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New England in a Nutshell

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You are viewing the 2025 itinerary. Select your departure year
20252026
6 days From $2,995 $2,795 per person
4.3 stars(92 reviews)
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A brief introduction of autumn in the Northeast, this fall foliage-themed journey is New England in a nutshell, featuring six days to explore the historic and scenic sites of the East by rail, water and sky.

Travel among a group of like-minded travelers led by a professional tour manager
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Mobility Rating 2

2025 Tour code: NEN25

About the tour

Behold the brilliance of nature's seasonal finale in New England this fall. For 6 days, find yourself surrounded by sights of gold, rust and crimson as you travel through leaf-peeping hotspots in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont. Begin with time in Boston, where a guided tour acquaints you with the most historically significant sites of the city, including Quincy Market, which has served Boston since 1826. A deluxe motorcoach takes us out of the city and along one of the most famous fall foliage byways in the United States, the Kancamagus Highway, en route to North Conway, NH. Enjoy the colorful vistas of fall by train, as we ride the Mt. Washington Cog Railway, and from the water aboard the Spirit of Ethan Allen cruise of Lake Champlain. During our time in Vermont, we also visit a cold cider mill and enjoy some time in the town of Stowe, where a gondola ride allows us to take in the beauty of autumn from yet another perspective: above. A ride aboard Amtrak's Vermonter presents even more of the seasonal splendor of the East. As we arrive in Lebanon, enjoy a look at "Vermont's Little Grand Canyon," the Quechee Gorge, before returning to Boston. Using several modes of transportation and visiting some of the most popular destinations in the region, this journey makes it easy to see why New England is a leaf peeper's dream.

Unforgettable Experiences

Mount Washington Cog Railway
Mount Washington Cog Railway
Enjoy nostalgic journeys on the the Mount Washington Cog Railway and marvel at the 360-degree views
America's Top Fall Foliage Drive
America's Top Fall Foliage Drive
Ride along Kancamagus Highway and admire the brilliant fall colors
Cruise Lake Champlain
Cruise Lake Champlain
Enjoy a cruise on Lake Champlain - the combination of blue water and fire-hued leaves is truly breathtaking.
"Vermont's Little Grand Canyon"
"Vermont's Little Grand Canyon"
Visit Quechee Gorge with stunning waterfalls, rugged cliffs and picturesque forest scenery.
Uncover Boston's Historic Sites
Uncover Boston's Historic Sites
Enjoy a city tour through Boston visiting historic sites and important landmarks.

What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 - Boston

Arrive in Boston, and transfer to your hotel. You have some time to begin your explorations of this historic destination before meeting your Tour Manager in the hotel lobby. The remainder of the evening is yours to enjoy Bean Town's impressive culinary scene. Overnight Boston.

Day 2 - Boston City Tour/Kancamagus Highway

Scenic landmarks and sites that formed the United States as we know it lie ahead on this morning's guided tour of Boston. The excursion ends as we arrive at Quincy Market, where you enjoy lunch on your own. This afternoon, we leave the city aboard our deluxe motorcoach and head toward the renowned Kancamagus Highway for some of the most impressive leaf peeping in all the country. Our drive continues along the scenic 34-mile stretch into the heart of the White Mountains. Upon arrival, dinner is served at our hotel. Overnight North Conway, NH.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 3 - Mt. Washington Cog Railway

Following breakfast at the hotel, we take a ride aboard the nation's first mountain-climbing cog railway, the Mt. Washington Cog Railway. Fully restored vintage rail cars take us to the summit of the highest peak in the Northeast, all while traveling at a leisurely pace and offering spectacular scenes of the surrounding White Mountain Range. The journey to the top takes approximately 1 hour, and upon arrival, marvel at the 360-degree views that include up to five states, the Atlantic Ocean and even Southern Canada. Also at the top, peruse the visitors center, which includes a post office and a fascinating museum, and walk along the numerous hiking trails. The descent is just as beautiful, with even more colorful vistas unfolding as we travel to the base of the mountain for lunch at the railway's restaurant. Following our meal, the journey continues toward Burlington, VT, our home for the next two nights. Overnight Burlington. 

