Day 2: Fishkill, New York (93 miles)
Your tour starts near your hotel at the Van Wyck Homestead Museum in Fishkill whose house was requisitioned by the Continental Army as an officers' headquarters, and was visited by Washington, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, among others. Continue to Beacon and visit Mount Gulian a place that served as the headquarters for General Baron von Steuben. Just close by is Madam Brett Homestead a family that opened their home as a shelter to patriot soldiers and as a supply house for the military. Cross the bridge over the Hudson River to Washington's Headquarters in Newburgh (7 miles) the war’s military headquarters between April 1782 and August 1783. Five miles away is the New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site, General winter quarters in 1782. Stop by the visitor’s center before heading 2 miles to Knox's Headquarters in Vails Gate. Now, drive 22 miles south along the Hudson valley to Fort Montgomery State Historic Site adjacent to Fort Clinton. These forts played key roles in the Revolution, preventing British forces from advancing up the Hudson. Drive another 9 miles south to Stony Point Battlefield where, in the last major battle in the north, General "Mad" Anthony Wayne led a surprise attack on the British garrison in 1779. Finally, a 45-minute drive to Mid-Manhattan to check-in at your hotel.
Day 3: New York (42 miles)
Start discovering New York at Valentine Varian House, a museum of Bronx History, 13 miles north. To get there take the D train, a 50-minute ride. This fieldstone farmhouse, built in 1758, has tours and exhibits providing a view of what life was like during the Revolutionary War in New York. After your visit, head south to Manhattan on the D train (30 min) and visit Hamilton Grange National Memorial the home of founding father Alexander Hamilton. Now, continue to the bottom tip of the island, using the C train (40 min) for this 12-mile ride, and visit the World Trade Center 9-11 Memorial. Then, walk to historical Trinity Church that was granted a charter by King William III of England. Be sure to visit the tombs of Alexander Hamilton and his wife. Walk a couple of blocks to the Raging Bull, an iconic statue sculpted after the stock market crash in 1987, a symbol of Wall Street. Continue to Battery Park with views of Liberty Island and the New York harbor, and see one of the cannons dating from 1775 From there, walk to Fraunces' Tavern opened in the 1760s, now a colonial history museum. Continue walking to Wall Street, location of the world-famous New York Stock Exchange created in 1817. Your next stop is the Federal Hall National Memorial. a site that first served as New York's City Hall and later as home to the first U.S. Congress. Take the subway to Penn Station (5 miles - C train 25 min) and walk one block to the Empire state Building to experience one of the best overviews of Manhattan. Overnight in New York.
Note: Driving in New York takes extra time and parking is difficult and expensive. We recommend you public transportation instead although that involves some walking to and from the subway stations or bus stops. Included times are approximate and measured from Herald Square in Mid-Manhattan. NY Transportation passes are available at any metro station.
Day 4: New York (28 miles)
This morning, take the B8 bus (70 min) to Fort Hamilton, in south Brooklyn, to visit a small American battery located at the present site of Fort Hamilton the first costal defense of the colonies In 1776. The construction of Fort Hamilton began about 50 years later. You may also visit the Harbor Defense Museum nearby before taking the B8 or B63 bus (60 min) to reach the Old Stone House Interpretive Center, in north Brooklyn, that is a replica of a 1699 Dutch farmhouse featuring exhibits on the Revolutionary War and the 1776 Battle of Brooklyn. Visit nearby Prospect Park, home to the Battle of Brooklyn Monument, commemorating George Washington's narrow escape across the East River in the face of British troops advancing through Jamaica Pass. Then, take the N train (30 min) to Chinatown and walk through this New York signature area. As a major party of NYC’s food culture, you’ll find excellent restaurants in Chinatown representing the cuisine of virtually every province of mainland China and Hong Kong. Take the N, Q, R or D train (20 min) to return to your hotel in Mid-Manhattan.
Day 5: New York, Philadelphia (125 miles)
Leave Manhattan though the Lincoln Tunnel and drive to I-95 south to reach Princeton battlefield Historical Site. Here, George Washington rallied his forces to defeat British troops, a crucial turning point in the Revolutionary War. Ten miles south, marking the high ground where Washington’s artillery fired upon the Hessians during the Battle of Trenton on 26 December 1776, is the Trenton Battle Monument, crowned by a statue of a victorious George Washington. Drive 1/2-hour to Graeme Park in Pennsylvania, where is located the home of British Loyalist Henry Hugh Fergusson, who served with the British Army in Philadelphia. The property was seized by the Colonial government in 1778 after Fergusson asked his wife to try and bribe an American soldier and send messages to General Washington demanding American surrender. Continue 35 miles south to Philadelphia for overnight.
Day 6: Philadelphia (10 miles)
Today, enjoy a leisurely walking tour of Philadelphia to discover the main sites. Start at the majestic Philadelphia Museum of Art that holds more than 240,000 works spanning 2,000 years, Walk back to the city center to visit the Philadelphia City Hall situated in the exact geographical center of William Penn's original 1682 plans for the city that stands as the nation’s largest municipal building (larger than the U.S. Capitol. Continue to South Street, home to over 400 independent retail shops, restaurants and taverns with tastes from around globe, salons, body art parlors, fashion boutiques, live music, theatre and Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, an incredible show of lights and colors. Walk a few blocks to Independence Hall, a place that represents the founding ideals of the nation and preserves national and international symbols of freedom and democracy, including the Liberty Bell. The Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution were both debated and signed inside Independence Hall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Complete your Philadelphia day with a visit to Betsy Ross House and learn about America’s most famous flag maker. Return to your hotel for overnight.
Day 7: Philadelphia [Elverson] (104 miles)
Take a day-trip to the west to visit Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site in Elverson, PA about 1-hour away from Philadelphia. Hopewell Furnace, founded in 1771 by Ironmaster Mark Bird, showcases an early American landscape of industrial operations from 1771-1883, Hopewell and other "iron plantations" laid the foundation for the transformation of the United States into an industrial giant for the time. You may take a hike on one of the several marked trails before returning to Philadelphia for overnight.
Day 8- Philadelphia, Hometown (15 miles)
When your flight schedule calls for drive to Philadelphia airport to drop-off your car and board your flight back home.
Note: Due to COVID-19 restrictions some of the attractions in this itinerary may be closed. Check before planning your trip.
