The Group Tour Virginia 2022-23 Group Travel Guide is available to read online. Features include:
Virginia Beach
Chincoteague Island
Newport News
Charlottesville & Albemarle County
Prince William County
Winchester-Frederick County
Heart of Appalachia region
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QUAD CITIES — The Iowa Department of Transportation, Illinois Department of Transportation, and the cities of Bettendorf and Moline recently announced that construction of the bike and pedestrian path on the new I-74 bridge is complete.
An exciting feature on the bike and pedestrian path is a scenic overlook with a glass oculus to provide the public with a unique view of the Mississippi River. The 10-foot diameter oculus is made of thick, tempered glass that is safe to stand on, and the surface is textured to provide better traction. Uplighting is also being installed on the scenic overlook, and the entire path will be lit at night.
Fully separated from traffic and ADA accessible, the new path provides a safe way to cross the Mississippi River. At 14-feet wide, there is ample room for bikes and pedestrians to travel in either direction. The path connects to existing trails on both sides of the river. For more information, visit visitquadcities.com.
MILWAUKEE, Wis. — VISIT Milwaukee recently announced the launch of the free Milwaukee Cheese Curd Pass, which gives visitors and locals alike exclusive specials from over 20 area fried and fresh cheese curd purveyors.
In addition to discounted curds, anyone who downloads the pass before June will be entered to win free curds for a year. Additionally, anyone who checks in at every business on the Milwaukee Cheese Curd Pass by Dec. 31, 2022, will be eligible to win The Ultimate Cheese Giveaway.
The Milwaukee Cheese Curd pass is part of an ongoing series of passes launched by VISIT Milwaukee to increase tourism, grow visitor and local spending at partner businesses, and give the community something to celebrate.
ST. IGNACE, Mich. — Star Line Mackinac Island Hydro-Jet® Ferry, the most affordable, longest-running ferry service to Mackinac Island, Michigan, recently announced its plans to change its name to Mackinac Island Ferry Company and introduced a new logo for the new brand, which will be fully rolled out by the end of 2023. During this transition, the company will be referred to as Star Line Mackinac Island Ferry Company. The new name is designed to place all brand assets currently owned under the Mackinac Island Ferry Company umbrella of brands.
Mackinac Island Ferry Company owns the Star Line Mackinac Island Hydro-Jet® Ferry branded fleet of ferries, the former Arnold Line Ferry fleet and Mackinac Marine Services (MMS) shipyard. The company is best known for its high-speed hydro-jet rooster tail boats, family-friendly atmosphere, and most frequent number of trips to and from Mackinac Island and underneath the Mackinac Bridge.
The new Mackinac Island Ferry Company logo uses a font that harkens back to a simpler time, much like the feeling Mackinac Island visitors experience during their island excursions. As part of a natural transition of the brand name, the Star Line brand logo will continue to be used during this summer season and then will be phased out through 2023. Visitors will begin to see the new logo added onto the Star Line dock signage throughout summer 2022.
FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Caloosa Sound Convention Center & Amphitheater in downtown Fort Myers has opened its much anticipated amphitheater. The new venue extends across the eastern side of Centennial Park, nestled between Luminary Hotel on Edwards Drive and the Caloosahatchee River. The $3.54 million project, including ongoing renovations to the park’s east side, will be used for entertainment as well as annual events. The venue capacity is 2,500–3,000 people, surpassing other mid-sized Southwest Florida venues.
A trio of baseball-oriented destinations in New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland have organized the ultimate road trip for travelers who are ready to get out of their dugouts this year for a long-overdue “away game.”
The “Round-Tripper” is a baseball-themed triple play that encourages visitors to follow the path of the Susquehanna River as it winds its way along a 444-mile path, beginning, passing through and ending in three of the most baseball-centric places in America: Cooperstown, New York; the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania; and Harford County, Maryland.
This Is Cooperstown, the Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau and Visit Harford have teamed up to cross-promote baseball-themed tourism experiences in all three regions. Each has created a list of baseball-centric attractions, sites and restaurants that visitors can find on all three organizations’ websites.Each destination is prepared to support its neighbors with the intention that everyone involved will score a hit.
For more information about the Round-Tripper, a baseball-themed road trip through three states, visit the websites of each of the collaborative destinations that assembled the tour. Here’s a link that takes you from Cooperstown south, and here’s the one that begins in Harford County, Maryland, and heads north.
