LeisureGroupTravel.com April 2011 29

on location: south � dave bodle

From Ferris wheels high above andcoal mines down below to history,art, culture and of course Elvis

and Dolly, there’s no place like theSouth. With so many things to see anddo in the 11 Travel South states, you’llprobably need to extend your group’sstay. State by state, here are just a fewfresh options for 2011:

ALABAMAFor the eighth time Alabama

Tourism has introduced a themed cam-paign that covers the entire year. Nocampaign could be more appropriate

than the one that celebrates Year of Al-abama Music. A brochure entitled “100Places to Hear Live Music in Ala-bama,” a website dedicated to all thingsmusic, contests and events highlightwhat’s shaping up to be a memorable2011.

More than 200 live music venuesand 17 attractions are listed in the “100Places” brochure. Log on to yearofal-abamamusic.com for the venues thatwelcome groups. Plan your tour aroundattractions like the Alabama Jazz Hallof Fame in Birmingham, Dothan’sMusic Murals, Alabama Fan Club

and Museum, Hank Williams Mu-seum andNat King Cole’s Home.

Alabama Tourism director Lee Sen-tell said few things bring out the pas-sion, interest and devotion in peoplelike music. “Music provides a strongemotional experience for most. Ala-bama is excited to showcase our varietyof music, musical events and destina-tions.”

ARKANSASThe Clinton Presidential Center

and Library in Little Rock will host aSmithsonian traveling exhibition show-

LeisureGroupTravel.com April 2011 29

Travel SouthNew Reasons

to

Check out Atlanta’s World of Coca-Cola, the reborn Gaylord Opryland and Myrtle Beach’s SkyWheel and Pirates Voyage.

Consider all thenew possibilities

for enhancingyour tours in the

Southern states

Looking for new group travel ideas?

We’ve got 52 of ’em. The Arkansas State

Parks system has something for everyone –

archeology, adventure, history, mountains,

rivers and lakes – even the only diamond

site in the world where you can dig for

diamonds and keep what you find!

52 unique group destinations.T h i s c o u l d g e t i n t e r e s t i n g .

5 2 w e e k s i n t h e y e a r .

Historic Mather Lodge, Petit Jean State Park > Check out our 52 Arkansas State Parks today.

See video on phone with QR reader.

Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, Eureka Springs

Take a trip to the wild side – from exciting zoological

exhibits to wildlife refuges and magical botanical gardens.

Find out more by visiting our website or calling the toll-

free number for itinerary ideas.

Get more information at

ArkansasGroupTravel.com

or by calling 1-800-872-1259

Safari by school bus.

New penguin exhibit at Little Rock Zoo

Garvan Woodland Gardens,Hot Springs

Make the high point of Arkansas

Play City.LGT/11

Spa City. Hot Springs is famous for natural thermal spas and historic Bathhouse Row. But with the South’s newest gaming center, stunning woodland gardens, delicious dining and more – you can call us whatever you like.

Visit hotsprings.org or call 1-800-922-6478 for your Group Tour Planner now.

Bloom City.

casing Elvis Presley on the threshholdof stardom, Elvis at 21, June 4-Aug. 21,2011. While in town catch the newAfrican penguins exhibit at the LittleRock Zoo. View the penguins fromabove and below the water. Kids have aspecial crawl-through tunnel for an up-close view. A visit to the state’s first legaldistiller, Rock Town Distillery, mayloosen up your group just enough totake the new Haunted Tours of LittleRock excursion.

In the Delta area at Jonesboro lookfor the new $1.9-million, 20,000-square-foot Plantation Park MusicTheater. The venue holds 1,200 withanother 500-seat balcony additionplanned. Country, gospel and bluegrassmusic are featured every Saturdayevening.

In the Northwest section of the state

the Osage Creek Performing ArtsCenter plans to open in summer 2011.The 16,000-capacity music venue willhost five to seven major concerts andfestivals/events in season.

Expected to open this spring is therenovated Walmart Visitor Center inBentonville. The approximate 20 per-cent square footage increase will in-clude a new 32-seat theater, newartifacts, touch tables and the SparkShop and Cafe.

GEORGIAIn Atlanta, The World of Coca-

Cola will be adding 3,525 square feetof exhibit space. The expansion willallow more items to be displayed andcreate a plaza for private functions andevents. In cooperation with AT&T theGeorgia Aquarium will be adding a

major dolphin exhibit. Opening in earlyApril, Dolphin Tales will be the largestexpansion for the world’s largest aquar-ium. The new addition will include aviewing gallery, 25-foot-long underwa-ter viewing window, interactive displaysand a live theatrical show with dolphinsand actors.

