Friday, November 7 - Depart at 4:45pm - return at 8:30pm
Closing Reception at Morikami Museum & Japanese Gardens and the American Orchid Society
The 10th Annual CHTA Conference will come to a close in true Florida style with a casual evening at two exceptional destinations. The night begins with a tour of the Morikami Museum & Japanese Gardens, delicious Japanese cuisine, liquid refreshments and a surprise or two at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens. The only destination in the southeastern US dedicated to the living culture of Japan, it features a 16-acre park of renowned Japanese gardens, galleries of historical and contemporary Asian art, pan-Asian cuisine at the Cornell Café, and Asian inspired accessories for the home and garden at the Museum Store. Then it's a short stroll to the American Orchid Society for dessert, beautiful orchids and music in a garden setting. Home to botanical gardens, an atrium/greenhouse adorned with blooming orchids that change continuously, and an orchid emporium gift shop. It is one of the largest special-interest horticultural organizations in the world.

Pre-Conference Excursions
Optional excursions/additional fee required
Experience the wonderful cultural and historic offerings of Palm Beach County, Florida's Cultural Capital. Palm Beach County is the largest county east of the Mississippi and known worldwide as a gorgeous location with a unique subtropical lifestyle. Such an outstanding destination also has superlative cultural offerings. In Palm Beach County, "Culture has found its place in the sun."

Below are several excursions to get a taste of Palm Beach County's culture and heritage:

Wednesday, November 5
Art Under The Palms
Discover the art and culture in central Palm Beach County with private behind-the-scene tour of some of its major cultural venues. Visit the Norton Museum of Art collection of over 6,500 works concentrated in European, American, Chinese, Contemporary art and photography and current special exhibitions of Chinese paintings from Chu Tsing Li Collection and photographs from the Baroness von Oppenheim collection; the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts including the 2200-seat concert hall, 300-seat black box theatre and 1400-seat amphitheatre; and the Armory Art Center's community-based visual arts education and exhibition center including a gallery talk, art demonstration, and an exhibition of artists working in all media creating cutting-edge visual art juried by the Bonnie Clearwater, Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Miami.

Tour departs at 12:30pm and returns at 4:30pm
Special CHTA price: $25

Wednesday, November 5
The Best of West Palm Beach...The Traveling Cultural & Heritage Tour
This unique guided tour showcases important historical and cultural sites in West Palm Beach. The tour begins at the newly opened state-of-the-art Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum and Historic Courthouse, then walk across the street for a behind the scenes look at Palm Beach Dramaworks. The second part of the excursion includes a guided trolley tour of the historic landmarks of downtown West Palm Beach provided by the Downtown Development Authority. The tour will end with refreshments and a stroll through the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens featuring its historic home, artist studio and rare palm collection.

Tour departs at 12:30pm and returns at 4:30pm
Special CHTA price: $25

Wednesday, November 5
Wild & Scenic Culture & Heritage Tour of Northern Palm Beach
Discover the pulse of the Northern Palm Beaches: Explore the sea life of the local coast and how science and research are saving our ocean friends at the Loggerhead Marinelife Center, then on to the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse & Museum to breath in 5,000 years of history shaped by nature; and conclude at the Busch Wildlife Sanctuary where wild and endangered animals are rescued and recovered while providing educational opportunities for young and old alike. Enjoy behind-the-scenes private tours and refreshments at each location.

Tour departs at 12:30pm and returns at 4:30pm
Special CHTA price: $25

Wednesday, November 5
The Art & Architecture of Boca Raton
Tour the special exhibition "Of Rage and Redemption: The Art of Oswaldo Guayasamin" at the Florida Atlantic University Schmidt Center Gallery, followed by an overview of gallery programs by Director Rod Faulds and receive the "Guayasiamin Field Trip/Experience Guide" developed by the University Galleries for educators in Palm Beach County; At the Boca Raton Museum of Art, participate in an interactive gallery activity, followed by a brief docent-led tour of the museums special exhibitions "Visiones: 20th Century Selections from the Nassau County Museum of Art" and "Jose Clemente Orozco: The Graphic Work" exhibitions at the Boca Raton Museum of Art; Tour Boca Raton Town Hall and view the Boca Raton Historical Society special exhibition "Boomtime Boca: Boca Raton in the 1920s"; the bus ride concludes with a scenic route showcasing Boca Raton history including buildings designed by famed architect Addison Mizner whose Spanish revival architecture brought about a Florida Renaissance during the 1920's.

Tour departs at 12:30pm and returns at 4:30pm
Special CHTA price: $25

Post-Conference Excursions
Optional excursions/additional fee required

Saturday, November 8
Picture the Everglades: A Photographic Tour of Florida's "River of Grass"
Participants depart for the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge (the last remaining portion of the Northern Everglades). On the bus ride, visitors will hear about the Everglades from an education director at the Refuge. Stu Freedman, a photographer and faculty member of the Palm Beach Photographic Centre in Delray Beach will lead a one-hour class on digital photography at the new, state-of-the-art Visitor Center. Lunch will be served, then enjoy a naturist-led guided tour of the Refuge, while simultaneously receiving photography instruction from Stu Freedman. Please bring your cameras and necessary equipment to capture the beauty and detail of Florida's "River of Grass."

Tour departs at 11:00am and returns at 3:30pm
Special CHTA price: $50

While at the conference, take advantage of another area of South Florida with a unique culture and heritage.

Saturday, November 8
Miami Beach: The Art Deco Special
See Miami Beach and the famed Art Deco District during a fascinating guided tour. Feel the vibrancy of South Beach as you have lunch at a restaurant on famed Lincoln Road followed by time for strolling and shopping. Saved from destruction by the Miami Design Preservation League, the Art Deco District of Miami Beach was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. The area contains close to 1,000 structures of historic and artistic significance originally designed to provide much needed distraction from the travails of the Great Depression. Now considered to be the American Riviera, the Art Deco District underwent hundreds of millions of dollars worth of renovations in the 1980's and 1990's. These renovations, which were funded by both private and public investors, resulted in a return of the structures to their original splendor characterized by stainless steel, etched glass, pothole windows, neon lights and a mixture of pastel and primary colors. Join the tour to learn why this area continues to delight and surprise visitors from all over the globe year-round.

Tour departs at 9:00am and returns at 4:30pm.
Special CHTA price: $85