Fall in Philly, Amish Country & the Delaware Countryside

Day 1 – Welcome to Philadelphia!

Optional transfers from our departure points will have us at the Los Angeles International Airport for a scheduled nonstop flight arriving in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania this afternoon. Those guests making their own flight arrangements can request the group’s flight schedule to coordinate a flight arrival time that would allow them to be included on the complimentary transfer to the hotel. In Philadelphia, we’ll board a deluxe motorcoach and continue to our stylish and upscale hotel in Philadelphia’s Midtown Village and begin a five-night, single-hotel stay.

Day 2 – Philadelphia

We’ll be joined by a local guide this morning for a comprehensive tour of Philadelphia, and “America’s Most Historic Square Mile.” We’ll walk in the footsteps of our Founding Fathers at Independence National Historical Park. Join a ranger-led tour of Independence Hall to see the birthplace of our nation and where both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were signed. At the Liberty Bell Center we’ll see the Liberty Bell – cast in 1751 it is a symbol of freedom and one of America’s most cherished artifacts. We’ll visit the Benjamin Franklin Museum which tells the story of Benjamin Franklin’s life and work. Visit Christ Church, the 1695 Anglican church where many of our Founding Fathers worshipped. We’ll visit the Betsy Ross House, where Quaker seamstress Betsy Ross is said to have sewn the first American flag. We’ll walk through Elfreth’s Alley, our nation’s oldest continuously inhabited residential street. Visit the Museum of the American Revolution, exploring the dramatic and surprising story of the American Revolution through its unmatched collection of Revolutionary-era weapons, personal items, documents, and works of art. This evening, we’ll enjoy an included dinner onboard Moshulu, the floating restaurant known for its fine dining and stunning views of Philadelphia’s skyline. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 3 – Philadelphia

This morning we’ll visit Eastern State Penitentiary, the National Historic Landmark built in 1829 that became one of the most famous and expensive prisons in the world when it held America’s most notorious prisoners, including “Slick Willie” Sutton and “Scarface” Al Capone. This afternoon we’ll enjoy the Wanamaker Organ concert within the spacious 7-story Grand Court at Macy’s Center City (formerly Wanamaker’s department store). The 330-ton organ features 28,750 pipes and 464 ranks and is the largest fully-functioning pipe organ in the world. We’ll visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art and walk up the museum’s iconic grand stairway, better known as the “Rocky Steps,” and snap a photo at the Rocky statue. Home to many famous works of art, including Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers and Claude Monet’s Water Lilies, also on display will be ‘The Artist’s Mother: Whistler & Philadelphia,’ featuring Whistler’s Mother. This is the first time that the most important American painting residing outside the U.S. has been on display in almost 100 years. (Breakfast)

Day 4 – Valley Forge, Amish Country

This morning we’ll travel to Valley Forge National Historical Park, preserving the site of the 1777-1778 winter encampment of General George Washington’s Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. A ranger-led tour will showcase a variety of historical buildings and structures, including Washington’s Headquarters, the reconstructed soldiers’ log huts and the National Memorial Arch. We’ll continue to Pennsylvania’s Amish Country in Lancaster County, home to America’s largest Amish settlement. Our “Amish Experience” begins with an included, traditional family-style Amish lunch featuring wholesome homemade Pennsylvania Dutch cooking. A local guide will provide a driving Amish Farmlands Tour while an Amish Artisans Shopping Tour includes stops at a variety of Amish-owned businesses selling locally made gifts, such as wooden toys, quilts, and whoopie pies. We return to Philadelphia and enjoy an included dinner at a locals’ favorite. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 5 – Delaware’s Brandywine Valley

This morning we’ll travel to Delaware’s Brandywine Valley, a beautiful and historic area where elegant estates and glorious gardens of a bygone era are a testament to the wealth and influence of the du Pont family. We’ll visit Nemours Estate, comprising an exquisite, 77-room mansion with period antiques, rare oriental rugs, tapestries and paintings dating back to the 15th century, the largest formal French gardens in North America, a Chauffeur’s Garage housing a collection of vintage automobiles, and 200 acres of scenic woodlands, meadows and lawns. We’ll continue to Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library, the former du Pont family home that encompasses an eye-popping 175-room mansion featuring stunning interiors, a magnificent 60-acre naturalistic garden, and an unrivaled collection of American decorative arts. This afternoon we’ll explore Longwood Gardens – the former country estate of Pierre S. du Pont that is considered to be the world’s premier display gardens, featuring 11,000 different types of plants in 20 indoor conservatories and 1,100 acres of outdoor gardens, meadows and woodlands. Enjoy the thrill of the Main Fountain Garden Performance featuring 1,719 jets of water dancing to music and soaring as high as 175 feet! (Breakfast)

Day 6 – Philadelphia, Journey Home

Following an included breakfast, we’ll visit the National Constitution Center, dedicated to the four most powerful pages in America’s history. The museum features 100 interactive multimedia exhibits, priceless artifacts, a 360-degree live theatrical production and life-size bronze statues of all signers of the U.S. Constitution. Enjoy lunch on your own at Reading Terminal Market, the 75,000 squarefoot market hall known for offering locally-made items and Philadelphia favorites like hoagies, pretzels, and cheesesteaks. 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 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. The walking tour of “America’s Most Historic Square Mile” is approximately 2 ½ hours and 1 mile.

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.