Times Square

Day 1

NEW YORK

Arrive in New York City, America’s premier city and greatest attraction. After settling into your hotel, head out into the streets and join in on the action. An afternoon tour could begin with a visit to Times Square, followed by a stroll past Broadway’s theaters, some people-watching in Central Park, and a return along 5th Avenue’s skyscrapers and storefronts. Still a little tired after your long journey? Check with your hotel concierge for last-minute tickets on a sunset harbor cruise, join a hop-on/hop-off bus tour, or simply settle into a drink and watch the city lights come up at one of New York’s rooftop bars & restaurants

Day 2

NEW YORK

A full day to explore New York and everything it has to offer. New York’s story begins in downtown Manhattan, originally the colonial Dutch city of New Amsterdam. Follow the immigrant story at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, then take a moment at Ground Zero to reflect on our own changing times. Continue north past SoHo’s stylish shops to Greenwich Village’s genteel streets, or wander through Chinatown’s kaleidoscope of sights, sounds and smells on your way to Little Italy and the Lower East Side

Day 3

NEW YORK » MYSTIC » NEWPORT » BOSTON (285 mi / 455 km)

Begin your journey this morning with a drive along the Hudson River to the northernmost tip of Manhattan, where you can make a quick photo stop at the Cloisters in Fort Tryon Park. This area of Manhattan is as peaceful and undeveloped as the downtown Manhattan is crowded and overbuilt, and you’ll have superb views of both the Hudson River and of Manhattan’s only remaining primordial forest, in Inwood Park. Continue north to the state of Connecticut and Mystic Seaport. Mystic has been a shipbuilding community since the 1600’s, and the Seaport recreates life in a 19th Century seaside village, with tall ships, a working shipyard, shops, stores, and buildings typical of a New England maritime town. Afterwards, drive to Newport, an important colonial port city in the 1700’s that became a summer resort for America’s wealthiest families. The large mansions they called their “cottages” still line Ocean Drive and Bellevue Avenue, and many are open to visitors daily. A variety of American architecture dating back to the 1600’s can be seen in downtown Newport. Continue on to Boston, New England’s principal city. Founded in 1630 by the Puritans, Boston quickly grew to be the largest city in the English Colonies and the cradle of the American Revolution. Take a self-guided walking tour along Boston’s Freedom Trail, which links together and explains Boston’s most important revolutionary sites and events

Day 4

BOSTON

A full day to explore Boston and its surroundings. Begin your day rambling through the cobblestone streets and fine brick houses of Beacon Hill, the traditional home of Boston’s “Brahmins”, early Boston’s social, intellectual and artistic elite. Then, cross the Charles River to the vibrant streets of Cambridge and Harvard University, America’s first institute of higher education (1636). Return through Back Bay’s boulevards for stylish shopping and dining, then make your way to the Fenway for the artistic treasures of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts

Day 5

BOSTON » WHITE MOUNTAINS (150 mi / 240 km)

This morning, spend more time in Boston, take a side trip to Salem, home of the famous witch trials, or depart directly for the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Named for their often snow-covered peaks, the White Mountains are the tallest in New England, and the roads through the high mountain passes make for beautiful scenic driving. Take the Mount Washington Auto Road to the highest summit, and you’ll pass through four climate zones, from temperate to tundra

Day 6	WHITE MOUNTAINS (NEW HAMPSHIRE) » QUEBEC (315 mi / 500 km)
Depart this morning for Canada through the northernmost reaches of Vermont. Arrive this afternoon in Quebec City, the 400-year-old capital of Quebec. Head for the Basse-Ville (Lower Town) of Vieux-Quebec (Old Quebec) on the St Lawrence River waterfront, for dinner and a stroll around the 18th-century streetscapes surrounding the Place Royale

Day 7

QUEBEC

Today, visit the Haute-Ville (Upper Town) of Vieux-Quebec, dramatically located 321 ft (92 m) above the St Lawrence River on Cape Diamant. Best seen on foot, begin at the Place d’Armes, an open square in the heart of Old Quebec, surrounded by grand buildings, restaurants, and elegant neighborhoods. Walk along the Terasse Dufferin, a wooden boardwalk high above the river, offering picturesque views of the Lower Town and the St Lawrence River. Then visit the Citadelle, Quebec’s massive, star-shaped fortress, before returning to the Place d’Armes for lunch. Continue into the Quartier Latin, the Upper Town’s oldest residential neighborhood, now its charming student quarter. End the day on the Grande Allee, Quebec’s grandest boulevard, lined by Quebec’s finest shops and restaurants and stepping off point for Quebec’s nightlife

Day 8

QUEBEC » MONTREAL (165 mi / 265 km)

Today, depart early and follow the St Lawrence River for the short drive to Montreal, the largest French-speaking city after Paris. Begin in Vieux-Montreal (Old Montreal) and the Place Jacques-Cartier, where street musicians and acrobats perform for audiences seated in outdoor cafes. From there, stroll along the cobblestone streets to the waterfront at the Vieux-Port (Old Port) and visit the Marche Bonsecours’ art galleries and native crafts shops. From here, take a river cruise or a thrilling jetboat tour to the Lachine Rapids (reservations recommended). Linger in the Old Town, or explore Montreal’s modern Downtown district, home to some of Canada’s premier art & history museums, or beautiful Parc du Mont-Royal, designed by the creator of New York’s Central Park, with splendid views overlooking the city. There’s no shortage of nightlife in Montreal, with plenty of clubs Downtown, in the Plateau Mont-Royal and the Quartier Latin, or return to the Vieux-Port for live jazz, blues or traditional musique quebecoise

Day 9	MONTREAL » OTTAWA (205 mi / 325 km)
Depart Montreal , crossing the St. Lawrence into the province of Ontario, Canada’s commercial and industrial center. Follow the Rideau River to Canada’s capital city, Ottawa, and visit the Parliament buildings and the Museum of Art. Stroll along the canal to enjoy the street life or one of the many year-round events

Day 10

OTTAWA » THOUSAND ISLANDS » TORONTO (205 mi / 325 km)

Travel south and then west along the St. Lawrence River, dotted with the “Thousand Islands” (actually, there are 1,793), Continue along the coast of Lake Ontario to Toronto, Canada's sophisticated and important commercial center. Its striking architecture is impressive and best observed from atop the CN Tower, where you can both take in the view and enjoy a meal. Shopping is a highlight at Eaton Centre or along Yonge Street, and Ontario Place is an educational and entertainment complex on Lake Ontario. This evening, enjoy the nightlife along Queen Street West and College St

Day 11

TORONTO » NIAGARA FALLS (85 mi / 135 km)

Depart this morning for the short drive to Niagara Falls. A scenic natural wonder, Niagara Falls’ thundering cascade empties the waters of four Great Lakes – at a rate of 3 million liters per second – on the way to Lake Ontario. Niagara Falls can easily be explored by foot, and is especially impressive on a Maid of the Mist boat tour, where a 180° curtain of water surrounds you. In the evening, enjoy dinner from high above the Falls at Skylon Tower, where on a clear day you can see Toronto. Afterwards, enjoy the sunset and the colorful nighttime illumination of the Falls, and try your luck at one of Niagara Falls casinos

Day 12	NIAGARA FALLS » NEW YORK (410 mi / 655 km)
This morning, you can return directly to New York City, or stop along the way for some memorable hiking along one of the Finger Lake’s waterfalls and river gorges. Once back in New York City, enjoy a last night ‘on the town’ before your return trip home

Day 13	NEW YORK
Depending on your flight schedule, there’s still time for some last minute shopping, or a return visit to a favorite address