Colonial America Fly Drive
Washington • Gettysburg • Colonial Williamsburg • Baltimore • Philadelphia
Washington • Gettysburg • Colonial Williamsburg • Baltimore • Philadelphia
This Drive America holiday allows you to visit some great cities, see amazing physical features and with stops in places of historical importance it is ideal for those who are interested in the formation of the USA.
You will begin your vacation in Washington, D.C. where you can check out the President’s digs at The White House, visit the Smithsonian Institution and its huge array of museums and displays, grab dinner and a drink in bustling Georgetown and learn all about the history of journalism at the vast Newseum.On this holiday you can also visit the Civil War site of Gettysburg, where Lincoln gave his famous Address, hike the rolling green hills of Shenandoah National Park, gaze at the Blue Ridge Mountains on the Skyline Drive and see time reversed and glimpse what life was like in the past at Williamsburg. Along the way you can also relax on the sands of Virginia Beach (the world’s longest pleasure beach) and explore Baltimore’s revamped Inner Harbor while in Philadelphia you can see the impressive collection at the Museum of Art and visit a museum with a difference at the Eastern State Penitentiary.
Arrive in Washington, D.C. and pick up your rental car at the airport, then proceed to the hotel.
A full day to explore Washington D.C. Start your day by strolling along the Mall, here you will find some of the most important monuments and have the opportunity to lose yourself in some of the world’s most inspired museums. After lunch why not journey across the Potomac to nearby Alexandria or perhaps you would prefer to rent a bicycle and continue your exploration of the city. This evening we suggest a visit to the lively Georgetown area of the city where some of the best chefs vie for your attention.
Leave the seat of government behind today as you travel to the fascinating Civil War Battlegrounds of Gettysburg. There are many excellent self guided interpretative trails you can follow that will give you an understanding for this formative period in US history.
Today there is time for further exploration of Gettysburg before you head West to visit spectacular Luray Caverns, one of the most beautiful caves in the world. Then enter Shenandoah National Park, a haven for plants, wildlife, and people alike.
Drive south and enjoy the natural wonders along each mile of Skyline Drive, one of America’s most scenic routes. You can see the peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains which have a distinctly bluish cast, especially in summer. Then continue to Charlottesville and visit Monticello, the home Thomas Jefferson designed and built on a glorious mountaintop. Continue to Richmond, Virginia’s capital, rising high above the sparkling James River, before traveling along the scenic road by the James River Plantations to Williamsburg, where restoration and preservation have turned back the clock 200 years.
Visit Colonial Williamsburg, then see the earliest permanent English settlement in North America at Jamestown. Continue to the Yorktown battlefield, where Washington’s decisive victory over General Cornwall’s forces turned the colonists’ dream of a new nation into reality. Continue through Norfolk, Virginia’s premier port city, to Virginia Beach, with its 30 miles of sandy seashore and a 2-mile-long boardwalk. Time to relax this evening and dip your toes in the ocean.
Today spend your time in the city that is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as having the longest pleasure beach in the world. To continue with this record breaking tradition, the city itself is located at the southern end of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, the longest bridge-tunnel complex in the world.
Drive north across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel to the tranquil Eastern Shore. Cross into Maryland and continue on to Annapolis, home to the U.S. Naval Academy. See the State House and visit the Academy before continuing to Baltimore, the last station of the tour. Stroll along the magnificently rebuilt Inner Harbor and enjoy a typical dish of the region in one of the many restaurants this last evening of your journey
This morning you are bound for the city of Brotherly Love - Philadelphia. This Historic city is home to both Independence hall and the Liberty Bell. Philadelphia also boasts a world class Art Museum as well as superb shopping and dining.
Drive back to Washington, D.C. and return your car at the airport before your departure flight.