Itinerary

1. Arrive Boston
Tour begins: 8:30 AM at the Sheraton Boston Hotel. Travel with us to Plymouth this morning, where the pilgrims first stepped ashore in 1620. Visit Plimoth Plantation, a restoration depicting the times, lifestyles, and crafts of 17th-century Plymouth, and see the famed Plymouth Rock. Stop in Sandwich for a tour of the glass museum en route to your Hyannis hotel, where an exclusive clambake dinner ensures an authentic taste of life in coastal New England. Meals LD

2. Exploring the Vineyard
Board a ferry for Martha’s Vineyard today. Much of this storied island remains exactly as it was when the first European settlers arrived in the early 17th century. Island sightseeing includes the towns of Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven, salt sea marshes, beaches, and picturesque yacht harbors. Spend the afternoon at leisure before your return ferry trip to the mainland. Meals BD

3. Nantucket / Cape Cod
Depart Hyannis this morning for a 15-minute flight to scenic Nantucket Island; over 300 years of history, art, architecture, and legends reflect the long past, but never forgotten, whaling era. Take a sightseeing journey around the island, including some free time, before returning to the Cape Cod mainland. Arrive in the quaint seaside village of Chatham for two nights. Your hotel is located on Main Street amidst colorful flower boxes, historical buildings, art galleries, and boutiques. Meals BD

4. Provincetown / Whale Watch
Travel to Provincetown along one of the most scenic parts of Cape Cod; visit the beautiful Cape Cod National Seashore, and learn about the area’s flora and fauna. Take a guided whale-watching cruise to view these fascinating mammals in their natural habitat, weather permitting. Return to Chatham for dinner. Meals BD

5. New Bedford / Newport
Journey to New Bedford, a historic seaport on the Atlantic coast; visit the New Bedford Whaling Museum, the largest museum in America devoted to the history of American whaling. Continue to Newport, Rhode Island; explore the Ten-Mile Drive, which boasts exquisite 19th-century homes and estates. Your hotel is located on Goat Island, overlooking Newport and Narragansett Bay. Meals BL

6. Centuries of History in Newport
You have an opportunity to join your Tauck Director for a morning stroll along the oceanfront Cliff Walk, combining the natural beauty of the Newport shore line with the architectural history of Newport's gilded age. Visit The Breakers on a guided tour; one of the most palatial estates in Newport, this magnificent mansion was the seaside summer home of Cornelius Vanderbilt. Sightseeing continues with a cruise of Newport Harbor and Narragansett Bay, followed by an afternoon at leisure in Newport. Say farewell to fellow travelers at a cocktail reception and dinner this evening. Meals BD

7. Quincy / Journey Home
Return to Boston from Newport via the Adams National Historical Park in the city of Quincy, where the story of five generations of the Adams family is told. Historic structures within the cultural landscape include the homes of former presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams. Tour ends: 12:30 PM at Logan International Airport, Boston or 1:30 PM at the Sheraton Boston Hotel, traffic permitting. You should allow a minimum of two hours for flight check-in. Meals B

Dates & Prices

New England Clambake
Discover a favorite culinary tradition of life on the New England coast at an exclusive Tauck clambake featuring lobsters, clams and mussels.

Scenic Flight
A scenic flight from Hyannis to Nantucket gives you more time to explore this resort island.

Whale-Watching Cruise
Take a whale-watching cruise in the waters off Provincetown, home to New England’s largest whale population.
 

Itinerary

1. Arrive Boston
Tour begins: 6:30 PM at Omni Parker House. Join us tonight for a cocktail reception and dinner. Meals D

2. Boston / Cambridge
A Boston city sightseeing tour includes views of Faneuil Hall, the Old State House and the South Meeting House. Visit Old North Church, and travel across the Charles River to Cambridge to see Harvard and Radcliffe. Back in Boston, spend the afternoon exploring as you please. Meals B

3. Lexington / Concord / Salem
Follow the route of Paul Revere’s ride through Lexington and Concord, and see the Minute Man statue. Travel to Salem for a visit to the beautiful streetscapes of the McIntire Historic District; see Chestnut Street’s numerous Federal-Era townhouses and notable pre-1900 residential homes. Journey along the Atlantic Ocean to the city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where Europeans first settled in the 17th century and established a prosperous trade in shipbuilding. Your hotel is located in the heart of the historic downtown area. Meals BD

