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Celebrate Christmas in Historic Natchez on the Mississippi

Program Number: 6812RJ
Start and End Dates:
12/9/2012 - 12/14/2012; 12/6/2013 - 12/9/2013;
Duration: 5 nights
Location: Natchez, Mississippi
Price starting at: $795.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city
Program Type: Holidays Activity Level: t (see description)
Meals: 14; 5 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches, 5 Dinners    
Meal Options: Gluten Free; Low Fat; Low Salt; Vegetarian    

Delight in a lavish holiday during historic Natchez’s Christmas season. Awaiting you are educational programs about charming long-ago Christmas customs in the city and on nearby plantations. Add Christmas concerts and explorations of mansions decorated with period displays, and Natchez will transport you to a season filled with history, beauty and love.




Highlights

• Revel in a Natchez Christmas Cabaret, an evening filled with gorgeous music, decorations, food and fun.
• Enjoy field trips to lavishly bedecked 19th-century mansions.
• Attend the heart-touching play, “A Natchez Christmas Carol,” and “Chopin and Champagne,” a classical piano concert, with complimentary champagne, in the historic Joseph Stone House.



Activity Particulars

Walking daily.




Date Specific Information

12-9-2012, 12-6-2013

Enjoy the latest in hearing technology — listening devices — on this date.




Natchez

Sitting high on a bluff above the Mississippi River, Natchez boasts the largest collection of antebellum homes in the U.S. The mansions and estates, built by 19th-century plantation owners, were largely spared destruction during the Civil War. Today, museums honor the city’s rich Indian, African-American and antebellum heritage.
Accommodations
The Natchez Grand Hotel in the heart of historic downtown Natchez, located on the historic spot where the Natchez Trace meets the Mississippi River.

Road Scholar Instructors
These instructors are participating on at least one date of this program. Please note that changes may occur.
Carolyn Smith
Carolyn Vance Smith is a recognized authority on the history of Natchez, and is author of several non-fiction books about the region, including "Natchez: An Illustrated History" and "The Goat Castle Murder." She holds degrees from Mississippi University for Women and Vanderbilt University, and is president of the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters. Carolyn is also the founder of the annual Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration, and in 1996, she was named Citizen of the Year in Natchez.
 
Marion Smith
Marion Smith is the only Natchez attorney — and one of 100 Mississippi attorneys — listed in Outstanding Lawyers in America. After earning B.A. and J.D. degrees from the University of Mississippi, he served as Adams County Senator to the Mississippi Legislature, where he was President pro-tempore. A former professor of law at Ole Miss, he is a frequent lecturer on Natchez history and has been involved in numerous organizations, including the Natchez Historical Society.
 
Shirley Petkovsek
Group leader Shirley Petkovsek has enjoyed leading adult educational programs throughout the South. A former executive assistant to the chairman of Callon Petroleum Co., Shirley is an alumna of The University of Mississippi. She has served as a chairperson and past president for numerous groups throughout the region, including the Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration and Meridian Junior Auxiliary. Shirley is also involved in many of the area’s festivals, historic societies and social clubs.
 
Meals and Lodgings
   Natchez Grand Hotel
  Natchez, MS 5 nights
 Natchez Grand Hotel
Type: Hotel
  Description: This new hotel's location is the most historic on the Mississippi River. The spot is where the Mississippi River meets the ancient Natchez Trace. This overland route, now a national parakway, links Natchez, Miss.,444 miles northeast to Nashville, Tenn. The hotel, located near a 200-foot bluff overlooking the Mississippi River, offers nearby views of the river, including dramatic sunsets. The hotel.is in the heart of historic downtown Natchez, just steps from dining, shopping, entertainment, and historic attractions..
  Ship Information: test
  Contact info: 111 North Broadway Street
Natchez, MS 39120 USA
phone: 866-488-0898
web: www.natchezgrandhotel.com
  Room amenities: A safe, flat-screen TV, hair dryer, coffee maker with complimentary coffee, work desk with lamp, iron, ironing board, radio/alarm clock.
  Facility amenities: Unlimited wired and wireless internet, unlimited local and long distance phone calls, guest laundry, fitness center, business center, on-site parking, nightly wine reception
  Smoking allowed: No
  Bathroom: test
  Elevators available: Yes
  Additional nights prior: $125 per room per night Additional nights reservation needs to be made by sending a check for $125 per room per night to Educational Travel Associates, Inc., PO Box 1307, Natchez, MS 39121. Put on the check what it is for. Deadline to receive this check is one month before program begins.
  Check in time: 11:00 AM
  Additional nights after: $125 per room per night Additional nights reservation needs to be made by sending a check for $125 per room per night to Educational Travel Associates, Inc., PO Box 1307, Natchez, MS 39121. Put on the check what it is for. Deadline to receive this check is one month before program begins.
  Check out time: 4:00 PM


