In May, Carson Travel introduced its new luxury executive coach. This vehicle was designed with comfort in mind for trips and tours, and was put to the test with the Southern Charms Tour that took place from May 5-12.
Judi Butler, Carolyn Carpenter, Rebecca Rose and Millisa Hartson traveled with Carson Travel Owner Leigh Ann Arnholt CTA, MCC to Savannah, Charleston, and Asheville over the course of the week.
The all-inclusive tour included round trip transportation from Lexington, overnight accommodations, all food and beverage, tours, entertainment, and taxes and gratuities.
All four women said how unique it was to take a trip with a small group of people.
“Leigh Ann quickly knitted the group into a family,” Hartson said.
There were other benefits to go with a small group. The women were picked up and dropped off at their homes instead of leaving their vehicles for a week, and they were able to add a few last-minute stops that interested them on the way.
The group first stayed in Downtown Savannah. Here, they received a private tour of Savannah, went on a Savannah River Dinner Cruise, and toured Fort Pulaski.
Judi Butler said that the walking tour of Savannah was her favorite part of the week.
“The tour guide was so knowledgeable and gave us so many interesting facts about the city,” Butler said.
“She brought the Reynolds Square, Colonial Park, and Chippewa Square alive with her story telling,” Hartson added.
The next stop was Charleston, where the group stayed downtown overnight and toured the city in a horse drawn carriage. They also visited the Calhoun Mansion and Fort Sumter. They toured and dined at Middleton Place, shopped in the Charleston Downtown Market, and even added an impromptu ghost tour at night.
The final stop was Asheville, where the group toured and dined at the Biltmore Estate.
“The highlight for me was Biltmore,” Hartson said. “It was a three in one: Biltmore, outfits from the titanic, and awesome Chihuly glass displays throughout the gardens.”
All members noted how comfortable and easy to travel in the executive coach was, and how Carson Travel made the trip completely stress-free.
“They kept us informed daily about our schedule,” Carpenter said. “We also had a detailed booklet about the trip and all the stops we would be making. It was very well organized, but also gave us time to relax.”
She also said that the limited size of the executive coach made the trip better than large bus tours.
“The nice thing about going with Carson Travel is the smaller executive coach,” Carpenter said. “It wasn’t too crowded, and we were all able to enjoy each other.”
All four women said their experience with Carson Travel was very positive, and they would definitely look into booking another trip with them.
“I have taken many trips with various tour companies, and I would rate Carson Travel as one of the best,” Rose said.
The Southern Charms Tour may be over, but Carson Travel has many more tours this summer.
If you are looking for a similar experience, Chihuly at Biltmore with Gatlinburg is coming in September, and an Opryland Country Christmas will be in December!
If you’re in the market for just a day or weekend trip, Carson Travel has several of those available as well throughout the summer.
Call Carson Travel at (419) 884-7440 today to start planning your next trip, or email at grouptravel@carsontrav.com to sign up for e-newsletters and a printed monthly newsletter with a list of upcoming tours.
