Southern Charms
Southern Charms
Southern Charms
9 Days Starting in Atlanta, USA and ending in Savannah, USA
Visiting: Atlanta, Charleston, Savannah, Georgia, Savannah, Jekyll Island Georgia
Tour operator:
Tour code:
NS-2025
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
Embark on the "Southern Charms" tour and explore the heart of the American South, starting in Atlanta, Georgia. Discover the rich history and vibrant culture of cities like Charleston, Savannah, and Jekyll Island. Enjoy guided tours of historic sites such as the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site, Boone Hall Plantation, and the Mercer Williams House Museum. Savor Southern cuisine, from a local favorite restaurant in Atlanta to a cooking class in Savannah. Experience the charm of Beaufort by horse-drawn carriage and relax on the picturesque Jekyll Island. This journey promises a blend of history, culture, and Southern hospitality.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive In Atlanta
Location: Atlanta
Accommodation Name: Courtland Grand Hotel, Trademark Collection by Wyndham
Welcome to the Peach State! At 6 pm, meet your travel companions for a welcome drink. Your Tour Director will prepare you for your upcoming Southern adventure.
ARRIVE IN ATLANTA Your Small Group Discovery Tour begins! Welcome to the Peach State! At 6 pm, meet your travel companions for a welcome drink. Your Tour Director will prepare you for your upcoming Southern adventure.ENHANCED FREE TIMETHE PERFECT PARTY Consider an optional culinary experience that’s perfect for small groups to enjoy with a walking food tour to sample exclusive local Southern cuisine in the city.
Day 2: Atlanta
Location: Atlanta
Accommodation Name: Courtland Grand Hotel, Trademark Collection by Wyndham
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Sightseeing includes Centennial Olympic Park, the historic Fox Theatre, Buckhead neighborhood, often referred to as the “Beverly Hills of the South” and Ponce City Market. Visit the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site, where you’ll learn more about the man and his legacy. Free time this afternoon to visit the Atlanta’s gems such as the Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta Botanical Gardens, World of Coca-Cola or the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. Dinner of southern specialties at [LF] a favorite local restaurant.
ATLANTA Southern Specialties Sightseeing includes Centennial Olympic Park, the historic Fox Theatre, Buckhead neighborhood, often referred to as the “Beverly Hills of the South” and Ponce City Market. Visit the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site, where you’ll learn more about the man and his legacy. Free time this afternoon to visit the Atlanta’s gems such as the Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta Botanical Gardens, World of Coca-Cola or the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. Dinner of southern specialties at [LF] a favorite local restaurant. (B,D)LOCAL FAVORITE LOCAL TASTES No visit to Atlanta is complete without good old-fashioned Southern cooking. Pull up a chair for made-from-scratch Southern classics in a local eatery. Atlanta is known for all-time faves like Georgia peach cobbler, sweet tea, flavorful fried chicken, fried-green tomatoes – and grits, of course!
Day 3: Atlanta,Columbia,South Carolina,Charleston
Location: Atlanta
Accommodation Name: Hampton Inn Historic Charleston
Meals Included: Breakfast
Depart Atlanta and head east across Georgia and South Carolina. Stop in Columbia, the state capital of South Carolina, rich with history and warm southern hospitality. Feel a grand Southern welcome with the charms of this historic community and see the stunning granite State House. Later, continue to Charleston. Choose to explore Charleston during free time with a stroll through the historic district, enjoying fresh seafood with a Southern flair or learn about Charleston’s colorful past on an evening ghost tour. Your Tour Director will have suggestions for dining this evening.
ATLANTA–COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA–CHARLESTON Carolina on Our Minds Depart Atlanta and head east across Georgia and South Carolina. Stop in Columbia, the state capital of South Carolina, rich with history and warm southern hospitality. Feel a grand Southern welcome with the charms of this historic community and see the stunning granite State House. Later, continue to Charleston. Choose to explore Charleston during free time with a stroll through the historic district, enjoying fresh seafood with a Southern flair or learn about Charleston’s colorful past on an evening ghost tour. Your Tour Director will have suggestions for dining this evening. (B)TOUR HIGHLIGHTCITY SIGHTS From Rainbow Row to the aroma of honeysuckle flowers on the French Quarter and the Battery promenade to the pastel-painted antebellum homes along the cobblestone streets, the sights of historic Charleston are a feast for the senses. Horse-drawn carriages lumber down the avenues as they have since the city’s founding in 1670 carry passengers to the Waterfront Park overlooking Charleston Harbor, while Fort Sumter still stands where the first shots of the Civil War rang out across the water. Don’t leave before cutting into a slice of pecan pie!
