Sit back and be escorted all the way! Starting in Philadelphia and ending in Washington, DC, this is a guided historic journey through Pennsylvania and Virginia. This escorted tour includes:
2024 Departure Dates
April 26th; May 6th, 17th & 27th; June 7th; September 9th, 20th, 27th & 30th; October 11th & 18th
Pricing Information
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Depart the UK on your chosen scheduled flight to Philadelphia. Upon arrival, a transfer to your hotel, the Sofitel at Rittenhouse Square, is included. This evening, meet up with your fellow Tauck travellers for a welcome cocktail reception and dinner.
The Museum of the American Revolution, a long-time partner of Ken Burns, opens early this morning exclusively for Tauck! Enjoy a guided visit to its historic artifacts, including George Washington’s original sleeping and office tent from the Revolutionary War, followed by free time to explore. A guided sightseeing tour takes you through the historic district, lined with cobbled streets and 18th-century townhouses. Visit Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were debated and signed, and view the iconic Liberty Bell. The remainder of the afternoon and evening are free to spend as you please.
Travel through rolling Pennsylvania farmland to Lancaster County for a guided tour that reveals the cultural traditions of the Amish, steeped in centuries past, and lunch. Continue on to Gettysburg National Military Park for a visit to the amazing interpretive center. The center includes a film, A New Birth of Freedom, narrated by Morgan Freeman; the massive Cyclorama painting, which literally surrounds visitors with a magnificent visual of the fury of Pickett’s Charge and brings vividly to life the sights and sounds of the battles that raged here on July 1-3, 1863; and the Gettysburg Museum of the American Civil War, featuring 12 exhibit galleries that contain artifacts and interactive displays.
A drive with a Gettysburg expert explores its historic battlefields – now eerily peaceful – taking in pivotal sites and hearing stories such as the defense of Little Round Top, the “Killer Angels,” and Pickett’s Charge. More than 50,000 men on both sides were killed, wounded, or missing at Gettysburg; about 6,000 lie in the national cemetery here, dedicated by Lincoln with his famous address later that year. Continue to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, a village brought to life via a Ken Burns filmed vignette that enhances your visit to this National Historical Park, the site of John Brown’s failed 1859 raid on the town’s federal arsenal. The Civil War was fought in more than 10,000 places, the majority of them in the South; homes became headquarters and hospitals as foraging armies swept across American towns like those you’ll pass through this afternoon en route to Charlottesville, Virginia.
Omni Hotel, Charlottesville (Breakfast, lunch and dinner included)Enjoy a guided visit to Monticello, the beloved hilltop home of author, statesman, scientist and US President Thomas Jefferson. He designed his house using the principles of Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio and continued tinkering with Monticello throughout his lifetime. Tour the house and grounds. Enjoy a lunch of colonial fare at the historic Michie Tavern, featuring servers in 18th-century period attire. Throughout the day you will have observed that the realities of life did not always fit comfortably with the principles of equality and liberty that Jefferson espoused as a founding father. Learn more during a Tauck Exclusive private presentation by Dr. Leni Sorensen, scholar, living history interpreter, and African American Research Historian for the Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello. Your evening is free to do as you wish.
Omni Hotel, Charlottesville (Breakfast and lunch included)Depart Charlottesville for Richmond, Virginia’s state capital and once capital of the Confederate States of America, for a private guided tour of the Virginia State Capitol building, co-designed by Thomas Jefferson; a sightseeing drive through the city; and lunch at a local restaurant. Continue on to Colonial Williamsburg, where cobblestone streets and buildings have been restored to the way they looked when the city was Virginia’s Colonial capital. Step back in time to the early days of America during your exploration of Colonial Williamsburg tomorrow.
Williamsburg Lodge (Breakfast, lunch and dinner included)Inhabited by interpreters in 18th-century dress – and living its lifestyle – explore Colonial Williamsburg at your leisure today. Discover life in days gone by as you step back in time to encounter local residents, from artisans and tradespeople to militiamen and ordinary citizens. Visit authentically restored buildings like the Governor’s Palace, Raleigh Tavern, Bruton Parish Church, and Colonial homes and discover a wide array of activities and demonstrations as you please. If you wish, you may visit nearby Historic Jamestown, the site of the first permanent English settlement in the Americas, on your own today.
Williamsburg Lodge (Breakfast included)You’ll travel from Williamsburg this morning to the magnificent Mount Vernon estate of America’s first president, George Washington. Overlooking the Potomac River, the setting couldn’t be more spectacular; explore the state-of-the-art interactive museum, the 18th-century mansion and landscaped grounds. You’ll have a late afternoon arrival in Washington, DC, capital city of the US, for a three-night stay at one of its most historic hotels, The Willard InterContinental Washington D.C.; dine tonight at the hotel.
Today you’ll get perspectives on Washington DC’s 225+ year history, beginning with a sightseeing tour this morning that features views of iconic Washington sights such as the White House, Capitol Hill, the National Mall, the Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial. On a visit to the Lincoln Memorial, you’ll have an opportunity to see the poignant memorials to those who served in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Spend the remainder of the day exploring as you please – and join us tonight for a special sightseeing experience viewing the memorials and monuments of our nation’s capital illuminated at night.
First up today, a Tauck Exclusive – early admission to the Rotunda of the National Archives for a private viewing of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, with welcome comments by a National Archives insider. Then go behind the scenes with an archival researcher to learn how modern archival techniques preserve both great documents and stories of individual Americans. The afternoon is free; you’ll have time at the National Archives to explore as you please, or perhaps visit one of the many museums on the National Mall. Tonight, a memorable week concludes with a farewell reception and dinner.
Time for some last minute shopping before you transfer to the airport for your return flight to the UK.
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| Superior Deluxe | Among the finest the world has to offer, hotels in this category are exclusive, lavish and indulgent. Needless to say, you will enjoy the highest service levels, superb accommodation and outstanding facilities and public areas. |
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| Deluxe | This will be an outstanding hotel, offering many of the features of Superior Deluxe, though on a scale which will be a little less grand. |
| Moderate Deluxe | This will be a Deluxe standard property, although some of the accommodation and public areas may offer a less pronounced degree of luxury. In other instances, the hotel may be a famous name with a well-established reputation. |
| Superior First Class | More often than not, this will be a superior modern hotel or an older property which is exceptionally well maintained. All offer very comfortable and well-furnished accommodation and public areas. |
| First Class | A dependable and comfortable hotel with standardised rooms. These are the ideal choice for travellers who don not require deluxe facilities or special services. |
| Moderate First Class | Essentially a First Class hotel with comfortable but sometimes simple accommodations. Public areas may be limited but generally provides all the essentials a guest requires. |
| Superior Tourist Class | |
| Tourist Class | |
| Dude Ranch | |
| Resort Ranch | |
| Working Ranch |
