Kancamagus Highway in the White Mountains        
 17 Day Motor Coach Adventure
 
Covered Bridges, Scenic Byways, Mountains, Lighthouses, American History & More
 
         "Autumn in New England"       
​September 25-October 11, 2024

Round-Trip Deluxe Motor Coach Transportation from Northwest and Central Minnesota
    Convenient boarding in Duluth, Grand Rapids, the Iron Range Cities and Little Falls, Rice, Sartell & Roseville
16 Nights of Wonderful Accommodations in the following overnight stays 
     Illinois: Elgin (Hampton Inn); Pennsylvania: Erie (Hampton Inn) Vermont: Bennington (Hampton Inn (2X);  Vermont/Stowe/Waterbury (Best                   Western Plus 2X); New Hampshire: Jackson (Eagle Mountain House);  
     Maine: Bar Harbor (Bar Harbor Regency 2X) Boston/Natick, Massachusetts  (Hampton Inn 2X )  
     Hyannis (Holiday Inn 2 X); Pennsylvania: Scranton (Historic Lackawana Train Station’s Radisson Hotel)     
     Ohio: Cleveland  (Hampton Inn);   Wisconsin: Madison  (Fairfield, Inn); 
Travel Scenic Green Mountains of Vermont (Ethan Allen Parkway) 
      and the White Mountains of New Hampshire (Kancamagus Highway)
Vermont:   Bennington Covered Bridge, Hildene, Lincoln Estate in Manchester
      Vermont Dollhouse and Toy Museum Woodstock Village; Billings Farm Museum; Emily’s Covered Bridge 
      Trapp Family Lodge & Tour; Cold Hollow Cider Mill; Morse Sugar Farm (Maple Tour & Treats); Ehan Allen Boat Cruise and Luncheon Buffet on             Lake Champlain 
New Hampshire: Visit Littleton’s Pollyanna’s Candy Store with the World’s Longest Candy Counter 
       Franconia Notch Touring and Cannon Mountain Aerial Tram to the Summit 
       Visit Jackson in Eagle Mountain; Jackson Covered Bridge; Crawford Notch, Bretton Woods
Maine: Sunday River Brewing, Bethel Outdoor Adventure (Gem Sluicing – Keep what you find!)
      Scenic Route #1 from Bethel to Waterville; Lobster Dinner in Bar Harbor; Camden Hills State Park
      Acadia National Park, Lobstering Cruise (watch the lobstermen lift traps); LL Bean w/Lunch
      Camden Hills State Park, Ride to the Summit of Mt Battie overview where the mountains meet the sea! 
     Portland Area Lighthouses Portland Head Lighthouse Park, Bug Light WW11 Shipbuilders Memorial
Massachusetts: Plymouth Rock, Boston’s Quincy Market, Freedom Trail Old North Church 
     Paul Revere Statue, Boston Harbor Cruise to Old Ironsides, Woods Hole Cape Cod; Martha’s Vineyard,           Tour Provincetown, Lighthouses &         National Seashore; Tours of Hyannis & Hyannisport 
Meals: 29 Meals – 16 Breakfasts; 12 Dinners and 1 Lunches
Fully guided, Taxes, Luggage Handling, Tips for Porters, Included Meals and City Tours 

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Registration form

Day 1 - Wednesday, Sept 25th    Travel to Elgin, Illinois ~ “Getting acquainted With Fellow Travelers    
Settle back and leave the driving and tour arrangements to Happy Trails Tours and Trobec Bus Company! We are offering boarding on the Iron Range, Grand Rapids, Duluth, Central Minnesota (Sartell, Rice and Little Falls) as well as, Roseville , Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin. The colors in Wisconsin should be beautiful this time of year but if we are too early on the outbound, we should surely see them pop on the inbound! Comfort stops will be made as the goes along. As you get settled, relax and get acquainted with fellow travelers.  Our hotel property is the Hampton Inn. More details as to boarding specifics and hotels will be announced in the final documents about 3 weeks prior to departure.
                                                                                                                                                                                     All meals are on your own today

