Itinerary

Arrive in the beautiful city of Boston and take your private transfer to your hotel.

Spend the day exploring the fascinating history of the capital of Massachusetts. Known as America’s Walking City, Boston is very compact and a joy to explore on foot. The famous Freedom Trail begins at Boston Common, taking in over a dozen sites including Massachusetts State House, the site of the Boston Massacre, Paul Revere’s house, and the USS Constitution, the world’s oldest commissioned warship. The trail can be done independently or book a guided tour to gain deeper insight.

In the evening, check out the city’s excellent, wide-ranging cuisine such as lobster rolls and clam chowder. The city’s North End is one of the best districts to eat seafood and Italian specialities. We recommend a walking food tour or a specialised seafood tour, taking in some of the city’s top eateries while learning about Boston’s culinary heritage.

Today, you can continue exploring Boston’s historic and culinary highlights. Alternatively, take a whale-watching tour or day trip by ferry to Plymouth or Cape Cod.

Boston is one of the only eastern cities in the USA where it’s possible to take whale-watching tours to see humpbacks and other whales breaching out of the waters. We highly recommend taking a half-day tour from the city. One of the best destinations nearby is Stellwagen Bank Marine Sanctuary, a rich feeding ground for humpbacks, finbacks and minke whales, dolphins and sea birds.

“America’s hometown” Plymouth is the site where the Mayflower pilgrims landed in 1620, commemorated in Pilgrim Memorial State Park on the waterfront. Visit the full-size replica ship Mayflower II, the monument at Plymouth Rock and enchanting Plimouth Patuxet Museums.

Alternatively, enjoy a day trip to Cape Cod or Martha’s Vineyard. Cape Cod is a delightful summer playground with 40 miles of protected shoreline, peppered with historic towns. The island of Martha’s Vineyard is one of the region’s highlights with some of the best beaches on the east coast and half a dozen charming towns.

Take the train this morning from Boston to New York City. You will be staying in a spectacular location right on Manhattan’s famous Times Square, so the bright lights are just a few steps away.

New York’s iconic sites are innumerable – from the majesty of the Empire State Building to the greenery of Central Park, the elegant Statue of Liberty, the theatres of Broadway and the engineering feat of Brooklyn Bridge. Be sure to explore newer attractions like the Rockefeller Center’s Top of the Rock, One World Trade Center and the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.

Included in your tour is the CityPASS New York City to gain discounted and free entry to more than 150 attractions.

Explore more of New York’s incredible array of attractions today. A must-see attraction included in your tour is Summit One Vanderbilt. Set atop the tallest commercial skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan, Summit One Vanderbilt is an observatory high above Grand Central Terminal with five multi-sensory experiences occupying the top three floors of the building.

Highlights include a spectacular mirrored space spread over two floors, floating orbs that change colour in tune with a light show at night, and transparent glass enclosed ledges offering sweeping views of the city over 1,000 feet from the city streets below. Entry is through the main concourse of Grand Central Terminal.

You will certainly enjoy the city’s varied gastronomy. Fast food such as New York pizza, cheesecake, hot dogs and pastrami sandwiches are favourites but New York also has some of the best restaurants in the world and astonishingly multi-cultural dining – from Chinatown and Koreatown to Harlem Soul Food and East Village gourmet.

Spend another day in the Big Apple. Take the ferry across to the Statue of Liberty and explore the history at nearby Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration, while enjoying fantastic views of the city from the bay.

A newer attraction, spectacular in a wholly different way, is Hudson Yards, Manhattan’s West Side with 14 acres of plazas, gardens, shops, restaurants and culture. The district’s centrepiece is the incredible Vessel’s 154 interconnecting flights of stairs. Wander along the High Line, a regenerated 1.5-mile walkway 10 metres above street level, and the spectacular but vertigo-inducing 100th floor Edge Sky Deck, the highest outdoor observation deck in the western hemisphere.

Take the train this morning from New York City to Philadelphia, the birthplace of the United States, where the Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence on 4th July 1776.

Head for Independence National Historic Park, the most historic square mile in the country. Foremost is Independence Hall with the Assembly Room arranged as it was at the time of the Declaration, including George Washington’s Rising Sun Chair. Other highlights include Congress Hall and Old City Hall.

The iconic Liberty Bell across the street from Independence Hall is one of the original city bells. With its distinctive crack, the bell was commissioned in 1752 with the inscription: “Proclaim Liberty throughout the land”.

Spend another day exploring friendly Philadelphia, which means City of Brotherly Love in ancient Greek.

Other top attractions include the Museum of the American Revolution, the African American Museum and Philadelphia Museum of Art with its vast collection of Renaissance, Impressionist and American art and Sculpture Garden. The steps up to the Museum of Art were immortalised in the movie Rocky, and are now graced by the Rocky Statue.

Philadelphia is a fantastic city for food, especially Italian-American specialities. As well as the famous Philly Cheesesteak, local culinary delights include hoagies, roast pork sandwiches, soft pretzels, tomato pie and red gravy pasta. Philadelphia is also a great city for shopping for tax-free goods, so explore the city’s many department stores and boutiques.

Take the train this morning to the nation’s capital Washington DC. You’ll be staying at the luxurious Fairmont Hotel in DC’s most charismatic neighbourhood, Georgetown.

Washington DC is world famous for the iconic White House, the Capitol, the Lincoln Memorial and the towering obelisk of the Washington Monument along the National Mall. Defined by its imposing and impressive neoclassical architecture, few would fail to recognise its many memorials, monuments and buildings.

Get your bearings by signing up to a one-day pass on the city’s Hop On Hop Off Trolley to get an in-depth look at some of the city’s major sights. In the evening, head to the streets of Georgetown for some delicious local dining – you can even take a food tour of the area starting in the late afternoon.

Spend another day exploring Washington DC. Aside from governmental institutions, the city is also home to the world-renowned Smithsonian Museums and Galleries – 19 in total – including the National Air & Space Museum, the National Museum of Natural History and the National Gallery of Art. Spend the day reading the original US Constitution, perusing internationally-acclaimed art and seeing some of the world’s best dinosaur fossils – all these attractions are free to visitors.

Consider a Monuments by Moonlight tour in the evening. As majestic as Washington DC’s monuments are during the day, there’s nothing like seeing them lit up at night, and on this tour you’ll get to see them come alive as the city gets dark.

Spend one more day exploring fascinating Washington DC. Outside the historic centre, there’s plenty to explore with diverse neighbourhoods offering culinary delights, chic shops, eclectic bars and striking architecture.

Take a tour of George Washington’s former home Mount Vernon on the banks of the Potomac River, south of the city centre. Alternatively, stroll around the charming neighbourhood of Georgetown in the northwest of the city, enjoy the special nightlife found in Adams Morgan, listen to the sounds of Jazz along U Street, and if you’re visiting in spring, admire the cherry blossoms along the Tidal Basin.

Take your private transfer to the airport for your flight home as your holiday comes to an end.