4. Coastal Maine / White Mountains
Travel today along the rugged coast of Maine to Portland. Enjoy a special Tauck experience when you board a lobster boat for a scenic, educational cruise; the Captain guides you through the daily routines of a Maine lobsterman where you’ll learn just about everything there is to know about the lobster! Following your cruise, take a walking tour of Portland’s Old Port, a mix of cobblestone streets and chic boutiques. Drive into New Hampshire’s White Mountains for one night in North Conway; this evening, attend a fascinating presentation on the seasonal, always-changing ecology of northern New England – a RAVEN-series interpretive program. Meals BLD

5. White Mountains / Green Mountains
Journey through Crawford Notch; enter Franconia Notch (on a clear day you will be able to view Mount Washington, New England’s tallest peak) and travel to Hanover, home of Dartmouth College. Arrive in Vermont – alive with rich greens during spring and summer, the landscapes are aflame with color in autumn. See charming villages en route to historic Plymouth for a two-night stay. Meals BLD

6. Rural Vermont / Woodstock
Drive along country lanes to Woodstock for a visit to the Billings Farm and Museum, followed by free time. Visit Calvin Coolidge’s birthplace in Plymouth; the site includes historic buildings, such as Wilder Barn and Plymouth Cheese Factory, built in 1890 by his father. Meals BD

7. Berkshires / Stockbridge
Scenic New England roads take you to the quaint town of Stockbridge for a visit to the Norman Rockwell Museum, featuring a collection of his famous Saturday Evening Post covers. Artists and writers have sought inspiration in the scenic Berkshire Hills for centuries; overnight in charming Williamstown. Meals BLD

8. Journey Home
Depart Williamstown through the Pioneer Valley of the Connecticut River for a stop at Deerfield, continuing on to Boston (approximately 160 miles). Tour ends: Boston’s Logan Airport at approximately 3:00 PM or the Omni Parker House at 4:00 PM. Allow a minimum of two hours for flight check-in. Meals BL

Dates & Prices

RAVEN-Series Ecology Presentation
Get an in-depth view of the botany, wildlife and unique environment of the North Woods at an ecological lecture.

Cruise Aboard a Lobster Boat
A scenic cruise aboard a lobster boat on Portland Harbor and Casco Bay reveals the daily life of Maine lobstermen; learn about harvesting and conservation efforts.

Norman Rockwell Museum
Discover the art of illustration at the Norman Rockwell Museum, where paintings include rarely seen works from private and public collections.
 

Itinerary

1. Arrive Boston
Tour begins: 6:15 PM at The Langham Hotel, Boston. Tauck has a long history of welcoming travelers with a parade of seasonal delights throughout New England, a tradition of hospitality shared by The Langham Hotel, Boston, a national historic landmark and one of the city’s finest hotels. Join us for a welcome dinner tonight as autumn blankets the landscape with fall foliage. Meals D

2. The Footsteps of American History
From the hallowed halls of Harvard Yard to the gardens of Boston Common to stalwart Beacon Hill to colonial landmarks in the North End to the gentrified Victorian neighborhoods of the South End and down to the waterfront, history reverberates. We’ll show you the sights this morning on an orientation tour that includes a visit to the Harvard Museum of Natural History for a close-up look at the lifelike Glass Flowers Exhibit. Tauck’s city sightseeing continues followed by a chance to explore on your own. Nicknamed “America’s Walking City,” every Boston street reveals another fascinating discovery. Meals B

3. From Salem’s Seaside to Maine’s Shores
Not far from the storied streets of Boston proper sits the town of Salem, best known for its controversial witchcraft trials. But Salem also boasts a rich seafaring legacy that predates the founding of Boston, when it was an important center of merchant shipping. Learn more about the ships that sailed these waters during a visit to the Salem Maritime Museum, then set off for Maine. Images of lobster may come to mind as you journey past lighthouses off the New England coast, so we’ve arranged a special lobster presentation for you in historic Portland, Maine’s largest city. Continue on to your inn in Freeport, still retaining its charm as a classic Maine village despite the influx of world-renowned retail shops. Meals BD

