Escorted Tours Cosmos U.S.A & Canada Tour 8290
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| The Old South & Florida Tour 8290 — 13 days from Orlando to Tampa/ St. Petersburg Beach Tour 8295 with St. Petersburg Beach exetention — 15 days from Orlando to Tampa/ St. Petersburg Beach |
| Day 1, Sat. ORLANDO. The tour starts in Orlando, the world's capital of "fun and fantasy." Your Cosmos tour director is on hand at the hotel throughout the afternoon to assist you on arrival and provide information regarding things to see and do tonight. |
| Day 2, Sun. ORLANDO. A full free day to explore the many sights in the Orlando area. Your tour director will suggest numerous optional excursions, including Disney's huge entertainment park; SeaWorld, America's biggest marine life park; and exciting Universal Studios. For the evening, perhaps spend some time at Church Street Station, an huge entertainment complex. |
| Day 3, Mon. ORLANDO-SAVANNAH. . Head northeast towards the Atlantic coast and Daytona Beach for a stop at the famous Daytona Speedway. Then on to St. Augustine, the oldest city in the United States, first explored by Juan Ponce de Leon in his search for the legendary Fountain of Youth. Enter Georgia, the "Peach State," and arrive in Savannah in the late afternoon. Tonight take our optional trolley ride through this historic city, followed by a delicious dinner at the Pirate's House, a 250-year-old inn that was once a secret meeting place for notorious pirates. Note: if a race is being held at Daytona Speedway a stop cannot be made. |
| Day 4, Tue. SAVANNAH-ATLANTA. . The morning is free, so join our optional breakfast tour of Savannah's landmarks. After a hearty southern-style breakfast you'll see the major attractions including Madison Square, where General Sherman concluded his "March to the Sea" and River Street and Factors Row with its Old Cotton Exchange building. Plus, a visit to one of Savannah's many historic homes. Then continue north across farmlands that produce cotton, pecans, and peanuts. Arrive late afternoon in vibrant yet gracious Atlanta, Georgia's state capital and site of the 1996 Summer Olympics. |
| Day 5, Wed. ATLANTA-CHATTANOOGA-NASHVILLE. View the sights on your orientation tour of Atlanta, including Peachtree Plaza, CNN Center, and Peachtree Street with its charming neighborhoods. Then travel north through the Chattahoochie National Forest before entering Tennessee, the "Volunteer State." Stop in Chattanooga, home of the famed Chattanooga Choo Choo. Next learn of the whiskey-making process on a guided tour of the famous JACK DANIELS DISTILLERY. Continue through rolling farm country before arriving in Nashville, the "Country Music Capital of the World." |
| Day 6, Thu. NASHVILLE. Begin the day with a sightseeing tour of Nashville's famous landmarks, including the Parthenon, homes of famous country-western music performers, and the recording studios of Music Row. As the afternoon is free, why not join our optional lunch outing to the world-famous Opryland Hotel. After a delicious lunch at one of the many fine restaurants on this property, you'll take a guided tour of the hotel seeing magnificent sights such as the Magnolia Lobby, with its grand staircase, and the Delta, a 4.5-acre city under glass, complete with a river, fountain, and shops. A special treat this evening: reserved seats at one of Nashville's renowned country-western musical stage shows featuring some of America's favorite entertainers and singers. Note: Nashville stage shows change throughout the year. As a result Cosmos cannot guarantee a certain performance for any particular departure. Your tour director will advise you on the first day of the tour which performance you'll see. |
| Day 7, Fri. NASHVILLE-GRACELAND-MEMPHIS. On to Memphis, a city with a distinct southern flavor and "Home of the Blues." This afternoon visit GRACELAND, Elvis Presley's estate, for a guided tour of the splendid gardens and opulent 15,000-square-foot mansion. As the evening is at leisure, why not visit a blues club on Beale Street? |
| Day 8, Sat. MEMPHIS-JACKSON-VICKSBURG. Enter Mississippi, the "Magnolia State" with a break in Jackson to view the State Capitol. Late afternoon arrival in historic Vicksburg, the I "Gibraltar of Confederacy^' founded in 1719 by the French. There is a chance this evening to join the optional jetboat ride on the Mississippi and Yazoo Rivers, and hear how these two rivers I played an important role in the development of Vicksburg. |
| Day 9, Sun. VICKSBURG-NATCHEZ-NEW ORLEANS. Start the day with a guided tour of I VICKSBURG NATIONAL MILITARY PARK and I visualize the battles fought at this site during the ' 47-day siege. Then stop in Natchez, once a boomtown during the cotton era. Vast plantations and magnificent mansions still line the streets and reflect the city's prominent past. Tour the main sights of Natchez and visit an elegant ANTEBELLUM HOME with its collection of fine furniture and paintings. Next is Baton Rouge, Louisiana's capital, where you see the main sights, including the State Capitol, the Old State Capitol, and the Governor's Mansion. On to New Orleans, capital of Dixieland, for the next three nights. |
