Compare The Islands of Virginia's Eastern Shore: Chincoteague Assateague and Wallops by Road Scholar vs Roaming Western Trails by Tours of Distinction
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4.5 | Great
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 6 days | 8 days |
| Price From | $ 599 | $ 3,789 |
| Price Per Day | $ 100 | $ 474 |
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| Trip Style | Small group tour | Small group tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Premium |
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| Flights & Transport | Airfare included | Airfare included |
| Activities | N/A |
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| Description | Experience the wonders of Virginia’s Eastern Shore islands as you discover museums on Chincoteague, see the wild ponies of Assateague and enjoy special access to unspoiled Wallops. |
Blaze an unforgettable trail experiencing the legends and lore of America’s Wild West. This trip includes a medley of manmade and natural attractions – of gargantuan proportions - from Yellowstone, and the Grand Tetons, to Mount Rushmore, and the Crazy Horse Memorial. Channel your inner pioneer spirit as you meet a colorful cast of characters in Cody, and the rough and tumble town of Deadwood. Unwind in the splendor of Jackson Hole’s profoundly beautiful landscape brimming with wildlife. Watch herds of buffalo graze against majestic mountain ranges as you float on Snake River, marvel at the timely precision of Old Faithful in Yellowstone, and have a close encounter with the nation’s first National Monument, Devil’s Tower in this small group guided tour. |
Day
1
Check-in, Registration, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
Wallops Island D Chincoteague Bay Field Station
Activity note: Please keep in mind that the workshop schedule is tentative and subject to change due to weather, access, seasons, and other factors. When you arrive you will receive an updated schedule specially tailored for that particular week.
Afternoon: Check in with your leader at the CBFS Education Center from 3:00-5:00 PM. Welcome to the program, group introductions and orientation.
Dinner: Get ready for a seafood feast! Sample local crabs and shrimp or, if you choose, grilled chicken or roasted vegetables.
Evening: Learn about the week ahead and meet the other program participants.
Day
2
Chincoteague Wildlife Refuge, Wild Ponies, Regional History
Wallops Island B,L,D Chincoteague Bay Field Station
Activity note: Please keep in mind that the workshop schedule is tentative and subject to change due to weather, access, seasons, and other factors. When you arrive you will receive an updated schedule specially tailored for that particular week.
Breakfast: Breakfast will be in the Chincoteague Bay Field Station Dining Hall from 7:30-8:30 AM. Each day our cafeteria staff will present an array of fruits, hot and cold cereals, meats, breads/biscuits, eggs or pancakes for your choosing.
Morning: Hear a member of the Refuge's education system talk about the unique features of the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge.
Lunch: The Eastern Shore is home to some outstanding American fare and seafood restaurants. Your meal will not disappoint at one of these fine eateries.
Afternoon: We will take a tour of one of the little seen, restricted access areas of the Refuge. Here we will see Wild Ponies, Birds and Amazing Wildlife.
Dinner: Dinner will be served in the CBFS cafeteria. Our dining staff will prepare and serve your meal cafeteria style, with options ranging from a hot meal to a diverse salad bar.
Evening: Chincoteague Island and the Eastern Shore have a fascinating and unique history. Learn all about it from a local historian whose family has lived in the area for generations. OR Rocks are hard to find here. So how did Native Americans make their tools? Learn this and much more as an expert in Eastern Shore artifacts shares his impressive breadth of knowledge and expansive collection of artifacts with us.
Day
3
Art Class, Wallops Island, Artifacts of the Eastern Shore
Wallops Island B,L,D Chincoteague Bay Field Station
Activity note: Please keep in mind that the workshop schedule is tentative and subject to change due to weather, access, seasons, and other factors. When you arrive you will receive an updated schedule specially tailored for that particular week.
Breakfast: Breakfast will be in the CBFS cafeteria.
Morning: Watch a painting come to life as a local, professional artist talks about and demonstrates the techniques used to render our natural world on canvas.
Lunch: Lunch will be in the CBFS cafeteria.
Afternoon: The restricted access on the NASA Wallops Island base left an environment that is great for education as well as shelling. A field-based lecture will leave you with an in-depth understanding of beach dynamics, morphology and shell identification!
Dinner: The Eastern Shore is home to some outstanding American fare and seafood restaurants. Your meal will not disappoint at one of these fine eateries.
Evening: An accomplished carver will demonstrate their skill in creating a decoy. As they carve, learn this art's fascinating history that includes hunting, 1920's fashion and worldwide competitions.
Day
4
Research Cruise, Free Afternoon, Life of a Waterman
Wallops Island B,L,D Chincoteague Bay Field Station
Activity note: Please keep in mind that the workshop schedule is tentative and subject to change due to weather, access, seasons, and other factors. When you arrive you will receive an updated schedule specially tailored for that particular week.
Breakfast: Breakfast will be in the CBFS cafeteria.
Morning: Take a research cruise through one of the most productive ecosystems on earth! We will employ oceanographic research methods to measure our physical and chemical environment; then we will otter trawl to sample the myriad organisms found in our estuary.
Lunch: Lunch will be in the CBFS cafeteria.
Afternoon: This is a free afternoon to visit some of the local sites, explore the town of Chincoteague, walk the trails of the Wildlife Refuge, fish, shop, or just relax on our pristine beach
Dinner: Dinner will be in the CBFS cafeteria.
Evening: Discuss the local fisheries and life on the water with a local waterman!
Day
5
Expert Lecture, NASA Visitor Center, Musician
Wallops Island B,L,D Chincoteague Bay Field Station
Activity note: Please keep in mind that the workshop schedule is tentative and subject to change due to weather, access, seasons, and other factors. When you arrive you will receive an updated schedule specially tailored for that particular week.
