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GRAND CIRCLE TRAVEL PLANNING GUIDE
Let Freedom Ring: A Civil Rights Journey
2022
Learn how to personalize your experience on this vacation
®
Grand Circle Travel
Worldwide Discovery at an Extraordinary Value
1
Grand Circle Travel ®
347 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210
Dear Traveler,
As the world begins to open again for curious travel lovers like you and me, you can now discover the
places you’ve dreamed of. The enclosed Grand Circle Travel Planning Guide will help you prepare for
those long-awaited dreams.
Before you start planning, please let me reassure you that your health and safety is our number
one priority. As such, we’re requiring that all Grand Circle travelers, ship crew, Program
Directors, and coach drivers must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at least 14 days prior
to departure. You can find our most up-to-date health and safety protocols at www.gct.com/
coronavirus-update.
The journey you’ve expressed interest in, Let Freedom Ring: A Civil Rights Journey vacation, will be
an excellent way to resume your discoveries. Thanks to our American Program Director, you will
be brought into the true heart of the region and be shown secret treasures that only an insider can
know. You can also rely on the seasoned team at our regional office in Boston, who are ready to
help 24/7 in case any unexpected circumstances arise.
Throughout your explorations, you’ll meet local people and gain an intimate understanding of
the real Mississippi and Alabama, not just a supeficial view. Visit the Equal Justice Initiative in
Montgomery, and learn how a portion of your travel dollars go toward helping them reveal and
dismantle institutional racism in America today.
Plus, you can put your own personal stamp on your adventure, like the more than 85% of our
travelers who take advantage of the freedom to personalize their experience. Consider joining
us on the pre-trip extension to Memphis, Tennessee, post-trip extension to New Orleans, Louisiana,
or both of these extensions.
I hope you find this Grand Circle Travel Planning Guide helpful. If you have any further questions,
don’t hesitate to contact one of our Travel Counselors at 1-800-221-2610.
Warm regards,
Harriet R. Lewis
Vice Chairman
Grand Circle Travel
P.S. For further peace of mind, please know that we are EXTENDING our Risk-Free Booking
Policy through 12/31/21. Learn more at www.gct.com/riskfree-booking.American Program
Director
2
WHAT’S INSIDE
TRIP SUMMARY
It’s Included . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Departure Dates and Prices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Freedom to Personalize Your Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
DETAILED DAY-TO-DAY ITINERARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
ESSENTIAL TRAVEL INFORMATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Travel Documents & Entry Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . N/A
Rigors, Vaccines & General Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Money Matters: Local Currency & Tipping Guidelines . . . . . . . 27
Air, Optional Tours & Staying in Touch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Packing: What to Bring & Luggage Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Climate & Average Temperatures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
About Your Destinations: Culture, Etiquette & More . . . . . . . . 38
Demographics & History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Resources: Suggested Reading & Movies . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Health & Safety Measures – Vaccines Required . . . . . . . . . . 47
MAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
3
New! Let Freedom Ring: A Civil Rights Journey
Mississippi: Jackson | Alabama: Birmingham, Montgomery, Mobile
Countries: 1 | Cities: 4
Martin Luther King, Montgomery, Alabama, 1964
IT’S INCLUDED
11 days from $3195
Including international airfare • Choose to purchase Grand Circle’s airfare, and your airport transfers,
from 3 U.S. cities government taxes, fees, and airline fuel surcharges are included. Or, make
Travel from only $291 per day your own air arrangements
• Accommodations for 10 nights in comfortable rooms with private baths
11 days from $2595 • 20 meals: 10 breakfasts, 4 lunches, and 6 dinners
Tour only • 15 included features: 12 guided tours and 3 exclusive Discovery Series
events: Examining Jim Crow conversation • Chaplain Browder conversation •
Travel from only $236 per day
Equal Justice Institute conversation
Single Supplement: FREE • Exclusive services of a local Grand Circle Program Director (assigned to no
more than 38 travelers)
• Gratuities on your main trip for local guides and motorcoach drivers
MAXIMIZE YOUR
DISCOVERIES & VALUE • Personal headset on all included and optional tours
• Private motorcoach land travel
OPTIONAL EXTENSIONS • Baggage handling for 1 piece of luggage per person, including tips
Memphis, Tennessee • 5% Frequent Traveler Credit toward your next trip
3 nights pre-trip from $1295
• A portion of the proceeds from this trip will be donated to the Equal Justice
New Orleans, Louisiana Initiative, an Alabama non-profit which combats racial injustice
3 nights post-trip from $1395
To get a richer view of the Included Features on this trip,
watch our Trip Itinerary video at www.gct.com/cvm2022
Let Freedom Ring: A Civil Rights Journey
4
LET FREEDOM RING: A CIVIL RISK-FREE BOOKING POLICY: RESERVE WITH
CONFIDENCE—NOW THROUGH 12/31/21
RIGHTS JOURNEY We will waive any change fees if you transfer to another departure date for
any reason—up until 24 hours prior to departure.
2022 DATES & PRICES See details at www.gct.com/riskfree-booking.
DEPART FROM: MARCH-MAY; SEPTEMBER-NOVEMBER
Atlanta, Chicago $3195
Baltimore, Boston, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Miami, Orlando,
$3295
Philadelphia, Tampa
Dallas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Newark, Phoenix,
$3395
Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, DC
Additional departure cities are available. Upgrade to Business Class may be available for the international portion of your flight. Call for details.
MARCH-MAY; SEPTEMBER-NOVEMBER
Land tour only $2595
CVM2022
Prices are per person. Airfare prices include government taxes, fees, and airline fuel surcharges. All prices and availability are effective as of the date of
this publication, and are subject to change without notice. Standard Terms & Conditions apply, please visit our website: www.gct.com/tc. Every effort
has been made to produce this information accurately. We reserve the right to correct errors.
For specific departure dates, current availability, and detailed pricing, visit www.gct.com/cvm2022pricing
SAVE UP TO 10% WITH OUR FREE SINGLE SUPPLEMENTS
on your main trip and extensions. SHARE YOUR LOVE OF TRAVEL
GOOD BUY PLAN
New travelers you refer will instantly
The earlier you reserve your departure We don’t charge you more for your save $100, and you’ll earn increasing
and pay in full, the more you’ll save—up own room. rewards—up to a FREE trip!
to 10%—plus, you’ll lock in your price.