Day 2- Thursday, Sept 26th               Travel Day to Erie, Pennsylvania                 
Breakfast is included this morning. Today is dedicated to traveling to Erie, PA.  We’ll travel through the states of Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvania along the shoreline of Lake Erie. Again…depending on the year, we may be enjoying some lovely fall foliage as we travel east on our New England tour. Comfort stops and lunch will be along our route as the day goes along. Our overnight lodging will be the Hampton Inn Erie Bayfront.  Dinner and evening activities are at your leisure.                                                                                                                          Breakfast Included


Day 3- Friday, Sept 27th               Travel to the Bennington, Vermont                
We’ll begin our day with a nice breakfast before boarding the coach at 8:00 am and making our way to beautiful Bennington, Vermont. Bennington boasts a thriving community center with a rich history, stunning architecture, locally owned shops, and small town hospitality. Again, our day includes comforts stops and a lunch stop as needed. We do have a fun stop this afternoon and that is a photo stop at the Bennington Covered Bridge. The Hampton Inn Bennington will be our home for the next two nights, arriving about 5:30 pm. Our evening is at your leisure. They have a Chili’s Restaurant in their parking lot, ordering as you wish, paying on your own.
                                                                                                                                                                                   Breakfast Included

Day 4- Saturday, September 28th            Touring Beautiful Bennington, Vermont                
                                                                                                                                                
After a nice breakfast at the hotel, we’ll depart on our motorcoach at 8:45 am for Manchester, Vermont. Today, we’ll visit Hildene, 
the Lincoln Family Home, a former summer home of Robert Todd Lincoln and his wife Mary Harlan Lincoln. His father was born in a log cabin. One generation later, Robert Todd Lincoln, the only child of Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln to survive to adulthood, became Chairman of the Pullman Company, the largest manufacturing corporation at the turn of the 20th century. Besides touring this gorgeous Georgian Estate, you will visit an original restored 1903 Pullman palace car – the Sunbeam, and the farm.  This day also includes the Vermont Doll House & Toy Museum, located in a dollhouse-like building in Bennington. There’s going to be lemonade and cookies served on the porch. You’re sure to recognize some of these toys. We’ll return to the hotel after a fun day of exploring Bennington.  Relax and freshen up for tonight’s Dinner, included.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Breakfast and Dinner Included

Day 5- Sunday, September 29th         Travel to Waterbury / Stowe, Vermont           
                                                             
A nice breakfast awaits us this morning before checking out of our hotel at 8 am. Get ready for another amazing fall foliage day! We hope that the colors will be beautiful along our route! Our first stop will be to Woodstock, Vermont to visit the Billings Farm & Museum. Billings Farm & Museum - is just a scenic stroll from the village center of Woodstock, Vermont, and is regarded as one of the finest outdoor history museums. Explore what life on the farm was like in the 1890’s through the Farm Life Exhibits and learn about the families and history of Billings Farm, tour the restored 1890 Farm Manager’s House and visit the animals in the Barns and YES, you can pet them.
After lunch, paying on own (with very limited options), we’ll make our way to the Trapp Family Lodge. We have a delightful tour scheduled. This story picks up where the Sound of Music left off.  The Trapp family’s life after they left Austria and how they ended up in Vermont is fascinating. Trapp Family Lodge is more than just a hotel; it’s a family home with years and years of history in its walls. Explore the property, visit Vermont's largest brewery at von Trapp Brewing, learn about the family’s extensive history, and go behind the scenes.
One more stop before checking into tonight’s hotel is Emily’s Covered Bridge for a photo opportunity. Our hotel for the next two nights will be the Best Western Waterbury - Stowe Inn. The Inn has a nice restaurant where you can have dinner, paying on your own. 
                                                                                                                                                                                                 Breakfast Included Today
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Day 6- Monday, September 30th         The Green Mountains of Vermont & Lake Champlain Cruise                                        
After breakfast, we’ll step onto the coach around 8:30 am and begin another picturesque day…this time we’ll travel to Burlington. But first, we’ll stop by the Cold Hollow Cider Mill.  Cold Hollow Cider Mill - Vermont to the core! Enjoy the fresh-pressed cider, delicious homemade foods, and legendary cider donuts. Enjoy a tour of the mill and then some shopping and tasting!  Our day will included traveling along the Ethan Allen Parkway. Afterwards, we’ll wind our way to Lake Champlain aboard The Spirit of Ethan Allen. We’ll include a wonderful, narrated buffet lunch. We’ve included a delicious family-style Italian dinner tonight. We’ll return to the hotel around 4 pm with dinner scheduled for 6 pm.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Breakfast, Luncheon Cruise and Dinner

