Autumn Leaves Tour
From $1499 (was $1949)
per person, double occupancy, excludes roundtrip airfare
14 Days
Passport Required View Dates and PricesThis program is currently sold out but new dates are coming soon! Call 877-332-6185 for more details.
Introduction
Imagine traveling through the heart of America’s history while witnessing the kaleidoscopic spectacle of fall colors in the Northeastern United States. Our 14-day Autumn Leaves Tour takes you from Philadelphia to Gettysburg, Niagara Falls, along the shores of Lake Ontario, through the Adirondacks, the Green & White Mountains, Boston, Cape Cod, Bridgeport, New York City and back into Philadelphia against a backdrop of the rich colors of fall.
Our tour begins where our nation began, in historic Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - the cradle of American liberty, where you will see Independence National Historic Park, the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and Franklin Court. Next you will travel through the colorful fall scenery of picturesque Pennsylvania Dutch Country stopping at an Amish outpost to learn about this traditional way of life before visiting historic Gettysburg, Pennsylvania - the most important battlefield of the Civil War. You then continue north through Pennsylvania and New York State, stopping at the Corning Museum of Glass which showcases spectacular pieces of glass art and conducts demonstrations of glass blowing.
You will need to bring your passport on this tour as you will cross the Canadian border to the awe-inspiring Niagara Falls where millions of gallons of water spew over the horseshoe-shaped falls creating a powerful sight and sound. The tour continues along the shores of Lake Ontario to Kingston, home to Ft. Henry and the Royal Military College of Canada. Then we take to the water on an included 2.5 hour boat cruise through the 1000 Islands enjoying a fascinating narrative of the area’s history and views of the fabulous summer homes of the rich and famous including Boldt Castle.
Our tour then crosses back into the U.S. and travels through the colorful fall foliage of the beautiful Adirondacks with a stop at Lake Placid, site of the famous “Miracle on Ice” when the US men’s hockey team defeated the Russians in the 1990 Olympic Winter Games. We then journey through the breathtaking Green and White Mountains stopping to visit Franconia Notch State Park and the magnificent Flume Gorge. Turning south, the tour heads into Boston, Massachusetts and where you will enjoy a city tour including following the Freedom Trail, seeing the Boston Common and the Paul Revere House. Next you follow the New England coastline to Cape Cod and visit the Cape Cod National Seashore with its pristine beaches, lighthouses and wild cranberry bogs. There you will have the chance to join fellow travelers for an optional tour to Martha’s Vineyard before heading into Rhode Island for a visit to one of the famous Newport Mansions. Finally, you will discover the “Big Apple” - New York City, with sightseeing including the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, the Chrysler Building and Central Park before continuing to Philadelphia to depart for home full of memories of a lifetime.
Check out our Travel Blog for more tips and ideas for your Autumn Leaves Tour!
Trip includes
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Hotel Accommodations: Includes 13 nights of hotel accommodations based on twin/double occupancy in moderate hotels.
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Sightseeing: and special events as listed in the tour itinerary.
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Baggage Handling: To and from your hotel room throughout your land tour for one piece of checked baggage per person.
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Service: Your tour is accompanied throughout by a professionally trained tour director who is knowledgeable on the local area and will provide you with a wealth of information. Their friendly service will make your trip a memorable experience.
Activity Level
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Trip Highlights
- Tour Civil War battlefields in historic Gettysburg
- Discover Philadelphia, the birthplace of the United States Constitution
- Visit the Corning Museum of Glass
- See the spectacle of the astonishing Niagara Falls
- Canada, Explore Kingston, Canada's first capital
- Enjoy a sightseeing cruise through the 1000 Islands
- Drive through the beautiful scenery of Adirondack Park, the White and Green Mountains
*Offers valid for new bookings only and subject to availability. Offer may be cancelled at any time. Please follow the steps below to price your vacation with YMT. When you complete all the steps, please click "Reserve" next to the date on which you would like to travel.
Step 1
Airfare to tour:
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| Depart | Base Price | Taxes & Fees | Single Supplement | Triple Reduction | Quad Reduction | Airfare to Tour | Total Price per person |
(Click the map to enlarge)
Autumn Leaves Tour
Tours Starts: Philadelphia, PA
Tours Ends: Philadelphia, PA
Day 1 & 2
Philadelphia, PA
Arrive in Philadelphia. Guests who have booked their flights through YMT will be greeted at the airport and transferred to their hotel. On day 2 enjoy a sightseeing tour of historic Philadelphia — the cradle of American liberty. You will see Independence National Historic Park, the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Franklin Court and more.
