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On The Road: Erie Canal, Monument of Progress That Shaped a Nation

Program Number: 21000RJ
Start and End Dates:
6/9/2013 - 6/22/2013; 9/8/2013 - 9/21/2013; 9/22/2013 - 10/5/2013;
Duration: 13 nights
Location: Buffalo, New York
Price starting at: $3,266.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city
Program Type: On the Road; History & Culture
Meals: 32; 13 Breakfasts, 12 Lunches, 7 Dinners    
Meal Options: Vegetarian    

The completion of the Erie Canal in 1825 spurred the first great westward movement of American settlers, gave access to the rich land and resources west of the Appalachians and made New York the preeminent commercial city in the United States. Discover the history of the Erie Canal and its enormous impact on the development of our nation. Study the canal from the perspective of the innovations in engineering required to complete it, and examine the influence of this transportation route that opened trade into the heart of America, turning small towns into blossoming cities and in turn inspiring social change, cultural progress and religious movements.




Highlights

• On boat excursions at select points along the Erie Canal, cruise through the canal’s highest locks, visit a historic canal town and more.
• Learn about the Women’s Rights Movement in Seneca Falls and the Underground Railroad in Rochester.
• Compare all three of the Erie Canal constructions at Schoharie Crossing and enjoy excursions to Niagara Falls, Saratoga Battlefield and Lake Ontario.



Activity Particulars

Walking up to two miles per day, walking and standing in museums; stairs unavoidable at locks, on cruise boats.



Itinerary Summary

Arrival Buffalo, 2 nights; coach to Seneca Lake, 2 nights; coach to Utica, 2 nights; coach to Albany, 3 nights; coach to Syracuse, 2 nights; coach to Rochester, 2 nights; coach to Buffalo, departure.



Coordinated by Road Scholar.




Buffalo (New York)

Set amid a parks system designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, Buffalo houses a treasure trove of culture, including more than 50 private and public arts galleries, a diverse population of Sicilian, Polish, Greek and Latino heritages, and an architectural cache that includes masterworks by Louis Sullivan, H.H. Richardson and Frank Lloyd Wright.
Accommodations
Full-service hotels in locations that enhance the exploration of each destination.
Meals and Lodgings
   Adam's Mark Hotel
  Buffalo, New York 2 nights
   Ramada Geneva Lakefront
  Geneva, New York 2 nights
   Hotel Utica
  Utica, New York 2 nights
   Hampton Inn and Suites Albany Downtown
  Albany, New York 3 nights
   The ParkView Hotel
  Syracuse, New York 2 nights
   Radisson Hotel Rochester Riverside
  Rochester, New York 2 nights
 Adam's Mark Hotel
Type: Full Service Hotel
  Contact info: 120 Church Street
Buffalo, NY 14202 USA
phone: 716-712-5525
  Smoking allowed: No
  Check in time: 3:00 PM

 Ramada Geneva Lakefront
Type: Resort
  Contact info: 41 Lake Front Drive
Geneva, NY 14456 USA
phone: 315-789-0400
  Smoking allowed: No

 Hotel Utica
Type: Full Service Hotel
  Contact info: 102 Lafayette Street
Utica, NY 13502 USA
phone: 877-906-1912
  Smoking allowed: No

 Hampton Inn and Suites Albany Downtown
Type: Full Service Hotel
  Contact info: 25 Chapel Street
Albany, NY 12210 USA
phone: 518-432-7000
  Smoking allowed: No

 The ParkView Hotel
Type: Boutique Hotel
  Contact info: 713 East Genesee Street
Syracuse, NY 13210 USA
phone: 315-701-2600
web: http://www.theparkviewhotel.com/default.aspx?pg=home
  Smoking allowed: No

 Radisson Hotel Rochester Riverside
Type: Full Service Hotel
  Contact info: 120 East Main St.
Rochester, NY 14604 USA
phone: 585-546-6400
  Smoking allowed: No
  Check out time: 11:00 AM