Each departure has limited solo space For details, visit www.gct.com/va
For details, visit www.gct.com/gbd available—call today.
Publication Date: 4/6/21
1-800-221-2610 • www.gct.com/cvm2022
5
Freedom to Personalize Your Experience
Your Choice, Your Trip, Your Way
Extending the length of your stay in a destination can improve your overall travel experience—and allow you to seek out
even more eye-opening cultural interactions. Your local Program Director will help to ensure you’re getting the personalized
experiences you’re looking for. In fact, 85% of our travelers are personalizing their experience in more than 85 countries.
Call us at 1-800-221-2610 to discuss personalizing your vacation today or visit us online at www.gct.com/personalize-cvm2022.
Maximize Your Time & Value: 55% of our travelers Back-to-Back Trips: 90% of our travelers who
choose to take a pre- or post-trip extension combined two vacations rated it excellent
See more of the region and maximize your value by taking One of the most common vacations travelers combine with
advantage of your already-included airfare. On this this one is Southwest National Parks: Arches, Zion, Bryce &
vacation, you can choose between Memphis, Tennessee̵Öłù the Grand Canyon. If you’re already on the road, why not see
New Orleans, Louisiana. more of the region and avoid another flight? Plus, you’ll
save $250 per person when you reserve two trips right after
“Break Away” Options: 30% of our travelers choose one another.
to arrive early or stay late in their destination
Before or after your main tour or trip extension, “break Air Options: More than 50% of our travelers
away” anywhere you’d like to go to do more exploring customize their flights
entirely on your own. We make every effort to provide you with non-stop
flights and acceptable connection times to and from your
Please note: Our Travel Counselors can help you plan your
destination. You also have several other ways you can
airfare if you’d like to “break away,” however since this option
personalize your air itinerary, including choosing your
is completely on your own, you will need to plan your own
departure city and airline, upgrading your seat, and more.
accommodations, meals, tours, and transfers.
French Quarter, New Orleans, Louisiana
Let Freedom Ring:
6Let Freedom Ring:
A Civil Rights Journey
2022
11-Day Land Tour
EXTEND YOUR TRIP
PRE-TRIP
Memphis, Tennessee
POST-TRIP
New Orleans, Louisiana
Your Day-to-Day Itinerary
7GRAND CIRCLE TRAVEL
Grand Circle Travel, founded in 1958 to serve the American Association for Retired Persons (AARP), is
the leader in international travel and discovery for Americans over age 50. Grand Circle vacations have
been recommended by The New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, The Los Angeles Times, Travel + Leisure,
The Wall Street Journal, Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel, and others. But our most impressive reviews
come from our travelers. More than two million people have traveled with us, and the overwhelming
majority say they’d gladly do so again.
LAND TOUR
During your Grand Circle vacation, you’ll have reliable assistance available at all times from an on-site
local Grand Circle Travel Program Director throughout your trip. He or she is fluent in English and can
give you an inside perspective on your destinations. You will also be supported along the way by local
tour guides, who lead you expertly through particular sites and cities.
Many Program Directors are graduates of professional education programs for travel guides. In
addition, they receive specialized training directly from Grand Circle, based on what we’ve learned
from past travelers about how to make the trip most enjoyable. Your Program Director offers both
a deep knowledge of the region and a commitment to make this a very pleasant, informative, and
rewarding travel experience for you.
He or she will provide sightseeing trips, handle all travel details, reserve optional tours you choose to
take, oversee your Discovery Series events, and provide any other assistance you may need.
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610
8INCLUDED IN YOUR PRICE
» Choose to purchase Grand Circle’s airfare, » Gratuities on your main trip for local guides
and your airport transfers, government and motorcoach drivers
taxes, fees, and airline fuel surcharges » Personal headset on all included and
are included. Or, make your own air optional tours
arrangements
» Private motorcoach land travel
» Accommodations for 10 nights in
» Baggage handling for 1 piece of luggage per
comfortable rooms with private baths
person, including tips
» 20 meals: 10 breakfasts, 4 lunches,
» 5% Frequent Traveler Credit toward
and 6 dinners
your next trip
» 15 included features: 12 guided tours
» A portion of the proceeds from this trip will
and 3 exclusive Discovery Series events:
be donated to the Equal Justice Initiative,
Examining Jim Crow conversation •
an Alabama non-profit which combats
Chaplain Browder conversation • Equal
racial injustice
Justice Institute conversation
» Exclusive services of a local Grand Circle
Program Director (assigned to no more
than 38 travelers)
WHAT THIS TRIP IS LIKE
GROUP SIZE TERRAIN & TRANSPORTATION
» A maximum of 38 travelers, led by a local » Uneven surfaces, including unpaved trails,
Grand Circle Program Director steep inclines, steps, and rocky terrain
» Travel by 55-seat motorcoach
PACING
» 4 locations in 11 days CLIMATE
» Daytime temperatures range from 60-87°F
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS during touring season
» Walk 1 mile unassisted and participate
» Nighttime temperatures can fall to 37-65°F
in 3-4 hours of physical activities daily,
including uneven walking surfaces such
as unpaved paths, steep hills, stairs,
and stones
» We reserve the right for Program Directors
to restrict participation, or in some
circumstances send travelers home, if their
limitations impact the group’s experience
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610
9Let Freedom Ring: A Civil Rights Journey
YOUR DETAILED ITINERARY
BEGIN YOUR TRIP WITH AN OPTIONAL PRE-TRIP EXTENSION
3 nights in Memphis, Tennessee
Day 1 Arrive Memphis, Tennessee Day 3 Memphis • Stax Museum of
American Soul Music • Slave Haven
Day 2 Memphis city tour • Lorraine
Underground Railroad Museum
Motel Museum
Day 4 Depart Memphis • Delta Blues
Museum • Money & Sumner, Mississippi •
Jackson, Mississippi • Join main trip
Day 1 Arrive Jackson, Mississippi Morning: Jackson is a meaningful place
to begin your journey given its Civil War
• Destination: Jackson
history, its role in the civil rights struggle,
• Accommodations: Westin Jackson or similar
and recent developments in the effort towards
Afternoon: Travel to Jackson today, and settle reconciliation. For many Freedom Riders
into your hotel. Depending on your arrival time, in 1961, who were protesting the illegal
you might enjoy an orientation walk with your segregation of interstate buses, Jackson
local Program Director. Dinner is on your own was “the end of the line” where many were
this evening, and your Program Director will be arrested.
happy to offer suggestions.
