New England's Autumn Colours & Niagara Falls

Fly to the French-speaking, cultural hub of Montréal, meet your tour manger and travel to your hotel in the downtown area for the next two nights. You can settle in and relax this evening. 

Today’s excursion takes you to charming Québec City, Canada's only walled settlement. One of North America’s oldest cities, Québec was founded before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, and is the only city north of Mexico whose original fortifications remain intact. The historic district of Québec City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, continues to house religious orders and hospitals that trace their roots back to the 17th century.

Choose to join an optional walking tour with a local guide and explore the narrow, cobbled alleyways of the lower Basse Ville and its upper Haute counterpart. Together these two districts form the endlessly enthralling Vieux-Québec, dominated by the monumental Citadel and the Château Frontenac hotel. Radiating charm from every brick, with countless monuments, churches, and 16th- and 17th-century buildings, and with a host of restaurants offering its distinctive cuisine, Québec City is undoubtedly a highlight.

Later, you’ll return to the hotel to relax.

This morning, you’ll check out of the hotel and make the scenic journey to the Canada/US border. As you traverse the winding roads, you can take in the vivid palette of fall with reds, golds, purples, and browns. Soaring maples, aspens and cedars fringe the route, which travels through villages framed by idyllic backdrops, and past gleaming lakes, reflecting the incredible mountainous scenery. 

On the way, you’ll stop for a break in Magog, a pleasant town set on the northern shores of Lake Memphremagog, surrounded by mountainous scenery and vineyards. Take a walk along it’s pretty main street, Rue Principale, which stretches along the lake and is lined with boutiques, museums, art galleries and restaurants.  

You’ll then cross the border into New Hampshire and conclude in Bethel, a quintessential New England town, known for its natural beauty. 

Get ready for an unforgettable day, showcasing the fall colours at their most spectacular and some of New England’s quaintest towns. You’ll start with a picturesque drive, travelling past Mount Washington, the highest peak in the north-eastern US. A stop will be enjoyed at Flume Gorge, with a chance to take a brief stroll into the gorge at the base of Mount Liberty in Franconia Notch State Park.  

Next, you’ll call at nearby Lincoln, a small town in New Hampshire’s White Mountains, popular with outdoor enthusiasts for its hiking trails. Continuing your trip, you'll traverse the renowned Kancamagus Highway, a scenic byway like no other. This road offers an uninterrupted panorama of the landscape, with no buildings to obstruct your view, and a sea of bright shades. An enjoyable stop awaits as you pause in North Conway, where you can do some shopping at the outlets.  

You’ll then make your way back to Bethel, and with an expert local guide, set off on a moose sighting tour. These majestic creatures often wander around open areas, making it fairly easy to catch sight of one from a safe and comfortable distance.  

After checking out of the hotel, you’ll hit the road again and travel to coastal Portland, located on Maine’s rugged shores of the Atlantic Ocean. This city boasts a unique offering of historic attractions and contemporary culture, as seen through its architecture. You’ll have the chance to explore the waterfront with working fishing wharves and warehouses that have been transformed into restaurants and shops. 

You’ll then make your way to Kennebunkport, an authentic New England fishing village, fronted by long, sandy beaches and old lighthouses. Take advantage of the crab shacks and inviting restaurants and cafés, and sample the fresh, local seafood. You can also take to the pretty streets to pick up a few keepsakes. 

You’ll leave Maine today after breakfast and head into the heart of blue-blooded Boston, New England’s largest city.  

Upon arrival, you can choose to join an optional city tour that covers the major historical landmarks and the role the city played in American history. The Freedom Trail serves as an ideal starting point given that it leads to significant sights like the Massachusetts State House, Paul Revere's House, and the Old North Church. Your guide will also point out some of the most popular museums and galleries, as well as Boston Common, the oldest public park in the United States and the harbour. 

In the afternoon, you’ll be transferred to the next hotel in Revere, located by the Atlantic Ocean. Conveniently, Revere provides easy access to downtown Boston via the nearby subway connection, ensuring that you're within reach in 15 minutes. Revere Beach, the oldest public beach in the United States, is right by the hotel.   

You can join an optional full day tour of Newport, Rhode Island, an upmarket East Coast haven for many of North America’s most affluent families (the Kennedy’s got married here). Home to opulent waterfront summer homes, this premier resort town is associated with famous names such as the Vanderbilts, Carnegies and Rockefellers.  

You’ll visit one of these mansions and explore the Ocean Drive Historic District. During this excursion, Newport harbour, packed with luxury yachts and swanky seafood restaurants, can be also seen, as well as Thames Street, lined with boutiques.  

Alternatively, you can embrace a free day and take advantage of the local rail service from Revere Beach into Boston.  

Check out of your hotel and board the coach for Albany, the capital and oldest city in the state of New York. You’ll first make a stop at Old Sturbridge Village, a living museum, which creates life in rural New England during the 1790s through 1830s. This is the largest living museum in New England, with over 40 historical buildings and costumed historians setting a realistic scene. As you walk, you’ll take in the autumnal atmosphere with harvest festivals, and pumpkin displays backed by orange and red-hued trees.  

Tonight will be spent in Albany.  

Leave Albany and head for Seneca Falls, a hamlet reflecting small town America at its best. Positioned at the northern end of Cayuga Lake in the Fingers Lake, Seneca Falls was the setting for the film It’s a Wonderful Life and played an important role in the women’s suffrage. The National Women’s Hall of Fame can be found here, as well as the Women’s Rights National Historic Park.  

You’ll then continue over the border back to Canada for two nights in Niagara Falls.  

Wake up this morning amidst Niagara Falls’ striking landscapes and prepare for an unforgettable experience of your tour. You’ll have the morning at leisure to enjoy the very best of Niagara Falls’ dramatic natural beauty and its surrounding city streets. For the best views, you can take a ride on the Niagara SkyWheel or enjoy lunch from the vantage point of an overlooking restaurant. Alternatively, you can choose an optional 10-minute helicopter ride above the white-water rapids below – the best way to fully appreciate the majesty of its stunning scenery! 

In the afternoon, there will be an optional drive along the Niagara Parkway to the delightful town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, with its pretty houses and world-famous Shaw Theatre, one of America’s most celebrated playhouses. You can meander around its leafy, flower-lined streets, observing the 19th-century buildings, or take a walk on the Niagara Riverfront. 

Check out of the hotel and depart for metropolitan Toronto, with some free time in Canada’s largest City, built on the banks of Lake Ontario.  

Perhaps see the modern waterfront developments, the sky-piercing CN Tower, and contrasting neighbourhoods like Greektown and Little Italy. Afterwards, indulge in some shopping in the city's malls, and make the most of the cosmopolitan dining options.  

Later, you’ll travel to the airport for your return flight home. 

Arrive back in the UK following your autumnal adventure.