Travel Details
  Start of Program:
3 p.m.: Hotel Check-In; 3-5 p.m.: Program Registration. 5:30 p.m.: Orientation and Welcome. 6:30 p.m.: Dinner in the hotel. You will be staying at Adam's Mark Hotel that night.
  End of Program:
Transfer from Rochester to Buffalo Niagara International Airport and the program start hotel. Please do not schedule flights prior to 1 p.m. You will be staying at Radisson Hotel Rochester Riverside the night before.
  Required documents:
The Road Scholar Health & Safety Form is required.
Transportation
To Start of Program
  Location:  Buffalo, New York
  Nearest airport:  Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BNIA)
  From End of Program
  Location:  Rochester, New York
Travel Details
 

Buffalo

 

From Train Station

 
 

Service:

 

Train
Amtrak

 

Distance:

 

.5 mile
   

Buffalo - Exchange St., NY (BFX)
 

Buffalo

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Taxi
Buffalo Airport Express
phone: 800-604-1570
Advanced Reservations Required

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

$27 up to 4 people
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

45 minutes 
 
Driving Directions
  From Niagara Falls Take 190 South to Niagara Street (Exit 8). Make a right on Niagara Street and go through 3 traffic lights to South Elmwood and turn right. Hotel is located at intersection of South Elmwood and Church Street.
  From the Buffalo Niagara International Airport Take 33 West (Kensington Expressway) to Oak Street. Make a right turn on North Division Street and follow North Division to the hotel.
  From the East Take I-90 West to Exit 53. Take Church Street exit and follow Church Street to the hotel.
  From the North Take Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) to 190 South. Take the Niagara Street Exit (Exit 8). Turn right onto Niagara Street. Turn right on South Elmwood and follow to the hotel.
  From the South Take I-90 to Exit 53. Take Church Street exit and follow Church Street to the hotel.
  From the West Take I-90 East to Exit 53. Take Church Street exit and follow to the hotel.
  Parking Parking is available in the hotel parking garage for $10 per day x 14 days.
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: Arrivals / Welcome and Program Overview
(Sunday, June 9)
   
 Afternoon: 3 p.m.: Hotel Check-In; 3-5 p.m.: Program Registration. 5:30 p.m.: Orientation and Welcome.
 Dinner: 6:30 p.m.: Dinner in the hotel.
 Evening: Orientation continues.
   
Accommodations: Adam's Mark Hotel
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Buffalo and Niagara Falls
(Monday, June 10)
   
 Breakfast: In the hotel.
 Morning: Buffalo is home to some of the best architectural examples in America. Explore Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House Complex, then the newly restored Erie Canal Basin, the original end location of the Erie Canal.
 Lunch: In a local restaurant.
 Afternoon: An excursion to Niagara Falls takes in views of the falls and provides insight to the Niagara escarpment, an important consideration in the construction of the Erie Canal.
 Dinner: Your choice to explore local fare.
 Evening: At leisure.
   
Accommodations: Adam's Mark Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 3: Lockport Locks and Medina Railroad
(Tuesday, June 11)
   
 Breakfast: Full American breakfast buffet in the hotel restaurant.
 Morning: The Erie Canal is the most successful waterway in North America. It shaped the course of settlement and commerce between the Atlantic Seaboard and the interior of our country. The Erie not only made New York the “Empire State” and New York City the world’s leading seaport, but also contributed to the creation of the United States as a Superpower and the leader of the world’s economy. Set off on a journey of more than 800 miles that spans the entire 365 mile canal, as well as parts of the Cayuga-Seneca and the Champlain canals. Depart to Lockport, for the first of our canal cruise experiences. “Lock through” the only double set of locks on the Erie Canal, as the boat raises 49 feet over the Niagara Escarpment. Witness the water cascading over Lockport’s famous “Flight of Five” 1825 locks and catch a glimpse of the original canal towpath.
 Lunch: A box lunch is provided.
 Afternoon: Continue to the Medina Railroad Museum to view one of the largest freight depot museums in the country. In Spencerport, visit the Adams Basin House. Situated on the towpath, the tavern has changed little since the completion of the Erie Canal in the early 1800's. Continue to Geneva, in the nearby Finger Lakes Region.
 Dinner: Your choice to explore local fare.
 Evening: At leisure to enjoy a walk along the shores of Seneca Lake.
   
