ICON Travel Group

10/31/2026

🇫🇷🚢 Another Amazing Day on the Rhône River!

I know I’ve been a little quiet on Facebook lately, but there’s a good reason — we’ve been having such an incredible time that I haven’t had much opportunity to sit down and share it all!

Today has been a wonderful example of what makes river cruising so special. We departed Tournon shortly after noon and are enjoying a leisurely nine-hour cruise along the Rhône River, with our arrival in Lyon scheduled for around 9 PM tonight.

And just because we’re spending the day sailing doesn’t mean there’s a shortage of things to do!

We’ve had a full afternoon of onboard activities, including co****le, afternoon tea, and a chocolate and w**e tasting. Now we’re enjoying happy hour as the beautiful French countryside passes by our windows. 🍷🍫

One of today’s highlights was passing through Vienne, with its beautiful historic architecture and stunning views along the river. As evening settled in, the illuminated buildings and their reflections on the water made for some spectacular scenery.

And here’s something you don’t experience on an ocean cruise every day — our ship literally pulled alongside the dock to pick up tonight’s entertainment, a local jazz band! 🎷🎶

That’s one of the things I love about river cruising. You’re constantly connected to the destinations you’re visiting, whether exploring charming villages, admiring historic landmarks from the ship, or enjoying local entertainment brought right onboard.

Our group is having a fantastic time, and it’s been wonderful seeing everyone enjoying themselves and making memories together.

This is ICON Travel Group’s first hosted group trip, and experiences like these are exactly why I’m so excited about organizing more of them in the future!

More photos and stories to come — whenever I can find a few minutes between all the fun! 😊

🇫🇷 Greetings from the Rhône River!

10/30/2026

🇫🇷 From an Engineering Marvel to a Charming Medieval Village! 🚢

Another wonderful day exploring southern France aboard the Avalon Poetry II as our journey along the Rhône River continues!

🚢 First Stop (Well, Sort Of!) — The Bollène Lock

Before arriving in Viviers, we experienced one of the most impressive engineering feats along the Rhône River — the Bollène Lock (Écluse de Bollène).

With a vertical drop of approximately 75 feet (23 meters), it’s the deepest lock in France and one of the deepest in Europe! Inaugurated in 1952, this massive structure allows ships to navigate a significant change in the river’s elevation.

Standing on the deck as our ship entered the enormous lock chamber and slowly rose approximately 75 feet as the water level increased was quite an experience! Watching those towering concrete walls seemingly get shorter as we were lifted higher and higher was fascinating. It’s one thing to read about how river locks operate, but something entirely different to experience one of this magnitude firsthand!

🏘️ Next Up — Viviers, France

After our passage through the lock, we arrived in the charming medieval village of Viviers, home to approximately 4,000 residents.

What a delightful place! Narrow cobblestone streets wind between centuries-old stone buildings, colorful shutters, and picturesque doorways. It’s the kind of village where you can simply wander and appreciate the history and character around every corner.

One particularly sweet moment was encountering local children handing out their artwork to visitors. Such a small gesture, but one that made the visit feel especially welcoming!

We also visited St. Vincent’s Cathedral, considered the smallest functioning cathedral in France, and enjoyed beautiful panoramic views overlooking the village and surrounding countryside.

🎶 A Special Surprise Courtesy of Avalon Waterways!

As if the village itself wasn’t memorable enough, Avalon arranged a surprise performance by a local opera singer who had trained at the prestigious Juilliard School in New York!

It was a wonderful and unexpected treat that added something truly special to our visit.

❤️ This is what I love about river cruising.

In a single day, you can experience an incredible feat of modern engineering, wander through a medieval French village, meet some of the locals, and enjoy a beautiful musical performance — all without packing and unpacking your suitcase!

Our first hosted group trip with ICON Travel Group continues to provide some wonderful memories, and there’s still more of France to explore! 🇫🇷🥂

10/29/2026

🇫🇷 Exploring Provence: Arles, Avignon & Les Baux-de-Provence! 🚢

Our journey through southern France continues aboard Avalon Waterways, and Provence has certainly given us plenty to appreciate!