Day 4: Charleston
Location: Charleston
Accommodation Name: Hampton Inn Historic Charleston
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
CHARLESTON Southern Hospitality Start the day with a city tour of Charleston before visiting America’s most photographed plantation, Boone Hall Plantation and Gardens. Tour Patriot Points Naval Museum for a hands-on look at retired aircraft and naval carriers plus a Vietnam Experience Exhibit. Then enjoy a true Southern staple, [LF] a fresh biscuit from Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit shop. Enjoy the afternoon at your leisure. You may wish to shop for a favorite souvenir at the historic City Market, where more than 50 artisans are on-site daily; visit Fort Sumter National Monument, take a relaxing and scenic cruise of Charleston Harbor; or try one of Charleston’s favorite dishes, such as grits, barbecue, fried okra, or Carolina Gold Rice. This evening, join a local guide on a Small Group Discovery exclusive Gullah Stories and Spirits Tour. (B,L)TOUR HIGHLIGHTHISTORIC SITE Tour the mansion with a guide, see the beautiful gardens and the Black History in America exhibit at historic Boone Hall Plantation - one of America’s oldest working farms. Once known for cotton and pecans, the farm still actively produces strawberries, tomatoes, peaches, and other signature Southern produce on the banks of Wampacheone Creek where it has stood the test of time since its founding by the Boone family in 1681.LOCAL FAVORITE SMALL GROUP EXCLUSIVE TASTING OF FLUFFY SOUTHERN GEMS Biscuits have been a staple of Southern cuisine since introduced by European settlers in the early 18th Century. Inexpensive to make and requiring only a few local ingredients, the biscuits slowly evolved from dense to delightful. Their popularity remains with creative flavors and regional variations, while served fluffier than their ancestors, biscuits still have a spot on the table.
Day 5: Charleston,Beaufort,Hilton Head,Savannah,Georgia
Location: Savannah, Georgia
Accommodation Name: Embassy Suites by Hilton Historic Savannah
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
CHARLESTON–BEAUFORT–HILTON HEAD–SAVANNAH, GEORGIA Heart of the South Depart Charleston for picturesque Beaufort, a town that has conserved much of its pre-revolutionary character. Tour the town by horse-drawn carriage through narrow, oak-lined streets past the former homes of wealthy cotton growers. This afternoon, visit [LF] Palmetto Dunes General Store on Hilton Head Island en route to romantic Savannah, America’s first planned city. (B,L)HISTORY & TRADITIONSMALL GROUP EXCLUSIVE Explore Beaufort in style with a local guide on a horse-drawn carriage. The coastal town’s historic district has well-preserved Antebellum and Victorian architecture including homes that pre-date the Civil War. Learn about Beaufort’s role in the Civil War, the Lowcountry history and local favorite sites used in movies such as Forrest Gump, Forces of Nature, and The Prince of Tides. LOCAL FAVORITE SOUTHERN COMFORT Palmetto Dunes General Store on Hilton Head Island is a local “institution” providing a traditional general store experience with local Lowcountry food specialties. Lucrative plantations and fishing dominated the Hilton Head area economy in the 18th century. The plantations no longer produce crops; tourism and real estate now drive development. The beachfront town gained popularity in the 1950’s by turning the plantations into private neighborhoods, adding resorts to highlight the spectacular natural beauty, providing marina access plus building world-class golf courses to please the tourists and local residents.
