Independence Square Area

This area includes historic buildings related to the American Revolution and the country's founding, a white clock tower, and bronze statues of founding figures spread across the lawns.

30 min

U.S. Capitol and National Archives

If selected, visitors may enter the U.S. Capitol for a 120-minute tour to explore its congressional halls and learn about the murals and statues within. At the National Archives, the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, and Bill of Rights are exhibited along with other important historical documents. The tour also passes by the Supreme Court and Library of Congress on the outside. Should entry to the Capitol be unavailable, this portion is replaced by a tour including the World War II Memorial, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, and the Air Force Memorial, visited in a different order.

120 min

White House Exterior

This 30-minute stop allows for photographs of the White House from afar, the neoclassical building that has served as the residence and workplace of every U.S. president since 1800 and represents the American federal government.

30 min

Lincoln and Vietnam Veterans Memorials

The 45-minute stop ends at two important monuments: the Lincoln Memorial, designed like a Greek temple to honor the 16th president and known as the site of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech; and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, located just north, which is a V-shaped black granite wall listing the names of over 57,000 military personnel who lost their lives in the war.

45 min

Travel and Key Stops Overview

Day 1 covers approximately 100 miles from New York to Philadelphia, then 140 miles to Washington, D.C., including a 30-minute stop at Independence National Historical Park, an optional 120-minute U.S. Capitol and National Archives tour, a 30-minute outside visit to the White House, a 45-minute visit to the Lincoln Memorial and Vietnam Veterans Memorial, before arriving at the hotel.

300 min

Corning Museum of Glass (optional)

On the northbound drive, there is an optional 90-minute stop at the Corning Museum of Glass, which houses around 100,000 glass pieces ranging from colorful artworks to clear sculptures, with live glassmaking demonstrations.

90 min

Watkins Glen State Park & Finger Lakes (optional)

Seasonally available from May to October, this optional 90-minute stop includes a roughly two-mile gorge trail with over a dozen waterfalls formed by glaciers and streams, alongside views of the fourteen Finger Lakes arranged side by side. Availability depends on the park's official opening dates.

90 min

Niagara Falls Night View Tour

A 90-minute evening tour in Niagara Park includes views from Goat Island and Luna Island of Horseshoe Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and American Falls illuminated by colored lights. If fireworks are scheduled that night, the tour ensures viewing at the falls; otherwise, no fireworks viewing occurs.

90 min

Evening Route and Optional Stops

The itinerary includes travel from the hotel to the optional Corning Museum of Glass (90 minutes), optional Watkins Glen State Park and Finger Lakes (90 minutes, seasonal), and the mandatory 90-minute Niagara Falls Night View Tour covering Goat Island, Luna Island, and the three falls.

480 min

Niagara Falls Classic Tour (optional)

This optional 2.5-hour tour includes viewing a 125-foot-deep whirlpool at Whirlpool Park, descending by elevator to the Cave of the Winds walkways at the falls’ base to experience the spray, and in summer, a Maid of the Mist boat ride into the falls’ basin. In cooler seasons when the boat is closed, the tour visits Old Fort Niagara State Park overlooking Lake Ontario instead.

150 min

Return to New York

The final part of the tour is the drive back to New York, concluding three days of historical and natural site visits.