Crowne Plaza King of Prussia or similar
Day 3
Gettysburg
Start your tour through the colorful fall scenery of Pennsylvania Dutch Country. You will stop at an Amish outpost to learn more about this traditional way of living. In Gettysburg you'll see the most important battlefield of the Civil War, brought to life by the stories you'll hear from your local battlefield guide.
Courtyard by Marriott or similar
Day 4 & 5
Niagara Falls
Travel north through the autumn landscapes of Pennsylvania and New York for a lunchtime stop and visit to the Corning Museum of Glass, which showcases beautiful pieces of glass art and demonstrates the art of glass blowing. Later, you will cross the border to Canada for a two-night stay at awe-inspiring Niagara Falls. Millions of gallons of water fall over the horseshoe-shaped falls every second, creating a powerful sight and sound! On day 5 choose between an array of optional excursions to experience the Niagara Falls even closer, including a boat tour to the base of the Falls, a "Journey behind the Falls," or a helicopter flight above the falls.
Radisson Niagara Falls or similar
Day 6
Kingston and 1000 Islands Region
Continue along the shores of Lake Ontario to Kingston, Canada's first capital from 1841-1844 and home to Fort Henry, the Royal Military College of Canada, amongst many other historic landmarks. In Gananoque, you'll board a 2.5 hour boat cruise through the heart of the 1000 Islands, a true vacation highlight! Enjoy the fascinating narrative as you cruise through narrow channels, over historic sunken wrecks, and by magnificent summer homes of the rich and famous, including Boldt Castle, and learn about its romantic, yet tragic story!
Comfort Inn Gananoque or similar
Day 7
Rutland via Lake Placid
After crossing back into the U.S., continue through the beautiful Adirondack region, a sixmillion- acre civilized wilderness, dotted with quaint towns and charming lakeside villages. It is the largest protected area in the contiguous United States, larger than the parks of Yellowstone, Yosemite, Glacier, Grand Canyon and the Great Smokies combined. Travel along the stretches of the Olympic Byway, High Peaks Byway, and Lakes to Locks Passage - an all-American road. En route we will stop in Lake Placid, home to the 1932 and the 1980 Winter Olympics. Your day will end in the heart of the Green Mountains in Rutland, VT.
Comfort Inn Rutland or similar
Day 8
Ogunquit/Wells via White Mountains
As you leave the Green Mountains enter the next spectacular forest area of New England: The White Mountains! Your tour will take you to Franconia Notch State Park. You will stop at Flume Gorge and have an opportunity to walk through this beautiful scenery. Next enjoy scenic drive along Kancamagus Highway, a National Scenic Byway where covered bridges and waterfalls enhance the magnificent landscape. Your day ends in southwestern Maine.
Ogunquit River Inn or similar
Day 9
Boston
Today we travel south along the New England coast to visit beautiful and historic Boston. En route, we stop at one of the iconic lighthouses. Enjoy an afternoon city tour of Boston, where you will follow parts of the Freedom Trail and see Boston Common, Paul Revere House, Quincy Market, Faneuil Hall, Old North Church, Old State House and many more historic sites. Take some time and picture the lives of our founding fathers in the heart of the independence movement here.
Sheraton Framingham or similar
Day 10 & 11
Cape Cod
On day 10, after a brief stop in Plymouth where New England was first established, follow the New England coastline further until you reach the peninsula of Cape Cod. Enjoy local sightseeing and explore the history and art scene of this famous summer playground of the rich and famous. As we drive along the outer Atlantic side of the Cape, we visit Cape Cod National Seashore known for its pristine sandy beach, lighthouses and wild cranberry bogs. On day 11 perhaps join your fellow travelers on an optional excursion to Martha's Vineyard.
Holiday Inn Hyannis or similar
Day 12
Bridgeport
En route to Connecticut, we stop in the smallest state in the Union, Rhode Island. In Newport, you will enjoy an included tour of one of the famous mansions, once home to the likes of the Vanderbilt's. Today these impressive villas are all beautifully restored and preserved by the Newport Preservation Society and made accessible to the public. Marvel at the intricate, often Italian-inspired architecture, built in the late 1800s by those with plenty of means and an eye for luxurious detail as "summer cottages" in prime locations with astonishing views. Continue south and overnight in Bridgeport, CT.
Holiday Inn Bridgeport or similar
Day 13
Philadelphia via New York City
Today, a short drive from Bridgeport, you will arrive in New York City. You will have time to see the major sights of the Big Apple on a panoramic city tour, including the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, the Chrysler Building, Central Park and many more. In the late afternoon, continue to Philadelphia for the last night of your tour.
Crowne Plaza King of Prussia or similar
Day 14
Return Home
Your adventure comes to an end today as you depart for home with lots of photos, stories, memories and new friends to treasure!
