Birth of America – Celebrating 250 Years!

Day 1 – Welcome to Boston! (Tuesday, April 21)

Optional transfers from our departure points will have us at LAX this morning for a scheduled non-stop flight arriving in Boston late this afternoon. Those guests making their own flight arrangements can request the group’s flight schedule (subject to change) to coordinate a flight arrival time that would allow them to be included on the complimentary transfer to the hotel. In Boston, we’ll board our deluxe motorcoach and continue to our upscale hotel in the heart of downtown Boston to begin a three-night stay. Enjoy dinner on your own at a variety of restaurants within walking distance.

Day 2 – Boston (Wednesday, April 22)

This morning we’ll join a local guide for a comprehensive tour of Boston, where the seeds of rebellion were sown. The events that led to American independence will come alive as we visit a number of historic treasures along Boston’s famed Freedom Trail including the Old South Meeting House, where colonists gathered to debate the tea tax and the Old State House – site of the Boston Massacre. See the golden-domed Massachusetts State House, Boston Public Garden and Boston Common, America’s oldest public park. A short walk through the historic North End will lead us to the iconic Old North Church, where on the night of April 18, 1775, two lanterns in the church’s bell tower warned Paul Revere that the British Army were coming “by sea” and crossing the Charles River. Enjoy time at leisure for lunch on your own at Faneuil Hall Marketplace, home to the historic Quincy Market, featuring a large food hall. This afternoon we’ll visit the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum and become part of the famous event that forever changed the course of American history. We’ll become a “Son of Liberty,” meet “Samuel Adams” and participate in the rebellion by tossing the Crown’s tea into Boston Harbor just as it was done 250 years ago. Enjoy an included dinner this evening at a locals’ favorite. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 3 – Lexington & Concord (Thursday, April 23)

We’ll join a local guide this morning and retrace the route of Paul Revere’s legendary midnight ride to the historic town of Lexington, where the events which led to the Revolutionary War will unfold before our eyes. We’ll visit Lexington Battle Green, site of the first skirmish between colonial militia and British troops. See the Lexington Minuteman Statue and the historic Buckman Tavern, where militiamen gathered in the early morning hours of April 19, 1775 to prepare for the approaching Redcoats. We follow the same road the British soldiers marched to Concord and visit Minute Man National Historical Park. We’ll cross the “Old North Bridge” and see where the “shot heard ‘round the world” was fired. See the iconic Minute Man Statue, a tribute to the citizen-soldiers who stood up for liberty. We’ll enjoy an included lunch at Concord’s Colonial Inn, a landmark hotel with a rich history dating back to 1716. We return to the hotel with the balance of the evening at leisure. (Breakfast, Lunch)

Day 4 – Mystic, New York City (Friday, April 24)

This morning we’ll travel south through Rhode Island to Mystic, Connecticut and visit the Mystic Seaport Museum, the largest maritime museum in the U.S. Enjoy time at leisure to learn about America’s seafaring heritage as you explore the museum exhibits and discover the largest collection of historic ships in the country, including four National Historic Landmark vessels. Interact with storytellers in a re-created 19th century New England coastal village where interpreters demonstrate traditional skills and provide a glimpse into daily life during the era. Late this afternoon we’ll arrive in New York City and begin a two-night stay at an upscale Midtown Manhattan hotel within walking distance of the city’s most famous landmarks, including the Theatre District, Times Square, Rockefeller Center, and Central Park. Enjoy the balance of the evening at leisure. (Breakfast)

Day 5 – New York City (Saturday, April 25)

This morning we’ll join a local guide for a comprehensive tour of Midtown and Downtown Manhattan, blending modern-day landmarks with the city's rich Revolutionary War history. After driving past iconic sites like Times Square, Grand Central Library, the Empire State Building and the Flatiron Building, modern New York City will fade away as we delve into the city's historic core, where the birth of our nation unfolded. Visit Zuccotti Park, where on November 5, 1773, the Sons of Liberty held one of the first public protests against the Tea Act. Visit City Hall Park, where George Washington first read the Declaration of Independence to the Continental Army on July 9, 1776. Continue to Bowling Green, where the colonists famously tore down a statue of King George III soon after. We’ll go inside Trinity Church and visit the churchyard to see where Alexander Hamilton is laid to rest. We’ll walk down Wall Street to see the New York Stock Exchange and visit Federal Hall National Memorial, where Washington was sworn in as our first president. We’ll continue to St. Paul’s Chapel, where Washington prayed after his inauguration. Enjoy an included lunch at Fraunces Tavern, New York’s most historic tavern. A favorite watering hole among several Founding Fathers, Washington famously celebrated with his officers here after the final British troops left American soil. After a stop at Battery Park to admire the Statue of Liberty in the middle of New York Harbor, we’ll return to the hotel late this afternoon. Enjoy the evening at leisure or purchase tickets for Hamilton: An American Musical for an additional $245 p.p. (orchestra-level seats including taxes, fees) and walk 8 blocks/10 minutes, take a pedicab, taxi or Uber to the Richard Rodgers Theatre. This Tony Award-winning saga of ambition and the dawn of a new nation follows the rise of Alexander Hamilton. (Breakfast, Lunch)

