Boston Tall Ships 26 - Sail 250

Day 1

Welcome Aboard! One of the most historic cities in the United States, Boston, Massachusetts, is an ideal Gunther Tours vacation destination to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the United States of America! We begin our maritime adventure with a stop at The Submarine Force Museum in Groton, Connecticut. Enjoy a self-guided tour through the museum, which is home to the nation's finest collections and displays of America's submarine artifacts, documents and photographs relating to U.S. Submarine Force history. Feeling daring? Board the USS Nautilus and peer into the lives of the men and women who bravely serve our nation traveling the ocean depths in "Sharks of Steel". Explore the spaces where the crew of this amazing submarine worked, ate, slept, and entertained themselves on their long voyages far beneath the ocean's waves. Following our tour, we depart for dinner before checking into our suburban Boston hotel for the next three nights.

Day 2

After breakfast we depart for downtown Boston, Massachusetts. Upon our arrival, we climb aboard our spacious cruising vessel to view the Tall Ships floating in Boston Harbor. Included in our cruise is a delicious onboard luncheon. Following our cruise, spend your afternoon exploring the Tall Ships docked in locations across Boston Harbor on your own. Cadets and crew members will be available to educate you of their personal experiences at sea, home countries, and more. Later, we will have some leisure time to explore Boston's #1 tourist attraction - Quincy Market and browse its many specialty shops and restaurants for dinner on your own. Feel the history and lively atmosphere of the Market while walking along the cobblestone promenades, see roaming performers and sample the wonderfully diverse ethnic foods available for you to choose from. Quincy Market is a shopping paradise with hundreds of shops, eateries, carts, and artisans, both inside and outside the three market buildings. Additionally, you will have time to visit Faneuil Hall, which has served as a meeting location for residents and visitors to Boston and a place where merchants can market their wares since 1742. After departing the cultural and culinary hub in the heart of downtown Boston we return to our hotel for a restful night's sleep.

Day 3

After breakfast we meet our step-on guide and depart for a day of Boston sightseeing. We begin with a tour of historic Boston. The tour will highlight Boston's history and sites along the Freedom Trail, Boston's diverse neighborhoods and unique shopping districts. Your guide will point out sights along the Freedom Trail, as well as the Boston Common and Public Gardens, the Back Bay, Beacon Hill, and the gold-domed State House. As the largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. Boston is the city where America's roots were formed and driving through it is like reading the pages of an American history book. Next, we will visit the Charlestown Navy Yard where you will board and take a self-guided tour of the USS Constitution, "Old Ironsides," launched in Boston on October 21, 1797. It is the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world. You will have time to visit the Constitution Visitor's Center with memorabilia and gifts and the USS Constitution Museum, which includes a theatre, over 3,000 historical artifacts, interactive exhibits, and a gift shop too. A self-guided tour of the USS Cassin Young, a World War II Navy destroyer, is included too. Next, we will meet our "Colonial Character" guide for a tour through the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum. The museum features historical interpreters, interactive exhibits, full-scale replica 18th century sailing vessels, and historic artifacts. Meet "Sam Adams" and participate in the re-enactment of the destruction of the tea, the famous event leading up to the American Revolution and forever changed the course of American history. We will get to board a tall ship and marvel at one of only two known surviving tea crates. Following our exciting day of Boston touring, join your fellow travelers at a local restaurant for dinner before we return to our hotel for a good night's sleep.

Day 4

After breakfast we depart for home with fond memories of our Boston maritime get-away, the City's lively and historic markets, and Boston's role in the sparking the American Revolution!

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D =Dinner