Note: Some of the sightseeing and visits included in this tour require walking and some periods of standing. Steps, stairs and uneven ground will also be encountered occasionally. This should not pose a challenge to most guests, but please consider this when booking this tour. *or similar accommodations
Please note that this is a proposed itinerary; the actual itinerary may vary due to season, special events, or weather. Because our tour arrangements are often made a year or more in advance, YMT Vacations reserves the right to alter the itinerary. Itinerary changes are made to improve your vacation experience, as well as respond to any unforeseen circumstances that mandate alterations. By their nature, all tours vacations involve a certain level of physical activity. While YMT tours have been designed with our guests in mind and are not physically demanding, this tour does include walking and periods of standing during the sightseeing visits. You will also encounter steps and some uneven ground along the way, particularly at older, historical sights.
YMT Vacations itineraries may contain suggestions for activities for your leisure time; these suggestions do not constitute a recommendation nor an endorsement of any specific service provider and the decision to participate in any such activities should be made independently.
Watch a short video about this tour!
Tour Rating:
Diane Martin was a top notch professional tour guide. She was knowledgeable about every area we visited. She gave us historical background before we visited sites. She was attentive to each tourist's needs. I would tour with her again at any cost! My group had a blast. Every moment was exciting and beautiful. We met new friends, ate our way through New England, and laughed at Diane's silly jokes! We had a professional tour guide. Our arrangements went off without any glitches. The Autumn Leaves tour was the best way to see New England in the Fall.
Barbara B., TX
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[Tour manager] was amazing!!!!! She is very knowledgeable, personable and has a great personality. She is truly an asset to your organization...I would definitely consider another tour.
Joan K., NC
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This was our second trip with YMT, looking at Hawaii in June 2015. We really had a great experience on both trips.
Joanna B, TX
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This was our first with YMT and we will see you again! We were pleased with the price/value and appreciated not getting locked into meals. Good to excellent rooms and personnel.
JoAnne L., AX
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Our Tour Manager was the best. Her personality and knowledge is what helped make the tour so good for my wife and me. She was well organized and could not have asked for more on her part. This was our first tour and we hope to go on another tour in the future with her as our guide. You definitely need to keep her with YMT. My idea of what a Tour Manager should be! [Our driver] made this tour so memorable. We were all amazed as his ability to take the bus anywhere we needed to go. Always there on time and added much enjoyment. He also played well off the banter with the tour director and people on the bus. Lots of personality. We knew about YMT through Dave Woodman who goes to our church and is a tour guide with your company. Wanting to see the autumn leaves in New England states and talking with Dave made our decision to go. We came back with many good memories and were surprised how well the 50 people on our bus got along which is due in part to the excellent job of our Tour Manager/Driver.
John S., AR
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[Our driver and tour manager] were exceptional! Timing and pace was impeccable! I was apprehensive about my first bus trip but I was so impressed! Nice job!
Kathleen F., AZ
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All optional tours were excellent and worth the money. We really enjoyed the trip. Were able to see a lot of things we never would've done on our own.
Larry C., CA
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I had outstanding service from beginning to end. Upon arrival meeting the guides in the lobby alleviated any fears. Having bags picked up in the AM was wonderful. Now I know to take a carry on bag for the items I need to carry to the bus each day. The bus driver was always courteous and helped everyone off the bus at each stop, which was a bonus. The guides were courteous and knowledgeable about each area. The group of travelers were friendly, as well. I had a wonderful time and looking forward to my next trip in December. I have already recommended the agency. At first, I thought 14 days was too long but I found out that it allowed for a comfortable pace.
Laurice L., MD
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I really enjoyed the whole trip. Learned and saw so many things. Made new friends.
Linda M., WA
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We enjoyed this trip very much. Like the itinerary and the clientele.
Mary E., GA
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I have been very pleased with the itinerary and the tour managers I have had with YMT.
Bobby B., KY
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We enjoyed Monica as our Tour Manager. She is a sweet lady and very friendly & courteous to everyone. She's a good organizer. Mary Jo was a great driver. We were impressed how well she handled that big bus. We felt safe in her capable hands... We had a great time & everything was handled for us. She did a great job.
Maureen R., MN
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I would like to praise our tour guide, Diane and our excellent driver Jim for making this a wonderful, fun and informative experience...I thoroughly enjoyed my trip with everything so well planned and minimal hassle. I look forward to my next adventure with YMT.
Patricia C., TX
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Monica was an awesome guide - she radiates passion in her position as such. Will miss her! Overall, I'm so glad that I did this trip. There is so much history to absorb on the east coast. I'm thankful and blessed to have had this opportunity to travel and make many special friends along the way..."leave the driving to...us!" I liked that everything was laid out in detail for us. I never felt confined or restricted.
Patsy T., WI
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I truly enjoyed the trip and will have many great memories for years.