Day 7- Tuesday, October 1st         Travel to New Hampshire through the White Mountains

Begin our day with breakfast at 7 am with an 8 am departure. As we leave Vermont and enter into New Hampshire to Conway… we’ll connect with one of America’s most scenic fall foliage routes, New Hampshire‘s, Kancamagus Scenic Byway. through the White Mountain National Forest.  Our first stop will be the Morse Sugar Farm (or one similar) to include a Maple Tour and treat. Morse Sugar Farm - Nestled on a hilltop just 2.7 miles outside of Montpelier, Vermont (the smallest state capital in the USA) – Morse Farm is a throwback to a
 simpler, quieter time when generations of the same family worked together to carve out a living on the land. Enjoy viewing an entertaining and informative sugar-making video presentation by Burr Morse as well as visiting the sugarhouse.  And a tasting of Sugar on Snow!! Our lunch will 

 be in Littleton, New Hampshire, Pollyanna’s hometown, paying on own. After lunch, we’ll arrive to Franconia Notch (tour) and then take the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tram to the Summit. We’ll also make another photo stop an Historic Covered Bridge along the Kancamagus Scenic Byway.   Our lodging for one night will be in Jackson at the Eagle Mountain House, a classic New England Mountainside Inn. Dinner is included tonight, with the rest of the evening at leisure.                                                                                                    Breakfast and Buffet Dinner

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Day 8- Wednesday, October 2nd         Travel to Bar Harbor, Maine …. Lobster Dinner                       
Breakfast included, luggage outside your doors and we’re on our way by 8:30 am. We’ll say good-bye to New Hampshire and travel to Bar Harbor, Maine. Before leaving town, we’ll make a stop by the Jackson Covered Bridge for a photo op and then on to Crawford Notch for an area tour, Bretton Woods area photo stop at the scenic overlook. From here, travel to Bethel, Maine area on to Newry…next to Bethel for the Sunday River Brewing for lunch, on own.  From here we’re going to the Bethel Outdoor Adventure to do a bit of group gem sluicing in this mountain village known for beautiful gems, tourmaline, etc… You get to keep what you find! By mid-afternoon, we’ll travel to Waterville, via scenic route #1 through Maines western mountains on our way to Bar Harbor, 2-night stay.  We’ll arrive to Bar Harbor at 6 pm (Bar Harbor Regency). We’ll have a delicious lobster dinner on site.                                                                                                                                                    Breakfast and Dinner Included



