All Aboard! Discover New England’s Railroad Legacy

Activity note: Hotel check-in available from 3:00 p.m. Program registration begins at 4:00 p.m.

Afternoon: Program Registration: 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. After you have your room assignment, join us at the Road Scholar table in the main lobby to register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing the up-to-date schedule that reflects any changes, other important information, and to confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet when you check in.

Dinner: At the hotel, we’ll have a buffet dinner with coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: Orientation. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving approximately 101 miles roundtrip; about 2 hours. Walking approximately 1 mile; about 1.5 hours; uneven ground. Getting on/off train; ride is about 12 miles roundtrip; over 1 hour. Getting on/off riverboat; ride is over 1 hour.

Breakfast: At the hotel, we’ll have a buffet that includes a variety of choices including entrées, fruit, and cereal, plus milk, juice, coffee, tea, water.

Morning: Once aboard our motorcoach, we’ll travel to the Essex Steam Train and Riverboat facility where our Group Leader will provide historical commentary about the area. We’ll then board the steam locomotive train at Essex Station, a historic building dating back to 1892, and enjoy a narrated ride through the beautiful Connecticut River Valley to the town of Deep River. Upon arrival, we’ll get off the train to board the Becky Thatcher riverboat and ride along the Connecticut River, admiring the quintessentially New England scenery. As we travel, we’ll see the impressive sites of Gillette Castle, Goodspeed Opera House, and the Haddam Swing Bridge.

Lunch: On the boat during our field trip, we’ll have our pre-selected boxed lunches featuring an assortment of sandwiches and bottled water.

Afternoon: Our riverboat will navigate back to Deep River Landing where we’ll get back on the steam locomotive and make our way back to Essex Station. Upon conclusion of our boat and steam engine field trip, we’ll then travel to the Shore LineTrolley Museum for exploration led by museum staff with accompanying commentary. This museum contains a variety of trolley cars as well as exhibits on the societal impact of the Trolley Era. We will then take a ride on one of the trolley cars and check out the Visitor’s Center that are is on site.

Dinner: At the hotel, we’ll have a buffet meal with coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: We will then be joined at the hotel by a member of the Connecticut Historical Society for a lecture about Connecticut during the period of the American Revolution, during which we will explore the subjects of historical patriotism and loyalty in the age of British occupation. Be sure to prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

Activity note: Getting on/off motorcoach; driving approximately 241 miles from CT to NH. Getting on/off train; ride is approximately 16 miles one way; about 2 hours. Walking approximately 1 mile; about 1 hour; uneven terrain.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: After checking out of the hotel, we’ll board our motorcoach for a trip through the Connecticut River Valley to the Lakes Region of New Hampshire and the Lake Winnipesaukee Railroad in Meredith. We’ll arrive at the railway station and meet our local railroad historian who joins us and shares his knowledge about the history of the hoboism and Lake Winnipesaukee Railroads.

Lunch: Aboard the train, we’ll enjoy a delicious plated meal of hot turkey with all the trimmings, plus coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase. During our lunch, we’ll enjoy narration about the surrounding sites and a talk about the train with our local historian.

Afternoon: Following the train ride, we will head north via motorcoach into the White Mountains and check in at the hotel while being greeted by the staff upon arrival.

Dinner: At the hotel, we will enjoy a buffet dinner with coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: At leisure.

Activity note: Getting on/off motorcoach; driving approximately 60 miles; about 1.5 hours, with stops. Walking up to 1.5 miles during group activities throughout the day. Walking according to personal preference at Mount Washington for about 1 hour; uneven terrain, grass, rocks, dirt, some paved areas. Mount Washington has an elevation of about 6,300 feet. The summit has quite extreme and rapidly changing weather conditions throughout the year, please dress accordingly and bring extra layers

Breakfast: Hotel Buffet

Morning: This morning we are joined by local historian Carl Lindblade, who will be with us for the next two days. His morning presentation, "The Bretton Woods Conference" is arguably one of the most important Conferences of the 20th Century. Carl will share the story of the Conference held under wartime conditions and how a closed and dilapidated hotel came together and pulled off hosting a conference that designed the world wide post World War II Finance and Banking systems still in use today. Upon arrival at the Mount Washington hotel a little later this morning, you step into the venue where the conference occurred and see where it all happened. Following the morning talk we board the motorcoach and make our way to the Mount Washington Hotel along the Kancamagus Highway.