Pulaski County, Missouri, is centrally located along Interstate 44, approximately 2½ hours west of St. Louis and 2½ hours east of Joplin. This corridor is also known for Historic Route 66 and Pulaski County proudly features 33 miles of the Mother Road’s scenic beauty.
“Pulaski County, Missouri, is part of the Ozarks region and provides stunning vista views of the Ozark rolling hills and bluffs along scenic riverways,” said Beth Wiles, executive director at the Pulaski County Tourism Bureau. “Our area is most known for our 33 miles of Route 66 with over 50 stops; gentle river float trips along the Big Piney and Gasconade rivers; and Fort Leonard Wood, the premier installation for military training.”
The bureau can assist tour operators with personalized itinerary building, connecting with area businesses and obtaining bids. Wiles said her team can also help develop unique mystery tour itineraries for daylong or several day trips.
“Our central location in Missouri makes for the perfect Route 66 Hub-and-Spoke option,” Wiles added. “Choose one of our comfortable hotels as your basecamp for the trip and venture to the east on Route 66 the first day, spend the second day along Pulaski’s 33 miles and on the third day, explore to the west.”
Groups will love exploring these Route 66 stops in Pulaski County.
In the scenic Ozark community of Devils Elbow, visitors witness 200-foot-tall limestone bluffs and the Big Piney River. The community’s centerpiece is the 1923 steel truss bridge, part of the Devils Elbow Historic District, designated by the National Register of Historic Places.
Wiles said the bridge is a popular group photo opportunity, as is the infamous Elbow Inn and Devils Elbow Café.
“The Elbow Inn and Devils Elbow Café are not operational but are highly photographed and a very popular stop for groups of all types,” Wiles said.
Wiles describes a visit to Uranus, Missouri, as an “out-of-this-world, hilarious experience.” The attraction includes a fudge factory, sideshow museum, ice cream shop, miniature golf and more. The quirky Uranus Sideshow Museum holds the second-largest personal collection of oddities in the world and features 100 exhibits. Another photo op is the 22-foot-tall Muffler Man “Mega Mayor” statue, a fiberglass likeness of Uranus, Missouri, owner and self-proclaimed mayor Louie Keen. Motorcoach parking and restrooms are available.
Groups will enjoy the easy walkability of downtown Waynesville, which offers boutiques, restaurants and museums.
“Group dining is available by appointment at Hopper’s Pub, or the area is conducive to free-roam restaurant choices and gathering at the Roubidoux outdoor seating area,” Wiles said. “Groups gather for photos at the 8-foot Route 66 Shield and at the interactive canoe mural. A historic walking tour pamphlet is also available to find the hidden gems throughout the downtown area.”
Also in Waynesville, the Trail of Tears Memorial, situated alongside the Roubidoux, is an open-air museum and 1-mile concrete walking trail with historic story boards. The memorial pays tribute to the Cherokee Encampment along the Roubidoux River.
“Groups may choose to stop at any time or schedule a meet-and-greet guide to share the story of this National Park Service area,” Wiles said.
The Old Stagecoach Stop House Museum, a National Historic Site, shares the story of the historic building, which began as a log cabin and later served as a stagecoach stop, inn and apartments, and Civil War hospital.
“Tour guides dress in period costume and share the history of this unique building,” Wiles said. “The 12 rooms showcase Ozark history from the 1800s to 1970.”
During the construction of the Fort Leonard Wood military installation, businesses and residences sprang up in an area the locals nicknamed Eastville. In 1951, Eastville was incorporated as Saint Robert, which is now a thriving commercial center. Visitors will find tributes throughout the city to U.S. servicemen and women.
“With our diverse community, due to being the home to the military installation, Fort Leonard Wood, you will find we are a warm and patriotic community,” Wiles said.
In 2023, the city will debut the new Route 66 Neon Park.
“This open air-museum will feature vintage neon signage that has been restored and displayed in the George M. Reed Roadside Park,” Wiles said. “The park is easily accessible from both the east and westbound side of Route 66 near the Route 66/Missouri Avenue intersection with plenty of room for motorcoach parking.”
For more information about Pulaski County’s tour bus friendly communities visit tourpulaskicounty.com.
