New England Autumn Rails & Sails

Your autumnal explorations begin today as you arrive in Boston and transfer independently to our hotel, conveniently located in a premier Back Bay location. After checking in and getting settled, take some time to get acquainted with your historic surroundings.

Tales of the American Revolution and the country's infancy await around every corner, allowing you to get to know America's past however you see fit. If time allows, you might like to take an Old Town Trolley tour (payable locally) to get acquainted with the city and see its most impressive sights, or you could explore on foot, wandering amongst the sites of the Freedom Trail.

Returning to the hotel this evening, meet the Tour Manager and your travel group for a brief introductory meeting, and then you are free to find dinner locally. With its coastal location, Boston is renowned for its seafood, and a hearty bowl of clam chowder is the ideal way to warm up on a chilly autumn evening. Overnight Boston, MA.

An early morning transfer takes us to Boston's North Station, where we board Amtrak's Downeaster for the journey deeper into New England to Wells, Maine. We arrive later this morning and join our motorcoach to continue the day's travels to Kennebunkport.

There is some free time to find lunch and admire the seaside ambiance of this fascinating town before we head to the harbor, where we step aboard the 65-foot Kylie's Chance for a sightseeing cruise. Look out over the water as we cruise past colorful forests bordering the water's edge, the Bush family compound, and Bumpkin Island, often occupied by seals. A highlight of the cruise, though, is getting to know Maine's lobster industry. Learn how fishermen trap these beloved crustaceans and maybe even get your picture with the day's catch!

Following our cruise, we head to our hotel in the laid-back town of Ogunquit. With the remainder of your day at leisure, you might like to seek out some seafood for dinner. Overnight Ogunquit, ME.

• Breakfast

From the beautiful waterline to the undeniable charm of the town's boutique shops and cobblestone streets, Portland has so much to offer, and we uncover it this morning. We board our motorcoach after breakfast and travel to this coastal gem, where a local guide steps aboard to unveil the area's history, stories and amazing sites. Admire historic buildings and lighthouses with beautiful water views and fire-hued foliage forming the backdrop.

Following the tour, enjoy free time to take in the essence of Portland at your own pace. You might like to find lunch in a local eatery before meandering the cobbled streets or wandering the sandy and rocky beaches. This is an incredibly artistic city with galleries and cultural shops dotted throughout downtown.

Returning to Ogunquit, you can relax in the hotel's peaceful setting, just steps from the water, ahead of a group dinner this evening. Overnight Ogunquit, ME.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Departing Maine after breakfast, we travel into the heart of fall foliage country in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. It is here that we board the historic MS Mount Washington for a scenic cruise across the beautiful waters of New Hampshire's largest lake, Lake Winnipesaukee.

As we cruise, admire the gold, copper and crimson hues of autumn surrounding the lake and relax as the onboard narration reveals regional stories and historic tidbits. Our cruise takes us across the lake to Weirs Beach, where you have free time for lunch.

Later in the afternoon, our route continues into the White Mountains to Woodstock, New Hampshire, where we board the Café Lafayette Dinner Train for a 20-mile journey through the Pemigewasset River Valley. Savor a chef-prepared five-course dinner in a fully restored dining car as you gaze at the dramatic evening vistas, including multi-hued foliage illuminated by the sinking sun. We continue to our hotel for the night in Lincoln, savoring a free evening with mountain views. Overnight Lincoln, NH.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Today's travels take us back to the coast to Newport, Rhode Island, the yachting capital of the world. This seaside town is nicknamed "New England's summer resort" and is known for its summer "cottages," as well as for being a playground of the rich and famous. But it is not just summer scenery that attracts visitors; Newport is breathtaking in the fall.

Our motorcoach arrives in Newport early this afternoon, and there is free time to wander the colorful downtown district. You could find lunch or shop on Thames Street or stroll along the bustling waterfront with distant foliage views.

Later in the afternoon, we head to the most famous home in Newport: The Breakers, the Vanderbilts' summer home. We tour the 70-room mansion, now a National Historic Landmark, and see how the elite lived during Newport's Gilded Age. Afterward, we check into our hotel with the remainder of the day at leisure to explore this coastal community. Overnight Newport, RI.

• Breakfast

Following breakfast at our hotel, we start the day with a cruise aboard the Rum Runner II, a motor yacht constructed during the height of Prohibition. Settle into your seat for a cruise through Newport Harbor and into Narragansett Bay, surrounded by scenes of lighthouses, Newport mansions, former speakeasies and small islands adorned in autumn's spectral hues. As we cruise, we learn about the rum-smuggling routes outlaws took and how this ship played a role in their operations.

The afternoon is free to explore Newport at your leisure, and then this evening, our coach transfers us to Grand Bellevue Train Station to board the Newport & Narragansett Railroad for an elegant dinner train experience.

Views of Aquidneck Island and Narragansett Bay form the backdrop of our route as we dine on chef-prepared cuisine and soak up the vintage Pullman-style experience the train offers. This experience is a truly scenic way to conclude our fall foliage explorations. Overnight Newport, RI.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Few places compare to New England during the fall months, and this trip dove headfirst into its most colorful and charming locations. From the historic city of Boston, we traveled to coastal Maine, admiring lighthouses and the scenic shorelines while learning about the lobster industry and sightseeing on a cruise. From here, our route took us inland to Lake Winnipesaukee and into the colorful White Mountains, before heading back to the coast in Newport, Rhode Island. Complete with multiple cruise experiences, two memorable dinner train journeys and endless autumn scenery, this was a vacation to treasure.

This morning, your time on the East Coast comes to an end. After breakfast, a group transfer to Boston Logan Airport and South Street Station is available for planes and trains departing after 1:00 p.m.

• Breakfast