The city was originally a trading post of the
Dinner/Evening: Continue making independent Choctaw Nation, set on the historic Natchez
discoveries this evening, with dinner on your Trace trade route. After waves of European
own. Ask your Program Director for restaurant settlement it was chosen as the new state
recommendations. capital and named for General Andrew
“Stonewall” Jackson. During the Civil War
Day 2 Jackson • Mississippi Civil Jackson was an important manufacturing and
Rights Museum railroad center for the Confederacy; it was
completely burned by Union troops under
• Destination: Jackson
General William Tecumseh Sherman.
• Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodations: Westin Jackson or similar As a result, the city today has very few
antebellum buildings, but two that still
Breakfast: At the hotel.
stand are the Governor’s Mansion and the
State Capitol. During Reconstruction Jackson
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610
10was a center of activity for the Redshirts, Dinner: Enjoy an included Welcome Dinner at a
a paramilitary organization intent on local restaurant.
suppressing black voting rights. In 1890,
Evening: You have the freedom to spend the
Mississippi passed a new state constitution
rest of your evening as you wish—ask your
that disenfranchised black voters, and
Program Director for recommendations.
made segregation the law. Ten other former
Confederate states followed Mississippi’s lead,
ushering in the Jim Crow era. Day 3 Jackson • Examining Jim Crow
conversation • Jackson city tour
If you wonder what life was like during those
• Destination: Jackson
days, look no further than the works of
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Eudora Welty, a • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Jackson native whose home and garden in the • Accommodations: Westin Jackson or similar
Belhaven section of town is a National Historic Breakfast: At the hotel.
Landmark. Another literary chronicler of life in
Jackson was Richard Wright, who lived here in Morning: Join an exclusive Discovery Series
the 1920s and described his horrific experiences conversation about the impact of Jim Crow
in the novel Black Boy. laws on life in the South, and the various
responses to it, including the rise of the Ku
A tragic moment of the civil rights era occurred Klux Klan and the White Citizens Council; and
here when Medgar Evers was gunned down in the formation of the National Association for
his driveway by Byron de la Beckwith, acting the Advancement of Colored Peoples (NAACP)
on behalf of the Ku Klux Klan. Evers was a truly and the Southern Christian Leadership
promising leader. A World War II veteran, he’d Council (SCLC).
fought in the Battle of Normandy before coming
home to fight the even longer battle for equal Lunch: Included at a local restaurant.
rights. After graduating from college he became
Afternoon: Join a local guide for in included
the NAACP’s first field secretary for Mississippi,
tour of Jackson, for an in-depth look at the
doing key investigative work particularly in the
city’s historic locales. The balance of the day
areas of voting rights and school integration.
is free for relaxing, reflecting, or exploring on
Lunch: Included at a local restaurant. your own. Perhaps you’ll see why Jackson is
called the “City with Soul” by walking along the
Afternoon: Learn more about the struggle for Mississippi Blues Trail, or taking in some music
equality in Mississippi during a visit to the or soul food at one of the many venues in the
Mississippi State Civil Rights Museum. Opened trendy Fondren section.
in 2017, it is the first such museum to be
sponsored by a U.S. state, and stands adjacent Dinner/Evening: Continue making independent
to the Museum of Mississippi History. Its eight discoveries this evening, with dinner on your
galleries detail the struggle for freedom that own. Ask your Program Director for restaurant
began with the slave trade and continues to recommendations.
this day.
Following your museum visit, you’ll have a few
hours free for independent exploration.
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610
11Day 4 Jackson • Birmingham, Alabama Morning: Today you will learn more about
Birmingham’s history on an included city
• Destination: Birmingham
tour. You’ll visit Kelly Ingram Park, which was
• Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
chosen as a gathering point by SCLC activists
• Accommodations: Hampton Inn & Suites in their 1960s campaign to end segregation in
Downtown Tutweiler or similar Birmingham. These protests caught national
Breakfast: At the hotel. attention as images of men, women, and
children taking the brunt of high-powered
Morning: Travel across the state border hoses and police dog attacks were broadcast
to Birmingham. In the 1950s and 1960s, on televisions around the world, resulting in
Birmingham was a center of civil rights President Kennedy’s decision to send in the U.S.
activism, but it was also an important center for military to enforce integration. Now, the park
mining, iron, and steel production. This meant is a peaceful locale where you can contemplate
that the many local Klan members who worked the moving statues that depict some of the key
in those industries had easy access to explosive figures in Birmingham’s civil rights struggle.
materials—which they used to deadly effect. So
many bombs were exploded at black homes that You’ll also visit the site of one of the most
the town became known as “Bombingham.” infamous bombings in 1963, the 16th Street
Baptist Church, in which some 22 people were
Birmingham today is a city renewed, known injured and four little girls were killed. This
for its cosmopolitan culture, innovative act of domestic terrorism spawned riots and
culinary scene, and a progressive culture that national outrage.
acknowledges its scarred past, and is dedicated
to examining and learning from it. Lunch: On your own—ask your Program
Director for local restaurant recommendations.
Lunch: During your drive, you’ll stop en route
for an included lunch at a local restaurant. Afternoon: Rejoin your group to visit the Civil
Rights Institute, an interpretive museum where
Afternoon: Arrive at your Birmingham hotel you will explore the role of Birmingham within
late in the afternoon and settle in. You’ll have a the larger context of the civil rights movement.
few hours to rest before dinner.
After your tour, you’ll have a few hours to relax
Dinner: Included at your hotel. or explore on your own before dinner.
Evening: You have the freedom to spend the Dinner: Included at a local restaurant.
rest of your evening as you wish—ask your
Program Director for recommendations. Evening: You have the freedom to spend the
rest of your evening as you wish—ask your
Program Director for recommendations.
