October 11-18, 2020
Day 1 (Sun Oct 11)- Boston, the Berkshires, Massachusetts
Morning flight from DFW into Boston; transfer to coach bus. Enjoy the scenery en route to central Massachusetts where we will stop for a traditional New England dinner and browsing shops. Continue on to the Berkshires, a rural region in the mountains of western Massachusetts dotted with villages and towns. Overnight, Lenox, MA. (D)
Day 2 (Mon Oct 12)- The Berkshires, Stockbridge, Massachusetts
Enjoy the stunning views of the Berkshire Hills from a New England farm this morning. Go apple picking, indulge in freshly-baked apple cider donuts, sample wine, or wander down a woodland country trail. Then, visit the Red Lion Inn, the longest continuously operated inn in New England, for lunch and exploring. After, we make our way to an area favorite, the Norman Rockwell Museum with its 36-acre campus. View the largest and most significant collection of original Rockwell art, including enduring favorites from Rockwell’s Saturday Evening Post covers. Dinner in Stockbridge. Overnight, Lenox. (B,L,D)
Day 3 (Tues Oct 13)- the Berkshires; Vermont
Set out for the summit of Mt. Greylock, the highest peak in Massachusetts. On a clear day, see a panoramic view of 5 states, up to 90 miles away. Continue down the scenic Mohawk Trail to Yankee Candle Village in South Deerfield. Discover over 200 candle fragrances, make your own, shop, or catch snowflakes indoors at the Bavarian Village. Lunch here on your own. Afternoon drive north to the Vermont Country Store, the general store of yesteryear with hard-to-find gifts and local products like Vermont cheese and maple syrup. Arrive in Woodstock, known as “the quintessential New England village” with its beautifully restored Georgian homes, covered bridge, and town green. Dinner and overnight, Woodstock. (B, D)
Day 4 (Wed Oct 14)- Vermont; New Hampshire
Enjoy your morning at leisure in Woodstock. Then, soak in the lovely countryside as you journey to New Hampshire’s largest lake, Lake Winnipesaukee. Your first stop is at the Castle in the Clouds, a mountaintop estate on 5,200 acres where you can spend your time touring the 1913 mansion, trails, and waterfalls, grabbing a treat on the terrace, or admiring the lake views. Next, climb aboard the 68 ft. M/V Doris E. ship for a scenic tour of Lake Winnipesaukee and the islands adjacent to Weirs Bay. Finish the day with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner at Hart’s Turkey Farm. Overnight, New Hampshire. (B,D)
Day 5 (Thurs Oct 15)- Boston, Massachusetts
Our morning drive brings you to Boston for a day of touring. From Boston Common, the oldest city park in the U.S., head to “Little Italy,” Boston’s North End where you will indulge in a unique tour that highlights the neighborhood’s history and architecture in addition to the art of good eating, authentically Italian-style. From there, your guide will bring Revolutionary War history to life as you follow the Freedom Trail and see Boston’s iconic treasures, including the Massachusetts State House, Park Street Church, old Burying Grounds, King’s Chapel, Old South Meeting House, and Boston Massacre site. The tour will conclude at the famed Faneuil Hall Marketplace, where colorful kiosks of local handiwork mix with bustling crowds and street performers. Here, you will have your own time to shop, visit attractions, and eat. Don’t miss Quincy Market’s Colonnade, the largest Food Hall in New England, offering a mix of international options, local seafood, and of course, Boston pizza. Elsewhere in the Marketplace are more than a dozen other restaurants and bars, including a reproduction of Cheers and a couple of other Irish bars serving tasty pub food. Overnight, Boston. (B,L)
Day 6 (Fri Oct 16)- Plymouth & the Cape, Massachusetts
Your trip to Plymouth today is a special stop, as 2020 marks the 400th anniversary of the original Mayflower voyage and founding of New England’s Plymouth Colony. Start your day with a brief stop at the National Monument to the Forefathers, thought to be the world’s largest solid granite monument and acclaimed by Kirk Cameron’s 2012 movie Monumental. Next, visit Plimoth Plantation where you interact with English and Wampanoag people, all dressed in traditional clothing, as they participate in daily activities, replicating life in the 17th century. Then, step onto the Mayflower ship, a full-scale reproduction of the merchant ship that brought the Pilgrims to Plymouth, and explore the Grist Mill, a reconstruction of the original mill built by the Pilgrims on the same site. Finally, finish your historic tour with a guided walk along the beautiful waterfront where you will view Plymouth Rock and other significant sites. Later, relax on your drive to Cape Cod, Massachusetts’s hook-shaped peninsula, known for its quaint villages, seafood shacks, lighthouses, dunes, and ocean beaches. Dinner in the Cape. Overnight, Boston. (B, L, D)
Day 7 (Sat Oct 17)- Massachusetts; Newport, Rhode Island
This morning you head to the world’s largest cranberry grower for a cranberry bog tour during its stage of wet harvesting. Grab a cranberry treat before boarding the bus for Rhode Island’s “City by the Sea,” Newport. Enjoy a breathtaking ocean drive followed by a tour of the Breakers, the grandest of Newport’s mansions, and one of the several summer “cottages” of America’s wealthiest families during the Gilded Age. Next, stroll along Newport’s enchanting Cliff Walk while the panoramic ocean views, crashing waves, and sea breezes create the perfect backdrop for peaceful reminiscing. Farewell dinner in Newport. Overnight, Boston. (B,L,D)
Day 8 (Sun Oct 18)- Boston
Your tour concludes with an early morning ride to Logan airport and lots of great memories.