Mackinac Island and More

June 14 – 23, 2013

Mackinac Island, with its famous Grand Hotel, is truly one of America’s most beautiful tourist destinations. In June, when the lilacs are in full bloom, it is totally awesome! This tour will let you experience all that Mackinac Island has to offer – however, that isn’t all that you will enjoy. We will visit Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Door County, see the Green Bay Packers’ Lambeau Field, the Bavarian town of Frankenmuth and Henry Ford’s Museum … plus two nights on Mackinac Island. All this packed into one tour for one price! This is truly a tour that memories are made of!

$1,450 Double Occupancy • $1,915 Single Occupancy • $1,200 Triple Occupancy

Day 1 – Today is a travel day and will give us an opportunity to get acquainted with our new traveling companions who will be sharing the excitement of this awesome tour. Our lodging tonight will be in Bloomington, IL.

Lodging: Hampton Inn

Day 2 – We depart today for Milwaukee, WI, and should arrive in time for lunch and a guided tour of the city. Our tour will include many of the highlights of Milwaukee such as Mitchell “Domes” Conservatory and sunken gardens, Pabst Theatre, the cliffs, sprawling sand beaches, Milwaukee Brewers ballpark and much more. We will overnight in Milwaukee.

Lodging: Hampton Inn
Meals: Breakfast

Day 3 – Door County is often called “The Cape Cod of the Midwest,” and for the next couple of days you will understand why. The Door Peninsula extends like the spout of a teapot into Lake Michigan. Much of its rocky shoreline has been carved into caves, arches and cliffs by the waters of Lake Michigan and Green Bay. We will arrive in time for lunch at Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant, where the famous goats eat on the thatched roof. After lunch, a guide will meet us for a tour to learn the history of the quaint little villages along the shores of northern Door County. We will drive through Wisconsin’s largest state park to the Eagle Bluff Lighthouse. A tour of the lighthouse, which was built in 1868, is included. We return to Ellison Bay for lodging for two nights.

Lodging: Rowley’s Bay Resort
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4 – A great day is in store for you today! We will travel to Northern Pier to board a ferry for a half-hour trip to Washington Island. Our guide will meet us here and we can enjoy a narrated sightseeing tour of the island on our motorcoach. Washington Island is one of the oldest Icelandic settlements in the United States. We will learn much about the historic Door County’s rich maritime history at the Jackson Harbor Maritime Museum. We may also visit a Danish Mill to learn what islanders do in the winter, as well as see the beautiful Norwegian Stave Chapel, patterned after the one in Borgund, Norway. We board the ferry once again to return back to the mainland and our lovely resort for the evening. Dinner at our resort is an even you won’t soon forget, a genuine Viking Fish Boil!

Lodging: Rowley’s Bay Resort
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5 – We depart Door County and do a drive by the famous Green Bay Packers’ Lambeau Field before continuing north along the shore of Lake Michigan to St. Ignace, MI. Here we board a ferry for an 18-minute cruise across the Straits of Mackinac to our ultimate destination – fabulous Mackinac Island! We will check into our beautiful Lake View Hotel for two nights. You are downtown and the only way to travel on Mackinac Island is walk, bike or take a horse-drawn taxi. However, you are close enough to the shops and restaurants … so enjoy your evening!

Lodging: Lake View Hotel
Meals: Breakfast

Day 6 – Breakfast is included at our hotel and then your morning will be free. You may wish to rent a bike for a ride around the shoreline of Mackinac Island, take a long, invigorating hike along the numerous nature trails, tour the Old Fort, browse the shops on Huron Street or just sit around and watch the world go by. The only requirement is that you be back at the pier by 10:30 a.m. for a horse drawn carriage tour that gives us a narrated and scenic view of the island. The tour will end at the beautiful Grand Hotel where we have included a sumptuous lunch buffet. After lunch your time is free. You may want to do a walk-through of this elegant 385-room hotel where numerous movies have been made over the years, including “Somewhere In Time.”

Lodging: Lake View Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 7 – This morning we will say goodbye to Mackinac Island as we board our ferry to return us to the mainland. We board our coach and cross the “Mighty Mac” Bridge that spans the straits and connects the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan, continuing south and east to Frankenmuth, MI. Frankenmuth is a lovely Bavarian village founded in 1845 by Franconians from Germany. We arrive early in the afternoon and you will have plenty of time to enjoy the 35-bell Glockenspiel that tells the story of the Pied Piper of Hamlin, then explore the world of gift shops, bakeries, cheese factories, craft stores and more along Main Street.

Lodging: Drury Inn
Meals: Breakfast

Day 8 – A local guide will board our coach this morning for an interesting and historic tour of Frankenmuth. After the tour, you once again have some free time to check out what you missed yesterday and take time for a delicious Bavarian lunch. Mid-afternoon, we will board our coach for the short drive to Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, the largest and best-known Christmas decoration store in the world. We depart Frankenmuth and travel to Dearborn, MI, for our overnight.

Lodging: Comfort Inn
Meals: Breakfast

Day 9 – A tour of the Henry Ford Museum will take us through nearly 300 years of technological and cultural change. The museum’s collections include exhibits on communications, transportation, agriculture and domestic life. All through the tour you will hear, “Oh, my mother had one of those,” or, “I remember those!” Have lunch at the museum and then we will head towards home. Our destination this evening is Plainfield, IN.

