Description
Boston – Williamstown – Stowe – North Conway – Harbourview
Insight Vacations have created remarkable travel experiences for travellers for over 40 years. They believe that connecting with the places you stay is crucial to having an authentic experience, so their escorted tours focus on showcasing the best of the USA and Canada’s sights beyond the obvious tourist destinations. Your experience on any Insight Vacations escorted tour will be immersive and luxurious: they ensure that only the finest hotels are hand-picked and that you arrive in comfort on their exclusive customised coach, boasting plenty of legroom. From stress-free transfers to hotel check-ins and restaurant bookings, there’s always an experienced Travel Director to take care of everything you could ever need to make your trip unforgettable and, most importantly, enjoyable.
On the first day of this escorted tour, you are welcomed into Boston, known locally as ‘Beantown’. There’s a convenient airport transfer to take you from Boston Logan International Airport to your hotel for the evening: the Hyatt Regency Boston. If you can’t wait to explore Boston, head out and take a relaxing stroll to Downtown Crossing or visit the historic Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market. At 6pm, join your Tour Director for a welcome dinner with wine and the opportunity to meet other guests on your tour. The Hyatt Regency Boston has been newly renovated, featuring a practical location without compromising on luxury. It is within easy walking distance of popular attractions such as Newbury Street, Boston’s famous shopping area, and the Museum of Fine Arts. Guest rooms feature extensive amenities, from air conditioning to mini refrigerators, complimentary Wi-Fi access and 37” flat screen TV, as well as coffee and tea makers, so you have everything needed for a refreshing stay.
After a relaxing night’s sleep and delicious full breakfast, head out on a tour of Boston’s famous sights along the Freedom Trail with your Tour Director. Savour the vibrant surroundings as you travel from Boston to Stockbridge to visit the Norman Rockwell Museum, home to the world’s largest collection of genuine Rockwell art. As you continue towards Williamstown, pass through the magnificent rolling hills of the Berkshires. In Williamstown, you’ll be staying at The Orchards Hotel, a peaceful haven set amongst the breath-taking Berkshire Mountains. With elegant rooms with hand-selected, unique antiques and a cosy atmosphere, you soon feel at home in your plush bed. The hotel also features its own restaurant and bar, serving divine meals using only the freshest ingredients. There is access to the many luxurious facilities, which include an idyllic garden courtyard, complimentary Wi-Fi and modern 24-hour fitness suite.
Before long, it’s time to leave Williamstown’s college town charm behind. Leave Massachusetts and head towards the famous fall foliage in Vermont. Along the way, visit The Apple Barn Country Bake Shop and taste fresh cider as it’s produced, Billings Farm and Museum to see a working dairy and farm life museum, before stopping in the ultimate Vermont village itself: Woodstock. Later that day, arrive in Stowe, the spectacular alpine-style setting which attracted the real Von Trapp family behind the famous ‘The Sound of Music’ when they travelled from Austria in the 1940s. This evening’s Highlight Dinner includes three courses perfectly matched with a lager tasting from the resort’s on-site microbrewery.
The Trapp Family Lodge is an enchanting European-style lodge, owned by the family who were the inspiration behind ‘The Sound of Music’. Learn about the ‘real’ Von Trapp family, taste world-class dining at its finest and stay in a cosy room with stunning views of the mountains surrounding the lodge, which includes free Wi-Fi access and a shared balcony. With a fitness centre, including a hot tub and both indoor and outdoor pools, daily exercise classes, spa and other on-site activities such as hiking trails with unrivalled views, you will never be stuck for ideas of what to do at this Austrian-American resort nestled in glorious scenery. There’s something for everyone to enjoy- from culinary experts to outdoors enthusiasts and everyone in-between.
The next day, have a leisurely start to the day so that you can enjoy the scenery and soak in the rich fall colours. Head out on a guided tour of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream Factory and sample some delicious ice cream flavours before returning to Stowe. Choose how you spend the rest of the afternoon- from wandering around the charming streets of Stowe to a hike in the woods or savouring the amenities back at the lodge resort, it’ll be hard to decide what to do first in this prime location with such an abundance of activities and facilities at your disposal. After another soothing night at the Trapp Family Lodge, Stowe, it’s time to continue on your tour, today heading towards North Conway. Near Montpelier, visit Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks and taste a true Vermont traditional dish for yourself: ‘sugar on snow’, otherwise known as non-natives as maple syrup served with a doughnut and pickle. The journey continues to New Hampshire’s White Mountains, where you will enter Franconia Notch State Park and head for a ride up the aerial tramway with panoramic views.
The day concludes in North Conway after a trip through the rich scarlets and burnt oranges of the famous Kancamagus Scenic Byway. Enjoy dinner with wine before you head for bed in your comfortable room at the White Mountain Hotel and Resort. With unparalleled views of the mountains and cliffs, there’s all the modern amenities travellers could want- from a modern fitness centre, spa and gift shop to complimentary Wi-Fi and an outdoor pool, complete with poolside dining and an expansive sundeck. Sample award-winning dining and enjoy a peaceful night’s sleep in your plush room, which features traditional décor with modern facilities, such as Keurig coffee maker and flat screen HDTV with cable channels.
Next, it’s another relaxing morning start before a fact-filled presentation by a North Woods naturalist about wildlife and ecology. Then travel through more fabulous fall foliage at Crawford Notch. Stop and take pictures at Silver Cascade Waterfall and Bretton Woods, with views of Mount Washington, the tallest peak in the northeast, an enormous 1,917 metres tall. The evening is yours to relax or explore back at the White Mountain Hotel and Resort.
Before leaving New Hampshire’s gleaming fall foliage, enjoy another relaxing start to the day and then enter the deep greens of the pine forests in western Maine. In Kennebunkport, you’ll travel along Ocean Drive with sweeping views of the Maine coastline and the homes of the rich and famous, including the summer retreat of former President George H.W. Bush. Browse the many art galleries and local shops or even walk along the tranquil waterfront. The journey continues to Portland, where it’s time to enjoy a Celebration Dinner with the other guests. The Westin Portland Harbourview is in a prime location in the heart of the cultural Arts District in downtown Portland. Discover the plethora of attractions on the hotel’s doorstep or indulge on views of Portland and Casco Bay from the rooftop lounge. Rooms are bright and breezy, with subtle colour schemes allowing your mind to relax and revitalise. In-room amenities include a TV with cable channels and ESPN, HBO and CNN, a mini-refrigerator, hair dryer and coffee maker and tea service, as well as complimentary bottled water and ironing facilities.
The final day will be spent travelling back to the magical Nubble Lighthouse before returning to Boston. The coach will stop at Boston Logan International Airport and the Boston tour hotel for any guests wishing to extend their stay.
Overall, this superb multicentre escorted tour makes the perfect way to experience New England’s natural beauty in a relaxing, stress-free way with luxurious hotels and a helpful Tour Director on hand at all times. Experience everything from lager tasting to picturesque scenery on your journey, as well as having the opportunity for plenty of relaxation by the hotel pools or at one of the modern spas. This really is the ultimate way to have a seamless, unforgettable holiday without the stress of organising transfers or reservations.
Call one of our travel experts to book this fantastic multicentre offer today!