Day 6: Savannah
Location: Savannah
Accommodation Name: Embassy Suites by Hilton Historic Savannah
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
SAVANNAH Trolleys & Timeless Tales Visit the Mercer Williams House Museum, the mysterious setting for the book and film, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Explore Savannah in style on a trolley tour led by a Local Guide who will entertain you with stories of the city’s legendary characters and past. The remainder of the afternoon is at leisure. Experience low-country cuisine during an interactive cooking class and dinner, infused with memorable stories and southern specialty flavors. (B,D)TOUR HIGHLIGHTHISTORIC SIGHTS Discover the charm and captivating stories of Savannah where art, period architecture, and ghost stories fill the air under a cool veil of Spanish moss that drapes the oaks along your trolley tour of this historic and unforgettable southern city.ENHANCED FREE TIMEEXPLORE MORE in Savannah with a stroll through Forsyth Park, visit to the Telfair Museum of Art, window shopping on Broughton Street, or a tour of the Mercer Williams House Museum—the setting for the book and film, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Your Tour Director will have suggestions for additional shopping, sightseeing, and dining. Tap your GlobusGO mobile app for all the maps and tips for a special day in Savannah.
Day 7: Savannah,Jekyll Island
Location: Jekyll Island, Georgia
Accommodation Name: Courtyard Jekyll Island
Meals Included: Breakfast
Visit Jekyll Island for a relaxing island experience. Enjoy a guided trolley tour of the Jekyll Island Historic District. A cluster of 19th-century winter-cottages, this “club” was formed by some of America’s most prominent families. The rest of the day is yours to explore the island.
SAVANNAH–JEKYLL ISLAND Island Traditions Visit Jekyll Island for a relaxing island experience. Enjoy a guided trolley tour of the Jekyll Island Historic District. A cluster of 19th-century winter-cottages, this “club” was formed by some of America’s most prominent families. The rest of the day is yours to explore the island. (B)
Day 8: Jekyll Island
Location: Jekyll Island, Georgia
Accommodation Name: Courtyard Jekyll Island
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Perhaps take a boat to Cumberland Island National Seashore, shop or kayak close to the sandy coast. Your Tour Director hosts a farewell dinner at the historic [LF] Jekyll Island Club.
JEKYLL ISLAND Enjoy a day at leisure on Jekyll Island. Perhaps take a boat to Cumberland Island National Seashore, shop or kayak close to the sandy coast. Your Tour Director hosts a farewell dinner at the historic [LF] Jekyll Island Club. (B,D)LOCAL FAVORITE CULTURAL GEM Built in 1887, the Jekyll Island Club was the winter home of the Vanderbilt, Rockefeller, and Morgan families. Enjoy the atmosphere and superior service of this famous and historic location. Enjoy an elegant farewell dinner to celebrate your Southern adventure.
Day 9: Jekyll Island,Savannah
Location: Savannah, Georgia
Meals Included: Breakfast
Morning drive to Savannah. Your vacation ends at Savannah Airport. Schedule departing flights after 1:00 pm.
JEKYLL ISLAND–SAVANNAH Safe travels until we meet again! Morning drive to Savannah. Your vacation ends at Savannah Airport. Schedule departing flights after 1:00 pm. (B)
What's Included
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Accommodation
Stay at Courtland Grand Hotel, Trademark Collection by Wyndham in Atlanta, Hampton Inn Historic Charleston in Charleston, Embassy Suites by Hilton Historic Savannah in Savannah, and Courtyard Jekyll Island in Jekyll Island.
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Meals
Daily breakfast (B), selected lunches (L), and dinners (D) as specified in the itinerary.
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Guided Tours
Guided city tours in Atlanta, Charleston, and Savannah, including visits to significant historical sites such as the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site and Boone Hall Plantation.
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Local Experiences
Unique local experiences such as a walking food tour in Atlanta, a Gullah Stories and Spirits Tour in Charleston, and an interactive cooking class in Savannah.
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Transportation
Transportation between cities and attractions as per the itinerary.
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Welcome Drink
Welcome drink on the first day in Atlanta.
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Farewell Dinner
Farewell dinner at the historic Jekyll Island Club.
What's Not Included
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International Flights
International flights to and from the USA are not included.
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Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is not included and is recommended.