Phyllis G., WV
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It was one of the best trips we have been on. Scott was a very excellent tour guide, he kept us entertained all the time and Betty was a very excellent driver. She knew where we were going and got us there on time. A very good trip.
Richard C., MO
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The planning and tours were perfect and very reasonable. [Our tour manager] was wonderful!!! Excellent in all categories.
Robert H. Sr., VA
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[Tour guide] was very knowledgeable about the places visited and gave us a lot of insight before arriving at the location. Excellent tour guide...We have been on three YMT tours and we have been more than satisfied with the overall experience in each one. We have been to Europe twice with YMT prior to the Autumn Leaves Tour...YMT is a great deal and we have recommended it to all our friends who are looking to travel. For our idea of travel, YMT fits our plan and budget very well. The overall experience is excellent. YMT has given us options as to explore on our own or use the preplanned activities.
Robert P., CA
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We loved [our tour manager]! She was very knowledgeable about all areas and her sense of humor was entertaining. She went above and beyond her normal duties and was on call 24/7 for everyone. We appreciated her plan of moving our seating arrangement every day so that we got to visit with different people. This was our third trip with YMT and enjoyed ourselves and the friends we made. We will definitely plan to travel with you again in the future!
Stephen P., KS
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[Tour Manager] was very, very knowledgeable. Excellent overall experience!
Virginia M., GA
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There are no marks high enough. What a fabulous tour manager! Her knowledge and professionalism certainly made this tour an outstanding trip. Our driver was excellent. He worked so well with the tour manager. He maintained his professionalism and catered to our needs. The combination of the driver and the tour manager certainly made this an outstanding trip. Thank you for such a wonderful trip. My mother had traveled with your group several years ago when her husband was alive. She raved about the trip, the care for the travelers and the great experience of having a knowledgeable guide traveling with the group. I was cautious, but after traveling with the group on the Autumn Leaves Tour I would certainly recommend this trip to everyone. Our driver and guide helped make this a memorable experience for my mother and I. An outstanding experience!
Debra K., TX
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The travel schedule was full and allowed us to stop at more sights. The routes provided a varied look at the New England states and great opportunities to view the colorful foliage. [Tour Manager] was very informative with lots of extra trivia and backgrounds about certain locations. His major in history was likely a good contributing factor...[Driver] was very cheerful attitude and sincerely cared about the group. She brought us close as possible to our destinations with excellent driving skills. It was nice to take several 2-lane roads and get off the interstates. Well planned trip and good value for the money.
Donald R., KS
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Tour was excellent! Our guide and bus driver were the best! Could not have been better!! Jim was always on hand when we arrived at the bus - never had to wait. Helped us onto the bus, helped with luggage and always on time. Love to travel with him again! This is my 2nd tour with YMT and I hope it will not be my last! Everything on the tour was well planned and enjoyable. The guide and the driver were well trained and pleasant. Planning was excellent making the tour a great success!
Doris S., TX
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This was my third trip with YMT?.The trips are so well planned out and time is taken every two hours or so to get up and move around. You meet wonderful people and have a fun time. We leave the driving up to you so we can enjoy the scenery.
Dorothy S., VA
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...We were very pleased with our tour director, driver, places we saw and had a great time overall!
Elizabeth K., TX
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The tour was a marked improvement over our previous experience on the 2009 Autumn Leaves tour. The included tour manager and higher quality accommodations made the tour much more enjoyable.
John H., TX
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Would consider doing another bus tour because we covered more ground than we ever could have on our own, and being dropped off exactly where we wanted to go was nice. Also having a tour director to coordinate and to give background about where we were going was great.
Nancy M., OH
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Overall, the tour was very well organized. Never had to wait long for luggage to arrive at the room for the night. The tour manager was very pleasant and seemed to have a personable manner. Optional tours I felt were reasonably priced.
Robert K., MN
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Diana was wonderful; she was so knowledgeable about each destination and made sure we got a full experience of each location as possible. She is an excellent guide. [Our driver] Jim was very professional and efficient. I've been on tours with two other companies; YMT is definitely the best out of the three.
Sandra W., NM
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"The price is good, the tours offered are good as to the areas you travel. The comfortable motor coaches, the accommodating staff, the ease of purchasing and adding excursions [was great]. I have traveled with YMT on two tours now. Both times I have enjoyed the experience. Of the two tours, the Canadian Rockies and Alaska Tour is my favorite. The tour guide was also the bus driver and he was from the area we were touring so his knowledge of the area was great. The hotels were very comfortable and the choice of restaurants to eat were great. My husband and cousins that travel with me and I are looking forward to the next trip."
Charles B., FL
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Hats off to your staff. Excellent job!
Gwendolyn B., FL