Day 5 Birmingham city tour • Civil
Rights Institute
• Destination: Birmingham
• Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
• Accommodations: Hampton Inn & Suites
Downtown Tutweiler or similar
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610
12Day 6 Birmingham • Selma • Montgomery Afternoon: Board your motorcoach and ride to
Montgomery, arriving at your hotel late this
• Destination: Montgomery
afternoon.
• Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodations: Doubletree by Hilton Dinner: Included at a local restaurant.
Montgomery or similar
Evening: You have the freedom to reflect
Breakfast: At the hotel. on today’s discoveries or spend the rest of
your evening as you wish—ask your Program
Morning: Today you’ll travel to Montgomery,
Director for recommendations.
stopping en route to explore one of the most
pivotal battlegrounds of the civil rights
struggle: Selma. Day 7 Montgomery • Legacy Museum •
Rosa Parks Museum • Chaplain Browder
In 1963, Selma’s black community leaders conversation
joined with the Student Nonviolent
• Destination: Montgomery
Coordinating Committee to organize around
voting rights. The reaction of white Selma was • Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
swift and harsh, ranging from legal injunctions • Accommodations: Doubletree by Hilton
to beatings to outright murder. All eyes were Montgomery or similar
on Selma in 1965 when Dr. Martin Luther King, Breakfast: At the hotel.
Jr., Dr. Ralph Abernathy, John Lewis, and a
host of others arrived on the invitation of “the Morning: Join a local guide for a walk along
Courageous Eight,” a group of Selma residents the waterfront of the Alabama River, and learn
who defied the injunction against three or more more about Montgomery’s history during a
Negroes from meeting. conversation with a local expert—including its
role during the Civil War and the antebellum
A series of marches were attempted and met era, in which it hosted the First White House
with extreme violence, as well as widespread of the Confederacy, the residence of Jefferson
media coverage that showed the horror of Davis until 1861.
“Bloody Selma.” The protesters eventually
marched from Selma to the capitol in Afterward, you’ll visit the Legacy Museum,
Montgomery, 54 miles away. More than 25,000 whose interactive displays and stirring artwork
people participated, including many celebrities depict the history of American slavery. It stands
and white supporters. With a Selma “foot in a former warehouse where you can walk
soldier” from those times as your guide, you among the pens where human beings were
will visit historic locations such as the Lowndes housed along with livestock.
Interpretive Center; and the Edmund Pettus
Lunch: On your own—ask your Program
Bridge, where crowds were brutally suppressed.
Director for local restaurant recommendations.
Lunch: Included at a local restaurant. You’ll be
Afternoon: Delve into the legacy of both a local
joined by your Selma guide, who has been active
and national icon, Rosa Parks, hailed as the
in the civil rights movement since she was a
mother of the modern day American civil rights
young girl. Take advantage of this opportunity
movement. A lifelong community activist, Rosa
to hear stories, ask questions, and learn more
Parks ignited the passions of a generation of
about this tumultuous period firsthand from
activists and transformed America when she
someone who grew up during its fiercest days.
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610
13challenged the racist status quo in 1955 for the Following your tour, you’ll have some free
simple act of refusing to give up her seat to a time to seek out your own discoveries in this
white man on a Montgomery city bus. When significant city of the Civil Rights movement.
the bus driver threatened her with arrest, she
You might choose to visit the Dexter Parsonage,
responded simply, “you may do that.”
the humble little house where Dr. Martin Luther
Her defiance launched a citywide bus boycott King, Jr. and his family lived during his tenure
that gained national attention, and was led by as a local pastor between 1954 and 1960. During
Dr. King. You’ll visit the Rosa Parks Museum, the civil rights movement, the house was
which stands directly behind the very bus stop repeatedly bombed by hate groups; fortunately,
where Parks took her heroic stand and offers an nobody was physically harmed. The house
interactive, multi-media presentation. today is a museum and tribute to Dr. King’s
legacy, featuring furniture that he used during
Following your tour, you’ll gather with your
his residence here, as well as exhibits that detail
fellow travelers before dinner for an exclusive
his early life, and the works of the other twelve
Discovery Series conversation with chaplain
pastors who lived here.
Curtis Browder, who will offer a personal
perspective on the dramatic days of the civil Or, discover the Freedom Rides Museum,
rights movement. Chaplain Browder was dedicated to the young activists, black and
the first African-American prison chaplain, white, male and female, who rode on buses
appointed by governor George Wallace, and has together to nonviolently defy local segregation
worked tirelessly for decades to better the lives laws, as well as mob intimidation at the
of less-fortunate Americans. hands of the Ku Klux Klan, to force the federal
government into action. The museum is located
Dinner: Included at a local
at the site of the Greyhound station where, in
restaurant—chaplain Browder will join you for
1961, the Freedom Riders were confronted by
your meal to continue your conversation.
an angry white mob, leading to an outburst of
Evening: You have the freedom to spend the violence to which the federal authorities could
rest of your evening as you wish—ask your no longer turn a blind eye.
Program Director for recommendations.
Lunch: On your own—ask your Program
Director for local restaurant recommendations.
Day 8 Montgomery • Memorial for Peace
Afternoon: Visit the Memorial for Peace and
and Justice • Equal Justice Institute
Justice, just opened in April 2018, dedicated
conversation
to the more than 4,400 African Americans
• Destination: Montgomery who were lynched, shot, burned, or otherwise
• Included Meals: Breakfast murdered by white supremacist mobs between
• Accommodations: Doubletree by Hilton 1877 and 1950. For decades, much of this
Montgomery or similar campaign of racial terror, which exiled millions
Breakfast: At the hotel. from the south as refugees, went ignored and
undocumented, and the memorial is a sobering
Morning: Learn more about the history of the reminder of the trials that African Americans
civil rights movement in Montgomery today as endured, even long after slavery was abolished.
you continue exploring with your local guide.
