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Day 1: New York City Tours
We start off our tour in Chinatown of New York City by heading to Ground
Zero, site of the tragic events of September 11th, to pay our respects and to
witness the massive rebuilding efforts. From there we head to Wall Street at the
heart of the financial district, home to America's wealth and business
interests.
We will take in a Waterway cruise of the New York City harbor, where you can
view the city's magnificent skyline and sights, including the busy South Street
Seaport, the Statute of Liberty, and the Brooklyn Bridge from the Hudson and
East River (optional).
The tour continues to the Time Square, where there is an opportunity to see
celebrities up close and personal at Madame Tussaud's (optional). We will visit
the United Nations, a gathering place for 192 countries to meet and discuss
important issues of the world such as peace and human rights. We will also spend
time in the Metropolitan Museum of Arts, which contains more than two million
works of art.
We will visit Rockefeller Center, NBC Studios, and the surrounding shopping
district along Fifth Avenue, where cutting edge fashion and luxury brands
reside. No tour of New York City would be complete without a tour atop the Top
of the Rock, which sits high on the 67-70th floors of the GE Building. At the
top, there is a 20-foot wide viewing area, allowing visitors an expansive
360-degree panoramic view of New York City. And you can take pictures with
Empire State Building
Hotel: Sheraton or similar
Day 2: Philadelphia - Washington D.C.
Depart from NYC in the morning to walk along the historical cobblestone
streets along Independence Mall State Park. See the Liberty Bell in its newly
renovated home at the Liberty Bell Center and stroll through the centuries old
Independence Hall and Congress Hall, birthplace of both the Declaration of
Independence and the Constitution.
From Philadelphia, we continue to explore America's proud past by sightseeing at
America's seat of governing power -the Capitol Hill and the White House. These
two magnificent buildings are home to the Senate and the House of
Representatives as well as the President of the United States.
The tour then proceeds to the National Air and Space Museum, featuring the
original 1903 Flyer plane designed by the Wright brothers, the Spirit of St.
Louis flown by Lindbergh, and actual spacecraft such as the Apollo 11 command
module.
We then head to the Lincoln, and Jefferson Memorials, where we can honor these
notable past presidents. All of these memorials are lined with stunning
decorations and the stirring words of these great American heroes. We will then
pay tribute to our modern heroes in the armed forces by touring the Vietnam and
Korean War Veterans Memorial. The Vietnam Memorial, designed by Maya Lin, is a
simple yet touching site containing a monument inscribed with the names of lost
and fallen soldiers. The Korean War Veterans Memorial is equally inspiring,
capturing the tension and uncertainty of war on faces of the fighting forces.
Hotel: Hilton Gaithersburg or similar
Day 3: D.C. - Hershey's Chocolate World - Corning Glass
Center - Niagara Falls
From Washington D.C., for Hershey, PA-the sweetest place on Earth!
Visitors will have the opportunity to learn how chocolate is made, see the
Hershey's characters in person, and even try the delicious food and desserts.
We then head to the Corning Glass Center, featuring over 30,000 objects from
every era of glass-making, including real glass-making on-site. Visitors can see
the fragile art of glass-making. You will witness firsthand craftsman and
artisans handily working superheated glass into delicate decorative pieces.
Afterwards, we depart for American portion of Niagara Falls, to see the majestic
views of nature up close. It is important to note that Niagara Falls, consisting
of the Horseshoe Falls, the American Falls, and the Bridal Veil Falls, features
spectacular views in the nighttime, and cameras are a must!
Hotel: Hyatt Regency, Adam's Mark or similar
Day 4: Niagara Falls - Boston
We continue our sightseeing in Niagara Falls to see the majestic views of
nature up close. Hop on a boat-ride on the Maid of the Mist (seasonal) where you
can 'soak' in the excitement and see the power of the Falls up close. We will
also be heading to the IMAX Theatre Niagara Falls (optional) where you can
experience Niagara Falls' incredible stories, and see the most complete
collection of barrels that have fallen down the mighty Falls.
The tour then proceeds to in Boston in the evening, where we will have the
opportunity to visit downtown Boston and Quincy Market. Situated between
Boston's financial district, the waterfront, North End, Government Center and
Haymarket, the vibrant Quincy Market is one of America's oldest gathering place.
There will also be an opportunity to partake in Boston's most famous export-the
lobster-during dinner.
Hotel: Crowne Plaza or similar
Day 5:Toronto - Thousand Islands - Ottawa - Montreal
Leaving Toronto in the morning, we head for Thousand Islands. Situated
between Canada and the United States along the St. Lawrence River, there are
actually 1,864 individual islands that dot the region. The tour will board a
cruise in the Canadian Thousand Island region (seasonal), which features the more
famous sights and views of Thousand Islands, including the renowned and romantic
Boldt Castle. The castle was built in the 1890's by millionaire George Boldt for
his beloved wife Louise. We will also see 'ShortestInternationalBridge in the
World', a small footbridge across two islands located between Canada and the
United States. Afterwards, the tour heads for Ottawa, the Canadian Capital. There
we will visit the magnificent Parliament Building, as well as the stately Clock
Tower nearby. The tour then proceeds to Montreal, unofficial capital for French
Canadians. We will tour the Olympic Tower, part of the Olympic Park built for the
1976 Games, featuring a 30 degree incline as the tower rises! We will also pay a
visit to two major churches in the area. The Notre-Dame Basilica, similar to its
counterpart in Paris, has a wealth of exquisite detail, most of it carved from
rare woods that have been delicately gilded and painted. It also houses le Gros
Bourdon, is the largest bell on the continent. The second church on our itinerary
is St. Joseph's Oratory, a major site of Roman Catholic pilgrimage and
worship. The dome is the world's second largest, after St. Peter's in Rome, and
religious pilgrims sometimes climb the steps in the middle, praying at every
step.
Hotel: Hotel Des Seigneur or similar
Day 6: Montreal - Quebec - Boston
The tour departs for Quebec in the morning. We will visit Historic
District of Old Qu¨¦bec, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There you
will have the opportunity to stroll through the beautiful downtown district, in
particular the European styled St. Louis Gate, and see the massive Château
Frontenac perched nearby the Saint Lawrence River. From there, we will cross the
American border into Boston. The tour arrives in Boston in the evening, where we
will have the opportunity to visit downtown Boston and Quincy Market. Situated
between Boston's financial district, the waterfront, North End, Government Center
and Haymarket, the vibrant Quincy Market is one of America's oldest gathering
place. There will also be an opportunity to partake in Boston's most famous
export - the lobster - during dinner.
Hotel: Hyatt Cambridge, Hilton or similar
Day 7: Boston - Hometown
We continue our tour of Boston in the morning by visiting the pristine
campuses of Harvard and MIT, both world-class educational institutions. We will
also visit prominent sites in Boston such as the State House, built between 1795
and 1797 on Beacon Hill overlooking the Boston Common, and recently featured in
the major Hollywood film 'The Departed'. There will also be an opportunity for a
harbor cruise (optional), where you can view Boston's magnificent skyline and
Charles River. The tour then concludes in Boston. Guests can schedule flights to
depart from Boston after 1:30pm or return to New York via bus and board flights
there after 7pm.
Departure: Thursday, Sunday |
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Corning Glass Museum --- Adult: $12.50 Child: Free for under age 17