America’s Historic East

Day 1: UK/Atlanta
Your American adventure begins with a flight to Atlanta, Georgia, where you’ll stay for the next two nights.

Day 2: Atlanta
The city of Atlanta began life as a sleepy railroad terminus in 1837, and rapidly became a sophisticated city before its destruction in the Civil War, as any fans of the novel and film Gone with the Wind will recall. However, like Scarlett O’Hara, Atlanta was a city that refused to be kept down, rising again to become one of America’s finest cities.

You’ll join your Tour Manager for a sightseeing tour of Atlanta this morning, where you’ll see Peachtree Street – the heart of the city, and the gold-domed Georgia State Capitol. A highlight of the tour has to be a visit to the museum and grave site of Dr Martin Luther King, the civil rights leader who was born in the city. During the afternoon, you are at leisure to make your own discoveries, or why not join our optional excursion to Stone Mountain to see the Confederate Memorial Carving, which depicts three Confederate leaders of the Civil War.

Day 3: Savannah
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast this morning before journeying through the scenic Georgia countryside to the Atlantic Coast and the historic city of Savannah, where you’ll stay for the next two nights.

Day 4: Savannah
Elegant and gracious, Savannah is the epitome of Southern living and boasts a fine collection of glorious antebellum mansions. An excellent way to explore Savannah’s historic streets is on an optional horse and carriage ride through its beautiful parks, squares and old town.

Day 5: Charleston
Depart Savannah for your journey to Charleston with a visit to the beautiful Magnolia Plantation en route. Founded by Thomas Drayton in 1679, the plantation’s gardens were first opened to the public in 1870, quickly coming to prominence as some of the finest gardens in the south, if not the whole of the States. Peaceful and charming, the gardens are a delight to explore and the historic plantation house at their heart is still the Drayton family home.

Day 6: Charleston
Proud and aristocratic, Charleston is built around a fine natural harbour. Admire its original Georgian homes with their exquisite gardens viewed through wrought iron gateways. This is a city that exudes a charm that contrasts with its turbulent Civil War history. Meander through the narrow cobbled streets, perhaps stopping at one of the friendly pavement cafes or bistros for a drink, and take our included tour of the old town, where sights include the waterfront, the old slave market and the exchange building.

This afternoon, join your Tour Manager for an optional harbour cruise to another of South Carolina’s historic sites – Fort Sumter, where the first shots of the American Civil War were fired.

Day 7: Wilmington
Journey into North Carolina today, and Wilmington. Set on the banks of the Cape Fear River, this charming city is one of the USA ’s oldest seaports. You can’t help but admire the battleship North Carolina, which resides across the river from downtown Wilmington. When commissioned in 1941, this ship was considered to be the greatest fighting vessel the United States had ever produced, proving her worth in the Pacific during the Second World War. The included tour of Wilmington will introduce you to its highlights before you head to nearby Leland for an overnight stay.

Day 8: Richmond
You’ll continue your journey northwards to the state of Virginia today, stopping in Richmond, where you’ll stay for the next two nights. To help you get your bearings, a short orientation tour of the city is included on arrival.

Day 9: Jamestown & Williamsburg
Today, you’ll experience the beginnings of modern America, as you visit historic Jamestown, where the first British settlement was established in 1607 when 105 Englishmen were brought to the New World aboard the ships Susan Constant, Discovery and Godspeed. It’s then on to Colonial Williamsburg, which became the capital of Virginia. Faithfully restored to its original 18th century state, it’s like stepping back in time as you wander the streets. There are no motorised vehicles here, only horse-drawn carriages, and the local craftsmen and traders ply their trade whilst wearing authentic period costumes.

Day 10: Washington DC
Leaving Richmond behind, today you’ll visit Monticello, the magnificent home of Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence and the third President of the United States. The grand house is impressive from the outside, but its interior is full of quirky additions and inventions, including a dual pen, that automatically copied letters!

