Southern Charms

Your Small Group Discovery Tour begins!

Welcome to the Peach State! At 6 pm, meet your travel companions for a welcome drink. Your Tour Director will prepare you for your upcoming Southern adventure.

ENHANCED FREE TIME - THE PERFECT PARTY: Consider an optional culinary experience that's perfect for small groups to enjoy with a walking food tour to sample exclusive local Southern cuisine in the city.

Southern Specialties

Sightseeing includes Centennial Olympic Park, the historic Fox Theatre, Buckhead neighborhood, often referred to as the "Beverly Hills of the South" and Ponce City Market. Visit the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site, where you'll learn more about the man and his legacy. Free time this afternoon to visit the Atlanta's gems such as the Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta Botanical Gardens, World of Coca-Cola or the National centre for Civil and Human Rights. Dinner of southern specialties at a favourite local restaurant. (B/D)

LOCAL FAVOURITE - LOCAL TASTES: No visit to Atlanta is complete without good old-fashioned Southern cooking. Pull up a chair for made-from-scratch Southern classics in a local eatery. Atlanta is known for all-time faves like Georgia peach cobbler, sweet tea, flavourful fried chicken, fried-green tomatoes - and grits, of course!

Carolina on Our Minds

Depart Atlanta and head east across Georgia and South Carolina. Stop in Columbia, the state capital of South Carolina, rich with history and warm southern hospitality. Feel a grand Southern welcome with the charms of this historic community and see the stunning granite State House. Later, continue to Charleston. Choose to explore Charleston during free time with a stroll through the historic district, enjoying fresh seafood with a Southern flair or learn about Charleston's colourful past on an evening ghost tour. Your Tour Director will have suggestions for dining this evening. (B)

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - CITY SIGHTS: From Rainbow Row to the aroma of honeysuckle flowers on the French Quarter and the Battery promenade to the pastel-painted antebellum homes along the cobblestone streets, the sights of historic Charleston are a feast for the senses. Horse-drawn carriages lumber down the avenues as they have since the city's founding in 1670 carry passengers to the Waterfront Park overlooking Charleston Harbour, while Fort Sumter still stands where the first shots of the Civil War rang out across the water. Don't leave before cutting into a slice of pecan pie!

Southern Hospitality

Start the day with a city tour of Charleston before visiting America's most photographed plantation, Boone Hall Plantation and Gardens. Tour Patriot Points Naval Museum for a hands-on look at retired aircraft and naval carriers plus a Vietnam Experience Exhibit. Then enjoy a true Southern staple, a fresh biscuit from Callie's Hot Little Biscuit shop. Enjoy the afternoon at your leisure. You may wish to shop for a favourite souvenir at the historic City Market, where more than 50 artisans are on-site daily; visit Fort Sumter National Monument, take a relaxing and scenic cruise of Charleston Harbour; or try one of Charleston's favourite dishes, such as grits, barbecue, fried okra, or Carolina Gold Rice. This evening, join a local guide on a Small Group Discovery exclusive Gullah Stories and Spirits Tour. (B/L)

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - HISTORIC SITE: Tour the mansion with a guide, see the beautiful gardens and the Black History in America exhibit at historic Boone Hall Plantation - one of America's oldest working farms. Once known for cotton and pecans, the farm still actively produces strawberries, tomatoes, peaches, and other signature Southern produce on the banks of Wampacheone Creek where it has stood the test of time since its founding by the Boone family in 1681.

LOCAL FAVOURITE - SMALL GROUP EXCLUSIVE TASTING OF FLUFFY SOUTHERN GEMS: Biscuits have been a staple of Southern cuisine since introduced by European settlers in the early 18th Century. Inexpensive to make and requiring only a few local ingredients, the biscuits slowly evolved from dense to delightful. Their popularity remains with creative flavours and regional variations, while served fluffier than their ancestors, biscuits still have a spot on the table.

Heart of the South

Depart Charleston for picturesque Beaufort, a town that has conserved much of its pre-revolutionary character. Tour the town by horse-drawn carriage through narrow, oak-lined streets past the former homes of wealthy cotton growers. This afternoon, visit Palmetto Dunes General Store on Hilton Head Island en route to romantic Savannah, America's first planned city. (B/L)

HISTORY & TRADITION - SMALL GROUP EXCLUSIVE: Explore Beaufort in style with a local guide on a horse-drawn carriage. The coastal town's historic district has well-preserved Antebellum and Victorian architecture including homes that pre-date the Civil War. Learn about Beaufort's role in the Civil War, the Lowcountry history and local favourite sites used in movies such as Forrest Gump, Forces of Nature, and The Prince of Tides.

LOCAL FAVOURITE - SOUTHERN COMFORT: Palmetto Dunes General Store on Hilton Head Island is a local "institution" providing a traditional general store experience with local Lowcountry food specialties. Lucrative plantations and fishing dominated the Hilton Head area economy in the 18th century. The plantations no longer produce crops; tourism and real estate now drive development. The beachfront town gained popularity in the 1950's by turning the plantations into private neighbourhoods, adding resorts to highlight the spectacular natural beauty, providing marina access plus building world-class golf courses to please the tourists and local residents.

Trolleys & Timeless Tales

Visit the Mercer Williams House Museum, the mysterious setting for the book and film, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Explore Savannah in style on a trolley tour led by a Local Guide who will entertain you with stories of the city's legendary characters and past. The remainder of the afternoon is at leisure. Experience low-country cuisine during an interactive cooking class and dinner, infused with memorable stories and southern specialty flavours. (B/D)

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - HISTORIC SIGHTS: Discover the charm and captivating stories of Savannah where art, period architecture, and ghost stories fill the air under a cool veil of Spanish moss that drapes the oaks along your trolley tour of this historic and unforgettable southern city.

ENHANCED FREE TIME - EXPLORE MORE: in Savannah with a stroll through Forsyth Park, visit to the Telfair Museum of Art, window shopping on Broughton Street, or a tour of the Mercer Williams House Museum-the setting for the book and film, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Your Tour Director will have suggestions for additional shopping, sightseeing, and dining. Tap your GlobusGO mobile app for all the maps and tips for a special day in Savannah.

Island Traditions  

Visit Jekyll Island for a relaxing island experience. Enjoy a guided trolley tour of the Jekyll Island Historic District. A cluster of 19th-century winter-cottages, this "club" was formed by some of America's most prominent families. The rest of the day is yours to explore the island. (B) 

Enjoy a day at leisure on Jekyll Island. Perhaps take a boat to Cumberland Island National Seashore, shop or kayak close to the sandy coast. Your Tour Director hosts a farewell dinner at the historic Jekyll Island Club. (B/ D)

LOCAL FAVOURITE - CULTURAL GEM: Built in 1887, the Jekyll Island Club was the winter home of the Vanderbilt, Rockefeller, and Morgan families. Enjoy the atmosphere and superior service of this famous and historic location. Enjoy an elegant farewell dinner to celebrate your Southern adventure.

Safe travels until we meet again! Morning drive to Savannah. Your holiday ends at Savannah Airport. Schedule departing flights after 1:00 pm. (B)