Lodging: Hampton Inn
Meals: Breakfast

Day 10 – So many lovely things that we have seen and experienced! But, alas, this too must end. We will say goodbye to our new friends and return home early in the evening. However, before we arrive, Making Memories Tours will treat you to a farewell lunch as our way of saying “thank you” for sharing these memories with us.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Shopping Texas Style

May 2 – 4, 2013

Wow! Can you imagine being able to shop for rare antiques, collectibles, fine home decor, arts, crafts, jewelry and even farm-fresh produce all in one location? Thousands of vendors spread over a hundred acres are displaying their wares! “The World’s Largest Flea Market” – where you could literally shop ’til you drop!
$250 Double Occupancy • $315 Single Occupancy • $205 Triple Occupancy

Day 1 – Our destination today is Tyler, Texas. We will do a drive-by of the Canton Flea Market to give you a glimpse of what you will be able to experience tomorrow. We’ll make a dinner stop before checking into our hotel for two nights.

Lodging: Quality Inn Conference Center

Day 2 – After an included breakfast, we will depart our hotel for Canton and literally miles of vendors’ booths which make up the “World’s Largest Flea Market.” Your escort will provide you with maps, tricks and tips to make the most of your time here so that you will not be completely overwhelmed. The day is yours – and there is plenty of room underneath the motorcoach – so shop to your heart’s content! At 4 p.m. we will reboard our motorcoach and return to Tyler and the Quality Inn.

Lodging: Quality Inn Conference Center
Meals: Breakfast

Day 3 – We have another included breakfast and then we check out of our hotel and head back to Canton for another morning of shopping. If you can’t get it all done, they do have a web site! Have lunch on your own before departing the flea market and, at noon, we will head for home. We will stop for breaks and dinner on the way before a rather late arrival at our destination.

Meals: Breakfast

Sweet Carolinas

April 13 – 20, 2013

Beautiful cities! Beautiful beaches! Beautiful flowers! Beautiful sunshine! These are what make “the Old South” so very beautiful. The charming, historic city of Charleston, The Grand Strand on the Golden Coast of South Carolina, the modern and fun city of Myrtle Beach, Billy Graham’s Library in Charlotte and the fabulous mansion and gardens of the Vanderbilt’s Biltmore Estates. Truly, wonderful memories are made of these!

$1,249 Double Occupancy • $1,699 Single Occupancy • $1,049 Triple Occupancy

Day 1 – We depart today for our journey to the beautiful Carolinas. We travel through Missouri and Kentucky into Murfreesboro, TN, for our first night out.

Lodging: Hampton Inn

Day 2 – Another travel day takes us through Chattanooga, TN; Atlanta and Augusta, GA; and into historic Charleston, SC. Three times Charleston has been heavily damaged and nearly destroyed: The Civil War in 1861-65, the 1886 earthquake where 2,000 buildings were damaged and the 1989 Hurricane Hugo where three fourths of the historic downtown buildings were damaged. However, Charleston has always managed to come back and be noted as one of the most beautiful and historic cities in the Old South. We will spend two nights here.

Lodging: Springhill Suites by Marriott
Meals: Breakfast

Day 3 – We begin today with a tour of Magnolia House and Gardens, described by Reader’s Digest as “one of the most remarkable bits of work that has been done in the world.” We will tour the house and gardens, take a ride on the Nature Tram which takes us on a driving tour of wildlife refuges, and take a walk on the boardwalk in the Audubon Swamp Gardens to have a look at the alligators and other wildlife as well as hundreds of species of blooming grass. We have lunch on our own before returning to Myrtle Beach and Spiritline Cruises for a cruise through the Charleston Harbor to Ft. Sumter Island where the first shots of the Civil War were fired. We then return to our hotel for a much-earned rest.

Lodging: Springhill Suites by Marriott
Meals: Breakfast

Day 4 – We check out of our hotel this morning and do a horse-drawn carriage tour of the Historic District of Charleston. Costumed drivers describe the life and history of this colorful seaport. After the tour we will have some free time to visit the Old City Market to check out their rows and rows of wares. After lunch on your own in the market area, we will depart Charleston and travel to Myrtle Beach, SC, for our two-night stay on the Grand Strand. We should arrive early enough for you to get settled in and maybe spend some time on the beach before departing for an included dinner at the Original Benjamin’s Calabash Seafood Restaurant. After this unbelievable “all-you-can-eat” buffet, if we can make it back to the bus, we will depart for the Alabama Theater, a delightful variety show, before returning to our hotel.

Lodging: Hampton Inn on the Beach
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 5 – This morning we will pick up our local guide for a narrated tour of Myrtle Beach. We will learn the history of the Grand Strand from North Myrtle Beach all the way south to the Low Country, including Murrells Inlet and Pawley’s Island. The tour should be over around noon or 1 p.m. and you will have the afternoon free. You have the option of relaxing at your hotel and the beach or shopping at Broadway on the Beach or Barefoot Landing. Our driver will make a one-time-only drop-off at each place and a one-time-only pick-up to bring you back to the hotel. This evening we have reservations for the most popular show in Myrtle Beach, the Carolina Opry.

