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St. Charles Parks & Recreation “Georgia…on my mind”

June 3-10, 2018

Itinerary

Sunday, June 3, 2018 6:30am Depart Blanchette Park, St. Charles, MO for Chattanooga, TN with rest stops & lunch stop in route.

8:20am Rest Stop with Coffee & Donuts at Rend Lake Rest Area.

11:30am-12:30pm Lunch stop at Culver’s Restaurant ~Lunch on Your Own~

Culver’s Restaurant

140 S. Hampton Pl

Clarksville, TN 37040

Phone: 931-919-2573

12:30pm Depart for Chattanooga, TN. Move clocks forward one

hour to Eastern Daylight Savings Time.

4:30pm Check into overnight lodging

Hampton Inn Chattanooga West

74 Starview Lane

Chattanooga, TN 374-19

Phone: 423-602-5350

5:45pm Depart for dinner

6:00pm-7:30pm Dinner at Big River Grill & Brewing Works

Big River Grill & Brewing Works

222 Broad Street

Chattanooga, TN 37402

Phone: 423-267-2739

Menu Appetizer:

Jalapeno Spinach Cheese Dip…Spinach and fresh onions, blended

with melted jalapeno jack cheese. Served with Tortilla chips.

Salad:

Caesar Salad…with asiago cheese and croutons.

Entrée:

10 oz. Cab Top Sirloin…Seasoned to perfection served with rockin red rice and black beans.

Chicken Fried Chicken…Boneless breast smothered in country gravy with cheddar mashed potatoes and

Apple Cole Slaw.

Flame-Grilled Meatloaf…A blend of ground

beef and Italian sausage served over cheddar

mashed potatoes with Pork gravy & vegetables

Beverage:

Iced Tea, Soda or Coffee

Dessert:

Choice of House Made Brownie or Carrot Cake

7:30pm Return to Hampton Inn Chattanooga West

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Monday, June 4, 2018 6:00am-8:00am Deluxe Continental Breakfast at our Hotel at your leisure.

7:15am Bags down by the bus for loading.

8:00am Depart for McDonough, GA

10:30am-11:30am Lunch at Culver’s Restaurant

~Lunch on Your Own~

Culver’s Restaurant

90 Hwy 81 W

McDonough, GA 30253

11:30am Depart for Macon, GA

1:00pm-3:00pm We enjoy a guided tour of one of Georgia’s

most historic houses and distinguished structures, the Italian

Renaissance Revival style Johnston-Felton-Hay House in

Macon GA. Constructed in 1859, the Hay House was

declared a National Historic Landmark in 1974.

Hay House

934 Georgia Ave

Macon, GA 31201

Phone: 478-742-8155

In the mid-1800s, William Butler Johnson was the

keeper of the Confederate treasury, but the mansion he built

is the real treasure he left behind. Inspired by the mansions

of Florence and Rome during a three-year honeymoon in

Europe, Johnson and his wife, Anne, spent four years

building an 18,000-square foot Italian Renaissance Revival

mansion that is now a National Historic Landmark.

Considered the most advanced antebellum building in

America for its style, craftsmanship and technological

innovations, the magnificent seven-level Hay House has been

featured on A&E’s “America’s Castles.” It boasts beautiful

18th

-Century furnishings, Italian Carrara Marble fireplaces,

some of the country’s finest examples of marbleized and

trompe l’oeil finishes, a music room with a 30-foot clerestory

ceiling, exquisite plaster work with 24-karat gold leafing and

spectacular stained glass. Commissioned by imaginative

owners and constructed by the most skilled workers of the

time, its technological amenities were unsurpassed in the

mid-nineteenth century: hot and cold running water, central

heat, a speaker-tube system connecting 15 rooms, a French

lift equivalent to today’s elevator, in-house kitchen, and an

elaborate ventilation system.

The mansion is called Hay House for its last owners

and residents, the P.L. Hay family, who conveyed the

property in 1977 to The Georgia Trust for Historic

Preservation, the country’s largest statewide non-profit

preservation organization.

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3:00pm Depart for overnight lodging.

3:30pm Check into overnight lodging for two-night stay.

