Marilyn Foster: Capture the charm of the south in the springtime of 2024

Genteel Charleston, South Carolina should be on every traveler’s bucket list to see at least once, but warning… once won’t be enough!

Add a trip to storied Savannah, Georgia and a two-night stay at Jekyll Island, and you’ll have captured the essence of southern charm while enjoying the historic coastal cities.

The Chamber is offering a tour to visit these three beautiful areas next spring, departing on April 21, the height of the blooming season showcasing plants we will never see in our high desert. This is the time when the live oak trees, dripping with Spanish moss create the background for blooming cherry trees, azaleas, dogwood, and other exotic plants so prevalent in the deep South.

We begin our journey with two nights in captivating Charleston where you can feel the Americana history all around you. We’ll see and tour the famous City Market where those of Gullah Geechee descent sell their hand-made woven sweetgrass baskets.

A must is the ferry ride to Fort Sumter to tour the famous site where the first shot was fired to start the Civil War. Charleston is colorful and just about every restaurant serves excellent food. Your hotel is within the historic district for easy walking to most attractions and the wharf area. As with most tours to the east, we recommend a pre-tour night to be able to have time to explore on your own.

The next two nights are spent in Savannah, Georgia, known for its art community, stately period architecture, grace, hospitality, and haunted tales. Conde Nast Travel magazine continues to name this one of the “world’s friendliest cities.” Those who enjoyed the best-seller, “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” will have the chance to tour the famed home featured in the book.

Your hotel is in the historic district. Next, we travel along the Gold Coast with a stop at quaint St. Simons Island to walk the beach or climb to the top of the iconic lighthouse.

Then it’s on to Jekyll Island for a two-night stay at the famous Jekyll Island Club, an upscale luxury boutique ocean club resort part of Noble House Hotels & Resorts. You will think you have stepped back in time to the late 19th century, for the main building is as it was at the time of the Rockefellers, Vanderbilts, JP Morgan, and other members of the “millionaires’ club” who dined in the storied restaurant and had magnificent summer homes built on the island.

Not well known is this is the island where the formation of the Federal Reserve System was born. Grab a rocking chair to sit under the magnificent front porch and sip a Georgia Peach cocktail while viewing the daily croquet games where, like in the old days, all players wore white.

I’ve left the best part for last – southern food! There are three dinners included in the tour, one in each city. In Savannah, there’s to be a cooking demonstration and you’ll end the tour dining like a millionaire in the Jekyll Island Club. You’ll have the opportunity to lunch where you please and even have time to dine on your own. Breakfast is featured daily.

Over the years, Collette Vacations has listened to travelers who want more time on their own yet take advantage of all that group touring offers. Most everything is planned out for you and only top-notch hotels are used. From the time you leave until the time you return this southern adventure promises to be memorable and oh so charming.

For complete information on this lovely tour to capture your heart, contact the Chamber at 775-882-1565 or log on to the Travel Club page at www.carsoncitychamber.com/spotlight/details/chamber_travel_club and scroll down to Southern Charm. While there, peruse the forthcoming 2024 travel offerings.