History abounds in New Englandand all the way down the Atlanticcoast. The Pilgrims landed in Plymouth,and in nearby Concord the “shot heard’round the world” started the AmericanRevolution. Boston abounds with colo-nial connections, and Mystic Seaport inConnecticut celebrates America’s sea-faring traditions.

Summer and winter, visitors come toNew England to enjoy the great out-doors, whether it’s to hike or ski in Ver-mont’s Green Mountains or enjoy an evening concert on the village green. In

fall, sightseers flock to New Englandand all the Northeast for “leaf peeping.”The vibrant reds, oranges and golds ofautumn are spectacular, but don’t stopthere. Discover the dazzling white ofsnow-covered mountains or cotton-candy pink of apple orchards in thespring.

The Northeast, moreover, overflowswith culinary delights, from Maine lob-ster and blueberries to Vermont maplesyrup, Cape Cod cranberries, Philadel-phia cheesesteaks and Maryland crabcakes. Many itineraries focus exclusivelyon food and wine.

The Mid-Atlantic is among the mostethnically diverse areas in the world.From colonial times onward, it hasbeen home to a kaleidoscope of peo-ple, and many neighborhoods are stillsteeped in their Old World ethnicity.Visitors appreciate the area’s authenticcuisine and are fascinated by heritagefestivals and traditional ceremonies.

Travelers can tour the homes and vil-lages of famous Americans to learnmore of their lives and contributions tothe world. American icons like Ben-jamin Franklin, Edgar Allen Poe andBabe Ruth all left their marks.

The Mid-Atlantic’s metropolitanareas include some of the largest citiesin the country and sizzle with first-ratenightlife and entertainment. Notablemuseums offer outstanding collec-tions of art and antiquities. Majestictheaters present world-class produc-tions. Visitors to the region also findmaritime villages, towns stepped inhistory and paved with cobblestones,and some of the country’s most glori-ous public gardens.

Each season highlights a differenthue of Northeastern charm. Whetheryou’re leaf-peeping in New England,blasting through the United States’ mosthistorical hotspots or catching up onthe New York City arts scene, new sea-sons usher in new reasons to visit thisvibrant mecca of distinctly Americanculture and beauty. LGT

America’s Historical Hotspot

LeisureGroupTravel.com June 2009 53

Philadelphia

Boston

Every year, as Mother Nature paints the Northeastern landscape with itsmosaic of vibrant colors, the region is a treasure trove for visitors, each

place offering something different, but sharing its abundance of scenicwonders, historic sights, small-town charm and home-grown flavors.

NORTHEAST

Experience the High of Visiting

THE OBSERVATORYof the World’s Highest Inclined Tower

Olympic Park. A unique site and an experience you don’t want to miss.Ride in a cable car up to the observatory of the world’s highest inclined

tower for an eye-popping view of Montréal and its surroundings.

And while you’re here, take our surprising guided tour andlearn everything there is to know about the history of the Stadium,

from its construction to the present day.

Olympic Park and its many peripheral attractions–just wait till you see!

1

�� HIGHLIGHTS

• Hunt for fossils on the beaches

• Trace early history at Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum

• Learn about our rich maritime history at Calvert Marine Museum

• Hungry? Savor succulent seafood at one of our many restaurants

• Find treasures in our museums, galleries and shops

OTHER ITINERARIES AVAILABLE:� Patuxent Wine Trail � The War of 1812 – The Battles of St. Leonard Creek� Cooking Maryland Style

54 June 2009 special section LeisureGroupTravel.com

�� DAY-TO-DAY ITINERARY

DAY 1: The Twin Beaches

Nestled on the Chesapeake Bay’s western shore, the neighboringtowns of North Beach and Chesapeake Beach epitomize the “land ofpleasant living.” The seven-block waterfront in North Beach contains a public fishing pier, boardwalk and bike path. At Bayside HistoryMuseum learn about the Chesapeake Bay environment and the cultures of the bayside communities. Take a leisurely stroll down theboardwalk, browse quaint boutiques, art galleries, sweet shops andantique stores. Ask about our special “Brown Bag Tour,” where all participants receive a small gift at participating shops. Take a glimpseback in time at the Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum. Boardone of the headboats at the Rod ‘N’ Reel Dock and cruise theChesapeake Bay. For dinner, crack a few crabs at a local crab house,enjoy lite fare, steaks or seafood at a café as you watch the sunset.