Lodging: Hampton Inn on the Beach
Meals: Breakfast

Day 6 – We depart Myrtle Beach today and travel to Charlotte, NC. A real treat is in store for us this afternoon as we take a nostalgic trip back through the life and ministry of Billy Graham at the new Billy Graham Library and Museum. Later this afternoon, we depart Charlotte and travel through some magnificent scenery and arrive at Asheville, NC, for our overnight lodging.

Lodging: Hampton Inn, Biltmore Square
Meals: Breakfast

Day 7 – We have an awesome morning ahead of us! We start by touring the Biltmore Mansion, George Washington Vanderbilt’s spectacular 250-room French Renaissance-style chateau, plus the formal gardens of the Biltmore Estate. Enjoy lunch on your own before we depart the estate and travel to Nashville, TN, for our last night out on this fabulous tour. We will check into our hotel before departing for a farewell dinner and another special memory … just our way of saying “thank you” for traveling with Making Memories Tours.

Lodging: Radisson
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 8 – Our final day of this beautiful tour and we must say “so long” to our new friends. As we return to our homes, we will take many memories with us that will last for years to come!

Meals: Breakfast

Holy Land Pilgrimage

March 11 – 22, 2013

Walk into history as we take a journey to the Holy Land that is sure to leave you blessed with memories! Our guide will go with us to give us insight into all the places that we have read about and will now get to
see and touch. Just imagine being able to walk where Jesus walked and visit the places where He performed
so many miracles!

$3,899 Double Occupancy • $4,798 Single Occupancy
(Note: Trip cancellation and medical insurance is included in prices.)

Day 1 – We begin our inspirational journey to the Holy Land with an overnight flight to Tel Aviv.

Day 2 – Upon arrival, we will be met by a representative of Ayelet Tours to assist us through customs. We then travel north to our hotel in Netanya.

Lodging: King Solomon Hotel

Day 3 – Our tour begins as we head north to Caesarea, a city that Herod the Great dedicated to Caesar Augustus more than 2,000 years ago. It was here where Pontius Pilate governed during the time of Jesus. We will visit the Carmelite Monastery on Mt. Carmel, one of the oldest in the Holy Land, whose primary Carmelite Saint is the Prophet Elijah. Enjoy a panoramic view of Haifa and the Baha’l Shrine and Gardens. Our lunch will be be at Druze Family Restaurant where we get to experience falafels! After lunch we continue to Tel Achziv on the northern coast of Israel in a peaceful area of the western Galilee.

Lodging: Nof Ginosar
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 4 – Today will be exciting as we travel to The Church of the Primary of Peter, a modest Franciscan chapel, located on the northwest shores of the Sea of Galilee. It commemorates Jesus’ reinstatement of Peter after a fish breakfast on the shore. We will walk a short distance to a “Eremos Topos,” a cave in a solitary place where Jesus may have come to pray. We continue on to Capernaum, where many of Jesus’ miracles were performed. Capernaum was Jesus’ home as well as that of St. Peter, Andrew, James and John. Our day concludes at Kursi, Golan Heights. We will view the ruins of the Byzantine Christian Monastery and now an Israeli National Park located in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

Lodging: Nof Ginosar
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 5 – We continue today through Gamala on the eastern shore of the sea and into Chorazin where “mighty works” of Jesus were performed. We will visit Bethsaida, the birthplace of Peter, Andrew and Phillip. Jesus himself visited Bethsaida and performed several miracles there. It is believed to be where Jesus fed the multitude with five loaves and two fishes. If time allows, we will climb to the Mt. Arbel overlook to view the area of Jesus’ Galiliean Ministry or visit the “Jesus Boat Museum.”

Lodging: Nof Ginosar
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 6 – If the water tunnel is open, we will tour Tel Meggido, also known as Armageddon. Zippori at one time was capital of Galilee with a vibrant religious, commercial and social community. Today it is an antiquities park opened to the public in 1992. Next we arrive at Nazareth Village near Nazareth, Jesus’ childhood home. We also have the option of Baptism at Yardenit, the celebrated baptismal site on the sacred Jordan River.

Lodging: Nof Ginosar
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 7 – We depart Galilee for the Holy City of Jerusalem. On the way, we will visit the ruins of the Belvoir Castle and enjoy the phenomenal 270-degree views south over the Jordan Valley, north to the Kenneret and the Golan and west over the Galilee and valleys. We continue through the ruins of Beth-Shan where scripture records there were at least two temples during the time of Saul and David. We arrive in Jerusalem and our first stop will be the Garden of Gethsemene where Jesus prayed before going to the cross. You will view the Kidron Valley.

Lodging: Dan Panorama Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 8 – This will be an amazing day as we take a walking tour of the Old City. We will visit the Pool of Bethesda and continue to the Ecce Homo Behold the Man Church, built on the Litho/Stratus. This is where Pontius Pilate pointed at Jesus and said “Ecce Homo – Behold the Man – He is the King of the Jews, crown Him with a crown of thorns.” We will also see the Western (Wailing) Wall and Southern Stairs, the Temple Mount if open, and do the Western Wall Tunnel Tour where you can see hidden layers of the wall revealed underground. The rest of the day is free for some “Old City” shopping.

Lodging: Dan Panorama Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 9 – We depart for the Dead Sea and, despite its name, the area is very much alive. Most visitors come for the therapeudic value of the mud and salt water. We will also visit the former palatial fortress of Masada or the En Gedi National Park.

