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Historic Towns and Landmarks of the Chesapeake Bay, Delaware, James and Potomac Rivers

Program Number: 20424RJ
Start and End Dates:
10/20/2013 - 10/28/2013;
Duration: 8 nights
Location: Pennsylvania/Virginia/Maryland
Price starting at: $4,590.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city
Program Type: Adventure Afloat Study Cruise; Small Ship Cruising Activity Level: t (see description)
Meals: 23; 8 Breakfasts, 7 Lunches, 8 Dinners    
Meal Options: Gluten Free; Low Salt; Low Fat; Vegetarian    

The rivers, islands and towns of Chesapeake Bay are alive with history dating back to the earliest settlements in the United States. Venture through the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal to follow the story of America’s creation at Revolutionary and Civil War sites, beautiful Annapolis, mysterious Tangier Island and the stately home of America’s first president.




Activity Particulars

Standing for up to two hours at a time, up to four hours a day. Mobility is essential, as small boats and tenders are sometimes used for disembarkation and re-embarkation.



Itinerary At-a-Glance

Philadelphia, Penn, 1 night; aboard Yorktown, 7 nights.



Days 1 - 2: Arrival Philadelphia, Penn. / Embark Yorktown:

Explore the historic city of Philadelphia during an expert led excursion before boarding the Yorktown. Lodging: Comfortable Philadelphia hotel.



Day 3: Chesapeake and Delaware Canal / Annapolis, Maryland:

After sailing through the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, arrive at Annapolis, a city of narrow brick street, colonial mansions, and an atmosphere of an old shipping village.



Day 4: St. Michaels:

Arrive in St. Michaels, a quaint waterfront village. Explore the town’s manicured colonial, federal and Victorian homes, art galleries and fascinating maritime history.



Day 5: Tangier Island, Va.:

Learn how the remoteness of this island has preserved the unique English Restoration dialect spoken by the island natives.



Day 6: Hopewell / Richmond / Petersburg:

Recall the Revolutionary and Civil Wars at the site where Patrick Henry famously made his “Give me liberty or give me death” speech and at the American Civil War Center.



Day 7: Yorktown / Colonial Williamsburg:

Colonial history comes alive on an expert-led field trip to Colonial Williamsburg — the nation's premier living museum, showcasing life as it was in the 17th and 18th centuries. Enjoy time at leisure to explore the museum’s streets, which are filled with taverns, bakeries and the restored houses of wheelwrights, coopers and other tradesmen.



Days 8 – 9: Mount Vernon / Alexandria / Disembark Yorktown / Departures:

Sail up the Potomac River to Mount Vernon, George Washington's massive estate and gardens. Spend the day exploring the sweeping grounds including the mansion, museum, slaves’ quarters and the gardens. The next day, sail to Alexandria for independent departures.



Yorktown

Built and registered in America and staffed by American officers and crew, the Yorktown is the perfect vessel for exploring America’s great coastal waterways. With a draft of only nine feet, it can sail where larger vessels cannot go, and its American registry allows it to operate domestic itineraries unavailable to foreign-flag ships. Passengers enjoy an informal onboard atmosphere and tend to spend much of their time underway enjoying lectures and concerts in the lounge or reading and relaxing on the sun deck.
Meals and Lodgings
   Hyatt Regency Philadelphia at Penn's Landing
  Pennsylvania 1 night
   Yorktown
  Yorktown - At Sea 8 nights
 Hyatt Regency Philadelphia at Penn's Landing
Type: Four-Star Hotel
  Description: The Hyatt Regency Philadelphia at Penn's Landing is a high-rise waterfront hotel. The vibrant Old City District and charming Society Hill neighborhood are within walking distance. The hotel is just a few blocks from Philadelphia's historic attractions such as the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Betsy Ross House, and the National Constitution Center.
  Contact info: 201 South Columbus Blvd
Philadelphia, PA 19106 USA
phone: 215-928-1234
web: www.pennslanding.hyatt.com
  Room amenities: Each room features a television, telephone, individual climate control, complimentary weekday newspaper, refrigerator, coffee and tea making facilities, wake-up calls, hair dryer, iron and ironing board, and Internet access (for a fee).
  Facility amenities: This hotel features an indoor swimming pool and sauna, cafe, restaurant, room service, a bar, safe-deposit box at front desk, dry cleaning and laundry services (for a fee), 24-hour fitness facilities, wireless Internet access (for a fee), and parking (for a fee).
  Smoking allowed: No
  Elevators available: Yes
  Additional nights prior: N/A Please contact Road Scholar in Amherst, MA if you would like assistance making hotel reservations for additional non-program nights 413-253-9736.
  Check in time: 3:00 PM

