Dinner

Arrive in Boston, Massachusetts, and check in to your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to relax or begin acquainting yourself with Boston. At an included dinner this evening, get to know your fellow travelers.

Breakfast

A local guide leads this morning’s sightseeing tour of Boston, one of the first British settlements in America and one of the principal fronts in the Revolutionary War. Your tour begins on the Freedom Trail, where you’ll sweep through two and a half centuries of American history as you follow the red line that connects the 16 most important historic sites in Boston. Highlights include Old North Church, Old South Meeting House, Paul Revere’s House, Faneuil Hall, the site of the Boston Massacre, Old State House, King’s Chapel, Granary Burial Ground, Park Street Church, Massachusetts State House and the colorful foliage of the Boston Common. Your tour concludes at Harvard Square, where you’ll enjoy free time to explore the university’s campus and browse the surrounding shops. This afternoon, continue exploring the city on your own or opt to enjoy a festive seafood lunch, followed by a bird’s-eye view of the city from the Prudential Skywalk. Tonight, join your group on the Esplanade, Boston’s promenade on the Charles River, to watch Boston’s Independence Day fireworks display.

Optional Excursions

Prudential Skywalk & Lunch $49* pp

Taste the fruits of the Atlantic at a seafood lunch, then continue on to New England's highest public observation deck, the Prudential Skywalk Observatory. HIgh above Boston, you'll take in a 360-degree bird’s-eye view and an audio tour of the city’s landmarks, including Fenway Park, Hancock Tower, Boston Common and the Public Garden, the Esplanade, Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market, as well as MIT and Harvard across the Charles River. You’ll also have a chance to visit the Dreams of Freedom Immigration Museum. Please note: This excursion requires advanced booking and payment at least 20 days prior to departure.

Breakfast

The House of Seven Gables

Ever wonder where the British fired “the shot heard ‘round the world”? As you leave Boston for Lexington and Concord, you’ll tread the same ground where the first shots were fired, and where the Revolutionary War officially began. Here, a local guide helps you discover how the Minutemen forced the British to retreat back over the Old North Bridge, starting what would come to be known as the Siege of Boston. Later this afternoon, venture to the leafy streets of Salem, “America’s Bewitching Seaport,” known far and wide for its infamous witch trials. You’ll also see Salem’s post-witch-trial growth as a place where local sea captains became America’s first millionaires. As you visit the wellknown House of Seven Gables, made famous by Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel of the same name, you’ll step into the life of one such millionaire family—and even discover a secret staircase!. Formally called the Turner-Ingersoll Mansion after its original owners, the house is the oldest surviving 17th-century wooden mansion in New England, and is flanked by Hawthorne’s birthplace and two enchanting Colonial Revival gardens. Get a taste for Salem’s more supernatural side on tonight’s optional Haunted Footsteps tour.

Breakfast

This morning, leave Massachusetts behind as you travel north to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, one of New England’s most beautiful cities. Spend some time exploring this picturesque seaport at leisure. Next, catch a peek of one of Maine’s best-known resort towns, Kennebunkport, a perfect spot to kick back and relax. Thanks to its charming shops and cafes, its lovely beaches and its tree lined coves, an afternoon here is always an afternoon well-spent. Later, transfer to Portland, Maine.

Breakfast, Dinner

After this morning’s sightseeing of Portland, spend time browsing the handicrafts and treasures found in Old Port, also known as downtown Portland. Enjoy a wealth of independent bookshops, from the classics at Longfellow Books to the more offbeat selection at Casco Bay Booksellers. The city boasts many delicious lunch offerings, including Gritty McDuff’s brewery. Later, travel to one of Maine’s coastal gems, Boothbay Harbor. Jutting out into the Atlantic on a peninsula, Boothbay began as a fishing village and became a favorite vacation spot for locals and out-of-towners alike. Explore Boothbay’s many shops and galleries and its unparalleled views on your own, or opt to join an excursion to the Boothbay Railway Village. Return to Portland in time for tonight’s included lobster dinner.

Breakfast

Today, transfer back to Boston. Spend an afternoon in New England’s unofficial capital at your leisure. You might try walking through the broad expanse of Boston Common or tossing pretzels to the swans in the Public Gardens. For a delicious snack or souvenir shopping, venture to one of the many cafes or shops on Boylston and Newbury Streets. Tonight, share a farewell drink with your travel companions.

Breakfast (excluding early morning departures)

Begin your return journey home, or stay for two extra nights in beautiful Cape Cod.