Hampton Inn & Suites-Macon North

3954 River Place Dr.

Macon, GA 31210

Phone: 478-803-5000

5:30pm Depart for Dinner

6:00pm-7:30pm Dinner at Downtown Grill.

Downtown Grill

562 Mulberry Street Lane

Macon, GA 31201

Phone: 478-742-5999

Menu Salad:

House Salad....Fresh Romaine lettuce, diced cucumbers,

covered with our house balsamic tomato-basil Vinaigrette and

shaved Bleu Cheese crumbles.

Entrée:

Chicken Breast….9-ounce marinated chicken breast, grilled

and served with a side of our marsala sauce. Served with

boiled red potatoes, mashed (skin on) with cream, butter and

our homemade basil pine-nut pesto. Also served with lightly steamed broccoli, grilled with butter and

chef’s seasonings.

Pork Tenderloin….10-ounce whole pork tenderloin grilled, then sliced into medallions and served with

our Bourbon Mustard sauce. Served with boiled red potatoes, mashed (skin on) with cream, butter and our

homemade basil-nut pesto. Also served with lightly steamed broccoli, grilled with butter and chef’s

seasonings.

New York Strip….12-ounce Black Angus New York Strip, available grilled or blackened. Served with

boiled red potatoes, mashed (skin on) with cream, butter and our homemade basil pine-nut pesto. Also

served with lightly steamed broccoli, grilled with butter and chef’s seasonings.

Beverage:

Iced Tea, Soda or Coffee

Dessert:

Georgia Pecan Pie

Rich and delicious

Georgia pecan pie served

with Breyer’s vanilla bean

ice cream.

7:30pm Return to

Hampton Inn & Suites-

Macon North.

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Tuesday, June 5, 2018 6:00am-8:30am Deluxe Continental Breakfast at our hotel at your leisure.

8:30am Depart for Lane Southern Orchards.

9:00am-1:00pm Since 1908, Lane Southern Orchards

has been dedicated to planting, growing and harvesting

the best-tasting peaches and pecans in the state of

Georgia. We will tour the peach orchards & pecan

groves and witness the packaging & shipping of the

produce from one of Georgia’s leading producers of

southern peaches & pecans—Lane Southern Orchards!

~Lunch on Your Own at the Peachtree Café~

Lane Southern Orchards

50 Lane Road

Fort Valley, GA 31030

Phone: 800-277-3224

This family operated farm has over 3,000 acres of peach orchards, 3,000 acres of pecan groves and a

special patch of strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, apples, scuppernongs, muscadines and kiwi. Their

huge Roadside Market is filled with seasonal produce, gourmet treats, local wines and peaches & pecans in

various products. We will board the very first Blue Bird Bus and see their adjoining peach and pecan

orchards up close and personal. We’ll learn all about their farm, as our guide shares the rich history of the

Middle Georgia peach industry, and facts on how their crops are grown and harvested.

Ever wonder how the

peach makes it from the tree

to your table? Well, join us as

we take their free self-guided

tour of the peach packing

process and find out. Enjoy

the view from the elevated

catwalk, learn the basics from

the informational cards along

the way, and watch the

journey of the sweet Georgia

peach from the farm to your

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table. ~Lunch on Your Own~ with genuine southern

hospitality at the “Peachtree Café.” Have you ever

wanted to try some authentic Georgia Pecan Pie, or maybe

a warm bowl of Georgia Peach Cobbler or possibly just

some delicious Peach Ice Cream? well here’s your chance!

1:00pm Depart for The Allman Brothers Band Museum.

1:30pm-3:00pm We visit and tour the Allman Brothers

Band Museum commonly called “The Big House.” In

1969 it was for rent, and by January 1970, it became the

house where members of the band, their roadies, friends

and families lived until 1973. It was the focal point of

gathering in those early years when the magic that is the

Allman Brothers Band was just taking shape and radiating

from this historic Southern town.

