Your EISC board has been talking over a lot of trip ideas for 2025 and 2026. There is a lot of information and insight into what we are thinking so I hope you can take the time to read through what we are thinking for some of our bigger trips.
First, our bus trips have turned out to be great value and fun trips, so we are planning at least one bus trip every summer going forward. Next year, early September, we are looking at a trip to New Orleans taking in some southern plantation sites along the way or back. Again, this would be about a 9-day trip and in the cost range of about $2100. This would include most meals, your transportation, any ticket admissions, and all your lodging. For future years we’ve also talked about a more southeastern bus trip to the Appalachians and some of the parks like the Smokey Mountain and Blueridge Mountain areas, and we’ve talked about some of the park areas out west.
Then there are a few much more costly but what I think would be wonderful trips. The one Canadian Rockies by Rail was very high on everyone’s interest but as we have learned, those nicer end trips are getting very expensive. But when I read what you get from the travel groups like Collette, Grand Circle, or OAT (Overseas Adventure Travel) I see why. Included is your round-trip airfare, first class and deluxe hotel accommodations, sightseeing tours, transfers, and baggage handling. Plus, the trains are the upper end trains with observation decks.
Your board is happy to keep looking including an Alaskan Cruise but that will most likely be expensive too. Hopefully less than $7,000 but it will be high. We did find an interesting trip next all to Nova Scotia for roughly half the price but just as nice a trip. Your board just needs to know where you want to go. We will be talking more about our warm weather and future winter trips for 2026 at the September meeting. A Europe trip is not out of the question either, and that could be both a ski and tour trip.
I know I haven’t said much about ski trips so bring your thoughts about your future skiing interests to the September meeting. I remember several years back when we did the Innsbruck trip and how much fun that was. So again, we need your ideas, AND, while your board keeps working on trip ideas, please give some thought to running a trip.