 Yorktown
Type: Cruise Ship
  Description: The Yorktown is the perfect vessel for relaxed and convivial exploration of America’s great coastal waterways. Built in Florida in 1988 specifically for coastal cruising and certified by the U. S. Coast Guard, the Yorktown flies the American flag and is staffed by friendly and experienced American officers and crew. With a draft of only 9 feet, the Yorktown is able to maneuver in secluded waterways and visit small ports that are inaccessible to larger vessels. And Yorktown’s American registry makes it possible to operate domestic itineraries unavailable to foreign-flag ships. The ship’s cuisine, served in a dining room large enough to accommodate all guests at once, emphasizes American regional culinary traditions. Accommodating only 130 guests in 65 exterior cabins, the Yorktown enjoys an atmosphere of warm and relaxed informality that endears it to repeat and new guests alike.
  Ship Information: Length: 257 feet Beam: 43 feet Draft: 8 feet Cabins: 69 Flag: American
  Contact info: Travel Dynamics International
132 East 70th Street
New York, NY 10021 USA
phone: 800-257-5767
web: www.traveldynamicsinternational.com
  Room amenities: Most cabins have large picture windows, and each is furnished with comfortable beds, a writing desk, ample storage, a clock/radio/CD player, and has a private bathroom. Your cabin is the perfect place for peace and quiet and for private rest and reflection.
  Facility amenities: The ship offers a dining room, spacious observation lounge, large sun deck, library, and swimming platform. Both the lounge and dining room are surrounded by large picture windows that afford unobstructed views of the passing scenery. The water aboard ship is safe to drink, and bottled water will be provided on group excursions. Cash (USD) and credit cards are the preferred forms of payment aboard ship. For telephone communication onboard, you may use the ship's Maritime service satellite system which will be charged to a credit card. Email access on board: Internet-ready laptop computers will be available for use on board from which personal emails can be received and sent by accessing your own web-based email account. A fee will be charged for each 30 minutes of use. There is also wireless Internet access available for a fee.
  Smoking allowed: No


Travel Details
  Start of Program:
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Welcome Orientation at 5:00 PM in the hotel. You will be staying at Hyatt Regency Philadelphia at Penn's Landing that night.
  End of Program:
Alexandria, Virginia. After breakfast on the last day. You will be staying at Yorktown the night before.
  Required documents:
The Road Scholar Health & Safety Form is required. TDI Traveler Information Form is required. All participants are required to have a driver's license or a passport in order to embark the Yorktown.
  Parking availability:
N/A
Transportation
To Start of Program
  Location:  Pennsylvania
  From End of Program
  Location:  Yorktown - At Sea
Travel Details
 

From the Philadelphia International Airport to the Hyatt Regency at Penn's Landing

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Taxi

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

approximately $32
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

approximately 15 minutes 
 

Distance:

 

9.2 miles
 

From the Robinson Terminal (VA dock) to the Ronald Reagan Washington Airport

 

To Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Taxi

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

approximately $22
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

approximately 16 minutes 
 

Distance:

 

approximately 5 miles
The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


Daily Schedule

Day 1: Independent Arrivals / Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
(Sunday, October 20)
   
 Afternoon: Independent arrivals in Philadelphia. Meet in the hotel lobby at 5:00 PM. Welcome Orientation.
 Dinner: Welcome dinner at a local restaurant.
   
Accommodations: Hyatt Regency Philadelphia at Penn's Landing
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania / Embark Yorktown
(Monday, October 21)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast in the hotel dining room.
 Morning: Enjoy a guided excursion of historic Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
 Lunch: Lunch at a local restaurant.
 Afternoon: Embark Yorktown at 3:00 PM. Orientation to the ship at 5:00 PM.
 Dinner: Welcome Dinner.
   