The Allman Brothers Band Museum

2321 Vineville Avenue

Macon, GA 31204

Phone: 478-741-5551

We will enjoy a self-guided tour of the 18-room,

4,440 square-foot museum that houses the world’s largest

collection of The Allman Brothers Band memorabilia to

include concert posters, magazine covers, vintage

photographs, original band instruments as well as

multitudes of Gold Records lining the walls. Witness the

rooms where Allman Brothers Songs such as “Ramblin’

Man”, “Blue Sky”, “Please Call Home”, “Leave My

Blues at Home” and “Midnight Rider” were written.

3:00pm Depart for Hampton Inn & Suites-Macon North

3:30pm-5:15pm Rest break at our hotel.

5:15pm Depart for dinner.

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5:30pm-7:00pm Dinner at the Tic Toc Room.

Dubbed by the New York Times as “Manhattan Meets Macon” their stylish décor catches the big city guests

visiting this charming southern town.

Tic Toc Room

408 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd.

Macon, GA 31201

Phone: 478-744-0123

The Tic Toc Room is one of Downtown Macon, Georgia’s treasured fine dining restaurants. A

downtown Macon icon, the building housing the Tic Toc Room once was the heart of the music movement in

the southeast (called Miss Anne’s Tic Toc back in the late 1940’s). It was within these four walls of the Tic

Toc Room that Little Richard first donned his cape and piano and created the blueprint for what is known

today as rock-n-roll. The “Architect of rock-n-roll” was joined over the years by the greats Otis Reading,

the godfather of soul James Brown, Chuck Lidell and Johnny Jenkins to name a few. It was with great

respect for the history of this building and its legends that the Tic Toc Room was born.

Menu Appetizer: Maryland Jumbo Lump Crab Cake…Pommery mustard cream.

Salad: Greens…Mixed Field Greens served with a balsamic vinaigrette and shaved Parmigiano cheese.

Entrée:

Reserve New York Strip Steak…Asiago whipped potatoes, Chef’s vegetable, Gorgonzola cream sauce.

Grilled Atlantic Salmon Filet…Lump Crab Meat, Mousseline Hollandaise, Vegetable Medley.

Lobster Ravioli…

Sautéed Black Tiger

shrimp, fresh tomato and

basil cream sauce.

Beverage:

Iced Tea, Soda or

Coffee

Dessert:

Chocolate Ganach Cake

7:00pm Return to the

Hampton Inn & Suite-

Macon North

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Wednesday, June 6, 2018 6:00am-8:00am Breakfast at our hotel at your leisure.

7:15am Bags down by the bus for loading.

8:00am Depart for Vidalia, GA

9:30am Arrive at the Vidalia Onion Museum for a visit

“All things Onion!”

Vidalia Onion Museum

100 Sweet Onion Drive

Vidalia, GA 30474

Phone: 912-538-8687

10:30am Depart for UGA Vidalia Onion & Vegetable

Research Center.

11:00am-1:00pm We visit the Vidalia Onion & Vegetable

Research Center ~Bag Lunch Provided~

Vidalia Onion & Vegetable Research Center

8163 Highway 178

Lyons, GA 30436

Phone: 912-565-7822

The Center was established in 1999 primarily to

provide research on Vidalia onions, and 6-7 acres of research

plots have been devoted to this crop every year. Researchers

have developed a new pumpkin variety here that will enable

South Georgia farmers to grow pumpkins commercially for

the first time. In addition, fertility studies and variety trials

have been conducted in corn, squash, cucumbers and

pumpkins. Blackberries, strawberries, carrots, Brassica

crops, garlic, shallots and artichokes have also been studied

here, along with no-til and organic vegetable production and

composting demonstrations.

Cliff Riner, researcher at the center, will give us a talk

about how the soil and climate combine to produce the special

characteristics of the sweet Vidalia Onion. The Sweet Vidalia

Onion is a registered trademark and can only be grown in 13

counties and parts of 7 counties, all in Georgia.

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1:00pm Depart for Pittman Family Farm & Country Market.

1:15pm-2:15pm We make a stop at Pittman’s Country Market and

Family Farm. The fourth generation of Pittman’s currently operate the

1200-acre family farm that produces over 40 different varieties of fresh

produce straight from their fields. They wholesale their produce out as

well as retail some produce in their onsite Pittman’s Country Market.

Their Country Market also carries some unique Georgia items as well.