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610
14Following your tour, you will learn more words, “We will not be satisfied until justice
about the Equal Justice Institute (“EJI”), the rolls down like waters and righteousness like a
organization that investigated these atrocities mighty stream.”
and founded the memorial, during an exclusive
You’ll explore Dr. King’s legacy further on the
Discovery Series conversation with one of its
next stop of your tour, which is just around the
members. In addition to documenting the
corner from the memorial. Here, you’ll find
untold story of racism in America (the scope of
the Dexter Avenue Baptist church where Dr.
its research extends beyond the south), the EJI
King led his congregation between 1954 and
seeks to end mass incarceration and challenges
1960. Founded in 1877 on the site of a slave
racial injustice in its many forms. Grand Circle
trader’s pen, the church has a long history
is proud to support the EJI: A portion of the
of community service, and it was from Dr.
proceeds from this journey will be donated to
King’s office where many of the Civil Rights
the organization to support their mission.
movement’s earliest campaigns—including the
The rest of your day is free to explore on your 1956 Bus Boycott—were planned.
own or reflect on today’s learnings.
Lunch: On your own—ask your Program
Dinner/Evening: Continue making independent Director for local restaurant recommendations.
discoveries this evening, with dinner on your
Afternoon: Depart for Mobile, your next
own. Ask your Program Director for restaurant
destination, arriving early in the afternoon. The
recommendations.
rest of the day is yours to spend in Mobile as
you please.
Day 9 Montgomery • Civil Rights
Memorial Center • Dexter Avenue Baptist Dinner/Evening: Continue making independent
Church • Mobile discoveries this evening, with dinner on your
own. Ask your Program Director for restaurant
• Destination: Mobile
recommendations.
• Included Meals: Breakfast
• Accommodations: Hampton Inn & Suites
or similar
Day 10 Mobile city tour
• Destination: Mobile
Breakfast: At the hotel.
• Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Morning: Dig a little deeper into the civil • Accommodations: Hampton Inn & Suites
rights history of Montgomery. First, you’ll or similar
visit the Civil Rights Memorial Center, a
Breakfast: At the hotel.
dramatic monument designed by Maya Lin
(architect of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Morning: Enjoy the coastal charm and
in Washington D.C.) The memorial is a circular easygoing spirit of Mobile, Alabama’s only
black granite slab, etched with the names of true seaport. It is one of the state’s oldest and
martyrs who died in the battle for equality, most culturally diverse cities, with a French,
radiating from the center like a clock’s hands. A Spanish, and British colonial past, and its
constant flow of water bubbles from the center, cultural tapestry is informed by the influences
spreading across the surface, and a granite of many other groups including Native
wall behind echoes Dr. Martin Luther King’s American, African, Jewish, Irish, and many
Caribbean people.
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610
15America’s first Mardi Gras celebration The balance of the afternoon is free. Mobile
originated here, years before its counterpart boasts seven historic neighborhoods to explore
in New Orleans. In the 19th century Mobile on your own, each filled with beautiful homes
was an important port for the cotton and slave in different architectural styles.
trades, then in the 20th century it prospered
Dinner: Come together to share our most
as a shipbuilding center. Your tour includes a
important learnings from the trip, and
visit to Africatown, a neighborhood settled in
celebrate our fellowship at an included Farewell
1860 by 32 West Africans who were among the
Dinner in a special local restaurant.
last-known slaves to be illegally shipped here
from Africa. Evening: You have the freedom to spend the
rest of your evening as you wish—ask your
Lunch: You’ll pause for a break during your
Program Director for recommendations.
tour to enjoy lunch on your own. Your Program
Director can recommend a restaurant.
Day 11 Depart Mobile
Afternoon: Conclude today’s tour at the
• Included Meals: Breakfast
Oakleigh Historic Complex, which maintains
a trio of houses representing an enslaved Breakfast: At the hotel.
person’s quarters, a working class bungalow,
Morning: Transfer to the airport for your flight
and an upper-class town home.
home, or begin your optional New Orleans,
Louisiana post-trip extension.
END YOUR TRIP WITH AN OPTIONAL POST-TRIP EXTENSION
3 nights in New Orleans, Louisiana
Day 1 Mobile, Alabama • New Day 3 New Orleans • Whitney Plantation
Orleans, Louisiana slavery museum
Day 2 New Orleans city tour Day 4 Depart New Orleans
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610
16PRE-TRIP
Memphis, Tennessee
INCLUDED IN YOUR PRICE
» Accommodations for 3 nights » Exclusive services of a Grand Circle
» 6 meals: 3 breakfasts, 2 lunches, Program Director
and 1 dinner » Gratuities for local guides and
» 6 included tours: Memphis city tour, motorcoach drivers
Lorraine Motel Museum, Stax Museum » All transfers
of American Soul Music, Slave Haven
Underground Railroad Museum, Delta Blues
Museum, Money & Sumner
PRE-TRIP EXTENSION ITINERARY
Memphis is a place of pilgrimage, whether you are a devotée of the blues, rock or soul; a lover of barbecue; or
a fan of the King, Elvis Presley, who you can honor at his Graceland home. All these American icons are deeply
indebted to the cultural and political contributions made by generations of African-Americans who made
Memphis one of the South’s most vibrant cities, which is why we are honored to offer it as a prelude to your
civil rights tour. Our journey will include a special focus on another King, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who lived
his final, impactful days here.
Day 1 Arrive Memphis, Tennessee Day 2 Memphis city tour • Lorraine
• Destination: Memphis Motel Museum
• Accommodations: Holiday Inn Memphis • Destination: Memphis
Downtown or similar • Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Morning/Afternoon: Depending on when you • Accommodations: Holiday Inn Memphis
arrive in Memphis, you’ll have time to relax, Downtown or similar
and perhaps join your Program Director for an Breakfast: At the hotel.
orientation walk around the neighborhood.
Morning: This morning you’ll enjoy a
Dinner/Evening: Continue making independent panoramic city tour of Memphis. This city is
discoveries this evening, with dinner on your deeply rooted in the American blues tradition,
own. Ask your Program Director for restaurant and your tour will showcase the many historic
recommendations. recording studios and music venues along
Beale Street.
Lunch: Included at a local restaurant.
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610
17Afternoon: Explore the last moments of Dr. when segregation was the law of the land.
