8 Days/7 Nights

Autumn in New England

New England is beautiful all year long, but in fall, it's spectacular! Trees aglow provide the perfect backdrop to our travels through Vermont, Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire. Combined with rolling hills, white-capped waves along the shore and the deep-blue autumn sky, it's a breathtaking landscape you'll long remember.

Tour Highlights

• Witness the colorful fall foliage spectacle across four states.
• Meet a Maine lobsterman and learn about his life at sea, plus savor an authentic New England lobster bake.
• Recall our nation’s courageous beginnings on a Boston city tour, from the site of the Boston Tea Party to the Old North Church.
• Visit a maple “sugar bush” and hear about sugar making.

Itinerary

Day 1—Hartford: We'll begin our tour near Hartford in Windsor Locks with a welcome reception. Welcome Reception included.

Day 2—Sturbridge/Concord: Our first stop is a trip back to the 1830s at Old Sturbridge Village. Walk through original 18th and 19th century homes, craft shops, meeting houses and a mill, all preserved to recreate an authentic colonial town.

Lunch is a special meal with fascinating history at Salem Cross Inn. Furnished throughout with American antiques and huge hearths, the inn alone is worth the visit—but we know you'll find the food outstanding, too!

This afternoon, we'll stand where the famed Minutemen stood at Lexington and Concord. The birthplace of liberty will inspire awe as you hear of the action that caused the "shot heard 'round the world."

Tonight we'll stay in Woburn. Meals included: B, L.

Day 3—Boston/Ogunquit: From the Old North Church and the home of Paul Revere to Quincy Market, Faneuil Hall and the Old State House, we'll spend the morning learning more of Boston's history and seeing the famous sights you've heard about.

For lunch we'll head to Gloucester for a lobster bake! Keep your bib on—it's messy but delicious! We'll continue up the coast to Cape Porpoise where you'll meet veteran lobsterman Ed Hutchins. Ed has been a full-time lobsterman for 18 years and his family has been fishing and lobstering since revolutionary times!

We'll spend the night in enchanting Ogunquit, located near the sea. Meals included: B, L.

Day 4—North Conway/Lincoln: This morning, we’ll take some time to meander along the ocean in Ogunquit.  Beauty abounds as we travel to North Conway, New Hampshire, where we will enjoy some free time this afternoon.  But, first at Red Jacket Mountain View Inn we'll enjoy incredible views as we savor a delicious lunch. Lush trees loaded with color create a panorama beyond compare. The sights today will make you say, "New England in the fall is awesome!" Later we'll get a close-up view of New Hampshire's White Mountains on the Kancamagus Highway, one of the region's most pristine scenic drives. It crosses the 2,860-foot Kancamagus Pass, and then drops into a beautiful, deep valley. Tonight we'll stay in Lincoln, and you can savor the beauty that surrounds you. Meals included: B, L.

Day 5—Franconia Notch/Mt. Washington Valley: The views continue to be spectacular today. You'll begin by traveling through one of New Hampshire's most scenic mountain passes—Franconia Notch—with its slopes and valleys draped in fall color.  Marvel as you walk along the Flume Gorge on wooden walkways, past waterfalls and 90-foot-high rock walls. If you like, ride an aerial tram to the summit of Cannon Mountain.  Our next stop is the beautiful and grand Mt. Washington Hotel.  We'll explore this elegant hotel then enjoy a delicious lunch in the hotel's dining room.  After lunch we’ll pay a visit to America’s oldest general store, the Old Brick Store.  Later, we'll cross the border into Vermont, where we'll spend the night. Meals included: B, L, D.

Day 6—Montpelier/Barre: Today begins with a "sweet" visit to the Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream factory nestled in the Green Mountains just north of Waterbury. See how this delicious ice cream is made—then sample some for yourself!

Maple syrup is "on tap" when we visit the Morse Farm to learn about their 200-year-old maple sugar tradition. Enjoy the hospitality of this friendly family and lick your lips over a maple-flavored treat they've prepared for us.

Then we're off to historic Barre.  Our delectable lunch will give you a culinary and cultural look at Barre's past.  We'll visit The Rock of Ages—at 600 feet deep it's the world's largest granite quarry! You'll see the granite being mined and hear some fascinating details from your guide.

Then we'll travel along the scenic Connecticut River to Brattleboro, Vermont, our stop tonight. Meals included: B, L.

Day 7—South Deerfield/ Stockbridge: Back in Massachusetts, enjoy the delectable fragrances at the renowned Yankee Candle Company.

In Housatonic, the Berkshires' last frontier, we'll enjoy a "hometown" lunch before we head to Norman Rockwell's hometown of Stockbridge. A walk through the museum will bring a smile to your face as you view the works of this­­­ beloved American artist.

We'll head to Hartford for the night. Meals included: B, L.

Day 8—Hartford: After breakfast on your own you'll head home with New England color dancing in your head!

Accommodations

• Day 1: Sheraton Bradley International, Windsor Locks
• Day 2: Hilton Boston/Woburn, Woburn
• Day 3: Ogunquit River Inn & Suites, Ogunquit
• Day 4: Comfort Inn & Suites, Lincoln
• Day 5: Best Western, Waterbury
• Day 6: Holiday Inn Express, Brattleboro
• Day 7: Sheraton Bradley International, Windsor Locks