Travel Details
  Start of Program:
3:30-4:30 p.m. registration in the hotel lobby, a Welcome-To-Natchez reception at 5:00 p.m. You will be staying at Natchez Grand Hotel that night.
  End of Program:
Program ends after lunch. on Friday. You will be staying at Natchez Grand Hotel the night before.
  Required documents:
The Road Scholar Health & Safety Form is required.
  Parking availability:
Parking is free at the hotel.
Transportation
To Start of Program
  Location:  Natchez, MS
  Nearest city or town:  From Jackson, MS--103 miles and from Baton Rouge, LA-- 90 miles
  Nearest highway: Highway 61
  Nearest airport:  Baton Rouge Airport
  From End of Program
  Location: Natchez, MS
    (Additional transportation information same as above)
Travel Details
 

Natchez, MS

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Public Transportation
Greyhound Bus Lines
phone: 225-383-3761

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

$31
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

2 
 

Distance:

 

90 miles
   

Taxi from Baton Rouge airport to Baton Rouge bus station costs $26. Taxi from Natchez bus station to hotel costs $9.Bus departs Baton Rouge daily at 12:55 p.m. and arrives Natchez at 2?45 p.m. ALTERNATE PLAN: Use Baton Rouge Airport Shuttle, available by calling 225-933-7107. Cost is $150 one way. Price is same whether for one person or up to six people. Reservations are essential.
 

Natchez, MS

 

To Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Public Transportation
Greyhound Bus Lines
phone: 225-383-3761

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

$31
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

2 
 

Distance:

 

90 miles
   

Taxi from Natchez Grand Hotel to Natchez bus station costs $9. Taxi from Baton Rouge bus station to airport costs $26. Bus departs Natchez daily at 3:55 p.m. and arrives Baton Rouge aat 6 p.m. ALTERNATE PLAN: Use Baton Rouge Airport Shuttle, available by calling 225-933-7107. Cost is $150 one way. Price is same whether for one person or up to six people. Reservations are essential.
 
Driving Directions
  From Baton Rouge, LA From Baton Rouge, LA: On Hwy 61 go approximately 90 miles north to Natchez. Turn west onto John R. Junkin Drive (Hwy 84W). Go about 1.5 miles to Canal St. Turn right onto Canal St. at Natchez Visitor's Center. Go six blocks. Turn left onto Main St. and enter parking lot of the Natchez Grand Hotel. The hotel's address is 111 Broadway St.
  From Jackson, Miss. Approximately 100 miles: Take I-55 south to Brookhaven, Miss. Take exit 38 onto US Highway 84. Go west to Natchez. Inside the city follow US Business Highway 84. It becomes Saint Catherine St. and then becomes Jefferson St. At Canal St. turn left and go 1 block. Turn right onto Main St. and enter the parking lot of the Natchez Grand Hotel, 111 Broadway St.
  From Louisiana Highway 84 From Louisiana Highway 84: Cross the Mississippi River Bridge from Vidalia, La. Turn left at the first traffic light onto Canal Street. Go 6 blocks to Main Street. Turn left at Main St. and enter the parking lot of the Natchez Grand Hotel, 111 Broadway St.
  From Natchez Trace Parkway The parkway offers a special entry to Natchez with no trucks or billboards to mar its natural beauty. Enter the Trace at Nashville, Tenn., or points southwest of Nashville, including Jackson, Miss. At Natchez, turn off the Trace at Liberty Road and go west about 1 mile. The street becomes Quitman Blvd. and then Main St. Follow Main St. to Canal Street. The hotel is on the corner of Main and Canal.
  General Natchez is on the banks of the Mississippi River in southwest Mississippi, due east from Vidalia, La. It is accessible via several major highways, including Interstate 20, Interstate 49, and Interstate 55 as well as the Natchez Historic Trace Parkway, US Highway 61 (“Blues Highway”), and US Highway 84.
The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


Daily Schedule

Day 1: Welcome session at 4:30 p.m. Christmas concert at Trinity Episcopal Church. Drive by "Longwood in Lights," a huge, octagonal mansion glittering in lights.
(Sunday, December 9)

Note: walking
   
 Afternoon: 3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. registration in the hotel lobby. At 4:30 p.m. there will be a Welcome-to-Natchez session with complimentary wine. At 5:30 p.m. participants will enjoy a Christmas concert with organ and narration. Afterward, they will be awed by the magnificent octagonal mansion, Longwood, dazzling in millions of white lights called "Longwood in Lights."
 Dinner: Dinner will be in the hotel. .
 Evening: Get-acquainted session and overview of the week's programming.
   
Accommodations: Natchez Grand Hotel
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Overview of Natchez history. Program about Natchez Trails; walking tour along the river front with seasonal decorations; tour of Christmas-bedecked mansion, overlooking the spot where the Natchez Trace meets the river; dinner in an historic building
(Monday, December 10)

Note: walking
   
 Breakfast: A full breakfast is served every morning beginning at 6:30 a.m. in the hotel dining room.
 Morning: An overview of Natchez history will be by Marion Smith, past president of the Mississippi Historical Society and past president of the Natchez Historical Society. Lecture on the Natchez Trails Project by the Natchez city engineer.
 Lunch: Lunch will be at a downtown restaurant, where garlands of Christmas greenery cheer everyone.
 Afternoon: Walking tour along Natchez Trails in downtown Natchez. Tour of historic mansion near the river, bedecked for Christmas and overlooking the spot where the Trace meets the river. Complimentary wine before dinner.
 Dinner: Dinner will be at one of the oldest buildings in downtown Natchez.
 Evening: Informal commentary about the history of the cotton warehouse overlooking the river, now home to a restaurant and lounge. Afterward, stroll along the bluffs overlooking the Mighty Mississippi River, enjoying the Christmas vignettes with music and lights and the fantastic lighted Mississippi River bridges, sparkling with millions of lights. The whole scene is a fairyland.
   
