LUXE LOWCOUNTRY TRAVEL HOSTS 2ND ANNUAL
Literary & Leisure Getaway Event
story by KAREN SNYDER
After a hugely successful event that ushered dozens of authors and literature lovers to the Lowcountry last year, Susie McMahon, owner of Luxe Lowcountry Travel, is excited to host this fun yet informative event again on March 22-26, 2023.
The Luxe Lowcountry Travel Literary and Leisure Getaway is the brainchild of McMahon, a local travel advisor, who knew she wasn’t the only person who enjoyed the perfect combination of “beach and books!” Her love for the Lowcountry as described in literary works by beloved author Pat Conroy is one she wants all to enjoy. Visiting locations so vividly described in Conroy’s The Prince of Tides and Cassandra King Conroy’s Tell Me a Story, event participants genuinely get to experience the story, scenes, and settings of these acclaimed authors.
“Last year, our first Literary and Leisure Getaway featured nine authors, and we welcomed 19 attendees, who either lived locally or traveled to Beaufort to participate in this fun and immersive experience,” explains McMahon. “This year, books will be brought alive once again with local, planned activities. A portion of the getaway funds will benefit the Pat Conroy Literary Center.”
Those traveling to the Lowcountry will enjoy 4- and 5-star accommodations for the 5-day, 4-night trip, which will include lots of excursion options, including a walking history of Beaufort, tours of the Pat Conroy Literary Center (PCLC), walking food tour, river cruise off Fripp Island, wine dinner at Breakwater restaurant, and a special workshop for getaway guests with featured author workshop at the PCLC. McMahon says one event she and her guests are most looking forward to “is a dinner and a movie screen of ‘The Prince of Tides,’ followed by an author panel, including the Friends of Pat Conroy to discuss the novel, movie, and Pat Conroy’s life.”
With decades of experience in the hospitality and travel industry, McMahon says coming up with the idea for a “literary getaway” was the result of combining her two passions: a love for reading and travel. “Through this experience, guests watch the pages of so many authentic southern stories come alive right before their eyes in this very special place we call the Lowcountry.”
Putting down her local roots on Lady’s Island in 2019, this well-versed travel expert had to get creative when the pandemic brought the travel industry to an abrupt halt in early 2020 — so she turned to her passion for reading.
“No one was traveling then, and most of us were looking for ways to connect,” admits McMahon. That’s when this inventive entrepreneur implemented another thoughtful idea, establishing a virtual online book club hosted through a private Facebook group.
“I began hosting authors of the books we were reading, interviewing them live, and discussing their stories and writings.” Since that time, McMahon and her book club have featured many authors, including books by Lowcountry or regional writers, such as Cassandra King Conroy (Tell Me a Story) and Rebecca Dwight Bruff (Trouble the Water), among others. Two years later, McMahon’s virtual book club has grown to almost 600 members, many of whom love to travel.
“That’s what makes the Literary and Leisure Getaway such a great travel experience,” she says. “It allows readers to get to know our featured authors, experience Southern Charm, and see the natural beauty which inspired many of their stories.”
Like Conroy, McMahon says her soul has always belonged to the Lowcountry. “I have family history here and have always felt connected to it. Now, I get to use that knowledge to help those who want a truly immersive experience when visiting Beaufort and the Sea Islands, or who want to arrange similar experiences elsewhere.”
To learn more about the Literary and Leisure Getaway, or Luxe Lowcountry Travel services visit www.luxelowcountrytravel.com or call Susie at 843-321-8114 to discuss your future travel plans.
