Valden Tours, Inc. From Autumn in Vermont and the Hudson River Valley, to West Point, Hyde Park and the Big Apple. OLLI s FALL TOUR HAS IT ALL

Transcription

1 Valden Tours, Inc. From Autumn in Vermont and the Hudson River Valley, to West Point, Hyde Park and the Big Apple OLLI s FALL TOUR HAS IT ALL October 19 26, 2018

2 OLLI s New York City tours have been among the most popular of the many travel opportunities offered, always filling up early. This year we decided to expand our view. There will still be plenty to do and see in the Big Apple, but we are expanding our trip to enjoy the autumn colors of southern Vermont. Then we will head south and follow the Hudson River as it winds its way from Albany to NYC. Along the way we will visit Hyde Park and the home and Presidential Library of FDR, along with the Vanderbilt Mansion. We will tour the West Point Military Academy, then motor on to NYC for a driving tour of Manhattan and a visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. We will explore the Tenement Museum on the Lower East Side, the National September 11 Memorial and Museum, along with the Financial District, Chinatown, and Little Italy. Combine all of this with dinners in great restaurants, two Broadway musicals and the Metropolitan Opera production of Tosca, and you have a great tour. Join us! OUR ITINERARY Friday, October 19: We will be transported by motorcoach early this morning to the Omaha airport where we will travel via United Airlines to Albany, New York. We will check into an Albany area hotel and enjoy an included dinner at our hotel. (D) Saturday, October 20: Following the included breakfast we will board our motorcoach for a brief driving tour past the Empire State Plaza and the New York State Capitol building. Then, we will head north and east to the Bennington, Vermont, area, enjoying the magnificent fall colors of the area. We will see the Bennington Battle Monument which was built to commemorate the August 16, 1777 battle which is considered the turning point of the Revolutionary War. Later this morning we will tour Hildene, the Lincoln Family Home. Robert Lincoln, the only surviving son of President Lincoln, became the president of the Pullman Company, the largest manufacturing corporation at the turn of the 20th century. We will tour his Georgian Revival mansion which was built in Lunch is included. This afternoon we will visit the Sugar Shack in Arlington, VT to learn about Vermont maple syrup, and have the opportunity purchase a few maple syrup goodies. This same site features a Norman Rockwell Exhibition which features his work from 1939 to 1953when he lived in Arlington. This evening we will stay at Honor s Haven Resort and Spa in Ellenville, NY. It is a beautiful retreat nestled among 200 acres of lush gardens and rolling hills. Our included dinner is at the resort. (B, L, D)

3 Sunday, October 21: This morning is dedicated to the memory of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.. We will first visit his presidential library and museum. It opened to the public in 1941 and is the only one used by a sitting president. Later this morning we will have a guided tour of his home, Springwood. Lunch will be on your own in downtown Rhinebeck. This afternoon you will be in for a treat since it is the date of the Old Rhinebeck Aerodome Air Show, Fall Festival, and Pumpkin Bombing event. The Aerodome is a true living museum of antique aviation. Following the air show featuring antique aeroplanes, you can visit up to four museum buildings displaying aircraft from the Pioneer Era, World War I and the Lindbergh Barnstorming era. Late afternoon we will check in to the Mohonk Mountain House, a Victorian castle resort nestled in the Hudson Valley. It is surrounded by 40,000 acres of pristine forest and its restaurant offers farm-to-table cuisine. Our evening dinner is at the hotel. (B, D) Monday, October 22: We will start the day with a tour of the Vanderbilt Mansion which is historically known as Hyde Park. It is one of the oldest Hudson River estates and was home of socially prominent New Yorkers for nearly two centuries. This home is a prime example of American millionaires life in the period known as the Gilded Age. Our included lunch is at the Culinary Institute of America Hyde Park. Following lunch, there will be time to explore its breathtaking campus. Following the stroll, we will participate in a guided tour of the Walkway over the Hudson. At 212 feet tall and 1.28 miles long, it is the longest elevated pedestrian bridge in the world. It offers spectacular views of the Hudson River and Valley. Like all tour elements, individuals who are challenged by such a long walk may wish to remain on our motorcoach. Late afternoon we will check in to the historic Thayer Hotel in West Point. The hotel is seated on a hilltop and has a commanding view of the Hudson River and the United States Military Academy. Past U.S. presidents, international leaders and celebrities have stayed at this hotel which is like no other in the world. This evening s included dinner will be at the hotel. (B, L, D) Tuesday, October 23: This morning we will participate in a guided tour of the United States Military Academy. (Note: government issued photo ID s will be required for admittance). The tour will be a combined motorcoach and walking tour. Stops will be included at the Main Cadet Chapel, West Point Cemetery, Old Cadet Chapel and Trophy Point overlooking Hudson River and the Plain. A boxed lunch will be provided as we travel south to the Big Apple. Once we arrive in the city a step-on guide will lead us on a driving tour of parts of the city. About 1:30 p.m. we will arrive at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. You can start with a guided tour of museum highlights, followed by a self-guided exploration of those museum displays which are of most interest. By 4:00 p.m. we will check into our hotel. A special dinner is planned for this evening: a family-style dinner at Sardi s. Located in the heart of the theatre district, it has long been a celebrity favorite. This evening we will see the Broadway musical Come from Away. Winner of the 2017 Tony award as Best Musical, its story revolves around the 9/11 tragedy when all airline traffic was forbidden to enter the U.S. It is the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them. Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night, and gratitude grew into enduring friendships. (B, L, D)

4 Wednesday, October 24: This morning we will repeat the experience our group enjoyed during a past NYC tour. We will meet one of Broadway s gifted artists in an intimate setting. The artist will discuss the challenges of the business, backstage anecdotes and career choices. Hopefully, it will be an artist appearing in one of the shows we will see. Lunch is on your own today at the Eataly NYC Flatiron. This is a bustling Italian marketplace overflowing with restaurants, take-away counters, and even a cooking school that serves high quality food and drink. Following lunch we will participate in a guided tour of the Tenement Museum which is located on the lower East Side neighborhood of Manhattan. The five-story brick tenement building was home to over 7,000 people from over 20 nations between 1865and A new exhibition titled "Under One Roof" located above the Visitor's Center explores the lives of a Holocaust refugee family, a Puerto Rican migrant family, and a Chinese immigrant family. This evening we will enjoy an included dinner in the area of our show, My Fair Lady. This Lerner and Loewe production first opened in 1956 and featured Julie Andrews and Rex Harrison. This all-new production opened this year at the Vivian Baumont Theatre at Lincoln Center, and renews its claim as the best Broadway musical of all time. (B, D) Thursday, October 25: This morning we will tour the National September 11 Memorial and Museum, the hallowed site which serves as our country s principal institution for examining the implications of the 9/11 events. The museum, which is located within the archaeological heart of the World Trade Center site, uses multimedia displays, archives, narratives and artifacts to tell the 9/11 story. Lunch will be on your own at the Essex World Café which served as a triage site for the injured on that day. This afternoon a step-on guide will narrate a drive through the New York Financial District. We will also visit Chinatown and Little Italy. We will return to our hotel for time to refresh and get ready for our evening at the Opera. Our included dinner will be at the Metropolitan Opera s beautiful Lincoln Center facility. We will then enjoy a performance of Giacomo Puccini s Tosca. Met favorite Sondra Radvanovsky and rising star Jennifer Royley share the title role, (B, D) Friday, October 26: Following breakfast at our hotel and check-out we will transfer to LaGuardia Airport for our 9:00 a.m. return flight to Omaha via Chicago. We will arrive in Omaha at 2:26 p.m. and transfer to our motorcoach, returning to Lincoln about 4:00 p.m. (B)

5 OLLI S AUTUMN IN VERMONT, THE HUDSON RIVER VALLEY & THE BIG APPLE TOUR October 19-26, 2018 This October, 2018 tour has been developed for the OLLI membership by Valden Tours, Inc. in cooperation with Mid-Atlantic Receptive Services. Tour pricing is per person based on double occupancy. Single occupancy accommodations are also available. The tour price includes motorcoach transportation between Lincoln and the Omaha airport, roundtrip airfare, motorcoach transportation for all tour elements, all hotels (4 star or higher), meals as identified in this brochure (B,L, D), as well as all admissions to identified locations and events, and gratuity for step-on guides and motorcoach drivers. Items not included are generally expenses of a personal nature and those meals not identified in this brochure. NOTE: a government issued photo identification will be required for admission to The United States Military Academy. $4,549 per person for Double Occupancy $5,634 for Single Occupancy REGISTRATION DEADLINE: JULY 15, 2018 $500 DEPOSIT PER PERSON REQUIRED WITH REGISTRATION Note: this pricing is subject to a minimal increase if the airline or motorcoach companies institute a fuel surcharge New York October, 2018 Reservation Form Name(s) as appear on a government issued ID Mailing Address City State Zip code Home phone Cell phone address (please print) Emergency contact: Name address telephone relationship NOTE: $500 deposit per person should accompany this reservation. July 15, 2018 is the final date to cancel reservation without a penalty. Please make your check payable to Valden Tours and mail to: Valden Tours, 2101 South 66th Street, Lincoln, NE Individuals requesting assistance under the American Disabilities Act (ADA) should contact Valden Tours at the time this reservation is made. If you have any questions about this tour, please contact Lee Rockwell at Valden Tours. He can be reached at the above address, , or lrockwell@windstream.net