The Capitals of Eastern America

The tour sets off in the morning from the "Big Apple" heading north where you cross the beautiful Delaware Water Gap towards Watkins Glen State Park, in the heart of the Finger Lakes region. Upon arrival, the tour goes on foot through the Watkins Glen Canyon to visit its beautiful waterfalls and then continues toward Niagara, arriving in the late afternoon via Seneca Lake.

The tour continues on the American side of the falls, where you visit Goat Island and Luna Island before experiencing the majesty of the falls up close aboard the Maid of the Mist boat. In the evening, you can admire the wonderful light and color displays of the falls.

The day begins with a visit to the Horseshoe Falls before arriving at the picturesque town of Niagara on The Lake. We continue our day arriving in Toronto, considered the financial capital of Canada.

We visit:

• HTO Park
• Brookfield Place – home of the Hockey Hall of Fame
• The City Hall
• Distillery Historic District

In the afternoon, we leave Toronto skirting the east side of Lake Ontario, arriving in the evening in the Thousand Islands area (in April, depending on weather conditions, we return to Niagara Falls for overnight stay).

Today's tour begins with a mini-cruise through the wonderful 1000 Islands along the St. Lawrence River, famous for being navigated, about 500 years ago, by the French explorer Jacques Cartier.

During the mini cruise you can admire the splendid villas built on private islets, including the well-known Boldt Castle and Heart island.

On the way back, a few hours from New York, there is a stop at an Outlet where you can buy products from famous brands at competitive prices. Evening arrival at the hotel in New Jersey.

Departure from NJ towards Pennsylvania to the city of brotherly love, Philadelphia. Once in the city, in the historic area, you visit:

• The famous Liberty Bell, one of the symbols of freedom in America
• Independence Square and the Congress Hall
• Elfreth's Alley, the oldest continuously inhabited street in America

The tour continues with a panoramic city tour, including the Financial District, Benjamin Franklin Parkway, the historic part of Philadelphia, and more. Before leaving Philadelphia, you will also see the famous "Rocky" steps.

Then you reach Lancaster County, starting the visit with a ride on an authentic Amish carriage through the village, to learn how this community has managed to survive for decades without technology, electricity, sewage, and many other services that modern society takes for granted. You will learn how the Amish community has adapted by incorporating technology to create self-sufficient farms and by using renewable energy sources.

After the carriage ride, you visit the Amish market where you can buy handcrafted products. In the late afternoon, you leave Amish country to reach, in the early evening, Washington DC.

The day begins with a visit to the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, in the area known as the Tidal Basin, surrounded by the famous Japanese cherry trees.

Continue with a visit to the Arlington National Cemetery, where you can watch the changing of the guard and visit the Kennedy mausoleum.

Continue the tour with an exterior visit of the Capitol, the Senate, and the White House, the heart of the American government.

The tour continues with visits to:

• The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (as long as the Air and Space Museum remains closed for renovation)
• The Lincoln Memorial
• The Martin Luther King Memorial
• The Korean and Vietnam War Memorials

In the late afternoon, depart north for an evening arrival in New York.