The Grand East

Tour Information

Fly to New York to start this grand tour of North America’s east. Spend a night in the Big Apple before heading along Long Island Sound and Hartford to Boston, with a chance to get to know this historic city on a walking tour. Continue up the New England coast to fashionable Kennebunkport and then head across the beautiful Appalachian Mountains to cross the Canadian border and enter French-speaking Quebec, stopping for the night in Quebec City, provincial capital and the only walled city in North America.

Move on to Montreal to tour the old town before moving across to Ontario to stop briefly in Canada’s capital Ottawa then continue along the Thousand Islands Parkway to cosmopolitan Toronto. Next you’ll travel back south via Niagara Falls to return to the States, driving through the Finger Lakes Region to Pennsylvania, where you’ll see rural Amish County and the Gettysburg Civil War National Battleground. Keep onwards to Washington for a tour of America’s capital and a chance to see some of its famous museums and monuments.

The tour then heads further south, along the Blue Ridge Parkway and Great Smoky Mountains to country and western mecca Nashville, Memphis, the home of the blues, and to New Orleans, one of the most exciting cities in America. Then you’ll turn eastwards to drive along the Gulf Coast to Florida, to conclude the tour in the Sunshine State.

Day 1

UK - New York
Your holiday starts with a flight from your chosen UK airport to New York.
Arrive New York City and transfer independently to your hotel.
Hotel: The New Yorker

Day 2

New York – Boston
Depart New York for historic New England. Travel along the Long
Island Sound and Hartford to Boston, where an early afternoon
arrival at the historic Quincy Market will be followed by a
sightseeing tour. Begin with a walking tour along the Freedom Trail
to view such sights as the Boston Common, the Old State House,
and Faneuil Hall. Walk the cobblestone streets of Beacon Hill, one
of Boston’s oldest neighborhoods. The evening is at leisure.
Hotel: Marriott Qunicy

Day 3

Boston – Kennebunkport – Moose River –
Québec City, Canada
Travel through New Hampshire and enter the Pine Tree State of
Maine. Stop in the charming seaside town of Kennebunkport,
summer home of two presidents. Continue across the Appalachian
Mountains before crossing the U.S./Canadian border to enter the
province of Québec. This evening, take the opportunity to sample
some of the celebrated French cuisine.
Hotel: Clarion Hotel Québec City

Day 4

Québec City – Montréal
Begin the day with a tour of Québec City, the capital of the
province and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Highlights include
the Québec Provincial Parliament Building and the Citadelle.
Then enjoy a walking tour of the walled city, where you will see
the Chateau de Frontenac, as well as unparalleled views of the
Saint Lawrence River. Time for shopping and lunch before leaving
for Montréal. Upon arrival, tour the area known as the “Vieux
Port,”with stops at Place Jacques Cartier and Notre Dame Basilica.
The evening is at leisure.
Hotel: Holiday Inn Montréal – Midtown

Day 5

Montréal – Ottawa – Toronto
Depart Montréal for the capital of Canada, Ottawa. This vibrant
city of parks and flowers boasts one of the most impressive
parliament buildings in the world. In the afternoon, continue along
the Thousand Islands Parkway to the largest English-speaking city
in Canada, Toronto. The evening is at leisure to enjoy dinner and
perhaps do some shopping.
Hotel: Best Western Primrose Hotel

Day 6

Toronto – Niagara Falls
Begin the day with a drive through Toronto’s business district to
see its impressive collection of modern skyscrapers, most notably,
the CN Tower, the world’s tallest free-standing structure. Continue
along Lake Ontario, crossing the Welland Canal, before arriving
at Niagara Falls. Stroll along Table Rock and view the thundering
water of the Horseshoe Falls. Perhaps take an optional tour on the
renowned Maid of the Mist boat ride at the base of the Falls.
Hotel: Radisson Fallsview

Day 7

Niagara Falls – Gettysburg – Amish Country
Today ride through the rolling farmland of upstate New York,
known as the Finger Lakes Region, and enter the Keystone State
of Pennsylvania. This afternoon, visit the historic Gettysburg Civil
War National Battleground, site of the largest battle ever fought
on American soil, and the place where Abraham Lincoln gave his
famous address in 1863. Travel along the Susquehanna River to
Harrisburg for overnight.
Hotel: Best Western

