Historic American Cities - Tuesday, 1 September 2020 - Tuesday, 8 September 2020 - Didgigo
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Historic American Cities 7
NIGHTS
Tuesday, 1 September 2020 - Tuesday, 8 September 2020
JUDY & DAVID COLLINS
Explore the USA east coast ’s ‘Big 4’; Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Washington
DC. Follow the path of American History through the northeast with stops to discover
iconic cities and delicious bites along the way.
This handbook is your key to a vacation filled with wonderful experiences full of the
back roads, local color, and out of the way places our staff has explored and enjoyed.
Have a wonderful time!
Agent Sample
| agent@sample.com
Helpful Hints
ADMISSION FEES & OPERATING HOURS: allowed 10 meters from the entrance to a public restaurant or building. Each city
We do our best to provide accurate information regarding admission fees, days or county can enact different smoking restrictions and this information is
of operation and opening times. Unfortunately we cannot guarantee the readily available from your hotel front desk staff or local visitor center.
accuracy of the information as they are subject to change without notice. Most hotels in the United States have a 100% non-smoking policy. Smoking in
a non-smoking hotel room will result in a minimum fine of $250 as imposed
HOTEL POLICIES, FACILITIES & AMENITIES: by the hotel.
We provide but cannot guarantee the availability of noted policies, facili-
ties and amenities as these are offered at the sole discretion of the hotel and DRIVING:
can be changed without notice. Each state is allowed to set its own speed limit and these vary considerably from
state to state. Speed Limit signs are posted on all streets and highways in
CUSTOMS/IMMIGRATION: the United States and can vary along the same road as you pass from
US officials take their Jobs very seriously, in part to stop the flow of illegal residential areas to shopping areas to the open highway. Speed Limit signs will
immigrants to the country, in part to stop the spread of crop diseases. Many of be posted each time there is a reduction or increase in the Speed Limit. As a rule
the ports you enter through are in prime agricultural regions. LA, San Francisco, of thumb speed limits are strictly enforced and fines for speeding can cost as
cities in Florida and the areas around them are constantly fighting to keep out much as 500 USD. Many of the areas you will be traveling through are rather
foreign pests. Please do not bring any fresh produce with you into the US. remote. It’s essential that you fill up on gas in the morning and purchase
additional water before departing.Alcohol in open containers is not allowed in
MONEY:
any state so do not drink while you are driving. Penalties for driving under
Once beyond the major US cities, exchanging foreign currencies for US dollars
the influence of alcohol are strictly enforced and are very severe with a
can get difficult. Some banks will exchange, but will charge a fee on any
mandatory arrest followed by 24 hours in jail and expensive fines.
transaction. ATM machines are now widely available for obtaining cash with
your VISA or bank card. ROAD CONSTRUCTION:
Throughout the year and particularly during the warm summer months you may
PARKING:
find construction on some of America’s highways. The following link is a
Parking fees are not included in the cost of your tour. Parking fees vary by hotel
collection of links from public agencies and other entities that offer information
and must be paid directly to each hotel upon arrival day.
about current traffic conditions across the nation. The links are organized
by State and include information on road closures due to weather or road
RESTAURANTS:
construction, and traffic conditions. www.fhwa.dot.gov/trafficinfo
In most restaurants, particularly the better ones, it is customary to wait at
the entrance for a hostess to seat you. Most dinners are not served a la carte,
DISTANCES:
they come with soup or salad, vegetables and either potato or rice. Gratu-
The American West is more vast than the imagination can believe. As one
ities are expected in the US; typically 15%-20% of the meal bill, including
American author said in 1924, “The grass and trees run with the wind in patterns
alcohol but excluding tax.
that on a European map would measure states and empires.”! Although we have
tried to advise time and distances, we warn you that these are approxi-
SMOKING:
mate: it depends on your driving speeds, weather, and how easily you may be
Cigarette smoking is becoming more restricted each year in the United States.
distracted by curiosity along the way. Not all stops have time built into
Most cities in the United States have enacted anti-smoking policies that forbid
each day’s estimated itinerary.
smoking in restaurants and other public buildings. Smoking is typically only
CLOTHING: Tribal Parks will charge separate fees, not included in the America The
Dress codes are fairly relaxed in the US, particularly when not in a city. Beautiful pass.
Only a few National Park restaurants will require a coat and tie for dinner;
typically, any clothing is acceptable. Shoes and shirts are always required CANADIAN NATIONAL PARKS:
by health codes. Bring a variety of clothing: you will be traveling through In Canada the fees are slightly different. Parks charge per person entrance fees
mostly very warm areas, but with elevation changes and dry climates on a daily basis. The Canadian annual pass – the Discovery pass – provides
bringing sudden coolness. Bring swimsuits as most hotels (except in unlimited admission for 12 full months from date of purchase at nearly
National Parks) will have pools or Jacuzzis. 100 National Parks, National Marine Conservation Areas and National Historic
Sites across Canada that charge entry fees .You can order your Discovery Pass
COOLERS: online at: www.commandesparcsparksorders.ca/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/
Consider purchasing an inexpensive cooler or ice chest at a supermarket while en/parksb2c/discovery-pass. You only need one pass per car. The Discovery
you’re traveling to keep beverages and snacks cool. Alcohol, including beer and Pass must be hung from the rear view mirror of the vehicle facing forward or it
wine, may not be available in certain places, so you might wish to keep a supply can be placed on the front driver side dashboard facing up. If you have any
of those also. questions regarding the pass, please contact the National Information
Service at 1-888-773-8888 or email information@pc.gc.ca. Please note: activi-
US NATIONAL PARKS: ties such as tours or parking that normally carry a separate fee may not be
The national park system is one of America’s greatest treasures. Admission covered by the Discovery Pass.
to the parks is up to $25 per private vehicle. An annual park pass, called America
The Beautiful Pass, is available and will be worth the purchase if you plan to visit ACCOMMODATIONS:
four or more parks. You should be able to purchase a pass at any entrance gate. Please be aware most hotels may request a credit card to pay for incidentals –
Please be aware that you may be randomly checked to make sure your phone and restaurant charges. Most hotels will charge a fee for both local and
identification belongs to the name on the National Parks Pass.As you enter a long distance phone calls. If you have a credit card, or a debit card, you may wish
park, your first stop should be the Visitors Center to get oriented. There is also to use it for long distance calls as hotels tend to mark up these charges
a “passport” system you might wish to use – for about $10 you can buy a small considerably if you use their carrier. Some hotels will offer a free Continental
book of all the parks and stamps to go in each park you visit. The Rangers Breakfast. These vary, but typically are quite basic with coffee, tea, fruit juice,
at the Visitors Center have stamps to validate your visit.State parks and Indian and toast or muffins.
