Grand Fall Tour: Empire State Autumn by Rail
 October
7-16, 2008
Tour from $2799.00
Tour is SOLD-OUT! The Waitlist is Open.
Everyone has heard of the beauty of fall in New England.
Fewer people know of the grandeur and autumn colors of upstate New York:
the Adirondack, Catskill and Shawangunk Mountains and the beautiful Hudson
River Valley. Our Grand Fall Tour takes us to all these areas, combining
six train rides, two cruises and travel on our private motorcoach through
the fall color. Railroad travel features two routes on Amtrak, two routes
on the
Adirondack Scenic Railroad, the
Upper Hudson River Railroad, and a
charter on the
Delaware & Ulster RR through the heart of the Catskills and
over Highmount Summit in a vista-dome streamliner. We also cruise on
Racquette Lake in the Adirondacks and on the Hudson River past the
mansions of Hyde Park.
Attractions
include the wonderful
Adirondack Museum (with a collection of lake boats,
Adirondack furniture and art); historic
Camp Sagamore (an Adirondack great
camp); and the new Wild Place nature museum in Tupper Lake. Multi-night
hotel stays include two nights at the Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort in Lake
Placid with lakefront rooms on Mirror Lake,
three nights at the Best Western Sunset Inn in
the Adirondack Mountains,
(in the Adirondack Mountains), and three
nights at the fabulous
Mohonk Mountain House in the Shawangunk Mountains
above the Hudson River valley.
The ADIRONDACK at Plattsburgh
Additional attractions and many included
meals make this a truly special program, escorted by RTC General Manager
Carl Fowler (who grew up in this area).
NOTE: This is a
moderately active tour. To fully enjoy this program, participants should
be able to climb a flight of stairs and walk at least a quarter-mile
during several of the sightseeing trips.
Please join us for fall color and
scenery you may not have expected to find in this “not quite New England”
state. All aboard!
Day One, Tuesday, October 7.
Independent arrivals. Tour participants arrive
independently in Albany NY by rail or air. Our included hotel for this
evening is the downtown Crowne Plaza Albany Hotel. The airport is about 7
miles northwest of Albany; the Amtrak station is at Albany-Rensselaer just
a couple of miles from downtown. The hotel provides free transfers on-call
from both the airport and Amtrak.
Day Two, Wednesday, October 8 (B,D) Amtrak’s ADIRONDACK; to Lake Placid.
The ADIRONDACK near Westport
In
mid-morning we transfer to the fine Albany-Rensselaer Amtrak station and
board the
ADIRONDACK for the scenic ride to Plattsburgh NY on America’s
oldest continuously incorporated railway, the
Delaware and Hudson (D&H),
as it winds north deep into the Adirondacks. Our route takes us along the
shores of Lake Champlain and on cliffs above the water. From here we can
see autumn color in New York and Vermont as well as historic Fort
Ticonderoga on the New York shore. Optional lunches can be purchased on
board. The ADIRONDACK route recently was proclaimed one of the ten most
scenic train trips in the world by National Geographic Traveler magazine.
The ADIRONDACK on Willsboro Bay
Upon arrival in Plattsburgh, we board our chartered
motorcoach and drive into the High Peaks region of the Adirondack
Mountains to famous Lake Placid. Here we stay two nights at the
Golden
Arrow Lakeside Resort, located on the shores of Mirror Lake. Our Welcome
Dinner is here tonight, and breakfast is included each morning we are at
the hotel. The hotel includes a full-service health club, racquetball
court, indoor pool, sauna, whirlpool, and steam bath. Also included are a
restaurant, deli, internet café and coffee bar, and a nightclub with
dancing.
Day
Three, Thursday, October 9 (B,L)
High Falls Gorge; Adirondack Scenic Railroad; Wild
Center. This morning we visit High Falls Gorge before returning to Lake
Placid for free time and an included luncheon at The Great Adirondack
Steak & Seafood Company. After lunch we ride the
Adirondack Scenic RR
one-way to Saranac Lake on a route originally served by the Delaware and
Hudson and New York Central Railroads. Until the late 1960s, direct
service with sleepers ran to Lake Placid from Grand Central Terminal in
New York. The line served both the 1932 and 1980 Olympics, then lay
dormant for 20 years before restoration by the volunteers of the
Adirondack Scenic RR. Lovely views of the peaks mark the route.
