Perfectly Pennsylvania

Day 1 ~ Welcome to Pittsburgh!

Optional transfers from home or our departure points this morning will have us at the Los Angeles International Airport for our scheduled flight arriving in Pittsburgh this evening. Those guests not taking advantage of the optional group airfare should arrive at the Pittsburgh International Airport by 6:00 p.m. if they want to be included on the complimentary transfer to the hotel . Upon arrival, we’ll board a deluxe motorcoach and travel to our hotel in downtown Pittsburgh to begin a two-night stay. Enjoy dinner at leisure in Pittsburgh’s hip Strip District, located on the banks of the Allegheny river.

Day 2 ~ Pittsburgh

Following an included breakfast, we’ll be joined by a local guide for a comprehensive tour of Pittsburgh – the city of nicknames. Long known as “the Steel City” for its more than 300 steel-related businesses and as the “City of Bridges” for its 446 bridges, it’s also known as the “Confluence City” as it is situated at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers to form the Ohio River. Pittsburgh’s Gilded Age sites speak to its history as an early-20th century industrial capital. This time of year the brisk weather and bright colors of the changing leaves bring out the best in this industrial, yet cosmopolitan city. A driving tour will showcase the sights, history and architecture amongst Pittsburgh’s eclectic collection of neighborhoods including Southside, Station Square, North Shore, North Side, The Strip District, The Cultural District, Downtown, Uptown and Oakland. Visit the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, a green oasis in the middle of Pittsburgh’s vibrant Oakland neighborhood. Enjoy time at leisure to explore the beauty and wonders of nature at this world-class garden experience and historic landmark that features a 14-room glasshouse and 23 distinct gardens covering 15 acres. We’ll tour the Cathedral of Learning, the 535-foot Gothic Revival skyscraper that towers above the University of Pittsburgh. This historic landmark built in 1921 is not only listed on the National Register of Historic Places, but is the tallest educational building in the western hemisphere! The Cathedral is home to the internationally renowned Nationality Rooms – classrooms constructed by local immigrants to mirror traditional learning environments in the countries that influenced Pittsburgh’s growth. We top off the day with a ride on the Duquesne Incline where you’ll take a step back in time on a century-old cable car providing the best views of downtown Pittsburgh while riding one of the few remaining inclines in the country. Enjoy an included dinner this evening at a locals’ favorite. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 3 ~ Pittsburgh to Bedford

After an included breakfast, we’ll travel south into the mountains of Southwestern Pennsylvania at the time of year the fall foliage is likely. Here we'll visit Fallingwater, the architectural masterwork designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. This National Historic Landmark and UNESCO World Heritage site was named the “best all-time work of American architecture” in a poll of American Institute of Architects members. Designed in 1935 as a private residence and weekend home for the family of a Pittsburgh department store owner, Wright used native sandstone and other materials quarried from the property and designed the home to rise above the waterfall over which it is built. Fallingwater remains one of Wright’s most widely acclaimed works and perhaps best exemplifies his philosophy of organic architecture: the harmonious union of art and nature. For more than 80 years Fallingwater has offered visitors a place for renewal in nature. In fact, Travel+Leisure Magazine stated that Fallingwater is "one of the 12 landmarks that will change the way you see the world." On a docent-guided tour of the home you will see first-hand the only major Wright work to come into the public domain with its original furnishings and artwork intact. We continue this afternoon to Shanksville, Pennsylvania and the Flight 93 National Memorial. Located at the site of the crash of United Airlines Flight 93, this moving memorial honors the actions of the brave crew and passengers who thwarted an attack on the U.S. Capitol on September 11, 2001. Enjoy time at leisure to browse the artifacts, multimedia and inter-active exhibits in the Visitor Center and reflect at both the Memorial Plaza and the Tower of Voices. Late this afternoon we arrive at the distinctive and noble Omni Bedford Springs Resort located in Pennsylvania’s scenic Cumberland Valley. This award-winning, luxurious National Historic Landmark that was established in 1806 remains one of last and best-preserved of 19th century resort hotels based around mineral springs. Enjoy an evening at leisure to relax in your spacious guest room, dine at delectable restaurants and relish in a stay at one of America’s grandest resort hotels. (Breakfast)