Day 9 - Thursday, October 3rd            Bar Harbor Lobster Cruise  & Acadia National Park        
After breakfast, another beautiful day lies ahead. The natural beauty that surrounds Bar Harbor is punctuated with ocean cliffs and rocky beaches, glacier‐formed lakes and valleys, unobstructed mountain vistas, and boreal forest. This beauty has been captured in the works of Thomas Cole, Frederic Edwin Church, Fitz Henry Lane, and many other great artists. Acadia National Park – one of the top National Parks in the country and for good reasons. It is stunning. From forest to ocean, from sandy beach to stunning foliage, this park will stay with you long after you depart. Lunch, today, will be paying on our own followed by a Lobster Cruise. There’s no way we could visit Maine without learning all about Lobsta!   You will find this event very enjoyable and relaxing while cruising the bay, and for learning about the lobster industry and legacy in Maine.  The evening activities and dinner are on your own, tonight.                                                                                                                    Full Breakfast Included
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Day 10- Friday, Oct. 4th Travel to Boston, Massachusetts, LL Bean and Portland Lighthouses       
We’ll check out of our hotel after breakfast, board the coach and be on our way to Boston by 8:15 am.  We’ll travel along the coastline to Camden, Maine with a stop at the Camden Hills State Park (Mt Battie). This will include a ride up the summit in our motorcoach with view of the windjammers in Camden Harbor where the mountains meet the sea!  Next is a stop is at the flagship store,  LL Bean, with a photo  stop in front of the giant boot. Lunch is on your own in Freeport. Today also holds in store the Portland Head Lighthouse State Park, But Light WWII Shipbuilders Memorial and a ride through the historic Old Port Waterfront.   Dinner is included at 5 pm in Dover (including lobster on the menu).  At 8:30 pm, we’ll check into our hotel afterwards…Hampton Inn Boston-Natick, Massachusetts for a two-night stay.  Dinner is before our hotel check-in to avoid the rush hour traffic!                                                                                                                                                                Breakfast and Dinner Included

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 Day 11- Saturday, October 5th       Boston’s Freedom Trail and Old Ironsides Boston Harbor Cruise
After breakfast, we’ll be on our way by 8 am. Our narrated sightseeing tour will include the Freedom Trail, Old North Church, Paul Revere’s Statue and Visit Quincy Market.  This tour will mostly include riding but there will be some walking, too.   We’ve also included a one-hour Boston Harbor Cruise along the harbor, enjoying scenery while listening to heroic tales of the Revolutionary War. Stories also include local legends of the sea and how the harbor was transformed into one of the cleanest waterways in the country. Other highlights include views of the Boston Harbor Islands, USS Constitution (“Old Ironsides”), and the Bunker Hill Monument.  Included is a wonderful Dinner at a local Bostonian favorite.  We’ll return to the hotel at 7:45pm.                                                                                                                                                  Breakfast and Dinner Included


 Day 12- Sunday, October 6th        Travel to Woods Hole - Martha’s Vineyard    - Hyannis (2 nights) 
Breakfast is served in the lobby prior to departing 8 am for Woods Hole dock, Cape Cod. We’ll step on board the Steamship Authority excursion and cruise to Martha’s Vineyard, (a 45 minute ride). Our lunch will be at our leisure on Martha’s Vineyard in Edgartown. Time to stroll through the Gingerbread House Village this afternoon, will be made.  We will depart the island at 5:45 pm and check into the Holiday Inn in Hyannis (8:15 pm) after dinner.  Dinner is included tonight. The rest of the evening is yours to enjoy as per your own agenda.                                                 
                                                                                                                                                                                Breakfast and Dinner Included


Day 13- Monday, October 7th              Provincetown, Hyannis and Hyannis Port 
Greet the day with breakfast served at the Inn before we begin our day of touring to Provincetown at 9 am.  Provincetown is a magical place that sits at the tip of the Cape Cod Visitors Center. People are drawn to this remote swatch of land for the beautiful beaches and the welcoming restaurants, the art galleries, charming homes and the oldest continuous art colony in the U.S.  We’ll enjoy a tour of Provincetown and the national seashore.  Lunch is on your own today. We’ve also included guided tours of Hyannis and Hyannis Port. Tonight you will enjoy a nice Dinner in Yarmouth. We’ll return to our hotel around 8 pm tonight.                                                                                                                   Breakfast and Dinner Included  

