Description
Day 1 (Monday)
We will depart from our pickup location to begin our journey to New England. A light breakfast snack will be served by a professional Excite Tours Coordinator along the way. From there you can sit back, relax and enjoy the ride. We will have multiple rest stops along the way before arriving to our en-route hotel where we will be staying for the night. Dinner is on your own.
Day 2 (Tuesday)
Breakfast is included at the hotel. We will depart from our hotel in the morning to continue our travels to Boston. There will be multiple rest stops along the way. Upon arrival in the Boston area we will head to an early dinner and enjoy the Original Historic Fireside Feast at the Salem Cross Inn. Relax by the fieldstone fireplace as the crackling fire roasts your prime rib “to a turn” by rotating it slowly over a crackling fire of wild cherry logs. This jack is the only known 1700′ s antique roasting jack that was used to roast fowl and beef in New England that is still in use. The flavor of the fireplace roasted prime rib is unsurpassed. This event has been featured on the Food Network, Chronicle and the Phantom Gourmet. Beware the brimming bowl of freshly whipped cream -the perfect complement to New England’s Best Apple Pie.
After dinner we will head to our hotel the Encore Boston Harbor.
Day 3 (Wednesday)
Breakfast is included this morning at the hotel. We will then meet our local guide and depart the hotel for a day of touring.
HISTORIC BOSTON TOUR. Learn about the different districts of the city including the Back Bay where you find so many beautiful brownstones, each with its own unique architectural design. You will also see Beacon Hill and the gold domed state house, Boston Common, America’s first public park and the Public Garden. You of course can’t miss seeing the Old Statehouse, once headquarters for English governors and later the site where the Declaration of Independence was read to the waiting citizens of Boston. Included are many other famous sites! (You will NOT go to Paul Revere’s house. It is many blocks of walking to the house as buses can’t get in there.)
PHOTO STOP at the USS CONSTITUTION OLD IRONSIDES. “Located in the Charlestown Navy Yard, the USS Constitution was launched in Boston on October 21st, 1797 and is the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world. Today, she is manned by an active duty U.S. Navy Crew. The USS Constitution Museum, a private, non-profit museum includes a theatre, historical artifacts, interactive exhibits and a gift shop. The Museum brings the USS Constitution’s tale alive by collecting, preserving and displaying over 3,000 original artifacts. Quote taken from Boston/Cambridge Official guidebook 2005.
LUNCH is on your own at Quincy Market. QUINCY MARKET. For over 250 years the marketplace has played an integral role in the life of Boston’s residents. You will feel the cobblestones beneath your feet, see roaming performers and be able to taste the wonderfully diverse ethnic foods available to you. There are 100 shops, carts and artisans to offer treasures for you to take home with you!
FENWAY PARK TOUR. See behind the scenes at Fenway Park, home of the World Champion Boston Red Sox. No two tours are alike and your group will see such things as the “Green Monster”, press box, Red Sox Hall of Fame Club, which highlights 102 years of Red Sox history, priceless photos, memorabilia and more.
DINNER at a local restaurant.
GHOSTS AND GRAVESTONES TROLLEY TOUR of BOSTON. “Hear all about Boston’s darker side! In a city nearly four hundred years old – troubled with war, murderers, strife and the occasional bout of stray molasses, it is hardly any wonder that Boston remains one of the most haunted cities in America and stories of the glory days of Colonial Boston only scratch the surface of Boston’s darker side. Walk amongst the dead in burying grounds nearly four hundred years old, hear stories of those whose mortal remains lie beneath your feet, and listen to tales of many of the sordid practices that went along with them. Venture to the site of the biggest grave-robbing scandal in New England’s history … ask yourselves-are you afraid to be buried alive? Walk atop Boston’s largest unmarked burying ground and hear tales of the tortures, punishments and executions that took place there … See Boston’s most haunted hotel: the Omni Parker House.” Quote excerpted from internet site.
Day 4 (Thursday)
BREAKFAST at ENCORE using a dinner voucher included in your package. ($20.00 towards your meal.)
Travel to Salem.
MEET YOUR LOCAL GUIDE IN SALEM FOR A DAY OF TOURING. Your guide will give you commentary about Salem as you travel into town and as you travel from place to place today.
HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES. In 1668 Captain John Turner built a house that has become one of the most famous structures in American history. This home inspired author Nathaniel Hawthorne to write his famous novel The House of Seven Gables in
“Half-way down a by-street of one of our New England towns stands a rusty wooden house with seven acutely peaked gables facing towards various points of the compass, and a huge, clustered chimney in the midst.”-Nathaniel Hawthorne You will tour the house in a light and informative manner. See the changes in the building from its beginning days to its mature days of grandeur and splendor. There is a secret staircase and more. This is a charming not to be missed tour and the house is part of a compound set by the sea with period gardens, outdoor tables, gift shop, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s birthplace is moved to the site and scenic views of the harbor with sailboat’s bobbing in the current.
LUNCH on your own in Salem.
Visit SALEM WITCH MUSEUM. “You are there. Witness the testimony of the hysterical girls, the suffering of the blameless victims, and the decisions of the fanatical judges who sent innocent people to their deaths. When the witch hunt began no one was safe from being accused. This presentation is based on actual trial documents. With 13 stage sets, you’ll enter the web oflies and intrigue of the Salem Witch Hunt, one of the most enduring true stories in American History.” Excerpt taken from Salem Witch Museum brochure.
REAL PIRATES ~ PIRATE AND WITCH EXPERIENCE. “Immerse yourself in the stories of Real Pirates! The family-friendly pirate experience features the true tale of
‘Black Sam’ Bellamy-the richest and one of the youngest pirates of all time-and Maria Hallett, the love of his life and so-called ‘Witch of Wellfleet.’