King at the Lorraine Motel, and learn more Learn about the Stax story, and indulge in its
about the movement he led at the neighboring legendary style and sound on a tour of the
National Civil Rights Museum. The motel is museum’s visits.
where Dr. King was shot and killed by James
Your next stop is the Slave Haven Underground
Earl Ray as he stood on the second floor
Railroad Museum, located in the 19th century
balcony. It still bears its iconic, 1950s turquoise
estate of Jacob Burkle, a local businessman
façade and two rooms, including King’s, have
who offered refuge to slaves as they escaped to
been preserved as they were in 1968. Its roster
freedom. Inside the home, you’ll explore the
of famous guests included entertainers like Sam
secret underground cellar where Burkle housed
Cooke, Aretha Franklin, and Wilson Pickett,
his refugees, and step into an escaped slave’s
who composed “The Midnight Hour” here. The
shoes to get a glimpse into their struggle as
adjoining National Civil Rights Museum is now
they hid from the authorities and awaited the
a Smithsonian Affiliate whose 260 artifacts plus
river ships that would take them on the next leg
multimedia exhibits chronicle five centuries of
of their journey.
the African-American struggle.
Lunch/Afternoon: Yours to do as you please.
Dinner/Evening: Continue making independent
Your Program Director will be happy to
discoveries this evening, with dinner on your
recommend a spot for lunch and free time
own. Ask your Program Director for restaurant
activities. Perhaps you’ll admire the striking
recommendations.
photography of the famed African-American
photojournalist Ernest Withers at his namesake
Day 3 Memphis • Stax Museum of museum, or head out to Graceland.
American Soul Music • Slave Haven
Underground Railroad Museum Dinner: Included at a local restaurant.
• Destination: Memphis Evening: You have the freedom to spend the
• Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner rest of your evening as you wish—ask your
• Accommodations: Holiday Inn Memphis Program Director for recommendations.
Downtown or similar
Breakfast: At the hotel. Day 4 Depart Memphis • Delta Blues
Museum • Money & Sumner, Mississippi •
Morning: Memphis holds a special place in Jackson, Mississippi • Join main trip
America’s cultural scene as a center of soul
• Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
music, and you’ll explore that legacy this
morning on an included tour to the Stax Breakfast: At the hotel.
Museum of American Soul Music. Over half
Morning: After departing your hotel, you’ll
a century, Stax Records established itself as
travel to the Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale,
America’s leading producer of soul music,
Mississippi, which honors the heritage of this
launching the careers of legendary musicians
distinctly American genre of music through
and recording artists including Otis Redding,
memorabilia (including the shack where a
Isaac Hayes, Richard Pryor, Booker T & the
young Muddy Waters once lived), art, and
MGs and more. Most impressively, Stax, an
educational programs aimed at fostering
African-American-owned business, built itself
musical talents among youths.
up as an integrated company in the 1960s,
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610
18Lunch: Included at a local restaurant in
Clarksdale.
Afternoon: Ride to Money, Mississippi, an
important stop along the Mississippi Freedom
Trail. It was here in 1955 that 14-year-old
Emmett Till was tortured and murdered for
supposedly flirting with a white woman. The
two murderers were acquitted by an all-white
jury, but admitted their crime a year later in
an interview with Look magazine. The accuser,
Carolyn Bryant, later recanted many details of
her story.
The event galvanized the nation, especially
after Till’s mother insisted that his coffin
remain open so the world could see the brutal
evidence of lynching in America. Rosa Parks
said the injustice of the acquittal inspired her
to hold her seat on the Birmingham bus four
days later. You’ll also stop at the Emmett Till
Interpretive Center in nearby Sumner, housed
in the courthouse where the trial took place.
Continue on to Jackson, where you’ll join your
fellow travelers to commence your main trip.
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610
19POST-TRIP
New Orleans, Louisiana
INCLUDED IN YOUR PRICE
» Accommodations for 3 nights » Exclusive services of a Grand Circle
» 6 meals: 3 breakfasts, 1 lunch, and 2 dinners Program Director
» 2 included tours: New Orleans, Whitney » Gratuities for local guides and
Plantation slavery museum motorcoach drivers
» All transfers
POST-TRIP EXTENSION ITINERARY
Vibrant, diverse and always welcoming, New Orleans is home to the oldest surviving black community in
the United States. The bedrock traditions upon which the city is built—its music, cuisine, and Mardi Gras
culture—are all built upon the African-American experience. Though life in the “Big Easy” has been anything
but easy for the city’s African descendants, it has been colorful, resilient, and deeply inspiring. Come celebrate
with us on this fitting coda to your civil rights tour.
Day 1 Mobile, Alabama • New Evening: You have the freedom to spend the
Orleans, Louisiana rest of your evening as you wish—ask your
Program Director for recommendations.
• Destination: New Orleans
• Included Meals: Dinner
• Accommodations: Westin New Orleans
Day 2 New Orleans city tour
or similar • Destination: New Orleans
• Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Morning: Depart Mobile and travel by private
motorcoach to New Orleans. You’ll arrive in • Accommodations: Westin New Orleans
the early afternoon, with the balance of the or similar
day free. Breakfast: At the hotel.
Lunch/Afternoon: Yours to do as you please. Morning: Today, explore lively New Orleans
Your Program Director will be happy to on a guided tour, including Treme and the
recommend a spot for lunch and free time Ninth Ward.
activities. If you like, you may join your
Program Director for an orientation walk later Historic Treme sits on the edge of the French
in the day. Quarter and is the oldest continuously
inhabited African-American neighborhood in
Dinner: Included at a local restaurant. the United States. It was originally part of a
French colonial plantation but starting around
1794 it was developed into subdivisions to
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610
20house the city’s free people of color, which Lunch/Afternoon: Return to New Orleans for
included Haitian Creoles, Africans, and an independent lunch and free afternoon to do
Caucasians of European descent. as you please. Your Program Director will be
happy to recommend a spot for lunch and free
During the years of Spanish control, slaves
time activities.
were permitted some time off on Sundays.
They gathered with freed people at Treme’s Dinner: Celebrate the end of a moving journey
Congo Square to socialize, play music, dance, during a Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant.
and sell goods. This is where the Louisiana
Evening: You have the freedom to spend the
jazz tradition was born, and still flourishes
rest of your evening as you wish—ask your
today. We’ll visit the site of Congo Square,
Program Director for recommendations.
now part of Armstrong Park; and also explore
the Ninth Ward, another traditionally black
neighborhood. Hit hard by Katrina, the Ward Day 4 Depart New Orleans
is still struggling to rebound and is also • Included Meals: Breakfast
diversifying.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Lunch: Included at a local restaurant.