Pittman’s Country Market and Family Farm

355 Cedar Crossing Road

Lyons, GA 30436

Phone: 912-565-0880

2:15pm Depart for Lyons, GA

3:00pm-4:30pm We visit and tour Generation Farms onion processing

plant. Generation Farms brings together two farming families, the

Stanleys and the Coggins, and combines their many decades of

experience and expertise. With production covering farmland across

southern Georgia and northern Florida, Generation Farms grows a long

list of crops including onions, carrots, watermelon, green beans and

sweet potatoes. They are trying to build a farming system that will be

sustainable for generations to come, by holding true to the finer things

of past generations and embracing new technology to sustain the farm

for future generations. In this guided tour, you will see how the onion is

processed, weighted, sorted by size, labeled and bagged for shipment.

Generation Farms

3309 E. 1st Street

Lyons, GA 30436

Phone: 912-526-3575

4:30pm Check into overnight lodging

for two nights.

AmericInn Lodge & Suites

155 Mose Coleman Drive

Vidalia, GA 30474

Phone: 912-537-2728

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5:45pm Depart for Dinner

6:00pm-7:30pm Dinner at Elements Bistro & Grill

Elements Bistro & Grill

104 NW Broad Street

Lyons, GA 30436

Phone: 912-526-8005

Elements Bistro & Grill has been open since

October, 2007 and has consistently been rated at the

top of both local and statewide restaurant polls. Some

quotes from restaurant reviews:

A gem and class act, for a small town

Great atmosphere and excellent service

This place is excellent, the food was amazing

The most amazing little place, I was surprised

It rivals any upscale Atlanta restaurant

Excellent restaurant, Excellent Food & Service

Simply the BEST—menu, food and service

An amazing atmosphere in an unexpected place

Menu Salad:

Mixed Green Salad (Family Style with Ranch &

Vinaigrette Dressing)

Entrée:

Herb Encrusted Pork Loin with an Apple Cider

Pan Sauce…served with Herb Roasted New Potatoes

& Sautéed Green Beans.

Elements Chicken, 8oz boneless chicken breast

served with Herb Roasted New Potatoes & Sautéed

Green Beans.

Beverage:

Iced Tea

Dessert:

Blueberry Cobbler

7:30pm Return to the AmericInn Lodge & Suites

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Thursday, June 7, 2018 6:00am-8:00am Breakfast at our hotel at your leisure.

8:00am Depart for Alma, GA

9:00am-11:00am We visit the Bacon County Extension Office in Alma, GA and learn all about a fruit that

not only taste good, but they’re also a good source of vitamin C, iron & fiber and are cholesterol-free,

sodium-free and an important source of potassium—Blueberries! Renee Allen, the UGA Blueberry Agent

for the state of Georgia, will enlighten us about all phases of Blueberries from planting, growing, harvesting,

packaging and distribution of this delicious berry. We will also have the opportunity to pick a small amount

of Blueberries right off the Blueberry bush here at the 17-acre Research Farm.

Bacon County Extension Office

203 South Dixon Street

Ag Complex Suite 3

Alma, GA 31510

11:00am Depart for lunch

11:15am-12:30pm Lunch at Dairy Queen ~Lunch on Your Own~

Dairy Queen

202 N. Pierce St.

Alma, GA 31510

Phone: 912-632-6515

12:30 Depart for Alma Pak Inc.

12:30pm-2:00pm We visit and tour Alma Pak, Inc, a packing

facility for wholesale fresh and individually Quick Frozen (IQF)

blueberries. Alma Pak has been in business since 2001 and is

privately owned by Georgia Blueberry growers. They pack

blueberries for owners of Alma Pak Inc. as well as independent

blueberry growers in Bacon and surrounding counties in South East

Georgia.

Alma Pak Inc.

246 Pineview Rd.

Alma, GA 31510

Phone: 912-632-6014

2:00pm Depart for the Blueberry Barn and some retail therapy.

2:15pm-3:30pm We have some free time to visit the Blueberry

Barn and other local shops on Main street before going to dinner.

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Blueberry Barn

108 W. 12th

St.

Alma, GA 31510

Phone: 912-632-2583

4:00pm Depart for dinner.

