DETAILS
National Trust Tours & International Seminar Design invites you to join a privileged group of members on a custom-designed cultural escape. Experience southern charm and culture in Savannah and Georgia’s magnificent Jekyll Island on this custom-designed itinerary enhanced by the insights of study leader John Meffert. Visit stately homes filled with art and antiques, view impressive museum collections, and dine in some of the finest restaurants in the Southeast, all while savoring the elegant sites and rich, vibrant history of this distinctive region. For architecture lovers, the tour offers a rich diversity, from Georgian mansions in Savannah to Gilded Age “cottages” on Jekyll Island. For art lovers, personal interaction with museum staff provides a very unique view on the region.
- Pricing from
- $3,895
- Trip Type
- Closer to Home, Group Travel Tour
- Departure Dates
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Feb 20, 2024 - Feb 24, 2024
DoubleTree by Hilton Savannah Historic District
Ideally located in the heart of Savannah’s Historic District, the DoubleTree is just steps from the open-air City Market and the shops and restaurants of iconic River Street. The hotel’s restaurant, John Ryan’s Bistro and Pub, serves up delectable Southern comfort fare.
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John Meffert
John Meffert, consultant on Heritage Conservation Services, has a long tradition with the National Trust. He has served as the Director for our Southern Office and was the director of the Preservation Society of Charleston, the oldest nonprofit organization in the United States, responsible for preserving the historic resources of Charleston, S.C. John has delighted many study tour groups with his lectures and insights on preservation, and receives rave reviews as study leader.
Terms and Conditions: ISDI requires that all tour participants be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to participate on the tour. Upon receipt of registration, ISDI will send registrant a Participant Tour Agreement detailing the full terms and conditions for this tour. This document must be signed and returned to ISDI before participant’s registration is considered complete and any arrangements can be confirmed.
Cancellations & Refunds: Cancellation by participant must be made in writing to ISDI and is effective only upon acknowledged receipt by ISDI. There is a non-refundable registration and planning fee of $500 per person regardless of cancellation date. Written cancellation received by ISDI on or before November 13, 2023: full refund minus $500 per person registration and planning fee. Written cancellation received by ISDI between November 14, 2023 and January 8, 2024: full refund minus $1,900 per person cancellation fee (includes registration and planning fee). Written cancellation received by ISDI on or after January 9, 2024: no refund. Tour registration is non-transferable. In the case of cancellation, substitutions are not allowed. After the tour has commenced, no refunds will be issued for any reason including, but not limited to, unused portions of tour. If the tour is cancelled by ISDI or National Trust Tours due to low enrollment, active registrants will receive a full refund of all tour payments.
ITINERARY
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day 1
Arrivals
Upon arrival in Savannah, transfer independently to the DoubleTree by Hilton Savannah Historic District, your home for the next four evenings. Late this afternoon, join architectural historian John Meffert for an opening lecture and overview of the days to follow. Then look at Savannah’s beautiful architectural heritage during a guided walking tour an expert local architectural historian viewing key homes, buildings, and squares along the way. Then toast your arrival in Savannah at a welcome dinner.
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day 2
Savannah’s Historic Homes
Depart on a full day of touring the best historic homes in Savannah. Enjoy an in-depth tour of the beautiful Mercer-Williams House, one of the city’s most storied historic mansions, for a guided tour of its grand interior spaces. Then meet the delightful owner of a gorgeous private home on Monterey Square for a chance to see a stylish historic house in the heart of the city. Pause for a delicious lunch of Low Country cuisine at a popular local restaurant near Forsyth Park. Visit the Davenport House Museum, one of the finest Federal-style houses in the United States, with delicate ironwork and a handsome elliptical stairway. Finish your day visiting a second outstanding private home. Return to the hotel for an evening at leisure.
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day 3
Jekyll Island
Jekyll Island Discover the fascinating history of Jekyll Island. At the end of the nineteenth century, many of the wealthiest men in America, including J.P. Morgan, Joseph Pulitzer, William Rockefeller, and Cornelius Vanderbilt, purchased the entire island as a hunting resort prized for its “splendid isolation.” Today Jekyll Island is part of Georgia’s Sea Isles and boasts “Millionaire’s Village”—240 acres of extravagant homes and winter cottages recognized as a National Historic Landmark. Following an architectural tour of the island, enjoy an outstanding luncheon at the historic Jekyll Island Club. At the Jekyll Island Arts Association, housed in the historic Goodyear Cottage, meet local artists, and enjoy free time for shopping. Before returning to Savannah, take a short detour to the Wormsloe Historic Site to see its renowned live oak allée. The evening is at leisure.
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day 4
Savannah’s Art Scene
Begin today with a special visit to the Owens-Thomas House, where the Curator of Historical Collections will welcome the group before opening hours. Tour the grandiose mansion and Slave Quarters. Continue to the Telfair Academy, one of the nation’s oldest art museums, and tour the original historic collection with the Director of Curatorial Affairs. Next be welcomed to the contemporary Jepson Center by its director and explore its modern art collection. Enjoy free time for lunch followed by an afternoon at leisure for wandering Savannah’s charming waterfront with plenty of quaint shops and historic monuments or to explore some of the city’s fine boutique shops. Rejoin your fellow travelers this evening to bid farewell to Savannah during a memorable dinner in an exceptional local restaurant.
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day 5
Departures
After breakfast at the hotel, visit the SCAD Museum, the main art venue of the growing and innovative Savannah College of Art and Design. Enjoy a guided tour of their galleries and ongoing shows and learn about the college’s unique urban campus. Transfer independently to the airport for return flights home.
Everything you need to know about the tour
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