Fall Colors, Scenic Trains & Martha's Vineyard

Arrive in Boston today, check in to your hotel and take the remainder of the day to explore the city on your own. You may wish to take an Old Town Trolley tour to get acquainted with the city and see its most impressive sights. Meet your tour manager at the hotel for a brief meeting before heading out to dinner at your choice of local restaurants. Overnight Boston, MA.

This morning, learn about Boston's rich history on a guided city tour, including the Freedom Trail. Your sightseeing ends at Quincy Market, where there is time for lunch on your own. This afternoon, board your motorcoach for the journey north to Portland, Maine. This evening is at leisure to explore the Portland Wharf district. Overnight Portland, ME. (B)

Embark on a sightseeing excursion to admire the scenic beauty of Maine's coast in the autumn this morning. Quaint seaside villages dot the coastline as we make our way from Portland to Bath, Maine, and add to the charm of the journey. Our sightseeing begins at the Maine Maritime Museum, located on the original site where large four-, five- and six-mast wooden ships were built, including the world's largest wooden ship, the Wyoming. The museum features over 21,000 artifacts and crafts to explore during our visit. A real gem of the Maritime Museum is the Lobstering and the Maine Coast exhibit. We learn lobster biology and ecology, discover different types of boats and engines, and marvel over modern trapping and processing methodology.

From the museum, we step aboard a river cruiser for an up-close look at the Kennebec River and the sites along it. The first landmark we pass is the Bath Iron Works, a place where impressive vessels have been built for more than 400 years and where modern Navy ships are still built today. A retired Bath Iron Works employee joins us on board to discuss his experience as a ship builder. As we continue down the Kennebec, we pass the 1898 Doubling Point Lighthouse and the Kennebec River Range Light Station before returning to the museum. Enjoy lunch and shopping on your own and take the time to explore some of the beautifully restored 19th-century homes of Bath before we return to Portland. The afternoon is yours to enjoy in the Old Wharf District. This evening is highlighted by a lobster dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight Portland, ME. (B, D)

Today, we drive to North Conway, where we board the Conway Scenic Railroad for a breathtaking journey through New Hampshire's fall foliage. Keep an eye out for spectacular views of Crawford Notch and Mount Washington. There is also time to explore the train depot, now a National Historic Landmark, museum, and roundhouse. Later, board the motorcoach for the scenic drive to Franconia Notch State Park, located in the heart of the White Mountains via the Kancamagus Scenic Byway, known as one of the best fall foliage viewing areas in America. Overnight Plymouth, NH. (B)

We travel to Weirs Beach to board the MS Mount Washington for a cruise on Lake Winnipesaukee. Step off the vessel and into the charming village of Wolfeboro, NH, for lunch on your own and to browse the quaint shops. The remainder of the day is at your leisure. Overnight Plymouth, NH. (B)

Today we drive through New England’s idyllic fall foliage scenery to Sturbridge, Massachusetts. This evening, we enjoy a traditional New England dinner. Overnight Sturbridge, MA. (B, D)

Step back in time this morning with a trip to Old Sturbridge Village. With heritage gardens, farms, and even breeds of pigs, sheep, and cows onsite, this attraction provides an in-depth look at rural life in the 1800s. You have a chance to walk through the historic buildings in the village, as well as to see the beautifully restored main house. During your time at Old Sturbridge, you see more than 50,000 period artifacts that were made or used by New Englanders, and the onsite demonstrations, presentations, and employees in full colonial dress make for a fully immersive experience. 

We enjoy lunch at Old Sturbridge Village before traveling by motorcoach to the Essex Train Station, a historic building that dates back to 1892. Here, our steam train awaits, and we set off through the scenic Connecticut River Valley for a 12-mile journey. The route is fully narrated and provides a majestic look at the changing trees. The train takes us to Deep River Landing, where we set off on the next phase of our adventure aboard the Becky Thatcher Riverboat. Over the course of the next 1 1/4 hours, the Connecticut River’s most beautiful features are on display. Overnight Mystic, CT. (B, L)

Our day begins with a visit to Mystic Seaport, a maritime museum founded in 1929 featuring tall ships, a recreation of a 19th-century coastal village, and a preservation shipyard. Continue to Hyannis, where we embark on an evening rail excursion through cranberry bogs and lush marshes aboard the Cape Cod Central Railroad's Dinner Train. Enjoy your meal as the train crosses the famous Cape Cod Canal railroad bridge into the historic village of Buzzard's Bay. Overnight Hyannis, MA. (B, D)

Today's excursion takes us aboard the M/V Island Home, your passenger and vehicle ferry which crosses from the mainland of Cape Cod to the island retreat community of Martha's Vineyard. Once on the island, we enjoy tales of its fishing and whaling past, shopping and eating opportunities in the charming town of Edgartown and a visit to the colorful Victorian gingerbread cottages of Oak Bluffs. Later, we return by ferry to Woods Hole, Massachusetts, and on to Hyannis. Overnight Hyannis, MA. (B)

Your fall foliage tour concludes this morning when you transfer to Boston's South Station or Logan Airport for your travel home. Transfers will accommodate trains and planes departing after 1:00 p.m. (B)