Savannah's Style & Charleston's Charm

DAY 1, Sunday – Arrival in Charleston  
Arrive in Charleston and transfer independently to the Mills House Hotel. This evening, meet your fellow Gutsy travelers in the hotel lobby for a fabulous "Champagne-and-Strawberries Get-Acquainted Reception.” After you have met your fellow travelers, enjoy a short walk to cozy, renowned Poogan's Porch for a welcome dinner.
Overnight: Charleston
Meals: Dinner
 
DAY 2, Monday – Charleston City Tour and Middleton Plantation
The first morning begins in Charleston with a guided tour of the city's historic sites to see why this southern gem is considered a "living museum." Stops along the tour include the College of Charleston, Charleston Village (one of the early suburbs of the city), the Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina, Rainbow Row, and the famous Battery, with its elegant town houses built by planters and merchants in the 18th and 19th centuries.  From there, you’ll journey to Middleton Place Plantation where you’ll enjoy lunch among the terraced gardens of this former rice plantation tracing its modern day roots to 1741 and that today is one of the most photographed landscapes in the South.  After a return to the hotel in the late afternoon for an evening at leisure, consider visiting one of the nearby historic and acclaimed Low Country restaurants for dinner, local music, and flavor.
Overnight: Charleston
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
 
DAY 3, Tuesday – Carriage Ride in Beaufort and Savannah’s Charms 
After breakfast depart for Savannah, with a stop along the way for a horse-drawn carriage tour of beautiful Beaufort's Historic District. Enjoy an open-air ride through this charming southern town to see myriad antebellum homes. The term antebellum literally means "before the war," – the Civil War, that is – and the homes feature architecture of the Greek Revival, Classical Revival and Federal style and are easily distinguished by their verandahs, balconies, columns and pillars. Many are seen in locally filmed movies like the "Prince of Tides," "Forrest Gump," and the "Big Chill."  Following the carriage ride, enjoy lunch at Plum’s in Beaufort before continuing to Savannah. Upon arrival, check in to the Mulberry Inn before heading off to dinner at Paula Deen’s Lady & Sons Restaurant, now housed in a 200-year-old building.  Sample Paula’s famous fried chicken and collard greens and her sumptuous desserts like peach cobbler and gooey butter cake.  Following dinner, enjoy a walking ghost tour that will wind you from the front door of the Lady & Sons back to the Mulberry Inn.  Along the way, you’ll learn why Savannah is the most haunted city in America as you’re regaled with tales of the city’s legendary culture, allure, and mystique.
Overnight: Savannah
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
 
DAY 4, Wednesday – Jekyll Island 
This morning, travel to Jekyll Island for a tour of the famed Historic District anchored by the Jekyll Island Club Hotel and surrounded by the winter cottages of the turn-of-the-century wealthy industrialists including the Carnegies, Vanderbilts, and Rockefellers.  Known as a private "millionaire's club," the luxurious Jekyll Island Club with its grand ballroom was considered "roughing it" in contrast to their other homes in Newport, Chicago and New York.  These architecturally significant cottages reflect the renewed interest in the revival of European-style homes.  After enjoying lunch in the main dining room of the Jekyll Island Club Hotel, enjoy free time to stroll through the Historic District or visit the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, a rehabilitation and medical facility dedicated to these gentle creatures of the sea.  After departing from Jekyll Island, you’ll stop for a photo opportunity at the “Smallest Church in America” at Townsend.  Located in north McIntosh County, this little sanctuary has become an annual stop for thousands of I-95 and Highway 17 travelers since it was first built in 1949.  The church, a dream come true for Agnes Harper, a local grocer who was instrumental in its construction, is a place of meditation and rest for weary travelers. Then return to Savannah for an evening on your own to explore bustling River Street or the myriad of verdant squares that has made the city so famous.
Overnight: Savannah
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
 
DAY 5, Thursday – Morning at Leisure, Savannah Theater
Enjoy the morning at leisure in Savannah and perhaps take advantage of this opportunity to stroll the sidewalks under trees enchantingly draped with Spanish moss. Or you might opt for a trolley tour for an overview of this stunning city by the sea that is the oldest in Georgia.  Perhaps you might visit one of many landmarks, including the Mercer-Williams House made famous in the book and subsequent movie “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,” the home of Girl Scouts founder Juliette Gordon Low House, or the Telfair Museum, where you’ll find the original Bird Girl statue and regional, national, and international artwork from around the world.  That evening, enjoy an early farewell gourmet dinner at Savannah's much ballyhooed Olde Pink House before concluding the evening with a special musical performance at the Savannah Theater.  These performances, always lively and always show-stoppingly fun, are marvelous conclusions to your stay in this city of charm and romance.
Overnight: Savannah
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
 
DAY 6, Friday – Return Home
After breakfast, transfer independently to the Savannah airport for your return flight home Meals: Breakfast