KENTUCKYFor many years coal fueled homes

and businesses in this nation, and inEastern Kentucky coal was king. InLynch, visitors to Portal 31, an oldmine recently opened as an attraction,can experience a day in the life of a fic-tional coal miner as they ride a rail carinto the underground chambers whereimmigrants from Italy and the BritishIsles mined 130 tons of coal.Jim Beam Distillery in Clermont,makers of “the world’s finest bour-bon,” has opened a new section ofits visitor center. Just south ofLouisville, this state-of-the-art fa-cility highlights the company’s his-tory and offers a tasting of thetop-selling spirit. The multi-mil-lion-dollar “Visitors Experience”includes new displays of photos andhistorical documents and a distill-ery tour. The center’s three-yearrenovation project will be com-pleted in 2012. MEGA Cavern is Louisville’s

newest tourist adventure. Tramtours highlight the history andsplendor of the natural cave, a con-stant 60 degrees. The cavern’s“Lights Under Louisville” holidaydisplay placed ninth in Best Christ-mas Light Shows compiled by thewebsite America’s Best & Top 10.

Positioned as “8 Blocks of Vil-lany,” the Newport Gangster Tourshares the seedy side of what was atone time called “Sin City.” TimeMagazine noted its “gaudy brand ofgambling and prostitution,” andOne of four state park lodges.

Book your next tour at Arkansas’s resort state park in the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains. Here on scenic DeGray Lake, resort amenities combine with outdoor adventure including sunset lake cruises, swimming, hiking, golf, tennis and nature programs.

DEGRAY LAKER E S O R T S T A T E P A R K

on location: south �

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34 April 2011 LeisureGroupTravel.com

Bobby Kennedy in his run for presidentpromised “he’d clean that place up” if hewon. Tales of the crime figures andmovie stars who made their way to thisnotorious destination make an enter-taining history lesson. Private tours areavailable year round.

LOUISIANAConsidered to be the definitive hur-

ricane exhibition, Living with Hurri-canes: Katrina and Beyond is a 6,700-square-foot interactive multimedia ex-hibition at the Louisiana State Mu-seum in New Orleans. To aid visitorsin understanding Katrina’s impact onLouisiana, the Gulf Coast and the nation, the exhibition combines con-temporary accounts, historical contexts,immersive environments and in-depthscientific exploration.

St. Landry Parish in South-CentralLouisiana has a new, state-of-the-artPlus Williamsburg & Virginia Beach

newport-news.org888.493.7386 Commemorate

the Civil WarSesquicentennial!

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800-852-6437 CountryMusicHallofFame.org

222 5th Ave. South Downtown Nashville, TN

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You won’t want to miss this new exhibit examining instrumentalist and recording artist, Chet Atkins. Learn how he influenced generations of country, rock, and jazz guitarists with a smooth finger-picking style that earned him the nickname “Mr. Guitar.”

CHET ATKINS: CERTIFIED GUITAR PICKERExhibit Open August 2011 – June 2012

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visitors center. It is one of the first cen-ters in the South to focus on sustain-ability and green construction. Buildingmaterials salvaged during constructionwill be used by local artists to create artto be exhibited in the center. Also in St.Landry Parish, the Bayou Teche Pad-dle Trail will open this fall. Groups witha taste for the outdoors will see lush na-tive plants and wildlife along the way.

MISSISSIPPIMississippi will honor the 50th an-

niversary of the Freedom Riders andFreedom Summer 1961, a pivotal partof the civil rights movement. Officialactivities begin May 22. More than 125original Freedom Riders are slated toparticipate. Two of the state’s most famous na-

tive sons, bluesman Robert Johnsonand playwright Tennessee Williams,

will observe centennial birthdays thisyear. Throughout the state and prima-rily in the Mississippi Delta region,Johnson’s May 8 birthday will be cele-brated. Clarksdale will host the annualMississippi Delta Tennessee WilliamsFestival Oct. 14-15.

NORTH CAROLINACharlotte will be welcoming the long

overdue arrival of US Airways Flight1549, the plane that made the “miracle”landing on New York’s Hudson River.The famous aircraft will find a home at the Carolinas Aviation Museum.

