Heartland Travel Showcase

Heartland Travel Showcase is for Tour and Travel Agents to become familar with the Heartland States. One of these states is Ohio. Below is the Pre-Fam Tour I am going on.

Granville, Glass and Gardens

Wednesday February 17, 2010
2:30 pm Complimentary pick up at Hyatt Regency hotel and travel to Licking County. Check into the beautiful Cherry Valley Lodge. The only hotel in the nation that’s also an arboretum and botanical garden. Cherry Valley Lodge features two breathtaking courtyards that offer lovely quiet places to relax and unwind. Waterfalls, a gazebo, Bluebird boxes and other special features compliment the incredible collection of plant species.

4:00 – 6 pm Enjoy a guided historical and architectural tour of the New England Village of Granville.
Depart the coach for shopping and afternoon snacks in the village.

6:00 pm – 7:30 pm Experience the Buxton Inn in Granville for an exquisite dinner and a haunted talk of the 1812 inn by owner Mr. Orr.

7:30 Return to Cherry Valley Lodge for an evening of fun including a scavenger hunt and social time.


Thursday February 18, 2010
8:00 am Breakfast at Cherry Valley Lodge and depart for a fun filled day of hands on tours

9:00 am A step-on guide will take you on a four mile driving tour to explore 1,700 acres of nature at the Dawes Arboretum including the Japanese Garden, Dawes Lake and the world’s largest hedge lettering. Hands on activities will be provided, plus a chance to visit the visitor’s center and gift shop.

11:00 am – 2:00 pm You will forget it is still February with a trip to The Beautiful Davis-Shai House as Wilson’s Garden Center demonstrates how to arrange plants and flowers. Wilson’s offers 4 full seasons of beauty. We will then get to try out hand at it. Wilson’s is manned by a professional plant designer who will help you put together a beautiful and compatible flower arrangement to enhance your home or be a great gift for a loved one. You will learn more about the Davis –Shai House, history, cultural attraction and special event facility and enjoy a delightful lunch and entertainment by Licking County’s “Shirley Lock Holmes”.

2:15 – 3:45 Enjoy The Glass Blowing Studio of The Works a Smithsonian affiliate museum of history, art and technology. Enjoy glass blowing demonstrations, try your hand at it and enjoy hands on glass jewelry making yourself! Enjoy The Works Museum and gift shop.

4:00 pm 5:00 View over 4,500 pieces of glassware featured on display in 2 galleries in the beautiful 1831 Samuel King residence at the National Heisey Glass Museum.

5 pm – 7 pm Return back to Cherry Valley Lodge to relax and unwind. No trip would be complete with an experience in the Banyan Leaf Spa. Enjoy a hand paraffin dip, 15 minute chair massage or mini manicure. .

7:00 pm Enjoy dinner with hands on cooking lead by the Chef of Cherry Valley Lodge. Participate in Recipe for Success as we all prepare a very special dinner just for you using fresh herbs and spices.


Friday February 19, 2010

8:00 am Awake to a wonderful hearty breakfast and listen to the Master Gardener talk about the Lodges Arboretum and landscaping.

10:00 am 11:30 am Complimentary shuttle departing for the Host Hotel for Heartland Travel Showcase!

Post Fam that I am going on is all about Columbus Ohio and its many attractions.

Feb 19,20,21st Columbus Ohio Convention Center. Meet the Suppliers.

HTS 2010 Post FAM TOUR
Taste of the Columbus Experience
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21
3:00pm-9:00pm

3:00pm Check-in at the Hampton Inn and Suites Downtown Columbus

3:15pm Meet in the Hampton Inn and Suites Downtown Columbus lobby and depart for Woodhaven Farm

4:00pm-8:00pm Mix it up at Woodhaven Farm, in the countryside, for a hands-on cooking experience with Tami J. Cecil, a Culinary Institute of America trained chef. Cook a tempting meal from start to finish and get the recipes so that you can prepare them at home.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22
8:00am-9:00pm

8:00am – 9:00am Breakfast at Hampton Inn & Suites Downtown Columbus

9:15am–10:30am German Village Home Tour German Village is one of the country's largest individually owned, privately financed neighborhood restorations. Brick streets run through this historic, restored community on the south side of downtown Columbus. German Village is a 233-acre historic residential district.

