Autumn Colours

Tour Information

New England in the fall is an unforgettable experience, and this tour takes you from Boston through some of the most beautiful rural scenery and autumnal colours, stopping at quaint towns and pretty coastal resorts like Bar Harbor on the way. Explore Vermont, the White Mountains and the shores of Lake Champlain before passing through the Adirondacks to the Berkshires on the way back to Boston.

Tour price includes: Schedule flights from London, Professional Tour Director throughout the tour, first class hotels, luxury air-conditioned motorcoach transport, airport transfers on arrival and departure, and 11 meals.

Day 1

Fly from the UK – Boston
Welcome to Boston! A complimentary transfer is provided to the tour
hotel where your Tour Director will be on hand to greet you and answer
any questions you may have about the exciting days ahead. At 6 p.m.,
gather at the hotel with your Tour Director and fellow travellers for a
Welcome Reception. Hotel: Omni Parker House (SF)

Day 2

Boston – Maine Coast – Bar Harbor (2 nights)
Begin your journey through the vibrant colours of a New England
autumn with a trip up the coast to Maine. Pass by old whaling villages
dotted with lighthouses and widows’ walks, the playgrounds of New
England’s rich and famous, and rocky beaches pounded by the
great Atlantic swells on your way to Bar Harbor on Maine’s Mount
Desert Island. Once home to the largest hotel in North America, Bar
Harbor also played host to the grand summer homes of the American
aristocracy, including the Rockefellers, Vanderbilts and Astors. This
evening, join your travelling companions for a traditional Maine
Lobster Highlight Dinner. (FB HD) Hotel: Bar Harbor Regency (F)

Day 3

Acadia National Park excursion & Bar Harbor at leisure
At 1,523 feet, Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park is the first
spot in the United States where you can see the sunrise. You won’t
be getting up that early, but you still have plenty of time to admire
the view from the top of the peak and then descend to discover the
natural riches of New England’s only national park. Marvel at granite
cliffs overlooking dramatic, windswept beaches, graceful stone bridges
arcing over rushing streams and stands of ancient maples, their leaves
glowing fiery red, burnt orange and mustard yellow in the crisp autumn
air. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure back in Bar Harbor. Sip a coffee by the
sea, stroll the quaint Main Street or take an optional nature cruise on
Frenchman Bay. (FB)
Overnight: Bar Harbor Regency

Day 4

Bar Harbor – Pinkham Notch – North Conway
Bid farewell to the coast and travel over rolling hills ablaze with
colour on your way to the wooded valley of Pinkham Notch, formed
during the last ice age as glaciers scoured the earth. Take a ride on
a gondola up to the top of Wildcat Mountain for stunning views of
Mount Washington and the White Mountains. Late this afternoon, arrive in the pretty town of North Conway on the edge of the White
Mountain National Forest. After dinner, get acquainted with the local
flora and fauna during an engaging talk by a local expert. (FB D)
Hotel: Red Jacket Mountain View Resort (F)

Day 5

North Conway – Ludlow
Traverse the White Mountains today. As you make your way through
forests of sugar maple, mountain ash and white birch, keep your
eyes open for native black bear, moose, deer and the dozens of
species of birds that call this area home. Crossing into Vermont, spot
the traditional wooden covered bridges, thick forests and rolling
fields of the Green Mountain State. Stop at a historic woolen mill
that now houses the Simon Pearce glassblowing workshop. Enjoy
a Be My Guest Lunch featuring local ingredients and delicately
arranged on Simon Pearce’s beautiful stem and flatware. Later, delve
into the art and science of glassblowing before continuing to the
picturesque village of Ludlow and your mountain retreat. (FB BG D)
Hotel: Jackson Gore Inn (F)

Day 6

Woodstock Excursion
Enjoy a day on the back roads of Vermont. Get a glimpse of agricultural
life at the Billings Farm & Museum, a lovely estate that’s home to one
of Vermont’s finest dairy producers. Woodstock has been called “the
prettiest small town in America”—savour a leisurely stroll around the
beautiful village green, see an old-fashioned covered bridge or check
out some of the local art galleries. Continue your journey through rural Vermont with a visit to Plymouth and the childhood home of Calvin
Coolidge, the 30th president of the United States. Enjoy the rest of your
afternoon at leisure in Ludlow. (FB)

Day 7

Ludlow – Springfield
From the Green Mountains, cross back into Massachusetts and the
gorgeous Berkshires, alight in autumn with the fall colours that have
made New England famous. Stop in Stockbridge to visit the Norman
Rockwell Museum and learn about this beloved artist and his iconic
paintings of small-town Americana. Continue on to Springfield, nestled
on the banks of the Connecticut River. This evening, join your Tour
Director and newfound friends for a festive Farewell Dinner. (FB FD)
Hotel: Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel (F)

Day 8

Springfield – Lexington & Concord – Depart Boston
Travel east to see the birthplace of the American Revolution and
the “shot heard round the world” as made famous in Ralph Waldo
Emerson’s “Concord Hymn.” The battles of Lexington and Concord
were the first skirmishes in the American war for independence and
these small towns are still rich in history. See the famous statue of
the Minute Man, adjacent to Concord’s historic North Bridge. Stop at
Lexington Green, which saw the first drops of blood spilled in what
George Washington laconically called “the dispute with the British.”
Then it’s back to Boston where you are transferred to Boston Logan
International Airport or to the tour hotel if you’d like to extend your
stay. (FB)
Please do not schedule any flights before 4 p.m.

Day 9

Arrival back to the UK

What's Included

Included Highlights

• Bar Harbor - Acadia National Park and Cadillac Mountain
• Pinkham Notch - Wildcat Mountain Gondola ride
• North Conway - ecology presentation
• Woodstock - Billings Farm and Museum
• Lake Champlain - Fort Ticonderoga tour
• Lake Placid - visit the 1980 Winter Olympics Arena
• Albany - Rockefeller Empire State Plaza
• Berkshire Mountains - Norman Rockwell Studio and Museum.
• Lexington and Concord - see where the first shots of the American Revolution were fired

Dining Highlights

• Welcome Reception in Boston
• 7 full breakfasts
• Two three-course hotel dinners
• Lobster bake in Bar Harbor
• Farewell Dinner in Springfield
• 11 included meals in total.

First Class Travel Highlights

• Tour Director throughout your tour
• Complimentary airport transfers
• Luxury air-conditioned motorcoach transport, with onboard restrooms and reclining seats
• En suite hotel accommodation, all hotel service charges, baggage fees and local taxes (one case per person)