Morning: Transfer to the airport for your
Afternoon: Free for your own discoveries—ask flight home.
your Program Director for recommendations.
Dinner/Evening: Continue making independent
discoveries this evening, with dinner on your
own. Ask your Program Director for restaurant
recommendations.
Day 3 New Orleans • Whitney Plantation
slavery museum
• Destination: New Orleans
• Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
• Accommodations: Westin New Orleans
or similar
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: Ride southwest of the city to Whitney
Plantation, the only historic home in Louisiana
that is focused on slavery. Here your guides will
depict a vivid portrayal of slave life based on
first-hand slave narratives, and supported by
restored historic buildings, museum exhibits,
and memorial artwork.
Itinerary Subject to Change. For Information or reservations, call 1-800-221-2610
21ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS TRIP:
With the planning of any vacation comes the need to research and
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Counselors will be ready and eager to address any additional questions
you may have.
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and look forward to the incredible discoveries that await.
22CONTENTS
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS & ENTRY REQUIREMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . .N/A
RIGORS, VACCINES & GENERAL HEALTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
MONEY MATTERS: LOCAL CURRENCY & TIPPING GUIDELINES . . .27
Top 3 Suggestions
Local Currency
Tipping Guidelines
AIR, OPTIONAL TOURS & STAYING IN TOUCH . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
PACKING: WHAT TO BRING & LUGGAGE LIMITS . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
CLIMATE & AVERAGE TEMPERATURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
ABOUT YOUR DESTINATIONS: CULTURE, ETIQUETTE & MORE . . .38
Culture & Points to Know
Shopping
DEMOGRAPHICS & HISTORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
RESOURCES: SUGGESTED READING & MOVIES. . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
23RIGORS, VACCINES & GENERAL HEALTH
Keep Your Abilities In Mind
Please review the information below prior to departing on this trip. We reserve the right for our
Program Directors to modify participation, or in some circumstances send travelers home if their
limitations are impacting the group’s experience.
GROUP SIZE
• A maximum of 38 travelers, led by a local Grand Circle Program Director
PACING
• 4 locations in 11 days
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
• Walk 1 mile unassisted and participate in 3-4 hours of physical activities daily, including
uneven walking surfaces such as unpaved paths, steep hills, stairs, and stones
• We reserve the right for Program Directors to restrict participation, or in some
circumstances send travelers home, if their limitations impact the group’s experience
TERRAIN & TRANSPORTATION
• Uneven surfaces, including unpaved trails, steep inclines, steps, and rocky terrain
• Travel by 55-seat motorcoach
CLIMATE
• Daytime temperatures range from 60-87°F during touring season
• Nighttime temperatures can fall to 37-65°F
Health Check
Feeling healthy and confident of your mobility is essential to fully enjoy your trip. If you
have ongoing medical conditions or concerns about your health, we highly recommend that
you schedule a checkup with your personal physician at least six weeks in advance of your
departure date.
• Discuss with your doctor any aspects of your itinerary that may affect your health and be
guided by his or her advice. (You can use the “Keep Your Abilities in Mind” on the previous
page as a guideline to discuss with him or her.)
• You may want to have a dental exam before your trip. A loose filling or developing cavity
would be difficult to remedy while you are traveling.
24• If you have a condition that requires special equipment or treatment, you must bring and be
responsible for all necessary items related to your condition.
Vaccine Required
COVID-19
Grand Circle Travel requires that all travelers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and are
able provide proof of their vaccination upon arrival at their destination. A full vaccination is
defined as having been inoculated at least 14 days prior to departure by an approved vaccine. This
requirement is not contingent on the countries the tour visits, but a strict company policy due to
the nature of the pandemic.
Other Vaccines
The CDC recommends that all travelers be up to date on their routine vaccinations and on basic
travel vaccines like Hepatitis A and Typhoid, but these are suggestions only. However, this
could change in future so we encourage you to check with the CDC yourself before meeting with
your doctor.
Traveling with Medications
• Pack medications in your carry-on bag to avoid loss and to have them handy.
• Keep medicines in their original, labeled containers for a quicker security screen at the
airport and a better experience if you get stopped by customs while overseas.
• Bring copies of your prescriptions, written using the generic drug name rather than a
brand name to be prepared for any unforeseen loss of your medications.
We recommend checking with the State Department for medication restrictions by country:
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-
Country-Information-Pages.html. (Pick the country and then follow the links to “Local Laws &
Special Circumstances”; if you don’t see any medications specifically mentioned, then you can
presume major U.S. brands should be OK).
Staying Healthy on Your Trip
Jet Lag Tips
• Start your trip well-rested.
• Begin a gradual transition to your new time zone before you leave or switch to your
destination time zone when you get on the plane.
• Attempt to sleep and eat according to the new schedule.
• Avoid heavy eating and drinking caffeine or alcoholic beverages right before–and during–
your flight.
25• Drink plenty of water and/or fruit juice while flying
• Stretch your legs, neck, and back periodically while seated on the plane.
• After arrival, avoid the temptation to nap.
• Don’t push yourself to see a lot on your first day.
• Try to stay awake your first day until after dinner.
Allergies
If you have any serious allergies or dietary restrictions, we advise you to notify us at least 30 days
prior to your departure. Please call our Traveler Support team at 1-800-321-2835, and we will
communicate them to our regional office. Every effort will be made to accommodate you.
26MONEY MATTERS: LOCAL CURRENCY & TIPPING GUIDELINES
Top Three Tips
• Carry a mix of different types of payments: some cash, an ATM card, and a credit card
• Traveler’s checks are not recommended. They can be difficult to exchange and the
commission fee for cashing them is quite high. It’s more practical to view them as a last
resort in the event of a special situation.
• Keep a few smaller bills on hand. It makes both tipping and small purchases easier.
ATMs
When using the ATM, keep in mind that it may only accept cards from local banks, and may not
allow cash advances on credit cards; you might need to try more than one ATM or more than
one card.
Many banks charge a fee of $1-$5 each time you use an out-of-network ATM. Others may charge
you a percentage of the amount you withdraw. We recommend that you check with your bank
before you depart.
Lastly, don’t forget to memorize the actual digits of your card’s PIN number (many keypads do
not include letters on their keys—they only display numbers.)