DAY 2: Solomons Island

Where the Patuxent River meets the Chesapeake Bay, you will find aplace of uncommon charm and unspoiled beauty, Solomons Island.Visit the Calvert Marine Museum, to trace the rich maritime historyand diversity of the Chesapeake Bay. Climb through the hatch of the Drum Point Lighthouse or take a shuttle to the Cove PointLighthouse, the oldest continuously working light in Maryland. A short cruise on the museum’s historic “bug-eye” boat, the Wm. B.Tennison, gives a view of Solomons that is unique and unforget-table. At the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory learn more aboutthe ecology and natural resources of the Chesapeake Bay. One ofthe mid-Atlantic area’s treasures, Annmarie Garden Sculpture Parkand Arts Center features outdoor displays of sculpture, many onloan from the Smithsonian Institution. At the new Arts Center viewchanging exhibits or take a class. This quaint town has many restaurants;one is sure to suit your taste and price point. From waterside dining tosteaks, your group will receive a delicious meal and great service. End

the day with a sunset cruise and listen to the sounds of the river asyou enjoy the calm Patuxent River and watch the sun set over the bridge.

DAY 3: Fossils and Farmscapes

The towering cliffs on the Chesapeake Bay are etched with imprintsof creatures that lived in sands of years ago. As the cliffs level out, youwill find where people have left their mark on the landscape, in theform of rolling farms and open fields. Jefferson Patterson Park &Museum is situated on 560 acres along the Patuxent River and St.Leonard Creek. Explore the Visitor and Exhibit Center, Children’sDiscovery Room and recreated Eastern Woodland Indian Village. Learn about archaeology through a “behind the scenes” tour of theMaryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory. Walk the trails ortake a slow stroll along the boardwalk at Flag Pond Nature Park. Oncea thriving pound net fishery, the “Buoy Hotel” now houses a fascinatingexhibit on the Bay’s old-time fishing industry. At Battle Creek CypressSwamp Sanctuary, a boardwalk trail winds through one of the northernmost stands of bald cypress trees in North America. Learnmore in the nature center through exhibits and demonstrations. On thePatuxent Wine Trail, sample and sip your way through Calvert County,which boasts five wineries. Tour the vineyards, talk with the vintnersand taste your favorite varietals. By the time you are finished, you’ll havenew ideas for pairings, answers to your wine questions and enoughbottles of your dream chardonnay or shiraz to last until your next trip!

Calvert County – Charm of the Chesapeake Calvert County, Maryland

CONTACT: Calvert County Tourism� Joyce Stinnett Baki • www.ecalvert.com

Courthouse, 175 Main St., Prince Frederick, MD 20678Phone: 800-331-9771 • Email: bakija@co.cal.md.us

Historic National Road and Grantsville Garrett County, Maryland

�� HIGHLIGHTS

• Grantsville Community Museum

• Casselman Inn (Drover’s Inn)

• White cast-iron mile marker

• Casselman River Bridge State Park

• Spruce Forest Artisan Village

CONTACT: Garrett County Chamber of Commerce� Katie Tasker • www.garrettchamber.com

15 Visitors Center Drive, McHenry, MD 21541Phone: 301-387-4386 • Email: Katie@garrettchamber.com

�� DAY-TO-DAY ITINERARY

DAY 1:

Come to Garrett County and join the Historic National Road andGrantsville tour. Travel the route that General Edward Braddock and volunteer officer George Washington used on their ill-fated march fromFort Cumberland to Fort Duquesne in 1755 at the start of the French andIndian War. Four of General Braddock’s encampment sites are locatedwithin present-day Garrett County.

When the National Road came through in 1815, the settlement ofGrantsville was a half mile away along the old Braddock Road.Recognizing an opportunity, the citizens of Grantsville decided to movea dozen buildings from their Braddock Road location to just west of theCasselman Bridge, to what is today the town of Grantsville. They wantedto take advantage of the new road and prosperity it would bring. Cometour Grantsville and all it has to offer!

At the Grantsville Community Museum, see the Leo Beachy (1874-1927) photography exhibit that chronicled the mountains, villages andtravelers who passed along the National Road. You will feel the towncome alive as you tour the Casselman Inn (Drover’s Inn), a majorovernight stop for cattle drovers with a large outdoor corral next door for

their animals. See the white cast-iron mile marker, one of many thatwere installed in 1835 when the State of Maryland took over responsibil-ity for the National Road from the federal government.

