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Grand Canyon Delights

Including Chip and Joanna Gaines Magnolia Market and The Pioneer Woman Mercantile

1st Day: We will be heading west to Meridian, MS for the night.

2nd Day: Have breakfast and depart for Shreveport, LA. Upon arrival, we will tour the Pioneer Heritage Center. At the Center, the buildings, exhibits and trained staff guide visitors through the structures that give insight into the diverse cultural history, the natural environment, and the daily lives of the settlers who lived in the region from the 1830s to the 1930s. Our home tonight is in Tyler, TX. (CB)

3rd Day: We will depart for Waco, TX this morning. Our first stop will be at the Waco Mammoth National Monument for a tour. Standing as tall as 14 feet and weighing 20,000 pounds, Columbian mammoths roamed across what is present-day Texas thousands of years ago.  More than 20 Columbian mammoths have been discovered at this site. The fossil specimens represent the nation's first and only recorded evidence of a nursery herd of ice age Columbian mammoths. After our visit, we depart for Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Market at the Silos.  There’s a little something for everyone at Magnolia Market at the Silos - shopping, games, the garden, and even a bite to eat. The Market itself is staged and set up as a place to find inspiration and renewed vision for your home. We then travel on to Buc-ee’s in Temple, Tx, one of the world’s largest convenience stores, and famous for its Jerky, Brisket, and Beaver Nuggets! Browse the collection of t-shirts, hats, blankets, mugs - you name it - all emblazoned with Buc-ee the Beaver. After our stop, we will continue on to Austin for the night. (CB)

4th Day: This morning we head to San Antonio to see the Alamo and downtown sights.  The Alamo was established in 1718 and was the site of the famous battle of 1836, where 189 brave men gave their lives for the freedom of Texas. You will also have some time at the famous San Antonio Riverwalk. Stroll along the river and visit shops, restaurants, boutiques and view beautiful tropical foliage. Our overnight will be in Fort Stockton, TX (CB)

5th Day: Heading further west, we travel to El Paso, TX where we will visit the Chamizal National Memorial. The park honors the peaceful resolution of a 100-year border dispute between the United States and Mexico, that came about when the Rio Grande river changed course between the cities of El Paso, TX and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua. Take your time to enjoy the Museum or stretch your legs on one of the walking trails. After visiting the Memorial, we will continue our journey into Arizona for our night’s lodging. (CB)

6th Day: Today we begin our journey to the Grand Canyon National Park, crossing through Phoenix Arizona, where we will see the Coconino National Forest. Our home for the next two nights will be at a Grand Canyon Lodge. The remainder of the evening is free for your enjoyment. (CB)

7th Day: The Grand Canyon...one of the Seven Wonders of the World. This is your day to visit all the look-outs and take pictures on a tram that picks up every 15 minutes, running from one end of the South Rim to the other. You may attend free Ranger Programs and learn more about the nature, science, history, and culture of the Grand Canyon. Visit an Information Center or Museum, which houses exhibits and provides park information. If you’re really adventurous, try a South Rim Mule Ride. The Canyon Vistas Ride is a 3-hour trip that travels along the canyon rim. The day is free to spend as you wish. (Any admission costs are each individual’s responsibility.)

8th Day: This morning we head for Albuquerque, NM stopping enroute to see the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest. The Painted Desert derives its name from the multitude of colors ranging from lavenders to shades of gray, with vibrant colors of red, orange and pink. It is a long expanse of badland hills and buttes, and although barren and austere, it is a beautiful landscape of a rainbow of colors. The Petrified Forest is like walking back through time in a place where dinosaurs once roamed and volcanic mountains erupted toppling the trees; these trees became entombed and petrified. Through gradual erosion, gigantic logs and remnant pieces became exposed for the world to experience. Now, it’s on to our home for the night. The remainder of the evening is free for your enjoyment.

9th Day:  Today we will visit Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas: A sculpture made of 10 Cadillacs as a monument to the “Golden Age” of the American automobile.  As we continue on through Texas, we will stop to see the Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ.  The Cross rises 19 stories up from the Texas Panhandle, a landscape as flat as unleavened bread and as empty as Jesus' Tomb.  We continue on to our home for the night in Shamrock, TX. (CB)

10th Day: This morning we will depart for some beautiful Oklahoma scenery. We will travel through Oklahoma City, and then it is on to visit The Pioneer Woman Mercantile in Pawhuska. The Pioneer Woman Mercantile is a bustling bakery, a delicious deli, and a gorgeous general store owned and operated by Ree Drummond, star of the Food Network Show “The Pioneer Woman.” After the Mercantile, we’ll head to Tulsa, OK and our home for the night. Evening is free. (CB)

11th Day: After breakfast, we head across Arkansas on our way to Memphis, TN and then on to Jackson, TN. We will enjoy dinner at The Old Country Store & Restaurant. One of the South’s great restaurants awaits you here, serving a delicious buffet meal. Pure, honest, Southern cookin’ brings back memories of Sunday dinner at Grandmother's before turning in for the night. (CB, D)

12th Day: We depart for home today. Arriving back approximately 9:30 PM. (CB)

Special Notice: $100.00 per person deposit is required to reserve your space. Balance due 30 days prior to the departure date. Cancellation within 30 days prior to departure date will result in payment forfeiture. Trip cancellation insurance is available upon request.

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