10:45am-1:30pm Meet prominent figures from Ohio’s history as a guide dressed in 1800s period clothing takes you on a tour of the Ohio Statehouse. After your tour, experience a Taste of History as a guest at “Miss Emma’s Table,” named for a local socialite who lived beside the Ohio Statehouse in the 1800s. You’ll be treated to an old-fashioned boarding-house style meal inside the immaculately restored Greek Revival Statehouse.

2:00pm–4:00pm At the Ohio Herb Education Center located in the Herb Capital of Ohio you’ll experience the wonderful world of herbs as you relax, learn about and sample herbal teas. Treat your taste buds to pound cake complimented with herbal syrup during an herbal infusions workshop. Discover the spa in your own kitchen as you create customized herbal bath and beauty products using common ingredients found in your own home.

4:45pm-6:30pm Candle Lab & Wine Tasting @ House Wine (Worthington) The Candle Lab provides a longer burning, higher quality candle experience by using soy wax, cotton paper wicks and pure fragrance oils. Candles will burn evenly and cleanly for up to 60 hours, filling your home with fragrance from beginning to end. It is your destination for custom fragrance. House Wine of Worthington is where wine buying is fun, simple, and interactive. They have created a destination for all of your wine needs. Over 250 different labels, hand picked, are in stock. The inventory is separated by country or food for matching and each wine falls into a class. Customers will be able to find their own “house wine” in no time.


6:45pm-8:30pm Over the past 25 years, the Worthington Inn has worked hard to maintain the traditions that began in 1861— our chefs bake our bread daily; churn our own ice creams and sorbets and make our homemade pickles, sauces, and soups. We source the finest ingredients to create our seasonal menus and we believe in strongly supporting local and sustainable farming techniques.


TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23
8:00am-9:00pm

8:00am Depart for Columbus Zoo & Aquarium

8:30am-9:45am Breakfast with the animals at Columbus Zoo & Aquarium Eat Breakfast with the animals and interact with exotic animals up-close. Learn from the experts after enjoying a breakfast buffet. Find out more behind-the-scenes information on a guided walking tour, before the gates open to the public.


10:00am-12:00pm 4-Leaf Clover Irish Scavenger Hunt (Dublin) Embark on a fun treasure hunt through Dublin’s quaint Historic District. Look for clues to Irish trivia questions while enjoying sweet treats, gifts and surprises along the way.

12:00pm-1:00pm Lunch @ Biddie’s Coach House, located in historic Dublin, in the original Sells Hotel built in the 1830s. Biddie’s is rated highly as “an eclectic variety of from-scratch foods and breads, colorfully served in a charmingly decorated, authentic inn setting”.

1:30pm-3:00pm One of the largest family-owned candy making facilities, Anthony-Thomas Candy Company is a tour not to be missed. Save room for a sampling of delicious chocolate and be sure to take some home from the gift shop.


3:30pm-5:00pm Franklin Park Conservatory You will be Going green as you travel on a guided tour of Franklin Park Conservatory. It is a premier horticultural and educational institution showcasing exotic plant collections, special exhibitions, and spectacular Chihuly artworks. Join your tour guide on An Island Adventure, featuring thousands of bright pink, yellow, orange, lime green, and purple orchid blooms.


5:15pm – 6:00pm Rest and Refresh at Hampton Inn & Suites Downtown Columbus

6:30pm-8:30pm “Dickens of a Mystery” Enjoy a hearty meal while you interact with a historic cast of characters and strive to solve the mystery of this “Ohio Village Whodunit.”


WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24
8:15am – 12:15pm

8:15am Depart for Easton Town Center

8:30am – 9:50am Nordstrom Ever wonder what if feels like to have a store open just for YOU? While preparing for the day’s customers, you’ll be whisked through Nordstrom celebrity-style for a delicious breakfast at the Bistro Café. Personal Touch consultants will share the latest looks in apparel, accessories and shoes, and explain what makes Nordstrom a leading fashion retailer nationwide.

10:00am – 12:00pm Archiver’s, A Photo Memory Store Make every month of the year memorable with a custom calendar. At the Create a Calendar Workshop, decorate each page of our 8x8 calendar with our exclusive designs. Learn paper-crafting techniques and take home extra supplies for your next Archiver’s inspired project!

12:15pm Return to Hampton Inn & Suites Downtown Columbus for departure

I have never been to Ohio and want to experience Columbus and Small Towns.
Especially in the Winter with all the snow. For the future possible Group Tours
I will put together. Robin