Day 6 – Princeton, Philadelphia (Sunday, April 26)

We’ll travel south this morning to Princeton, New Jersey, where Ivy League prestige and Revolutionary War-era history converge. Stroll through the beautiful Princeton University campus, admiring its stunning Victorian Gothic architecture and tranquil courtyards. See the Princeton Battle Monument, which commemorates the victory of American troops led by George Washington on January 3, 1777 and travel past Princeton Battlefield State Park, site of the pivotal battle. We’ll drive past Rockingham Historic Site, which served as Washington's final wartime headquarters in 1783 while the Second Continental Congress met in the short-lived capital city of Princeton. It was here that he delivered his "Farewell Orders to the Armies of the United States" and awaited news of the official end of the Revolutionary War. This afternoon, enjoy time at leisure exploring Nassau Street’s charming boutiques, cafés, and restaurants. Late this afternoon we’ll arrive in Philadelphia where we’ll enjoy a two-night stay in a stylish, upscale hotel in the historic heart of the city. (Breakfast)

Day 7 – Philadelphia (Monday, April 27)

We’ll be joined by a local guide this morning for a comprehensive tour of Philadelphia, the “birthplace of America” beginning at the UNESCO-listed Independence National Historical Park. We’ll walk in the footsteps of our Founding Fathers while on a ranger-led tour of Independence Hall, where both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were signed. We’ll visit the Liberty Bell Center to see the iconic Liberty Bell – a timeless symbol of freedom and one of America’s most cherished artifacts. We’ll explore the life of one of our nation’s most brilliant minds at the Benjamin Franklin Museum, located on the site of his Philadelphia home. See replicas of Franklin's inventions, such as the lightning rod and the bifocals, and learn about Franklin's role in the American Revolution including his contribution to the Declaration of Independence. Enjoy lunch on your own at Reading Terminal Market, a historic landmark known for its diverse food offerings and local favorites like cheesesteaks and hoagies. Visit Christ Church, a historic Anglican church where many of our Founding Fathers worshipped and are buried. We’ll visit the Betsy Ross House, where Quaker seamstress Betsy Ross is said to have sewn the first American flag. We’ll stroll down Elfreth’s Alley, our nation’s oldest continuously inhabited residential street. Named for blacksmith Jeremiah Elfreth, this picturesque cobblestone street was home to the 18th century artisans and tradespeople who were the backbone of Colonial Philadelphia. This evening, we’ll enjoy an included dinner aboard Moshulu, the floating restaurant docked in Penn's Landing. The world’s oldest and largest square-rigged sailing vessel still afloat, this four-masted steel tall ship built in Scotland in 1904, is known for providing fine dining and stunning views of Philadelphia’s skyline. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 8 – Philadelphia, Journey Home (Tuesday, April 28)

This morning we’ll visit the Museum of the American Revolution to explore the dramatic story of our nation’s founding through an unparalleled collection of Revolutionary-era artifacts, from personal items and documents to weapons and art. Through immersive galleries and dynamic theaters, the museum will take you on a journey from the conflict’s origins and the outbreak of fighting to the long years of warfare and the creation of a new nation. This afternoon we’ll visit the National Constitution Center, dedicated to the four most powerful pages in America’s history. The museum features over 100 interactive exhibits, priceless artifacts and a 360-degree live theatrical production, Freedom Rising. On display within the 160,000-square-foot museum is a rare original copy of Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, and one of only 12 surviving copies of the original Bill of Rights. Signers’ Hall boasts life-size bronze statues of all 42 revolutionaries who signed the U.S. Constitution. Late this afternoon we’ll arrive at the Philadelphia International Airport for a scheduled nonstop flight, arriving in Los Angeles this evening. Those guests making their own flight arrangements can request the group’s flight schedule (subject to change) to coordinate a flight departure time that would allow them to be included on the complimentary transfer to the airport. Back in Los Angeles, those guests with pre-arranged transfers will be returned to their respective drop-offs. (Breakfast)

Guests on this tour should be in good health and able to walk reasonable distances. Because of the historic and narrow streets, guests may be required to walk several blocks between the motorcoach drop-off and some historic sites.

While we make every effort to operate our tours as outlined in the itinerary, we ask for your patience, understanding and flexibility and to retain a sense of adventure while traveling with us. Situations may arise that necessitate changes to the itinerary. Should we need to adjust the itinerary either prior to or while on tour, these changes will be communicated to you and only done when absolutely necessary.