Over the past couple of days, we’ve been exploring some of the region’s most fascinating historic destinations, each offering something a little different.

🏛️ Avignon is a city steeped in history. Once the seat of the Catholic papacy during the 14th century, it’s home to the magnificent Palais des Papes (Palace of the Popes), one of Europe’s most impressive Gothic palaces. The architecture and historic surroundings are remarkable.

🎨 Arles is another fascinating stop, known for its remarkably preserved Roman heritage and its connection to Vincent van Gogh, who found inspiration in the landscapes and everyday life of this region.

🌿 Les Baux-de-Provence was particularly picturesque. Perched high in the Alpilles mountains, this medieval village is filled with winding cobblestone streets, charming shops, ancient stone buildings, and spectacular views of the Provençal countryside.

🫒 A Taste of Provence! Another highlight was our visit to Moulin de la Coquille, a family-owned olive oil mill nestled in the Provençal countryside. We were treated to a tour and olive oil tasting led by the owner’s daughter, who shared insights into the family’s olive oil production. We saw freshly harvested olives and learned about the process of turning them into one of the region’s most treasured products.

The tasting gave us an opportunity to appreciate the different flavors and characteristics of locally produced olive oils. There’s something especially memorable about visiting a family-run business and hearing firsthand about the traditions behind its products. These are the kinds of authentic local experiences that make travel so rewarding!

☀️ We’ve also been fortunate to enjoy beautiful blue skies and sunshine, making our time exploring Provence even better!

One of the things I love about river cruising is the opportunity to experience destinations like these without the hassle of changing hotels every few days. We unpack once, enjoy the comforts of our ship, and discover somewhere new along the way.

It’s not just about visiting famous landmarks. It’s also about discovering charming villages, meeting local people, and experiencing the traditions and flavors that make each destination unique.

It’s been wonderful sharing these experiences with the travelers on ICON Travel Group’s first hosted group cruise, and we’re looking forward to what the rest of our journey has in store!

📸 A few photos from our adventures in Provence. More to come!

Eric Westfall
Founder & Travel Advisor
ICON Travel Group

10/27/2026

🇫🇷 Bonjour from the French Riviera! ☀️🌊

I’ve been a little quiet on Facebook the past few days, but for a very good reason — we’ve been busy enjoying beautiful Nice, France!

We’ve spent the past few days soaking up the atmosphere of this beautiful Mediterranean city, enjoying wonderful food and w**e, spending time with friends, and simply taking in everything the French Riviera has to offer.

One of the things I love most about traveling is having the opportunity to slow down, explore a destination, and enjoy the experience rather than rushing from one attraction to the next. And Nice is certainly a wonderful place to do just that!

But today brings the next chapter of our French adventure! 🛳️🥂

We’re heading off to embark on our Avalon Waterways Burgundy & Provence river cruise, marking a very special milestone — ICON Travel Group’s first hosted group trip!

I’ll be sharing more from our time in Nice, along with plenty of photos and firsthand experiences from aboard the ship and the destinations we’ll visit along the way.

Stay tuned — the adventure is just getting started!

🌍 ICON Travel Group

10/23/2026

🥂✈️ A little ch*****ne before takeoff… France, here we come! 🇫🇷

The adventure officially begins! Today I’m heading to France to es**rt ICON Travel Group’s very first hosted group trip!

We’ll start with a few days along the beautiful French Riviera before boarding an Avalon Waterways river cruise through Burgundy and Provence. 🚢🍷

There’s something especially rewarding about not only planning incredible travel experiences for my clients, but getting to share those experiences with them.

Over the next several days, I’ll be sharing photos, videos, and a behind-the-scenes look at our journey—from the destinations we explore to life aboard our Avalon river cruise ship.

Follow along as we experience the beauty of France together!

Here’s to new adventures, wonderful memories, and the first of many hosted group trips with ICON Travel Group! 🥂

10/20/2026

France is next! 🇫🇷🍷🚢

This Friday, October 23, I’m heading to France, where I’ll be es**rting a group of 16 travelers on Avalon Waterways’ Burgundy & Provence river cruise—ICON Travel Group’s first hosted group trip!

