History & Haunts - Boston and Salem

Day 1

Day 1: Monday, July 8, 2024
Today’s the day, we are off to Boston & Salem for some history and more! Meet your friendly tour host and driver at the available departure location of your choice, then sit back and relax as we make our way to Middlebury, IN today. Enjoy rest and refresh breaks along the way, as needed, as well as a stop for lunch on your own before arriving at the Essenhaus Inn for an overnight stay and dinner at Das Dutchman. Many of you know that the Essenhaus Inn is a Trailways Travel favorite, it’s like staying overnight at a friend’s home with their wonderful hospitality and beautiful rooms.

Day 2

Day 2: Tuesday, July 9, 2024
After breakfast, we set out for a great adventure to a place that is on a lot of folks ‘bucket list,’ Niagara Falls!  Did you know that Niagara Falls is made up of three different waterfalls (American Falls, Horseshoe Falls – aka Canadian Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls) and are collectively called Niagara Falls? Niagara Falls was formed from the same glacial-melt activity that formed the Great Lakes at the end of the last Ice Age, some 12,000 years ago. While Niagara Falls pales in height in comparison to others, what it lacks in vertical size it makes up for in horizontal size as well as in volume. More than 700,000 gallons of water per second pour over Niagara Falls at about 25 miles per hour. That makes Niagara Falls the largest in North America by volume and by width.
Today you take a journey on what has been the crowd favorite attraction for more than 150 years, Maid of the Mist! You begin at the Observation Tower, where you’ll be given a souvenir rain poncho to wear and board the double-deck Maid of the Mist tour boat. From there, the boat will ferry you past the base of the American Falls, and onto the basin of Horseshoe Falls – the dramatic passage leading you through the roiling waterfall whitewater and massive rock formations. You’ll return to shore with a newfound appreciation of the power and grandeur of Niagara Falls, and may be wearing a bit of it even though you had on your rain poncho!
Tonight, we check in to the Holiday Inn Niagara Falls-Scenic Downtown, where you’ll be able to relax and enjoy an included meal before retiring for the night.

Day 3

Day 3: Wednesday, July 10, 2024
Enjoy a hot breakfast at the hotel before we depart this morning. We will be taking some rest & refresh breaks, along with lunch, before arriving in Boston. We should have time to check into the hotel and freshen up before an included dinner this evening.

Day 4

Day 4: Thursday, July 11, 2024
Today, enjoy a hot breakfast at our hotel before meeting our Freedom Trail Step on Guide and embarking on a journey through American history. You will visit The Paul Revere House, built in 1680 and the home of American Patriot and Founding Father Paul Revere during the American Revolution. You can gain a deeper appreciation for American history by learning about the life and legacy of Paul Revere. In 1774 and 1775, the Boston Committee of Correspondence and the Massachusetts Committee of Safety employed Paul Revere as an express rider to carry news, messages, and copies of important documents as far away as New York and Philadelphia. You can also learn more about his famed “Midnight Ride” delivering the news that the British were coming.
We continue this morning to the USS Constitution Museum and Ship. The USS Constitution, also affectionately called “Old Ironsides,” was never defeated in battle and remains a symbol of the honor, courage, and commitment of America’s sailors. In the museum the ship’s history comes to life. It first set sail in July of 1798 and was retired from active service in 1881 serving as a receiving ship until being designated a museum ship in 1907. With the Navy Yard being close by, keep an eye open for a few sailors in uniform today.
It’s off to the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum. While its doubtful you will be dumping any tea overboard, you can explore this floating museum’s multimedia exhibits, and possibly some live reenactments. In the Meeting House section of the museum, you may join the Sons & Daughters of Liberty on a rendezvous with history. Step back in time to rebellious 1773 Boston and meet Samuel Adams – your 18th century host! This is where you’ll start your journey to learning about the “single most important event leading up to the American Revolution” – the Boston Tea Party – where it all began during the colonial town meeting. You can also view the Robinson Tea Chest, protected and preserved for more than two centuries and is the only known surviving tea chest from the Boston Tea Party of 1773. Experience the compelling history of this significant artifact from its humble beginnings in China through the Boston Tea Party and being handed down through the generations. Enjoy a special boxed lunch from Abigail’s Tea Room before departing to continue on our tour of other Freedom Trail sites such as Old State House, New State House, Massacre Site, Granary Burial Group, and Old South Meeting House.
Did you happen to hear Sam Adams invite us for a brew earlier this morning? We did! End this journey on the Freedom Trail with a stop at the Samuel Adams Boston Brewery – Jamaica Plain for a guided tour and tasting. Here we say goodbye to our step on guide and dive deeper into the brewery’s rich history and brewing processes. A brewery guide will lead us through all the brewing spaces including the Brewhouse, Bier Keller, and Sour Barrel aging facilities, all while you enjoy three samples of fresh beer. Thanks, Sam!
Ending our time at the brewery, we depart for Faneuil Hall Marketplace known as Quincy Market. Here you will have time to get some dinner, on your own, and still have a bit of time left over for other exploration or shopping. This true Boston experience is the seat of American history and the site of one of America’s most famous shopping and dining experiences. The hardest part is narrowing down what you would like to have as there are so many wonderful choices! For over 250 years, the marketplace has played an integral role in the life of Boston’s residents. After dinner, we return to our hotel for the remainder of our evening.

