Bus Tour – Beaufort SC & the Golden Isles of Southern GA & Northern FL

Bus Tour – Beaufort SC & the Golden Isles of Southern GA & Northern FL
April  6 - 14, 2024
 Bus Departs Willow Street, Lancaster & York, PA
             
Let the driving to us on this FASCINATING Golden Isles Bus Tour
Approximate departure time: Willow Street - 5:00 AM, Lancaster - 6:00 AM, York – 6:40
 
BEAUFORT, SC. Tucked into winding, historic streets framed by natural foliage and centuries-old, moss-draped live oak trees, Beaufort is more than a hidden Lowcountry gem—it's a transformative destination that has charmed visitors since 1512. Breathe in the salt air.
 
JEKYLL ISLAND, GA. Once was the winter playground for the rich and powerful. It was described as the richest, most exclusive, most inaccessible club in the world. Names like Morgan, Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, Crane, Astor, and Pulitzer to name a few. Their winter playground resort is now open to the public.
 
St. SIMONS ISLAND, GA. One of the most charming and friendly places on earth. Beneath the draping Spanish Moss and arms of the giant live oaks that line the roads and pathways, is an island of residents, part-timers, and visitors.
 
AMELIA ISLAND, FL. Amelia Island, a barrier island off the northeast coast of Florida, boasts delicious food, stunning scenery, kind locals, and innumerable outdoor activities without the crowds and oppressive heat of South Florida.
 
Saturday, April 6
Day 1: Depart Lancaster at approximately 6 AM with a made-to-order BREAKFAST as we travel to Florence, South  Carolina our home for the first night. Before checking into our hotel, we will have DINNER at Red Bone Alley htttps://redbonealley.com.
 
Accommodations: Country Inn & Suites 1739 Manderville Road, Florence, South Carolina 29501. https://www.choicehotels.com/south-carolina/florence Phone 843-317-6616.
Meals: B, D
 
Sunday, April 7
Day 2: BREAKFAST buffet at the hotel before departing for Beaufort, South Carolina. This quaint little town is a must to experience as we stay is in the heart of the Historical District. Our first tour of the day is a 1 ½ hour DOLPHIN & HISTORY BOAT TOUR of the area https://coastalexbeaufort.com. You will have a light LUNCH provided to eat on the tour. Next on the itinerary is a 50-minute horse-drawn CARRIAGE TOUR of the Historic Downtown https://southurnrose.com. There will be some free time before checking into the Beaufort Inn our home for the next two nights. Enjoy your stay in your cottage-style room and a magnificent courtyard for our group to socialize in our downtime. DINNER is included at a local restaurant.
Accommodations: Beaufort Inn 809 Port Republic Street, Beaufort, SC. https://www.beaufortinn.com
Phone 843-379-3470.
 
Meals: B, L, D                                                                              
Monday, April 8
Day 3: You have a BREAKFAST voucher for breakfast at one of two local restaurants. Today starts with a STEP-ON-GUIDE starting with a tour of Parris Island the Marine Corps Recruit Depot – Access is limited, but our guide will take us to the Parris Island History Museum, this is a great museum and includes a movie called "The Crucible" that shows the final training event of the Marine recruits before graduation. I will need to have everyone's birth date and driver’s license information when you sign up. Driver’s license must be valid or other government-issued ID.
 
Next is the history of the Gullah/Geechee people who predominantly lived in the Lowcountry region of the US. Visit to the Penn Center created in 1862 and Darrah Hall to educate the newly freed enslaved people; also the site for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of the early 1960s attended by Dr. Martin Luther King, Andrew Young, and Joan Baez; and a local Gullah Art Gallery, where you will hear local history covering Robert Smalls (a Beaufort slave who stole a steamship called the Planter during the Civil War and turned it over to the US Navy in a daring escape) and Harriett Tubman (who spent 3 years on and off in Beaufort during the Civil War and led the Combahee Ferry Raid to free over 750 enslaved people from the Combahee rice plantations 20 miles north of Beaufort). LUNCH is included at Fishcamp. https://fishcampon11th.com. The remainder of the day is on your own for some retail therapy, sitting on a bench by the water, or reading a book in the Inn Courtyard. This part of the tour should be in a Hallmark movie. Dinner on your own.
 
Accommodations: Beaufort Inn 809 Port Republic Street, Beaufort, SC. https://www.beaufortinn.com
Phone 843-379-3470.
 
Meals: B, L
 
Tuesday, April 9
Day 4: You have a BREAKFAST voucher for breakfast at one of two local restaurants. You may sleep in today before we depart for one of my favorite shops to visit the Lowcountry Vendor Market a 1945-era packing house with over 4,000 sq. feet of merchandise made by local vendors. You will find everything imaginable from food to culture, to nature, the people, and their history.
Jekyll Island here we come! Our first stop is an AUDIO GUIDED TOUR of the SEA TURTLE CENTER https://www.jekyllisland.com/activities/georgia-sea-turtle-center. Next, we will check into our home for the next four nights, the Home 2 Suites.  DINNER is included at a local restaurant.
Accommodations: Home 2 Suites, 101 Ocean Way, Jekyll Island, GA 31527. https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/bqkskht-home2-suites-jekyll-island Phone 912.319.6024.
 
