September 10 – 25, 2009 16 Days $1,998.00
Take your camera because we see and do so much you will need pictures
to help remember when you get home! This interesting and
educational tour is probably the most strenuous tour we offer as we
have packed in as much as possible to make your tour time worthwhile.
| HIGHLIGHTS: • Monticello – Jamestown – Williamsburg – Mt. Vernon • Chesapeake Bay – Chincoteague Island • Washington Nat’l Cathedral – DC Monuments Tour • Arlington Nat’l Cemetery – Smithsonian’s • Supreme Court – U.S. Capitol Tour – White House • Baltimore’s Ft. McHenry • New York City Tour – Statue of Liberty – Ellis Island • Philadelphia - Independence Hall – Liberty Bell • Lancaster, – Hershey, - Gettysburg • Lincoln Historic Site and museum And much more! |
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Day 1: The 16 days ahead, promise to be filled with
interesting history and the making of memories as we
travel to the historic east. East of St. Louis will be our
first night out.
Day 2: Today we head east, crossing the southern edge of
Illinois and Indiana and on into Kentucky. You’ll enjoy the neatly manicured
horse farms in the beautiful
rolling hills of Kentucky. Huntington, WV will be our overnight stop.
Day 3: Driving into Virginia we’ll soon be at Monticello, the home of our
nation’s third President, Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of
Independence. Our motel for the next two nights will be in Williamsburg,
Virginia.
Day 4: A most interesting day is in store for us today as we visit the
Jamestown Settlement, founded in 1607, thirteen years before the Pilgrims
landed at Plymouth. History comes alive at Colonial Williamsburg as we
walk the same streets that George Washington and Thomas Jefferson walked
and see where Patrick Henry made his impassioned plea for independence.
Back to motel.
Day 5: Today we cross the Chesapeake Bay by both bridge and the underwater
tunnel. Then it’s on to the Island of Chincoteague, home to the sale of
the wild ponies which still roam the area. By evening, we will be in the
Washington D.C. area where we will be at home for the next 4 nights. We will
need to be flexible as things are always changing in this busy working town.
Day 6: This morning we cruise down the historic Potomac River. This
narrated cruise will take us through the very areas that George Washington
cruised as he made his way from the Nation’s Capital to his home, Mt. Vernon.
Upon arrival, we will enjoy a tour of the mansion, which has been restored to
its appearance in the last years of President Washington’s life. After driving
back into D.C., we’ll visit Washington National Cathedral, the sixth largest
cathedral in the world. Then a local step-on guide will join us for an
informative tour of the city including a monuments tour, Union Station,
and other highlights in the Capitol area. Back to the same motel.
Day 7: Today a White House tour if they are available. Following the White
House, we’ll go to the Supreme Court for an informative tour. In the
afternoon you can visit the Smithsonian Museums. The Smithsonian
Institute has buildings of various interests, making it the largest museum in
the country. You will want to visit the ones that interest you the most.
Day 8: This morning we will tour our nation’s capitol before we go back to
the Smithsonian for another afternoon at the museum. Late afternoon will
find us at Arlington National Cemetery in time for the changing of the
guards. Our last night in the D.C. area.
Day 9: Leaving the Washington D.C. area this morning we will head north
to Baltimore for a visit to Ft. McHenry where the British in 1814 tried to take
the city of Baltimore. This is also where Francis Scott Key wrote the “Star
Spangled Banner.” Our next 2 nights will be in the Newark, NJ area which is
across the Hudson River from New York City’s Manhattan Island.
Day 10: Our local step-on guide will show us New York City. Points of
interest will include Lincoln Center, Central Park, Rockefeller Center, Fifth
Avenue, Chinatown, Wall Street, Ground Zero, Empire State Building and
the list goes on with so much to see in the Big Apple. A busy day in a busy
town. Back to motel.
Day 11: Today we will use the ferry system to take us to Liberty Island to
see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island where many immigrants entered
this country. Late afternoon, it’s south and west into downtown Philadelphia
for the night.
Day 12: Today we see the history of the Philadelphia area including
Carpenter’s Hall, Independence Hall, Liberty Bell Pavilion, Franklin Court,
and Betsy Ross’s Home, and many more. Mid afternoon, we will depart
Philadelphia and drive into Pennsylvania Dutch Country. We will enjoy a ride
around the countryside with a local step-on guide pointing out places of
interest. Evening meal will be included. Our motel tonight is in Lancaster.
Day 13: A trolley tour at Hershey starts our day off. Our next stop will be
Gettysburg to view exhibits at the visitor’s center and then a tour of the
Gettysburg Battlefield with a licensed guide, who will give us interesting
information about the area, including the spot where the famous Gettysburg
Address was given by President Lincoln. The night will be in Bedford, PA.
Day 14: At Roscoe Village we will step back into the 1800’s to learn about
the canal transportation. Following an included lunch we will take a peaceful
ride on the Ohio/Erie Canal, pulled by a fine team of draft horses. Overnight
will be outside of Indianapolis, IN
Day 15: There is one more National Historic Site for this tour, the Abraham
Lincoln museum, tomb and home. We will enjoy a visit to the Lincoln home
and the visitor’s center to discover more about the life of a man. Our last
night
out will be in the St. Louis area.
Day 16: Today we set our sights on home reminiscing about the wonderful
history that we have experienced the last 16 days.