United States: ATMs can be hard to find in rural areas such as national parks, but are common
in large cities and small towns. Our suggestion is to hit up the ATM in town before you head out
for the day. Don’t forget to let your bank know that you’ll be traveling before you leave home—if
they see a lot of out-of-town withdrawals they might put a freeze on your account because of
suspected fraud.
Credit & Debit Cards
Even if you don’t plan on using a credit card during your trip, we still suggest that you bring one
or two as a backup, especially if you are planning a large purchase (artwork, jewelry). We also
suggest that you bring more than one brand of card (i.e. Visa, MasterCard, American Express) if
possible, because not every shop will take every card. For example, although the Discover card is
accepted in some countries outside the U.S., it is not widely adopted, so other brands will work at
a much larger range of stores, restaurants, etc.
Notify Card Providers of Upcoming Travel
Many credit card companies and banks have fraud alert departments that will freeze your card if
they see suspicious charges—such as charges or withdrawals from another country. To avoid an
accidental security block, it is a good idea to notify your credit card company and/or bank you will
be using your cards abroad. You can do this by calling their customer service number a week or
two before your departure. Some banks or credit card companies will also let you do this online.
27You should also double-check what phone number you could call if you have a problem with a
card while you are abroad. Don’t assume you can use the 1-800 number printed on the back of
your card—most 1 800 numbers don’t work outside of the U.S.!
Tipping Guidelines
Of course, whether you tip, and how much, is always at your own discretion. But for those of
you who have asked for tipping suggestions, we offer these guidelines. To make it easy for you
to budget, we have quoted the amounts in U.S. dollars; tips can be converted and paid in local
currency or in U.S. dollars.
• GCT Program Director: It is customary to express a personal “thank you” to your GCT
Program Director at the end of your trip. As a guideline, many travelers give $6-$8 per
traveler for each day their Program Director is with them. Please note that tips for your
Program Director can only be in the form of cash. If you are taking any of the optional extensions,
your Program Director during the extension(s) may not be the same as the one on your main trip.
28AIR, OPTIONAL TOURS & STAYING IN TOUCH
Land Only Travelers & Personalized Air
Quick Definitions
• Land Only: You will be booking your own international flights. Airport transfers are
not included.
• Air-Inclusive: You booked international air with us. Airport transfers are included as long as
you didn’t customize your trip’s dates (see next bullet).
• Personalized Air: You booked international air with us, and have customized it in some way.
If you have customized your trip’s dates to arrive early, stay longer, or stop on your own in
a connecting city, airport transfers will NOT be included. You must also arrange your own
accommodations for any additional nights. For your convenience, a preliminary list of your
included hotels is available on your My Planner at www.gct.com/myplanner under “My
Reservations”.
Airport Transfers Can Be Purchased
For eligible flights, airport transfers may be purchased separately as an optional add-on, subject
to availability. To be eligible, your flight(s) must meet the following requirements:
• You must fly into or fly home from the same airport as Grand Circle travelers who purchased
included airfare.
• Your flight(s) must arrive/depart on the same day that the group arrives or departs.
Airport transfers can be purchased up to 45 days prior to your departure; they are not available
for purchase onsite. To learn more, or purchase airport transfers, please call our Traveler Support
team at 1-800-321-2835.
If you don’t meet the requirements above, you’ll need to make your own transfer arrangements. We
suggest the Rome to Rio website as a handy resource: www.rome2rio.com.
Air Inclusive Travelers
If you have purchased international air with Grand Circle Travel, there are some points that may
be helpful for you to know.
• Air Itineraries: We’ll be sending you a preliminary flight itinerary—and posting it online in
My Planner—no later than 100 days prior to your departure. (If you booked your trip inside
100 days, then expect it a week or two after booking.) Due to restrictions from the airlines,
air itineraries cannot be confirmed more than 320 days before your travel dates. If you have
booked your trip a year in advance, we cannot send you a preliminary itinerary or answer
questions about your flights until you are inside this 320 days timeline.
29• Flight Delays: Grand Circle Travel is not responsible for flight delays or cancellations. In
the unfortunate circumstance that your flight is delayed or changed, please try to reach
the regional GCT office (their number will be in your Final Documents). Due to airline
regulations our staff is not notified of flight rerouting, and your Program Director won’t
necessarily be aware of your new arrival time.
• Flying with a Travel Companion: If you’re traveling with a companion from a different
household, and both of you are beginning and ending your trip at the same airport on the
same dates, let us know you’d like to travel together and we’ll make every effort to arrange
this (please note, however, that this is not always possible). If you request any changes to
your flights, please be sure that both you and your companion tell us that you still want to
fly together.
All Travelers: Check Your License or ID
What are you checking for? To see if is compliant with the Real ID Act, passed in 2005 (and also to
confirm that it won’t expire before your trip).
Starting October 1, 2021 you must have a Real ID compliant document in order to fly
domestically within the U.S. Passports and passport cards are Real ID compliant and will be
accepted, but only some state-issued IDs will work. If you plan to fly on or after October 1 with
your driver’s license or state ID, double-check that is Real ID compliant. Most Real ID licenses will
have a star logo in the top right corner and/or have the word “enhanced” printed on them. If you
are unsure about your ID, check with your local DMV or appropriate government office. And give
yourself enough time to renew your license if needed—the change is expected to cause delays.
Optional Tours
Optional tours are additional add-on tours that allow you to personalize your vacation by
tailoring it to your tastes and needs. And if you decide not to join an optional tour? Then you’ll
have free time to relax or explore on your own—it’s about options, not obligations.
What You Need to Know
• All optional tours are subject to change and availability.
• Optional tours that are reserved with your Program Director can be paid for using credit/
debit cards only. We accept MasterCard, Visa, and Discover credit cards; we can also take
MasterCard or Visa debit cards as long as the card allows you to sign for purchases. (You
won’t be able to enter a PIN.)
• To ensure that you are charged in U.S. dollars, your payment will be processed by our U.S.
headquarters in Boston. This process can take up to three months, so we ask that you only
use a card that will still be valid three months after your trip is over. The charge may appear
on your credit card statement as being from Boston, MA or may be labeled as “OPT Boston”.
30You can also read