Lunch: At the historic Mount Washington Hotel, we’ll enjoy a spectacular buffet lunch, with coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: Following lunch we board our motorcoach and travel a short distance to Mount Washington where we will board the Cog Railroad for a scenic ride to the summit as we listen to commentary provided by train staff and our local expert. At the top, take some time to explore independently and enjoy the beautiful views from the tallest mountain peak in the Northeastern United States. We’ll meet at a predetermined time and place for the ride back down via the Cog Railway. Back at the bottom, we’ll board the motorcoach and return to the hotel.

Dinner: Will be served at a local restaurant with choices pre-selected prior to arrival at the program. Water, non-alcoholic beverages included. Other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: The remainder of the evening will be at leisure.

Activity note: Getting on/off motorcoach; driving approximately 36 miles; about 1 hour with stops. Walking up to 1.5 miles during group activities throughout the day. Walking according to personal preference at the summit of Cannon Mountain for about 1 hour; uneven terrain, grass, rocks, dirt, some paved areas. Cannon Mountain has an elevation of about 4,080 feet. The summit has quite extreme and rapidly changing weather conditions throughout the year, please dress accordingly and bring extra layers

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: This morning we board the coach for a morning of exploration. Our first stop brings us to Fadden's General Store and Maple Sugarhouse. Here we are greeted by the owner who will share the secrets behind making maple syrup, New England's "Liquid Gold". Boarding the coach we will travel a short distance to the Basin. This large pothole in the Pemigewasset River, 30 feet in diameter and 15 feet deep, had its beginning some 25,000 years ago as the Ice Age came to a close. Water flowing from the melting glacier that filled Franconia Notch eroded the solid granite bedrock. During the thousands of years that followed sand and stones were whirled around by the force of the river causing a boring action that left the sidewalls smooth. The rock formation seen in the stream bed at the outlet has been known for generations as "The Old Man's Foot". The great American naturalist, Henry David Thoreau (1817-62), on his first trip to the White Mountains in September of 1839 stood here and watched the water cascade into the granite bowl and whirlpool around its walls. He would later write in his Journal, "this pothole is perhaps the most remarkable curiosity of its kind in New England." Our final stop of the morning takes us to the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway. A cable car brings us to the 4,080-foot summit of Cannon Mountain in under ten minutes. On a clear day, you can see the mountains of four states and Canada. At the summit, you'll find spectacular scenic walking paths, a 360 degree observation deck, a cafe and restrooms.

Lunch: At the Cafe 4080 at the summit of Cannon Mountain. Choose from lunch options and a non-alcoholic beverage, other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: Following lunch we board our motorcoach and return to the resort for an afternoon of leisure. Here you may enjoy the many resort amenities or take a ride to the summit of Loon Mountain aboard the White Mountain Express gondola. We will meet back up as a group in the late afternoon and board the coach for the Cafe Lafayette Dinner train.

Dinner: Aboard the Café Lafayette Dinner Train, we will have an exceptional dining experience over a 4-course plated gourmet meal while watching the ever-changing scenery of the Pemigewasset River and the surrounding area.

Evening: Returning to the hotel via coach, the remainder of the evening will be at your leisure. Be sure to prepare for check-out and departures in the morning.

Activity note: Hotel check-out by 8:30 a.m. Getting on/off motorcoach; driving approximately 205 miles; about 3.5 hours. Expected drop-off times of approximately 1:00 p.m. at airport, and about 1:30 p.m. at starting hotel.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: After checking out of the hotel, we board the motorcoach and begin our journey back to Connecticut. Share some of your favorite experiences from the program with new Road Scholar friends. We will make a stop at the Great Falls Region Chamber of Commerce in Bellows Falls, Vermont for a rest break.

Afternoon: Continuing, we expect to arrive at the Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, CT by approximately 1:30 p.m. to drop passengers off and then will continue on to the Hilton Garden Inn to drop off any remaining passengers by about 2:00 p.m. We highly recommend that you do not book any flights prior to 3:00 p.m.. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!