Accommodations: Yorktown
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Chesapeake & Delaware Canal / Annapolis, Maryland
(Tuesday, October 22)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast onboard.
 Morning: After sailing through the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal arrive in Annapolis, a city of narrow brick streets, colonial mansions, and an atmosphere of an old shipping village. Our field trip will include the Maryland State House, the oldest U.S. capitol in continuous legislative use, where the Treaty of Paris was ratified; the William Paca House and Garden, the expansive estate of a former governor of Maryland; and the historic U.S. Naval Academy.
 Lunch: Lunch onboard.
 Afternoon: In the afternoon, enjoy time at leisure to stroll through the historic neighborhoods.
 Dinner: Dinner onboard.
 Evening: Attend a shipboard guest lecture.
   
Accommodations: Yorktown
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: St. Michaels, Maryland
(Wednesday, October 23)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast onboard.
 Morning: Arrive in St. Michaels, a quaint waterfront village set on a picturesque peninsula. Explore the town with its manicured colonial, federal and Victorian homes, art galleries, and interesting maritime history.
 Lunch: Lunch onboard.
 Afternoon: Enjoy free time in the afternoon to explore the historic streets and neighborhoods of this charming town.
 Dinner: Dinner onboard.
 Evening: Attend shipboard guest lecture.
   
Accommodations: Yorktown
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: Tangier Island, Virginia
(Thursday, October 24)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast onboard.
 Morning: Call in Tangier Island, located on the Lower Eastern Shore of Chesapeake Bay. This island’s fascinating history begins with its original inhabitants, the Choctaw Indians, whose arrowheads are still found throughout the area. European colonists, including John Smith, settled on the island in the 17th century, and during the War of 1812 the British used it as a staging area. Today, the island is home to a number of residents, but it remains relatively isolated from the mainland, creating a pleasant sense of tranquility. Its remoteness has perhaps also contributed to the unique English Restoration era dialect spoken by island natives.
 Lunch: Lunch onboard.
 Afternoon: Enjoy some free time this to explore this unique island.
 Dinner: Dinner onboard.
   
Accommodations: Yorktown
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: Hopewell / Richmond / Petersburg, Virginia
(Friday, October 25)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast onboard.
 Morning: Dock in Hopewell, on the James River, and travel to Virginia’s historical capital of Richmond, which also served as the capital of the Confederacy during the Civil War. The city is filled with many interesting Revolutionary and Civil War sites and museums. Those that we will explore include St. John’s Episcopal Church, the site from where Patrick Henry famously made his “Give me liberty or give me death” speech during the Revolutionary War. Also explore the interactive American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar, which tells the story of the Civil War from the perspectives of the Confederacy, the Union, and the slaves.
 Lunch: Lunch onboard.
 Afternoon: In the afternoon travel south for an excursion to Petersburg, an important city for the Confederacy during the Civil War whose battleground sites we will explore.
 Dinner: Dinner onboard.
 Evening: Attend a shipboard guest lecture.
   
Accommodations: Yorktown
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7: Yorktown / Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia
(Saturday, October 26)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast onboard.
 Morning: From the port of Yorktown, our excursion leads to historic Colonial Williamsburg. The capital of the Virginia colony from 1699 to 1780, Williamsburg is the nation’s premier living museum, offering visitors a glimpse of life as it was in the 17th and 18th centuries. A guided excursion leads along the Duke of Gloucester Street, Williamsburg’s main thoroughfare, past the Capitol, the courthouse, the Governor’s Palace and the historic Bruton Parish Church, which has held Episcopal services here since 1715.
 Lunch: Lunch onboard.
 Afternoon: Then enjoy time at leisure to explore the museums and side streets, which are filled with taverns, bakeries and the restored houses of wheelwrights, coopers, apothecaries, and other tradesmen.
 Dinner: Dinner onboard.
 Evening: Attend a shipboard guest lecture.
   
Accommodations: Yorktown
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8: Alexandria / Mount Vernon, Virginia
(Sunday, October 27)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast onboard.
 Morning: Today Yorktown sails up the Potomac River to reach Alexandria. Drive to Mount Vernon, George Washington’s massive estate and gardens. Spend the day exploring the sweeping grounds including the mansion, museum, slaves’ quarters, and the gardens.
 Lunch: Lunch onboard.
 Afternoon: In the afternoon, explore the recently opened distillery, a reconstruction of Washington’s original whiskey distillery.
 Dinner: Farewell Dinner.
   