4:30pm-6:00pm Dinner at The Inn at Blueberry Plantation

The Inn at Blueberry Plantation

174 Plantation Dr.

Alma, GA 31510

Phone: 912-632-3006

Nestled amongst tall pines and

Hardwood trees, the golf

course at Blueberry Plantation

is surrounded by views of

wilderness characteristic of the

stunning natural beauty of South Georgia.

Menu Salad:

Fresh Green Salad

Entrée:

Filet Steak…served with baked potato and vegetable medley.

Pork Loin…served with baked potato and vegetable

medley.

Stuffed Chicken Breast…served with baked potato and

vegetable medley.

Salmon Filet…served with baked potato and vegetable

medley.

Beverage:

Iced Tea, Lemonade or Blueberry Lemonade

Dessert:

Blueberry Cobbler or Blueberry Lemon Cake

6:00pm Depart for Vidalia, GA

7:00pm Arrive at AmericInn Lodge & Suites.

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Friday, June 8, 2018 6:00am-8:00am Breakfast at our hotel at your leisure.

7:15am Bags down by the bus for loading.

8:00am Depart for Decatur, GA

11:00am-4:00pm Free time for shopping the quaint little shops in Historic Decatur, GA. The Historic

district has 200+ local shops, restaurants, cafés, galleries, salons, and services all within a short walking

distance. We will start at the visitor’s center in downtown Decatur where the local CVB will board our bus

to hand out brochures & maps and give us directions to where the shops are located. ~Lunch on Your Own~

4:00pm We meet back at the Visitors Center at 4:00pm and take a short 5-minute walk to our dinner.

4:30pm-6:00pm Dinner at Parker’s on Ponce

Parker’s on Ponce

116 East Ponce de Leon Ave

Decatur, GA 30030

Phone: 404-924-2230

Menu Salad:

Parker’s House Salad…mixed greens, blue cheese

crumbles, local bacon, toasted pecans, dried cherries, red

wine vinaigrette.

Caesar Salad…garlic croutons, Caesar dressing,

parmesan, white anchovy.

Entrée:

NY Strip Steak 10oz…blue cheese & bacon loaded

baked potato.

Salmon Filet…stone-ground grits, haricot verts, beurre

blanc

Springer Mountain Farms Roasted Chicken…mashed

potatoes, haricot verts, rosemary chicken jus

Balsamic-Herb Grilled Tofu “Steak”

(Vegetarian)…warm faro salad with mushrooms, golden

resins, haricot verts, arugula pesto, mushroom “bacon”

Beverage:

Iced Tea, Soda, Coffee

Dessert:

Housemade Cheesecake…seasonal topping

Dark Chocolate Mouse Pie…Oreo crust, whipped cream

6:00pm Depart for Marietta, GA

6:30pm Check into overnight lodging

Drury Inn & Suites-Atlanta/Marietta

1170 Powers Ferry Place

Marietta, GA 30067

Phone: 770-612-0900

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Saturday, June 9, 2018

6:00am-9:00am Breakfast at our hotel at your leisure.

8:15am Bags down by the bus for loading

9:00am Depart for Franklin TN with Rest Stop in route. Move clocks back one hour to Central Daylight T.

12:00-3:00pm Free time to explore Historic Downtown Franklin, TN with its Art Galleries, Antique Shops,

Victorian Architecture & Civil War History. ~Lunch on Your Own~

Franklin Visitors Center

400 Main Street

Franklin, TN 37064

3:00pm Depart for overnight lodging.

3:15pm Check into overnight lodging.

Hampton Inn & Suites-Nashville/Franklin

7141 South Springs Dr.

Franklin, TN 37067

Phone: 615-771-7225

5:00pm Depart for General Jackson Showboat

6:15pm We board the General Jackson Showboat

7:00pm-10:00pm Join us for America’s most entertaining cruise!

We will experience Nashville as it can best be seen from the beautiful

Cumberland River. While “rollin’ down the river,” we will enjoy

stunning views, a delicious meal freshly prepared by their chefs and

toe-tapping entertainment with their Nashville Nights stage show in

their two-story Victorian Theatre in the center of the boat.