Lodging: Dan Panorama Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 10 – This morning we will visit the Temple Institute, an organization focusing on establishing the Third Temple. Then a stop at the “Burnt House,” an excavated house from the Second Temple period situated six meters below the current street level. A walk along the old city walls will be most interesting as we go up at Jaffa Gate and down at Zion Gate. At Zion Gate we find St. Peters in Gallicantu/Caiaphas House. The Latin word “Gallicantu” means cock-crow. This is a commemoration of Peter’s three rejections of Jesus. This spot is also believed to be the location of the High Priest Calaphas Palace. Our next stop will be either Jerusalem Antiquities Museum or Bible Lands Museum.

Lodging: Dan Panorama Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 11 – Today we walk along the Via Dolorosa beginning at Pilate’s Judgement Hall and ending at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the site of Jesus’s crucifixion, burial and resurrection. Our time here will end with Communion. The following day will be filled with our flight back to the U.S. as we reflect on the past several days.

Lodging: Dan Panorama Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 12 – This morning we head to the airport and our return journey home. We’ll have a nice, relaxing flight back to reflect on the amazing memories of this trip.

Miles of Smiles and Sunshine

February 21 – March 3, 2013

Join us as we leave winter behind and journey to the southernmost tip of “The Sunshine State,” Florida, where the highway ends and the fun begins! Key West is the ultimate destination, but there are so many things to see and do along the way. Florida is a very diverse state and we will enjoy such things as an air boat ride into the Everglades, visit the Edison-Ford Winter Mansions and even be able to visit the Holy Land, Jerusalem – in Orlando, of course!

$1,999 Double Occupancy • $2,779 Single Occupancy • $1,599 Triple Occupancy

Day 1 – We start off with a couple of travel days to get us to where the action is, and today our destination will be Winona, MS.

Lodging: Holiday Inn Express

Day 2 – Today we travel east into Alabama through Tuscaloosa and Montgomery into the State of Florida. Our lodging tonight will be in Tallahassee, FL.

Lodging: Hampton Inn
Meals: Breakfast

Day 3 – We now turn south and follow the coast of Florida as we travel past St. Petersburg and Sarasota into Ft. Myers, FL. We should arrive in time to visit the awesome Edison-Ford Winter Estates. Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, two of the world’s greatest inventors, were also great friends and built their winter homes next door to each other.

Lodging: Hampton Inn
Meals: Breakfast

Day 4 – What an exciting day we have planned for you! We depart Ft. Myers and travel to
Highway 41, better known as the Tamiami Trail, across the Everglades with Key West as today’s destination. Along the way, we will take an air boat ride into the Everglades for an up-close and personal experience with the alligators and other Florida wildlife. We next will do a picture stop at the World’s Smallest Post Office before continuing across the Tamiami Trail to the breathtaking Keys Highway, Highway #1, and travel to the end of the road at Key West. We should arrive in time for you to check out Mallory Square for the world-famous sunset celebration. Our hotel has a free shuttle that runs until midnight so you are free to come and go as you please.

Lodging: Comfort Inn
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 5 – This morning we will take a narrated tour of Key West aboard the Conch Tour Train. Your tour features old and new Key West with local points of interest along the way to include Old Town, Hemingway’s House, Duval Street, Southernmost Point and the waterfront. You will be dropped off downtown and your day is free to explore this unique town. You may wish to return to tour the rest of the Ernest Hemingway House. Hemingway bought the 1851 Spanish colonial-style mansion in 1931 and some of his most important works were written here, including “For Whom the Bell Tolls” and “Farewell to Arms.” There are attractions, shopping and many things available for your day at leisure. The time is yours to do as much or as little as you please.

Lodging: Comfort Inn
Meals: Breakfast

Day 6 – We enjoy another breakfast at our hotel and then we head back north once again along Highway 1. We then board the Key Largo Princess for an exciting two-hour glass-bottom boat cruise of the famous Coral Reef before continuing to South Miami Beach for our overnight.

Lodging: Best Western
Meals: Breakfast

Day 7 – We will take a break this morning in Jupiter, FL, and do a drive by the St. Louis Cardinals’ spring training baseball stadium. We are in for a real treat today as we arrive at Sea World around noon and have the rest of the day to enjoy all the antics of the dolphins, along with the other exciting venues at Sea World. Our lodging tonight will be in Orlando and we have certainly earned a
good night’s rest!

Lodging: Springhill Suites
Meals: Breakfast

Day 8 – Today we travel back 2,000 years to Biblical times. We will feel as if we are in Israel when we arrive at Trinity Broadcasting Network’s Holy Land Experience. Learn about the Wilderness Tabernacle and the Great Temple, discover the history of the Bible, explore a replica of the City of Jerusalem and see of Jesus’ ministry. You are free to tour at your own pace and your escort will have schedules and maps.

Lodging: Springhill Suites
Meals: Breakfast

Day 9 – We must begin our journey back home this morning and with breaks and lunch along the way, our destination for tonight will be Pensacola Beach. We will arrive in time for you to enjoy the beach and your hotel.

