At long last I have done this tour and here is my review.
Day 1 (Sunday)
Left Heathrow T5 to Atlanta on British Airways where the food and service was very good. Landed at 7.40pm EDT (12.40am BST). Met our tour guide at arrivals and off to our hotel. 10 of us on this trip, although 5 dropped out at the last minute, 4 singles.
Day 2 (Monday)
Guided tour of Atlanta (mainly concrete and glass buildings). Stop at the home of Margaret Mitchell the author of ‘Gone With The Wind’. Very interesting talk. Our hotel was very near the Olympic Park where all the tourist attractions are within walking distance. Free time in the afternoon so a visit to the CNN studios (waste of time) and the World of Coca Cola very interesting and drink what you want!
Day 3 (Tuesday)
Free time in the morning so a visit to the Georgia Aquarium. Claims to be the biggest in the US. Very good but a bit pricey at $40. After lunch off to Savannah on the coast although it really is on the banks of the Savannah River. Excellent fish meal at the Cotton Exchange recommended by the hotel.
Day 4 (Wednesday)
Horse and carriage ride around the historic area of Savannah. Good way to see the old city. After lunch I went back to photo lots of colonial houses etc. Starting to get very hot (95F) so found a bar which was showing the Madrid European Cup semi-final and a couple of bottles of Sam Adams! Back to the Cotton Exchange for another excellent fish meal in the evening. I think everyone loved Savannah. Very relaxing watching the large container ships going up river to the docks. Yes, although it is an excellent tourist city it has a large docks area a few miles away.
Day 5 (Thursday)
Off over the Savannah River and into South Carolina and a stop at the Magnolia Plantation near Charleston. In my opinion I was very disappointed as it did not match what I read on the internet about it. The house was interesting but the gardens etc were poor. Arrived at our hotel about 2 miles from the city centre, so we all ate in the hotel, which was good. Excellent views from the hotel.
Day 6 (Friday)
Off on another guided tour and a visit to the Citadel Military School. Very impressive. Down various roads where it has to be said the colonial houses and buildings were very good. A step up from Savannah but so were the prices! Again a city situated on a river with docks. At midday a boat trip to Fort Sumter where the first shots were fired in the Civil War. Back in Charleston around the shopping centre which was very upmarket. Another fish meal in the evening where it seemed everyone was out eating as every restaurant was busy.
Day 7 (Saturday)
Off to Wilmington in North Carolina. Very enthusiastic local guide and plenty of colonial houses to see. Lots are being restored. Not as good as Savannah or Charleston.
Day 8 (Sunday)
Northbound into Virginia and the capital of Richmond. A tour around the historic part and the state capital building which is very like the White House in Washington DC.
Day 9 (Monday)
Eastbound to Jamestown which does not really exist as it was burnt down in the 1600’s. Excellent museum. However, Williamstown more than made up for Jamestown. All houses have been restored and really look good. Some have been converted to food and gift shops etc. A very pleasant place.
Day 10 (Tuesday)
Westbound en route to Washington DC, with a stop at the home of Thomas Jefferson, 3rd President of the USA at Monticello. Very well appointed and a good local guide. Through the Shenandoah NP in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Good views. Arrived in Washington DC and saw some of the sites.
Day 11 (Wednesday)
Another very hot day with photo visits at the White House, Lincoln Memorial and the Capitol. However, a visit to the Franklin D Roosevelt memorial meant we did not visit Arlington National Memorial where JFK is buried. Not happy with that!!! Free time in the afternoon and everyone went to the various Smithsonian museums in the mall. An evening tour of Washington DC was seeing the same places as we saw in the morning, therefore, a waste of time. However, those of us who went on it were in for a surprise in that the local tour guide made a phone call and was able for us to go inside the Capitol and into the House of Representatives and saw some debating.
Day 12 (Thursday)
Off to Amish Country in Pennsylvania. Travelling through some beautiful countryside we arrived at the small town of Intercourse and the Kitchen Kettle Village which was full of food outlets and gift shops. Men and women in full Amish dress. The local travel guide, who was not Amish, gave us a background to the Amish community. They can use electricity, but it has to be solar power. They can drive a car but not own one. Everywhere was well organised. They now make more money from tourism than farming. Later in the afternoon to Philadelphia. Sad to see plenty of graffiti on the walls entering the city.
Day 13 (Friday)
Local tour of the city finishing up at the Liberty Bell Museum. Time was limited as the queues were long. Off to the airport for another comfortable flight.
Day 14 (Saturday)
Arrived back at 6.40am at Heathrow.
Well this was another ‘full on’ tour but no very early starts. The hotels were all very similar and were good with comfortable beds. Room at the Comfort Inn in Washington DC was small. Breakfasts were included and acceptable, however, the Crown Plaza in Richmond was extra and was the best!
Washington DC needs another day of free time, after all it is the capital! Lots of very interesting museums to visit. Reggie the tour guide and Tom the driver were both very good and helpful. The weather was sunny and hot every day with temperatures hitting 95F on most days. Very tiring for us British tourists! Lots of noisy kids in Atlanta and Washington DC on school visits!!! Highlights Washington DC, Savannah, Charleston, Williamsburg and the Amish country.
RECOMMENDED HOLIDAY
Malcolm
