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The Independence Trail

Nowhere in North America is more central to the history of the United States than New England and it is through three of these states that you can follow the events that shaped a nation. Place-names will seem familiar, from cosmopolitan Boston on the coast through Lexington and Concord and on to Bennington in the Green Mountains of Vermont. Not only is the history fascinating, but so too are the varied and wonderful landscapes through which you pass. Immerse yourselves in a time when this was the revolutionary frontier - but safe in the knowledge that a warm and welcoming country inn and friendly ‘colonials’ await.

From city to backwoods

You begin with two nights in bustling Boston, the cradle of independence. Walk the city’s Freedom Trail, a red brick path leading you to 16 fascinating historical sites related to independence - Boston Common, the State House and much more - finishing on board the USS Constitution, the oldest commissioned ship still afloat in the world.

Leaving Boston, you follow the trail burned by revolutionary hero Paul Revere, stopping off at Lexington and Concord. Revere rode through the night to warn of English attack and it was in Lexington that the opening shots were fired in the ensuing Battles of Lexington and Concord, the first real engagement of the American Revolution.

Along the Mohawk Trail

You stay one night at Centennial House from where you can explore Pioneer Valley, historic Deerfield or drive part of the scenic Mohawk Trail. On leaving Northfield, you head to Vermont, passing through Newfane with its quintessential New England white-spired church and pretty village green. With the Green Mountains on one side and the wide Connecticut River on the other, you head into the rural backwoods to reach Jamaica. Here, you are warmly greeted by hosts Ed and Jennifer Dorta-Duque at the cosy Three Mountain Inn, your comfortable base for two nights. From this peaceful, romantic setting, you can visit Bennington, home of war hero Ethan Allen and ‘the Green Mountain Boys’, Vermont’s force in the American Revolution; or explore Arlington and Manchester to the west.

Explore on foot or by car

On leaving Jamaica, you have a short drive through the wild Vermont landscape to Blueberry Hill Inn, in a remote setting amid the idyllic majesty of the Green Mountain National Forest. Here, we include tickets to the Shelburne Museum, which houses an impressive collection of folk art and artefacts dating back to pre-Revolutionary days. There are also some excellent walks nearby, including a trail from Lake Dunmore to Rattlesnake Cliffs or, for something a little gentler, a stroll along the Robert Frost interpretative trail to better understand how these alluring landscapes inspired his poetry.

For your last two nights, you head east and into the spectacular White Mountains of New Hampshire, the highest range in New England. Your destination is Notchland Inn, set amid 100 acres of lovely grounds in the heart of the mountains. Visit the historic Mount Washington Hotel at Bretton Woods or take the gondola up Wild Cat Mountain (pay locally). Again, there are are some great walks in the area - thus bringing to a fitting and peaceful close your exploration of America’s Revolutionary past.

Holiday details

ROUTE: 9 nights, car hire from Boston
1ST NIGHT: Beacon Hill Hotel in Boston (B&B)
DAY 1: Day at Beacon Hill Hotel in Boston (B&B)
DAY 2: 90-mile/2-hour drive to Centennial House in Northfield (B&B)
DAY 3: 50-mile/1.5-hour drive to Three Mountain Inn in Jamaica (B&B)
DAY 4: Day at Three Mountain Inn (B&B)
DAY 5: 60-mile/1.5-hour drive to Blueberry Hill Inn in Green Mountains (with dinner)
DAY 6: Day at Blueberry Hill Inn (with dinner)
DAY 7: 170-mile/4-hour drive to Notchland Inn in White Mountains (B&B)
DAY 8: Day at Notchland Inn (B&B)
DAY 9: 150-mile/3.5 hour drive to Boston for flight

Prices

Start: any day
Includes: 2 dinners, 8 days’ category B car hire
With flights also includes: British Airways flights Heathrow-Boston
Please call for the full range of flight options from the UK

To discuss this or any other of our holidays in North America, call us on 01653 617793 or email us. We will be happy to tailor-make an itinerary to suit your exact requirements. You can find practical information about North America in our ‘planning your trip’ guide.

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