A short drive then takes us to Tupper Lake to visit one
of the newest attractions in the Adirondacks: the wonderful new
Wild
Center which features an ice wall, indoor trail exhibits, live animals,
outside trails, films, and observation towers to further acquaint us with
the natural history of the area. We return to Lake Placid for the evening.
Day Four, Friday, October 10 (B,L,D)
Upper Hudson River RR. A box lunch is included for our
drive in the Adirondacks to North Creek. Here we board the
Upper Hudson
River RR for a round-trip ride on the former Adirondack Branch of the
Delaware & Hudson Railroad between North Creek and Riverside. Teddy
Roosevelt boarded the train at North Creek for his return to Washington DC
when he became President (upon the death of William McKinley). The tracks
follow the Hudson River Gorge in an area of wild grandeur. Restorations at
the North Creek depot and Riverside freight station are an interesting
addition to the trip. We detrain and drive to Old
Forge, where we stay three nights at the Best Western Sunset Inn. A
deluxe continental breakfast is included here each morning. Amenities at
the Inn include an indoor swimming pool, hot tub, sauna and tennis
courts. Dinner is included this evening.
 Day
Five, Saturday, October 11 (CB,L,D)
Adirondack Museum; Adirondack Scenic RR. After breakfast
we drive to Blue Mountain Lake, location of one of the best small museums
in the U.S. The
Adirondack Museum has something for everyone: a history of
logging and mining in the area; a wonderful exhibit of guide boats, canoes
and sailing craft; art, photography and folk art; a private railroad car;
and unique Adirondack furniture (including wonderful rocking chairs to try
out). This museum is a true “hidden treasure”, called “the best of its
kind in the world” by the New York Times! Lunch is included here in the
cafeteria. We then continue on to Old Forge, where we make another trip on
the Adirondack Scenic RR, traveling round-trip to Otter Lake before
returning to the Inn. Another dinner is included in the area this evening.
 Day
Six, Sunday, October 12 (CB, Brunch)
Camp Sagamore; W.W. Durant brunch cruise.
Following breakfast, we travel to Raquette Lake and tour
Great Camp Sagamore, an1897 “great camp” built by W.W. Durant and owned by the Vanderbilts. Buildings toured here include the bowling alley! We then
drive to Raquette Lake and enjoy a wonderful brunch cruise and narration
on the re-created lake steamer
“W.W. Durant”.
Our cruise includes viewing the famous “Adirondack Great Camps” owned by
the rich and famous (including Andrew Carnegie and Collis P. Huntington,
builder of the Southern Pacific RR) during the Gilded Age. We overnight
again at the B.W. Sunset Inn with dinner on our own.
Day Seven, Monday, October 13 (CB,D)
 Amtrak
from Utica to Croton-Harmon; Mohonk Mountain House.
Following continental
breakfast this morning, we drive to Utica NY and board Amtrak for the ride
south along the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers to Croton-Harmon. We begin with
a lovely ride along the north shore of the Mohawk, with frequent views of
the Erie Canal. Leaving Albany we enjoy a beautiful route along the east
bank of the Hudson.
The New York Central’s “Water
Level Route” was home to such legendary trains as the EMPIRE STATE EXPRESS
and the 20th CENTURY LIMITED. This is fast track! Our train will reach
speeds approaching 110 mph, yet the scenery overwhelms any realization of
the quick pace. Never leaving the shore, the line offers vistas of the
Catskill Mountains, West Point, and Storm King and Bear Mountain. En route
we pass Bannerman Castle, a partially destroyed armory with a distinctly
Gothic appearance; stately mansions; and lighthouses.
At Croton-Harmon we re-board our motorcoach for a drive
past the United States Military Academy at West Point and over supremely
scenic Storm King Drive. From the heights, we can admire the grand gorge
of the Hudson as it courses through the Highlands between the Ramapo and
Taconic Mountains. Our motorcoach takes us up the steep grade into the
Shawangunk Mountains and our destination for three nights, the
incomparable
Mohonk Mountain House. All meals (and afternoon tea) are
included during our stay.
Vista of the Catskill Mountains from the Mohonk
Mountain House by Carl Fowler
Day Eight, Tuesday, October 14 (B,L,D)
Free day at Mohonk. We try to personalize our
tours, and the Mohonk Mountain House is one of our very favorite places.
