FLORIDA – Escape to the Warmth!
2020 Dates: March 22-27 ... Oct 18-23 ... Nov 8-13
1st Day: Upon arriving in Orlando, Florida, we transfer to our hotel, where we have accommodations for the next 5 evenings. Our first day is highlighted with Welcome Dinner. (D)
2nd Day: We drive east as we head towards today’s destination - the Kennedy Space Center. What a fascinating visit: we’ll see the Astronaut Hall of Fame, which traces the development of space exploration through video footage, multi-media displays, IMAX films, personal memorabilia and historical spacecraft. We even take a bus tour of NASA restricted areas, view the giant shuttle launch pads and can even walk beneath the enormous 363-foot Saturn V rocket. This remarkable visit explores the past, present and future of the U.S. space program. We return to our hotel in the afternoon. Another tasty dinner awaits us tonight. (B,D)
3rd Day: We drive to St. Augustine, the oldest city in America, where Ponce de Leon landed as he searched for the Fountain of Youth. Henry Flagler, a co-founder with John D. Rockefeller of the Standard Oil Company, spent the winter of 1883 in St. Augustine and found the city charming, but considered its hotels and transportation systems inadequate. He had the idea to make St. Augustine a winter resort for wealthy Americans from the north, and to bring them south he bought several short line railroads and combined these in 1885 to form the Florida East Coast Railway. When he opened the Ponce de Leon Hotel in 1888, St. Augustine became the winter resort of American high society. Our tour of St. Augustine includes seeing the Old City, Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, the Colonial Spanish Quarter, the Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse, the Cathedral-Basilica of St. Augustine and the Old Jail. We return to our hotel in late afternoon. Dinner in one of Orlando’s finest restaurants is prepared for us this evening. (B,D)
4th Day: Today is a magical day as you enjoy a journey around the world. We visit Disney World’s Epcot Center, where you are invited to experience the wonders of 11 different countries. As you enter each country’s pavilion – whether it’s China, France, Italy, Germany or any of the other countries – you will forget that you are in Florida. There are sound and light presentations as well as entertainment and restaurants in the pavilions that will make you feel as if you have been magically transported to that country as you get a chance to experience its culture, history, dress, entertainment and food. Truly a day you will remember forever. (B)
5th Day: A short ride brings us to today’s destination: the Holy Land Experience. We spend the day amidst beautiful gardens and landscaping, attractions and rare biblical related artifacts that emphasize the significance of Jesus Christ in so many peoples’ lives. The Holy Land Experience features a wide range of live stage presentations whose underlying message is one of hope, grace, forgiveness and joy (including such must-see live presentations as the Passion of the Christ Live Drama). Other sites include Temple Plaza, Wilderness Tabernacle, the Jerusalem Model A.D. 66, Centurion’s Tower and the Scriptorium – featuring a collection of ancient scrolls and early printed editions of the Bible. We return to our hotel after a rewarding and enjoyable day. A final evening Farewell Dinner awaits us tonight. (B,D)
6th Day: Following breakfast, we transfer to the airport for our return flight home. (B)
Tour package includes accommodations for 5 evenings, 5 breakfasts, 4 dinners,
gratuities for the meals, sightseeing, admissions, the services of a professional
tour escort, baggage handling and transfers in Florida and taxes.
Price: $1,749 per person, double occupancy. Single sup: $349
Airfare is additional