Accommodations: Ramada Geneva Lakefront
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 4: Women’s Rights and Cruise the Cayuga-Seneca Canal Through Montezuma Wildlife Reserve
(Wednesday, June 12)
   
 Breakfast: In the hotel.
 Morning: In Seneca Falls, learn about the Women’s Rights Movement. Then board the Rose Lummis for a cruise on the Cayuga-Seneca Canal through Montezuma Wildlife Reserve, where over 300 bird species are found, including Blue and Green Herons, Bald Eagles, Ospreys and Peregrine Falcon.
 Lunch: Aboard Rose Lummis.
 Afternoon: Continue the cruise. View the intersection of the Erie Canal and Cayuga- Seneca Canal, clearly visible sections of original Clintons Ditch from the 1825 canal as the 1860’s enlarged Erie Canal, Lock #25, and the remains of Richmond Aqueduct, visible only from the Canal or original towpath.
 Dinner: Your choice to explore local fare.
 Evening: At leisure.
   
Accommodations: Ramada Geneva Lakefront
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 5: Camillus Aqueduct, Fort Stanwix and Erie Canal Village
(Thursday, June 13)
   
 Breakfast: In the hotel.
 Morning: Continue the Erie Canal journey at Camillus, for a cruise on the only restored portion of the Erie Canal that travels over an aqueduct. Continue to Rome, New York and Fort Stanwix, to learn of the importance of this location. For centuries, the Oneida Carrying Place, a six mile portage connecting the Mohawk River and Wood Creek, served as a vital link for those traveling by water from the ocean to the Great Lakes. When Europeans arrived, nations fought for control of the carry, the homelands of the Six Nations Confederacy, and the rich resources of North America. In this struggle, Fort Stanwix would play a vital role.
 Lunch: Box lunch at Erie Canal Village.
 Afternoon: At the Erie Canal Village living history museum, view the site where the first shovelful of earth was turned for the construction of the original Erie Canal on July 4, 1817. Continue to Utica.
 Dinner: In the hotel.
 Evening: Screen a movie about the region in the hotel.
   
Accommodations: Hotel Utica
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: The Geology of Little Falls
(Friday, June 14)

Note: The nature walk consists of a half mile walk with climbing over rugged terrain. The paths and rocks will be slippery when wet, thus appropriate foot wear is recommended. The most rigorous portion of the walk will be in and around the pot holes themselves so participants may choose not to venture into the pot holes. The majority of the hike is along a paved roadway and on well traveled trails.
   
 Breakfast: In the hotel.
 Morning: Travel along the Mohawk River. Today the channelized Mohawk River is the Erie “barge” Canal. The canal turned this region into America’s industrial powerhouse and original “tech valley” in the 1800’s. Today’s field trip travels to Little Falls, to explore Lock 17 on the Erie Canal and the Mohawk River, the world’s deepest lock at the time of the canal construction. Take a guided walk with a naturalist to learn about Moss Island, designated a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service. Gaze upon the enigmatic “Pot Hole” formations of Moss Island and the sheer cliffs that surround you.
 Lunch: In Little Falls.
 Afternoon: Take some time at leisure to explore the re-purposed mill buildings or stroll the footpath. Return to Utica.
 Dinner: In the hotel.
 Evening: A movie about the canal or local area will be screened in the hotel.
   
Accommodations: Hotel Utica
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7: Schoharie Crossing: Where Three Erie Canals Meet
(Saturday, June 15)
   
 Breakfast: In the hotel.
 Morning: Schoharie Crossing is the site where all three stages of the Erie Canal development can be seen side by side. Lock 20 is the only intact lift lock from the 1825 original Erie Canal. The Schoharie Creek Aqueduct, built in 1841, was one of the canal’s largest aqueducts. Schoharie Crossing is also home to two preserved locks from the Enlarged Erie Canal. Take a guided walk of the East Guard Lock, Schoharie Creek and Schoharie Aqueduct, Empire Lock and Yankee Hill. A lecture describes the business and industries along the Erie Canal in small towns and big cities.
 Lunch: Box lunch at Schoharie Crossing.
 Afternoon: Continue to Albany, the Eastern terminus of the Erie Canal.
 Dinner: In a local restaurant.
 Evening: At leisure.
   
