Piedmont Technical College is hosting two trips this spring and summer to a pair of untapped wonders of the United States – beautiful Mackinac Island in the Great Lakes region and the vast frontier of Alaska.

The getaway to the tranquil area of Mackinac Island with its incredible scenery and old-fashioned traditions will be April 30-May 9, 2010. The Alaska Discovery Land and Cruise vacation sets sail July 15-27, 2010. There will be a free information session about these trips on Monday, January 11 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in room 219-C of the James C. Self Conference Center on the Greenwood Campus. Connie Fortanbary of Collette Vacations will be there to show slides of the trips and answer any questions. There is no obligation to take part in the trips by attending this free session.

The trip to Mackinac Island will begin in Chicago and Green Bay before ferrying across Lake Huron to a town from the past where automobiles are banned. Mackinac is quiet, with the neighs, whinnies and clip-clops of horses replacing the roar of engines. Accommodations will be at the legendary Grand Hotel before traveling on to south Michigan to Grand Rapids for the Tulip Festival and Frankenmuth for Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, the world’s largest Christmas store.

The cost for this 10-day trip $2,849 per person based on double occupancy and includes 15 meals.

The Alaska Discovery Land and Cruise adventure will spend five days exploring one of the last of the great frontiers around Fairbanks and in the Denali National Park. Then, participants will board the Island Princess in Whittier for a seven-night cruise through some of the most breath-taking scenery imaginable, including Hubbard Glacier, Glacier Bay, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan and the Inside Passage. The journey concludes with a tour of Vancouver before departing from Seattle.

This price for this 13-day excursion is $5,193 per person based on double occupancy and includes 21 meals.

These trips are being offered by the Continuing Education Division of Piedmont Technical College in conjunction with Collette Vacations. The deadline to register for guaranteed seating for the trip to Mackinac Island is January 12, 2010 and the Alaskan cruise deadline is January 15, 2010.

For more information, contact Jeanne Hughston, special events program manager at Piedmont Technical College, at (864) 941-8781 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Photo Caption: Piedmont Technical College will be hosting two trips this spring and summer to a pair of untapped wonders of the United States – beautiful Mackinac Island in the Great Lakes region and the vast frontier of Alaska. The getaway to the tranquil area of Mackinac Island, which includes a stay at the famous Grand Hotel, pictured, will be April 30-May 9, 2010. The Alaska Discovery land and cruise vacation sets sail July 15-27, 2010.