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Arrive at the airport and proceed to the hotel. New York is an adrenaline-charged, history-laden place that holds immense romantic appeal for visitors. Wandering the streets here, you’ll cut between buildings that are icons to the modern age. New York City is the ultimate cosmopolitan city in the world; there is lower Manhattan’s Chinatown and the traditionally Jewish Lower East Side, the more artsy concentrations of SoHo, TriBeCa, and the East and West Villages. Of course, there is the celebrated architecture of corporate Manhattan, with the skyscrapers in downtown and midtown forming the most unforgettable images. Whether gazing at the flickering lights of the midtown skyscrapers, experiencing the 4am half-life downtown, or taking a ride on the Staten Island ferry, you really would have to be made of stone not to be moved by it all. There’s no place quite like it in the world.
Accommodations: (STD) Travel Inn or similar (2 nights)
Accommodations: (SUP) Warwick New York or similar (2 nights)
Get ready for an unforgettable day of sightseeing. New York City, deservingly called “the city that never sleeps”, offers something for everyone at all times of the day or night. Among the most visited attractions are Time Square, Central Park which houses the City Zoo, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the famous Brooklyn Bridge. After dark, the twin Gothic towers and strong steel cables make a striking silhouette against the night sky. Walking across the bridge is a huge thrill, particularly if you start from the Brooklyn side and view the Manhattan skyline as your stroll across. Of course, no tour of New York would be complete without a visit to America’s highest representation of freedom, the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor, and the Empire State Building. For the artist at heart, the more established arts like dance, theater, and music are superbly catered for. If shopping is what you fancy, you have come to the right place; the choice of shops is so extensive that it is almost numbingly exhaustive. In between sights, you can eat just about anything, at any time, cooked in any style.
Today you pick-up your rental car and leave New York City’s excitement behind. On your way to Ithaca stop at West Point and take a tour of this scenic military academy on the west bank of the Hudson River. Keep on your journey up the west bank to Hyde Park where the Vanderbilt Mansion stands virtually unchanged from the time the Vanderbilt’s used it as their summer retreat. The grounds feature breathtaking views of the Hudson River and the distant Catskill Mountains. After touring the mansion, head just a bit west and take a closer look at the Catskills. Vivid with natural beauty, the Catskill Mountains are a place of inspiration and reflection. Walk the trails and discover their history in the stone houses of Hurley. Continue on to Ithaca.
Accommodations: (STD) Econolodge Hotel or similar (1 night)
Accommodations: (SUP) Country Inn & Suites or similar (1 night)
Drive away from Ithaca this morning in the direction of the majestic Niagara Falls by way of the Finger Lakes. Explore the wineries and gorges while enjoying the culinary delights of the Canandaigua Winery Trail in the Finger Lakes Region. Press forward in the direction of the falls. Once there, experience the sights and sounds of one of nature’s most beautiful creations. Let your adventure begin within feet of the American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls and the Horseshoe Falls. Take an elevator ride 175 feet down to the base of Bridal Veil Falls where you can walk along the base of the falls on a series of wooden stairs and decks. Feel the power of Niagara Falls from the Hurricane Deck just feet from the pounding waters.
Accommodations:
(STD) Best Western Cairn Croft or similar (1 night)
(SUP) Doubletree Resort Lodge & Spa or similar (1 night)
This morning is yours to do as you please. Take one more look at the falls or explore the Greater Niagara Region. Another possibility is taking the one and a half hour drive to Toronto. Or, maybe you just want to relax before you depart for Corning in the afternoon. Once in Corning be sure to visit the Corning Museum of Glass which is the world’s largest glass museum, featuring 35 centuries of glass artistry and live glass-blowing demonstrations.
Accommodations:
(STD & SUP) Radisson Hotel Corning or similar (1 night)
Leave Corning and travel south into Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Lancaster County is well-known for its quaint Amish villages where time seems to have stood still. The Amish, also known as “the plain people”, are by far the best farmers of this country. Explore and discover the Amish life-style by taking an educational guided tour through an authentically furnished 1840s Old Order Amish farmhouse. Go on a horse and buggy ride through town as the Amish people do. Enjoy an afternoon of shopping for pottery, hand-made tile works, and arts & crafts objects that are sure to make great souvenirs. Eat authentic Amish foods prepared with hand-picked ingredients that were freshly harvested less than 24 hours prior.
Accommodations: (STD) Red Roof Inn or similar (1 night) (SUP) Amish View Inn & Suites or similar (1 night)
If you decide to have breakfast at the hotel this morning make sure to sit by a window so you can witness a true Amish spectacle as the children run across the fields toward the one-room school house in the horizon. Except for holidays, vacation or during harvest time, this is a daily occurrence between the hours of 8:00 and 8:30am. Drive away from Lancaster this morning toward Washington, DC. Along the way you will encounter the Chesapeake Bay area and all its lighthouses. While in the bay area, visit Annapolis which is the state capital of Maryland and a beautiful historical seaport. Tour the Maryland State House, the oldest state house still in legislative use. Stroll along the City Doc or take a tour of the US Naval Academy, highlights include the Ship-building museum, Hemdon Monument, Crypt of John Paul Jones, and the Statue of Tecumseh. Continue traveling to Washington, DC.
Accommodations: (STD) Quality Inn Mount Vernon or similar (2 nights) (SUP) Omni Shoreham Hotel or similar (2 nights)
Today you will have a chance to explore the nation’s capitol. Washington, DC attracts nearly twenty million tourists each year making tourism the second biggest industry of the area just after the federal government. Surprisingly, admission to most major attractions is free. Accommodations Explore the city’s most famous sites which are mostly concentrated along the National Mall, often called the “Nation’s Front Yard”; it expands from the Lincoln Memorial on the Potomac to the Capitol Building and Supreme Court on Capitol Hill. Along the Mall are the majority of the 18 museums which comprise the Smithsonian Institution, the War Memorials, and the Washington Monument which offers rides to the top of the obelisk and lies south of the illustrious White House. Other points of interest are Arlington National Cemetery, the Library of Congress, the National Cathedral, and the National Zoo. Of course, there is more to Washington than historical site-seeing. Washington has also developed an active nightlife. Besides the world-class restaurants, you can see Broadway shows, Washington-only political satires, and live music of all types.
Depart Washington, DC through Philadelphia in route to the airport in New York. Philadelphia is home to the Liberty Bell Pavilion, which houses the 2,080 lb. bell and Independence Hall; both of these attractions are located within the National Historical Park and are well worth a visit if your flight schedule allows.
For those departing from JFK International Airport: 250mi/400kmFor those departing from Newark International Airport: 226mi/362kmDrop-off Rental Car
This tour takes you from the hustle of New York City to the quaint charms of Lancaster County; combining the beauty of New York’s Finger Lakes district, Niagara Falls and Chesapeake Bay with the historic cities of New York, Washington and Philadelphia.
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J And L R., Northwood, England –
We would like to thank you for all the arrangements you made for our holiday, which was a wonderful two weeks of wall to wall scenery. All in all a marvellous trip, we would recommend your services to anybody that wanted to go self drive in the US. Thanks again.