TAPESTRY | Colors of New England 2023

Day 1

ARRIVE BOSTON – TOUR BEGINS

New England’s spectacular fall foliage is legendary. Steepled churches and white-washed villages nestle among rolling hills, farmhouses sit amidst fields of ripening pumpkins, orchards of shiny red apples await pressing into cider. Share your excitement with fellow travelers and your Tour Manager at tonight’s welcome meeting.

Day 2

BOSTON – NASHUA

Our journey begins traveling North to beautiful New Hampshire visiting a locally owned farm stand brimming with an autumn harvest of pumpkins and mums. Watch and learn how fresh, local cider is produced the old-fashioned way, via rack and cloth press; a process that’s been passed down for generations. Enjoy a cup of hot cider and a still-warm cider donut while admiring views of sunflower fields and endless rows of apple orchard at Lull Farm.  Next, travel over the river and through the woods (literally) to a farm to fork lunch of the season awaiting us at a 200-year-old shingled cottage hidden deep in the woods named Pickity Place. Built in 1786 and now a mecca for gardeners and foodies, the cottage is more famously recognized as the model for the illustrations in the children’s book Little Red Riding Hood. Be sure to visit the gardens dedicated to fragrance, flavor, and witches’ herbs after browsing the hand-picked spice shop.  Later, our guided tour of Labelle Winery provides an overview of the vineyards and winemaking process before venturing to the wine cellar for an expert led tasting from a selection of their wines. B, L

Day 3

NASHUA – CANTERBURY – BURLINGTON

After breakfast, travel through pastoral countryside to Canterbury Shaker Village where time seems to have stood still. Our guided tour, led by a Shaker historian, brings us into the village where vegetable and flower gardens are tended and harvested in Shaker fashion. Step inside their simple dwellings discovering their ingenuity and craftsmanship of their namesake legacy. After lunch, travel to Henniker, home of Quilted Threads, a quilt sampler top 10 shop.  Be dazzled by gorgeous quilts on display, and hundreds of bolts of fabrics, books, notions and needlework supplies. Later, settle in for a panoramic scenic drive through the green mountains where the vibrant colors of autumn are on display, before arriving in Burlington, our home for the next two nights.  B, L

Day 4

BURLINGTON – STOWE – BURLINGTON

An unforgettable morning awaits us as at the extraordinary Shelburne Museum. Affectionately known as Vermont’s Smithsonian, the museum is one of the nation’s finest, most diverse, and unconventional museums of art, design and Americana. Over 150,000 works from quilts to weathervanes are exhibited throughout the open-air museum. Explore yesterday’s New England in gardens and dozens of vintage buildings and barns filled with rare needlework, dolls, dollhouses and paintings by artists as diverse as Wyeth, Monet and Grandma Moses. Later,  enjoy independent time to explore downtown Burlington. Tonight, travel to the charming small town of Stowe and the Trapp family lodge to savor an Austrian inspired dinner in the main lodge.  B, D

DAY 5

BURLINGTON – MONTPELIER – WOODSTOCK – OGUNQUIT

Our morning scenic drive through Montpelier, Vermont’s charming capital city, reveals Victorian homes dripping with gingerbread and the historic 1859 Vermont state house.  At Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks, learn about the family’s eight generations of maple sugaring with a live presentation in the farm’s sugarhouse. Indulge in samples of Vermont maple syrup, jams, jellies and more while shopping specialty foods and gift items in the Sugarworks store. Admire the tree sculptures elves carved before sampling a famous maple cremee.  Next, depart for the “quintessential New England village” of Woodstock to enjoy its charming americana, including a covered bridge smack in the center of town and a village green surrounded by Federal and Colonial historic homes. Browse in local stores and boutiques showcasing quilts and local pottery before enjoying a cafe lunch on your own. Later, travel over Quechee Gorge as we drive through colorful New England countryside to Maine’s coast. B

DAY 6

OGUNQUIT – KENNEBUNKPORT

Awake at our oceanfront hotel in beautiful Ogunquit, Maine. Explore the village streets lined with white clapboard cottages and picket fences. Inhale the fragrance of beach roses as you stroll an ocean path to wharf-side cafes and artisan shops. This afternoon, visit the seaside town of Kennebunkport to enjoy views of cedar-shake homes and to savor a fresh lobster roll at the popular waterside “hole in the wall”, The Clam Shack.  Our scenic drive along Maine’s fabled coast brings us past Walker Point to Nubble lighthouse before returning to our Ogunquit hotel. Later, walk the historic Marginal Way footpath where famous artists and writers found inspiration while residing in Ogunquit. Perkins Cove, located at the end of the footpath, is home to lobster boats that depart daily and return with the freshest catch for the famous dockside restaurant, Barnacle Billy’s.  Tonight, savor a delicious meal while celebrating your journey at our customary farewell dinner. B, D

DAY 7

OGUNQUIT – BOSTON – TOUR ENDS

Tour Boston’s narrow streets visiting the historic Old North Church and witness the birthplace of the American revolution. Walk the freedom trail stopping at the home of Paul Revere before arriving at Faneuil Hall Marketplace for lunch on your own. Swap addresses before saying goodbye to new friends at Boston’s Logan airport to begin your journey home. B