Day 1
Fly to Boston
Welcome to Boston! Get settled at your hotel and then set out on your own to spot some of Boston’s historical sites or just take a stroll along the waterfront before gathering at the hotel at6 p.m. with your Travel Director and fellow travellers for a Welcome Reception. (WR)
Hotel: Omni Parker House (SF)
Day 2
Boston – Maine Coast – Bar Harbor (2 nights)
Begin your journey through the vibrant colours of a New England autumn with a trip up the coast to Maine. Pass by old whaling villages dotted with lighthouses and widows’ walks, the playgrounds of New England’s rich and famous, and rocky beaches pounded by the great Atlantic swells on your way to Bar Harbor on Maine’s Mount Desert Island. Once home to the largest hotel in North America, Bar Harbor also played host to the grand summer homes of the American aristocracy, including the Rockefellers, Vanderbilts and Astors. This evening, join your travelling companions for a traditional Maine Lobster Highlight Dinner. (FB HD)
Hotel: Bar Harbor Regency (F)
Day 3
Acadia National Park excursion & Bar Harbor Free Time
At 464 metres, Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park is the first spot in the United States where you can see the sunrise. You won’t be getting up that early, but you still have plenty of time to admire the view from the top of the peak and then descend to discover the natural riches of New England’s only National Park. Marvel at granite cliffs overlooking dramatic, windswept beaches, graceful stone bridges arching over rushing streams and stands of ancient maples, their leaves glowing fiery red, burnt orange and mustard yellow in the crisp autumn air. Enjoy an afternoon on your own back in Bar Harbor. Sip a coffee by the sea, stroll the quaint Main Street or take an optional nature cruise on Frenchman Bay. (FB)
Overnight: Bar Harbor Regency
Day 4
Bar Harbor – Pinkham Notch – North Conway
Bid farewell to the coast and travel over rolling hills ablaze with colour on your way to the wooded valley of Pinkham Notch, formed during the last ice age as glaciers scoured the earth. Late this afternoon, arrive in the pretty town of North Conway on the edge of the White Mountain National Forest. After dinner, get acquainted with the local flora and fauna during an engaging talk by a Local Expert. (FB D)
Hotel: North Conway Grand Hotel (F)
Day 5
North Conway – Ludlow (2 nights)
Visit the Castle in the Clouds this morning for a tour of this breathtaking stone mansion with views to rival any. Crossing into Vermont, spot the traditional wooden covered bridges, thick forests and rolling fields of the Green Mountain State. Stop at a historic woolen mill in Quechee that now houses the Simon Pearce glassblowing workshop. Enjoy a Be My Guest lunch featuring local ingredients delicately arranged on Simon Pearce’s beautiful stem and flatware. Later, delve into the art and science of glassblowing before continuing to the picturesque village of Ludlow and your mountain retreat. (FB BG D)
Hotel: Jackson Gore Inn (F)
Day 6
Woodstock Excursion
Enjoy a day on the back roads of Vermont. Get a glimpse of agricultural life at the Billings Farm & Museum, a lovely estate that’s home to one of Vermont’s finest dairy producers. Woodstock has been called “the prettiest small town in America.” Savour a stroll around the beautiful village green, see an old-fashioned covered bridge or check out some of the local art galleries. Continue your journey through rural Vermont with a visit to Plymouth and the childhood home of Calvin Coolidge, the 30th president of the United States. Enjoy the rest of your afternoon on your own in Ludlow. (FB)
Day 7
Ludlow – Springfield
From the Green Mountains, cross back into Massachusetts and the gorgeous Berkshires, alight in autumn with the fall colours that have made New England famous. Stop in Stockbridge to visit the Norman Rockwell Museum and learn about this beloved artist and his iconic paintings of small-town Americana. Continue on to Springfield, nestled on the banks of the Connecticut River. This evening, join your Tour Director and newfound friends for a festive Farewell Dinner. (FB FD)
Hotel: Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel (F)
Day 8
Springfield – Lexington & Concord – Depart Boston
Travel east to see the birthplace of the American Revolution and the “shot heard round the world” as made famous in Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Concord Hymn.” The battles of Lexington and Concord were the first skirmishes in the American war for independence and these small towns are still rich in history. See the famous statue of the Minute Man, adjacent to Concord’s historic North Bridge. Stop at Lexington Green, which saw the first drops of blood spilled in what George Washington laconically called “the dispute with the British.” Then it’s back to Boston where you are transferred to Boston Logan International Airport or to the tour hotel if you’d like to extend your stay. (FB)
Please do not schedule any flights before 4 p.m.
Day 9
Arrival back home
What's Included
- Return transatlantic flights
Sightseeing Highlights
- Bar Harbor Visit Acadia National Park and drive up to the top of Cadillac Mountain.
- Castle in the Clouds Visit the mountaintop setting with views of Lake Winnipesaukee.
- Woodstock Experience Vermont’s great agricultural heritage at Billings Farm & Museum.
- Plymouth Visit the family homestead of President Calvin Coolidge.
- Stockbridge Explore the Norman Rockwell Museum.
- Lexington and Concord Visit the towns where the first shots of the American Revolution were fired.
Dining Highlights
- 7 full breakfasts
- 1 lunch: Be My Guest lunch in Quechee
- 5 evening meals: Welcome Reception with light appetisers and drinks with your Travel Director in Boston, 3 three-course dinners, Farewell Dinner with wine in Springfield
First Class Travel Highlights
- 7 nights First Class accommodation
- Airport transfers are provided on Day 1 and Day 8
- Complimentary keepsake photo and My Journey book
- Audio Headsets For all guided visits and included sightseeing
- Insider Experiences
- Be My Guest Join a Be My Guest lunch at Simon Pearce’s glassblowing workshop in a historic woolen mill in Quechee.
- Hidden Treasures Enjoy at least one surprise Hidden Treasure experience, unique to your itinerary, courtesy of your expert Travel Director.
- Local Expert Learn about wildlife during a presentation by a local expert in the scenic town of North Conway.
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