Empty Nest Travel Club is a group of fun-loving people, mostly from Santa Cruz County, who love to travel! Many of us have nobody to travel with, so we all enjoy the company of others as we strike out on various adventures around the globe!
The club was started by Barbara Lockwood in 1998 when her sons left home and her husband declared that he was finished with traveling. She began taking classes in tour managing, tour packaging, and selling group travel. Barbara works for several tour companies in the Bay Area as a step-on guide in San Francisco, Carmel, and many other beautiful destinations in California. She has been leading folks on tours all over the continent!
Why travel with a group?
Some advantages of group travel include: friendly folks from your home town to travel with and establish friendships with; ease of getting to and from the airport on our bus or limousine; no map reading, no hours laboring over selecting the right hotel, no phone calls booking hotels, no worrying about what sights to see, no getting lost driving in strange cities, no hunting for parking garages, and many more! All the details have been arranged for you, saving you countless hours of decision making.
Our tours are managed by a professional tour manager and informative commentary makes your trip educational and entertaining. One time we rode in covered wagons to a chuck wagon barbecue in Jackson, WY! Alligator hunting in the bayous near New Orleans provided great enjoyment! Dining at Butchart Gardens was the highlight of a recent tour for one lady, while another absolutely loved riding the ferries through Puget Sound.
Simply make one payment and leave all the details to me! Many meals are included on our tours, and I try especially to arrange for breakfast each morning at the hotel, so you don't have to hurry and pack, run down the street and try to find a restaurant, and then wait while a slow waitress gets your order to you.
Who goes on these trips?
Friendly folks, like yourself, who enjoy the company of others come with us. There is safety in numbers, and there are great friendships established on all of our tours. Often I am able to match you up with a roommate so that you don't have to pay an extra charge at hotels for a single room. I share phone numbers and names and suggest you meet for coffee with the person I've selected for you, so you can discuss your needs and preferences.
What about cost?
As a travel agent I can reserve blocks of rooms at a discount and I pass along discounts to you. My goal is to help save you money while providing an enriching vacation experience. Sometimes we join another tour company, and if we can get 10 people from our group, some other perks apply (which might include free airport transportation at both ends, trip cancellation insurance, and etc.)
Where do you go?
We visit interesting and gorgeous places around the United States, but might go to Europe next year! Our members thoroughly enjoyed trips to Yellowstone & Mt. Rushmore, Catalina Island, New Orleans, Victoria & Vancouver, and many more fascinating places. We marveled at the vibrant fall colors on a tour to New England and stopped at quilt shops along the way. July found us watching fireworks from a turn-around restaurant atop our hotel in Vancouver on Canada Day.
We do stop for photos - so you can capture your trip on film and share your pictures with others. A few weeks after the tour we meet at a local restaurant and trade photos and reminisce about the experiences that made the last trip so enjoyable.
How active do I need to be to join you?
Can you walk? Can you climb up 5 steps into the bus? Then you can come along! I say, "Travel now, while you can still walk!" It's so sad when I meet people who say they are too old to travel. Their bones gave up, but their "want-to" is still alive! This might be your last chance to take a tour - so don't delay! Many of our group are in their glorious 50s and 60s and often you'll find some of us striking out on 2 mile hikes early in the morning, or after dinner at night. For those who cannot walk far, a relaxing sit on the porch at night provides rest and peaceful reflection on the day's activities. Our motor coach drivers are always gracious to allow people to simply rest on the coach if we stop at a place where you'd prefer to stay aboard. There is no pressure to get out and walk.
What if I want to be alone?
I'm glad you asked, because I need to find quiet moments too! While we encourage you to join in with the group at meals and attractions, you always have the freedom to go your own way if you wish. Your vacation should be what you want it to be, and others will respect your need for "space".
How long are the tours?
We seem to work nicely with tours that are 7-10 days of adventure.
Where are you going next?
October 2008 - Fall Foliage Tour
Some have asked about another quilters tour, so we are trying to secure rooms for this trip. Do let us know if you have any interest ...as soon as possible.
December
Holiday Tour to the South - working on Charleston or San Antonio. Check back or email me your interest.