Fall Colors, Scenic Trains & Martha's Vineyard

 Your fall foliage adventure begins today in Boston, a city whose history is only matched by its ambiance. The capital of Massachusetts is considered the "Birthplace of the American Revolution" and has many sites that recall America's past. As you arrive today, make your own way to our downtown hotel, conveniently located on the Back Bay, to check in for the night.

The afternoon is then yours to get acquainted with your new surroundings, and you may wish to take an Old Town Trolley tour (payable locally) to get acquainted with the city and see its most impressive sights. Return to the hotel early this evening to meet the Tour Manager and your travel group for a brief meeting, and then you are free to find dinner at your choice of local restaurants. Overnight Boston, MA.

 Enjoy an immersion into Boston's incredible history this morning on a guided city tour. The excursion takes us to the city's most notable attractions, including the Freedom Trail, which presents 16 sites that forged America's story. We conclude our tour at the famous Quincy Market, where there is time to find lunch on your own.

Our day continues as we board our motorcoach for the journey north to Portland, Maine. The route is filled with beauty, offering water views and beautiful scenes of trees painted in the various hues of autumn. After checking into our hotel on Casco Bay this evening, you are free to get your bearings in this waterside location, relax at the hotel or find dinner locally, perhaps while exploring the charming Portland Wharf District. Overnight Portland, ME.

• Breakfast

 Admire the beauty of Maine's coast in fall as we make our way from Portland to Bath, Maine, after breakfast. Our route takes us to the Maine Maritime Museum, located on the original site where large four-, five- and six-mast wooden ships were built, including the world's largest wooden ship, the Wyoming. The museum features over 21,000 artifacts to explore.

From the museum, we step aboard a river cruiser for an up-close look at the Kennebec River and its sites. The first landmark we pass is the Bath Iron Works, a place where impressive vessels have been built for more than 400 years, and a retired Bath Iron Works employee joins us on board to discuss his experience as a shipbuilder. As we continue down the Kennebec, we pass the 1898 Doubling Point Lighthouse and the Kennebec River Range Light Station before returning to the museum.

Leaving Bath, we continue back to Portland, pausing in Freeport with free time for lunch. The afternoon is yours to enjoy at leisure before we reconvene for a lobster dinner at a local restaurant this evening. Overnight Portland, ME.

• Breakfast, Dinner

 Continuing onward from Maine today, we drive to North Conway, New Hampshire, to join the Conway Scenic Railroad. This 50-year-old railway escorts us through New Hampshire's gorgeous fall foliage on a route toward Crawford Notch Station. Soak up the ever-changing scenery, and enjoy your included boxed lunch as the journey unfolds. Keep an eye out for spectacular views of Crawford Notch and Mount Washington.

As we arrive, there is time to explore the train depot, now a National Historic Landmark, museum, and roundhouse, before we board the motorcoach and travel to our hotel in Plymouth, New Hampshire, in the White Mountains. Our scenic drive takes us through Franconia Notch State Park, located in the heart of the White Mountains, where breathtaking views abound. Upon checking into our hotel, the evening is yours to enjoy the scenery and have dinner locally. Overnight Plymouth, NH.

• Breakfast

 Relish a new perspective of autumn's colorful offerings today as we travel by coach to Weirs Beach on the western side of Lake Winnipesaukee. Here, we board the MS Mount Washington for a calm cruise across the lake to the charming village of Wolfeboro, New Hampshire.

Our narrated cruise highlights the ebbs and flows of the shoreline, presenting the region's history and local folklore as we look upon beautiful lakeside homes, sandy beaches, and lush forests. Stepping off the vessel at Wolfeboro, you have free time to find lunch and browse the quaint shops.

The route back to Plymouth is just as scenic as we follow the world-famous Kancamagus Highway, known as one of the best fall foliage viewing areas in America. Scenic stops along the way further present the autumnal views. We arrive in Plymouth with the rest of the evening at leisure. Overnight Plymouth, NH. 

• Breakfast

 A new location beckons as we set out after breakfast for Sturbridge, Massachusetts, a place whose history is punctuated by Indigenous heritage and the arrival of the English settlers in the 1600s. As we drive, our route unveils peaceful views of New England's idyllic fall foliage.

En route to Sturbridge, we stop in Concord to tour the New Hampshire State Capitol Building. There is also free time to find lunch in the capital city before we continue toward our destination, arriving in Sturbridge late this afternoon.

After checking into our hotel for the night, we set out once more, this time for a local restaurant set in an 18th-century farmhouse. Surrounded by 600 acres of gorgeous natural scenery, this establishment offers a timeless setting as we enjoy a traditional New England dinner. Overnight Sturbridge, MA.

• Breakfast, Dinner

 With its rich history, Sturbridge is a remarkable place to look at America's earliest years, and today, we do just that at Old Sturbridge Village. Gardens and farms fill the property, and they are stocked with heritage breeds of pigs, sheep, cows, chickens and turkeys. You have a chance to walk through the village's historic buildings and see the beautifully restored main house while being surrounded by demonstrations, presentations and employees in full colonial dress.

Leaving Old Sturbridge Village, we get another taste of old New England while having lunch at a historic inn and then continue our travels to Mystic, Connecticut. This coastal city is filled with charm, and after checking into our hotel, you are free to spend the rest of the afternoon and evening uncovering it. Shops and restaurants fill downtown, though you could also wander the waterfront, watching boats drift in and out of the harbor. Overnight Mystic, CT.

• Breakfast, Lunch

 Our day begins with a leisurely breakfast and a visit to Mystic Seaport, a maritime museum founded in 1929. This museum offers another perspective on New England's history with a recreation of a 19th-century coastal village, tall ships and a preservation shipyard.

After some free time to explore the grounds and have lunch at your leisure, we continue to Hyannis, Massachusetts, on the beautiful Cape Cod Peninsula. Its beaches, grand yachts, lovely downtown and luxurious properties make it no wonder that this was a favorite vacation destination of the Kennedys.

We check into our hotel for two nights, and after settling in, our coach takes us to the station to board the Cape Cod Central Railroad's Dinner Train. Our evening rail excursion takes us through cranberry bogs and lush marshes as the sun goes down. Enjoy a five-course dinner as the train crosses the famous Cape Cod Canal Railroad bridge into the historic village of Buzzard's Bay before returning. Overnight Hyannis, MA. 

• Breakfast, Dinner

 A full day of island sightseeing lies ahead today as we make an early start after breakfast and head to the waterfront in Woods Hole to board the M/V Island Home. This passenger and vehicle ferry crosses from the mainland of Cape Cod to the island retreat community of Martha's Vineyard.

Once on this world-famous island, we enjoy tales of its fishing and whaling past while on a guided driving tour through its most scenic sites and past its most impressive properties. There is also time for shopping and dining in the charming town of Edgartown and a visit to the colorful Victorian gingerbread cottages of Oak Bluffs.

We return by ferry to Woods Hole in the late afternoon and have the rest of the day and evening to spend at leisure, soaking up the ambiance of Hyannis on our final evening in New England. Overnight Hyannis, MA. 

• Breakfast

 There is no better time of year to explore New England than autumn, a time of year when vibrant foliage frames every view. We have seen how the destinations take on a cozy feel at this time of year while exploring the city of Boston, Maine's coastal gems, Mystic in Connecticut, and Hyannis and Martha's Vineyard in seaside Massachusetts.

Our autumn adventure comes to a close this morning as we check out of the hotel and transfer by coach back to Boston. Included transfers to Boston's South Station or Logan Airport accommodates trains and planes departing after 1:00 p.m.

• Breakfast