Independent Arrivals/Welcome & Orientation/Canada's Evolution from Colony to Nation

Arrive To: ARRIVAL: Independent arrivals and transfers to the program hotel in Ottawa after 3:00 pm. Please note that rooms are not generally available until mid to late afternoon.

Dinner: Dinner at the hotel.

Evening: PRESENTATION: Canada’s Evolution from Colony to Nation. A presentation will examine Canada’s historical beginnings and the evolution from dependency to independence. With the passing of the British North America Act Canada became a Dominion in the British Commonwealth but his did not mean that it was a fully independent country. It remained a colony of Britain for many more years. Learn about the growing independence from Britain and early struggles between the provinces and the federal government as Canada developed into a nation.

Evening: INTRODUCTIONS: Following dinner, you will meet for introductions, a review of the program and site orientation.

Lodging: Novotel Hotel

Meals Included: Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: FIELD TRIP: Parliament Hill. Explore the center stage of Canadian democracy on a guided tour of the Centre Block of Parliament. Learn first-hand about the inner workings of Canada’s government. The Parliament Buildings are historical monuments, architectural treasures, and an important national symbol cherished by all Canadians. It is within the walls of these buildings that Senators and Members of Parliament debate the important issues of the day, and make Canadian laws. Top off your visit with a view from the Peace Tower observation deck and explore the outside grounds of Parliament Hill.

Lunch: Lunch at the Museum of Civilization Cafe.

Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: Museum of Civilization. Visit the nation's leading museum of human history and one of the largest museums in the world. Located on the shores of the Ottawa River directly across from Parliament Hill, the Canadian Museum of Civilization is a stunning landmark building that celebrates the achievements and histories of Canadian and world cultures. Meet with a museum curator and explore 1000 years of Canadian history, including townscapes and environments from across the country, as well as Canadian Personalities Hall bringing participants face-to-face with fascinating people whose decisions, actions and accomplishments have shaped Canada.

Dinner: Dinner on your own to explore the wide array of dining options in Ottawa.

Lodging: Novotel Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: FIELD TRIP: National Art Gallery. Whether you're a novice or expert, historical or contemporary art-lover, the Gallery is constantly putting on engaging events to encourage learning in a stimulating, informal environment. Your guide will give you a fascinating new perspective on the works of art found throughout the collections.

Morning: PRESENTATION: History of Ottawa. This two-part lecture focuses, first, on the eventual selection of Ottawa as Canada’s capital city after experience with several prior settlements. From early days in the seventeenth century when French explorers came upon Ottawa Indians while exploring new routes for the fur trade to Queen Victoria’s judicious decision to locate the capital in a region that satisfied ethnic, commercial, religious and strategic objectives, Ottawa enjoyed volatile beginnings. A discussion follows of Ottawa’s contemporary make-up driven by both public and private sectors, multicultural richness -- from Inuit to Vietnamese -- and as a dramatic locus for the spark of what many see as the beginning of the Cold War. Coupled with this is a brief overview of the basic principles of universal healthcare in Canada from its early days in the 1950’s to its present status that most Canadians like to call a defining characteristic of their national identity.

Morning: FIELD TRIP: Bytown Museum. Travel through time and explore the stories that shaped Bytown and early Ottawa. From the arrival of Lieutenant-Colonel John By and the construction of the Rideau Canal to the naming of Ottawa as the nation’s capital, the permanent exhibits will introduce you to the people and the objects that helped build this great city.

Lunch: Lunch on your own.

Afternoon: FREE TIME: Free afternoon to continue exploring the museum or visit the many museums that the city has to offer, or take a cruise on the Rideau Canal.

Dinner: Dinner at a local restaurant.

Lodging: Novotel Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Ottawa by Coach/Mackenzie King Estate and High Tea/Coach to Jones Falls/Pre-Contact Native History

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: FIELD TRIP: Mackenzie King Estate. Leaving the city behind we travel north through the magnificent Gatineau Hills renowned for its breathtaking landscapes and fall colors. Meet a local historian and writer who will introduce you to one of Canada’s greatest leaders, William Lyon Mackenzie King, Canada’s 10th and longest standing prime minister. Learn about the extensive heritage left behind under King's leadership and how he guided Canada along the path from semi-colonial status to complete autonomy. There will be a guided private tour of the Estate with its picturesque ruins and sprawling gardens. King’s intrigue with architecture is evident with Moorside, a large elegant cottage where King received guests such as Winston Churchill and Charles Lindbergh and the Farm, now the official residence of the Speaker of the House of Commons.

Morning: FIELD TRIP: Exploring the Nation's Capital. Witness some of Ottawa's most famous landmarks and architectural treasures during a city exploration by coach. Canada’s Capital is renowned for the diversity of its historical monuments and architectural treasures such as the Parliament Buildings, an important national symbol cherished by all Canadians. Other notable landmarks include 24 Sussex Drive, the home of Canada’s Prime Minister, located on the edge of the Ottawa River, opposite the main entrance to Rideau Hall; the National Arts Centre, Foreign Affairs, the Supreme Court of Canada and the United States Embassy.

Lunch: A delectable traditional High Tea lunch will be served at MacKenzie King Estate.

Afternoon: Coach to Jones Falls with a stop at a scenic view point in the Gatineau Hills. The area features hardwood and mixed forests with bogs, fields, swamps and lakes interspersed amongst the mountains.