Accommodations: Yorktown
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9: Alexandria, Virginia / Disembark / Departures
(Monday, October 28)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast onboard.
 Morning: Disembark Yorktown in Alexandria. Independent departures.
   
Accommodations: Yorktown
Meals Included: Breakfast
Important information about your itinerary: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date. The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.

Suggested Reading List


Africans in America, America's Journey through Slavery


Author: Charles Johnson, Patricia Smith, WBGH Series Research Team


Description: A powerful collaborative effort that paints a vivid picture of the history of slavery in America, and celebrates the brave Africans who managed to preserve their heritage as they endured so many hardships.



Baltimore, Annapolis & the Chesapeake Bay


Author: Allison Blake


Description: An intimate guidebook to the Bay, lovingly written by a local newspaper reporter. The book covers sites all along the eastern and western shores of the bay, with lots of history and practical information.



Beautiful Swimmers: Watermen, Crabs & the Chesapeake Bay


Author: William Warner


Description: A lovingly-written history of the blue crab, enriched with local color and a vivid overview of the Chesapeake Bay, its ecosystem, history and future.



Chesapeake


Author: James Michener


Description: Michener works his usual magic, this time on the Chesapeake Bay, telling the history of the region through the story of a colorful family.



Eyewitness Guide Philadelphia & the Pennsylvania Dutch Country


Author: Eyewitness Guides


Description: Gorgeously illustrated and with excellent maps, this compact book is a handsome overview of the history, traditions, cultures and sights of Philadelphia and surrounding areas.



Founding Brothers, The Revolutionary Generation


Author: Joseph J. Ellis


Description: A riveting tale of Washington, Madison, Hamilton and especially of Jefferson and Adams. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, it's a fascinating glimpse into the early days of our country.



Jamestown, Williamsburg, Yorktown, The Official Guide to America’s Historic Triangle


Author: Colonial Williamsburg Foundation


Description: This guidebook has all the information you need about Virginia's "Historic Triangle," where the nation began.



Life in the Chesapeake Bay


Author: Alice Jane Lippson, Robert L. Lippson


Description: This combination field guide and ecological primer on the Chesapeake Bay is a comprehensive guide to local plants and animals which describes the wetlands habitat in which they live.



Mid-Atlantic States Map


Author: Mad Maps


Description: A regional map of the mid atlantic states and the Chesapeake bay



Moon Handbook Virginia, Including Washington D.C


Author: Julian Smith


Description: This compact guidebook covers Virginia and the Capital region. It combines text on history, culture and nature with practical information for travelers, and it features plenty of photographs, maps and illustrations.



National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America


Author: Jon Dunn


Description: From Alaska to Baja California, Nova Scotia and Florida, this guide is the veteran's choice for birding anywhere in the United States. Tabbed for easy access, the color range maps in this sixth edition are outstanding.



Philadelphia, A 300-Year History


Author: Russell F. Weigley (Editor), Edward Wolf (Editor), Nicholas B. Wainwright (Editor), Joseph E. Illick


Description: A comprehensive history of Philadelphia that examines the city's political, artistic, physical, and social development.



The Americans, the Colonial Experience


Author: Daniel Boorstin


Description: Winner of the Bancroft Prize, this wide-ranging portrait of colonial America looks to the origins of the American character and its institutions.



The Civil War, An Illustrated History


Author: Geoffrey C. Ward, Ken Burns


Description: An illustrated, comprehensive social history of the Civil War by the now-famous team of Ward and Burns. With 500 photographs and maps, extensive text and original essays by contributing experts.



The First Salute, A View of the American Revolution


Author: Barbara Tuchman


Description: Pulitzer-prize winning author’s analysis of the American Revolution, focusing on the European politics surrounding the war, and the conflicts between the British and Dutch navy. Much of the action takes place in the Caribbean, the author providing a fascinating account of the role of St. Eustatius (the "Golden Rock") in the American Revolution.



The Transformation of Virginia 1740-1790


Author: Rhys Isaac


Description: In this Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Isaac analyzes Virginia's social history during the tumultuous years between 1740-1790.





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