Meals: B, D
 
Wednesday, April 10
Day 5: BREAKFAST buffet at the hotel. Today we travel to Amelia Island, Florida. We have a STEP-ON-GUIDE to show us around the island. Amelia Island, Florida is full of rich, deep history. You will be taken on an incredible journey from the time the Timucua Indians inhabited this area into the modern-day shrimping industry.  Get to know when each of the eight flags dominated the island, and discover some very interesting characters that paved the way. Also included is a private GUIDED TOUR OF FORT CLINCH. A light LUNCH will be provided while on the tour. The story is incredible and we can't wait to share it with you. Once the tour is over you will have free time to explore the Historic area of Amelia Island and enjoy DINNER (included) at one of the local favorite restaurants. When we return to Jekyll Island the remainder of the evening is on your own.
Accommodations: Home 2 Suites, 101 Ocean Way, Jekyll Island, GA 31527. https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/bqkskht-home2-suites-jekyll-island Phone 912.319.6024.
 
Meals: B, L, D
 
Thursday, April 11
Day 6:  BREAKFAST buffet at the hotel. Our journey today takes us to another one of the Golden Isles, St. Simons. We will start the day with a 1 ½ hour TROLLEY TOUR that will show 36 points of interest on the island. Highlighting St. Simons Lighthouse. Fort Frederica, Christ Church, Bloody Marsh, and more https://www.stsimonstours.com. We will then take a short walking tour of St. Simons Pier Village including a walk out on the pier for a perfect photo opportunity. LUNCH is included at Iguanas Seafood Restaurant https://iguanasseafood.com. After lunch, we will walk as a group for a self-guided ST. SIMONS LIGHTHOUSE MUSEUM TOUR. If climbing the lighthouse is on your Bucket List there will be time for you to do so https://www.coastalgeorgiahistory.org/visit/st-simons-lighthouse-museum. You will have free time in St. Simons Pier Village. Once we return to the hotel, the remainder of the evening is on your own.
Accommodations: Home 2 Suites, 101 Ocean Way, Jekyll Island, GA 31527. https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/bqkskht-home2-suites-jekyll-island Phone 912.319.6024.
 
Meals: B, L
Friday, April 12
Day 7: BREAKFAST buffet at the hotel. Our local STEP-ON-GUIDE will tell the story of Jekyll Island as we travel to Driftwood Beach, the Wanderer Trail, Jekyll Island’s Historic District, and Jekyll Island Club. A narrated TRAM TOUR through the Jekyll Island Historic District, viewing the homes of the rich and famous up close. We will have LUNCH at the Jekyll Island Club. Returning to our hotel mid-afternoon. The remainder of the day is on your own.
Accommodations: Home 2 Suites, 101 Ocean Way, Jekyll Island, GA 31527. https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/bqkskht-home2-suites-jekyll-island Phone 912.319.6024.
 
Meals: B, L
Saturday, April 13
Day 8: BREAKFAST buffet at the hotel before departing on an exciting adventure to Okefenokee Swamp. This swamp is one of America’s most wilderness areas. Traveling on a ½ hour BOAT TOUR, ½ hour TRAIN RIDE, and ½ hour SWAMP NATURE SESSION, along ancient Indian Waterways, we will observe the natural beauty of the swamp. A LIGHT LUNCH will be provided before we depart for home. DINNER will be at Grandson Buffet in Hope Mills, NC.
 
Accommodations: Hampton on Inn, 2065 Ceder Creek Road, Fayetteville, NC. https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/faycehx-hampton-suites-fayetteville Phone 810-635-3200.
 
 
Meals: B, L, D
 
Sunday, April 14
BREAKFAST buffet at the hotel. It’s time to depart for home with the memories of the Golden Isles and the new friends that you’ve made. We will have rest & meal stops (not included) along the way.
Meals: B,
 
 
Tour includes: Round Trip Deluxe Motorcoach, 1 night lodging Country Inn & Suites, Florence, SC, 2 nights lodging at the Beaufort Inn, Beaufort, SC, 4 nights lodging at Home 2 Suites, Jekyll Island, GA, 1 night lodging Hampton Inn, Fayetteville, NC, 9 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 5 dinners, 2 boat tours, 1 carriage tour, 3 Step-on-Guides, 1 audio tour, 1 guided tour, 1 trolley tour, 1 light house tour, 1 tram tour, 1 train tour, 1 nature session, Water & Snacks on the motorcoach, knowledgeable and Experienced Tour Representative, and all taxes.