 1821 she found the Northup account in old records at Oak Hall Plantation and spent considerable time researching Northup and his story.

On January 4, 1853, the Avoyelles Courthouse was the site where Solomon Northup gained his freedom. A chance meeting with a Canadian abolitionist presented Northup with an opportunity to reach out to his family in New York that set in motion the path to his freedom and a changed life.

Throughout the Northup Trail there are period cemeteries, churches and listings on the National Register of Historic Places. To download a map detailing the trail route, visit the Louisiana Trails & Byways website (louisianabyways.com/byway/ northup-trail) Along the route are several accommodations and dining options to enhance your tour. For more information, including additional stops along the trail, contact the Avoyelles Commission of Tourism (travelavoyelles.com) and Alexandria/Pineville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. (alexandriapinevillela.com) â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Dave Bodle

LeisureGroupTravel.com <<

Solomon Northup spent 10 years on the property of Edwin Eppes, whose house now resides on the LSU Alexandria campus.

October 2017

69

WOMEN’S TRENDS to form a stunning gallery. Save time to browse the gift shop for handcrafted items, jewelry and Georgia Grown food products.

Speaking of shopping, Tanger Outlet Center is located in Locust Grove. Leading brands and designer labels at a wide variety of retailers are available at significant discounts.

Also in Locust Grove, stop at Olive in a Bottle for gourmet oils and vinegars in a range of flavors. In regularly scheduled cooking classes, participants receive instruction, sample their dishes and get the recipe to try at home.

In McDonough, Scarlett’s Retreat Day Spa will leave you feeling refreshed at the talented hands of its staff. McDonough Square surrounds visitors with 19th century storefronts, featuring boutiques, specialty stores, coffee shops and eateries. Let your inner artist escape at Hood Street Art Center with an art class accompanied by wine.

Peachtree Peddlers Antique Mall & Flea Market is 85,000 square feet of bargains.

You’ll find more information on all these options, including recommended times to allow for each stop, on the Gone With the Girls website (gonewiththegirls.net/girls). LGT

Georgia Girlfriend Getaways Gone With the Girls itinerary options in the Atlanta area include everything from a spa retreat to Gone With the Wind

By Dave Bodle he Clayton County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Henry County Convention & Visitors Bureau and McDonough Hospitality & Tourism have partnered to promote activities and attractions that are just south of Atlanta.

“The county lines are blurred for visitors, and they just see they’re visiting different attractions, not the location they’re in,” says Beth Bailey, director of sales and promotions at the Clayton County Convention & Visitors Bureau. “So, partnering with nearby communities lets us engage with new audiences and introduce them to our area.”

If you’re ready for a weekend of belles, bargains, art and pampering, it’s time to be Gone With the Girls.

The Road to Tara Museum in Jonesboro

T

70

I

October 2017

takes you back to Margaret Mitchell’s classic novel Gone With the Wind. Rhett Butler and Scarlett O’Hara’s romance is set during the Civil War’s turbulent Atlanta Campaign.

Museum visitors observe the history of the war in the region, including details of the 1864 Battle of Jonesboro. On display are Civil War artifacts, items from the 1939 Atlanta movie premiere and reproductions of Scarlett’s most famous dresses.

Nearby, Stately Oaks Plantation provides a glimpse into mid-1800s antebellum plantation life. The campus includes an 1839 Greek Revival-style house, an original log kitchen, a one-room schoolhouse and a country store.

Do not leave Jonesboro without visiting Arts Clayton Gallery. Exhibits of Southeastern artists and national traveling exhibits combine

Stately Oaks Plantation

>> LeisureGroupTravel.com

LEISURE

Coming in December Maybe a Small Preview Here?

Annual Industry Forecast Issue!

GROUP TRAVEL

Has tech taken over the group travel industry?

Group-friendly Lodging Guide We can help showcase your business to groups.

Top Historic Attractions Call us at 630.794.0696 or email Christmas Celebrations advertising@ptmgroups.com

Take a tour...

Before you plan your next tour!

The ALL- NEW

The reimagined LeisureGroupTravel.com is a fusion of the latest online technology and reader engagement concepts, steeped in a sleek, fully responsive design.

