MAPLE SYRUP, APPLE CIDER & A NEW ENGLAND TRAIN

09/25/2010 - 10/04/2010

 

HIGHLIGHTS:     Kennebunkport & the Bush Complex, Booth Bay Harbor, Captain Fish Cruise, Quechee Gorge, Woodstock Inn Luncheon, Cannon Mountain Tram Ride, Cold Hollow Cider Mill, Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Factory, Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks, The Ethan Allen Express Train Ride,  Spectacular Fall Foliage ... 15 Meals

DAY 1...We board our deluxe motorcoach for the drive across the Carolinas and into the great state of Virginia for our first night with a Welcome Dinner and a chance to get acquainted with our new travel friends. (D)

DAY 2...  The Eastern Seaboard provides our vista today as we continue northward, skirting Washington, DC, New York City and arrive in Connecticut for an overnight stay at the Foxwoods Resort and Casino. Dinner is included. Good Luck! (B,D)

DAY 3... Breakfast, & we motorcoach north into Maine and its rugged coastline. We see Kennebunkport and view  former President George Bush's home, a fortress jutting out  into a rocky harbor. With time for lunch and shopping, we depart in mid-afternoon for one of Maine's most picturesque coastal villages,  Booth Bay Harbor.  Our home for two nights is the charming Tug Boat Inn,  situated on the waterfront and in the middle of the village of  quaint shops, restaurants, and fishing boats. The evening dinner is a highlight as we enjoy a traditional Lobster Bake, with all the trimmings, or a chance to sample other delicious choices from the hotel's restaurant. (B,D)

DAY 4... Breakfast, & our pace slows as we enjoy the fishing village of Booth Bay, full of specialty and craft shops. We board a sightseeing boat for a harbor cruise that shows us  the many vacation retreats in the area, and literally  thousands of lobster buoys promising to yield their  delicious treats.  The afternoon is at leisure to relax and refresh in this peaceful setting, or perhaps take an optional whale watching excursion. This evening you are free to stroll into the many shops scattered around the bay, or walk across the bridge to the Fisherman's Co-op for some fresh steamed seafood on the docks.  (B) 

DAY 5... Breakfast, & we travel across the lake region of Maine into the White Mountains of New Hampshire. We pass through Crawford Notch and Mt Washington, highest peak in New England, at 6,288 feet. We take an exciting tram ride up Cannon Mountain at Franconia Notch for fabulous scenery and foliage colors. The enclosed 80 passenger tram rises 2,022 feet to the top of Cannon Mountain. Later in the afternoon, we arrive along the shores of the glacial Lake Winnipesaukee, third largest lake in New England.  The group will overnight in the historic village of Wolfeboro at the Wolfeboro Inn, steps away from shops & village activities.  Special Dinner in the Inn. (B,D)

DAY 6... A wonderful day of touring as we first stop at Cold Hollow Cider Mill, New England's largest producer of apple cider. Why not try a cider donut for the road. Next is Cabot Creamery, which claims to make the "World's best Cheddar", and we sample their cheese before moving on to Burlington. Here we board the Ethan Allen III for a delightful luncheon cruise on Lake Champlain. After such a relaxing experience, we continue our gourmet adventure with a stop at Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Factory in Waterbury. And then its back to Montpelier for the Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks.  200 years of family tradition make Morse Farm Maple Syrup the best you have ever tasted. You will have a chance to load the bus with this unique gift of Vermont.  (B,L)

DAY 7 ...  Today, the beauty and the serenity of the Green Mountains of Vermont greet us.  We visit Quechee Gorge to glimpse the Grand Canyon of New England.  Lunch is set for us at the elegantly charming Woodstock Inn situated beside the village green of this picturesque New England town.  Passing through Rutland, we continue into New York state for an overnight in the Lake George/Glen Falls area. (B,L)

DAY 8... Breakfast, and time for a highlight of this trip as we transfer to Saratoga Springs to board the "Ethan Allen Express" for the train ride through the scenic Hudson Valley and fabulous fall foliage. We disembark at Penn Station in Manhattan with some leisure time in the city before checking into our New Jersey hotel. (B) 

DAY 9...   Heading south we continue to Baltimore's Inner Harbor with its many shops and restaurants. You will have time to enjoy lunch and some shopping before we arrive in Virginia with our Farewell Dinner and a chance to remember the many sights & highlights of the past days.  (B,D)

DAY 10...Breakfast, and we turn our heads toward home after a fantastic foliage experience during the past 10 days. (B)

Back to tours