         
 Day 14- Tuesday, October 8th                 Plymouth Rock and on to Travel to Scranton, Pennsylvania    
Before we leave Hyannis (8 am), we will wind our way to Plymouth, home of Plymouth Rock.  Plymouth Rock is a granite slab that rests on the coach of Plymouth Bay, an inlet of the Atlantic and said to be where the Pilgrim Fathers first set food on December 26, 1620, at what became the first European settlement in New England.  As we travel today, we’ll make another fun stop yet to be announced! Afterwards, we are on our way to Scranton, PA where we’ll arrive to the Radisson Lackawana Train Station Hotel around 5 pm. We’ll be here for one night. Dinner, at the hotel, is included this evening.                                                                                                                                              Breakfast and Dinner Included


 Day 15- Wednesday, October 9th        Steamboat National Historic Site, Travel to Cleveland, Ohio     
Depart at 8:45 am. We’re beginning the homeward stretch now as we travel through Pennsylvania crossing the border into Ohio. Before leaving town, we’ll make a stop by the Steamboat National Historic Site. It’s in the process of renovations so we won’t know exactly what we will get to see until sometime into the new year. We'll make stops every 2 1/2 - 3 hours as needed. It's a great time to put your seats back and relax as we continue our journey. Tonight, our lodging is at the Hamton Inn (or similar) in Cleveland estimated arrival around 5:30 pm. Dinner will be included tonight at a nearby restaurant.                                                                                                                                                       Breakfast and Dinner Included


Day 16- Thursday, October 10th                            Travel to Madison, Wisconsin through the Mid-West
We’ll check out of our hotel after breakfast (around 8:30 am) and begin our day’s journey westward crossing the borders of Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin. Stops will be made as the day progresses. Imagine the picturesque drive this will be during this time of the year. Put your seats back, relax and enjoy the follow companionship of those traveling with us. We’ll arrive to Madison around 5 pm tonight (Fairfield Inn West). We will enjoy a “Farewell Dinner” tonight at a nearby restaurant.                                                                                                   Breakfast and Dinner Included


Day 17- Friday, October 11th            Homeward Bound with Many Fond Memories                             
We're focused on that homeward stretch after breakfast. We hope you saved a little room in your suitcases for all the wonderful memories you will have made! Once we arrive to Eau Clair, WI (12:00 pm) we'll have lunch and then meet our shuttle driver who will bring our Happy Trails family from Central Minnesota home. Our folks from Northeast Minnesota will continue the rest of their journey on the same vehicle. Estimated arrival to Duluth/Superior Area will be around 4 pm. Iron Range Cities arrive home about 5:30 / 6:30 ++. Our friends from North of the Cities will arrive home around 4 pm and Sartell 5 pm.                                                                                                                                     Breakfast Included
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                                                  Things to know before you go on this Autumn in New England Tour
Financial Information: $350.00 per person deposit due per reservation- Fully Refundable with cancellations made by May 20, 2024. Final Balance is due June 20, 2024. Monies returned with cancellations between May 21-July 20, 2024 are contingent to what Happy Trails Tours receives back from hotels, charters, tour companies, restaurants and venues. No refunds with cancellations made after July 20,2024.

Number of Travelers Needed: This tour is based on a minimum of 35 travelers. If we do not meet that minimum by May 20, 2024, the tour may run the risk of cancellation. If Happy Trails Tours cancels this tour, all monies paid to us by the customer will be fully refunded. Maximum travelers is 46.

No reservation is final without a deposit paid within 7 days of registering.

Final documents: Your final documents and day-by-day itinerary, hotel address & phone information will arrive 2-3 weeks prior to departure.

How to Dress: Pack light.... Bring casual clothing, comfortable shoes & a lightweight fall jacket. Layer your clothing so you are prepared for all types of weather. Many of the hotel properties offer coin-operated washers and dryers, for your convenience.