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Optional Activities
Optional activities such as the culinary experience in Atlanta, evening ghost tour in Charleston, and boat trip to Cumberland Island National Seashore are not included.
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Personal Expenses
Personal expenses such as souvenirs, additional meals, and beverages are not included.
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Gratuities
Gratuities for guides, drivers, and hotel staff are not included.
Accommodation
Stay at the Courtland Grand Hotel in Atlanta, the Hampton Inn Historic Charleston in Charleston, the Embassy Suites by Hilton Historic Savannah in Savannah, and the Courtyard Jekyll Island on Jekyll Island.
Mode of Transport
Travel by coach across Georgia and South Carolina, with stops in Columbia, Charleston, Beaufort, Hilton Head, and Savannah, including guided trolley tours and horse-drawn carriage rides.
Notes
Guests should be prepared for easy but sustained walking throughout the tour, including ¼-½ mile over uneven ground during select days of sightseeing.
Check out our Q&As
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What kind of accommodation can I expect on the Southern Charms tour?
The tour includes stays at the Courtland Grand Hotel, Trademark Collection by Wyndham in Atlanta, the Hampton Inn Historic Charleston in Charleston, the Embassy Suites by Hilton Historic Savannah in Savannah, and the Courtyard Jekyll Island on Jekyll Island.
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What activities are planned for the first day of the Southern Charms tour?
On the first day, you will arrive in Atlanta and meet your travel companions for a welcome drink at 6 pm. The Tour Director will prepare you for the upcoming Southern adventure. There is also an optional culinary experience available, which includes a walking food tour to sample exclusive local Southern cuisine.
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What are some of the key attractions visited in Atlanta during the tour?
In Atlanta, the tour includes sightseeing at Centennial Olympic Park, the historic Fox Theatre, the Buckhead neighborhood, and Ponce City Market. You will also visit the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site.
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What can I expect during the visit to Charleston?
In Charleston, you will start with a city tour and visit Boone Hall Plantation and Gardens. You will also tour Patriot Points Naval Museum and enjoy a fresh biscuit from Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit shop. The afternoon is free for you to explore the city, shop at the historic City Market, visit Fort Sumter National Monument, or take a scenic cruise of Charleston Harbor.
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What unique experiences are included in the visit to Beaufort?
In Beaufort, you will tour the town by horse-drawn carriage through narrow, oak-lined streets past the former homes of wealthy cotton growers. The tour will also highlight Beaufort’s role in the Civil War and its use as a filming location for movies such as Forrest Gump and The Prince of Tides.
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What activities are planned for the day in Savannah?
In Savannah, you will visit the Mercer Williams House Museum and explore the city on a trolley tour led by a Local Guide. The afternoon is at leisure, and you can experience low-country cuisine during an interactive cooking class and dinner.
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What can I do during my free time on Jekyll Island?
On Jekyll Island, you can take a boat to Cumberland Island National Seashore, shop, or kayak close to the sandy coast. The day is yours to explore the island at your leisure.
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What is special about the farewell dinner on Jekyll Island?
The farewell dinner is hosted at the historic Jekyll Island Club, which was the winter home of the Vanderbilt, Rockefeller, and Morgan families. You will enjoy an elegant dinner in this famous and historic location to celebrate your Southern adventure.
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What time should I schedule my departing flight on the last day of the tour?
You should schedule your departing flight from Savannah Airport after 1:00 pm on the last day of the tour.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
For over 90 years.
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
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What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Please contact us for latest Covid-19 policies
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What documents will I receive before I travel?
Travel documents, including any air tickets, itineraries, and other information, are available approximately two to three weeks prior to departure provided full payment has been received.
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
The Globus Lighthouse Project - an illuminating initiative where we can all come together to tread lightly and give generously for the globe's greater good. Globus, along with sister companies Avalon Waterways and Cosmos, invite our travellers and partners to help us in supporting causes that provide for a more sustainable planet and a brighter tomorrow.
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Low Deposit
Globus requires a minimum deposit of 200 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of globus charges.
Up to 91 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 90 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 29 days before tour starts: Forfeit 80% of booking price.
At 1 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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