This is the only tour on which we include a three-night stay here! For
those of you who have been here with us before, no description of the
property is necessary. For the rest, we will attempt to describe what
awaits. The hotel estate was purchased by the Smiley brothers in 1869 and
remains in their descendants’ hands today. This Quaker family has created
a resort that is in tune with the environment and one of the most peaceful
places imaginable. The National Historic Landmark Victorian-era hotel is
set on a lake surrounded by thousands of acres of forest on top of a
mountain ridge. All bedrooms have either a lake or mountain view. In
addition to the Victorian gardens, 128 gazebos dot the property, allowing
walkers to sit and enjoy lovely views. Except for arrival and departure,
no motorized travel is allowed. Movement is on foot, by boat, by horseback
or by carriage.
Activities include tennis, golf, boating and fishing,
horseback riding, carriage rides, and hiking or walking on miles of roads
and trails running throughout the property. Trails vary from level paths
to strenuous hiking. There are programs or movies each evening. Other
activities include visits to the garden, greenhouse, barn museum, stables
or blacksmith shop. A fabulous spa and indoor swimming pool were
constructed in 2005, and there is a quiet lounge serving alcoholic and
non-alcoholic beverages. The hotel itself is filled with lovely Victorian,
Edwardian and Craftsman furniture, with many quiet alcoves and fireplaces
available for conversation, reading or napping! It also includes a
library, ice cream parlor, TV rooms, and a long covered porch lined with
rocking chairs overlooking the lake…a great place to enjoy afternoon tea
and cookies. Limousine service down the mountain is available for a fee to
enjoy attractions in the Hudson River Valley such as the Huguenot Houses
in New Paltz or Hyde Park, home of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt.
Day Nine, Wednesday, October 15 (B,L,D)
Catskill Mountains; Delaware & Ulster RR. We
temporarily depart our mountaintop retreat, travel up the Hudson, and
drive into the famous Catskill Mountains. We have a very special treat to
start our day: a chartered ride and luncheon on the vista-dome
RIP VAN
WINKLE FLYER on the Delaware & Ulster RR. Originally this was the mainline
of the Ulster and Delaware RR, which brought Victorian tourists to the
mountains. Direct parlor car services operated on the crack RIP VAN WINKLE
FLYER from as far south as Philadelphia. The U&D merged in the 1930s with
the New York Central.
 Passenger service ended in 1953 and freight service
in 1976, but the heart of the line is revived for us on a route that
starts just below the 2000-foot summit Arkville and includes a lovely run
along the headwaters of the Delaware River into Roxbury. We return to
Arkville with time to view the D&U’s museum and historic equipment .
Lovely foliage should be on display during this ride.
The "Rip Van Winkle Flyer" through the Catskills
This afternoon, Mr. Fowler shows us some of his favorite
places in these ancient mountains, which were the setting both for the
first resort hotel in America (the Catskill Mountain House) and the story
of Rip Van Winkle. This area also was a favorite of the Hudson River
School painters. Alternatively, participants can opt out of today’s
activities and spend another day at leisure at Mohonk.
Day Ten, Thursday, October 16 (B,L)
Hudson River scenic cruise; tour ends. Our
leisure time at Mohonk continues through lunchtime today. We then make a
short drive to Kingston, the capital of New York State at the time of the
American Revolution. When Kingston was burned by the British during the
war, the capital was moved elsewhere; but its importance as a steamboat
and railroad center grew. This afternoon we enjoy a Hudson River cruise on
the “M/V Rip Van Winkle”, sailing south past the mansions of Hyde Park.
Distant vistas reach from the Catskill Mountains to the Litchfield and
Taconic Hills on our beautiful voyage. We then continue north by motorcoach to Albany, where the tour ends. Participants are dropped at the
Albany-Rensselaer Amtrak station by 6:00 p.m. and the Albany airport by
6:30 p.m. In addition, we have an optional post-tour night available at
the Albany Crowne Plaza Hotel for $135 (inclusive of tax) single or double
occupancy. The hotel offers departure transfers to Amtrak and the Albany
Airport the following day.
 TOUR
PRICES include all hotels, meals and attractions noted as included above;
chartered motorcoach, rail and boat transportation during the tour;
baggage handling; and the services of a full-time escort. Other meals,
independent sightseeing and items of a personal nature are not included.
Please note several of our hotels on this tour are entirely non-smoking.
$2799.00 per person, double occupancy
$3399.00 single occupancy
Conditions and Booking Information (the fine
print)
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