| Day 10, Mon. NEW ORLEANS. . This morning is dedicated to the sights and sounds of this old-world city. First a drive by the Garden District to see its stately mansions; then take a guided walking tour of the French Quarter, including Pirate's Alley, St. Louis Cathedral, and Bourbon Street. The remainder of the day is at leisure. Highly recommended is our optional lunch outing to famous Arnaud's with a tour of the Mardi Gras Museum, followed by a ride to the Top of the Mart for panoramic views. |
| Day 11, Tue. NEW ORLEANS. A free day with a wide selection of activities to choose from, including a ride in a quaint, clanging streetcar up St. Charles Ave. Or how about a cooking class to learn the secrets of Cajun cuisine? For the shoppers, Canal Street and the French Quarter offer an extensive variety of specialty shops and boutiques. This evening we highly recommend the optional Mississippi River dinner cruise aboard an authentic riverboat, where you'll enjoy a delightful buffet dinner, complete with live jazz. |
| Day 12, Wed. NEW ORLEANS-BELLINGRATH GARDENS-PANAMA CITY BEACH. Visit the beautiful BELLINGRATH GARDENS on Mobile Bay, the 800-acre estate of Walter Bellingrath, a pioneer in the Coca-Cola bottling industry. Enjoy your walk through the manicured gardens ablaze with a variety of flowers, including azaleas, camellias, dogwood, and in the late fall, poinsettias. On through Mobile, a major world port, and into the "Sunshine State" of Florida. Follow along the coastal route of the "panhandle" and arrive in the popular resort of Panama City Beach in the late afternoon. |
| Day 13, Thu. PANAMA CITY BEACH-TAMPA ST. PETERSBURG. A scenic day unfolds as you head east with vistas of sandy beaches, marshy estuaries, and the Gulf of Mexico. Continue south through Florida's bayou country and arrive in Tampa. First a stop at Tampa International Airport for tour members with homebound flights. (Please do not schedule flights before 7:30 p.m.) The tour ends at the Dolphin Beach Resort in St. Pete Beach in the early evening. > This tour is ideal for combination with other Cosmos tours of the South. You pay less for your second tour. |
| Extend your tour in St. Pete Beach
Tour 8295 Days 1 to 13, Sat. to Thu. Like tour 8290. Check into your oceanfront hotel, the Dolphin Beach Resort in beautiful St. Pete Beach. Day 14, Fri. ST. PETE BEACH. A full day to relax in this lively resort that offers a fine selection of warm-weather activities, including tennis, golf, deep-sea fishing, and a variety of water sports. Optional excursions to the major attractions of the area are available, including Busch Gardens and Shell Island with its tidal pools and sand dunes. Join the optional dinner sunset cruise tonight. Day 15, Sat. ST. PETE BEACH. The tour ends today, with tour members departing on individual schedules. Airport transfers are provided to Tampa International Airport. YOUR HOTEL IN ST. PETE BEACH is the Dolphin Beach Resort. This hotel is located on a stretch of white sandy beach overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, and across the street from a 30-store shopping center. All rooms are air-conditioned, and have a telephone and color TV. Hotel amenities include a restaurant, cocktail lounge with nightly live entertainment, pool bar, heated swimming pool, game room, shuffleboard, and watersport rentals. |
| ALL THIS IS INCLUDED
• Services of a professional tour director; on tour 8295: host service in St. Pete Beach • Hotels listed below or equivalent; see also page 6. Twin-bedded rooms with private bath or shower, hotel taxes, service charges, and tips for baggage handling • Private deluxe air-conditioned motorcoach • Orientation drives in Atlanta, Memphis, Jackson, Baton Rouge • Sightseeing tours in Nashville, Natchez, New Orleans • Visits to Dayton Speedway, St. Augustine, Savannah, Jack Daniels Distillery, Chattanooga, Graceland, Vicksburg National Military Park, antebellum home in Natchez, Bellingrath Gardens, Panama City Beach • Reserved seats at a country-western performance in Nashville • Other scenic highlights: Chattahoochie National Forest, Mississippi River, Florida's Gulf Coast and bayou country • Inside visits as shown in UPPERCASE in the tour description, including admission charges where applicable • Portfolio of travel documents |
| COSMOS HOTELS ORLANDO Comfort Inn Lake Buena Vista (ST), SAVANNAH Hampton Inn Historic District (F), ATLANTA Days Inn Atlanta Downtown (ST), NASHVILLE The Clubhouse Inn & Suites (F), MEMPHIS La Quinta (ST), VICKSBURG Hampton Inn (ST), NEW ORLEANS The Monteleone (F), PANAMA CITY BEACH The Boardwalk Beach Resort Comfort Inn Suites (ST), ST. PETE BEACH Dolphin Beach Resort (F) |
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