Day 4 ~ Gettysburg

Following an included breakfast, we’ll travel east to Gettysburg, the small Pennsylvania town made famous because of the American Civil War. A divided Nation held its breath, and mourned, as the Northern and Southern armies collided here 158 years ago, and in three days of battle left 51,000 causalities. Your visit to the Gettysburg Museum & Visitor Center includes admission to the Gettysburg Museum of the American Civil War featuring 12 exhibit galleries and the world’s largest collection of Civil War artifacts, photos and interactive exhibits. Watch A New Birth of Freedom, the moving film narrated by Morgan Freeman and see the Cyclorama Painting, a breath-taking panorama larger than a football field that surrounds you with the sights and sounds of the battles that raged here. This afternoon we’ll be joined by a licensed battlefield guide for a driving tour of Gettysburg National Military Park – America’s largest battlefield. Over 1,600 monuments and cannon dot the landscape in memory of those who fought and died here. And it was here in November of 1863 that President Lincoln dedicated this battlefield with this famous speech that began with the line, “Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation.” We continue to Eisenhower National Historic Site which preserves the farm of General and 34th President Dwight D. Eisenhower. This picturesque country home was a respite from Washington, D.C. and served the president and first lady as a weekend retreat and as a meeting place for world leaders. See the elegant living room adorned with gifts of state and the presidential putting green amidst acres of Pennsylvania cropland, barns, and Angus-grazed pasture. Enjoy an included dinner this evening at the Dobbin House Tavern. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this is the oldest standing structure in Gettysburg. This historic 1776 tavern has been beautifully and authentically restored as a colonial restaurant serving traditional colonial cuisine. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 5 ~ Hershey, Lancaster, Philadelphia

After an included breakfast, we’ll continue east to Hershey, Pennsylvania, known as the “Sweetest Place on Earth!” Board an old-fashioned trolley for an historic journey through the town built on chocolate! At Hershey’s Chocolate World we'll discover all things chocolatey with a tour, tasting and time to shop for one-of-a-kind gifts and souvenirs. This is a truly chocolate-inspired adventure to remember! We continue to Pennsylvania’s “Amish Country” to get a rare “insiders” view into the unique way of life of Lancaster's Amish people. We’ll visit an Amish home to enjoy an included, traditional, family-style Amish feast in a charming country kitchen setting. Then board an Amish buggy and journey through the picturesque Amish countryside, visit an Amish farm and ride through an Amish village. This evening we arrive at our downtown Philadelphia hotel. Enjoy dinner at leisure at a variety of restaurants within walking distance of the hotel. (Breakfast, Lunch)

Day 6 ~ Philadelphia

Following an included breakfast we’ll be joined by a local guide for a comprehensive tour of Philadelphia, the “City of Brotherly Love.” Explore “America’s Most Historic Square Mile” as you walk in the footsteps of our Founding Fathers. At Independence National Historical Park we’ll visit Independence Hall to see where the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were signed. At the Liberty Bell Center we’ll see one of America’s most cherished artifacts. Enjoy lunch on your own at the historic Reading Terminal, one of America’s largest and oldest public markets, housed since 1893 in a National Historic Landmark building. On a comprehensive driving tour we’ll see the U.S Mint, Christ Church, Franklin Square, Elfreth’s Alley, the Betsy Ross House, the “Rocky Steps” at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and much more. Visit the National Constitution Center, dedicated to the four most powerful pages in America’s history and wholly devoted to honoring and exploring the U.S. Constitution. View exhibits and artifacts, take in the 360-degree live theatrical production of Freedom Rising and walk among 42 life-size bronze statues of the Founding Fathers in Signers’ Hall. This evening. enjoy an included dinner at the historic City Tavern. Open since 1773, City Tavern was the meeting place for many of our Founding Fathers. You’ll dine on delicious fare reminiscent of the meals George Washington and Thomas Jefferson dined upon. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 7 ~ Philadelphia, Journey Home

After an included breakfast, we’ll visit the new Museum of the American Revolution which explores the dramatic, surprising story of the American Revolution through its unmatched collection of Revolutionary-era weapons, personal items, documents and works of art. This afternoon we arrive at the Philadelphia International Airport for our scheduled nonstop flight arriving in Los Angeles this evening. Those guests not taking advantage of the optional group airfare, should depart the Philadelphia Airport no earlier than 4:00 p.m. Back in Los Angeles, those with pre-arranged transfers will be returned to their respective drop-off locations. Memories and images of our time in Perfectly Pennsylvania indelibly set in our minds. (Breakfast)