Travel The World With Kirkwood-Based Sunrise Tours | Webster Kirkwood Times
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From left: Caleb Lawson, Steve Uelner, Lauren Ecke, Jack Baumann, Nan Delwiche, Vicki Frami, Shelby Moll, Brent Dalrymple and Debbie Robertson
Sunrise Tours, a local tour operator specializing in group vacation packages for retirement aged travelers, offers professionally guided excursions across the US, Canada, and Europe.
Sunrise Tours was founded by Des Peres, MO residents Jim and Charlene Dalrymple in 1994. With a freshman (Brent) at Washington University and two daughters at Kirkwood High School (Kristen and Debra), Jim and Charlene cashed in a portion of their retirement to start Sunrise Tours. While focusing on consistent customer service and creative tour itineraries, Sunrise Tours has grown steadily for over 25 years and now maintains offices in Kirkwood, Missouri, Mission, Kansas and Elm Grove, Wisconsin.
The return of travel in 2021 has led to a welcome problem for Sunrise Tours president Brent Dalrymple: at press time Sunrise Tours is low on inventory. “Of course, 2020 was a lost year for travel, but the desire didn’t disappear. People are itching to hit the road and at this point we are almost sold out of our summer and fall departures.” Dalrymple advises people to plan ahead to get their vacations booked as the surge of travel continues into 2022. “We are working on our biggest tour catalog yet for 2022, featuring plenty of visits to US National Parks, European River Cruises and lots of new itineraries.”
Tour planner Caleb Lawson has spent the last couple years beefing up Sunrise Tours’ catalog of vacations featuring US National Parks. “Many of our most spectacular Parks are in remote locations and people look to us to plan a visit that maximizes their time and enjoyment in the Parks. As travelers from the Midwest, it’s not just a case of jumping in your car to spend the day at a National Park.”
Recent hire Katie Burton has found the creative process of planning a tour to be a gratifying experience. “Our travelers trust us to deliver a great vacation and there’s nothing better than reading a glowing guest review from an original tour we created and delivered.”
While many 2021 tours are sold out, Dalrymple says they still have a few open cabins on a Sunrise Tours private river cruise charter from Paris to Normandy in October, and space on a San Antonio Holiday tour in December.
12166 Old Big Bend Rd. #208 • Kirkwood • 314-470-9464
