New York & New England in the Fall

TUESDAY 2ND OCTOBER

Today we begin our tour with a welcome drink at midday at the hotel, followed by a fabulous 2 hour walking tour of Central Park with our local guide. We finish the tour at the Plaza Hotel where we will enjoy their sumptuous Afternoon Tea! Dinner this evening is at your leisure.

WEDNESDAY 3RD OCTOBER

Today we will join our guide for a fascinating tour of some of New York's iconic locations - Grand Central Terminal, the Chrysler Building, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Rockefeller Center & Times Square. She'll introduce us to some hidden areas, little-known facts and absorbing secrets and scandals about each location!

The rest of the day is free - you may want to shop (remember 5th Avenue is not far away but there are some fabulous boutiques along Madison Avenue, just around the corner) or visit the Guggenheim, which is about a 10 minute walk from the hotel.

THURSDAY 4TH OCTOBER

Today we'll visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art ("The Met"), one of the most incredible museums in the world. We personally could spend days here so we'll leave it to you to decide how much time you want to take.

This evening, we will be seeing New York by night from the harbour - an unforgettable experience. Definitely not a time to forget the camera as we pass some of the city's greatest landmarks by night! Lovely dinner, wine and entertainment - fabulous!

FRIDAY 5TH OCTOBER

Our last walking tour today as we explore famous Greenwich Village. Bohemians, Beats, Hippies and Gay Liberation - the streets of Greenwich Village (native New Yorkers refer to it simply as "the Village") have seen all this and more. We'll travel even farther back in time as we explore the rich social, political, cultural, artistic and literary history of a neighbourhood that has captured the world's imagination. We'll experience how the Village evolved from the early 19th century until today.

This evening, we will "do" a show on Broadway. We will make your booking for you, and you will need to organize cabs to and from the performances.

SATURDAY 6TH OCTOBER

Sunday… the best time to visit Harlem and go to church to hear an authentic Gospel choir. We are NOT going to the most touristed, where you have to line up for hours only to not get in! This is a little neighbourhood church where we will be welcome and sincerely enjoy the experience. (Feel free to not participate if you would prefer a Sunday morning sleep-in!)

This afternoon, we'll visit the Empire State Building via the Express queues, to see the most exceptional views of New York! Dinner tonight as a group at a local restaurant.

SUNDAY 7TH OCTOBER

Today we leave by bus for a three hour drive to the Berkshires, a region of beautiful mountain vistas and charming villages which is never more beautiful than in the Fall.

Our first stop is Lenox, a gracious, wealthy town that was a summer retreat for wealthy families such as the Carnegies and the Vanderbilts. Edith Wharton lived here at the Mount and entertained friends such as Henry James. We will have time to eat lunch here before visiting the house and garden.

Our final stop today is our home for the next two nights, the village of Lee and gorgeous Devonfield. We stay in an exquisite country inn that's airy and comfortable, the hospitality warm and welcoming, and the food delicious. Dinner this evening as a group at the historic Lee Railroad Station - a fun and authentic local meal!

MONDAY 8TH OCTOBER

Our first stop today is a mere 15 minutes away. Stockbridge looks just as its most famous resident, Norman Rockwell, portrayed it in his famous illustrations, which recorded quintessential New England characters over 50 years of the 20th century - unspoilt by so much as stoplight or a telephone pole. We will stop here to visit the Norman Rockwell Museum, seeing his largest collection of original art and his studio where he worked for the last 25 years of his life.

Onwards, we will tour the "Mohawk Trail", 63 miles of unsurpassed splendour and inspiring natural beauty, and one of the best places in the state to experience the Fall colours. On the top of Mount Greylock we are rewarded with a panorama stretching up to 100 miles across the Catskill Ranges, Appalachian Mountains and over five states. This evening we will dine in Stockbridge at the historic Red Lion Inn, and then relax and enjoy our beautiful country inn.

TUESDAY 9TH OCTOBER

Heading east to Boston today we stop at Shelburne Falls in time for lunch. This artisan community's main street is tiny and charming, only three blocks long, surrounded by mountains, the Deerfield River and a pair of picturesque bridges - one made of iron, and the other covered in flowers. Over 500 varieties of flowers, vines, and shrubs adorn this 400-foot trolley bridge.

Remember that throughout all our travels in this region the wonderful Fall colours will form a constant backdrop! On arrival in Boston we will settle into our beautifully appointed boutique hotel, located in the prestigious Back Bay neighbourhood. Dinner is at your leisure this evening.

WEDNESDAY 10TH OCTOBER

This morning we begin our exploration of Boston on foot, firstly seeing the Back Bay which is reminiscent of Paris, then stroll up Beacon Hill, through the interior which is filled with Georgian architecture, brick sidewalks, real gas-lights, cobble stoned streets, stately elm trees and the look of London, circa 1760.
We'll see where the Boston "Massacre" occurred (and hear the "real story") and visit an old Colonial Graveyard, see the Old South Church from which the Boston Tea Party began.

