Marilyn Foster: The ultimate foodie and wine tour

One of the pleasures of traveling is not only to see new sites, but to experience regional foods, and I predict the Virginia Coastal Harvest Feast departing Oct. 21 is the tour for you! There’s so much food and wine included that I am thinking you need to begin your diet right after the holidays to be able to enjoy all the regional treats. And, if you like beaches, so much the better. Read on!

We fly into Baltimore and begin our six-day feast with a welcome dinner. Our hotel is located right at the famous Inner Harbor, so a walk after dinner to enjoy the harbor would be a perfect antidote to the long flight and the meal.

Then it’s off to Virginia’s Eastern Shore to Virginia Beach for three nights. On the way south, we will take a driving tour of our nation’s capital mall area. The first night, we will take the critically acclaimed Boardwalk Food Tour enjoying specially created dishes from famous restaurants along the boardwalk. You’ll learn how taffy is made — and taste it, too — at the century old Forbes candy maker.

On day three, we’ll experience a VIP behind-the-scenes tour to see how clams are grown and harvested at an aqua farm, then on to lunch of locally farmed seafood at a bayside restaurant in historic Cape Charles as you step back in time to the 1880s. This day is the day for our first winery tour and tasting while enjoying even more food! And since this is a three-meal day, we’ll end with a barbecue to balance the seafood diet. This trip is about all kinds of food — not just seafood — as you will see!

Ah, on day four, we begin with a tour of a local cake maker that has been touted by major celebrities — Oprah included. Lunch with be at the famous Smithfield Inn and then there will be a lesson on how Smithfield hams are cured and processed. Samples, of course. Homemade desserts will be served at the Smithfield Bakery.

Day five has us visiting Assateague Island Visitor Center to learn about the famous wild ponies. Dinner this night is at the Hobbit Restaurant featuring a “magical” performance at the Dickens Parlour Theater. The website touts this restaurant as “a place to indulge in inventive American cuisine and mouth-watering seafood while overlooking one of the most picturesque views you have ever laid eyes on.”

Our final day finds us at the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Center with lunch at the famed Suicide Bridge Restaurant known for it’s award-winning crab cakes. Then on to a winery for an “educational tasting.” Our last evening brings us to the Embers “all you can eat seafood buffet and never-ending dessert bar.”

The tourism slogan for Virginia is “Virginia is for Lovers.” We are changing that to “Virginia is for Food Lovers!” Come join us. This tour has got me thinking about going since I so love seafood.

The $3,029 price per person includes six nights hotel, air from Reno, airport transfers, all touring, a knowledgeable guide, 13 meals and admission to the various attractions. Call the Chamber or go online to the Travel Club page to learn full details. This is going to be a trip for the senses! And, if you wanted to stay extra days in Baltimore or Washington, D.C., that can be arranged.

This is just a sample of the types of tours offered by the Chamber. We can send you just about anywhere you want to travel in 2018 and are now working on 2019. Mayflowers Tours will be conduct a Travel Club meeting on Feb. 13 at 2 p.m. to discuss this tour and the five cruise offerings (one with free air) you won’t want to miss.

Marilyn will be 89 in late January and loves to travel anywhere in the world where she can meet new people, experience new cultures and enjoy new culinary experiences.