Lodging: Comfort Inn
Meals: Breakfast

Day 10-11 – Today we travel through Mobile, AL; Jackson, MS; and into Memphis, TN, for our overnight. Upon arrival we will go to the Peabody Hotel for the Parade of the Peabody Ducks. These ducks have been marching down the red carpet to the hotel’s fountain for over 75 years! After checking into our hotel, Making Memories Tours will treat you to a farewell dinner. The next day will finish our journey as we arrive home.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Crusin’ and Croonin’

January 19 – 28, 2013

Come with us as we board the magnificent Carnival Conquest in New Orleans to cruise the beautiful turquoise waters of the Caribbean! We’ll visit such places as Montego Bay, Jamaica; Grand Cayman Island and Cozumel, Mexico.

Our ship and the destinations in themselves are more than enough to take this cruise – but add to that the option of daily sessions with some of Southern Gospel’s top-rated singers and speakers and you are in for a memory making adventure you’ll never forget!

$980 Double Occupancy (Add $50 to price for Option 2)

Call Making Memories Tours for information on additional room options, listings of performers, etc. $250 deposit due at booking, final full payment must be received by Nov. 1, 2012.

Day 1 – We board our deluxe motorcoach to make our way to Jackson, MS, for our first night of this delightful experience.

Lodging: Drury Inn or Hampton Inn

Day 2 - What an exciting day as we continue on our way to the Port of New Orleans! You will not believe the size of the Carnival Conquest! with adrenalin flowing, we will be able to board the ship around noon and enjoy our first meal aboard ship. Get checked into your cabin and do a stroll around to get your bearings, but you won’t want to miss being on deck as the ship pulls away from the dock – sailing time is 4 p.m. There are many options for dining. In fact, you can literally graze your way around the ship. Be sure to check out the entertainment for tonight!

Lodging: Aboard Ship
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3 - Today we are at sea and will have the opportunity to see what all our ship has to offer. There are so many things going on that you will have a hard decision trying to figure out which one you want to do most. You can stroll the deck, exercise, get your hair done, take a swim or just pull up your lounge chair and lay in the sun. You also have the option to visit the morning and evening entertainment by the Southern Gospel singers and speakers.

Lodging: Aboard Ship
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4 - It’s another fun-filled day at sea to catch up on all that you didn’t have time to do yesterday!

Lodging: Aboard Ship
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5 - This morning we arrive at Montego Bay, Jamaica, known as “Mo’ Bay” to the locals. Gorgeous white sand beaches and the clear blue water make Montego Bay and the surrounding area the best that the Caribbean has to offer. You may wish to check out a tour of Dunn’s River Falls near Ocho Rios if time permits. Sailing time is 6 p.m. so don’t be late! Just in time for dinner and the evening’s entertainment.

Lodging: Aboard Ship
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 6 - We have an early arrival at Grand Cayman in the Grand Cayman Islands. Grand Cayman is a dream come true for water sports enthusiasts. The sparkling, turquoise waters make it perfect for snorkeling  with stingrays, scuba diving, taking a sail on a catamaran or sport fishing. Or, if you prefer, just spend your time on the magnificent Seven Mile Beach and its powder-soft sand. Ship sails at 4 p.m.

Lodging: Aboard Ship
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 7 - A mid-morning arrival in Cozumel gives us an opportunity to shop in the colorful marketplaces or dine in an open-air cafe. Cozumel is home to the worldfamous Palancar Reef, which gives divers the opportunity to view thousands of brilliantly colored fish. Ship sails at 5p.m.

Lodging: Aboard Ship
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 8 - This is our last day at sea. It will also be our final sessions with the Southern Gospel singers and speakers. If you are still hungry, this is also your last opportunity to gorge yourself with food around every corner. You may wish to get that last bit of sun in before we have to head back towards the cold north. Whatever you do,enjoy!

Lodging: Aboard Ship
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9 - We arrive back at the Port of New Orleans this morning and begin to disembark. As we get our land legs back, we will reunite with our motorcoach and begin our journey back home.
This will be a very long day as with meals and breaks along the way, we should arrive home in the early hours of Jan. 28.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 10 - Arrive in Springfield around 12:30 a.m.

OPTIONAL for Days 9 & 10 (Add $50 to total price)

Day 9 - If you prefer not to travel so far and arrive so late, you have an option to have free time in New Orleans to check out the French Quarter, Jackson Square, Bourbon Street and more! You will want to have lunch before we have to reboard our motorcoach to travel to Jackson, MS for our overnight.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 10 - Depart for Springfield, MO. We’ll head through Memphis, TN; Jonesboro, AR; and
West Plains, MO; arriving home at approximately 6 p.m.

Meals: Breakfast

Lone Star Christmas

November 26 – December 1, 2012

“Remember the Alamo!” is a cry that has long been heard over the hills of Texas. But, when you return home from this tour, your cry will be “Remember the Riverwalk!” Come with us to celebrate Christmas … Texas style! The Riverwalk in San Antonio is a myriad of twinkling lights, strolling carolers and boats decked out in their Christmas finery gliding by on the water … often filled with church choirs and school groups lending their voices to the spirit of the holiday. The Texas hill country and the history that surrounds you is just icing on the cake for this wonderful tour!