This afternoon, we'll head over the river to Cambridge and Harvard University, the oldest college in North America, founded in 1636. We will walk through Harvard Yard, the nucleus of the school and have time for some shopping or strolling through Harvard Square. Dinner is at your leisure this evening.

THURSDAY 11TH OCTOBER

First stop today is the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library for a self-guided tour. The library was designed, at Jackie Kennedy's request, by famed architect I.M. Pei. There are sandwich/salad restaurants at the JFK as well as at the Gardner Museums. Your guide will tell you of his meetings and connections with JFK as well as of the experiences that his family had with the Kennedy family.

Next, a short walking tour of the North End, where we further discover the history of the American Revolution and the famous ride of Paul Revere. Group dinner this evening at a local restaurant.

FRIDAY 12TH OCTOBER

Today we head to Cape Cod, another spectacular region and tour highlight. On our way south we stop at the excellent Plimoth Plantation. It would be a pity to leave this region without learning something of the early history of the Pilgrims; in this village everything has been painstakingly researched and remade and costumed interpreters act in character to explain details of daily life in the colony. Lunch will be included in traditional "settler" style!

We are heading for Chatham, the patriarch of Cape Cod towns, where we can relax for three days and enjoy the shady main street and fabulous antique and homeware shops. Our hotel in Chatham is a beautiful and historic Inn. This evening we will provide a dinner transfer in the bus and dinner at a local restaurant.

SATURDAY 13TH OCTOBER

During our first day in this area we will travel to the very tip of Cape Cod, to Provincetown.

En route, we stop at Wellfleet, which lures visitors with its art galleries, lovely beaches and famous Wellfleet oysters. It is a delightful throwback to an earlier era, from its drive-in movie theatre to its unspoiled town centre. We are coinciding with the annual Wellfleet Oyster festival which should be great fun!

This afternoon we continue to Provincetown, where whale watching is still in its peak season. We will join Dolphin Fleet Whale Watch which is one of the most esteemed companies offering cruises. **PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THIS TOUR MAY BE CANCELLED IF WEATHER DOES NOT PERMIT SAILING. During your excursion, naturalists will help you spot, identify and learn more about these gentle giants.

SUNDAY 14TH OCTOBER

Nantucket Island is New England at its cobblestoned, picture-perfect best. Nantucket Town's fascinating past (tied to the whaling industry) is reflected in its gracious period buildings lining the leafy streets. An hour's ferry ride across Nantucket Sound from Hyannis (home of the Kennedy Compound) takes us to the island, where we spend a relaxing day enjoying a local tour with an entertaining local resident, and wandering the streets discovering the fantastic shops and galleries. After our tour the day is absolutely free for you to enjoy this beautiful island as you wish - it is also very easy to hire bikes and ride around looking at the picturesque houses and inns.

MONDAY 15TH OCTOBER

Today we move on to our final stop - Newport, Rhode Island. Known to many Australians as the place we poached the America's Cup, Newport boasts some of the most incredible mansions from the "Gilded Age" and is an old seaside town crammed full of cobblestone streets and wooden buildings from the colonial era. In the 19th century, America's most fabulously wealthy industrialists erected an unequalled collection of sumptuous mansions overlooking the Atlantic. Their "cottages" have been beautifully preserved and make up one of the most interesting highlights of our tour. Newport's crooked colonial streets are great for a stroll and the harbour remains one of the most active and important yachting centres in the country. We will arrive in Newport at about lunchtime and you will have plenty of free time to explore the marina and shopping district, before we continue on to the hotel later in the afternoon.

We are staying at an exquisite property overlooking the sea, from where you can do the "Cliff Walk" to see many of the famous mansions. This evening when we arrive we will enjoy a special dinner in the hotel's enchanting restaurant.

TUESDAY 16TH OCTOBER

Today we will visit the magnificent Breakers, a 70 room palace designed by Rickard Morris Hunt and built for the Vanderbilt family. Hunt imported craftsmen from around the world to perfect the sculpture and decorative elements of the chateau. The second mansion we visit is Rosecliff, an elegant mansion designed to resemble the Grand Trianon at Versailles, whose palatial ballroom and landscaped grounds became the setting for some famous parties. The Great Gatsby was filmed here.

This evening we'll enjoy a sunset harbour cruise through Newport Harbor and Narragansett Bay aboard an old two-mast schooner - divine. You can then choose from one of the many restaurants in Newport to dine in this evening (taxi home to the hotel) or stay in and dine again in the hotel restaurant.

WEDNESDAY 17TH OCTOBER

Today we return to New York and spend the final evening of the tour at the Carlyle Hotel. A farewell dinner celebrates an unforgettable tour!

THURSDAY 18TH OCTOBER

Today after breakfast the tour ends.