Snapshot
7 Nights | Tuesday, 1 September 2020 – Tuesday, 8 September 2020
DATE DESCRIPTION
Tue, 01 Sep 2020 Boston
The “Cradle of Liberty”, the “Hub of the Universe”, the “Athens of America”.
Tue, 01 Sep 2020 - The Midtown Hotel
Thu, 03 Sep 2020 King Room
Address: 220 Huntington Ave., Boston, California, United States of America
Thu, 03 Sep 2020 Boston - New York City
Drive Time: 3 hrs 45 mins (Approximately)
Thu, 03 Sep 2020 New York
A trip to New York City is the experience of a lifetime. With famous attractions like Times Square, Central Park, the
Empire State Building and Yankee Stadium.
Thu, 03 Sep 2020 - Millennium Broadway Hotel-Times Square New York
Sat, 05 Sep 2020 King Suite
Address: 145 West 44th Street, New York, New York, United States of America
Sat, 05 Sep 2020 New York City - Philadelphia
Drive Time: 1 hr 30 mins (Approximately)
Sat, 05 Sep 2020 Philadelphia
Philadelphia is the birthplace of the USA. It was here that the Declaration of Independence was written and signed;
it was also here that the young nation’s leaders came after the war to hammer out a new constitution.
Sat, 05 Sep 2020 - Philadelphia Marriott Downtown
Sun, 06 Sep 2020 Executive Room
Address: 1201 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Sun, 06 Sep 2020 Philadelphia - Washington, DC
Drive Time: 2 hrs 30 mins (Approximately)
Sun, 06 Sep 2020 Washington, DC
There is so much to see and do in DC (as the locals call it) that you should probably stay for at least a month—
Washington’s Smithsonian alone contains more than 120 million artifacts spread across 19 separate museums.
Then there are the monuments, the parks, the fabulous government buildings open to the public, performing arts
and an excellent blues music scene to keep you up half the night as well.
Sun, 06 Sep 2020 - Capitol Skyline Hotel
Tue, 08 Sep 2020 Skyline Suite
Address: 10 “I” Street SouthWest, Washington, D.C., United States of America
Boston
The “Cradle of Liberty”, the “Hub of the Universe”, the “Athens of America”. Public Gardens at the park’s western border are very popular with locals. The
These are big words for a mid-sized city. But Boston lives up to its reputation. It’s Boston Common is open all day year round.
one of America’s oldest cities. With its rich history, grand architecture, as well as
Immediately northeast of Boston Common is Faneuil Hall / Quincy Market,a mar-
world-renowned academic and cultural institutions, the city retains and radiates
ketplace full of restaurants and open air shops. While the original buildings
the glory it has garnered over the last four centuries and offers an excellent in-
dated back to 1742, the structures were renovated in time for America’s Bicen-
troduction or conclusion to most any tour of New England.
tennial in 1976. Faneuil Hall itself is Boston’s “Cradle of Liberty,” where fiery
One of the most popular ways to explore Boston is by following the Freedom speeches were given by Samuel Adams and other patriots that led to the
Trail, a walking tour of historic buildings, sites, and monuments that document rebellion against England in 1775. These oratories became the footstool for
Boston’s contribution to American history. The trail, which begins at the Boston America’s desire to obtain independence from the British. Merchant Peter
Common and ends at Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown, traverses several of Faneuil gave the marketplace to the city with the request that the upper floor
this city’s most interesting neighborhoods; a red brick or painted line connects always be used as a town meeting hall—and it still is. The National Park Service
the sites on the trail and serves as a guide. There are a total of 21 stops in Boston has an information booth downstairs and offers free 20-minute historical talks
and another two in Charlestown, with each stop representing a chapter in daily every half-hour from 09:00 to 16:30 during the summer. Quincy Market, the
American history. Begin by picking up a map and brochures at the Boston three-story Greek revival-style building, is the central area of the food and
Common Visitor Kiosk at 148 Tremont Street. The visitor center is open daily shopping markets. It is bounded to the west by Government Center, a large,
from 9:00 to 17:00. If you prefer to ride, you can pay for one of the trolley tours, modern array of city buildings juxtaposed against the older redbrick market-
which are unofficial guided tours, but do take the rider to many of the sites along place buildings. The market place is open Monday through Saturday 10:00 to
the trail and allow one to disembark at selected stops. Tours start at $38 for a 1 21:00 and Sunday noon to 18:00, with extended hours for food vendors and
hour 45 minute fully narrated tour with Old Town Trolley. The tours depart daily pubs.
between the hours of 9:00 and 17:00 May through October and between the
Located further northeast of the Boston Common and Faneuil Hall, on the
hours 9:00 and 16:00 during the rest of the year. The tours start at 200 Atlantic
opposite side of Interstate 93, is North End, one of the city’s oldest neighbor-
Avenue, but can also be boarded at 16 other stops along the route. Just look for
hoods. It was settled by different waves of immigrants over more than three
one of the orange and green busses from Old Town Trolley. Phone (617)269.7010.
centuries. The original Puritan families were replaced by Eastern European Jews,
Beantown Trolleys offers 2 hour narrated tours that show visitors most of
then the Irish, and, at the turn of the 20th century, the Italians. Wonderful shops
downtown Boston and parts of Cambridge starting at $37. The red trolley busses
and restaurants are still packed with predominantly Italian flavors. The Paul
can be boarded at any of the 20 stops. The trolleys run from 9:30 to 16:30, with
Revere House is located here at 19 North Square. It was built about 1680 and is
a trolley reaching each stop approximately every 20 minutes. The last daily
one of the oldest houses in downtown Boston. The restored home contains 17th-
departure is 15:00. The trip also includes either admission to the Mapparium at
& 18th-century furnishings and revere memorabilia including the famous
the Mary Baker Eddy Library from November through April or a sightseeing
Revere silver. Revere, a master craftsman and well respected silversmith highly
harbor cruise from May through October with stops at the New England Aquarium
praised for his work, was an important revolutionary sympathizer. He made a
and the USS Constitution. Phone (617)720.6342.
daring ride in April 1775, the so called “midnight ride”, to warn outlying commu-
Though not a neighborhood, the Boston Common is is a pivotal point for under- nities about an incipient British invasion. The Paul Revere House is open daily
standing the city’s layout. The Boston Common was earmarked as public lands in 9:30 to 15:15 April 15 through October 31 and 9:30 to 16:15 November through
1634, easily making it the oldest park in America. It’s the starting point of the April 14. The house is closed on Mondays in January, February, as well as during
Freedom trail, and, as mentioned above, the Park Street T Station on the the month of March. Admission is $3.50. Phone (617)523.2338.
