Southern Charms: Savannah, Hilton Head & Charleston

Journey begins: 5:30 PM, Perry Lane Hotel. A transfer is included from Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport to the Perry Lane Hotel in the heart of Savannah. Join us this evening for a welcome reception and dinner at your hotel.

Start a day of exploration with a morning sightseeing trip of Savannah with a local guide, admiring the city's elegant architecture and geometric city design, featuring 24 park squares highlighted by live oaks draped with Spanish moss. One of the first planned cities in America, Savannah's National Historic Landmark District is the largest in the nation, and features more than 1,000 architecturally significant buildings. Next, engage in a hands-on culinary demonstration focusing on dishes representing the unique cuisine of the coastal Low Country region, followed by lunch and some free time in Savannah to explore as you please. Late afternoon, head to a Tauck Exclusive celebration of the city's Madeira wine traditions in the private gardens of the Davenport House Museum. Following dinner at the renowned 45 bistro in The Marshall House, a restored 1850s inn, spend the rest of the evening as you please in what's considered one of the country's most graceful cities.

Today you'll embark on a guided excursion through the Low Country region along the Georgia coast. Begin with an opportunity to experience firsthand the unique Gullah / Geechee culture that developed in the wetlands approaching the outlying Sea Islands of Georgia at the Pin Point Heritage Museum. Occupying a former oyster and crab processing factory in the community of Pin Point on the banks of the Moon River south of Savannah that offers amazing views of the wetlands, the museum's exhibits and multimedia presentations interpret the oyster fishing traditions and folkways of the residents of Pin Point – which for nearly a century survived as an isolated, self-sustaining Gullah / Geechee enclave founded by first-generation free people of the Gullah community whose lives were deeply connected to the water. Next, visit a key site of the Civil War, Fort Pulaski National Monument, an impressive brick fortress captured by Union forces in 1862. It was here that military history was forever changed during a Civil War battle that saw the introduction of "rifled cannons." Return to Savannah for a free afternoon and evening to spend as you wish.

Before bidding Savannah farewell this morning, visit the city's National Museum of the Mighty 8th Air Force for a private tour of its exhibits chronicling the famed US Eighth Bomber Command's contributions to the Allied victory in World War II and beyond. Enjoy lunch at the museum before traveling to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, boasting one of the most pristine marine estuaries on the east coast. Arrive at your oceanfront resort in Hilton Head... where you'll find miles of barrier beaches that are ideal for walking and beachcombing. Spend the afternoon as you please, and dine this evening at your leisure at the resort.

Take time for an early morning walk on Hilton Head's pristine beaches if you wish before setting off for historic Beaufort, where you'll have a choice of an in-depth look at the unique culture and heritage of island life by carriage or on a walking tour, accompanied by a local resident and guide. In Beaufort, "Queen of the Carolina Sea Islands," you'll view the timeless architecture of its National Historic Landmark District. Then head to Charleston, the lovely and historic first capital of South Carolina; your home for the next three nights is an elegant 150-year-old hotel, The Mills House Wyndham Grand Hotel, at the center of Charleston's historic district – and within walking distance of many of its architectural treasures. Dinner tonight is at your choice of several fine Charleston restaurants.

This morning, a private boat cruise of Charleston Harbor imparts a wealth of information about the city's centuries of maritime history. Following your cruise, the afternoon is yours to explore Charleston as you wish. Consider visiting the Gibbes Museum of Art, or Fort Sumter National Monument, where the first shot of the Civil War was fired in 1861, and of course there are many restaurants and cafés at which to enjoy the easy living this city is so well known for. The rest of the day is free to do as you please.

Visit some of the finest historic estates and gardens in America today. A morning trip takes you first for a privately guided tour of Drayton Hall, a Georgian Palladian mansion built in 1738 that is preserved in original condition, without electricity or plumbing. Drayton Hall was built by wealthy rice farmer John Drayton in the mid-1700s, it remained in the family until 1974, and today is the oldest American plantation house open for public viewing. The experts at Frommer's travel guides note "its hand-carved woodwork and plasterwork represent New World craftsmanship at its finest." Then it's on to one of the grandest of the notable Ashley River Plantations, Middleton Place, a National Historic Landmark that is home to America's oldest landscaped gardens – truly a landscaping masterpiece. Following lunch, tour its mansion built in 1755 and the stableyards – and of course the formal gardens. Tonight, join us for a farewell cocktail reception and dinner at your historic hotel.

Tour ends: Charleston. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from The Mills House Wyndham Grand Hotel to Charleston International Airport. Allow a minimum of two hours for flight check-in.