Breakfast: Breakfast will be in the CBFS cafeteria.
Morning: An accomplished carver will demonstrate their skill in creating a decoy. As they carve, learn this art's fascinating history that includes hunting, 1920's fashion and worldwide competitions OR learn even more about the wild Chincoteague ponies in a fascinating lecture from a local of the Eastern Shore of Virginia.
Lunch: Eat in as we screen the 1961 film 'Misty' that helped to put Chincoteague on the map as a tourist destination and further solidify the wild ponies into the history and lore of this area.
Afternoon: We will have an exciting afternoon lecture about the history of Wallops Islands Space Flight Center! We will then take a field trip to the NASA visitor center.
Dinner: The Eastern Shore is home to some outstanding American fare and seafood restaurants. Your meal will not disappoint at one of these fine eateries.
Evening: Enjoy evening entertainment by very talented local musicians and storytellers.
Day
6
Program Concludes
Wallops Island B
Activity note: Please keep in mind that the workshop schedule is tentative and subject to change due to weather, access, seasons, and other factors. When you arrive you will receive an updated schedule specially tailored for that particular week.
Breakfast: Breakfast will be in the CBFS cafeteria.
Morning: Check out with your leader and say farewell to your new friends. We'll see you next time!
Day 1 - Arrive Salt Lake City, Utah
If you’ve ever wanted to know what it was like to be an early Frontiersman, now is your chance! Transfer to the airport for your flight to Salt Lake City. Upon arrival, we will be greeted by our local guide and our awaiting motor-coach. Enjoy a city tour of Salt Lake City, where we will see downtown, the Capitol, Temple Square and more. We will check into our hotel before our ‘welcome’ dinner.
Day 2 - Salt Lake City - Jackson, WY
This morning, we will head over to Temple Square after breakfast. Here we will have a chance to see the world-famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s weekly broadcast performance. After, we say goodbye to Salt Lake City as we travel north along the shores of the Great Salt Lake. We will travel through Logan Canyon to beautiful Bear Lake for an included lunch. We will arrive into the fun town of Jackson, WY. Once we check into our hotel, the evening is free to explore the many shops, art galleries and restaurants on your own.
Day 3 - Jackson - Yellowstone National Park
This morning after breakfast, we are in for a wonderful experience as we are introduced to Grand Teton National Park on a half day scenic float trip on the Snake River! Enjoy amazing views of the Teton Mountains and wildlife viewing opportunities as your guide explains the geology and history of the area. After the float trip, we continue sightseeing of Grand Teton which will include: Jenny Lake, Colter Bay and Jackson Lake. Next, we enter into Yellowstone National Park, the world’s first National Park, for sightseeing including the heart of the park, Old Faithful. There will be time to witness an eruption and explore Old Faithful Village and the many thermal features in the area. Later this afternoon, we travel to West Yellowstone and check into our hotel. This evening is free to explore and have dinner on your own.
Day 4 - Yellowstone National Park - Cody, WY
After breakfast, we head back into Yellowstone National Park for another day of sightseeing. We will visit the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and pass through Hayden Valley and along the shores of Yellowstone Lake. As we exit the park, we enter into the historic town of Cody, where we will tour the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, which is five museums under one roof. Tonight, we enjoy food and entertainment at the Cody Cattle Company with a chuckwagon style dinner, traditional cowboy music and some laughs. Then, there is exciting cowboy action at the Cody Nite Rodeo!
Day 5 - Cody - Rapid City, SD
We will depart Cody after breakfast and continue East crossing the Bighorn Mountain. Our first stop is at Devil’s Tower National Monument for sightseeing of the country’s first National Monument. Later this afternoon, we will arrive at the historic town of Deadwood for sightseeing. This is a rough and tumble western town famous for outlaws, gunslingers and lawmen alike. There will be time to explore the town and have dinner, on your own, before continuing on to Rapid City, SD for a two night stay.
Day 6 - Rapid City
After breakfast, we take a short drive to Badlands National Park for sightseeing. This famous park consists of nearly 243,000 acres of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles and spires blended with the largest, protected mixed grass prairie in the United States. After lunch, we travel to Custer State Park and the historic State Game Lodge to get up close and personal with the residents of this park as you head out on a Wildlife Jeep Safari to view the buffalo herds and much more. Next, we make our way to the Crazy Horse Monument for sightseeing of the unfinished mountain carving and insight into the Lakota culture. Then, join the group for an included dinner followed by a wonderfully patriotic and inspiring event as we attend the Mt. Rushmore Evening Lighting Ceremony!
Day 7 - Rapid City - Cheyenne, WY
We start our day after breakfast with a beautiful drive to Mt. Rushmore National Memorial, where we will have morning views of this magnificent monument. Depart the Black Hills and take your journey south returning to the plains of Wyoming. We make a stop at Fort Laramie National Historic Site for sightseeing and a picnic lunch. This afternoon, we continue to the capitol city of Cheyenne and check into our hotel. After, we have time to freshen up, we will enjoy a ‘farewell’ dinner, at the hotel.
Day 8 - Depart Cheyenne
After breakfast, we take a Trolley Tour of Cheyenne. After, a nice introduction to the city, we arrive at the Cheyenne Frontier Days grounds to experience a ‘Behind the Chutes Tour.’ The Cheyenne Frontier Days Arena is the home of the world’s largest outdoor rodeo each July. Get a first-hand look at what goes on during the rodeo from behind the scenes. This exiting tour follows the path of the bulls and broncs as the animals are rounded up and threaded through the maze of gates on their way to the chutes and out into the arena with cowboy in tow. A special experience awaits as we step into the chutes and finish the tour by walking across the arena. This afternoon, we will enjoy a western lunch before departing Cheyenne for the Denver International Airport for your departing flight.
