Alabama

Day 1 Hannibal, MO

Alabama, the Heart of Dixie, features a rich history and natural beauty. We’ll travel as far as Hannibal, Missouri this evening.

Day 2 Jackson, TN

We continue south through Missouri to St. Louis to visit the Ulysses S. Grant Historical Site. Here we’ll see White Haven Estate which is more than 200 years old. Lunch is included this afternoon along with some free time to shop and explore this cute little town. From there we’ll enter into Tennessee and travel to our overnight accommodations in Jackson. There will be an included Pizza Party at our hotel. (B, L, D)

Day 3 Decatur, AL

We enter into Alabama this morning. Our first stop is in Tuscumbia at Helen Keller’s Birthplace. During our visit we will learn about Helen Adams Keller, her family, her illness, her teacher-Anne Sullivan and see how Keller’s life developed starting in this beautiful and historic home. Next stop, Music Shoals Sound Studio where you can stand exactly where stars like George Jones, Cher, The Rolling stones and The Oakridge Boys recorded their hits songs. A few stops will be made for some pictures at the Florence Indian Mound and Wilson Dam Overlook before we leave town to head to Decatur for a one night stay. (B)

Day 4 Birmingham, AL

This morning we travel to the US Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville where the rockets that put man on the moon were developed. When you visit, you can’t help but feel the anticipation Dr. Wernher von Braun and his team must have felt as they prepared to make history. And now you can learn about NASA’s current plans and Huntsville’s role in it as they plan to travel to Mars with the world’s most powerful rocket. This afternoon we visit the Jesse Owens Memorial Park and Museum in Danville. Learn about the man who captured the attention of the world when he won 4 gold medals and shattered Hitler’s theory of Aryan racial superiority at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. Our adventure continues as we make our way to Birmingham with a stop at the Clarkson Covered Bridge, one of the largest covered bridges in Alabama. On arrival to Birmingham, we’ll check-in to our hotel for the next two nights. (B)

Day 5 Birmingham, AL

Back on the bus this morning to tour around Birmingham. We’ll visit the Arlington Antebellum Mansion, a former plantation and 6 acres of landscaped gardens built by enslaved people between 1845-1850. After lunch on your own at the Pitzitz Food Hall, we visit 16th Avenue Baptist Church, which was bombed by the KKK in 1963. Take time to walk across the street to West Park to view some of the sculptures depicting this hard time in our history. The rest of our day is spent at the Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark which played a big role in Birmingham’s history. Established by Colonel James Withers Sloss in 1881 which launched the industry due available coal, limestone, and iron ore here. We’ll end our day back our hotel and you are on your own for dinner this evening. (B)

Day 6 Montgomery, AL

We head out of Birmingham this morning heading towards Tuscaloosa but first making a stop at the Mercedes Benz Visitor Center in Vance. For more than 20 years, Mercedes-Benz has been manufacturing some of its popular automobiles right here in Alabama, and the Visitor Center is an evolving, interactive tour through some of the legendary manufacturer’s greatest innovations and it’s future concepts. In Tuscaloosa, we’ll tour the University of Alabama! Afterwards, we travel along the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail which commemorates the people, events, and route of the 1965 Voting Rights March in Alabama. We will stop at the Lowndes Interpretive Center to learn more. On arrival to Montgomery, the capital of Alabama, we visit the Rosa Parks Museum at Troy University. The museum’s collection contains a number of historically significant artifacts including the original fingerprint arrest record of Rosa Parks, a 1950s-era Montgomery city bus, original works of art including statuary and quilts, court documents and police reports, as well as a restored 1955 station wagon (known as a “rolling church”) used to transport protesters. While traveling through time, you’ll also meet Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and see the mass effect the Montgomery Bus Boycott and Civil Rights Movement had on the world. We’ll finish our day at the National Memorial for Peace & Justice, a sacred space for truth telling and reflection about racial terrorism and its legacy. (B)

Day 7 Orange Beach, AL

This morning will begin at the Hank Williams Museum in downtown Montgomery. Step back into the life of Country Music’s first superstar. You will be captivated by the southern charm of the Museum and as you stroll through the museum with Hank’s music while viewing the artifacts of this tunesmith including his 1952 Baby Blue Cadillac. Next we’ll make our way to Mobile, located on the Gulf Coast. Lunch is included at the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park today. After lunch, embark on a self guided tour at your own pace of the battleship, USS Drum Submarine, WWII Aircraft Pavilion along with many other highlights within the park. We will drive to Orange Beach, Alabama to check-in to our Gulf view rooms for the next three nights. (B, L)

Day 8 Orange Beach, AL

Enjoy a free day at our hotel to lay by the pool or wander the beach. (B)

Day 9 Orange Beach, AL

Another full day of tour is ahead. We head back to Mobile and do a tour along the Azalea Trail since Mobile is known as the Azalea City and we’ll be there during their blooming period. Our tour ends at Bellingrath Gardens, 65-acre public garden and historic home of Walter and Bessie Bellingrath. Here you’ll find various beautiful flowers as we tour the gardens. Lunch is included. We spend the afternoon at the Mobile Carnival Museum, where the magic and excitement of carnival history come to life. This unique exhibition showcases the vibrant traditions of Mardi Gras and the artistry behind the floats, costumes, and history of one of America’s most beloved celebrations. (B)

Day 10 Orange Beach, AL

Enjoy one last free day to enjoy the beach before we fly home tomorrow. We’ll gather for an included farewell dinner at a local favorite this evening. (B, D)

Day 11 Home

Our tour comes to an end today as we make our way to the airport and fly home.