Activity Level: Expect a moderate amount of walking, 2-3 hours of walking each day. There will be time to rest on the coach and between attractions. To enjoy this tour, you should be prepared to walk slightly longer distances, climb stairs and tolerate periods of standing, for example on city walks or sightseeing stops.
Departure Information:
8:30 AM – Elite Coach Parking Lot – 1685 W Main St, Ephrata
(please park in the spaces behind the office building)
9:15 AM – Lancaster Shopping Center – 1515 Lititz Pike, Lancaster
(please park in the lot that is along the Oregon Pike side of the old A.C. Moore building)
Return Information:
5:15 PM (Approx.) – Lancaster Shopping Center
6:00 PM (Approx.) – Elite Coach
Itinerary, inclusions, timing, and pricing subject to change without notice.
Day 1: Sunday, April 27
We start making our way to Charleston, stopping at DoubleTree by Hilton – Rocky Mount, NC for the night. Dinner will be included this evening.
Day 2: Monday, April 28
We begin the day with breakfast at our hotel. Lunch will be on your own en route to Charleston.
Once we arrive in Charleston, we will visit Magnolia Plantation & Gardens. Founded in 1676 by the Drayton family, Magnolia Plantation has survived the centuries and witnessed the history of our nation unfold before it from the American Revolution through the Civil War and beyond. It is the oldest public tourist site in the Lowcountry, and the oldest public gardens in America, opening its doors to visitors in 1870 to view the thousands of beautiful flowers and plants in its famous gardens.
At Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, we will experience history and wildlife on an action-packed tram tour of the plantation wetlands, lakes, forests, and marshes. We will also tour the Drayton family home, the core of which was built prior to the Revolutionary War near Summerville, South Carolina and floated down the Ashley River to Magnolia after the civil war.
This evening, we will check into the Hampton Inn Charleston – Historic District Hotel for two nights and dinner will be on your own.
Day 3: Tuesday, April 29
We begin the day with breakfast at our hotel before a guided sightseeing tour of Charleston. Lunch is on your own at City Market, a historic market complex in downtown Charleston, South Carolina established in the 1790’s.
Following lunch, we will visit the Charleston Tea Garden. The only tea garden in North America where you can see hundreds of thousands of tea bushes stretching acre after acre for almost as far as the eye can see. We’ll learn about how tea is made by watching production through a glassed-in, air-conditioned gallery that runs down virtually the entire length of the facility. We will also take a trolley ride to see the many acres of tree bushes.
All Aboard the Spirit of Carolina to enjoy a true waterfront dining experience in Charleston! Tonight, we enjoy a three-course dinner, made with local seasonal ingredients while cruising through the beautiful Charleston Harbor, past Fort Sumter, along the Battery and beneath the Ravenel Bridge.
Day 4: Wednesday, April 30
We begin the day with breakfast at the hotel before checking out and making our way to Beaufort, South Carolina. Re-live the past through the narration of professional guides on a Horse Carriage Tour. We will learn about Beaufort’s Civil War History and see Antebellum and Victorian Architecture as well as Hollywood movie sites. Lunch will be on your own in Historic Beaufort.
This afternoon we make our way to Savannah, Georgia and check into the Staybridge Suites Savannah Historic District Hotel for two nights. Dinner will be on your own this evening at Savannah River Street. River Street is a glittering, multi-faceted gem along the broad Savannah River. The century old buildings, once cotton warehouses, have been converted to antique shops, distinctive boutiques, spectacular galleries, quaint brew pubs, fabulous restaurants, unique nightspots, and elegant inns and hotels.
Day 5: Thursday, May 1
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel this morning. Then, we will start our day with an Old Savannah Trolley Tour of the historic district. You will have trolley access for the remainder of the afternoon while you enjoy lunch and free time to explore on your own.
This afternoon we will go on a Narrated Harbor Sightseeing Cruise. During this cruise we will experience the river that was – and remains – the lifeblood of Savannah. Hear the Captain’s intriguing tales and historic facts about our modern port and the ships that visit from all over the world. We make our way down the Savannah River to Old Fort Jackson, home of one of the largest and oldest original artillery pieces in the country! Take advantage of the great photo opportunities of Savannah’s historic riverfront and skyline.
Tonight, dinner is at Pirate’s House Restaurant.
Day 6: Friday, May 2
After breakfast at the hotel, we depart for Mount Airy, NC. Lunch will be on your own as we make our way to the Hampton Inn – Mount Airy for the night. This afternoon we will visit Andy Griffith’s home town of Mayberry. Dinner this evening will be at a local restaurant.
Day 7: Saturday, May 3
We return home today with fond memories of our time spent in lovely Lowcountry.
Departure Times & Policy Information
Itinerary Day 1: Sunday, April 27
Itinerary Day 2: Monday, April 28
Itinerary Day 3: Tuesday, April 29
Itinerary Day 4: Wednesday, April 30
Itinerary Day 5: Thursday, May 1
Itinerary Day 6: Friday, May 2
Itinerary Day 7: Saturday, May 3