$849 Double Occupancy • $1,199 Single Occupancy • $599 Triple Occupancy

Day 1 – Good morning! This travel day, filled with anticipation, gives you time to get acquainted with your traveling companions as we make our way into Waco, Texas for the night.
Lodging: Hampton Inn

Day 2 - We continue south this morning and should arrive in San Antonio by around 11 a.m. for an awesome tour of the 750-foot Tower of the Americas! From the observation deck you will have a breathtaking view of beautiful San Antonio. You will also have an opportunity to check out the 4-D Theater! After our tour is complete, we will have lunch and check into our fabulous historic hotel for three nights. The rest of the day is free for you to visit the Alamo, take a trolley tour or simply browse the shops along the Riverwalk.
Lodging: Emily Morgan Hotel
Meals: Breakfast

Day 3 - This morning we temporarily leave San Antonio and head for hill county. We will visit Lyndon B. Johnson’s ranch and tour the Texas White House along with his birthplace and boyhood home. Next it is welcome to Fredericksburg, rich with the culture of German pioneers who settled here over 160 years ago. First, Making Memories Tours will treat you to a German lunch and then you will have the afternoon free to check out the 700 historic buildings or 150 shops and galleries that grace Main Street. So, Willkommen, y’all! Enjoy! We return to San Antonio for the evening.
Lodging: Emily Morgan Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 4 - A local guide will meet us in the morning to give us a narrated tour of the missions and historic district of San Antonio. We also include the SAS Shoe Factory. If you are not already in the Christmas spirit from all the lovely lights and decorations, we have included a Christmas show for your enjoyment! Shows had not been scheduled at press time, but with all that San Antonio has to offer I am sure you are in for a holiday treat!
Lodging: Emily Morgan Hotel
Meals: Breakfast

Day 5 - Within the bright and bold colors of the downtown roads of San Antonio lies a market which has a rich sense of the Mexican culture. El Mercado is the largest Mexican market outside of Mexico. Dozens of shops sell everything from hand-embroidered dresses to leather belts. Market Square’s working artists, musicians, dancers and major cultural events give it a rich and lively cultural atmosphere. What a way to end our lovely trip to San Antonio! We will have lunch at the market and then we must turn our thoughts toward home. Our overnight will be in Dallas/Fort Worth.
Lodging: Hampton Inn (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast

Day 6 - Everyone should have a renewed Christmas spirit as we relive the beauty of all we have seen and heard! We return home this evening but, before we arrive, Making Memories has included a farewell lunch as our way of saying we appreciate your traveling with us. Merry Christmas!
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Mountain State Mosaic

October 14 – 20, 2012

West Virginia – The Mountain State! It is indeed the most mountainous state east of the Mississippi and fabulously beautiful with its rocky peaks, rivers rushing through narrow canyons, waterfalls tumbling down steep hills and vast forests ablaze with autumn colors. In the fall, the landscape truly becomes nature’s palette as untold millions of leaves change their hue. The nostalgic and scenic railroads carry passengers beside mountain streams and scenic mountains for breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside. You will truly be “Making Memories” in this wild and wonderful state of West Virginia, sometimes referred to as “almost heaven.”

$925 Double Occupancy • $1,220 Single Occupancy • $800 Triple Occupancy

Day 1 – Good morning! We begin our journey by traveling through Missouri and Illinois to Corydon, Indiana – the first state capital of Indiana – for our first night of this gorgeous tour. The colors should already be making themselves known as we travel through the Hoosier National Forests of southern Indiana.
Lodging: Hampton Inn

Day 2 - We have an absolutely magnificent drive ahead of us today as we cross the Ohio River into Louisville, continue through the bluegrass and horse farms of Lexington and across the hills of eastern Kentucky into West Virginia. We will visit the Canyon Rim Visitors’ Center for panoramic views of the 1,000- foot gorge and the New River Gorge Bridge. Contrary to its name, the New River is believed to be one of the oldest rivers in North America … perhaps as many as 65 million years old! We will end our day in Beckley, West Virginia, with a visit to Tamarack – built specifically to showcase the state’s cultural heritage and traditions.
Lodging: Country Inn and Suites
Meals: Breakfast

Day 3 - What a day we have in store for you! Not only the spectacular beauty of the West Virginia mountains, but we are going underground as well! The secret is out … the declassified Cold War bunker at the Greenbrier Hotel is a must-see experience that takes you behind (and beneath) the scenes and walks you through a fascinating period of history. We will have a narrated tour of the secret Eisenhower-era underground bunker, designed to house members of Congress and their staffs during and after a nuclear attack and built 700 to 800 feet below the West Virginia Wing of the Greenbrier resort. After the tour, we will have an included lunch at the hotel and some free time to explore this national historic landmark hotel before departing for Buckhammon, West Virginia, for our overnight stay.
Lodging: Hampton Inn
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 4 - We have a late morning to enjoy our hotel or take a walk around the village of Elkins before walking about a block to the depot to board our train, the Cheat Mountain Salamandar, as it takes us to the High Falls of the Cheat River and 21 miles deep into the heart of the wilderness. Watch for deer, bobcats and bears! Next, our motor coach will meet us for a short ride to Durbin, West Virginia, where we board the Durbin Rocket, a steam locomotive, for an open-air 10- mile ride along the Greenbrier River. We return to Elkins for an included dinner at the new Railyard Restaurant. Then we’ll complete our day with a fantastic show at the American Mountain Theater, which showcases a wide variety of mountain music.
Lodging: Holiday Inn Express
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5 - We head back east today for a journey into the past as we board our Sternwheeler for a ride down the Ohio River bound for Blennerhassett Island. Time to enjoy an included picnic lunch and then tour the mansion built by Harman Blennerhassett in 1798. Having burned down in 1811, it has been reconstructed upon its original foundation. A horse-drawn wagon ride to tour the island and time to check out the Blennerhassett Museum is included. We’ll then reboard our Sternwheeler to return across the river to Parkersburg, West Virginia, for our overnight stay.
Lodging: Comfort Inn Parkersburg
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 6 - Our travels today will take us back towards home. Gorgeous fall colors and pretty scenery should still abound as we travel through Ohio, Indiana and into Effingham, Illinois for our last night of this truly amazing tour.
Lodging: Holiday Inn Express
Meals: Breakfast