4. Boothbay Harbor by Land and Sea
Picturesque waterfront hamlets dot the Maine coastline, enticing with summer “cottages,” craggy cliffs and scenic ocean vistas. Journey along the shore this morning to The Boothbays, where a private schooner cruise of Boothbay Harbor and a guided visit to the 128-acre Botanical Gardens offer authentic glimpses of daily life in this former fishing port. Enjoy a free evening in Freeport. Meals BL

5. Mountains of New Hampshire
Head inland today to the ancient White Mountains of New Hampshire, characterized by hillside forests, valley rivers, rocky ridges and brooding peaks. Enjoy scenic views of the lush landscapes during lunch in North Conway, highlighted by a RAVEN-series presentation on area wildlife – it serves as a great introduction to your afternoon drive along the meandering Kancamagus Highway, especially breathtaking when autumn leaves begin their annual transformation into the brilliant reds, golds and oranges of the much-acclaimed New England fall season. The celebrated profile of the Old Man of the Mountain for years guarded the views in Franconia Notch State Park high in the White Mountain National Forest until erosion took its toll; a brief stop pays homage to this natural landmark, before your journey takes you to the Mount Washington Hotel. Your overnight accommodations reflect the turn-of-the-century elegance that first lured wealthy summertime patrons from Boston, New York and Philadelphia back in 1902 when as many as fifty trains stopped here each day. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, this hotel is a masterpiece of Spanish Renaissance architecture. Meals BLD

6. Mountain Observatory / Vermont
Morning brings a fascinating excursion to the Mount Washington Observatory located on the mountain’s 6,288-ft. summit, where esteemed meteorologists have been keeping watch on the atmospheric phenomena of one of the planet’s most extreme places since 1932. You will have the unique opportunity to meet resident scientists during a lecture and Q & A session. From the icy discoveries of your morning in the mountains to your mouth-watering taste of Vermont’s famous ice cream this afternoon, the next few days indulge with a close-up look at life in New England. Spend the next two nights at a Vermont inn. Meals BLD

7. Shelburne Farms / Culinary Evening
Cow-spotted hills, country villages and dairy farms give travelers a distinct sense of the pastoral life that so delights both native and transplanted Vermonters. Time has a way of slowing down here, nowhere so vividly chronicled than at the 45-acre Shelburne Museum. Rediscover “Americana” at this lakeside restoration, viewing unusual exhibits of impressionist paintings, folk art, quilts, textiles and more, housed in 18th- and 19th-century buildings from New England and New York. A private lunch and guided tour of Shelburne Farms introduces you to life in Vermont today, taking you behind-the-scenes to explore the horse barn and meet the cheese makers. Tonight, enjoy some of the gourmet cuisine your hotel is famous for as you are treated to a special chef’s presentation and lecture. Meals BLD

8. Maple Sugar / Ferry to New York
Vermont is the nation’s capital of maple syrup, producing upwards of 500,000 gallons every year. Learn more about this important state product before traveling to Burlington for a ferry ride across the lake to neighboring New York. Your final destination today is Lake Placid, nestled amidst the spectacular Adirondack Mountains. The scenery is stunning everywhere you look. Meals BLD
9. Life in Lake Placid
The alpine village of Lake Placid is probably best known as the site of the Winter Olympic Games in 1932 and again in 1980. A boat cruise on the lake celebrates the area’s idyllic beauty and a visit to the Olympic Ski Jumping Complex entertains with stories about the athletes who have medaled here. A must for history buffs, a visit to the John Brown Farm and Gravehouse intrigues with a glimpse of the life of this man whose legacy against slavery endures today. Meals B

10. Fast Track to Saratoga Springs
Explore Saratoga Springs en route to Ludlow, Vermont, featuring a tour of the Museum of Racing and a drive along the famous horse track. The mineral springs of this small town attracted Victorian society each summer to enjoy its therapeutic waters, indulge in elegant resort living and watch their favorite horses at the Saratoga Racetrack. Enjoy a farewell cocktail reception and dinner at your country inn in Vermont tonight. Meals BD

11. Journey Home
Journey back to Boston today, a beautiful drive through classic autumnal landscapes; it’s a distance of approximately 163 miles. Tour ends: 3:30 PM at Boston Logan International Airport or 4:30 PM (traffic permitting) at The Langham Hotel, Boston. Allow a minimum of two hours for flight check-in at the airport. Meals BL

Dates & Prices

Culinary Dinner Theatre Experience
Spend two nights at The Inn at Essex – attend a culinary dinner theatre experience by the New England Culinary Institute, where the creative courses are prepared before you.