One of the largest showboats ever built, the grand General

Jackson is an elegant triumph of American ingenuity. With its

elegant lacy filigree and stately design, the boat is reminiscent of the

opulence of the American Victorian era. Showboats have long been a

colorful part of our nation’s history, and this most unique Nashville

attraction epitomizes the grace and grandeur of the Old South. The

General Jackson Showboat is named after the first steamboat to

operate on the Cumberland River in 1817 which was named after

President Andrew Jackson, whose historic home—The Hermitage—

is 15 minutes from the dock.

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General Jackson Showboat

2812 Opryland Drive

Nashville, TN 37214

Phone: 615-458-3900

Menu Salad:

Romaine and spinach with garlic croutons, Cheddar

cheese curd, and red & yellow grape tomatoes.

Entrée:

Slow Simmered Beef Short Ribs…with celery merlot

gravy, carrots, onions, fried sweet onions & fresh herbs.

Served with baked mac-n-cheese, butter whipped mashed

potatoes, glazed

carrots with local Tennessee honey, hazelnuts and thyme.

Chicken roulade…with sun dried tomato romesco sauce

and garlic tarragon oil. Served with baked mac-n-cheese,

butter whipped mashed potatoes, glazed carrots with local

Tennessee honey, hazelnuts and thyme.

Beverage:

Iced Tea, Hot Tea, Coffee

Dessert:

Tennessee butter cake with vanilla cream anglaise

Nashville Nights is like spending a week in Nashville

in one dynamic hour of entertainment. Our journey begins

with traditional songs from the roots of country music.

Followed by “Jam Night” at Music City’s famous honky-

tonks honoring some of Nashville’s heroes like Hank

Williams, Patsy Cline, and John & John Carter Cash.

Then the focus is turned to some of Nashville’s famous

listening rooms like “The Bluebird Café.” Our journey

continues to dance the night away with toe-tapping

favorites. Next on the agenda comes from country music

headliners who perform at Nashville’s many venues

rocking the stage with great production numbers. As the

musical week reaches the weekend, they feature some of the

songs and stars that have helped make the Grand Ole Opry

the iconic landmark that it is today.

A versatile and virtuoso showband are our Tennessee

tour guides and take the audience on this exciting journey

supported by gorgeous costumes, lights and multimedia.

Come dine on the best music that Tennessee has to offer!

10:00pm Return to the Hampton Inn & Suites-

Nashville/Franklin

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Sunday, June 10, 2018

6:00am-9:30am Breakfast at our hotel at your leisure.

8:45am Bags down by the bus for loading

9:30am Depart for Grand Rivers, KY

11:30am-1:30pm Lunch at Patti’s 1880’s Settlement

Patti’s 1880’s Settlement

1793 J H O’Bryan Ave

Grand Rivers, KY 42045

Phone: 888-736-2515

After lunch you will have some time to visit any of

the 8 Gift Shops located on the property.

Menu Salad:

Fresh Garden Salad & Homemade Flower Pot Bread

Entrée:

1” Pork Chop…a smaller version of our big house specialty. A half-pound of pork,

charbroiled over an open flame and basted with our special seasoning and sauce. Served

with a Baked Potato.

Grilled Chicken…an 8oz boneless chicken breast, charbroiled and basted with a carefully

blended array of herbs and spices. Served with a Baked Potato.

Catfish Dinner…Catfish filets rolled in our special flour and seasoning and deep fried,

served with hushpuppies and a Baked Potato.

Beverage:

Iced Tea, Soda, Coffee

Dessert:

Bill’s Boatsinker Pie…a rich dark double fudge topped with coffee ice cream, piled high

with whipped cream and drizzled with a chocolate syrup and topped with a cherry

Sawdust Pie…a coconut, pecan and graham cracker pie, in an egg batter and

baked in a flakey pie shell, topped with fresh sliced banana and whipped cream.

Our House Specialty!

Old Fashioned Butter Crumb Apple…A careful mixture of sliced apples,

brown sugar and cinnamon baked in a flaky pie and finished with a butter crumb

topping “drizzled” with caramel.

1:30pm Depart for St. Charles, MO with Rest Stop in route.

5:00pm Arrive Blanchette Park, St. Charles, MO