Luggage: Pack one suitcase each. This suitcase is delivered each night to your rooms by the porter. (Tips for the porters are included). You may bring a carry-on bag on board, as well. (Carry-on bags are handled by yourself. Do not make them heavier than what you can carry. ) Pack a swimming suit if you enjoy the pool, bring a camera, a raincoat, & an umbrella...just in case!

Driver & Escort: Your driver and escort’s names are yet to be announced. Be assured they are experienced, friendly & a lot of fun to travel with.

Hotels: The hotels are very nice with non-smoking rooms. Most rooms blocked have two beds. Most have indoor pools, coffeemakers, irons, ironing boards and fitness centers. They’ll do their best to accommodate all special requests. Couples may find they only have one bed in a room if hotels find two-bedded rooms are limited due to heavy fall foliage bookings. Be sure to let us know your preference on the registration form.

Meals:  There are many nice meals included in this tour. Some  breakfasts are full deluxe continental and some are full hot breakfasts. Be sure to call in any special diet requests.  Tips for the waiters/waitresses are inlcuded for the meals we have included in this tour. Tips are not included for other meals that you pay for on own.

The Coach/ Seat Rotation: Our coaches are chartered through Minnesota Coaches from Duluth, MN. They offer the newest fleet in the motor coach business.   They offer spacious seats with leather interior, large windows, restroom, window shades and adjustable foot rests.  They also have TV’s & VCR & DVD.  All seats are pre-arranged in advance of the tour so that you know where you are sitting before you board.  We will NOT be rotating seats.  Though there are advantages to rotating seats, we have also found that there are disadvantages, too. One thing we have noticed is that when folks keep the same seat throughout the tour, people stay “healthier”. Colds and flu bugs do not spread as quickly. This is reason enough to keep the same seat throughout the duration of the tour.  We cannot promise seats in the front of the coach unless you have a serious medical condition that would require it.

Special Needs: Be sure to let us know of any special needs...such as diet, walking, climbing stairs, allergies or motion sickness, etc….PRIOR to departure. Bring a walker if you feel more comfortable.

Tipping: The tour includes tips for luggage handling, meals and step-on-guides while touring various cities.  Tips are not included for your driver & escort. This customary act and the amount given is entirely a personal decision and often done individually or by the group on board. As always…it’s appreciated but never required.

Colognes and Perfumes:  With so many folks allergic to the different chemicals in colognes and perfumes, kindly refrain from the heavy use of products containing strong fragrances. Thank you.

On Board Activities: We play movies, play games, listen to cd’s & tell stories as we pass the time along while traveling. If you have a cute joke or story (and it’s appropriate for all audiences!) then we invite you to use the microphone and share your humor with all on board.

Schedule Changes:  We reserve the right to adjust this schedule for the benefit of all traveling. Sometimes changes occur beyond our control. If a change occurs, we will let you know as soon as possible and try to replace it something of equal value.

Travel Protection Insurance: Travel protection insurance is available to folks for many different types of emergencies that may result in a personal cancellation on this tour. Travel insurance not only offers financial security but also “peace of mind”. Pre-existing conditions are waived if it is purchased within 10 days of your initial down payment to Happy Trails Tours.
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What if You Become Sick While On Board? We hope no one becomes ill while traveling on board the coach. What we can tell you is this: DO NOT board sick or with any symptoms of illness. Go to your doctor prior to the tour departure and be checked out. Get a “thumbs up” from the doc before boarding. We can also promise you this: “We cannot distance you from a virus”.  Expect to be exposed to something along your journey. But be proactive. Take all necessary steps to assure good hygiene by washing your hands frequently and if you have a cough, be proactive in covering your mouth as to slow the spread. If you feel comfortable with wearing a mask, then do so. If you feel ill while in the midst of traveling, seek medical attention. Happy Trails and the bus company wipe down surfaces frequently during any day of travel. We do not share anyone’s medical diagnosis or condition, at any time, without consent.  Travel Insurance will help to cover some of the costs associated with any sickness while on a Happy Trails Tour. Bring your Travel Insurance documents with you.