Accommodations: Natchez Grand Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Program on Natchez architecture and decorative arts, tour of lavish St. Mary Basilica, lunch at Magnolia Hall, decorated for Christmas,. Afternoon free time. Evening show, "A Natchez Christmas Carol" at Natchez Little Theatre
(Tuesday, December 11)

Note: walking
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast will be in the hotel dining room beginning at 6:30 a.m.
 Morning: Lecture on Natchez architectural styles and decorative arts. Tour of the lavishly ornamented St. Mary Catholic Basilica.
 Lunch: Lunch is at Magnolia Hall, the last mansion built in Natchea before the Civil War
 Afternoon: Guided tour of Magnolia Hall, decorated for Christmas. Free time. Complimentary wine before dinner.
 Dinner: Dinner at the hotel
 Evening: "A Natchez Christmas Carol," at Natchez Little Theatre, based on Charles Dickens' famous story but set in Natchez.
   
Accommodations: Natchez Grand Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Lecture on mid-19th century Christmas customs of African-Americans and their masters on plantations near Natchez, with live music. Lecture on Christmas customs of wealthy Natchez planters. Learn to make and enjoy Southern Christmas eggnog. Evening concert.
(Wednesday, December 12)

Note: walking
   
 Breakfast: A full breakfast will be served in the hotel dining room beginning at 6:30 a.m.
 Morning: Program about Christmas customs on plantations near Natchez, including customs of African-Americans and their masters. Live music enhances the program. Program on Christmas customs of wealthy Natchez planters.
 Lunch: On your own, choose from an array of home-owned, downtown restaurants.
 Afternoon: Free time with a list of suggestions for activities, including shopping for Natchez treasures that will make wonderful Christmas gifts. At 4:30 p.m., enjoy a Christmas Mixology class, featuring Southern eggnog and more. Early evening concert of Christmas music.
 Dinner: Dinner will be at a gaily bedecked downtown restaurant.
 Evening: Free Time
   
Accommodations: Natchez Grand Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 5: Tours of Historic Photo Gallery, First Presbyterian Church, and Stanton Hall. Lunch at Carriage House. Workshop on historic Christmas ornaments. The Christmas film, "A Worn Path," with discussion after. Mint juleps, live music and dinner at Holly Hedges.
(Thursday, December 13)

Note: walking
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast will be served in the dining room beginning at 6:30 a.m.
 Morning: Tour Natchez in Historic Photographs Gallery. Learn about First Presbyterian Church, built 1828. Tour gorgeous National Historic Landmark Stanton Hall, decorated in Christmas finery.
 Lunch: The group will enjoy a seated lunch at the Carriage House restaurant on the grounds of Stanton Hall mansion. The restaurant's towering Christmas tree and festive seasonal decorations enhance the delectable menu.
 Afternoon: Free time. Two options: (1) Attend a workshop to learn how to create mid-19th-century Christmas tree decorations, yours to take home! (2) View "A Worn Path," a dramatization of Eudora Welty's story, set in Natchez at Christmas 1940, with discussion of the story and film afterward, led by college English instructor Carolyn Vance Smith. Late afternoon informal Christmas concert at downtown location.
 Dinner: Mint juleps and seated dinner at Holly Hedges, one of Natchez's most historic mansions.
 Evening: Classical piano selections by a Eastman School of Music-trained musician at Holly Hedges, presented by the Natchez Festival of Music. Tour of the mansion included.
   
Accommodations: Natchez Grand Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: A guided tour of House on Ellicott Hill, a National Historic Landmark bedecked for Christmas. Check out of hotel by 11 a.m. Visit Trinity Episcopal Church, 1822, decorated in Advent mode. Advent classical concert at Trinity. Lunch at Trinity Church.
(Friday, December 14)

Note: walking
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast will be served in the dining room beginning at 6:30 a.m.
 Morning: The author Carolyn Vance Smith will speak about Eudora Welty's story, "A Worn Path," set in Natchez at Christmastime in 1940. Volunteer Road Scholars will "become" characters in the story, reading lines aloud to illustrate Welty's excellence with dialogue. Program wrapup. Check out of hotel by 11 a.m. Tour of Trinity Episcopal Church, built 1822 and the oldest church building in Natchez, decorated for the Advent season. Stay for a noon concert of classical music.
 Lunch: After the concert, join parishioners, other visitors, and home folks for a light lunch in Trinity's Parish House. The meal is prepared and served by members of the Churchwomen.
 Afternoon: Farewells and departure
   
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Important information about your itinerary: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date. The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


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