Historic Highlights

Tour Information

7nt Tour Begins & Ends Washington D.C: 2nts Washington D.C; 2nts Williamsburg; 1nt Shenandoah National Park; 1nt Gettysburg; 1nt Philadelphia

Day 1

Fly from the UK – Washington DC (2 nights)
Welcome to Washington DC! A complimentary transfer is provided to the tour hotel. Your Tour Director is at the hotel this afternoon to greet you and answer your questions. Join us at 6:00pm for a Welcome Drink at the hotel.
Overnight: Capital Hilton

Day 2

Washington DC sightseeing & at leisure
This morning we tour Washington DC with a local guide viewing the city’s most famous landmarks, including the White House, the Washington Monument and the Mall. We stop at the World War II and Lincoln Memorials. Then we visit Arlington National Cemetery and learn about the final resting place of the nation’s heroes on a narrated tour onboard a Tourmobile. The remainder of the day is at leisure to explore this fascinating city. (Full breakfast)
Overnight: Capital Hilton

Day 3

Washington DC – Mount Vernon – Yorktown – Williamsburg (2 nights)
Today we visit the home of George Washington, Mount Vernon, which overlooks the Potomac River. Later, Revolutionary War history comes alive as we visit the Yorktown Victory Center. Then we step further back into America’s British Colonial period, arriving in Williamsburg for a two-night stay. This evening we enjoy a Highlight Dinner featuring a traditional colonial menu. (Full breakfast / Highlight dinner)
Overnight: Crowne Plaza Hotel Williamsburg at Fort Magruder

Day 4

Jamestown & Colonial Williamsburg sightseeing
Today we are joined by a local guide and explore Jamestown, home of the first permanent English settlement in America, founded in 1607 by colonists seeking a new beginning in the New World. We spend the remainder of the day absorbing the sights and sounds of Colonial Williamsburg. We step back into the 18th century as we stroll along Duke of Gloucester Street where the townspeople, adorned in period costume, go about their daily lives in faithfully restored shops, taverns and homes. A variety of walking tours, arts performances, political speeches, trades demonstrations, military exercises, fife and drum parades and more is available daily. (Full breakfast)
Overnight: Crowne Plaza Hotel Williamsburg at Fort Magruder

Day 5

Williamsburg – Monticello – Shenandoah National Park
Today our Tour Director will reveal a Hidden Treasure! We travel to Richmond, once the capital of the Confederacy. Here a local guide takes us on a visit to St. John’s Church, a National Historic Landmark, where Patrick Henry delivered his famous Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death speech. From here we continue into the rolling hills of Virginia’s countryside to Monticello, for a guided tour of the beautiful home of President Thomas Jefferson. This afternoon we enter Shenandoah National Park and take Skyline Drive along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains, through the woods and past stunning views of the Shenandoah Valley to the west or the rolling Piedmont region to the east. Deer, black bear, wild turkey, and a host of other woodland animals call Shenandoah home and can be easily spotted. (Full breakfast / Dinner)
Overnight: Big Meadows Lodge

Day 6

Shenandoah – Gettysburg
This morning we step back into the past as we see the quaint and historic community of Harpers Ferry, at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers. This was the site of John Brown’s famous raid, which helped ignite the flames of the Civil War. Next we reach the town of Gettysburg and visit the nearby farm of President Dwight D. Eisenhower which served as a weekend retreat and a meeting place for world leaders. (Full breakfast)
Overnight: Wyndham Gettysburg

Day 7

Gettysburg – Lancaster County – Philadelphia
This morning we join an expert battlefield guide for a visit to the Gettysburg National Military Park, the site of three days of ferocious fighting that marked an important turning point in the Civil War and changed the course of American history forever. This is the place where Abraham Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg Address which helped mend a torn nation. We will have time to visit the recently-opened and awe-inspiring $135-million Museum and Visitor Center. Then we’re off to Lancaster County in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country, the land of the Amish. We explore the rich farmlands and learn more about these people who eschew modern life. Next we arrive in Philadelphia. This evening we enjoy a Farewell Dinner. (Full breakfast / Farewell dinner)
Overnight: Sheraton Society Hill Hotel

Day 8

Philadelphia – Depart Washington DC
After breakfast, we enjoy an orientation tour of Philadelphia. We visit the awardwinning National Constitution Center, the first ever museum dedicated to the US Constitution. Next we explore Independence National Historical Park, home of the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. Later we return to Washington DC, where a complimentary transfer is provided to Dulles International and Ronald Reagan National Airports and to the tour hotel in Washington DC for passengers extending their stay (Full breakfast)

Day 9

Arrival back to the UK

What's Included

Sightseeing Highlights

• Washington DC See the famous memorials and sights with a local guide.
• Mount Vernon: Tour the home of President George Washington.
• Williamsburg: Step back in time to the eve of the American Revolution.
• Yorktown: Experience America’s beginnings through interactive exhibits.
• Jamestown: Explore the fi rst permanent English settlement.
• Richmond: Visit St. John’s Church, a National Historic Landmark.
• Shenandoah National Park: Take in stunning views along Skyline Drive.
• Eisenhower National Historic Site: Tour President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s home and farm in Gettysburg.
• Gettysburg National Military Park: Learn about the Civil War from a private guide while visiting the battlefield.
• Philadelphia: Discover the U.S. Constitution and Liberty Bell.
• Monticello: Enjoy a guided tour of President Thomas Jefferson’s home.
• Harpers Ferry National Historic Park: Discover this historic community.
• Arlington National Cemetery: Ride aboard a narrated Tourmobile.

Dining Highlights

• 7 full breakfasts
• 1 three-course dinner
• Special colonial Highlight Dinner in Williamsburg
• Farewell Dinner with wine in Philadelphia
• 10 included meals in total (see day by day itinerary)

First Class Travel Highlights

• First Class hotel accommodation includes two-bedded rooms with private facilities, all hotel service charges and tips, baggage handling fees and local taxes.
• Touring by luxury air-conditioned motorcoach with reclining seats and onboard restroom.
• The services of a top professional Tour Director
• A qualified local guide in Washington DC
• A stylish wallet, travel documents and Welcome on Tour book with map
• Complimentary airport transfers are provided on Day 1 and Day 8