Don’t miss the Casselman Bridge at Casselman River Bridge StatePark. A picturesque relic of Maryland’s early transportation history, thebridge was the longest single-span stone ach bridge (80 feet) in theworld during the era of the National Road.

The area’s history also is showcased at Spruce Forest Artisan Village,a settlement that consists of restored historic buildings moved to the sitefrom various locations in Western Maryland. The mission of the village isto preserve and showcase Appalachian culture by educating visitorsand promoting artisan crafts.

Garrett County offers a variety of tours for everyone. Adventure, relax-ation, history – we’ve got it all!

OTHER ITINERARIES AVAILABLE:� Visit GroupTravelDirectory.com for more

Garrett County itinerary ideas

LeisureGroupTravel.com special section June 2009 55

Experience Philadelphia Like Never Before Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

�� HIGHLIGHTS

• Visit the birthplace of our nation

• 117 year-old public food and vendor market – Reading Terminal Market

• World-renowned art and cultural museums

• Tax-free shopping on clothing and shoes

• Experiential and voluntourism tour options

CONTACT: Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau� Ryan O’Connor, Tourism Sales Manager • www.PhiladelphiaUSA.travel

1700 Market Street, Suite 3000, Philadelphia, PA 19103Phone: 215-636-3312 • Fax: 267-479-6312 • Email: RyanO@pcvb.org

�� DAY-TO-DAY ITINERARY

DAY 1:

Morning: Load your group on board a double-decker bus, historic trolley,or land-and-sea “duck” for a 90-minute tour of Center City Philadelphia.Professional guides will provide a wealth of facts about the city’s history,attractions and architecture. Unload at Independence National HistoricalPark for a walking tour of “America’s most historic square mile,” includingthe Liberty Bell Center, Independence Hall, and soon, the President’sHouse commemorative site. Don’t miss the oldest street in America,Elfreth’s Alley, or famous flag-maker Betsy Ross’ House.Lunch: Fill your groups’ appetites with delicious food from more than 80 merchants at Reading Terminal Market, an authentic farmers marketin the heart of Center City. Your groups can select from PennsylvaniaDutch specialties, Philadelphia cheesesteaks, world-famous mac ’n cheeseand cuisine from around the globe.Afternoon: Continue your tour of the Historic District with a visit to theNational Liberty Museum or the Independence Seaport Museumon the waterfront. Build some of the 25 free historical sites into your after-noon, including Christ Church and Franklin Court, home to America’sfirst post office and print shop. End your afternoon at the NationalConstitution Center, where you can view the U.S. Constitution.Dinner: Enjoy dinner at a Colonial-style tavern, City Tavern or pub in theHistoric District.

DAY 2:

Morning: Visit the city’s most renowned cultural museums along theBenjamin Franklin Parkway, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art,whose steps were made famous in the Rocky films. Other optionsinclude the sculptures at the Rodin Museum or American paintings atthe Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.Lunch: Dine at the Water Works Restaurant overlooking BoathouseRow along the Schuylkill River.

Afternoon: Explore the world’s largest urban landscaped park via I-Glide, Philadelphia’s version of a Segway® Tour. A short distance awayis Eastern State Penitentiary located in the Fairmount neighborhood,where your group can tour Philadelphia’s famous prison that oncehoused Al Capone. (During September and October, the Penitentiaryhosts a frighteningly wonderful haunted tour that welcomes groups.)Dinner/Dancing: View the city skyline from the Delaware River as your group departs from Penn’s Landing on a Spirit of Philadelphiadinner cruise.

DAY 3:

Morning: The day starts before the sun rises in the Italian Market. Withmore than 125 years of history and tradition, you won’t want to miss theplace film character Rocky Balboa made famous. Enjoy some free time to shop for produce, cheeses and breads. Or take a behind-the-scenestour of Termini Brothers Bakery. Whether you take the tour or not,enjoy the famous cannoli and coffee in their cafe.Lunch: Sample the selection of cuisine along famous South Street.Choose from dozens of restaurants, then shop the eclectic boutiques,listen to live music, or just sit back and take in the bustling street at an out-door cafe.Afternoon: Head west through Antique Row to the Avenue of theArts, where you can record yourself singing one of Gamble and Huff’sfamous songs at The Sound of Philadelphia souvenir shop. Take a tourof City Hall – the tallest municipal building in the world – and then headacross the street to Macy’s for tax-free shopping on clothing and shoes.Dinner: Wear your new Philadelphia outfit for a group dinner at one ofthe world-class restaurants along the Avenue of the Arts or in thetrendy Rittenhouse Square neighborhood.