Dinner: Dinner at the Hotel Kenney.

Evening: PRESENTATION: Pre-Contact Native History. In an evening presentation by an archeologist on the Rideau Country learn about the impact of the first peoples, long before white settlers arrived.

Lodging: Hotel Kenney

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Rideau Canal Cruise\The Building of the Rideau Canal/Jones Falls Lockstation

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: FIELD TRIP: Rideau Canal by Boat. Enjoy a boat excursion on the Rideau Canal with expert commentary and entertainment. We will pass through a few lockstations and experience what our summer boaters experience. Almost all the locks are hand operated and so it is a unique system in North America. We will pass through beautiful Canadian Shield Country, rugged granite outcrops with majestic pines and cedars at every bend in the waterway.

Lunch: Enjoy a lite lunch on board ship.

Afternoon: PRESENTATION: The Building of a UNESCO Heritage Site - The Rideau Canal. A presentation will acquaint participants with the history of this important waterway. The canal celebrated its 175th anniversary and was designated as a UNESCO Heritage Site in 2007. Following the War of 1812 surveys were carried out to identify a second, safe, route from Montréal to the Great Lakes. Learn about Lieutenant-Colonel John By of the Royal Engineers who was tasked to oversee the making of the route into a navigable waterway, known as the Rideau Canal.

Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: Jones Falls Lockstation. Take a guided walk of Jones Falls Lockstation and visit with the blacksmith in the original shop as well visit the lockmaster's house restored to 1840s period with diary of lockmaster. This experience will be enhanced with commentary by Sue Warren, a well-known local historian and a descendent of lockmaster.

Dinner: Dinner at the hotel.

Lodging: Hotel Kenney

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: A valid passport is required for all participants for the 1000 Islands cruise which makes a stop at Boldt Castle - on the US side of the border. US and Canadian citizens will be required to have the appropriate documents.

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel before we board the coach to Gananoque and the picturesque 1000 Islands.

Morning: EXCURSION: 1000 Islands Cruise. Enjoy an enchanting and scenic cruise through the Thousand Islands including Zavikon Island, Millionaire's Row, the St. Lawrence Seaway and the 1000 Islands Bridge. Participants will disembark at Heart Island, home of the famous Boldt Castle for a 2 hour historic visit. Share the story George C. Boldt, millionaire proprietor of the world famous Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, who set out to build a full size Rhineland castle in Alexandria Bay, on picturesque Heart Island. The grandiose structure was to be a display of his love for his wife, Louise.

Lunch: Box lunch on board the cruise.

Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: Arthur Childs Heritage Museum of 1000 Islands. Reflect on the history of the area as you explore the exhibit halls and interactive displays. The building is reminiscent of the original island cottages and fabulous hotels that were built during the Golden Era and the site on which the Heritage Museum now stands was originally the main station for the Thousand Islands Railway. Learn about the formation of the 1000 Islands and its unique flora and fauna. Walk in the footsteps of the First Nations people, early settlers and voyageurs and the combatants in the War of 1812.

Dinner: Dinner at a local restaurant.

Lodging: Confederation Place Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Canada's First Capital/Fort Henry/Kingston's Historic Sites/Farewell Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: PRESENTATION: Kingston: Canada's First Capital. A renowned historical geographer will present on Canada’s first capital, Kingston, located at the eastern end of Lake Ontario where the lake meets the St. Lawrence River and the Thousand Islands. The city is home to many historic sites including the final resting place of Sir John A. MacDonald, Canada's first Prime Minister and many historic buildings that have been preserved.

Morning: FIELD TRIP: Fort Henry National Historic Site. Visit Fort Henry National Historic Site, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with a senior officer guide. Fort Henry is both a museum and a spectacular historic site. Once inside the fortification's wooden gates visitors enter a marvelous reproduction of 19th century military life. The original Fort Henry was built during the War of 1812 (1812-1814), between Great Britain (Canada being at that time a British colony) and the United States of America. Between 1832 and 1837, a second fort was built on the site of the first, and it is this fort that stands here today. Fort Henry is the largest fortification west of Quebec city.

Lunch: Picnic lunch at Fort Henry.

Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: Historic Kingston. Explore some of Kingston's historic sites and landmarks by bus. Founded in 1673 on a First Nation site called Katarokwi, the settlement was eventually referred to as "the King's Town" in honour of King George III, with the name shortening to "Kingston" by 1788. Kingston is also nicknamed the "Limestone City" because of the many historic buildings built with local limestone and was Canada’s first capital. Highlights include Bellevue House, the home of Canada's first Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald; Queen’s University, established in 1841; and the Martello towers, part of the city’s fortifications. There are 21 National Historic Sites of Canada located in Kingston in addition to numerous galleries and museums.

Dinner: FAREWELL DINNER: Special farewell dinner at Fort Henry Historic Site in the Officers' Dining Room. Participants will be served by soldier servants and treated like guests of the officers' mess at the time of Queen Victoria.

Lodging: Confederation Place Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel is between 6:30 and 8:00 am.

Morning: COACH TRANSFER: The group will transfer by coach to Ottawa at 9:00 am. Approximate arrival at the Ottawa International Airport (YOW) is 12:00 noon. Independent departures from the Ottawa Airport. Secondary drop offs can be arranged at the program hotel in Ottawa if required.

Meals Included: Breakfast