8 DAYS • 9 MEALS

Travel by historic rails and scenic sails as we explore the sights and sounds of New England.

Liberty’s Legacy
We begin our New England journey in the winding streets of 17th-century Boston. Our motorcoach takes us along the Freedom Trail. The Declaration of Independence comes to life as we see Old South Church where it was first read to the people of Boston. We continue on to Paul Revere’s House and the church where two lanterns inspired his midnight ride. We see Old Ironsides, the oldest commissioned warship in the world and pause at Bunker Hill to reflect on the courage and sacrifice of our forefathers who held their own against the British army as a unified force for the first time. Other evocative sites include our nation’s oldest school and the 1729 Old South Meeting House where an outraged Samuel Adams launched the Boston Tea Party.

Boston Common, America’s oldest public park, is now a peaceful oasis with a history of hangings, duels and spirited speeches. Historic Quincy Market is America’s bazaar with more than 100 of the finest shops and a fleet of pushcarts featuring New England artisans and their unique wares. Patriotic shoppers will have their choice of Cape Cod’s maritime art as well as some unexpected New England finds along the way.

Riding Rails
Our first scenic rail journey is through New Hampshire’s White Mountains on the Conway Scenic Railroad. Relive this railroad’s 130-year history while soaking in the beauty of meadowlands and forests and chugging over rivers. We make a stop at Vermont’s “Little Grand Canyon,” Quechee Gorge to see this 165-foot-deep chasm wedged between the White and Green Mountains.

On the Essex Steam Train, one spectacular view follows another as we pass through some of the most beautiful country in Connecticut. On the Cape Cod Central Railroad, the Cape’s cranberry bogs, woodlands, salt marshes, sand dunes and ocean vistas combined to make this a memorable journey en route to the Cape Cod Canal.

Raising Sails
In typical New England fashion, we’ll board an island ferry at Casco Bay for a cruise along the rocky shore of Maine with fishing fleets and yachts. Sea breezes sweep away the tensions of our pre-vacation days as we look for wooded islands, seals and seabirds. Victorian cottages slip by like postcards from the past.

We also cruise the Connecticut River and explore its coves and inlets aboard the Becky Thatcher. This riverboat looks like it sailed from the Mississippi River for our cruise which passes woodlands, riverfront houses and a castle.
Our last nautical adventure is a cruise on Hyannis Harbor in a replica of a Maine coastal steamer. Along the shore, the Kennedy Compound comes into view as we navigate the shimmering waters where a presidential yacht once sailed.

Delicious Dining
More than Boston beans are on the menu. Many of Portland’s restaurants offer spectacular bay views and please any taste from surf to turf to Italian. An after-dinner stroll along the wharf can include boutique shopping or simply watching the moon rise over the ocean. Dining at the Historic Deerfield Inn is like opening a doorway to the past in this wonderful historic village often called the “gem of rural New England.”

Our dining finale is a traditional Cape Cod lobster dinner with optional bibs and the traditional exchanging of addresses.

Hotel Accommodations
Day One – Boston Park Plaza Hotel, Boston, Massachusetts
Day Two – Holiday Inn By The Bay, Portland, Maine
Days Three and Four – Holiday Inn Express or Green Granite Inn, North Conway, New Hampshire
Day Five – Hilton Hotel or Hampton Inn, Mystic, Connecticut
Days Six and Seven – Cape Cod Resort, Hyannis, Massachusetts