Before we embark on our river cruise, we’ll spend a few nights in a beautiful seaside destination. I’m keeping the location a surprise for now—follow along for the reveal! 🌊✨

I’m excited to share this experience with our travelers, and I hope it will be the first of many opportunities to explore the world together.

Follow along as I share the sights, flavors, and experiences of southern France—from exploring charming French towns to giving you a closer look at life aboard an Avalon river cruise.

Experiencing destinations firsthand helps me offer personal insights and practical advice when planning your vacations. I’m looking forward to bringing some of that inspiration home for your next adventure!

Follow ICON Travel Group here on Facebook for photos, updates, and travel tips. I’ll also be gathering stories for a new blog post on our website.

What would you most like to see—the food, the destinations, or a peek inside the ship? Let me know below! 👇

Eric Westfall
Founder & Travel Advisor
ICON Travel Group
www.icontravelgroup.com

10/13/2026

✈️ A New Name. A New Blog. The Same Passion for Travel! 🌎

We've been busy making some exciting changes at ICON Travel Group (formerly Cheat Lake Travel), and I'm thrilled to introduce another new addition to our website — the ICON Travel Group Blog! 🎉

Our very first blog post takes you along on my recent Labor Day weekend getaway to Provincetown, Massachusetts! 🌊

From unexpected flight delays and last-minute changes to beautiful harbor views, incredible restaurants, whale watching, and unforgettable experiences, this trip was a reminder that sometimes the best travel memories come from the unexpected!

As a travel advisor, I spend much of my time helping others plan incredible vacations. Now, through our new blog, I'm excited to take you along on some of my own adventures, sharing firsthand experiences, insider travel tips, destination inspiration, and recommendations to help you discover your next getaway.

📖 Check out our very first blog post here:
https://icontravelgroup.com/travel-blog/

And while you're there, take a look around our newly rebranded website!

🌐 www.icontravelgroup.com

✈️ And speaking of adventures… where to next?

Another adventure is just around the corner! 🍷🚢

Here's a little hint: Think charming villages, incredible food and w**e, breathtaking scenery, and exploring Europe from a whole new perspective.

🌍 Any guesses where we're headed next? Drop your guess in the comments!

👉 Be sure to follow ICON Travel Group right here on Facebook so you don't miss our upcoming adventures, behind-the-scenes travel experiences, destination inspiration, and insider travel tips!

And if you know someone who loves to travel, please invite them to follow along, too!

Thank you for being part of this exciting new chapter. Whether you've traveled with me before or are just discovering ICON Travel Group, I look forward to sharing many more adventures with you!

The world is waiting. Let's explore it together! 🌎

Eric Westfall
Founder and Travel Advisor
ICON Travel Group
[email protected]

10/12/2026

The moment a drink hits the bar, a good bartender is already watching to see if guests love it as much as they hope they will.

Contact [email protected] to learn more.

10/11/2026

🌎 **BIG NEWS! CHEAT LAKE TRAVEL IS NOW ICON TRAVEL GROUP!** ✈️

We're excited to announce a new chapter in our journey!

Since opening in 2017, Cheat Lake Travel has grown from a locally focused travel agency in Morgantown, West Virginia, into a business serving travelers across the country.

As our business has expanded, we realized it was time for a name that better represents who we are today and where we're headed.

Introducing **ICON Travel Group!**

While our name and look are changing, our commitment to providing exceptional, personalized travel planning remains exactly the same.

You'll still receive the same trusted service and attention to detail you've come to expect, now with a growing team and an exciting new identity.

Thank you to all of our clients, friends, and supporters who have been part of this journey. We couldn't have done it without you!

We look forward to helping you create even more unforgettable travel experiences.

🌐 www.icontravelgroup.com
📧 [email protected]

**New Name. Same Commitment. Endless Possibilities.**

Whether you’re dreaming of an all-inclusive beach escape, a European adventure, an unforgettable cruise, or a once-in-a-lifetime bucket list journey, we handle every detail so you can simply enjoy the experience.