Highlights

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Itinerary

Day 1 – Philadelphia, PA – Evening at Penn’s Landing

Today, arrive in Philadelphia, PA where you check into your Penn’s Landing hotel for a three night stay. Enjoy a free evening at Penn’s Landing.  This stretch of the Delaware River Waterfront is the site where William Penn arrived in Philadelphia in 1682.  Penn’s Landing which runs the length of Center City along the waterfront — always has something fun going on, including festivals, concerts, free movies, beer gardens, yoga, roller-skating and ice-skating.  Dinner is on your own this evening.

Day 2 – Valley Forge National Historical Park – Longwood Gardens w/Lunch – Winery Tour & Tasting – Dinner Show at Candlelight Theatre

Depart Philadelphia this morning for the Pennsylvania Countryside.  Start with a guided tour of Valley Forge National Park.  On arrival, meet your local guide to tour the 3,600-acre encampment site where General George Washington forged his Continental Army into a fighting force, during the difficult winter encampment of 1777-78.

The afternoon features a tour of Longwood Gardens, one of the world’s premier horticultural display gardens. When you’re at Longwood Gardens, it’s easy to imagine that you’re in a giant, royal garden in Europe. Built in 1730 by Joshua Peirce, this historic home has been greatly enlarged over the years by successive generations of Pierces and later by Mr. Du Pont, who purchased the property in 1906 and used it as his summer home.

Stroll along the acres of exquisitely maintained grounds featuring 11,000 different types of plants. See the Italian Water Garden, Flower Garden Walk, aquatic display gardens and many others. Amble through Peirce’s Woods, eight outdoor “rooms” of distinct woodland habitats. Each season brings a different pleasure: spring magnolias and azaleas; summer roses and water lilies; fall foliage and chrysanthemums; and winter camellias, orchids and palms.  Lunch will also be included today with your visit to Longwood Gardens.

Next, visit a local area winery for a tour and tasting. Wine tasting season never ends in the beautiful hills of the Brandywine Valley! Tonight, you will enjoy dinner and a show at the Candlelight Theatre in Wilmington.  The Candlelight Theatre combines fine dining with superb musical theatre entertainment. It is Delaware’s first dinner theatre.  Return to Philadelphia after dinner.  (B,L,D)

Day 3 – Historic Philadelphia – The Liberty Bell  – Independence Hall – Ben Franklin Museum – The Museum of the American Revolution – Dinner on Moshulu

Your historical journey begins this morning with a visit to The Liberty Bell.  The Liberty Bell’s inscription, “Proclaim LIBERTY Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants thereof” (Leviticus 25:10), went unnoticed during the Revolutionary War. But by the 19th century, this inscription became a herald of liberty, and provided a rallying cry for abolitionists, who first referred to the bell as the “Liberty Bell” in 1835, years before that name was widely adopted.  Now a worldwide symbol, the Bell’s message of liberty remains just as relevant and powerful today.

Then visit Independence Hall.  The Declaration of Independence (1776) and the Constitution of the United States (1787) were both signed in this building in Philadelphia. The universal principles of freedom and democracy set forth in these documents are of fundamental importance to American history and have also had a profound impact on law-makers around the world.

Enjoy lunch today in your own at the historic Bourse Building located on the historic Independence Mall. The restored historic building is home to 30 artisanal vendors showcasing some of the best and newest Philly flavors.

The afternoon includes the Ben Franklin Museum, where you explore the life and legacy of Philadelphia’s most famous citizen. Located in Franklin Court and part of Independence National Historical Park, the museum invites you to explore a variety of interactive exhibitions, personal artifacts, computer animations and hands-on displays, examining Franklin’s life both as a private citizen and a statesman.

Next, visit the Museum of the American Revolution. From the early stirrings of unrest in Boston to the opening shots of the War of Independence, and from signing of the Declaration of Independence to the creation of the American Republic, the Museum’s permanent exhibition explores the ideas, events, and legacies of America’s Revolutionary beginnings.

Dinner tonight is aboard the “legendary” Moshulu, the world’s oldest and largest remaining square rigged sailing vessel. She is in fact the one and only restaurant venue in the world that is on a Tall Ship today. She is an award winning, AAA 4 Diamond rated Restaurant. (B,D)

Day 4 – Reading Terminal Market – Depart for Home

This morning before departing Philadelphia, visit Reading Terminal Market.  One of America’s largest and oldest public markets, housed since 1893 in a National Historic Landmark building, the Market offers an incredible selection of locally grown & exotic produce, locally sourced meats and poultry, plus the finest seafood, cheeses, baked goods, and confections. You’ll find everything you need to create a memorable meal, from cookbooks, to table linens, to kitchenware, to fresh cut flowers, and more. Plus the widest variety of restaurants under one roof. (B)

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