washington dc

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 » FINGER LAKES (245 mi / 395 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 is a picturesque region of rolling hills and country roads, quaint villages and world-class wineries, bucolic dairy farms and bountiful apple orchards. Depart this morning to reach Seneca Lake in the early afternoon, 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 on to Hammondsport for a treat at an old-fashioned ice-cream parlor on the town square, then enjoy the view and a glass of wine at one of the wineries overlooking Keuka Lake. Finally, while taking in the panoramic views high above Canandaigua Lake, you’ll understand why the Iroquois named it Kanandarque, the Chosen Spot.

Day 6

CANANDAIGUA » GANONDAGAN » NIAGARA FALLS (105 mi / 165 km)

Depart this morning for the short drive to Niagara Falls. Along the way, make a stop at Ganondagan State Historic Site, once an important Seneca Indian village, to learn the history and culture of the Senecas and their Iroquois brethren. Then, arrive in Niagara Falls by mid-day. A scenic natural wonder, Niagara Falls’ magnificent cascade attracts visitors the world over to watch the water of four Great Lakes – at a rate of 3 million liters per second – drop 60 meters on its way to Lake Ontario. Niagara Falls can easily be explored on foot – you can walk across the Rainbow Bridge to Canada – and it is especially impressive on a Maid of the Mist boat tour, where at the foot of Horseshoe Falls a spectacular 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 (40 mi / 65 km away), then enjoy the sunset and the colorful nighttime illumination of the Falls (Dinner / Tower Admission not included). After dinner, try your luck at one of Niagara Falls casinos.

Day 7

NIAGARA FALLS

Niagara Falls can easily be explored on foot – you can walk across the Rainbow Bridge to Canada – and it is especially impressive on a Maid of the Mist boat tour, where at the foot of Horseshoe Falls a spectacular 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 (40 mi / 65 km away), then enjoy the sunset and the colorful nighttime illumination of the Falls (Dinner / Tower Admission not included). After dinner, 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 » 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 10

CORNING » PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH COUNTRY (LANCASTER) (225 mi / 360 km)

Continue to Lancaster and Lancaster County, heart of the 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 accommodation 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 woodworking and quilts, are available in local shops.

Day 11	PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH COUNTRY (LANCASTER) » WASHINGTON DC (125 mi / 200 km)
More time to explore the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, or depart directly for Washington DC

Day 12

WASHINGTON DC

Full day to view the sites of America’s capital city. Grouped on or near the open lawns of the National Mall are 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. This evening, head out for dinner and the nightlife in Georgetown or Adams Morgan, perhaps combined with a driving tour of the government buildings at night, lighted in an impressive display

Day 13

WASHINGTON DC » PHILADELPHIA (145 mi / 235 km)

Continue on to Philadelphia, the “City of Brotherly Love”. In Philadelphia, 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 dinner, 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. 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 14	PHILADELPHIA » NEW YORK (95 mi / 155 km)
Return to New York this morning with enough time to enjoy a full day in the city. Along the way, stop for pictures of the Manhattan skyline before going back to your hotel.

Day 15	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