Please review our policies before making your reservation.
CANCELLATIONS
All sales are final.
Refunds will not be issued for tours -- no exceptions.
Therefore, we recommend travel insurance which is now being offered through our partner, Trip Mate. You may use this link to get a quote or to purchase the insurance.
The deposit made at the time of booking is non-refundable.
If it becomes necessary for Martz Travel to cancel a tour, the full price will be refunded. You have the option of receiving a refund in the form of a gift certificate that may be redeemed for a future Martz Tour.
WEATHER
Winter may be creeping into Pennsylvania when we start this six-day/five-night tour but we've been told that November is a great time to visit Beaufort and Savannah. Average temperatures in Beaufort are a high of 61 degrees and a low of 51.
Daily temperatures in Savannah range from 50 to 70 degrees in November.
ACCESSIBILITY
If you require special assistance getting on or off the bus, or if you are bringing a wheelchair or scooter, please make note of it in the Comments section when making your reservation.
Hunting Island now has a track chair (all-terrain wheelchair) available for visitors with mobility impairments. Visitors are encouraged to call the park to reserve the track chair at least 48 hours in advance to ensure availability. There is no additional charge to use the track chair, but a Park Passport or park admission is required for entry for all visitors.
WALKABILITY
The amount of walking you do when we you are on your own in towns is up to you.
There will be some walking at the sites where we are taking tours especially Wormsloe Plantation where a ranger will interpret the history behind Savannah's famous Live Oak Avenue as we walk from the Visitor Center to Savannah's oldest tabby ruins.
On Day 4, our day starts off with breakfast and a two-block walk from the hotel to the dock where we will board our boat for a cruise.
Our visit to Hunting Island includes a walking tour through the natural area featuring beaches, marshes, forests and a historic lighthouse.
HOTEL INFO
We will spend the first night and the fifth night at Hampton Inn Dunn NC.
The second, third and fourth nights will be spent at Best Western Sea Island Inn, Beaufort.
You may request a room with two beds and we will pass it on to the hotels but since they are limited, we cannot guarantee that you will be assigned a room with two beds. Requests made after the rooming list has been submitted to the hotel (usually 4-6 weeks before the departure date) cannot be accommodated.
VENUE INFO
The bus tour of Beaufort will drive by some famous sites featured in the film "Forrest Gump" including:
Bubba's Mother's House on Lady's Island
Lucy Point Creek, setting of Bubba Gump's Shrimp Co.
Basil Green Sports Complex, a baseball field that served as a football field where Forrest cut grass
Woods Memorial Bridge where Forrest ran as he encountered a slew of reporters.
Old Savannah Trolley Tours offers a peek at some movie locations including Chippewa Square and the church where the father fell while driving through the beautiful historic town.
The Beaufort Dolphin and History Boat Cruise is a highlight of this tour since Beaufort was meant to be seen by water. Departing the downtown marina at the waterfront park, this fun escape is the ideal introduction to the city's history and abundant wildlife.
Penn Center, site of the former Penn School, is located on St. Helena Island, and serves as one of the most significant African-American historical and cultural institutions in existence today and keeps alive the heart of the Gullah culture.
Gullah culture is the unique cultural heritage of African-Americans descended from enslaved West and Central Africans in the coastal regions of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Isolated on the Sea Islands, they preserved a strong sense of their African linguistic and cultural heritage, which includes a unique English-based creole language, distinct cuisine, and rich traditions in music, storytelling, and crafts.
Other stops include: Fort Fremont, one of two surviving coastal fortifications in the United States intact from the Spanish-American War era; Gay Fish Co., which provided the shrimp used in the shrimp boat scenes, and the Kazoo Factory, a quirky site in Beaufort.
Our carriage ride through historic Beaufort will be provided by Sea Island Carriage Co., which offers a relaxing jaunt through the moss-covered Live Oaks, past antebellum homes, historic churches and movie sites.
MEALS
Breakfast will be served on Days 2 through 6 in the hotel.
The only included lunch is Frogmore Stew which is Low Country Shrimp Boil. It will be served at Penn Center where a local storyteller/historical interpreter will relate "Tales From the Land of Gullah."
Dinners will be served at Cracker Barrel, Red Rooster Cafe, The Pirates' House, Seaside Bar & Grill and Victors.
Characters portraying Forrest Gump and Jenny will make an appearance at Red Rooster Cafe where you'll also be treated to a signature "Jenny" cocktail with your meal.
The Pirates' House first opened in 1753 as an inn for seafarers and quickly became a meeting point for pirates and sailors from around the world.
A seafood feast awaits us at Seaside Bar & Grill on the beautiful St. Helena Island, SC.
Our last dinner together is at Victors, an elegant restaurant in Hotel Florence, SC.
If you have dietary restrictions or food allergies, make note of it when booking this tour.
BUS SEATING
While we try our best to accommodate all requests, we cannot guarantee you will be assigned the seat of your choice. If you have a preference, please make note of it in the Comments section when booking your trip. We are committed to meeting the specific health and mobility needs of our passengers.