Common’s northeast is a hub of the subway system. The park itself is bounded by
Another very notable building in the North End is the Old North Church, located
Beacon, Charles, Boylston, Tremont, and Park Streets. Though a bit rundown now,
at 193 Salem Street, at the foot of Hull Street. It was built in 1723 and is the
the park still attracts a lot of Bostonians daily in summer. Various recreational
oldest surviving church building in Boston. The enduring fame of the Old North
activities, concerts, protests, and speeches take place at this public park. Celeb-
began on the evening of April 18, 1775, when the church sexton, Robert Newman,
rities, including Martin Luther King Jr., Pope John Paul II, and Gloria Steinem, the
climbed the steeple and held high two lanterns as a signal that the British were
advocate of the feminist revolution, have given speeches at the Common. The
Boston marching to Lexington and Concord by sea and not by land. The original steeple East of the Common and south of Faneuil Hall are the downtown and financial has been replaced; the current steeple was built in 1804 after a violent storm. districts. Wander through the Downtown Crossing any day of the week and you The Old North Church has box pews, large windows, and the pulpit from which will encounter energetic street performers and boisterous vendors. Downtown President Ford initiated the celebration of the nation’s Bicentennial. Guides Crossing is home to more than 300 independent jewelers and over 200 retailers regularly offer 7 to 10 minute presentations relating to the church’s history and including such national chains as Macy’s and H&M. It’s also the birthplace of its involvement in the American Revolution. The Old North Church is open to Filene’s Basement, one of the county’s oldest closeout merchants. The name of visitors 10:00 to 16:00 Tuesday through Sunday during the months of January the outlet stems from the venerable – but now defunct – Boston based depart- and February, daily between the hours of 9:00 and 17:00 March through May, and ment store Filene’s, which began selling surplus merchandise in the base- daily between the hours of 10:00 and 17:00 during the months of November and ment-level space in 1909. Each piece of merchandise was automatically and December. Admission is free, donations are expected, especially if you are par- successively marked down in price according to the number of days the item ticipating in a tour. Phone (617)482.6439. remained unsold; goods not snapped up were given to charity. The Waterfront is beyond the North End to the east, facing the excellent Once the neighborhood of the Boston Brahmins, the historical Beacon Hill is a protected harbor which made Boston such a fine seaport. Old piers and ware- true charmer with its gas-lit lamps, cobblestone passageways, and whimsical houses have been transformed into restaurants and condominiums. The neigh- door knockers. Along with neighboring Back Bay, Beacon Hill is home to about borhood is home to numerous museums including the New England Aquarium, 26,000 people and is regarded as one of the most desirable and expensive neigh- the Children’s Museum, the Computer Museum (see chapter museums). It’s also borhoods in Boston. It’s located just north of the Boston Common and the Boston home to the Boston Tea Party Ship & Museum. Unfortunately, the ship, as Public Garden and is bounded generally by Beacon Street on the south, Somerset well as the museum are currently undergoing an extensive renovation. It’s Street on the east, Cambridge Street to the north, and Storrow Drive along the scheduled to reopen in the summer of 2011. Sightseeing cruises of the Boston riverfront of the Charles River Esplanade to the west. At the top of the hill you Harbor and Boston Harbor Island National Park, as well as whale watching tours will find the Massachusetts State House, the state capitol and seat of govern- are offered at certain times of the year. Check with Massachusetts Bay Lines ment of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. At the base of the hill is Charles Whale Watch, Phone: (617)542.8000 or New England Aquarium Whale Watch, Street, an eclectic strip where posh boutiques sell contemporary clothing and Phone (617)973.5206 for whale watching tours. Tours start at $39.95. Regular home furnishings alongside the crème de la crème of Greater Boston’s vast sightseeing cruises start at $16.95 with Boston Harbor Cruises. Phone antiquing empire. Also on the Common’s north edge, at 84 Beacon Street, is the (617)227.4321. The Liberty Fleet of Tall Ships offers Boston Tea Party re-enact- Bull & Finch, the supposed site of the television show “Cheers”. Keep in ments aboard the 125-foot Liberty Clipper. The fleet sails from the New England mind, however, that the actual bar looks nothing like the Hollywood version. Aquarium on the waterfront. Price: $35. Phone (617)742.0333.
THINGS TO DO &
SIGHTS TO SEE
Freedom Trail
One of the most popular ways to explore Boston is by following the Freedom between the hours 9:00 and 16:00 during the rest of the year. The tours start at
Trail, a walking tour of historic buildings, sites, and monuments that document 200 Atlantic Avenue, but can also be boarded at 16 other stops along the route.
Boston’s contribution to American history. The trail, which begins at the Boston Just look for one of the orange and green busses from Old Town Trolley. [Phone:
Common and ends at Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown, traverses several of 617/269.7010].
this city’s most interesting neighborhoods; a red brick or painted line connects
Beantown Trolleys offers 2 hour narrated tours that show visitors most of
the sites on the trail and serves as a guide. There are a total of 21 stops in Boston
downtown Boston and parts of Cambridge starting at $35. The red trolley busses
and another two in Charlestown, with each stop representing a chapter in
can be boarded at any of the 20 stops. The trolleys run from 9:00 to 16:30, with
American history.
a trolley reaching each stop approximately every 20 minutes. The last daily
Begin by picking up a map and brochures at the Boston Common Visitor Kiosk at departure is 15:00. The trip also includes either admission to the Mapparium at
139 Tremont Street. The visitor center is open Monday-Friday 8:30 to 17:00 and the Mary Baker Eddy Library from November through April or a sightseeing
Saturday and Sunday 9:00-17:00. If you prefer to ride, you can pay for one of the harbor cruise from May through October with stops at the New England Aquarium
trolley tours, which are unofficial guided tours, but do take the rider to many of and the USS Constitution. [Phone: 617/720.6342].
the sites along the trail and allow one to disembark at selected stops. Tours start
If you decide to walk the Freedom Trail, plan on spending most of the day on the
at $40.95 for a 1 hour 45 minute fully narrated tour with Old Town Trolley. The
Boston part of the trail (especially if you tour the attractions); the Charleston
tours depart daily between the hours of 9:00 and 17:00 May through October and
section may take as long as half a day if you decide to tour the USS constitution.
THINGS TO DO &
SIGHTS TO SEE
The North End
Located further northeast of the Boston Common and Faneuil Hall, on the Another very notable building in the North End is the Old North Church, located
opposite side of Interstate 93, this neighborhood is one of the city’s oldest. It was at 193 Salem Street, at the foot of Hull Street. It was built in 1723 and is the
settled by different waves of immigrants over more than three centuries. The oldest surviving church building in Boston. The enduring fame of the Old North
original Puritan families were replaced by Eastern European Jews, then the Irish, began on the evening of April 18, 1775, when the church sexton, Robert Newman,
and, at the turn of the 20th century, the Italians. Wonderful shops and restau- climbed the steeple and held high two lanterns as a signal that the British were
rants are still packed with predominantly Italian flavors. marching to Lexington and Concord by sea and not by land. The original steeple
has been replaced; the current steeple was built in 1804 after a violent storm.