56 June 2009 special section LeisureGroupTravel.com

OTHER ITINERARIES AVAILABLE:� Philadelphia Culinary Tour� Philadelphia for Students� Philadelphia Free Attractions

�� HIGHLIGHTS

• History excursion inside and out featuring life-sized exhibits

• World’s largest gourd company

• Allenberry Resort Inn and Playhouse

• A Smithsonian-quality museum

• A quaint resort town with a lake that bubbles

CONTACT: Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau� Dawn M.S. Rickenbach, Sales Manager • www.visitcumberlandvalley.com

401 E. Louther St., Suite 209, Carlisle, PA 17013Phone: 717.240.7191 • Email: dawn@visitcumberlandvalley.com

OTHER ITINERARIES AVAILABLE:� Culinary Bound � Green Eco Fun

Discover the Charms of History and Natural Beauty

�� DAY-TO-DAY ITINERARY

DAY 1:

Begin the day brushing up on your cooking skills with the KitchenShoppe Inc. This fun atmosphere presents an interactive hands-ondemonstration, a great way to energize your breakfast taste buds. Then journey to find out why Mike Rowe’s Discovery Channel TV show“Dirty Jobs” featured the world’s largest gourd-crafting company,Meadowbrooke Gourds. Take a tour to see how they grow them,clean them, and create baskets, birdhouses and vases. Our next stop,Kings Gap State Park, features a mountaintop, 32-room, Italian villa-style mansion surrounded by 1,500 acres of wildlife and vegetation. Eat lunch in the mansion dining room or out on the terrace that over-looks the valley. Sightseeing and shopping are on tap for this after-noon. Stroll through Historic Downtown Carlisle, where antique treas-ures and eclectic boutiques abound. Meander through Carlisle’s tree-lined streets admiring 200-year-old architecture, including DickinsonCollege’s “Old West” built in 1802. If time allows, experience an after-noon tea at Camellia’s Sin Tea Parlor. For dinner, choose from a selec-tion of English-style fare at Market Cross Pub and Brewery.

DAY 2:

Today begins by saluting a proud military past at the Army Heritage &Education Center, the primary facility for U.S. Army research. Continueyour excursion outside on a mile-long, storied trail through life-sizedmilitary exhibits. Follow a family of local potato chip makers, piecetogether the history of the Carlisle Indian School and unveil the mysteryof the Underground Railroad at the Cumberland County HistoricalSociety. The next stop is the charming town of Boiling Springs. Enjoy asavory lunch at the historic Boiling Springs Tavern, built in 1832. Relax

and re-energize along the banks of Children’s Lake, a seven-acre lakewith perfectly clear water that literally bubbles. Check out the award-winning Village Artisans Gallery. Complete your day at the renownedAllenberry Resort Inn and Playhouse - an 18th-century country estate.Top off your evening with a dinner buffet and tickets to a show at the-country’s longest running Murder Mystery Weekend theatre.

DAY 3:

The Oakes Museum houses 40,000 Smithsonian-quality African andNorth American exhibits; an anchor is the 200-specimen collection ofAfrican mammals. Continue to Ashcombe Farm & Greenhouses for agarden tour and shopping. Wander through the country store, green-houses and enjoy a scrumptious snack fresh from the bakery. Then off for lunch to the Union Hotel, an 1860 landmark. Spend your after-noon in the Victorian town of Mechanicsburg, beginning with a tour atthe Mechanicsburg Museum, followed by two additional historicallocations including the hands-on Frankeberger Tavern. Our next stop,Eckels Drugstore, served as a backdrop for the 1999 Hollywood hit“Girl Interrupted”, starring Angelina Jolie. Take time for ice cream or amilkshake from the 1929 soda fountain and check out the display of herbal remedies from the 1800s. Enjoy the local shops such as Civil War and More, Gallerie 13, and the eco-friendly ProvidenceBoutique. End your evening with a picturesque sunset dinner alongthe Susquehanna River at Rock Bass Grill, Duke’s or Dockside Willies.

Cumberland Valley, Pennsylvania

LeisureGroupTravel.com special section June 2009 57