LEISURE OCTOBER 2017

GROUP TRAVEL

RENEW YOUR FREE

©iStock.com/nensuria

SUBSCRIPTION I I I I I

TO THE INDUSTRY’S

Award-winning Destination Articles Expert Columns on Industry Best Practices Concentrated Research in the Niche & Affinity Markets Itinerary Planning Tips, Industry Forecast Special Interests on Gaming, Shopping, Return Your Museums & Adventure Travel

#1 GROUP TRAVEL

PUBLICATION Subscription Renewal Card by NOV. 15

FOLD HERE

AFFIX POSTAGE HERE

LEISURE GROUP TRAVEL

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

©iStock.com/Robert Churchill

LEISURE OCTOBER 2017

THE INDUSTRY’S #1 GROUP TRAVEL

PUBLICATION

GROUP TRAVEL

RENEW YOUR FREE SUBSCRIPTION Continue Receiving Leisure Group Travel Fill out the form below, or online at LeisureGroupTravel.com/subscribe/ Name ______________________________________ Title _________________________________ Company _________________________________________________________________________ Address _________________________________________________________________________ City _______________________________________ State _________ Zip _____________________

❏ YES

❏ Yes, please include a complimentary subscription to InSite, Leisure Group Travel’s Weekly E-Newsletter (Please include e-mail address below)

Phone ___________________________________________________________________________ E-Mail ___________________________________________________________________________

❏ No Thanks

REQUIRED Signature ________________________________________________ Date ____________________

Would you like to receive our other publications that focus on:

INSTANT INFO CENTER

❐ Religious Travel ❐ Student Travel ❐ Reunion Planning ❐ Sports Event Planning

Request info below or online at LeisureGroupTravel.com/2017-October-Leisure-Group-Travel/

❑ Alabama Historical Commission, Montgomery, AL ❑ Arkansas Dept. of Parks & Tourism ❑ Bellingrath Gardens & Home, Theodore, AL ❑ Boardwalk Hotel Group, Ocean City, MD ❑ Bowling Green CVB, OH ❑ City of Hays CVB, KS ❑ Coldwater Inn, Tuscumbia, AL ❑ Dearborn County CVTB, IN ❑ Dothan CVB, AL ❑ Emerald Coast CVB, FL ❑ Experience Columbus, OH ❑ Greater Birmingham CVB, AL ❑ Greystone Lodge on the River, Gatlinburg, TN ❑ Historic Corydon and Harrison County, IN ❑ Huntsville/Madison County CVB, AL ❑ Kerrville CVB, TX ❑ Livingston County CVB, MI ❑ Louisiana’s Northshore, St. Tammany Tourist Commission

❑ Louisville CVB, KY ❑ Metropolitan Transportation Authority, NY ❑ New England Development Properties, AR, FL, IA, MA, NC ❑ New Orleans Hotel Collection, LA ❑ Oklahoma City CVB, OK ❑ Outlets at Tejon, Arvin, CA ❑ Red Hot Celebrations ❑ Ridgeland Tourism Commission, MS ❑ Sapulpa Chamber of Commerce, OK ❑ Sealy CVB, TX ❑ Simi Valley Chamber Tourism Alliance, CA ❑ U.S. Space and Rocket Center, Huntsville, AL ❑ Visit Jackson, MS ❑ Visit Milwaukee, WI ❑ Visit Mississippi ❑ Visit Rochester, NY ❑ Visit Tucson, AZ ❑ Wayne County CVB, OH

Caution: This will result in receiving information from many suppliers.

Please have suppliers contact me via: ❐ Mail ❐ Email

❐ Phone

Send more information on companies in the following categories:

❐ Attractions ❐ Casinos ❐ Cruise Lines ❐ Destinations ❐ Hotels ❐ Restaurants ❐ Theaters ❐ Tour Operators ❐ Travel Insurance

2018 Missouri Tour Guide ❑ Branson CVB, MO ❑ Cape Girardeau CVB, MO ❑ Charleston Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, MO ❑ City of Independence, MO ❑ Explore St. Louis, MO ❑ Harry S. Truman Library & Museum, Independence, MO ❑ Jefferson City CVB, MO ❑ Joplin CVB, MO ❑ Missouri Division of Tourism ❑ Pulaski County Tourism Bureau, MO

RESPOND BY NOVEMBER 15 ● Scan/e-mail this page to ReaderServices@PTMGroups.com ● Fax this page to 630.794.0652,

or send via U.S. mail

Send information on the following regions/countries:

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