white house south side

Day 1	NEW YORK
Arrive in New York City, America’s premier city and greatest attraction. Transfer to your hotel in Midtown Manhattan, conveniently located within minutes of Times Square, the Broadway Theaters, Rockefeller Center, Fifth Avenue and Central Park

Day 2	NEW YORK
Full day to explore New York and everything it has to offer. Start your day with a bagel and coffee or a full American Breakfast, then head out into the city and join in on the action. Whether it’s the museums on Central Park or the skyscrapers in Midtown, the theaters on Broadway or the clubs in the Village, there’s something for everyone on the streets of Manhattan

Day 3

NEW YORK » BETHLEHEM » LANCASTER (195 mi / 315 km)

Depart New York City this morning to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, settled by German members of the Moravian Church. The Moravians trace their origins to Jan Hus, who established the first Protestant church in Bohemia and was burned at the stake in 1415. The church was persecuted until they found refuge in Saxony, Germany, in the early 1700’s. Soon afterward, they began sending missionaries to the New World who were especially successful in Bethlehem. The Moravians’ Gemienhaus (Communal Hall, 1741), the largest log building of its time, stands today as a museum, surrounded by many other historic buildings of the early settlement. Guitar aficiandos will want to visit nearby Nazareth for a tour of the Martin Guitar factory, America’s premier acoustic guitar maker. Continue on through a series of tranquil covered bridges, then drive the “Hex Highway”, where you’ll pass barns decorated with hex signs, the colorful geometric folk art painted on barns by the Pennsylvania Dutch to bring good luck. Continue to Lancaster for your overnight

Day 4

LANCASTER

Lancaster and Lancaster County are the heart of Pennsylvania’s Dutch Country. The name “Pennsylvania Dutch” actually refers to the Pennsylvania Germans (“Deutsche”) who settled here, particularly the “Plain People” of the Amish and Mennonite churches. Many Pennsylvania Dutch continue the dress, traditions and the dialect of their 18th-Century ancestors, with varying degrees of accomodation to the modern world. They remain a fascinating and thriving community in Lancaster, and a drive through the Lancaster countryside will most likely be slowed as you pass their horses and buggies. Their traditional arts and crafts, especially woodworkings and quilts, are available in local shops. For those with more than just a passing interest, there’s the Amish Village, a recreation of a working Amish Farm, and the living history Landis Valley Musuem, displaying an excellent collection of Pennsylvanian German heritage. Not to be missed are the local restaurants offering heart-warming Pennsylvania Dutch cooking and pastries. Railroad aficiandos and children alike enjoy nearby Strasburg’s steam-powered train rides, as well as a visit to both the National Toy Train museum and the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, where over 100 vintage locomotives and train cars are on display

Day 5

LANCASTER » YORK » GETTYSBURG (60 mi / 100 km)

Depart Lancaster for York, first capital of the United States and home of Harley-Davidson’s largest factory (a museum and factory tours are available - check schedule for details). Continue on to Gettysburg, a picturesque small town made famous by the Battle of Gettysburg, turning point of the American Civil War. Abraham Lincoln’s eloquent Gettysburg Address, spoken here to commemorate the fallen soldiers of both North and South, is remembered as one of the most important speeches in American history. A self-guided auto tour recounts the dramatic battlefield events of 1863. Spend the day, or continue on “country roads” for an afternoon’s visit to West Virginia, just over an hour away

Day 6

GETTYSBURG » WASHINGTON DC » PHILADELPHIA (220 mi / 350 km)

Depart early for a day trip to Washington, DC, less than 2 hours from Gettysburg (350 km). Grouped on or near the open lawns of the National Mall are all of the major institutions of the US government - the White House, Capitol, and Supreme Court buildings - as well as the museums of the Smithsonian Institute and memorials to past presidents. From Washington, it’s another 3 hours north to Philadelphia for your overnight

Day 7

PHILADELPHIA

A full day to explore the historic sites of Philadelphia, the “City of Brotherly Love”. Joggers can begin their day with a run in Fairmount Park and up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, a scene made famous in the first Rocky film. Then, head to the visitor’s center at Independence National Historical Park, where printed materials are available in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish. Pick up your free tickets to Independence Hall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which saw the signing of both the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution. On either side of Independence Hall stands the original Congress and Supreme Court buildings, and across the street the Liberty Bell is on display. Stroll down Elfreth’s Alley, the oldest continuously occupied residential street in the United States, and step into Christ Church, where Benjamin Franklin and George Washington once worshipped. For lunch, experience culinary history at City Tavern (1773), and dine on the same 18th-century recipes enjoyed by Washington, Jefferson and the Founding Fathers who frequently met here. Enjoy an afternoon walk past the elegant homes of Society Hill, then explore Italian South Philly and the bohemian neighborhood around South Street, or spend some time on the Delaware River waterfront. In the evening, Philadelphia nightlife is easy to find, with plentiful restaurants and clubs clustered together in the Old City, along South Street, and south of City Hall

Day 8	PHILADELPHIA » NEW YORK (95 mi / 155 km)
Return to New York for your flight home, or extend your stay in the Big Apple