Colonial America

Arrive in Washington DC and pick up your rental car at the airport, then proceed to your hotel.

A full day to explore Washington DC. Start 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 battlefield of Gettysburg. There are many excellent self-guided interpretative trails you can follow that will give you an understanding of this formative period in US history.

Today there is time for further exploration of Gettysburg before you head west to visit 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 of President Thomas Jefferson designed and built on a glorious mountaintop. Continue to Richmond, Virginia's capital, rising high above the sparkling James River, before travelling 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 George 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 30 miles of sandy seashore and a two-mile-long boardwalk. Time to relax this evening and dip your toes in the ocean.

Today spend your time in the the city that is listed in the Guiness 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 US Naval Academy. See the State House and visit the Academy before continuing to Baltimore. This evening, stroll along the magnificently rebuilt Inner Harbour and enjoy a typical dish of the region in one of the many restaurants.

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.

Time to explore Philadelphia a little further this morning before driving to Washington DC in the afternoon. If you did not see the monuments of DC by night at the start of your trip, then tonight is your opportunity to do so.

Return your rental car to the airport in time for your departing flight.