Presents…
THE AZALEA FESTIVAL TOUR
featuring the Virginia International Tattoo & Springtime in Coastal Virginia
April 26-30, 2017
Day 1: Wednesday, April 26, 2017 – We will depart our tour at 8:00 a.m. from the north parking lot of
Mayfair Church of Christ, 1095 Carl T. Jones Drive, Huntsville on First Class Charter bus. In route to
Roanoke, Virginia, our destination for the night, we will have an 11:00 lunch on your own and in the
afternoon enjoy a High Tea at the Martha Washington Inn in Abingdon, VA. We will check into our
Comfort Inn in Roanoke, have dinner and rest for a big day tomorrow. There are 20 restaurants around
our hotel, so whatever your appetite, there is a place you will enjoy dinner.
Day 2: Thursday, April 27, 2017 – After a hot deluxe breakfast, we
travel on to Coastal Virginia. We will arrive at our Quality Inn hotel
for the next 3 nights, settle in and prepare for a big highlight of this
tour: The Virginia International Tattoo! The experience will begin
with Taste of Tattoo: A Pre-Performance Dinner Experience,
featuring lively entertainment acts performed on a stage while we
enjoy a delicious, plentiful Southern buffet dinner of savory shrimp
and grits, mouth-watering fried chicken, BBQ spare ribs and
smothered pork chops. Sides will include sweet potato soufflé,
collard greens and buttery cornbread. The meal will be completed with a create-your-own ice cream
sundae bar and chef’s choice dessert. Then it’s on to the main event—the Tattoo, the largest in the
United States. We will see pageantry and patriotism, spirit and spectacle, talent and teamwork, precision
personified.
Day 3: Friday, April 28, 2017 – Following a hot breakfast, we will join our guide for Naval Station
Norfolk, the largest naval installation in the world. We will see the historic homes built for the 1907
Jamestown Exposition on “Admiral’s Row” and drive by the military vessels, including the magnificent
battleships.
Also this morning, we will explore MacArthur Memorial for a
glimpse into our country’s history. View the outstanding
collection of artifacts, documents, photographs and
memorabilia housed in Norfolk’s historic city hall which trace
the life and times of five-star General Douglas MacArthur and
see the 25-minute film which chronicles General MacArthur’s
life.
Lunch will be onboard the Spirit of Norfolk, for a unique two-hour lunch cruise. The ship departs the
Waterside pier area and travels north on the Elizabeth River, passing Nauticus and the USS Wisconsin,
Portsmouth Naval Hospital, Portsmouth Marine Terminals, the
Lamberts Point Coal Piers, and Norfolk Naval Base. We will enjoy a
delicious buffet with freshly prepared entrees, salads and desserts.
Onboard entertainment includes music and a lounge area as well as
narration of the surrounding sites. The ship has two fully enclosed,
climate-controlled lower decks and an open-air upper deck.
Following our cruise, we will visit the Chrysler Museum of Art,
housed in an Italian style structure facing the picturesque Hague Inlet
of the Elizabeth River. Hailed as one of the top twenty art museums in the country by The Wall Street
Journal, The Chrysler Museum’s encyclopedic collection of over 30,000 objects spans almost 5,000
years of the history of art. Stroll through the magnificent galleries while enjoying views of Art Nouveau
furniture, works of art from African, Egyptian, Pre-Columbian, Islamic and Asian cultures and an
extensive European and American collection of paintings, sculpture and decorative arts.
We will have an afternoon treat at Doumar’s, home of the world’s
first ice cream cone machine. Abe Doumar created the first ice cream
cone at the World’s Fair of 1904 in St. Louis. It was so successful that
he designed a four-iron waffle machine that he launched during the
Jamestown Exposition of 1907. Today, the family business still bakes
cones on the original cone machine. While at Doumar’s we will be given
an introduction and history and then enjoy a tasty ice cream cone treat
before boarding the bus.
We will have some down-time at the hotel and freshen up before heading to MacArthur Center, a 50store retail mall located in the heart of Norfolk where we will have many dinner options. Our shoppers
can spend the evening shopping, and the non-shoppers can be transported by our bus to the hotel.
Day 4 : Saturday, April 29, 2017 Following breakfast at the hotel, we will depart for another of our
highlights; reserved seating at the Parade of Nations featuring marching bands, Virginia International
Tattoo performers and floats that represent all NATO countries. At NATOFest explore 28 countries in a
day—without a passport! Sample international cuisine; take in performances and sights at the beautiful
Town Point Park. Enjoy lunch on your own at the Azalea festival.
This afternoon, we head toward the water to see beautiful views of
the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay. We will see the First
Landing Cross at Cape Henry where the English colonists came
ashore in 1607 prior to settling at nearby Jamestown. Enjoy a stop
at the Old Cape Henry Lighthouse, built in 1792. This lighthouse
was active until the late 1800’s and is currently a Virginia Historic
Landmark. You may choose to climb to the top of the Lighthouse or
shop in the gift shop for all things Lighthouse related.
We will allow time to stroll the Boardwalk, or dip your toes in the
ocean before departing for an all- inclusive dinner at Rockafeller’s, one of Virginia Beach’s favorite
dining spots. It’s loved by locals for its casual elegance and fresh local seafood. Those who want an allyou-can eat seafood buffet will have the option to dine at Captain George’s. (This buffet will require
some additional out-of-pocket $ to supplement the included meal allowance). We will return to the hotel
to pack and prepare for an early departure.
Day 5 Sunday, April 30, 2017 – As you have breakfast, we will load baggage to the motorcoach and
prepare for a 7:00 a.m. departure. Along the way, we will sing spiritual songs and reflect on our many
blessings and new friendships made during the week. One of our stops enroute home, will be Big
Walker Country Store & Lookout Tower. Ron Kime’s family has owned this land and been serving
visitors since 1947. He is looking forward to our group coming!
By dinner time, we will be in Knoxville at Market Square, located in World’s Fair Park with its iconic
Sunsphere. Our own bed awaits as we travel back to Huntsville with an estimated arrival time of 10:00
p.m. and fond memories of our Azalea Festival Tour!
THE TOUR INCLUDES:
 4 nights lodging
 4 breakfasts
 3 dinners including the
Spirit of Norfolk Cruise
 High Tea at
Washington Inn
 NATO Fest Activities
 Reserved seats at
Parade of Nations
 Virginia International
Tattoo Show
 Evening Entertainment
 Norfolk Naval Base
Tour
 MacArthur Memorial
 Chrysler Museum of
Art
 First Landing Cross at
Cape Henry
 Old Cape Henry
Lighthouse
 Virginia Beach
Boardwalk
 Dinner at Rockafeller’s
or Captain George’s
 Big Walker Store &
Lookout Tower
 Market Square &
Sunsphere
 Motorcoach
transportation
Tour Directors: Kim Davis & Amy Farnsworth
Price: $719 per person double occupancy -- add $300 for single occupancy
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Steady for Life – azalea festival tour
RESERVATION FORM
Name(s)_________________________________________________________________________
Street address____________________________________________Apt.#____________________
City_________________________________State_____________ Zip Code___________________
Email address____________________________________Cell Phone no._____________________
Name of Trip____________________________________ Date_____________________________
Accommodations (Please circle one):
Single
Twin
Triple
(All rooms are non-smoking)
Seatmate/Roommate________________________________________________________________
Form of Payment (Please circle one): Personal Check
Cash
Amt.:_______________________
Mail to: Steady for Life, 990 Gilstead Circle, Huntsville, AL 35802
Questions: Contact Kim Davis – 256-652-2912 or [email protected]