Accommodations: Hampton Inn and Suites Albany Downtown
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8: Saratoga Battlefield and the Champlain Canal
(Sunday, June 16)
   
 Breakfast: In the hotel.
 Morning: This region played a critical role in the battles of European exploration, conquest and imperial conflict. A field trip explores the pivotal Battle of Saratoga on a visit of the National Historical Park with a historian. Board the M/V Caldwell Belle, a sternwheel riverboat, for cruise on the Champlain Canal. The Champlain Canal offered a path for waterborne commerce from the Adirondacks, Vermont and eastern Canada.
 Lunch: Box lunch on board the canal cruise.
 Afternoon: Cruise through Lock C5, one of the deepest on the Champlain Canal. Return to Albany.
 Dinner: Your choice to explore local fare.
 Evening: At leisure.
   
Accommodations: Hampton Inn and Suites Albany Downtown
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 9: Waterford Locks at Troy
(Monday, June 17)
   
 Breakfast: In the hotel.
 Morning: A field trip visits Cohoes Falls and the Waterford Locks, in Troy.
 Lunch: In a local restaurant.
 Afternoon: Return to Albany.
 Dinner: Your choice to explore local fare.
 Evening: At leisure.
   
Accommodations: Hampton Inn and Suites Albany Downtown
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 10: Schenectady and the Chittenango Boat Museum
(Tuesday, June 18)
   
 Breakfast: In the hotel.
 Morning: Embark on the return journey along the Erie Canal. In Schenectady, a lecture details the city’s role in the canal construction. Drive through the historic Stockade District. Continue to Chittenango.
 Lunch: Box lunch in the museum.
 Afternoon: At the Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum, view the unearthed three-bay drydock where boat builders and craftsmen built and repaired the 96-foot long cargo boats used on the canal in the late 19th century. Learn about the life and times of the canal boat builder and walk the historic towpath. Continue to Syracuse.
 Dinner: Enjoy the local flavors of one of the city’s most famous restaurants, the Dinosaur Barbecue.
 Evening: At leisure.
   
Accommodations: The ParkView Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 11: The Erie Canal Museum and the Importance of Salt
(Wednesday, June 19)
   
 Breakfast: In the hotel.
 Morning: The Erie Canal Museum is housed in the National Register 1850 Syracuse Weighlock Building, where canal boats were once weighed to assess a toll. It is the only remaining structure of its kind in America. Examine the museums collection of artifacts, maps and images that tell the story of Erie Canal construction and canal life.
 Lunch: In a local restaurant.
 Afternoon: Discover the industry that created the city of Syracuse and supplied the nation with salt, at the Salt Museum.
 Dinner: Your choice to explore local fare.
 Evening: At leisure.
   
Accommodations: The ParkView Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 12: Palmyra and the Western Canal Towns
(Thursday, June 20)
   
 Breakfast: In the hotel.
 Morning: Head to Palmyra, “Queen of the Canal” to envision daily life in a canal town. Visit the William Phelps Store and home, unchanged from 1940, the Palmyra Historical Museum and the Alling Coverlet Museum – the largest collection of American hand-woven coverlets. Board the m/v Mary Jemison.
 Lunch: Box lunch on board.
 Afternoon: View the iconic Western canal towns as the original passengers did, from the deck of a boat as it cruises along the canal. This part of the canal still follows its original path and retains its historic relationship to communities along its banks. Pass by Fairport and disembark in Pittsford.
 Dinner: In a local restaurant.
 Evening: Continue to Rochester and arrive at the hotel.
   
Accommodations: Radisson Hotel Rochester Riverside
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 13: Rochester: The Underground Railroad and Eastman’s Innovations
(Friday, June 21)
   
 Breakfast: In the hotel.
 Morning: Walk in the footsteps of the freedom-seekers who traveled the Underground Railroad en route to a new life. View the High Falls area and learn Rochester’s historic beginnings as a mill town.
 Lunch: In a local restaurant.
 Afternoon: Examine the lifestyle and inventions of George Eastman, the father of popular photography and an example of the Eire Canal’s legacy of culture, arts, academics and architecture.
 Dinner: Celebrate your journey with a farewell dinner.
 Evening: Exchange memories and reflections with your fellow participants.
   
Accommodations: Radisson Hotel Rochester Riverside
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 14: Departure Transfer from Rochester to Buffalo
(Saturday, June 22)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast included.
 Morning: The circuit of the Erie Canal, spanning 365 miles from Albany to Buffalo is complete. Transfer from Rochester to Buffalo Niagara International Airport and the program start hotel. Please do not schedule flights prior to 1 p.m.
   
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.


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