During the early 1700s, Bellamy captured the infamous slave ship Whydah, as well as more than 50 other ships, earning him the nickname the ‘Prince of Pirates.’ Meet the crew and follow their journey as they seek fortune on the high seas, amass the greatest pirate treasure of all times, and ultimately meet their untimely fate when the Whydah sinks in a violent Nor’ easter off the coast of Cape Cod .
.. . See Real Pirate Treasure! See the world’s only fully authenticated pirate treasure ever discovered – including coins, jewelry, and weapons -retrieved from the wreck, and last touched by the hands of pirates more than 300 years ago.” Quote excerpted from internet site.
DINNER at ENCORE using a dinner voucher included in your package. ($20.00 towards your dinner.)
Day 5 (Friday)
Breakfast is included this morning at the hotel. We will then check out and travel to the train station to board the AMTRACK DOWNEASTER to Maine. There is a snack bar on board and the entire group will be in one car.
After the train ride we will take a narrated driving tour of the coastal villages of KENNEBUNK & KENNEBUNKPORT. Drive past the sandy beaches and rocky coastline, past the George Bush estate at Walker’s Point and many other sites.
We will stop for lunch on your own at Dock Square in Kennebunkport and then continue touring to Ogunquit, ME.
LOBTERBOAT CRUISE! On this tour you will learn about the lobsterman’ s trade on coastal Maine. Enjoy a scenic ride. You can watch lobster traps being hauled up from the ocean floor or try your hand!
After our Lobsterboat Cruise we will check into our hotel. The hotel features indoor and outdoor pools, Jacuzzi, pub with fireplace, beautiful grounds. Within walking distance of Marginal Way and Ogunquit village shops.
After checking in you will have time to freshen up before traveling to DINNER. Maine Lobster Dinner included this evening.
Day 6 (Saturday)
Breakfast is included at the hotel.
BREAKFAST included this morning.
Travel from Maine to New Hampshire after breakfast.
MEET YOUR LOCAL GUIDE AT THE COG RAILWAY.
BOX LUNCH included at the Cog and time to visit the gift shop.
THE WORLDS FIRST MOUNTAIN CLIMBING COG RAILWAY. “Enjoy a Scenic Train Ride to the Summit of Mount Washington, the Northeast’s Highest Peak! Trains run Rain, Snow or Shine & may be Steam or Diesel powered. The round-trip cog ride takes approximately three hours, generally including one hour stop at the summit. We recommend that you bring a camera and extra jacket or sweater. Remember, some trains are fired by coal — so dress accordingly.” Quote excerpted from internet site.
Note: Please dress warmly with winter coats and hats, etc. in case it is cold. It is also possible that it will be very warm and lovely! Be prepared for anything!
Continue touring through the WHITE MOUNTAINS viewing the BEST of New Hampshire’s fall foliage. Photo opportunities at scenic vistas. Travel through notch’s cut from the glaciers and enjoy the scenic nature of New Hampshire.
Late afternoon CHECK IN at your NEW HAMPSHIRE HOTEL.
DINNER is included this evening at the hotel.
Day 7 (Sunday)
BREAKFAST included this morning.
Tour the KANCAMAGUS HIGHWAY. “One the most scenic routes in America is located in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The “Kane” as the locals call it, is officially the section of Route 112 that is both an attraction and a destination. The names in this region of New England are mostly Native American -Kangamagus Mountain, Passaconaway ( Child of the Bear), and Chocorua.” Quote taken from internet site.
Stops are made at Sugar Hill Overlook, Albany Covered Bridge and Rocky Gorge.
On the CONWAY SCENIC RAILWAY TRAIN, “you’ll travel on what was once the Maine Central Railroad’s famed Mountain Division line, on tracks that were laid in the 1870s. Enjoy some of the most dramatic natural scenery in the East as you travel through spectacular Crawford Notch – past sheer bluffs, steep ravines, cascading brooks and streams, panoramic mountain vistas, across Frankenstein Trestle and Willey Brook Bridge en-route to Crawford Station. As you travel through this rugged terrain, you can begin to appreciate what a remarkable engineering achievement constructing this railroad was almost 140 years ago. Live commentary onboard includes history and folklore of the railroad and area, as well as points of interest.” Quote excerpted from internet site.
BOX LUNCH is included on the train.
Visit FADDEN’S GENERAL STORE on your way back to the hotel. “Authentic, old fashioned general store, family-owned since 1896! On site maple sugar house, 5-time winner of “Best Maple Syrup in New Hampshire”. Groceries, souvenirs, and the area’s largest selection of maple syrup and maple sugar products.” Quote excerpted from internet site
LOCAL GUIDE LEAVES WHEN YOU RETURN TO THE HOTEL.
DINNER is on your own this evening at a local restaurant.
Day 8 (Monday)
Breakfast is included at the hotel. We will depart and start our journey home. We will have multiple rest stops along the way before checking into our en-route hotel.
Day 9 (Tuesday)
Breakfast is included at the hotel. We will depart from our hotel in the morning and continue our journey home with many fond memories of your fall trip on the Trains of New England!
* Terms: I understand that the deposit is not refundable at the time of booking and any payments are non refundable after August 23, 2024. Excite Tours does not own or operate any of the suppliers of services or accommodations for your trip. As a result, it is not responsible for any negligent or willful act or failure to act of any such supplier or of any third party over whom Excite Tours has no control. We also reserve the right to cancel the tour 30 days prior if a minimum amount of participants are not enrolled. You will be notified and refunded in full if that occurs.:*