The 2022 Wyoming Group Travel Guide is available to read online. Features include:
Wonderful Wyoming
Learn why the West is best experienced with a group
Past to present
The great outdoors
Yellowstone National Park marks 150 years
Art and culture
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Grand Hotel, full of history and tradition, is an unforgettable setting for any adult tour group. The hotel, which opened in 1887 and is known as “America’s Summer Place,” delivers one-of-a-kind accommodations (each guest room is uniquely decorated), delicious dining and engaging activities.
The hotel is located on Michigan’s Mackinac Island, where no motorized vehicles are allowed. All transportation is provided by horse and carriage or bicycle.
“Guests arrive at the Mackinaw City Ferry Dock … this is where you begin to relax,” said Jennifer Moeckel, Grand Hotel’s director of sales. “The staff at the ferry dock will take your luggage, from this point your luggage will be delivered directly to your guest room at Grand Hotel. Next, sit back and enjoy the 15-minute ferry boat ride to Mackinac Island. To your left is the Mackinaw Bridge, which connects the Lower Peninsula of Michigan to the Upper Peninsula! Once you arrive to Mackinac Island, a horse-and-carriage taxi is waiting to bring you to Grand Hotel.”
Moeckel shared this itinerary, which is a favorite with the hotel’s group travel leaders.
2:30 p.m. — Arrive at Grand Hotel.
3–4 p.m. — History Lecture with Bob Tagatz, Grand Hotel’s Resident Historian.
4 p.m. — Check in to your uniquely decorated guest room.
6:30–8:45 p.m. — Four-course dinner served in the Main Dining Room (formal dress required).
9:30–11 p.m. — Dance the night away and enjoy live music from The Grand Hotel Orchestra.
7:30–10 a.m. — Breakfast at your leisure in the Main Dining Room.
10:30 a.m.–Noon — Horse-and-Carriage Tour around Mackinac Island.
12:30–1:30 p.m. — Grand Luncheon Experience in the Main Dining Room.
1:30–3:30 p.m. — Free time; we suggest relaxing in a rocking chair on The Front Porch!
3:30–5 p.m. — Afternoon Tea served in the Main Dining Room.
7–9 p.m. — Four-course dinner served in the Main Dining Room (formal dress required).
9:30–11 p.m. — Dance the night away and enjoy live music from The Grand Hotel Orchestra or have a nightcap in the Cupola Bar.
7:30–10 a.m. — Breakfast at your leisure in the Main Dining Room.
10:30 a.m. — Taxi Carriage to the Ferry Dock.
For group tour inquiries and information, visit grandhotel.com/groups/tours and email grouptours@grandhotel.com.
Main image, aerial view of Grand Hotel; credit for all photos: Grand Hotel
As the third most visited presidential site in the country, Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage is a welcoming place for tour groups. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, The Hermitage is a 1,120-acre National Historic Landmark with more than 20 historic buildings, including Jackson’s mansion and tomb, restored slave cabins, a church and gardens. Groups visiting The Hermitage will discover the full story of Andrew Jackson’s life and work, including the history of the enslaved men and women who lived and worked on the property.
We chatted with Ann Dee McClane, vice president, marketing & communications at Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage, to learn what tour groups can expect from a visit.
A. Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage is the home of the seventh U.S. president — where Andrew Jackson and his family lived before, during and after his presidency. This National Historic Landmark has been open to the public since 1889, giving visitors a glimpse into what life in the 19th-century South was like.
No one tells the story of Jacksonian America — that pivotal time in our nation’s history between the Revolutionary War and the Civil War — like we do. This period of time, in which Jackson was president, shaped America’s future. While Jackson’s story is complex, it is nonetheless vitally important to know. As president, he strengthened the power of the presidency. He was able to keep South Carolina from seceding from the Union. He decentralized the bank. He gained new respect for the United States in foreign affairs and pushed the country toward democracy. He is the only president to have paid off the national debt.
All of these accomplishments also come with the intricacies of Jackson being a man of his time. The Jacksons were a wealthy family, and they were able to accumulate their wealth because of the labor of enslaved men and women who lived and worked on the Hermitage property. He did not free any of his enslaved workers before he died, and the Greek Revival-style mansion that serves as the centerpiece of our site is the result of that forced labor.
The mission of our organization is to tell that story — the whole story — so that we can inform decisions to make a better path forward. We do that every day through tours that are offered. This important piece of American history is something that should not be overlooked on any trip to Nashville.
A. Groups are graciously welcomed to Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage. With Southern hospitality, our team prides itself on making every visitor feel welcome and appreciated. From offering Grounds Passes and talks with our team of historians and experts to a wagon tour that tells more about the lives of the enslaved workers and a Commander in Chief Tour with our president and CEO, tour options are endless!
Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage is consistently ranked as one of the top tourist attractions in Nashville and is the third most visited presidential site in the country. The Andrew Jackson Foundation exists to preserve the history of what has been entrusted to us, to educate about Jacksonian America and how that critical time shaped the country that America is today and to inspire citizenship in every person who steps foot on our property.
A. Groups of 15 or more people receive a discounted rate on our Mansion Tour, which is our most popular tour option. This tour includes a guided tour of the Hermitage mansion, as well as a self-guided tour of the site, including 1,120 acres that house more than 20 historic buildings, historic garden where the Jacksons and many of their family members are laid to rest, walking trails and our museum and Jackson film. Visitors should also check out our Museum Store, which has perfect souvenirs and gifts!
When the site is fully operational again (which we hope is in the near future), our goal is to bring back The Duel: Art of the Southern Gentleman. This interactive guest experience gives the history of duels, including Jackson’s involvement in several. Audience members are even selected to act as “seconds” to our duelists. This award-winning experience has been a favorite of groups, and we look forward to its return.
A. We recommend a group allot two to three hours to do all that The Hermitage has to offer.
A. The staff at Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage is always excited to assist group tour operators — from providing information on options for groups and putting together the perfect itinerary for their time on our site to greeting groups upon arrival and even recommending other activities in the area. Our goal is to ensure an excellent visitor experience for everyone.
A. We have a café on-site, offering some of the tastiest Southern fare in Nashville. And don’t miss the wine tasting at Natchez Hills Winery, our on-site tasting room that offers made-in-Tennessee wines by the glass, flight and bottle, as well as local craft beer.
A. The Hermitage is fortunate to have more than 800,000 artifacts in our collection and to have new pieces added each year by the generosity of donors. We take pride in being able to safely showcase as many of these as we can. Because preservation is one of our organization’s core tenets, we are always working to ensure the longevity of what has been entrusted to us. Just last year, we completed a preservation project on Jackson’s tomb and to the beloved Telemachus wallpaper in the upstairs hallway of the mansion. Visitors love seeing these kinds of preservation projects underway, giving them a peek at important work that is not always seen.
A. The Hermitage is so pleased that group travel has returned! We have had an incredible, busy spring season and look forward to welcoming many groups this fall. To ensure the best possible experience for everyone, we do recommend booking as early as possible, allowing us to lock in the timeframe that is best for your group. We look forward to welcoming you back to the home of the seventh president.
For more information, visit thehermitage.com.
Main photo: Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage, Nashville, Tenn.; Credit: Andrew Jackson Foundation
When National Tour Association members gathered recently in Anchorage, Alaska, for Contact, the association’s annual tour operator retreat, they laid it all out — their gratitude to be traveling again, but also the post-pandemic frustrations that are driving them crazy.
It starts with higher costs.
“Hotels are quoting prices that are out of this world,” said Michelle Pino, co-owner of Northeast Unlimited Tours. “Transient business has increased so much in New England, hotels are telling us they don’t need group business. And if they will take us, they’re charging so much more.”
Fortunately for NTA operators, there were DMOs and suppliers who attended Contact as sponsors, and throughout the three-day event, buyers and sellers shared ideas and floated solutions during structured sessions as well as at meals and networking events.
And hotels aren’t the only type of cost hikes, said Brittany Dykla of Michigan-based Brilliant Edventures. “Gas prices are driving me crazy. We have received some truly ridiculous fuel surcharges,” she said.
Fuel surcharges can be dropped if prices drop, but until then, operators are passing along the higher fees for fuel — as well as for hotels — to clients.
“If these costs keep going up, people will just stop traveling,” Pino said.
There’s another key tour component that’s a source of frustration for operators. “Restaurants are our biggest challenge,” Pino said. “They’re saying, ‘We don’t have the staff, so we can’t take your group.’ That might change in two months, but we’ll be operating tours by then.”
The clock is ticking for other tour operators planning itineraries, as they struggle to nail down suppliers.
“I’m constantly chasing our suppliers,” Dykla said. “We have to call them, call back and remind them that we called, and sometimes beg for them to take our groups or give us a contract or the information we need.”
Tour operators who specialize in student groups have these same challenges … plus more.
