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Frank Lloyd Wright House on Crystal Bridges grounds to open Nov. 11, 2015

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1-FLW-House-in-New-Jersey

Bachman-Wilson House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in its original New Jersey location
Photo: TarantinoSTUDIO © 2013; courtesy Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas

Originally published by Group Tour Magazine – September 18, 2015

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — In 2014, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art announced the acquisition of a rare Frank Lloyd Wright house originally built in 1954 along the Millstone River in New Jersey. Since then, the house has been disassembled, transported 1,200 miles across the country and meticulously reconstructed on the grounds of the museum.

Construction is now in the final stages and the house is scheduled to open to the public on November 11, 2015, the fourth anniversary of Crystal Bridges’ opening.

Crystal Bridges Executive Director Rod Bigelow said, “We are excited to share this historic object that embodies our mission to celebrate the American spirit in a setting that unites art and nature. As the only Frank Lloyd Wright house in Arkansas, it enhances our region’s offerings with unique engagement opportunities for schools, families and individuals with an interest in architecture, all at no cost to the public.”

Known as the Bachman-Wilson House, the home was threatened by repeated flooding at its original location. The previous owners, architect/designer duo Lawrence and Sharon Tarantino, determined that relocating the house was the best option for preservation. After their multi-year search, Crystal Bridges acquired the house in 2013, and the house arrived in Northwest Arkansas in April, 2014.

The house is now situated a short distance from the museum, along the trails, with views overlooking the native woodlands and Crystal Spring. 

The Frank Lloyd Wright house will open to the public on November 11, 2015, with no admission cost, during the same hours as the museum’s art galleries.

“Our goal is to provide as much access as possible while being responsible stewards of the house,” said Crystal Bridges Chief Engagement Officer Niki Stewart. “To that end, we will welcome visitors to see the house on their own with general admission, or take a guided tour. Because of the intimate size of the house, we are requiring reservations to enter, while the grounds around the house are accessible without a ticket.”

Beginning November 2, tickets may be reserved online or by calling 479-657-2335. Crystal Bridges’ members will have an opportunity to preview the house in advance of the public opening. Member preview tickets may be reserved in person at Guest Services or by calling the Member Priority Line at 479-418-5728.

Guided tours will be offered five days per week (no tours Tuesday or Friday) as an hour-long indoor and outdoor experience led by specially trained volunteer tour guides.

General admission will be a self-guided experience, available each day except Tuesday.

A Most Pleasant Journey

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Point Pleasant, NJ is most often thought of as a summer destination.  And while the weather is often more conducive to swimming after the fourth of July, there is really no need to wait that long.  Point Pleasant is still there in the spring and early summer and with smaller crowds it ends up being just that much more…well, pleasant.

jenkinsons-boardwalk-header1Located in Ocean County, Point Pleasant has long been a popular getaway for those living in Philadelphia and New York City.  It is a family-friendly spot loved by and designed for kids of all ages.  In recent years as families have been looking for more places to go that everyone can enjoy, Point Pleasant has become just that much more popular.  What is the best way to get there?  Well by motorcoach of course.

Your charter motorcoach journey to Point Pleasant can drop you right off at the boardwalk so you can enjoy the crystal clean beach and all the amenities the boardwalk has to offer without the hassle of having to find a place to park or the expense and uncertainty of a local parking lot.  There will be none of that for you because you planned ahead.  But what to do once you arrive?  That is the best part.

Start with Jenkinson’s Boardwalk, the centerpiece of the Jersey Shore.  While there are boardwalks that have more popularity in New Jersey, none are as fun or as well maintained as Jenkinson’s.  It is about one mile long and contains thrill rides, attractions, restaurants and arcades.  If mini-golf is your idea of fun than look no further as there are three outstanding places to play; Rooftop Golf, Castaway Cove and my personal favorite, Lighthouse Point.

Looking for a little adventure and maybe a scream or two?  Then you must try the Dark Ride at the South Beach Arcade.  The Dark Ride is a 7D interactive experience that makes a 3D movie seem as exciting as using a View-master.  They have two movies to choose from; Zombies and the all-new Gigamon.  Why not try both?

If you’re looking for adventure of a different sort then you can check out the Point Pavilion Antique Center.  The center is stuffed to the gills with antiques and collectibles.  You may find more than you can take with you on the bus as you explore the two floors of treasures, but no worries there as you can always ship larger items to your home.

Uncle Vinnie’s Comedy Club provides year-round entertainment guaranteed to make you smile.  While this club may not always be family-friendly, they do cater to groups and offer group discounts for both dinner and show packages.  The top comedians in the nation are always featured at Uncle Vinnie’s.

Speaking of food, there are some wonderful places to dine in Point Pleasant.  Naturally you can find all of the requisite boardwalk style food you could ask for including popcorn, cotton candy, sausage & peppers and ice cream.  However if you want the best ice cream you want to make a stop at Hoffman’s.  Hoffman’s serves up some 40 flavors of delicious ice cream and frozen yogurt and they offer tours as well to see how it is all done.  They have all the traditional flavors, but get a little adventurous and try the Sea Salt Caramel Latte flavor.

When it is time for dinner you want something really good and not another serving of fries from boardwalk.  If Italian food is of your liking then visit Spano’s Ristorant Italiano.  Owned and operated by Chef Joseph Spano for over 15 years, the restaurant features authentic Italian food in an authentic atmosphere. Traditional dishes, such as lasagna and chicken Parmesan are available and very popular.  Named for Joseph’s mother, one of the house favorites at Spano’s is the Chicken Zia Carmela; mushrooms, eggplant and roasted red peppers sauteed in a garlic tomato sauce, served over breaded boneless breast of chicken, topped with mozzarella cheese and their award winning marinara sauce.   You will not leave here hungry.

So why not get the family and friends together, leave the car behind and charter a bus?   You can make plenty of memories in Point Pleasant, NJ before the crowds arrive this summer.  You may not want to swim in the ocean, but there’s absolutely nothing wrong with a nice walk on the beach.

WiFi Onboard!

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Many of the new model motorcoaches have wi-fi on board which can make your travel time more productive and comfortable! Make the Smart Move and climb aboard!

Family Reunions… Re-imagined!

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One of the biggest challenges with any large family reunion is often transportation. How do you move that many people around town? How do you get from the restaurant to the hotels? How do you all get to spend time together without spending your days stuck in traffic all sitting in separate rental cars? Motorcoach companies understand family reunions and we know that transportation can be the difference between an extraordinary event and just another few vacation days wasted. You see, reunions are better on a motorcoach because we provide movies for the kids, quiet space for the adults to connect, even Wifi, power outlets, restrooms and plenty of room to separate those brothers who just have never really gotten along. Call us today and let us help you put your family reunion in the fast lane to fun!