Leaving Monticello, you’ll drive into the breathtaking Blue Ridge Mountains, travelling along Skyline Drive, which runs along the crest of the mountain range. The scenery changes to gentle, rolling countryside as you enter the Shenandoah National Park, which began life as an experiment to stop land erosion and today is thickly wooded with oak, hickory, pine and locust trees. You’ll stay for the next two nights in Alexandria, close to Washington DC.

Day 11: Washington DC
The capital of the United States of America, Washington DC radiates outwards from the stately Capitol Building. Your morning sightseeing tour will introduce you to the great national shrines of American government, including the Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial and the Washington Memorial, which stretch along the Mall to the Arlington Cemetery and the Pentagon. Of course, no visit to Washington DC would be complete without seeing the impressive White House, home of the nation’s President, and other buildings of note, which include the Supreme Court, the Smithsonian Institute and the US Treasury. Your afternoon is then free.

Day 12: Lancaster
drive from the heart of American government lies Lancaster County, home to America’s oldest Amish settlement, where thousands of people live a centuries-old ‘Plain’ lifestyle. Step into a slower, more peaceful pace of life, where the horse and buggy remains the primary form of transportation and windmills are used to harness the power of nature. A tour of the Dutch Country is included this morning, giving you an insight into this traditional way of life, and you could also take a trip in an Amish buggy before continuing on your journey to Philadelphia, where you stay overnight.

Day 13: Philadelphia/UK
A liberal melting pot of people and cultures, Philadelphia was the USA’s original capital city, and is where the Declaration of Independence was written, signed and introduced to the public in 1776. Your tour of the city includes the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and the Franklin Institute. You’ll also have some free time in the city before heading to the airport for your return flight to the UK.

Day 14: UK
Arrive in the UK.

Please note
To maximise your enjoyment of this holiday a certain amount of walking is essential.

Accommodation throughout is in hotels of a comfortable standard, typical of the hotels you will stay in are:

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Atlanta Downtown in Atlanta
Inn at Ellis Square or Comfort Suites Historic District in Savannah
Holiday Inn Riverview in Charleston
Best Western Plus Westgate Inn and Suites in Leland
Crowne Plaza Richmond DT in Richmond
Holiday Inn Alexandria SW near to Washington DC
Holiday Inn Historic or the Holiday Inn Stadium in Philadelphia
All guest rooms feature en suite facilities, TV and telephone. Most hotels have a bar and restaurant.

Hotels will be confirmed in your final documentation.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Included excursions and visits

Atlanta tour (half day)
Charleston tour (half day)
Charleston Magnolia Plantation
Wilmington tour (half day)
Richmond Tour
Jamestown & Williamsburg
Monticello
Washington DC tour (half day)
Dutch Country tour
Philadelphia tour (half day)

Optional excursions

Stone Mountain
Savannah Horse & Carriage Ride
Charleston harbour cruise
Washington by night tour

Your holiday includes

Scheduled flights
Overseas transfers and other transportation
12 nights’ accommodation with breakfast
The services of a Travelsphere Tour Manager and Local Guide
Hotel porterage (one bag per person)
All airport taxes and security charges
UK Airline Passenger Duty
All state and local taxes

With 50 years’ experience in arranging escorted tours to exciting destinations across the globe, Travelsphere have built an excellent reputation founded on quality and value.

By choosing a Travelsphere escorted holiday you can travel with confidence, knowing that every aspect of your holiday has been carefully planned and arranged from start to finish. Further to this they are ATOL bonded and members of ABTA.

Travelsphere’s thorough planning of travel arrangements, itineraries and accommodation combined with the unique insight of their knowledgeable Tour Managers and Local Guides will enable you to experience the culture, traditions and hidden away places less accessible to other travellers.

Our Opinion
“Travelsphere are one of the biggest names in the Escorted Tour market. Finely tuned over the last 50 years their tours have been tried, tested and refined by thousands of customers.”