Day 8

Amish Country – Washington, D.C.
Travel through rural countryside to Pennsylvania Dutch Country.
Visit an Amish Museum and see their 300-year-old tradition of
simple living (admission included). The Amish people live in a world
that stopped in the mid-1850s. They use no electricity, mechanical
devices, or modern equipment. In the afternoon, continue to the
nation’s capital, Washington, D.C.
Hotel: Omni Shoreham Hotel

Day 9

Washington, D.C.
Enjoy a city tour with such highlights as the U.S. Capitol Building,
the FBI Building, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, the
White House and Arlington National Cemetery, site of the John F.
Kennedy Memorial. Spend the remainder of the day exploring some
of the many museums comprising the Smithsonian Institute.

Day 10

Washington, D.C. – Williamsburg –Winston/Salem
Depart this morning for Manassas Battlefield, the site of two
famous Civil War battles, where much of the landscape still
retains its wartime character. We visit historic Williamsburg before
continuing to Winston/Salem.
Hotel: Quality Inn & Suites

Day 11

Winston/Salem – Blue Ridge – Cherokee
Today, travel along portions of the Blue Ridge Parkway, through
the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains for an early afternoon arrival
in Cherokee, in the heart of North Carolina.
Hotel: Holiday Inn

Day 12

Cherokee – Great Smoky Mountains –Nashville
Enjoy the breathtaking scenery as you visit Great Smoky Mountains
National Park. Explore the Mountain Farm and Museum to glimpse
the life of an Appalachian farmer. Continue through Knoxville to
Nashville, capital of Tennessee and home to country & western
music. This evening, perhaps visit Nashville Nightlife Dinner
Theatre (optional).
Hotel: Guesthouse Inn & Suites

Day 13

Nashville – Memphis
Depart Music City today, traveling across the beautiful Tennessee
countryside. Arrive in Memphis, the city known for blues music
and cotton, where you will take a city tour including Beale Street,
the heart of the blues music scene. Memphis is a city alive with the
sweet melancholy sounds of the blues. This afternoon, fans of “The
King of Rock and Roll” have the opportunity to tour Graceland,
former home of Elvis Presley (optional).
Hotel: Crowne Plaza

Day 14

Memphis – Jackson – New Orleans
Today’s tour takes you to Mississippi, the Magnolia State. Pass
through Jackson, the state capital, and continue to Louisiana and
New Orleans, the most exciting city in the South.
Hotel: Hampton Inn

Day 15

New Orleans
A full day at leisure to take in the French flavor and grandeur
of New Orleans. Explore the French Quarter with its trademark
wrought iron balconies overlooking the narrow, cobblestone streets
which are lined with many fine restaurants and Dixieland jazz clubs.

Day 16

New Orleans – Mobile – Pensacola
This morning, travel along the Mississippi Gulf Coast through
Mobile, Alabama to the city of Pensacola. En route we visit one
of the top 10 rose gardens in America at the Bellingrath Home
(admission included).
Hotel: Clarion Hotel University Mall

Day 17

Pensacola – Orlando
Travel through rural Florida to Ocala, known for thoroughbred
horse ranches. Continue through central Florida, heart of America’s
citrus industry, and on to Orlando for an evening arrival.
Hotel: Courtyard by Marriott

Day 18

Orlando
Day at leisure. Spend the day relaxing by the pool, or visit one of
Orlando’s attractions, such as Walt Disney World Resort’s Magic
Kingdom Park, Epcot, or experience Disney’s wildest adventure yet,
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park (admissions not included).

Day 19

Orlando – Kennedy Space Center – Miami
Drive to the Kennedy Space Center, home of America’s space
program (admission included). Continue to Miami, with arrival by
early evening. Your tour ends upon arrival in Miami.
Independent transfers for your evening flight back to the UK.

Day 20

Arrive back in the UK at your chosen airport.

What's Included

• Return scheduled transatlantic flights from the UK
• Professional Tour Director Service
• Deluxe air-conditioned Motorcoach Transportation throughout the tour
• Hotel accommodation as per hotels listed above (or similar standard)
• Walking tours of Boston and Quebec
• City tours of Montreal, Washington, Nashville and Memphis
• Amish Farmhouse Museum
• Kennedy Space Centre