June 25-30 (Saturday-Thursday)

Adirondack Rails, Sails & Lighthouses

Upstate New York

Day 1: Welcome Aboard!  Travel in comfort aboard our deluxe motor coach through the scenic landscape of upstate New York to Rome, New York.  Upon arriving we will check into our accommodations at the Inn at the Beeches.  The country décor of the Inn at the Beeches offers a quiet and comfortable atmosphere that will assure you a pleasant and restful night.  Tonight enjoy a delicious dinner and entertainment at the Inn.  (D)  

Day 2: After breakfast we depart for Old Forge, New York.  Upon our arrival we will meet our step-on guide, and depart for a narrated driving tour of the Fulton Chain region, the site of the first settlements in the Adirondacks.  A delicious lunch is included at the historic Van Auken’s Inne, following our tour.  Next we will board the Adirondack Scenic Railroad for an exciting excursion through the wilderness.  After our railway excursion we will enjoy a boat ride on the Fulton Chain of Lakes.  Finally, before checking into our accommodations at the North Woods Inn and Resort, for the night, we conclude our day with an Adirondack BBQ and campfire at the resort.  The North Woods Inn and Resort is located on the water in the north country.  (B, L, D)                          

Day 3: After breakfast we depart for Great Camp Sagamore.  Upon our arrival we meet our guide, and depart for a tour of Great Camp Sagamore, the Alfred Vanderbilt estate and the only Great Camp which is open to the public.  A popular film location, Great Camp Sagamore was the setting for the film “The Good Shepherd,” starring Angelina Jolie, Matt Damon and Robert DeNiro.  Following our tour, sit back, relax and enjoy a delicious luncheon cruise on Raquette Lake.  The cruise which includes a narrated history of the lake, takes you past the Great Camps owned by the rich and famous of the Gilded Age in America, including the Carnegie family.  Later we continue on to Lake George, New York where we meet our step-on guide, and depart for a narrated driving tour of Lake George.  Included on our tour is a visit to Prospect Mountain for a spectacular view of the Adirondack Mountains.  Before checking into the Surfside On The Lake, for the night, enjoy a 1 hour scenic cruise on Lake George.  Tonight enjoy a delicious dinner at the hotel’s restaurant overlooking the lake.  (B, L, D)   Day 4: After breakfast you may choose to enjoy our hotel’s amenities including an outdoor pool or some leisure time to stroll along the waterfront and explore the quaint Village of Lake George.  Later we depart for  Saratoga Springs, New York to board Amtrak for our ride north to Plattsburgh, New York.  An on board guide will provide historical and entertaining narration as we make our way north to Plattsburgh.  The rail journey along Lake Champlain has been dubbed “one of the 10 most scenic rail journeys in the world.”  Upon our arrival in Plattsburgh we will meet our step-on guide, and depart for a narrated driving tour of the Plattsburgh area and the Lake Champlain region.  Included on our tour is a visit to the former Plattsburgh Air Force Base, home to 26 buildings that are listed on the National Historic Registry.  We will also visit the Champlain Valley Transportation Museum which covers all forms of transportation in the area, including barges and steam ferries on Lake Champlain and more.  Today we will also listen to the local authority on Lake Champlain lighthouses.  After checking into our hotel for the next two nights, we conclude our day with a delicious dinner at a popular local restaurant.  (B, D)         

Day 5: After breakfast we meet our step-on guide, and depart for another day of sightseeing.  We begin at the Champlain Hotel, a Victorian luxury resort and President McKinley’s summer White House for two years.  Situated on a bluff overlooking Lake Champlain and Valcour Island, the veranda commands one of the best views of the lake.  The hotel is now the Clinton County Community College.  Our guide will offer a fascinating lecture on Plattsburgh’s role in the Revolutionary War with the Battle of Valcour Island and its hero Benedict Arnold.  After our lecture we continue south towards the Crown Point Lighthouse and Bridge.  There are 10 lighthouses located on Lake Champlain, but only 2 are open to the public.  We will view the Bluff Point Lighthouse, located on an island ½ mile offshore.  We continue south to Crown Point Lighthouse where we will enjoy a picnic lunch and lighthouse commentary by a local historian.  Following lunch, we cross the Crown Point Bridge to Shelburne, Vermont, to visit the Shelburne Museum.  Highlights of our visit should include; The Lighthouse, from Colchester Reef on nearby Lake Champlain, served as home and workplace for 11 successive lighthouse keepers and their families and the 220-foot steamboat Ticonderoga, a National Historic Landmark.  Before we ferry back to our Plattsburgh hotel, we conclude our day with a dinner cruise on Lake Champlain.  (B, L, D)  

Day 6: After breakfast we depart for home with fond memories of upstate New York’s spectacular mountain scenery and lakes, and of our delightful train rides, boat rides and lighthouses adventures!  (B)

Included:

?  Basic amenites

?  5 nights hotel accommodations

?  5 breakfasts

?  3 lunches

?  5 dinners

?  1 evening of live entertainment

?  Guided Tours, including:

          - Fulton Chain Region

          - Great Camp Sagamore

          - Lake George, NY

          - Plattsburgh, NY

          - Lake Champlain Region     

?  2 Train Rides

?  5 Boat Rides

?  2 Lighthouses

?  Prospect Mountain

?  Former Plattsburgh Air Force Base

?  Champlain Valley Transportation Museum

?  Visit Champlain Hotel

?  Shelburne Museum

?  Attractions and admissions per itinerary

Price:

$999.00 Double/PP       $919.00 Triple/PP

$1,229.00 Single

Deposit:  $125.00/PP

Balance Due:  May 12, 2011 

                             Depart                 Return

Gunther                 6:00 AM                6:45 PM

Carney                  6:45 AM                6:00 PM