Day 1
NEW YORK – FINGER LAKES – NIAGARA FALLS
In the morning we leave the Big Apple heading north, where we will pass through the beautiful Delaware Gap to go to Watkins Glen State Park, in the heart of the Finger Lakes region. We will hike through Watkins Glen Canyon to visit its beautiful falls and then continue to Niagara Falls passing through Seneca Lake, arriving in the afternoon. Tour the US side of the falls, including the American Falls, Goat Island and its sister island. Experience the power of Niagara Falls aboard the Maid of the Mist. At night we will enjoy Niagara Falls, where we can appreciate the colorful lighting of the water. Stay in Niagara Falls - Ramada by Wyndham
Day 2
NIAGARA FALLS - TORONTO - THOUSAND ISLANDS
Our day begins with the magnificent Horse Shoe Falls, followed by a visit to the picturesque town of Niagara on the lake. We continue to Toronto, the financial capital of Canada. We visited HTO Park, Brookfield Place – Home of the Hockey Hall of Fame, City Hall, and the Distillery Historic District. In the afternoon we will depart from Toronto to the east along the famous Lake Ontario to reach the area of the Thousand Islands in the evening. (In the month of April based on weather conditions we will be able to spend the night at Niagara Falls). Lodging: Gananoque - Comfort Inn (April - Niagara Falls - Ramada by Wyndham).
Day 3
THOUSAND ISLANDS - NEW JERSEY
We will start the day with a cruise through the fabulous Thousand Islands along the Saint Lawrence River that was navigated some 500 years ago by the French explorer Jacques Cartier. We'll see the homes of the rich and famous built on top of private islands like Boldt Castle and Heart Island. On the way to New York we will enjoy a shopping excursion in one of the largest Outlets malls, where you can find the best deals in brand name and designer stores. In the evening we return to New Jersey. Lodging in New Jersey - La Quinta Inn and Suites, Clifton.
Day 4
NEW JERSEY – PHILADELPHIA – AMISH COUNTRY - WASHINGTON DC
We will depart from New Jersey to Pennsylvania until we reach the city of brotherly love, Philadelphia. Upon arrival in the historic area of Philadelphia, we will visit the famous Liberty Bell, one of the symbols of freedom in the United States, the Plaza and Constitution Hall, and the Hall of Congress. Elfreth's Alley (the oldest inhabited residential street in the nation). We continue with an interesting scenic drive that includes the financial district, the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, historic Philadelphia and more. Leaving Philadelphia we will see the famous "Rocky Steps". We will continue north towards Lancaster County, home of the Amish community. We will start this interesting and fun excursion in an authentic Amish buggy through the farms, to learn how they live without the benefits of modern technology: electricity, sewage, telephone or appliances. After learning about this very different culture, we will learn how the Amish adapted, incorporating technology to create farms that are self-sufficient in order to make use of renewable energy resources. Then we will visit the Amish market where you can buy creative products made by hand by them. In the afternoon we will depart East towards Washington DC. Lodging: Fairfield Inn and Suites Alexandria.
day 5
WASHINGTON DC–NEW YORK
We will start our day with a visit to the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, by the Basin surrounded by the famous Japanese cherry trees. Visit the historic Arlington National Cemetery, where we can see the changing of the guard and the Kennedy family mausoleum. Our visit continues on Capitol Hill. The Capitol is the building that houses the two chambers of the United States Congress. The Capitol has a large dome in the center and two wings on each side. The north wing corresponds to the Senate and the south wing to the House of Representatives. We will also visit the White House to understand the core of the United States government. We continue to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (while the Air and Space Museum is closed for renovations) before visiting the Lincoln, Korea, and Vietnam Memorials. In the afternoon we will leave for New York and arrive at night.