Mount Washington Observatory
Meet the meteorologists who study the atmospheric conditions at the summit of Mount Washington, one of the most extreme places on the planet.

RAVEN-series Ecology Presentation
Get an in-depth look at the botany, wildlife, and unique environment of the North Woods at an ecological lecture.
 

Itinerary

1. Arrive Boston
Tour begins: The Westin Boston Waterfront at 6:00 PM. Welcome to Boston, one of America's oldest cities, where you have an opportunity to discover over 350 years of American history. Meet your fellow travelers this evening at our welcome reception and dinner. If you choose, you may join in Boston on Day 2, 8:30 AM, at the hotel; please arrange this at the time of booking. Boston Late Join Credit of $242 per person double, $342 per person single if joining at 8:30 AM on day 2. Meals D

2. Sightsee Boston / Bar Harbor
Boston is truly the cradle of American history. From Boston Common, center of early culture and colonial government to the Old North Church belfry that signaled the beginning of the Revolutionary War, this city reflects a heritage that is part of every American. Sightsee its landmark attractions this morning, including Faneuil Hall, the Old State House, and South Meeting House, going back in time to early America. Then it’s off for a road trip to Maine, enticing with scenic beauty. Travel the rocky coasts of New Hampshire and Maine, stopping for lunch in Portland en route to Bar Harbor. Your accommodations tonight are oceanfront in one of the most picturesque settings in Maine. Meals BLD

3. The Cat / Digby
After an early breakfast, board a high-speed catamaran, The Cat, one of the fastest car ferries in North America, for your crossing to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. Journey along the shore through quintessential coastal villages awash in French Acadian history to Digby. Steeped in a rich maritime legacy, the town was named for an English loyalist who sailed here in 1783. Arrive at Digby Pines Golf Resort and Spa – inspired after a Norman-style château – overlooking the beautiful Annapolis Basin late this afternoon. Meals BLD

4. Port Royal / Peggy’s Cove
This morning visit the Habitation at Port Royal, the oldest permanent settlement north of the Gulf of Mexico. Continue through the Annapolis Valley to Grand-Pré National Historic Site, dedicated to Longfellow's immortal poem, Evangeline. After lunch, visit Peggy's Cove; standing on solid rock, this quaint little fishing village is an artist's dream. Arrive in the provincial capital, Halifax, for a two-night stay. The largest city in Nova Scotia, Halifax is home to one of the world’s largest natural harbors, free of ice the year round. Meals BLD

5. Sightsee Halifax
Enjoy a sightseeing tour of Halifax this morning, abundant with lush parks, galleries, museums and restored waterfronts; see the city and the harbor from atop Citadel Hill, where the views are spectacular, and then take a cruise of Halifax Harbor and the Northwest Arm, a beautiful residential area. Spend the rest of the day exploring as you wish; there are endless diversions at your disposal and this compact city is easily explored on foot. You may want to visit the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic; Pier 21 National Historic Site, an interpretive center in a waterfront building that served as the gateway to Canada for millions of immigrants in the 20th century; or the Public Gardens, the oldest Victorian formal gardens in North America. Meals B

6. Marine Drive / Liscomb Mills
Your journey through the Canadian Maritimes continues to inspire with stunning seaside vistas as you travel along Marine Drive on Nova Scotia’s eastern shore; picturesque harbors and coves please the eye at every bend of the road. Continue along the coast to Sherbrooke, founded as a French trading post in the 17th century and renowned as a gold rush town in the mid-1800s. Closed to traffic, the heart of the town has been restored to its former glory as an 1860s mining and lumber town. You will have time to explore before settling in at the Liscombe Lodge, nestled among the evergreens on Marine Drive in one of the most idyllic riverfront settings in Atlantic Canada. Be lulled to sleep by the mystical call of the loon tonight. Meals BLD

7. Baddeck / Cabot Trail
Take the back roads to the Canso Strait today, separating the mainland of Nova Scotia from Cape Breton Island. Continue along Bras d’or Lake to Baddeck for lunch. Visit the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site, containing a remarkable collection of the famous innovator and educator's early inventions. Much of Cape Breton Island retains its Gaelic origins, observed in many places. Follow the Cabot Trail, one of the most beloved roads in Canada, over Cape Smokey for an overnight stay at the Keltic Lodge. Set high on a cliff, the lodge overlooks the sapphire waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Meals BLD

8. Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Relax this morning and enjoy your surroundings at your nature lover’s resort; your resort offers a wide array of complimentary activities and the views are always soothing. It’s back on the Cabot Trail this afternoon for a drive on one of the most scenic and spectacular highways on the continent as the road roller-coasts its way through Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Your destination today is Baddeck, the official beginning and ending point for the rugged landscapes of the Cabot Trail. Meals BLD

9. Pictou / Prince Edward Island
Leave Cape Breton behind as you cross the Canso Strait en route to Pictou, “the birthplace of New Scotland” for lunch. Just across the Northumberland Strait is Prince Edward Island, your maritime home for the next two nights. The waters of the Strait are some of the warmest in the North Atlantic – one of many reasons Prince Edward Island is a favorite summer resort. Arrive in the charming capital city of Charlottetown, and join us tonight for a private, exclusive evening at Founders’ Hall, sure to be a highlight of your visit. This interactive museum vividly chronicles the history of Canada, Prince Edward Island, and the Fathers of the Confederation. Meals BLD

10. Explore Prince Edward Island
A bucolic island steeped in the slow-paced charms of yesteryear, Prince Edward Island is lined with red-sand beaches, rolling hills and potato fields, the island’s most pre-eminent crop. Explore the island today, traveling through beautiful farmland and viewing the quaint fishing villages along the coast. Your journey takes you along the magnificent shoreline of Prince Edward Island National Park, where miles of white sand beaches with fragile dunes are part of a protected environment, and to Green Gables House, the literary home of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables. Learn more about the famous novel this evening when you attend a performance of Anne of Green Gables, theatre schedule permitting. Meals B

11. Province of New Brunswick
Since 1997, Prince Edward Island has been joined to the mainland by one of the world’s longest bridges. Drive along the south shore of the island to Borden-Carleton, where the Confederation Bridge meets the shore, and take the bridge over to neighboring New Brunswick. We’ll follow the Kennebecasis River Valley to Saint John, New Brunswick’s largest city, and on to St. Andrews-by-the-Sea. Spend the night at The Fairmont Algonquin, renowned since 1889 for its rejuvenating sea air and “saltwater” baths. Meals BLD

12. Cruise to Campobello Island
Join us for a catamaran cruise in the Bay of Fundy, a paradise for birdwatchers, fishermen, and whale watchers. Visit Campobello Island, sought after by several European countries throughout history, but best known as the setting of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s beloved summer cottage. Part of the Province of New Brunswick, this Canadian island lies just off the shore of the most eastern town in the United States, Lubec, Maine. Journey back to the Maine coast today for a two-night stay at the historic Bar Harbor Inn, once a favorite retreat for the vacationing Vanderbilts and Pulitzers. The hotel is nestled on eight acres of garden-filled lawns on the shores of Frenchman Bay near the heart of Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. Meals BL

13. Acadia National Park / Bar Harbor
Explore Acadia National Park and Mount Desert Island, featuring lush forests, sheltered harbors and lovely coves; journey up to the summit of Cadillac Mountain for great views. The afternoon is free to enjoy the many pleasures of Bar Harbor, from art galleries and unique crafts shops to picturesque seaside vistas. Join us tonight for a farewell reception and dinner. Meals BD

14. Maine Coast / Journey Home
Travel today along the Atlantic Coast from Maine, where lunch is enjoyed in the town of Freeport, to Massachusetts (approximately 280 miles). Tour Ends: 4:00 PM at Boston’s Logan Airport. Allow a minimum of two hours for flight check-in. Those wishing additional hotel nights in Boston transfer to The Westin Boston Waterfront. Meals BL

Dates & Prices

Exclusive Evening, Founders’ Hall
The Fathers of the Confederation are profiled at an interactive museum on Prince Edward Island, where you will enjoy a private dinner and evening.

Travel the Cabot Trail
Journey along one of North America’s most beautiful drives, the Cabot Trail, through the rugged scenery of Cape Breton Highlands National Park.

Private Cruise to Campobello Island
Cruise aboard a private boat through the Deer Island archipelago for a visit to Campobello Island, one of three Fundy islands in the Bay of Fundy and a favorite retreat for President Franklin D. Roosevelt.