Thursday, April 25, 2024
Welcome to the 2024 USS Hawkins Reunion!
Hospitality Room opens at 3:00pm and will be stocked by the Association with snacks and beverages
Enjoy catching up with everyone while enjoying a light Welcome Reception in the Hospitality Room

Friday, April 26, 2024
Enjoy Breakfast at the Hotel
Today the bus will depart at 9:00am for a Shopping & Area Tour of Amelia Island with a Professional Tour Guide
We start the day with stories of the first inhabitants of the area, the Timuscua n Indians. Our destination is Amelia Island which was founded by the French, settled by the Spanish, named by the English, and tamed by the Americans. It is the only area in the U.S. to have been under eight different flags! Our first top will be at Kingsley Plantation to hear the amazing story of Anna, a former slave who rose to become a property owner. We explore the grounds which include the slave quarters, barn waterfront, kitchen house, and interpretive garden. We take the old buccaneer trail across Ft. George Island and the Talbot Islands following the picturesque Atlantic coastline. Next we go to the quaint town of Fernandina on Amelia Island to hear the stories from the Fairbanks Folly to Florida’s oldest tavern and resident ghost. The turn of the century town is filled with Victorian architecture and has the appearance of being caught in a time capsule. Lunch will be on your own in the historic district. Your guide creates an interactive tour atmosphere which is fun for everyone.
Lunch is included in the days activities
Transportation is included.
9:00am Bus Departs
9am – 12noon – Kingsley Plantation, Barrier Islands, Fernandina tour
12noon – 2:00pm – Lunch, free time in the historic district
2pm – 3pm – Return to Hotel

Saturday, April 27, 2024
Enjoy Breakfast at the Hotel
Today the bus will depart at 10:00 for a Shopping & Area Tour of St. Augustine with Professional Tour Guide
Enjoy your day in the Nation’s Oldest City! The various architectural styles, narrow brick streets, and European flavors combine for a unique escape. Your professional tour guide meets the group dressed in period costume and weaves a tapestry of stories from the early colonial years to the Victorian Flagler era. We tour all the major sites including the Spanish Mission Grounds, City Gates, Spanish Plaza, Cathedral-Basilica, Spanish Government House, Flagler Memorial Church, and the old Ponce de Leon Hotel. We disembark for photos at the Castillo de San Marcos, the stone fort that was never captured in battle. The tour includes one more stop at the old 1888 Alcazar Hotel or Flagler Memorial Church. During your free time exploring the historic district we will enjoy lunch. Your personal tour guide in colonial attire creates an interactive tour atmosphere which is fun for everyone.

Lunch is included in this days activities
Transportation is included
9am – Depart the hotel
10am-11:45am – St. Augustine tour with 2 stops (Castillo photo stop, Flagler era site)
11:45am – 2pm – Lunch & Free time
2pm -3pm – Return to hotel

Sunday, April 28, 2024
Enjoy Breakfast at the Hotel
Come enjoy the history and culture of the largest city in the continental United States! Your professional tour guide meets the group at your hotel for a river city experience that will entertain all your senses. We travel to Downtown to hear the exploits of the city’s namesake, Andrew Jackson, and the famous architects who descended upon the city after the Great Fire of 1901. From the ashes, skyscrapers were built and a banking center emerged with secret underground tunnels. Our journey pauses outside the historic Florida Theatre made famous by Elvis Presley. The St. Johns River is the perfect backdrop as we travel along the North and South river banks, seeing the Jaguar Stadium, St. John’s Cathedral, Friendship Fountain, and City Hall. We will stop at the Jacksonville Memorial Wall to pay tribute to our fallen military veterans. We continue with a stop at the USS Orleck DD886 Naval Museum to board one of the most decorated US Navy ships since WWII. Next we drive in the nearby Riverside/Avondale area that was ranked by APA as a Top 10 Great Neighborhood in America. We see the historic houses with their varied architectural styles that make up the picturesque community along the river. Lunch will be on your own in the trendy Shoppes of Avondale area. Your guide creates an interactive tour atmosphere which is fun for everyone.

Lunch & Transportation included
9am Depart the Hotel
9am-10:30am – Jacksonville City Tour with a stop at the Veterans Memorial Wall
10:30am-11:30am – USS Orleck Naval Museum Tour
11:45am-1:30pm – Lunch and Shoppes of Avondale
2:00pm – Return to Hotel

Tonight at 6:30pm enjoy a beautiful final banquet dinner