Sheraton Vistana VillagesOrlando, Florida

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Villa and resort features and amenities may vary by location. Furnishings may vary.©2011 Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Starwood Vacation Ownership, Preferred Guest, SPG, Starpoints, Aloft, Element, Four Points, Le Méridien, Sheraton, St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, W, Westin and their respective logos are the trademarks of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., or its affiliates. 11-OOC-0012

Enjoy extra space, amenities and vacation value at Sheraton Vistana Resort or Sheraton Vistana Villages in Orlando, Florida.

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on location: south �

The new Mint Museum Uptown has brightened Charlotte’s cultural scene.

36 April 2011 LeisureGroupTravel.com

PigeonForgeTours.com

1 - 8 0 0 - 2 8 5 - 7 5 5 7

Where time is not Where time is not W measured by a clock.here time is not measured by a clock.

Where every visit creates lasting memories

Motorcoach travelers know that Pigeon Forge is the perfect place to make memories. Could be because there’s so much to see and do here… shopping, shows, Dollywood® or the majestic beauty of our Smoky Mountains. Or it could be that warm welcome they receive, kind of like visiting an old friend. Whatever the reason, they know that every visit creates memories that will last a lifetime.

Where you bring luggage Where you bring luggage W but lose baggage.

here you bring luggage but lose baggage.

Where the Where the W GP Shere the is always set to fun.GP S

s always set to fun. is always set to fun.

Contact Brenda Ciapanna, Sales Manager, Visitor & Convention Bureau, grouptour@hiltonheadisland.org, 800.523.3373 ext. 368

Experience the splendor of S O U T H C A R O L I N A ’ S L O W C O U N T R Y

Engage your group with itineraries for exploring the history, nature, cuisineand culture of Hilton Head Island, Bluffton and Daufuskie Island.

Gullah Heritage • Civil War • Lowcountry Cuisine • Arts & Crafts • Shopping & DiningKayaking for the Novice • Sea Island Turtle Nesting

Easy to reach day trips feature Savannah, Beaufort and Charleston. Learn more at HiltonHeadIsland.org

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In Wilmington the RiverfrontConvention Center has opened and iswithin walking distance of hotels,restaurants and shopping. The center islocated across the river from the Bat-tleship North Carolina. Commis-sioned in 1941, she took part in everyPacific naval offensive, earning 15 bat-tle stars. The memorial to WWII vet-erans will celebrate her goldenanniversary with year-long activities.

Art is a common thread in threemajor North Carolina cities. In Raleigh,N.C. Museum of Art’s East Buildinghas reopened with American Chronicles:The Art of Norman Rockwell. The Mil-ton Rhodes Center for the Arts hasdebuted in Winston-Salem, featuringvisual art, music, theater, film anddance. Charlotte’s new Mint MuseumUptown brings the Mint Museum ofArt and Mint Museum of Craft + De-sign under one roof, doubling the per-manent collection. The Charlotteinstitution celebrates its 75th anniver-sary this year.

SOUTH CAROLINAIn Myrtle Beach a new Ferris wheel

will rise 18 stories above the newboardwalk. Starting in May, riders onSkyWheel Myrtle Beach will enjoygreat views from enclosed, climate-con-trolled gondolas. Legends In Concerthas moved to Broadway at the Beachadjacent to Planet Hollywood. A brandnew show, Stars in Concert at Cele-bration Music Theatre, now occupiesthe former Legends building in Surf-side Beach. WonderWorks will makeits South Carolina debut this spring atBroadway at the Beach. After 19 yearscountry music star Dolly Parton isgoing pirate. Completely renovating theDixie Stampede, she opens her new Pi-rates Voyage dinner show this spring.

The South Carolina Aquarium inCharleston opens its new 4-D Theatrethis year, allowing visitors to get closer to the wind, waves and water.Magnolia Plantation has preserved

and restored four original slave cabins,each reflecting a different period ofAfrican experience on the plantation.Boone Hall Plantation and Gardenshas opened a new exhibit telling theAfrican-American story through a rangeof audio-visual presentations.

A new Mast General Store iscoming to the heart of downtown Columbia, joining a vibrant galleryand music scene in South Carolina’scapital. The city’s Nickelodeon inde-pendent movie theater has moved into

the old Fox Theatre. South of the Border in Dillon has

opened a new Reptile Lagoon, billed asthe “largest indoor reptile exhibit in theUnited States.” The City of Gaffneyhas a new visitor center and art galleryin the circa-1913 former post officebuilding. In Greenwood the BenjaminE. Mays Historic Site is now open andshares the story of a son of a share-cropper who went on to become thelongtime president of Morehouse Col-lege in Atlanta.

