Boston & The Revolutionary War
Colonial Merrymaking along the Freedom Trail
5 Days | Spring | Summer | Fall
Starting At $Flexible Pricing
Come enjoy a couple of days in Boston. This is where it started, where “The shot heard round the world” was fired. Listen to the stories of Paul Revere, the Minutemen and the Boston Tea Party as you search amongst the skyscrapers of a very modern city.
Highlights
Tour Highlights:
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Tour Includes:
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U S Tours Flexible Pricing:
- Customizable Comps
- Commissionable or Net Rates
- Luxury or First Class Hotels & Meals
- Motorcoach Transportation & Professional Tours Managers are available
Whatever you want, U S Tours will be happy to structure tour prices to match your needs. Just let us know!
Itinerary
Day 1 – Boston
Today, you arrive in Boston, MA for a three night stay at an area hotel. Dinner this evening is included at a local restaurant conveniently located near your hotel. (D)
Day 2 – Boston’s Freedom Trail – Faneuil Hall Marketplace – Boston Tea Party Museum & Tavern Dinner
On this full day of sightseeing you will see the famous sights on Boston’s Freedom Trail. Including Boston Common, the Paul Revere House and Old North Church. Visit many of the other sites such as the Old South Meeting House where the audio programs titled, “If these walls could speak” lets you listen in on key moments from the past – the Boston Tea Party debates, a day when British officers rode horses inside the Meeting House, the Great Boston Fire of 1872 and more!
A stop is also made today at the Bunker Hill Monument. The Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775, was the first major battle of the Revolutionary War and predicted the character and outcome of the rest of the war.
Next, stroll through and browse the shops at Faneuil Hall Marketplace/Quincy Market. You will also have time to enjoy lunch on own. This location is synonymous with world-class street performers showing off unimaginable acts of juggling, acrobatics and more for throngs of tourists and locals who gather to watch. The street performances that visitors have come to identify with Faneuil Hall were born with the Marketplace’s historic revitalization, and have been going strong since 1976.
One of today’s highlights will be your late afternoon visit to the Boston Tea Party Ship and Museum. Here there are live actors, interactive exhibits, holographic displays, and an authentically restored ship. The museum’s movie titled “Let it Begin Here,” will set the stage for tonight’s dinner (minimum 30 people required).
The evening meal is actually more a night of Colonial merrymaking. The meal itself is a savory colonial dinner, for which there are readily available mugs of ale. You dine with The Sons and Daughters of Liberty and can raise your own voice in song as your travelers help to determine the fate of Colonial America! This is a historic Tavern atmosphere with boisterous songs and cheerful characters representing Sam Adams, John Hancock, Dorothy Quincy, Paul Revere and other prominent Bostonian’s who have gathered for a liberating night of freedom and fun. (B,D)
Day 3 – Revolutionary War Touring – Lexington Battle Green – Hancock-Clarke House – Minute Man National Park – Concord – North Bridge – Colonial Inn Dinner
Today, enjoy a full day Revolutionary War Tour with a local guide. Start in Lexington where the first shots of the American Revolution rang out. Visit the Lexington Battle Green. It was here, on the morning of April 19, 1775, that “the first blood was spilt in the dispute with Great Britain,” as George Washington wrote in his diary. In this first skirmish, 77 Lexington militia, often called Minutemen (local colonists who had volunteered to be first responders to military and other threats) faced British Regulars.
Eight Minutemen lost their lives and 10 were wounded. Two British soldiers were also injured. After the battle, Samuel Adams exclaimed to John Hancock, “What a glorious morning for America!”
The Battle Green is a National Historic Landmark, and is considered consecrated ground, both for the blood shed on it and for the Minutemen who are interred here. It is one of the only places in the United States where the US flag is authorized by Congress to fly 24 hours a day. Also, located here is the Minuteman Statue, representing a member of the Lexington militia, local colonists who had volunteered to be first responders to military and other threats. The actual Minutemen were an elite subset of this group, young and fit and able to respond quickly.
Next, visit the Hancock-Clarke House. This house was the destination of Paul Revere on the night of April 18, 1775, as he and William Dawes rode from Boston to warn the sleeping Samuel Adams and John Hancock (first signer of the Declaration of independence) of the coming of British troops. It contains period furnishings and portraits, William Diamond’s drum, and the British Major Pitcairn’s pistols. A barn behind the Hancock-Clarke House serves as the Society’s Fire Equipment Museum.
Enjoy some free time downtown for lunch on own, shopping and sightseeing.
Next, head to Minute Man National Park where the Battles of Lexington and Concord are brought to life through the preservation, restoration and interpretation of significant sites from “that famous day and year” when Colonists took up arms in defense of liberty and touched off the American Revolution.
At Concord’s North Bridge, see the place where, on April 19, 1775, Colonial militia men fired the famous “shot heard ’round the world.” Along the five-mile “Battle Road Trail”, travel back in time through a restored colonial landscape and retrace the steps of the British. Along the way, stop in the Hartwell Tavern, a restored 18th-century tavern on Battle Road. It is now a “living history” center staffed by costumed Park Rangers who can offer you a glimpse of life in Revolutionary times.
Tonight, enjoy dinner at Concord’s Colonial Inn. Savor traditional New England cuisine before returning to Boston for the evening. (B,D)
Day 4 – JFK Library – Fenway Park Tour – Whale Watching Cruise – Samuel Adams Boston Taproom
Start the day with a visit to the John F Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum. Relive the powerful story of the Kennedy years. In three theaters, period settings, and 25 dramatic multimedia exhibits, you will enter the recreated world of the Kennedy Presidency for a “first-hand” experience of John F. Kennedy’s life, legacy, and leadership.
Next, head to iconic Fenway Park for a tour of the Stadium. Since 1912, fans have flocked to Fenway Park to watch the home team play in the heart Boston. It is referred to as, “America’s Most Beloved Ballpark” by Major League Baseball and sports enthusiasts. Home to Red Sox Legends, Williams, Yaz, Fisk, Rice, and Pedro to name a few. Take in the magnificent view atop the fabled Green Monster, standing 37 feet 2 inches high, overlooking left field. Let our experienced tour guides lead you through the hallowed walls and legendary moments of historic Fenway Park.
After a break for lunch on your own, set sail on a Whale Watching Cruise. Our destination: Stellwagen Bank Marine Sanctuary, a rich feeding ground for whales, dolphins, sea birds and other marine creatures. You’ll have a good chance to view several different species of large whales, including humpbacks, finbacks and minkes, and the critically endangered right whales. And you’ll learn about them from New England Aquarium naturalists who are always on board to share knowledge, answer your questions and explain the mind-blowing behaviors of these truly magnificent mammals.
Also included this afternoon is a stop at the Samuel Adams Boston Taproom. Located in the heart of Downtown Boston, the Taproom offers drinkers 20 taps including their favorite Sam Adams beers, a lineup of research and innovation brews and a gluten-free option in Truly Pure on draft.
This evening’s dinner will be at The Union Oyster House, located on the Freedom Trail, near Faneuil Hall. It enjoys the unique distinction of being America’s oldest restaurant. The building dates to Pre-Revolutionary days and continues with much the same atmosphere and food that Daniel Webster frequently enjoyed. (B,D)
Day 5 – Depart for Home
After breakfast this morning, depart for home. (B)