The Paul Revere House is located here at 19 North Square. It was built about 1680
The Old North Church has box pews, large windows, and the pulpit from which
and is one of the oldest houses in downtown Boston. The restored home contains
President Ford initiated the celebration of the nation’s Bicentennial. Guides
17th- & 18th-century furnishings and Revere memorabilia including the famous
regularly offer 7 to 10 minute presentations relating to the church’s history and
Revere silver. Revere, a master craftsman and well respected silversmith highly
its involvement in the American Revolution.
praised for his work, was an important revolutionary sympathizer. He made a
daring ride in April 1775, the so called “midnight ride”, to warn outlying commu- Admission is free, donations are expected, especially if you are participating in a
nities about an incipient British invasion. tour. Refer to website for current admission prices and hours of operation.
[Phone: 617/858.8231 / Website: http://oldnorth.com/historic-site].
The Paul Revere House is open daily 9:30 to 17:15. Refer to website for current
admission prices and hours of operation. Admission is $3.50. [Phone:
617/523.2338 / Website: https://www.paulreverehouse.org].
THINGS TO DO &
SIGHTS TO SEE
Cambridge
Although not in Boston, the neighboring city of Cambridge is part of the larger whale skeletons. The Harvard Museum of Natural History is open daily from 9:00
urban area and an essential addition to any visit to Boston. to 17:00. Admission: $12. [Phone: 617/495.13045].
Cambridge is located just across the Charles River and most famous for being the The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is located at the north shore of the
home of Harvard University, the oldest institution of higher learning in the Charles River with its main building at 77 Massachusetts Avenue. The institute
United States and the MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). Presidents was founded by William Barton Rogers as a school where students could learn
Theodore Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, as well as Barak Obama are among “exactly and thoroughly the fundamental principles of positive science with
Harvard’s graduates while MIT boasts more than 20 Nobel Prize-winning alumni. application to the industrial art”. The institute’s 135-acre campus extends more
Harvard University is located at the junction of Massachusetts Avenue and than 1 mile along the Charles River. Ninety minute guided tours of the campus
Cambridge Street. Harvard Square is the epicenter of Cambridge. In and around leave from the informational center in the lobby of the main building Monday
the historic “Yard” at Harvard Square, buildings represent the history of architec- through Friday at 11:00 and 15:00. The tours are free of charge. Call for more
ture in America. They range from Colonial-style Massachusetts Hall built in 1720 information. [Phone: 617/253.7669].
to the contemporary style of Le Corbusier’s Carpenter Center of the Visual Arts.
The MIT Museum at 265 Massachusetts Avenue features changing displays about
Guided tours of the historic campus depart from the information center at 1350
past and current research projects of the school. The Light Fantastic showcases
Massachusetts Avenue Monday through Saturday. The tours are free of charge.
23 pieces from the museum’s extensive hologram collection, which is said to be
Call for more information. [Phone: 617/495.1573 / Website: https://college.
the world’s largest. Robots & Beyond explores Artificial Intelligence and offers
harvard.edu/admissions/visit].
visitors a behind-the-scenes look at the branch of computer science. The MIT
The Harvard Museum of Natural History at 26 Oxford Street exhibits 12,000 Museum is open daily from 10:00 to 17:00. Admission: $10. [Phone: 617/253.5927
specimens from the university’s vast collections. Included are dinosaur fossils, / Website: http://web.mit.edu/museum/].
meteorites, gemstones, and hundreds of mounted animal displays of species
After touring the campus and visiting a museum or two, we recommend you head
from around the world. Between 1886 and 1936 father-and-son glass artists
to neighboring Central Square for dinner. Take your pick among the Ethiopian,
Leopold and Rudolph Blaschka created the Ware Collection of Glass Flowers,
Indian, Thai, and Italian restaurants clustered here. There are lots of good coffee
which showcases 3,000 amazingly realistic models of plants, fruits, and flowers.
houses and bars with music here.
Other museum highlights include a 42-foot-long mounted kronosaurus and three
THINGS TO DO &
SIGHTS TO SEE
Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market
Immediately northeast of Boston Common, this is one of the most popular areas Park Service has an information booth downstairs and offers free 20-minute his-
in town, a marketplace full of restaurants and open-air shops. While the original torical talks daily every half-hour from 09:00 to 16:30 during the summer. Quincy
buildings dated back to 1742, the structures were renovated in time for America’s Market, the three-story Greek revival-style building, is the central area of the
Bicentennial in 1976. Faneuil Hall itself is Boston’s “Cradle of Liberty,” where fiery food and shopping markets. It is bounded to the west by Government Center, a
speeches were given by Samuel Adams and other patriots that led to the rebellion large, modern array of city buildings juxtaposed against the older redbrick mar-
against England in 1775. These oratories became the footstool for America’s ketplace buildings.
desire to obtain independence from the British.
The market place is open Monday through Saturday 10:00 to 21:00 and Sunday
Merchant Peter Faneuil gave the marketplace to the city with the request that the noon to 18:00, with extended hours for food vendors and pubs.
upper floor always be used as a town meeting hall—and it still is. The National
Beacon Hill
Once the neighborhood of the Boston Brahmins, the historical Beacon Hill is a true Charles River Esplanade to the west. At the top of the hill you will find the Massa-
charmer with its gas-lit lamps, cobblestone passageways, and whimsical door chusetts State House, the state capitol and seat of government of the Common-
knockers. Along with neighboring Back Bay, Beacon Hill is home to about 26,000 wealth of Massachusetts. At the base of the hill is Charles Street, an eclectic strip
people and is regarded as one of the most desirable and expensive neighbor- where posh boutiques sell contemporary clothing and home furnishings alongside
hoods in Boston. the crème de la crème of Greater Boston’s vast antiquing empire. Also on the
Common’s north edge, at 84 Beacon Street, is the Bull & Finch, the supposed site
It’s located just north of the Boston Common and the Boston Public Garden and is
of the television show “Cheers”. Keep in mind, however, that the actual bar looks
bounded generally by Beacon Street on the south, Somerset Street on the east,
nothing like the Hollywood version.
Cambridge Street to the north, and Storrow Drive along the riverfront of theTHINGS TO DO &
SIGHTS TO SEE
Charlestown
Across the Charles River to the north is Charlestown, home of the Bunker Hill welcome. Refer to website for current hours of operation. [Phone: 617/426.1812
Monument and the USS Constitution. / Website: https://ussconstitutionmuseum.org/].
Built at Edmund Hartt’s shipyard in the North End – a short distance from its Located in the Monument Square on Breed’s Hill is the Bunker Hill Monument. Part
present berth at Pier 1 – the USS Constitution was launched in 1797 and is consid- of Boston’s National Historic Park, the monument marks the site of the Battle of
ered the world’s oldest commissioned warship afloat. The Constitution was one Bunker Hill, the first major battle of the American Revolution fought on June 17,
of six ships ordered for construction by President George Washington to protect 1775. Control of this high ground near the harbor was important to the British
America’s growing maritime interests. The ships greatest glory came during the occupation of Boston. When colonial forces chose to fortify Charlestown, they
war of 1812 when she defeated four British frigates which earned her the bypassed the more dominant “Bunker Hill” and dug in on Breed’s Hill which was
nickname “Old Ironsides,” because cannon balls glanced off her thick hull. Guided lower and closer to the water. The Bunker Hill Monument is open daily from 9:00
tours of the ship are available. The tours are free of charge, donations are to 16:30. The 221-foot-tall granite obelisk contains a spiral staircase to the top.
Admission is free. [Phone: 617/242.5641].
The Waterfront
The Waterfront is beyond the North End to the east, facing the excellent protected Check with Massachusetts Bay Lines Whale Watch, [Phone: 617/542.8000] or New
harbor which made Boston such a fine seaport. Old piers and warehouses have England Aquarium Whale Watch, [Phone: 617/973.5206] for whale watching
been transformed into restaurants and condominiums. The neighborhood is home tours. Tours start at $49. Regular sightseeing cruises start at $26.95 with Boston
to numerous museums including the New England Aquarium, the Children’s Harbor Cruises. [Phone: 617/227.4321].
Museum, the Computer Museum (see chapter museums). It’s also home to the
The Liberty Fleet of Tall Ships offers Boston Tea Party re-enactments aboard the
Boston Tea Party Ship & Museum. Sightseeing cruises of the Boston Harbor and
125-foot Liberty Clipper. The fleet sails from the New England Aquarium on the
Boston Harbor Island National Park, as well as whale watching tours are offered at
waterfront. Price: $35. [Phone: 617/742.0333].
certain times of the year.THINGS TO DO &
SIGHTS TO SEE
Downtown Crossing The Boston Common
East of the Common and south of Faneuil Hall are the downtown and financial Though not a neighborhood, this is a pivotal point for understanding the city’s
districts. Wander through the Downtown Crossing any day of the week and you layout. The Boston Common was earmarked as public lands in 1634, easily
will encounter energetic street performers and boisterous vendors. making it the oldest park in America. It’s the starting point of the Freedom trail,
and, as mentioned above, the Park Street T Station on the Common’s northeast
Downtown Crossing is home to more than 300 independent jewelers and over
is a hub of the subway system. The park itself is bounded by Beacon, Charles,
200 retailers including such national chains as Macy’s and H&M. It’s also the
Boylston, Tremont, and Park Streets. Though a bit rundown now, the park still
birthplace of Filene’s Basement, one of the county’s oldest closeout merchants.
attracts a lot of Bostonians daily in summer. Various recreational activities,
The name of the outlet stems from the venerable – but now defunct – Boston
concerts, protests, and speeches take place at this public park. Celebrities,
based department store Filene’s, which began selling surplus merchandise in
including Martin Luther King Jr., Pope John Paul II, and Gloria Steinem, the
the basement-level space in 1909. Each piece of merchandise was automatical-
advocate of the feminist revolution, have given speeches at the Common. The
ly and successively marked down in price according to the number of days the
Public Gardens at the park’s western border are very popular with locals. The
item remained unsold; goods not snapped up were given to charity.
Boston Common is open all day year round.THE MIDTOWN HOTEL
2 Nights | Tue, 01 Sep 2020 – Thu, 03 Sep 2020
DIRECTIONS KING ROOM
From I-93 North: Take exit 18 for Frontage Rd
toward Mass Ave/Roxbury. Merge onto I-93
Frontage Rd. Use the left 2 lanes to turn left onto
Massachusetts Ave Connector. Turn right onto
Massachusetts Ave. Turn right onto Avenue of the
Arts/Huntington Ave. Hotel will be on the right
hand side.
From I-93 South: Take exit 18 toward Roxbury/
Andrew Sq/Mass Ave. Continue straight onto
Massachusetts Ave Connector (signs for Mass Ave/
Roxbury). Turn right onto Massachusetts Ave. Turn
right onto Avenue of the Arts/Huntington Ave.
Hotel will be on the right hand side.
From I-90 East: Use the 2nd from the right lane to
take exit 22toward Copley Square/Prudential
Center. Keep left at the fork, follow signs for
Prudential Ctr and merge onto Huntington Ave.
Merge onto Huntington Ave. Slight right onto
Avenue of the Arts/Huntington Ave. Make a U-turn.
Hotel will be on the right hand side.
Services & Facilities:
Address: Business services: Parking:
220 Huntington Ave., Boston, California, 02115, Business centre, Conference room(s) Self parking
United States of America
Fitness and leisure activities:
Phone: Swimming pool(s)
+1 617 262 1000
Internet:
Check In: Internet access
Tue, 01 Sep 2020 Other:
24-hour reception, Concierge, Lift
Check out:
Thu, 03 Sep 2020BOSTON - NEW YORK CITY
3 hrs 45 mins (Approximately) | Thu, 03 Sep 2020
DIRECTIONS
A. Direct: through the Bronx. Right before the George Washington Bridge you leave the
I-95 and take the 9A (Henry Hudson Parkway) south right into the center of
Leave Boston I-93 South. This Interstate will intersect with I-95 on which you
Manhattan Island.
continue south to Providence (please see chapter “Along the Way” for further
information). After a stop in Providence, continue on Interstate 95 going south 232 mi / 373 km - 5 hrs
via New London and New Haven to New York City. There you simply stay on I-95THINGS TO DO &
SIGHTS TO SEE
Providence
Providence was a prime example of American urban decay until the mid-1970s, the second largest self-support dome in the world (smaller than the US Capitol,
when an ambitious mayor followed through on his promise to bring in new busi- but larger than the Taj Mahal). To the east of the state house, on the far edge of
nesses, hotels and restaurants. The town is now quite charming and eclectic the same green space, is the Roger Williams National Memorial and Park. Located
enough that you’ll be in art deco architecture one moment and a revitalized across the small Moshassuck River between Canal and North Main Streets, this
colonial area only a few minutes later. Thanks to a major culinary school here, spot memorializes the founder of Providence. Williams and a small group of
Providence also offers a surprisingly good array of restaurants for a city of its supporters fled here in 1636, and were given land by the friendly Naragansett
size, blending traditional European flavors with Asian or Californian food for Indian people. While all traces of Williams’ original home have been razed in the
excellent results. intervening centuries, there are interesting displays and exhibits at the Memorial
about the man and the founding of Providence. The Roger Williams Memorial is
We do recommend you sightseeing by foot, not car. Providence is small enough
located at 282 North Main Street. It’s open daily (09:00 to 16:30) during the
to walk from one neighborhood to the next, and a maze of one way streets, inter-
off-season; daily (09:00 – 17:00) during the summer. There’s no fee to visit the
rupted by freeways, makes driving far more trouble than it’s worth. You might
memorial. All interpretive and educational programs are free as well. Phone:
also consider taking one of the guided walking tours of the city’s historical areas;
401/521.7266.
the Preservation Society (credited with much of the restoration you’ll see every-
where) offers tours daily. Please call for schedule. Phone: 401/831.7440. Walk one block further east (away from the river) and you will reach Benefit
Street, perhaps the single most impressive collection of original Colonial homes
You might also wish to check with the concierge at your hotel about any concerts,
in the US, with 200 18th and 19th century buildings, brick sidewalks and antique
symphonies or plays in town this evening. Providence is getting a good reputa-
gas lamps. Benefit Street itself was once a twisting dirt path known as Back
tion for its arts program, with both lovely performing arts halls and numerous
Street because it led around the back side of homes to family graveyards. When
outdoor venues.
at last a communal burial ground was marked out and ancestral bones duly trans-
Like Rome, Providence was built on seven hills. Today, three are still recogniza- ferred to it, Back Street straightened out and improved. Walk down this street
ble, and have become distinctive neighborhoods. The center to the city didn’t into the heart of College Hill where, in addition to Colonial homes, is the Rhode
exist before the 1990s—the lovely Waterplace Park and Riverwalk, a wonderful Island School of Design (RISD), a marvelous series of intriguing buildings. There
green park full of rivers and fountains—was created from asphalt. Two rivers, the is the RISD Museum of Art here as well, located on the western side of Benefit
Woonasquatucket and the Moshassuck, had originally coursed through here (one Street. The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday (10:00 to 17:00) and
of the reasons Providence was founded in this particular site) but had been Thursdays (10:00 – 21:00). Admission: $12. Phone: 401/454.6500.
rerouted and covered over by aqueducts and asphalt sometime in 1800s. As part
Across from the museum, at 251 Benefit Street, is the Providence Atheneum, one
of the city renewal, the rivers were actually relocated back to their original
of the oldest public libraries in America. The library has a good collection of rare
riverbeds and allowed to flow freely once more.
books, prints and paintings. The Atheneum is open Monday through Thursday
Just north of Waterplace Park is Constitution Hill, hard to miss with the State (09:00 - 19:00); Friday and Saturday (09:00 - 17:00); Sunday (13:00 - 17:00)
Capitol on top overlooking the city. It is said that its white marble domed roof is September through May. June through August opening hours: Monday throughTHINGS TO DO &
SIGHTS TO SEE
Providence
Thursday (09:00 - 19:00); Friday (09:00 - 17:00); Saturday (09:00 - 13:00); closed smaller rivers upstream) into downtown, or return to your starting point at Wa-
Sunday. Phone: 401/421.6970. terfront Park by following the Riverwalk north.
If you continue south on Benefit to Power Street, you will see the John Brown A visit to the Culinary Arts Museum in Providence will excite your senses and
House. This mansion, built in 1786, has been converted into an excellent museum pique your appetite for art and artifacts about food service. Visitors can explore
displaying priceless antiques (including period furniture, paintings, silver, the past, present and future of all things related to cookery; the 4000 square foot
pewter and mementos of the China Trade). Please call for opening hours. Phone: diner exhibit includes original neon signs and an actual 1926 15 stool diner, the
401/273.7507. Ever Ready, which last operated in Providence. The Little Chef Diner is a play area
for kids. Step inside the taproom of an 1833 stagecoach tavern or sidle up to a
For a more traditional college campus, and the marvelous little shops and restau-
1927 Art Deco bar. “Dinner at the White House” includes the menu from Abraham
rants that so often accompany one, detour east to Brown University, one of the
Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Ball. The Culinary Arts Museum is located at 315 Har-
most respected in the country and full of lovely old buildings. On the far side of
borside Boulevard, at the Harborside campus of the Johnson & Wales Uni-
campus is Thayer Street, full of eclectic boutiques and excellent eating spots.
versity. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday (10:00 - 17:00); closed on
Otherwise, cross back across Providence River (the combined runoff of the
Mondays. Admission: $7. Phone: 401/598.2805.THINGS TO DO & SIGHTS TO SEE Newport, Rhode Island This is a nice little detour if your time allows it. Newport, nicknamed “America’s modeled after French chateaux, Italian palazzos, and stately English homes, were First Resort,” is a place out of a picture book, distinct for its polished yacht fleets, used just a few weeks each summer. Many of them are open for public viewing. rose-colored sunsets, and long-time association with America’s fine and The Historical Society of Newport offers tours through nine separate mansions; fabulous. The Kennedys were married here (Jackie was a local girl); and during if you have time, try to see at least one or two for a glimpse of Newport’s “Gilded his presidency Eisenhower spent time here at the Naval War College, which Age.” The Breakers, located at 44 Ochre Point, is one of the most famous. Built in continues to introduce a uniformed presence to the lively streets. Newport was 1895 for Cornelius Vanderbilt, this 70-room mansion is modeled upon ornate originally one of the principal seaports of the United States, used for both the northern Italian Renaissance Palaces. Chateau sur Mer, built in 1852 for a trader China Trade and the infamous Triangle Trade (in which slaves from Africa, who had made his fortunes in the China Trade, is considered one of America’s molasses from the West Indies and rum from the colonies’ distilleries were finest examples of lavish Victorian design. Chateaul Sur Mer is located at 474 traded around and around). Its life as a burgeoning seaport ended during the Bellevue Avenue. The Elms, 367 Bellevue, is particularly known for its exquisite Revolutionary War when its piers and homes were torn down and used for sunken gardens; Rosecliff, 548 Bellevue, is modeled upon the Grand Trianon. firewood by the British. By the late 1700s, rich plantation owners from Georgia Opening hours and tour schedules vary depending on the season. Please call and the Carolinas came here to escape the southern heat. By the mid-1800s, the [401/847.1000] for more information. Individual house admissions is $14.50 cool ocean breezes were bringing the fabulously wealthy from their city homes except for the Breakers. Admission to the Breakers Mansion is $19.50. Combina- in New York and Boston. The mansions built were always called “cottages”. tion tickets are available and can be purchased at any one of the properties. The Tourists come today to see these opulent fin-de-siècle mansions that line town of Newport is located on Rhode Island, one of 35 islands that dot Narragan- Bellevue Avenue – huge tree-lined estates and ornate palaces, former summer sett Bay. Rhode Island is America’s smallest state. It’s tiny. homes of the likes of the Astors and Vanderbilts. Many of these ornate palaces,
THINGS TO DO & SIGHTS TO SEE New Haven New Haven is best known for being the home of Yale University. Founded in 1701 The Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale University is among the oldest, as the Collegiate School, the university moved in 1716 to New Haven, where it was largest and most prolific university natural history museums in the world. It was renamed in honor of its benefactor, Elihu Yale. Of the school’s ivy-covered founded by the philanthropist George Peabody in 1866 at the behest of his buildings, 1752 Connecticut Hall is the oldest. The Memorial Quadrangle, a block nephew Othniel Charles Marsh, the early paleontologist. Most known to the of Gothic-style dormitories, contains both the 216-foot / 66 meters Harkness public for its Great Hall of Dinosaurs, which includes a mounted juvenile Apato- Tower and the Wrexham Tower, a duplicate of the cathedral tower in Wrexham, saurus and the 110-foot (34 m) long mural, The Age of Reptiles, the museum Wales. Guided tours of the campus are available. They depart from the Yale Uni- explores the cultures and peoples of the world through exhibits on Ancient Egypt, versity Visitor Center, located at 149 Elm Street. Times are 10:30 and 14:00 Mesoamerica, the Andes and the Great Plains, just to mention a few. The Yale Monday through Friday and 13:30 on Saturday and Sunday. The visitor center is Peabody Museum of Natural History is located at 170 Whitney Avenue, at the open Monday through Friday (10:30 - 14:00) and Saturday (11:00 - 16:00). Phone: corner of Sachem Street. It’s open Monday through Saturday (10:00 - 17:00) and 203/432.2300. Sunday (12:00 - 17:00). Admission: $9. Phone: 203/432.5050.
New York
New York City comprises 5 boroughs sitting where the Hudson River meets the Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Museum and New York Hall of Science. Thrilling
Atlantic Ocean. At its core is Manhattan, a densely populated borough that’s performances at Lincoln Center, BAM and Barclays Center. Attractions in NYC suit
among the world’s major commercial, financial and cultural centers. Its iconic all tastes. A trip to New York City is the experience of a lifetime. With famous
sites include skyscrapers such as the Empire State Building and sprawling Central attractions like Times Square, Central Park, the Empire State Building and Yankee
Park. Broadway theater is staged in neon-lit Times Square. Stadium—to name just a few—NYC packs more to see and do into one compact
area than any other place on earth. Each of the City’s five boroughs contains its
Breathtaking views from Top of the Rock, the Empire State Building and One
own roster of must-see destinations, great restaurants, cultural hot spots and
World Observatory. Exhibits from throughout history at the Metropolitan
unforgettable activities.MILLENNIUM BROADWAY HOTEL-TIMES SQUARE NEW YORK
2 Nights | Thu, 03 Sep 2020 – Sat, 05 Sep 2020
DIRECTIONS KING SUITE
From 495 West / Long Island Expressway (LIE):
Follow the LIE to Midtown Tunnel ($6.00 toll) then
take 34th Street West to 8th Avenue. Turn right
onto 8th and right on 44th Street.
From New Jersey Turnpike: Take the Turnpike to the
Lincoln Tunnel. As you exit the tunnel turn right
onto 42nd Street. Turn left at 8th Avenue and right
at 44th Street.
Services & Facilities:
Address: Business services: Laundry:
145 West 44th Street, New York, New York, 10036, Business centre Laundry services
United States of America
Dining: Parking:
Phone: Restaurant(s), Bar(s), Room service Self parking
+1 212 768 4400
Fitness and leisure activities:
Check In: Gym, Spa(s)
Thu, 03 Sep 2020 Internet:
Internet access
Check out:
Sat, 05 Sep 2020NEW YORK CITY - PHILADELPHIA
1 hr 30 mins (Approximately) | Sat, 05 Sep 2020
DIRECTIONS
A. Directly to Philadelphia: 95 mi / 153 km - 2 ½ hrs
Leave Manhattan via the Holland Tunnel. You will cross the Hudson River and C. Jersey Shore:
then continue on I-78 (New Jersey Turnpike Ext) towards Newark. In Newark take
The most scenic route to Philadelphia leads along the Jersey Shore to Atlantic
I-95 (New Jersey Turnpike) and travel south until you reach Highway 73 (Camden
City and then follows the Atlantic City Expressway to Philadelphia. Please note
/ Philadelphia). Please note that I-78 and I-95 are both toll roads. Follow Highway
that this route is about twice the distance and will require more time. The coastal
73 to State Road 38 and travel west. Highway 38 will turn into US 30. Continue
roads won’t allow for a fast driving speed. You will also be tempted to pull over
driving west, then merge onto I-676 West and proceed to Philadelphia.
frequently and enjoy the plenty of sightseeing opportunities along the way.
94 mi / 151 km - 2 hrs Should you decide to pick this route, please plan for a full day of driving. The
route starts out the same way the other two routes do. But once you pass through
B. Via Princeton:
Woodbridge, you will have to leave I-95 and continue on the Garden State
The alternate route leads through the famous university town of Princeton. Parkway South. Please note that the Parkway is a toll road. At exit 117 keep right
Located about half way between New York and Philadelphia, the picturesque onto ramp and merge onto State Route 36. The signs say Keyport / Keansburg /
town that was once the home of Albert Einstein is an ideal place for a quick lunch Sandy Hook. The State Route winds along the Lower New York Bay before it cuts
stop. There are also plenty of sightseeing opportunities on campus as well as in across the Atlantic to Sandy Hook. You will have to make a left turn onto Hart-
the village. The route to Princeton starts out the same way the direct route to shorne Drive and follow the road to the Recreational Area. After your visit, return
Philadelphia does. But you will exit I-95 shortly after passing Highway 287 (exit to Highway 36 and continue driving south along the Atlantic shore.
9) and take Route 18 to US 1. Drive south towards Trenton. You will stay on
There are plenty of sea side resorts located all along the coast. We recommend
Highway 1 for a little less than 20 miles / 32 kilometers before you have to make
you follow Highway 36 to Long Branch where it winds to the west (away from the
a right turn onto Highway 526. Continue to Princeton. After your visit take
ocean) and then continue on Highway 18 South to Highway 138 West. Highway
Highway 206 South to I-95 and proceed to Philadelphia.NEW YORK CITY - PHILADELPHIA
1 hr 30 mins (Approximately) | Sat, 05 Sep 2020
DIRECTIONS
138 will reconnect with the Garden State Parkway just south of Farmingdale. Expressway traveling south, you will get to Atlantic City; if you drive north, you
Follow the parkway south. If your time allows a detour to Long Beach Island, take will get to Philadelphia. Driving north, the Expressway will meet Highway 42.
exit 63 and follow State Road 72 East. Highway 72 is the only access road to Long Take Highway 42 North to I-76 North, then continue on I-676 West to Philadel-
Beach Island; you will have to return the same way you entered the island. After phia. The Atlantic City Expressway is a toll road; be prepared to pay toll.
your visit or if you decide to skip Long Beach Island, take the Garden State
229 mi / 369 km - 5 hrs
Parkway South to the turnoff for the Atlantic City Expressway. If you follow theTHINGS TO DO &
SIGHTS TO SEE
Princeton
Princeton is home to prestigious Princeton University – the nation’s fourth oldest Campus Center. Admission: Free. The tours are offered daily. Times vary
university, formed after breaking away from the overly religious Yale in 1756. depending on the season. Please call for more information. [Phone:
The list of famous students at Princeton is long; it includes Woodrow Wilson, 609/258.1766].
James Madison, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Steve Forbes and First Lady Michelle
Off campus, this town of about 30,000 residents maintains a tree-lined area of
Obama. As for Albert Einstein’s affiliation with the school, he was never a
shops, restaurants, community parks, arts and cultural resources, golf courses
member of Princeton’s faculty, as commonly believed, but he did work on campus
and tennis clubs. The main sights are located on Nassau Street, the heart of
and lead a math seminar. The tranquil and shaded college campus is a beautiful
Princeton. If you bear left from Nassau Street onto Mercer, you will get to the
place for a stroll. Just inside the main gates on Nassau Street, Nassau Hall, a vault-
Albert Einstein House, located at 112 Mercer Road. It’s a simple pattern-book
like historic building containing numerous portraits of famous graduates and one
cottage. At the request of Einstein there is no marker. Reportedly, the family did
of King George II, was the largest stone building in the nation when constructed
not want the house to be turned into a museum.
in 1756; its 26 inch / 66 cm thick walls, now patterned with plaques and patches
of ivy placed by graduating classes, withstood American and British fire during At 500 Mercer Road you will find the Thomas Clarke House. The house is located
the Revolution. It was also the seat of government during Princeton’s brief spell inside Princeton Battlefield State Park where Gen. George Washington led his
as national capital in 1783. The 1925 University Chapel, based on one at Kings forces to victory in 1777. Built by a Quaker farmer in 1772, the Georgian-style
College, Cambridge has stained-glass windows showing scenes from works by house contains period furniture and Revolutionary War exhibits. Admission:
Dante, Shakespeare and Milton as well as the Bible. Sculptures from the John B. Free. The Thomas Clarke House is open Wednesday to Saturday (10:00 – 12:00)
Putnam Jr. Memorial Collection, including works by Alexander Calder, Henry and Sunday (13:00 – 16:00). The park hours are daily (sunrise – sunset). [Phone:
Moore, Louise Nevelson and Pablo Picasso, are displayed on campus. Student led 609/921.0074]
1-hour tours include Nassau Hall and the University Chapel and depart from FirstTHINGS TO DO &
SIGHTS TO SEE
Atlantic City
Atlantic City, on Absecon Island just off the midpoint of the Jersey shoreline, has mentary. Just enter the arcades from the Boardwalk and walk through to the
been a tourist magnet since 1854, when Philadelphia speculators created it as a ocean. The shops itself are open Monday to Friday (11:00 – 21:00), Saturday
rail terminal resort. In 1909, at the peak of the seaside town’s popularity, (10:00 – 21:00) and Sunday (11:00 – 18:00). The Pier Shops at Caesars are a
Baedeker wrote, “there is something colossal about its vulgarity” – a glitzy, luxury shopping mall for fashion, jewelry, electronics and home décor.
slightly monstrous quality that it sustains today. During Prohibition and the De-
The Atlantic City Boardwalk can easily be explored on foot. Another way of
pression, Atlantic City was a center for rum-running, packed with speakeasies
seeing the boardwalk is in the legendary rolling chair, which resembles a huge
and illegal gambling dens. Thereafter, in the face of increasing competition from
wicker chair on wheels. Pushed by an attendant, the Royal Rolling Chairs seat up
Florida, it slipped into a steep decline, until desperate city officials decided in
to three people. The chairs have been an Atlantic City treasure since the 1800s.
1976 to open up the decrepit resort to legal gambling, now its mainstay. Atlantic
Fares depend on the length of the trip and start at $5. The Royal Rolling Chairs
City became the Las Vegas of the East Coast. The highlight of the seaside resort
Company can be found at 1601 Boardwalk (near Kentucky Avenue) as well as at
is its boardwalk, the oldest in the United States. It is the back bone of Atlantic
114 S New York Avenue. [Phone: 609/347.7500]
City. This is also where you will find the casinos, fancy glass and steel structures.
Many of them incorporated the gambling halls of the early days. Stemming from For a panorama view of Atlantic City climb the 228 steps to the top of New
the Atlantic City Boardwalk are several piers featuring a number of attractions. Jersey’s tallest lighthouse, the Absecon Lighthouse, at the junction of Pacific and
Steel Pier, located in front of Donald Trump’s Taj Mahal Casino at 1000 Boardwalk, Rhode Island Avenues. The restored 1857 lighthouse features its original Fresnel
features an amusement park with rides, games and food. A single ride ticket is $1. lens. Besides the Atlantic City skyline the panorama from the top includes Brig-
Opening Hours vary depending on the season. Please call ahead of time. [Phone: antine and Abescon Inlet. The reconstructed keeper’s house serves as a museum.
609/345.4893] Garden Pier, located just east of the Steel Pier, is known as the Admission: $2 for the museum and $7 to climb to the top. The last climb is usually
arts and cultural center of the Atlantic City Boardwalk complete with Atlantic at 15.30, but please be advised that opening hours may vary depending on the
City Historical Museum and Atlantic City Art Center. The Atlantic City Historical season. Please call ahead of time. Phone: 609/449.1360.
Museum at New Jersey Avenue depicts the city’s reign as a vacation playground.
Miss America memorabilia is also on display. Admission to the museum is free. It The Atlantic City Aquarium and Ocean Life Center at 800 New Hampshire Avenue
is open daily (10:00 – 16:00). [Phone: 609/347.5837]. The Atlantic City Art Center features eleven giant aquariums including a touch tank with more than 100
contains three galleries that feature rotating displays of artwork by well-known species of fish and other marine creatures offering a close up look at such
contemporary artists and artisans. Admission: Free. The Atlantic City Art Center animals as Giant Moray Eels, seashores, jellyfish and octopus. Although most of
is open daily (10:00 – 16:00) during the summer and Tuesday through Sunday the tanks are saltwater tanks, the Atlantic City Aquarium devotes displays to
(10:00 – 16:00) during the rest of the year. [Phone: 609/347.5837] freshwater and estuarine marine life as well. The interactive exhibit “The Art of
Sailing” pairs a model sailboat with a wind tunnel to illustrate the challenges of
If you walk west on Boardwalk, you will reach the Pier Shops at Caesars at 1 sailing. Admission: $7. The Atlantic City Aquarium and Ocean Life Center is open
Atlantic Avenue, where a $7 Million Dollar water, light and sound extravaganza daily (10:00 – 17:00). [Phone: 609/348.2880]
entertains visitors every hour on the hour. The 6 minute water show is compli-You can also read
