Featured image: Adventure First Travel Club members take a break at The Parthenon on top of the Acropolis in Athens during their “Exploring Greece and Its Islands” tour in May 2023.
“Iceland’s Magical Northern Lights” tops the list of major national and international destinations, plus day trips and regional activities, that comprise the 2024 schedule of the Adventure First Travel Club of First Community Bank.
Club officials say three dozen members will experience “…one of the most celebrated musicals in theatrical history, ‘Les Misérables,'” at the Orpheum Theatre in Memphis on Wednesday, Feb. 7.
Other 2024 Travel Club activities include:
March 22 – 30 – “Canyon Country” will be “…a nine-day tour of the incredible canyons and natural beauty of the American West in Arizona and Utah,” according a release from the Travel Club. “Travelers will take in America’s most famous landscapes at the legendary Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park.” The tour also features shopping in Sedona, Kaibab National Forest, rafting down the Colorado River and much more.
Monday, April 8 — Travel Club members will gather in Batesville with a front-row seat for the “Great North American Eclipse.” With a 115-mile-wide path of totality and a 2.5-hour partial eclipse for the rest of the state, being in Arkansas for this natural phenomenon makes perfect sense, the Club said.
May 7 – “A Visit to Wilson” – In the heart of the Arkansas Delta on the Blues Highway, Wilson celebrates the past and the future of small town Southern life. Visitors will enjoy lunch at The Wilson Café; shop around the Square, The Grange at Wilson Gardens, and White’s Mercantile; and explore local indigenous culture and history at the Hampson Archaeological Museum.
June 15 – 21 – Club members and guests will embark on “A Culinary Journey through New England.” Activities “…include a lobster pulling cruise and feasting on a delicious lobster dinner in Maine; sampling fresh-made Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and cottage-made cheeses in Vermont; and freshly shucked oysters in Rhode Island – plus, a tour of historic Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts.”
Aug. 3 – The national tour of Broadway’s “Come From Away” performs at Robinson Center in Little Rock. “The amazing story of what happened just after 9/11, when the world stopped, ‘Come From Away’ takes you into the heart of the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland, Canada, which welcomed them,” the Club said, describing the production.
Sept. 11-13 – Whether a novice or an experienced cook, Travel Club members will participate in hands-on classes at the Viking Cooking School in Greenwood, Miss. “If you love to cook, entertain, or just appreciate the pleasure of great food, this is the place to indulge your passions,” the release said. Members will stay two nights at The Alluvian, a contemporary boutique hotel with a Southern twist.
Oct. 24 – Nov. 1 – Members will chase “Iceland’s Magical Northern Lights” across “…an ethereal wonderland in the land of fire and ice. In the dark of the night, search for the elusive Aurora Borealis on an evening starlit cruise. Explore renowned natural wonders, incredible waterfalls, explosive volcanos and geothermal fields, and see a glacial lagoon filled with floating icebergs.”
Nov. 19 – Members will remember the war that saved the world through the exhibits and presentations at the “National Cold War Center” at Eaker Air Force Base at Blytheville. “Telling the story of the brave men and women who guarded the fragile peace between the world’s most powerful nations, The Center will interpret and honor the legacy of the Cold War,” the release said.
Dec. 9-11 – Members will marvel at the “true holiday magic” of “Christmas in Branson.” by expericing “an authentic Ozark Mountain Christmas” and “the ultimate holiday celebration.” Members will also be festive with Branson’s Christmas shows, and also celebrate “The Miracle of Christmas” at Sight & Sound Theatre.
Membership in the Adventure First Travel Club is reserved for First Community Bank customers with at least $10,000 in account relationships and their guests.
Space is limited for all Travel Club tours and events, and making early reservations is highly recommended. For additional information, contact Chuck Jones at (870) 612-3400, or by email at chuck.jones@firstcommunity.net.
While in Delphi, Greece, the Travel Club members explored The Athenian Treasury, which dates back to the 5th Century BC and is located near the Temple of Apollo.
Travel Club members from Batesville and nearby towns visit the unique World Trade Center transportation hub, also known as “Oculus,” during their 2023 December tour of New York City. Looming in the background is the One World Trade Center skyscraper.
