America's Historic East

Day 1

UK - Washington DC

Fly to Washington DC where on arrival transfer to your hotel. This evening join your travelling companions and Tour Director for a welcome drink.

Meals included

• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner

Day 2

Washington DC - Mount Vernon - Washington DC

Get to know America's capital city on a guided tour of its most iconic sights, including the exterior of the White House, Capitol Hill and Arlington National Cemetery, the final resting place of President John F Kennedy. This afternoon, sightseeing begins at Mount Vernon, the period restored home of George Washington, the first US President. Tour his elegant neoclassical mansion and admire it's gardens, whose woodlands and meadows roll down to the Potomac River.

Meals included

• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner

Day 3

Washington DC - Williamsburg

Today, head to Yorktown Historical Battlefield Park, the site of the British army's surrender to Washington's troops in 1781 - a defeat that ultimately secured the independence of the US. Continue to Historic Williamsburg for two nights.

Meals included

• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner

Day 4

Williamsburg - Jamestown - Williamsburg

Visit colonial Williamsburg and enjoy an exclusive presentation by a historian specialising in 18th century America. Then drive to the Jamestown Settlement where outdoor museums chart the first permanent English settlement in the New World. Afterwards, return to Colonial Williamsburg's Historic District. This charming area boasts carefully restored 18th century mansions, homes and shops where costumed guides and actors tell the story of the American Revolution. Stroll the quaint streets, browse the shops, see the public gaol and visit the Raleigh Tavern the meeting place of founding fathers such as Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry. This evening enjoy a colonial style dinner at a tavern that recreates the typical supper experience of the patriots.

Meals included

• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner

Day 5

Williamsburg - Richmond - Staunton

Leave Colonial Williamsburg behind and travel to Staunton. First stop is Richmond, Virginia's captial and once the capital of the Confederacy. Visit St. John's Church, where Patrick Henry proclaimed, 'Give me liberty or give me death'. Continue, to Monticello. Thomas Jefferson's estate with its beautiful gardens and imposing mansion designed by Jefferson himself. Spend the evening in Staunton, nestled in the foothills of Blue Ridge Mountains.

Meals included

• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner

Day 6

Staunton - Shenandoah National Park

Continue to the beautiful Shenandoah National Park, home to cascading waterfalls, spectacular vistas and a wildlife haven. Enjoy photo stops and panoramic vistas from Skyline Drive that snakes through the Shenandoah.

Meals included

• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner

Day 7

Shenandoah National Park - Harpers Ferry - Gettysburg

Trace some of the route of General Lee's army during its invasion of Pennsylvania to the West Virginia town of Harpers Ferry. Standing where the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers meet, this was where John Brown's 'Army of Liberation' staged their fateful raid on a US armoury. Afterwards, continue across Maryland to the Gettysburg National Military Park for a guided tour. Spend some time where the 1863 battle took place as your guide explains how the fighting raged over three days, followed by a visit to the Gettysburg museum and Cyclorama. Finish the day with a Colonial-style candlelit dinner at Gettysburg's elegant historic Dobbin House Tavern, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Meals included

• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner

Day 8

Gettysburg - Valley Forge - Philadelphia

This morning enjoy an exclusive presentation on one of America's heroes of the 19th century, Ulysses S Grant. Then, drive through the Amish farmlands to Valley Forge. Take a tour of this national historic park where General George Washington and his troops camped during the harsh 1777-1778 winter. Visit Washington's Headquarters, The Grand Parade and the Washington Memorial Chapel before travelling to Philadelphia. This evening the Tour Director hosts a farewell dinner on the historic Moshulu ship. Launched in 1904, she has had a long and exciting career on the seas and is now considered one of Philadelphia's best restaurants.

Meals included

• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner

Day 9

Philadelphia - UK

The 'City of Brotherly Love' is also the birthplace of American Independence. Enjoy a morning sightseeing tour of America's fourth largest city, taking in landmarks such as the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and the scenic atmosphere of Independence National Historic Park. Later, transfer to the airport for your flight to the UK.

Meals included

• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner

Day 10

Home landing in the UK

Meals included

• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner