LITERARY NEW ENGLAND July 14-19, 2019

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1 Sunday, July 14, :15 AM Boarding begins at AAA Travel and Insurance Center, 100 International Drive, Buffalo, NY. Depart at 7:30 AM. Please park in the South lot, south parking row, closest to Dopkins & Company. Page 1 8:45 AM Boarding begins at RIT Inn & Conference Center, 5257 West Henrietta Road, Henrietta, NY. Depart at 9:00 AM. Please park in the back lot as far away from the hotel and as close to the NYS Thruway as possible (southwest corner). Please fill out the enclosed parking form and return to your Tour Director the morning of your tour. Please wait in your vehicle as we do not have access to the hotel or its amenities. 10:45 AM Boarding begins at AAA Administrative Offices, 7485 Henry Clay Boulevard, Liverpool, NY. Depart at 11:00 AM. Please park in the front of the lot, facing the road. 4:00 PM Approximate arrival at your full-service Boston area hotel about 4:00 pm. Upon arrival, there will be time to refresh and relax over a beverage in the on-site lounge. Monday, July 15, :30 AM Enjoy breakfast at the hotel this morning Afternoon After breakfast in the hotel, board the coach and travel to Concord. Today, you will drive through our nation s history. You will experience the places where Thoreau, Emerson, Alcott and Hawthorne found their inspiration, witness monuments and visit Author s Row at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. Your first stop will be at the Old Manse, built in 1770 for patriot minister, William Emerson. This National Historic Landmark became the center of Concord s political, literary and social revolutions over the next century. In the mid-19th-century, leading Transcendentalists such as Bronson Alcott, Henry David Thoreau and Margaret Fuller discussed issues of the day with the Hawthorne and Ripley families. Next, arrive at Author s Ridge, in the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. This is the resting place of Louisa May Alcott, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry David Thoreau. Sleepy Hollow is Concord s largest cemetery, with over 10,000 gravesites Depart the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery and travel a short distance to Concord s Historic Monument Square. Monument Square is significant to the life of Henry David Thoreau. Thoreau is often mistakenly portrayed as the Hermit of Walden. In reality, he had deep ties to the town and spent a good amount of time interacting with the Concord community. After graduating from Harvard College in 1837, Thoreau taught children at the schoolhouse on the northwest end of the Common in 1845 and he spent the night in jail on the west side of the common, for non-payment of taxes. A marker notes his arrest and his famous subsequent essay, Civil Disobedience. The Concord Monument Square-Lexington Road Historic District is also rich with colonial history. Established in 1635, it was one of the first English settlements founded away from the coast. The oldest remaining building in town was constructed around that same time and is thought to have belonged to town founder, Reverend John Jones.

2 Tuesday, July 16, 2019 During your visit to Monument Square, have lunch on your own in one of the local eateries. Page 2 After lunch, visit the Orchard House; the most permanent home of Amos Bronson and Louise may Alcott, where they lived from 1858 to It is most noted for being where Louisa wrote and set her beloved classic, Little Women. Enjoy the guided tour and the gift shop. While you are in the neighborhood, visit the Wayside, home of authors Nathaniel Hawthorne, Louisa May and Bronson Alcott and Margaret Sidney. Your guided tour of the first literary site to become part of the National Park Service System, will surround you in history. Return to the hotel late afternoon. There will be time to refresh and cool off before you venture out for dinner. After a busy day of touring, board the coach and travel just down the street to your dinner destination. This restaurant serves fabulous Sicilian-style cooking. The symbol of Sicily hangs on the wall, letting you know you re getting the real deal. Everything is made from scratch and the specials are very, very special! Buon Appetito! 7:30 AM Enjoy breakfast at the hotel this morning After breakfast in the hotel, meet your local guide in the lobby and set out for a day steeped in history. Your day begins with a walking/windshield tour of Boston. 8:45 AM Learn how the Revolution of the 18th century was followed in the 19th century by a peaceful revolution of ideas, as writers like Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Louisa May Alcott, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Harriet Beecher Stowe enriched the new nation's culture with radical expressions of freedom from a puritanical past, through stories and poems. Travel by Beacon Hill with its cobblestone streets. Here you will witness the houses of authors Sylvia Path, Robert Frost, Louisa May Alcott, Henry David Thoreau and Nathaniel Hawthorne. Arrive at the renowned JFK Library and Museum about 9:30 am. The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum is the presidential library and museum of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States ( ). Designed by the architect I. M. Pei, the building is the official repository for original papers and correspondence of the Kennedy Administration, as well as special bodies of published and unpublished materials, such as books and papers by and about Ernest Hemingway. The Ernest Hemingway Collection is the most comprehensive Hemingway archives in the world and essential to anyone pursuing a definitive or in-depth study of Hemingway and his writing. In addition to the author s personal papers, the collection includes approximately 11,000 photographs. The Library also houses the personal papers of Hemingway family members, friends and scholars Depart the Museum and travel to the town of Cambridge where you will arrive at Harvard University for a tour of this historic campus. Your guide will share the University s past, rich in the history of Bradstreet, Emerson and Thoreau. Walk by the Harvard Yard Gates, the newest of which is the Bradstreet Gate, dedicated in October 1997

3 Page 3 and in celebration of women living in the Yard. It bears a plaque with a quote from 17th-century poet, Anne Dudley Bradstreet, I came into this country where I found a new world and new manners at which my heart rose. A visit to Cambridge would not be complete without a stop at Harvard Square. Adjacent to Harvard Yard, the historic heart of Harvard University, the Square (as it is called locally) functions as a commercial center for Harvard students, as well as residents of western Cambridge and the inner western and northern suburbs of Boston. Although today a commercial center, the Square had famous residents in earlier periods, including the colonial poet Anne Bradstreet. While in the Square, visit the Coop. The Coop has enjoyed the distinction of being the oldest and largest college bookstore in the United States for many years and still operates as one of the largest collegiate retailers. Your guide will direct you a variety of local eateries in the Square where you may have lunch on your own. Early afternoon, board the coach and travel to Salem. Salem was one of the most significant seaports in Early America and has the first National Historic Site designated by Congress, the Salem Maritime National Historic Site, which protects Salem s historic waterfront. Much of the city s cultural identity is reflective of its role as the location of the Salem Witch Trials of Your first stop in Salem is at The House of Seven Gables, (also known as the Turner House or Turner-Ingersoll Mansion) a 1668 colonial mansion. It was built for Captain John Turner, and it stayed with the family for three generations. The house is one of the oldest surviving timber-framed mansion houses in continental North America, with 17 rooms and over 8,000 square feet including its large cellars. The Nathaniel Hawthorne Birthplace is now immediately adjacent to the House of the Seven Gables. The house was made famous by Nathaniel Hawthorne's 1851 novel, The House of the Seven Gables. The novel follows a New England family and their ancestral home. In the book, Hawthorne explores themes of guilt, retribution and atonement and colors the tale with suggestions of the supernatural and witchcraft. The house belonged to Hawthorne's cousin, Susanna Ingersoll, and by ancestors of Hawthorne who had played a part in the Salem Witch Trials of Your visit includes a 40-minute guided tour of the mansion, a visit to the Nathaniel Hawthorne Birthplace and a stroll through the Colonial Revival seaside gardens. Next, follow your guide on a walking tour of Salem. You will also explore Pickering Wharf, an exciting harbor-side marketplace. Witness the Friendship, a reconstruction of a 171-foot, three-mast Salem East Indianman built in This is a great place to sip a refreshing beverage and watch the boat activity in the harbor. While in Salem, there will be time to visit the Salem Athenaeum, founded in 1810 and one of the oldest private library organizations in the United States. Right near by is the Salem Public Library. The library building was constructed in 1855 for John Bertram, a prominent sea captain. His family later donated the Italianate style home to the City of Salem for use as a library. The library is part of the "North of Boston Library Exchange (NOBLE)", library organization. You will also have the opportunity to visit some of Salem s bewitching shops. Check out Crow Haven Corner, Hex: Old World Witchery, The Coven s Cottage and Magika!

4 Board the coach and depart Salem late afternoon. Return to the hotel for a time to relax before dinner. Say goodbye to your guide upon arrival at the hotel. Page 4 Gather for a most memorable dinner at the oldest, continuously operated restaurant in the United States, The Union Oyster House. This historic building, situated on the Freedom Trail, began serving food in 1826 and has served patrons such as Daniel Webster and President John F. Kennedy. Once back at the hotel, gather in the lounge. Each traveler will receive a copy of the book The Fifth Petal. This spellbinding thriller set in Salem was written by Salem resident, Brunonia Barry. Barry was the first American author to win the International Women s Fiction Festival s Baccante Award as well as the winner of New England Book Festival s award for Best Fiction. This is a must-read for anyone who has visited Salem. Could a witch hunt happen again in Salem? Wednesday, July 17, 2019 After breakfast in the hotel, pack your bags and checkout of your rooms. Today, your travels will take you to Western Massachusetts, home of many artists, writers, musicians and other famous Americans. About 10:00 am, arrive at the Emily Dickinson Museum in Amherst, MA. The Homestead is where poet, Emily Dickinson, was born and lived most of her life. The Museum is a historic house museum consisting of two houses: the Dickinson Homestead and the Evergreens. The Evergreens was the home of the poet s brother and his family. Embark on a guided tour with a focus on Emily Dickinson s life and family and the major influences on her writing. The tour includes the parlors, library and the poet s bedroom at the Homestead. It also includes the library, parlor, dining room, kitchen, maid s room, water closet, nursery and Emily Room at the Evergreens. From the museum, walk into the charming downtown area. Guests may scatter for lunch on their own in one of the locally owned eateries After lunch, board the coach and travel to the William Cullen Bryant Homestead, the boyhood home and later summer residence of William Cullen Bryant, one of America s foremost poets and newspaper editors. From its iconic red barn to the elegant alley of maples leading to the main house, this lovely property is testament to a celebrated poet s ideal of living mindfully on the land. Bryant, an accomplished poet, was also the editor and publisher of The New York Evening Post for 50 years. A passionate conservationist and horticulturalist, he used his editorials to rally support for Frederick Law Olmsted s Central Park. He also was a strong abolitionist who helped Abraham Lincoln win presidential election. Your visit includes a guided tour of the lovely, three-story Victorian cottage with Colonial and Victorian pieces from the poet s family, as well as exotic memorabilia from his extensive European and Asian travels. There will also be time to explore the beautiful grounds. After you make your way to your Pittsfield hotel, stop at Melville s Arrowhead and enjoy a guided tour of this beautiful homestead built in 1783 and home to Melville s wife, children and extended family. The view of Mount Greylock from Melville s study window was said to be his inspiration for the white whale in Moby Dick. The piazza, after which the story and the book, The Piazza Tales, were named, is a porch Melville added to the north side of Arrowhead.

5 Thursday, July 18, 2019 Page 5 Depart Arrowhead and travel a very short distance to your Pittsfield hotel. The staff at the newly renovated and newly branded, full-service Holiday Inn and Suites will greet you with New England hospitality and you ll feel right at home the minute you enter the lobby! After you have refreshed, walk across the street to your dinner destination. The relaxed and cozy atmosphere of this Irish tavern is just what you need after a busy day. Discover why Patrick s is one of the most recommended restaurants by the locals! This evening you have the option of attending a performance at the renowned Tanglewood music venue. Tanglewood has been home to the Boston Symphony Orchestra since Besides classical music, Tanglewood hosts the Festival of Contemporary Music, jazz and popular artists, concerts and frequent appearances by James Taylor, John Williams and the Boston Pops. After a hearty breakfast buffet served in the hotel s restaurant, board the coach and travel to the Berkshire Botanical Garden. Renowned for its exquisite setting, the garden is one of New England s oldest and most treasured gardens. Embark on a 1-hour guided tour of the garden s 15 lush acres where over 3,000 regionally appropriate plant species take center stage. Next, visit Chesterwood, the summer home and studio of Daniel Chester French, sculptor of the Minuteman Statue and the Lincoln Memorial. Explore this hidden Berkshire gem on a tour of the nine-bedroom residence and wander through the trails studded with his fabulous sculptures throughout this 122-acre estate. Discover how contemporary artists continue to be inspired by French. Depart Chesterwood and travel to Main Street in Stockbridge. Have lunch on your own in one of the local eateries. The Red Lion Inn is a favorite among locals and visitors alike! Your next stop is at the Norman Rockwell Museum, a must-see attraction in Stockbridge. The museum holds the largest and most significant collection of original Rockwell art. The galleries present an illustrated chronicle of American life and our nation s ideal of tolerance, kindness, democracy and freedom. Witness the 10 large galleries, gift shop and 36-acre campus, featuring Rockwell s original studio and sculptures by his son, Peter. Your last stop is Naumkeag, an estate, renowned for its elegant gardens and rare Berkshire Cottage. This architectural masterpiece built by Joseph Choate, a leading 19th-century attorney, served as his family s summer home in the 1800 s. This 44-room cottage, is filled with original furniture, ceramics and artwork and is famous for its eight-acres of terraced gardens and landscaped grounds. Your visit includes a guided tour of the home and grounds. Once back at the hotel, there will be time to sit back and relax, have a beverage in the lounge or take a dip in the pool. Your farewell dinner is served in a restaurant within walking distance of the hotel. The minute you walk through the front doors you ll think you have landed in old-world Italy.

6 Friday, July 19, 2019 Page 6 With Trattoria Rustica, owner and chef, Davide Manzo, has created an authentic Italian experience in the Berkshires: from the decor, built with his own hands, to the artful preparation of Antichi Sapori, the ancient flavors of Pompeii. Your evening promises to be as entertaining as it is delicious. After breakfast in the hotel, pack your bags and checkout of your rooms. Before you depart the Berkshires, there is one more visit that you simply must make. Arrive at The Mount, home of noted Pulitzer Prize Winning, American author, Edith Warton. This spacious turn-ofthe-century home, designed and built by Edith Wharton in 1902, is a National Landmark and a cultural center that celebrates the intellectual, artistic and humanitarian legacy of Edith. Upon arrival, embark on a docent lead tour of this magnificent home and learn of Edith s achievements and her literary legacy. After your tour, there will be time to explore the beautiful gardens that surround the estate and to visit the Gift and Book Shop. Depart Lenox at 11:30 am and begin your travels home. Arrive in Albany, NY about 12:30 pm for lunch (on your own) at Grandma s Pies and Restaurant. What ever you order for lunch, make certain to save room for a piece of the best pie ever! 1:30 PM Depart Grandma s and return home 3:30 PM Estimated return time to Liverpool. 5:30 PM Estimated return time to Henrietta. ** Will make 2nd comfort stop for Buffalo guests 7:30 PM Estimated return time to Williamsville.

Literary New England Sunday, July 14 Friday, July 19, Days/5 Nights

Literary New England Sunday, July 14 Friday, July 19, 2019 6 Days/5 Nights New England s villages, towns and landscapes have inspired writers for centuries. Witness the places that influenced their work