“Everything you do, you have to redo … and then do it again,” says Julie Kozikowski, president of Connecticut-based Destinations Unlimited. “Protocols change and we keep informing teachers, only to have to update them again and again.”
And because parents add another layer of client interaction, an unsettled protocol environment makes doing business more difficult. “Vaccine mandates led some parents to cancel, and although the mandate changed, the parents didn’t come back,” Kozikowski said.
While there are no easy solutions to today’s price surges, worker shortages and COVID uncertainties, NTA members acknowledge that their best path to recovery relies on working together at events like Contact and Travel Exchange, NTA’s signature event, slated for Nov. 13–16 in Reno, Nevada.
“The best part about NTA’s in-person events is the chance to meet in person and build both personal and business relationships with other tour operators and suppliers,” Kozikowski said. “I’m looking forward to meeting more people and networking in Reno at Travel Exchange.”
While there are no easy solutions to the challenges operators face, Michelle Pino articulated what many of her colleagues have also concluded.
“We’re in a new tourism world,” she said, “and we’re going to have to work together to figure out challenges we never thought we’d see.”
Article by Bob Rouse, NTA’s VP for Communication. For more information about the association, visit NTAonline.com.
Main image: Jay Smith (Sports Travel and Tours) spoke to NTA members during BizNet, a facilitated business discussion. Credit: Normand Huberdeau
The digital edition of Group Tour 2022-23 Heritage & History is available to read online. Features include:
Native culture
Automobiles
Presidential places
State capitols
Festivals and celebrations
Sports
Don’t miss a single digital issue! Subscribe to our monthly e-newsletters, tips and publications. Subscriptions are always free and you can cancel anytime.
As Canada’s Capital, Ottawa is a city of landmark capital sites, a wealth of cultural attractions, a beautiful natural setting, all wrapped up in a relaxed urban vibe. Nestled at the junction of three rivers and the UNESCO World Heritage Site Rideau Canal, the city is considered one of the world’s most beautiful capitals.
Member: ABA, OMCA, NTA
Nearby Attractions that Influence Group Travel:
Type: Regional
Tour Services:
150 Elgin Street, Suite 1405
Ottawa, Ontario K2P 1L4
Phone: (613) 237-5150
Fax: (613) 237-7339
E-mail: traveltrade@ottawatourism.ca
Web: www.ottawatourism.ca
A31268
Illusions compel us to view the world in a different way and can provide insights about how our brains process reality. Students visiting Chicago’s Museum of Illusions can immerse themselves in illusions as they explore more than 80 fun and educational exhibits.
The museum’s unique design encourages students to have fun while learning the science behind each illusion they experience. “We call ourselves an edutainment concept,” said Stacy Stec, marketing manager at Museum of Illusions. “We are a blend between a museum rooted in education and an entertainment venue.”
School groups representing a number of academic disciplines from health and life science to psychology and physics can find connections to their curriculum by exploring vision, perception and the human brain.
As visitors walk through the museum on their self-guided visit, framed optical illusions, holograms and hands-on exhibits like turntables and kaleidoscopes keep students engaged.
A Smart Playroom includes a series of dilemma games, manipulative and brain teasers to activate students’ problem-solving skills and inspire a little competition among friends. Staff members are on hand to answer questions or provide a hint for those particularly perplexing puzzles.
“Exhibits like the Ames Room are popular experiences for students,” Stec said. As students walk from one corner of the room to the other, they appear to grow and shrink. The illusion distorts perceptions about depth and has applications to camera techniques like forced perspective. “Staff are on hand with some expert tips on snapping the perfect, social media-worthy photo!”
Other great photo opportunities include the Beuchet Chair Illusion or Head on the Platter. Putting students right in the middle of these optical illusions motivates them to understand how it works. “It is fun to challenge your brain to see things from a different perspective,” Stec said. “We pride ourselves on explaining why you are seeing what you are seeing.”
The effects are inescapable in the must-do Vortex Tunnel. Students walk across a completely flat and stable surface as rotating lights and images confuse the body’s vestibular system, the sense of balance and spatial orientation that coordinates movement with balance.
The museum gift shop is a perfect stop to find a souvenir to take home the fun — from dilemma games to books about perception and the brain.
The Museum of Illusions is located in the heart of downtown Chicago, making this interactive site a perfect way to round out a city-day itinerary.
Article by Michael McLaughlin
Main photo: Kaleidoscope Illusion, Credit: Museum of Illusions
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