Day 7 - Our thoughts turn toward home, but there is still plenty of time to reminisce with our new friends over the absolute beauty and exciting things that we have been able to enjoy as we traveled through the mountains of West Virginia. Making Memories Tours has included a farewell lunch as our way of saying “thank you” for traveling with us!
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Albuquerque Aloft & Colorado Colors

October 6 – 13, 2012

What a beautiful tour Making Memories has prepared just for you! See the fabulous mountains of Colorado dressed in the golden fall colors of the Aspen and the Cottonwood trees beneath skies that provide a brilliant blue dome that seems to go on forever! Add a breathtaking train ride plus a spectacular tram ride and a awe-inspiring view as hundreds of balloons of all shapes, sizes and colors rise into the crystal clear New Mexico sky. You’ll never see such a brilliant combination of both natural and man-made colors. Every day holds a new and exciting adventure!

$1,050 Double Occupancy • $1,490 Single Occupancy • $750 Triple Occupancy

Day 1 – Today our travels take us into Kansas where we will tour the Fort Scott National Historic Site and learn how this fort played a part in both the Indian movement and the Civil War. Kansas was the first state to officially recruit and train military units comprised of black soldiers. Many of their graves are in the nearby cemetery. After lunch, we continue to Wichita, KS, for a tour of one of Wichita’s top attractions, the Museum of World Treasures, where you can experience treasures from around the world and through the ages. Our overnight is in Wichita.
Lodging: Drury Inn

Day 2 - We have another fun day planned as we visit the “Wickedest Little City in America,” Dodge City, KS. We will tour “Front Street” as well as Boot Hill, so called because so many of its interred were buried with their boots on. Our lodging tonight will be in Canon City, CO.
Lodging: Hampton Inn
Meals: Breakfast

Day 3 - You will want to be wide awake this morning as we depart to travel through the magnificent mountains of Colorado. Majestic scenery abounds on the Million Dollar Highway that takes us through Ouray and on into Silverton, CO. We arrive in time for lunch on our own and some free time to check out this historic town which, back in the late 1800’s, was a prosperous mining community. We board the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Train for an awesome journey along the old ore route, clinging to the precipitous walls of the Animas River Gorge and arrive in Durango, CO, for our overnight.
Lodging: Best Western Plus Rio Grande Inn
Meals: Breakfast

Day 4 - There is still lots of gorgeous scenery today as we travel south through Pagosa Springs and Espanola, NM, and into Santa Fe for an afternoon to check out this lovely, historic town. We will visit the Palace of the Governors and you will have some free time to see the fascinating Loretto Chapel with its “Miraculous Staircase” and the Cristo Rey Church. Or perhaps you would rather search for some Santa Fe-style treasures and handmade Indian jewelry. Our overnight will be in Albuquerque.
Lodging: Best Western Rio Grande Inn
Meals: Breakfast

Day 5 - We have an early wake-up call this morning, but you are going to know it is worth it when you arrive at Fiesta Park and see hundreds of balloons inflating simultaneously and the red glow lighting up the dawn of a New Mexico morning! The balloons will launch a few at a time until the sky is full. The magnificent colors against the endless expanse of blue sky is totally awesome! The remainder of the day is free for you to check out Old Town Albuquerque and its unique shops and galleries. Be sure to visit San Felipe de Neri Church.
Lodging: Best Western Rio Grande Inn
Meals: Breakfast

Day 6 - Another special day as we take a ride on the Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway. The Tramway is 2.7 miles, one of the world’s longest, and transports people above the canyons and spectacular terrain of the Sandia Mountains to the 10,378-foot peak. It is really true that on a clear day you can see forever, with views to the north, east, south and west! We will enjoy lunch at the Golden Corral before touring the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History. You will not have a problem filling up your time as this museum has full- cale dinosaur models, a walk-through volcano, an ice age cave replica, a time machine, a saltwater aquarium, and the Lodestar Astronomy Center which features a simulation theatre, a planetarium and astronomy exhibits. We will have some free time to rest a bit before we depart once more for the Fiesta Park to see the “Evening Glow” where the balloons are all aglow but don’t leave the ground. It’s Magic! You can walk among the balloons and talk with the operators and learn how they inflate the balloons and what it takes to keep the balloons from taking off without them.
Lodging: Best Western Rio Grande Inn
Meals: Breakfast

Day 7 - Today we must begin our journey towards home. So lean back, close your eyes and dream of all the things that we have experienced on this truly exciting tour! Making Memories Tours will treat you to a farewell lunch today as their way of saying “thank you” for making memories with us. Our overnight will be in Weatherford, OK.
Lodging: Hampton Inn (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 8 - Our journey ends today as we travel back across Oklahoma and into Missouri and that wonderful place called home. What a tour!
Meals: Breakfast

Colors of New England

October 1 – 12, 2012

The reds and golds of autumn … the thunder of the falls … church spires glistening in the valleys below … magnificent scenes from mountain tops and the serenity of ocean beaches. Take a journey that allows you to see the history that formed our great nation and the unbelievable technology of New York City in one trip! The breathtaking beauty and variety of things to see on this tour will leave you awe-inspired with enough memories to last your lifetime.