In Norfolk, there’s always something to

celebrate. With hundreds of waterfront

festivals, the fun never stops. To plan your

itinerary, visit us online or contact Melissa

Hopper, Associate Director of Tour & Travel.

A friendly city that’ll really get your wheels turning.

vis itnorfolktoday.com | 1-800-368-3097

LeisureGroupTravel.com

TENNESSEEIn Memphis this year, Elvis Pres-

ley’s Graceland unveils The Roots ofElvis, highlighting Elvis’ early yearsand the influences that shaped him,and Elvis in the News, which exploreshow Elvis challenged the boundaries ofexpression.

One of Tennessee’s oldest homes,the Nell House, has been relocated andrestored at Casey Jones Village in Jack-son. Citizens of Trenton gathered on

the roof to watch the Civil War battleof Trenton unfold. Groups are still wel-come for special events and tours. Alsoopening this year is the 100-year-old,fully restored Brown’s Creek PrimitiveBaptist Church.

The newly restored and renovatedGaylord Opryland reopened only 195

days after Nashville’s May 2010 flood.New restaurants and redesigned lob-bies, guest rooms and suites await trav-elers. The show must go on and in truefashion the Grand Ole Opry nevermissed a performance during itsrestoration. Completion will be in timeto re-enter the Opry House for theshow’s 85th birthday celebration in Oc-tober. In White Creek the FontanelMansion & Farm, former home ofBarbara Mandrell, is now open.

Following the receipt of the2010 Applause Award, the mostprestigious award in the theme parkindustry, Dollywood will debut the$5.5-million Barnstormer ride in2011. The recently opened OleSmokey Distillery offers free toursand moonshine for sale.

One of the most significant ar-chaeological sites east of the Missis-sippi River, Gray Fossil Site andMuseum in Johnson City, is under-going a $2-million expansion. Thealready interactive museum will fea-ture two outdoor classrooms, a wetlab and cafe in its 7,000-square-footaddition.

Throughout 2011 the TennesseeValley Railroad in Chattanooga willbe offering special events and all-day excursions celebrating its 50thanniversary.

VIRGINIAIn the western region of the

state, Shenandoah National Parkand its main artery, Skyline Drive,will be celebrating their 75th an-

niversary.Speaking of anniversaries, the Citie

of Henricus, just south of Richmond,will be celebrating its 400th. Estab-lished in 1611, Henricus was the sec-ond successful English settlement inthe New World. Special programs willbe presented throughout 2011.

In Williamsburg, Busch Gardenswill be adding its tallest ride yet. MachTower will lift up to 30 riders 246 feet,rotate the platform 360 degrees andthen drop at speeds of up to 60 milesan hour.

With almost 180 wineries already,Virginia will add three more in 2011.Glass House Winery, a boutique win-ery, is part of the popular MonticelloWine Trail. Granite Heights Vineyard(near Warrenton) will produce jams andhoney along with wine. Saude CreekWinery near Williamsburg sits on thesite of a colonial tavern. George Wash-ington is said to have quenched histhirst there. We’re not sure if he spentthe night.

WEST VIRGINIAWest Virginia invites you to bring

your appetite in 2011. After dinner,plan to visit Morgantown’s new eventcenter and home to the West VirginiaPublic Theatre.

Durbin & Greenbrier Railroad hasadded a gourmet dinner service aboardthe Mountain Explorer Dinner Train.Trips depart Elkin for a scenic five-hour adventure on selected dates fromJune through October. Tamarack (TheBest of West Virginia) has added culi-nary demonstrations from the world-renowned chefs from The Greenbrier.

For more than 100 years TheBlennerhassett, a member of HistoricHotels of America, has been welcom-ing guests to its Parkersburg front door.Now the grand hotel is extending thedelights of its culinary school to grouptravelers. The Culinary School at TheBlennerhassett Hotel provides numer-ous options for all skill levels.

With so many places to explore andnew things to do, no wonder the Southis such a premier destination for groups.For information on each of the 11 TravelSouth states, go to travelsouth.com. LGT

on location: south �

Nashville’s Gaylord Opryland gleams

anew after renovations prompted by

damage from last year’s flood.

40 April 2011 LeisureGroupTravel.com