LETCHWORTH STATE PARK

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 » HUDSON HIGHLANDS (105 mi / 165 km)

Rich in history and scenic beauty, the Hudson River is truly one of America’s great waterways. Your day begins with a riverside drive en route to Sleepy Hollow, where 18th-Century life is recreated at the Dutch settlement of Philipsburg Manor. Tours to the Rockefeller Estate also depart from here, then you’ll drive winding roads to enjoy panoramic river views in the Hudson Highlands. Stop in Cold Spring for its charming Main Street shops and cafes, then continue on to the Hyde Park homes of the Roosevelts and the Vanderbilts. This evening, stop by the Beekman Arms (1766), America’s oldest continuously operating inn, for a drink or dinner where George Washington once dined. (note: Philipsburg Manor & the Rockefeller Estate are closed Tuesdays).

Day 4

HUDSON HIGHLANDS » NEW PALTZ » WOODSTOCK » CATSKILL MOUNTAINS (125 mi / 200 km)

Breakfast this morning at the Culinary Institute of America, America’s premier cooking school, where the prices are as reasonable as the food is delicious. Continue across the Hudson to New Paltz, a colorful college town, where you can visit the 300-year-old houses of the original Huguenot settlers. Gain altitude on the dramatic Shawangunk Ridge, a favorite for rock-climbers, on your way to Woodstock, an artist’s colony long before residents such as Dylan and Hendrix or the music festival made it famous. In Phoenicia you can join the locals and go ‘tubing’, or floating down a creek in a large tire’s inner tube, then take a short hike to Kaaterskill Falls, a favorite motif for the Hudson River school of painters.

Day 5

CATSKILL MOUNTAINS » HOWE CAVERNS » COOPERSTOWN » FINGER LAKES (245 mi / 395 km)

Depart this morning for Howe Caverns, an underground adventure 6 million years in the making, where you’ll explore the caves and even go for a boat ride on an underground lake. Then continue to Cooperstown, once a frontier town and now a favorite American tourist destination: the Baseball Hall of Fame is here, as is the Fenimore Museum’s collection of Native American art. Across the street, costumed interpreters recreate the life of rural New Yorkers in the 1800s. Continue on to the Finger Lakes and Ithaca, whose colleges ensure excellent dining on any budget and a good selection of musical entertainment to choose from.

Day 6

FINGER LAKES » NIAGARA FALLS (185 mi / 300 km)

The Native American Iroquois believed the 11 long and slender Finger Lakes of Central NY were the handprint of the Great Spirit, left behind when he blessed the land. Today, the Finger Lakes remain a picturesque region of rolling hills, country roads, quaint villages and world-class wineries. Depart this morning for Seneca Lake, where you can hike a 2 km winding gorge and admire a series of 19 waterfalls, one of which you can even walk behind. Continue straight to Niagara Falls, or explore the Finger Lakes’ wineries and New York’s Amish country along the way.

Day 7

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 8

NIAGARA FALLS » TORONTO (85 mi / 135 km)

Travel along the coast of Lake Ontario to Toronto, Canada's sophisticated 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 9

TORONTO

Today, hop a ferry to the Toronto Islands in Toronto’s harbor, the largest car-free community in North America. A favorite local destination for its peace and quiet and sandy beaches, yourcan explore the islands on rented bicycles or canoes, or take the little ones to Centreville’s amusement park. Or explore the St Lawrence district, one of the Toronto’s oldest neighborhoods, and visit the 200 year-old St Lawrence Market on your way to the Distillery District’s collection of shops, restaurants, galleries and clubs.

Day 10

TORONTO » GENESEE COUNTRY VILLAGE » LETCHWORTH STATE PARK » CORNING (250 mi / 400 km)

This morning, make a stop at Genesee Country Village, a collection of 57 original historic homes and buildings brought together to recreate a typical 19th-century New York State village. Guides in period costume are happy to demonstrate how people once lived, worked and played in the young American republic. Continue south to Letchworth State Park, also known as a “Grand Canyon of the East”, where three major waterfalls cut a 200 m path deep into the Genesee River Gorge. End the day in Corning, a picturesque town famous for the world’s premier glass museum, and enjoy the shops, restaurants, and numerous pubs along Market Street, a particularly enjoyable Main Street USA.

Day 11	CORNING » NEW YORK (285 mi / 455 km)
Today you’ll have time for a relaxing breakfast before departing, and you’ll be back in New York City by mid-afternoon. Be sure to make a stop across the Hudson River for some skyline photos of Manhattan to remember your trip by.

Day 12	NEW YORK
A final day to enjoy the Big Apple. Take the opportunity to do some last-minute shopping for your friends and family back home, or revisit a favorite neighborhood to enjoy a relaxing morning before your flight departs.