$1,699 Double Occupancy • $2,428 Single Occupancy • $1,379 Triple Occupancy

Day 1 – We begin our incredulous tour today and travel Day 3 through Missouri and Illinois into Plainfield, Indiana for our first night’s lodging.
Lodging: Hampton Inn

Day 2 - The colors should start making a showing today as we continue through Ohio and Pennsylvania into New York State to Niagara Falls. There will be plenty of time to check out the falls and see the lights before turning in for the night.
Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: Comfort Inn, Crown Pointe

Day 3 - Awake to the thunder of the falls and you won’t want to miss a minute of this lovely gift of nature. Your hotel is right in the midst of most everything and you can walk to all the venues. We have included a ride on the “Maid of the Mist,” a cruise that takes you to the base of the falls. You can’t imagine the force of the water as it tumbles over the falls into the river below and, consequently, forms a mist that feels like rain. But it’s OK – they furnish raincoats so that you can experience this awesome adventure. You will have free time to check out Niagara Falls before we depart for Utica, New York.
Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: Hampton Inn

Day 4 - Today we travel into Vermont and have lunch at Rutland. After lunch, we take a short drive to the Norman Rockwell Museum to view more than 2,500 reproductions of Rockwell’s works that will bring back many memories of Saturday Evening Post covers as well as calendars that we’ve owned over the years. We will make a stop at Quechee Gorge, the “Little Grand Canyon of Vermont.” The bridge spans the gorge 162 feet above the Ottauquechee River! Our night’s lodging will be in White River Junction, Vermont.
Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: Hampton Inn

Day 5 - Time to cross into New Hampshire and have a breathtaking, awesome gondola ride to the top of Loon Mountain! It travels 7,000 feet from base to summit, offering panoramic views of the surrounding area including Mt. Washington, the highest peak in the northeast. We continue for a sightseeing drive through Bretton Woods for a picture stop at the fabulous Mt. Washington Hotel at the base of the mountain. We have some free time to have lunch and do some souvenir shopping in North Conway before proceeding into Maine and our overnight stay in Wells.
Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: Hampton Inn

Day 6 - We drive down the beach a few miles to York Harbor to view the Cape Neddick Light, better known as the Nubble Light House, the most photographed light house in Maine. We then travel into Salem, Massachusetts, home of the 1692 witchcraft trials. Enjoy a narrated trolley tour of Salem and then we’ll do a tour of the Salem Witch Museum and learn details of that horrible time in our history. We’ll then tour the JFK Presidential Library and Museum before checking into our hotel in Boston. Meals:
Breakfast
Lodging: Holiday Inn Express

Day 7 - Today begins with a narrated tour of historic Boston to include such things as the USS Constitution, Old State House, Old North Church, the Paul Revere House and more! We will end the tour at Faneuil Hall, donated to the city in 1742 by Peter Faneuil. After lunch and some free time, we depart Boston and head for Newport, Rhode Island. Our first stop will be to tour the 70-room summer cottage of Cornelius Vanderbilt II. The Breakers is probably the most opulent of the Newport Mansions. Some free time downtown on the Waterfront to have dinner and do some serious shopping will have you more than ready to bed down for the night!
Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: Courtyard by Marriott

Day 8 - We depart Newport and travel across Connecticut into New York City. We arrive in time to have lunch and our first big adventure – a visit to the 86th floor Observation Deck of the Empire State Building! This 1,454-foot-tall office building allows you to see 50 miles on a clear day. Next we experience the original and only virtual tour simulator in the city, the New York Skyride. It will take you on an aerial New York City tour and fly you over 30 famous sights while never leaving the second floor of the Empire State Building. With so much excitement, you’ll probably be ready for your luxurious hotel! We’ll be crossing into Secaucus, New Jersey for the night.
Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: Hampton Inn

Day 9 - We’ll return to New York City this morning and tour the awesome Ground Zero Memorial. We should have some time to check out a few of the New York landmarks as we make our way to Pier 83 and a harbor cruise. The Statue of Liberty has been closed for reconstruction and will remain so until late 2012; however, we have included a three hour harbor cruise that takes you up close to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. We’ll then depart New York and head for Philadelphia for our overnight.
Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: Holiday Inn Express

Day 10 – A local guide joins us for a tour of this historic city with the highlights being Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. See where the great men of our nation’s history signed the Declaration of Independence and, consequently, some of them signed their death certificate. We will include lunch at the City Tavern before departing for New Stanton, Pennsylvania.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Lodging: Fairfield Inn and Suites

Day 11 - Today is a travel day as we begin our journey towards home. There should be plenty of color to feast our eyes upon as we continue through Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and into Effingham, Illinois for the last night of our tour.
Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: Holiday Inn Express

Day 12 - Memories will abound as you think back over the last couple of weeks and all the wonderful experiences you have enjoyed as we begin the final day of this awesome tour. We have included a farewell lunch for you today as our way of saying “thank you” for traveling with Making Memories Tours!
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch