Southern Coasts and Culture

Day 1: Arrive in Atlanta

Flying into Atlanta today, you'll be landing smack in the middle of the new South - a contemporary city; rebuilt, reworked and virtually all brand new since General Sherman plundered his way through over 140 years ago and time took its toll on the rest. After settling in, there's some exploring to do; purchase a City Pass for Atlanta at the Atlanta Visitors Center, good for admission to six premier attractions.Take some time to explore a bit of Buckhead, wonderful shopping, shady streets for walking and great places to relax.
Standard Hotel: Best Western Atlanta Airport
Deluxe Hotel: Westin Buckhead

Day 2: Atlanta - Macon

On you way from Atlanta to Savannah, a stop in Macon will let you explore this very southern town. You can pick up the Walking Tour Map at the downtown Visitors Center to explore the Historic District.Macon is also the home of three musical legends, Little Richard, Otis Redding and James Brown.You can delve into the roots of these and other famous Georgia musicians at the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.
Standard Hotel: Best Western Riverside Inn
Deluxe Hotel: 1842 Inn

Day 3: Savannah

Savannah is a small city with a huge reputation for gentility, where visitors are quickly made welcome. The city has 16 green squares surrounded by historic homes, hundreds in all. More than 800 buildings in the historic district have been restored to their original glory. Experiencing the squares, the riverfront and the Victorian District, you'll begin to gain the “essence” of Savannah and the European flavor of its original design. To get to know the historic district better, you can take a horse-drawn carriage tour or pick up a narrated driving tour from the Visitors Center.
Standard Hotel: 2 nights at the Best Western Central Inn
Deluxe Hotel: The Marshall House

Day 4: Savannah

Exhibits at the Savannah Visitor Center and Savannah History Museum offer an excellent introduction to the city. A multi-media exposition chronicles everything from a model of the SS Savannah, the city's railroad history, a cotton gin, and Forrest Gump's bench (the movie was filmed here).

Day 5: Gulf Coast

Georgia's pristine 90-mile coast is south of Savannah. We suggest a Driving Tour of Georgia's Golden Isles to see the highlights of each island. Jekyll and St. Simon's are easily reached by bridges and offer miles of beaches, golf and entertainment. You also have the option to visit Cumberland Island, Georgia's largest and southernmost barrier island, with maritime forests, undeveloped beaches and wide marshes, reachable only by boat. Your accommodation will be just minutes away on St. Simon's Island at the end of the day.
Standard Hotel: Best Western Brunswick
Deluxe Hotel: Village Inn, St. Simon’s

Day 6: Gulf Coast - Colombus

A drive diagonally across southern Georgia to Americus and Columbus, takes you through the Albany, Georgia area where long stretches of highway are lined with farms growing peaches, pecans and peanuts.
Standard Hotel: Best Western Columbus
Deluxe Hotel: Hyatt Select

Day 7: Colombus - Montgomery

Today you reach Montgomery, Alabama.Old Alabama Town, one of the South's premier history villages, is a collection of authentically restored 19th and 20 century buildings stretching along six blocks in the heart of historic Montgomery, Alabama. Over 40 restored structures include an original 1850s townhouse, schoolhouses, a cotton gin, blacksmith shop, grist mill, tavern, log cabin, pole barn, southern mansion, and more. Here you can experience life in Montgomery during the infancy of the state's history. At some point late in the afternoon, it will be time to travel to Gulf Shores and your accommodation for the evening. Stay right on the beach. The hotel has its own private sand beach on the Alabama gulf coast.
Standard Hotel: 2 nights at the Hilton Garden Inn Orange Beach
Deluxe Hotel: Island House Hotel

Day 8: Montgomery

Today we encourage you to get out on the beach or out on the water. The Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge Beach, next to Fort Morgan, has over 6 miles of hiking trails. Alabama Point, a spot for serious relaxation is surrounded by glistening turquoise water. Gulf State Park has a natural beach that is usually not crowded and there are many other public access points to the ocean in Gulf Shores. At Alligator Alley, they let you feed the gators or watch the crew feed them.We've placed your accommodations in Gulf Shores again this evening, so you don't have to worry about hurrying in from the beach.

Day 9: Montgomery - Mobile

Mobile is on the eastern end of the Gulf Coast and was home to the first known Mardi Gras in 1703 before New Orleans. Right off the coast of Mobile, Dauphin Island, is home to the Audubon Bird Sanctuary, historic Fort Gaines and an inter-island boat trip.
Standard Hotel: Best Western Battleship Inn
Deluxe Hotel: Historic Battle House Hotel

Day 10: Mobile - Biloxi

The trip from Mobile to Biloxi will take you near the water, along a picture-perfect 26 miles of white sand beaches and coastal waters that are still adorned with some antebellum homes. The Mississippi Gulf Coast is also home to casinos and resorts usually found in Las Vegas. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) award winning SenniSphere lets you test a space shuttle main engine, land the space shuttle and go aboard the international space station.
Standard Hotel: Best Western Oak Manor

Day 11: Biloxi - Tuscaloosa

Just one hour north of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Hattiesburg is home to several of the state's best golf courses. As soon as you reach Tuscaloosa, you'll be in University of Alabama “Bama” country. You can pick up a brochure for the 2.5 mile Walking Tour at the Tuscaloosa Visitors Center and experience the city's unique architecture.
Standard Hotel: Best Western Park Plaza
Deluxe Hotel: Four Points by Sheraton

Day 12: Atlanta

Today, as you head back to Atlanta, you can begin to savor your trip through the South.
Standard Hotel: Best Western Atlanta Airport
Deluxe Hotel: Westin Buckhead

Day 13: Departure from Atlanta

There should be additional time today to explore more of Atlanta before leaving for home.