Day 5

Day 5: Friday, July 12, 2024
After breakfast at the hotel, we are off to historic Salem. Here, we will first visit the House of the Seven Gables. In 1688, merchant and shipowner, Captain John Turner, built a house on Salem Harbor that was destined to become one of America’s most beloved historic homes. It was made famous by American author Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The House of Seven Gables, “Half-way down a by-street of one of our New England towns stands a rusty wooden house with seven acutely peaked gables facing towards various points of the compass, and a hug, clustered chimney in the midst.” – Nathaniel Hawthorne. The house was restored in 1910 and is now a museum open to the public helping people to engage in the American story. You will have a guided tour of the Turner Ingersoll Mansion (House of Seven Gables) and time to take a stroll through the Colonial Revival seaside gardens with access to The Museum Store.
This afternoon you will have some free time for browsing and to have lunch on your own in Salem Village.
After lunch, we regroup with a visit to the Salem Witch Museum, where you will follow the history of witches, witchcraft, and witch hunts through the ages. Their main presentation takes you back to the events of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. After a historically accurate look at the Salem Witch Trials in the main exhibit, visitors are invited to challenge their beliefs about the word “witch.” “WITCHES: Evolving Perceptions” traces the evolution of the stereotypical witch and presents the beliefs of wicca as they are practiced today. How does a witch-hunt start? An analysis of the components allows visitors to see for themselves how fear can lead to scapegoating. Examples of modern witch – hunts make “WITCHES” a thought-provoking conclusion to a visit to the Salem Witch Museum.
We also will step inside the Peabody Essex Museum, with authentic documents and objects from the infamous 1692 witch trials. The roots of this museum date to the 1799 founding of the East India Marine Society, an organization of Salem ship captains and supercargoes. The Peabody is known as the oldest continuously operating and collecting museum in the United States. Visit the new addition that has been under construction for the past 3 years and is opening in 2024. Take a self-guided audio tour of Ropes Mansion, the historic home that made its appearance in the iconic movie Hocus Pocus.  In 1893, three unmarried Ropes sisters living in Cincinnati decided to move to Salem upon learning that the Ropes Mansion, along with a sizable fortune, had been left to them. The sisters conceived an ambitious plan to transform the mansion into a comfortable home for themselves and make preparations for it to become Salem’s first historic house museum.
After an afternoon immersing yourself in the history of witches in Salem we are certain you have worked up an appetite! Enjoy an included dinner at the Village Tavern before returning back to the hotel for the remainder of the evening.

Day 6

Day 6: Saturday, July 13, 2024
This morning, we enjoy a hot breakfast at our hotel before we depart for some wonderful Boston sites including Fenway Park, home to Red Sox Legends, Williams, Yaz, Fisk, and Rice just to name a few! Standing 37 feet 2 inches high, you can take in the view overlooking left field atop the fabled Green Monster! Let your experienced tour guide lead you through the hallowed walls and legendary moments of historic Fenway Park.
After spending part of our morning engulfed in baseball history, we shift our focus to something more presidential. The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum portrays the life, leadership, and legacy of our 35th President, John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Learn about his enthusiasm for politics, public service, and the nature of the Office of the President. Offering panoramic views of Boston Harbor and the Boston skyline, the JFK Café is the perfect place for lunch on your own.
After lunch, we cruise on down the road to the harbor for a Whale Watch Cruise with Boston Harbor City Cruises for the whale watch experience of a lifetime. The destination will be Stellwagen Bank Marine Sanctuary, a rich feeding ground for whales, dolphins, sea birds, and other marine creatures. Be certain to have your camera and video ready – we have seen many fabulous photos and videos shot by Trailways Travelers and our Tour Hosts!
We end our evening with a farewell to Boston dinner at a distinctively Bostonian dining experience, Joe’s on Newbury. With made-from-scratch bold flavors and classic American comfort fare everyone is sure to find something to satisfy their appetite.

Day 7

Day 7: Sunday, July 14, 2024
Enjoy one last hot breakfast at our Bostonian hotel this morning before departing for a condensed tour of Lexington and Concord, located Northwest of Boston. This area is well known for the American Revolutionary War sites located in Minute Man National Historical Park. We make a stop at the North Bridge, where a key battle took place and where the “shot heard around the world” was to have been fired. Daniel Chester French’s Minute Man statue, constructed from old Civil War canons, commemorates this. It was unveiled for the Centennial celebration of the battle on April 19, 1875, and has stood guard over this hallowed ground ever since. It is set near the spot where the first colonial militia men were killed in Concord on that fateful day in 1775. Today you will stand on Lexington Green, the very ground where a stand was made for freedom. Lexington is known as “The Birthplace of American Liberty.” The area of Concord and Lexington are also the home of the great American authors, Emerson, Thoreau, and Alcott.
As we leave Concord and Lexington behind with a boxed lunch in hand, we make our way to Ithaca, NY located on Cayuga Lake, one of the beautiful Finger Lakes. Check in to your hotel for the evening and enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 8

Day 8: Monday, July 15, 2024
Enjoy breakfast this morning at your hotel before departing for Taughannock Falls State Park. We stop at the Overlook Viewpoint of Taughannock Falls which plunges 215 feet past the rocky cliffs that tower nearly 400 feet above the gorge. Have some time to take in the view and grab some photos before we continue our journey home. This quick photo stop is just a small peek of what the beautiful Finger Lakes Region of New York has to offer Trailways Travelers! In other words, keep an eye open for a future tour to this beautiful part of New York! We continue on our way with rest and refresh breaks and lunch, on your own, with a stop in Sandusky, OH for an included dinner at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store. After, we travel to the Hampton Inn Toledo – South/Maumee for our night’s stay.

Day 9

Day 9: Tuesday, July 16, 2024
This morning is our last breakfast on the road, you must make your own tomorrow! Enjoy it well before checking out and loading up one more time on the motorcoach – we are on our way home with wonderful memories of great adventures and beautiful sites in Boston and Salem. Of course, we will make our usual rest & refresh breaks and a stop for lunch along the way.