Please Note - For departures SEP 23 and SEP 25 we will stay at the Hilton Burlington Lake Champlain Hotel.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch
Day 4 - Stowe/Lake Champlain Cruise

We travel into the lush state forests of Vermont this morning as we travel to Stowe, VT, a charming New England ski town surrounded by towering mountain peaks and stunning fall foliage scenes. Upon arrival in Stowe, we tour Cold Hollow Cider Mill to learn about the production of old-fashioned apple cider and Vermont maple syrup. Of course, there are plenty of samples to give you a taste of tradition - and delectable apple cider doughnuts, too. Lunch with impressive mountain views follows. Our time in Stowe concludes as we take in the autumn brilliance from yet another perspective: above. We ride aboard the Stowe Gondola Skyride to the top of Mt. Mansfield inside a glass-enclosed pod.

Returning to Burlington, our next adventure is found on the shores of Lake Champlain, as we board the Spirit of Ethan Allen for a cruise of the calm waters. The combination of blue water and fire-hued leaves is truly breathtaking. As we dock back in Burlington, we return to our hotel with the evening at leisure. Overnight Burlington.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch
Day 5 - Amtrak’s Vermonter / Quechee Gorge

All aboard Amtrak's Vermonter today for a scenic ride from Burlington, VT, to Lebanon, NH. Upon arrival in Lebanon, we transfer to the amazing Quechee Gorge just across the White River. Known as "Vermont's Little Grand Canyon," the gorge offers stunning waterfalls, rugged cliffs and picturesque forest scenery. Enjoy all these sights from 168 feet above the Ottaquechee River on the gorge's passenger bridge and from the surrounding trails during our time here. We continue to Woodstock, where you have time to explore the local shops and eateries and have lunch on your own. As we arrive back in Boston later today, your evening is at leisure. Overnight Boston.

Includes
  • Breakfast
Day 6 - Tour Conclusion

Your New England expedition comes to a close this morning. Transfer to Boston Logan International Airport on own at your leisure.

Includes
  • Breakfast

Additional information

Departure times

Departure times vary based on selected rail vacation. This information will be provided in your final documents. For more information please speak with your rail specialist.

Mobility information

Due to the nature of our tours they are generally unsuitable for those with restricted mobility. If you’d like to discuss any particular vacation with us in this respect, then please don’t hesitate to call us.

Hotels

Revere Hotel

Revere Hotel, Boston

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Hilton Garden Inn Burlington Downtown

Hilton Garden Inn Burlington Downtown

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North Conway Grand Hotel, North Conway

North Conway Grand Hotel, North Conway

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Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor, Boston

Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor, Boston

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Trains

Amtrak's Vermonter
The Mount Washington Cog Railway

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Reviews

4.3 stars4.3 / 5 · 92 reviews

  1. 5 stars
    (48)
  2. 4 stars
    (29)
  3. 3 stars
    (10)
  4. 2 stars
    (5)
  5. 1 star
    (0)

David

5 stars

Submitted 18 Oct 2024

The tour guide (Tara) was excellent. Took a real interest in all the quests and kept us informed all along the way about history of the areas and what to expect at each stop. Also made good adjustments when weather didn't cooperate. Was very helpful when we had issues with our luggage. We could have used more time at the Quechee Gorge to hike down to the bottom of the gorge. We were disappointed on our first stop in Boston at the U.S.S. Constitution. It was closed.

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Lyn Countryman

5 stars

Submitted 14 Oct 2024

This trip was beautiful with leaves, the tour manager takes care of everything. The highlights for our trip was the COG Railway up to Mt. Washington, the gondola ride was glorious, and we enjoyed the boat ride on Lake Champlain. This is a trip to remember, from the tour members, the coach ride and the wonderful scenery. It was difficult to pick just three pictures from this scenic trip.

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Wanda

5 stars

Submitted 14 Oct 2024

Wonderful first time with our tour guide, Tara Smith.

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shawna

5 stars

Submitted 14 Oct 2024

Amazing. Our first time trying a tour and won't be the last. Our tour guide, Tara, was organized and very knowledgeable.

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Linda Knight

5 stars

Submitted 14 Oct 2024

Awesome trip!

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Victoria Burtchell

5 stars

Submitted 14 Oct 2024

Enjoyed New England in a Nutshell so much. Every moment was filled with beauty and history. Our tour manager took care of all the details so we could sit back and enjoy.

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