Vibrant Cities, secret Gardens & Magnificent Mountains
Vibrant Cities, Secret Gardens & Magnificent Gardens11 nightsFrom £1275 per person
Price includes: Flights, accommodation and car hire
Day 1
(2 nights)
Arrive Washington DC. Washington's inspiring museums, powerful monuments and memorials attract guests from around the globe. The city is diverse and cosmopolitan, its neighbourhoods brimming with hip shops and restaurants. Many attractions are free, like the Smithsonian Institution, National Gallery of Art and the Library of Congress. The city's outdoor parks and gardens are not to be missed. Located in view of the US Capitol are the US Botanic Gardens, featuring an exotic jungle, a tropical rainforest and more than 10,000 varieties of orchids. Perched on one of DC's highest points, the National Arboretum rambles over 444 acres. Whether blanketed in spring green or autumn gold, it offers a welcome refuge for the naturalist. Designed for cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post, the gardens at Hillwood contain more than 3,500 varieties of plants and trees, along with ivy clipped from Buckingham Palace. Spend two nights in Washington, DC.
Day 3- Washington, DC to Baltimore (approx. 40 miles).
Baltimore's famed Inner Harbor is a vibrant downtown waterfront area home to dining (try a Maryland crab cake) and shopping opportunities and great attractions including the National Aquarium and its 16,000 creatures, and the nearby American Visionary Art museum, displaying unique works by self-taught artists. Garden lovers should visit the Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory & Botanic Gardens, home to 35 flowerbeds that provide a kaleidoscope of colours from early spring until late fall. A short drvie from Baltimore brings you to the 22-acre Ladew Topiary Gardens, considered the most outstanding topiary garden in the USA by the Garden Club of America. Or head west to Frederick for a visit to Surreybrooke, a family run farm with a variety of beautiful gardens and historic outbuildings. Stay two nights in Baltimore.
Day 5- Baltimore to Annapolis (approx. 30 miles).
Sail away to Annapolis and let the Chesapeake Bay soothe your soul. Feast on steamed crabs, stroll the historic downtown, or just relax and watch the boats go by. Annapolis is Maryland's capital city, and the state house, completed in 1779, has become an iconic landmark. In the heart of downtown is the William Paca Garden, a two-acre oasis of natural beauty and artful elegance. Quiet Waters Park offers 6 miles of trails, formal gardens and paddle boating amidst 336 beautiful acres. Sandy Point State Park features sandy beaches along the Chesapeake Bay with swimming, hiking, fishing and excellent views of the majestic Bay Bridge. Spend one night in Annapolis.
Day 6- Annapolis to Chincoteague (approx. 140 miles).
Today's drive takes you across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and down Maryland's Eastern Shore, home to quaint fishing villages, wildlife preserves and a gentler way of life. Visit the Adkins Arboretum in Ridgely, a 400-acre native garden and preserve dedicated to the appreciation and conservation of the region's native plants. Near Cambridge, the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge was created as a haven for ducks and geese migrating the Atlantic flyway. It's home to the largest population of bald eagles on the East Coast. Driving, walking and cycling trails make it easy to get close to local wildlife. Further south your day's journey brings you to the serene fishing village of Chincoteague, your gateway to a national seashore and a national wildlife refuge. Enjoy the beautiful sunrises and sunsets, animals in their natural habitat and beaches that go on forever. Be sure to visit the wild horses on Assateague Island. Stay for one night in Chincoteague.
Day 7- Chincoteague to Williamsburg (approx. 140 miles).
Head south today and cross the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, a modern engineering wonder. Continue on to Colonial Williamsburg, America's most extensively restored 18th century town. So complete and compelling is the restoration that visitors feel they are in a crown colony 300 years ago. Tour the meticulously restored buildings and stroll the cobbled streets with costumed interpreters plying their trades. Behind most buildings you'll find tidy flower or formal clipped boxwood gardens. For thrills and spills visit Busch Gardens Williamsburg (in season), voted America's most beautiful theme park for 18 consecutive years. The flowers and lush landscaping are awesome, as are the rides! Enjoy two nights in Williamsburg.
Day 9- Williamsburg to Richmond (approx. 60 miles).
West from Williamsburg along Virginia's historic Route 5 brings you to the James River Plantations, dating to the 1700s and once home to Virginia's social and economic elite. Continue on to Richmond, Virginia's capital city and capital of the confederacy during the Civil War. Its historic origins have given way to a modern vibrant city. The Shockoe Slip and Carytown neighbourhoods have plentiful shopping and dining options. The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is noteworthy for its collection of Art Deco, Art Nouveau and contemporary American Art. The Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden offers more than 40 acres of spectacular gardens and a classical domed Conservatory - the only one of its kind in the mid-Atlantic. Maymont, a 100-acre Victorian estate reflecting the splendour of the Gilded Age, features magnificent gardens and animal exhibits including bison, black bear and otters. Don't miss a drive down grand Monument Avenue, lined with statues to Civil War generals. Stay one night in Richmond.
Day 10- Richmond to Charlottesville (approx. 70 miles).
Charlottesville offers a delightful blend of college town, small city sophistication, and an active arts and cultural scene, all served up with a dash of history. Mis with locals and students on the downtown pedestrian mall, home to quirky shops, coffee houses, street musicians and fine dining. Thomas Jefferson's mountaintop home, Monticello, is surrounded by extensive flower and vegetable gardens and a vineyard, all following his original plan. Nearby is the University of Virginia, an architectural treaure designed by Jefferson and featuring historic gardens lovingly restored by the Garden Club of Virginia. Both Monticello and the University are listed on UNESCO's World Heritage List. Take a short drive into the rolling Virginia countryside to tour a local vineyard and sample award-winning Virginia wine. Spend one night in Charlottesville.
Day 11- Charlottesville to Shenandoah National Park (approx. 60 miles).
As you wind your way north from Charlottesville, take in a portion of the Skyline Drive, one of the most beautiful parkwasys in the nation. Enjoy views of the Shenandoah Valley below, featuring picture-postcard farms and charming villages. Shenandoah National Park offers 100 species of trees, a variety of wildflowers, 54 different mammals and 59 species of birds - you are bound to see some form of wildlife! You can hike along the Appalachian Trail or explore the wonders of the Park with a Ranger-guided tour. Fall is a spectacular time to visit, when warm days combine with crisp, cool nights to turn the foliage into delightful displays of yellows, reds and golds. Visit Luray Caverns, a national landmark and home to the world's only "Stalacpipe" Organ that plays its hauntingly beautiful music on natural formations. Try and unravel the mystery of the maze inside Luray's ornamental garden, where over 1,500 American Arborvitae create a half-mile pathway enhanced with misting fog! Enjoy one night on the Skyline Drive.
Day 12- Shenandoah National Park to Washington (approx. 75 miles).
Head north today into Virginia's hunt country, where horse farms and vineyards are set in the shadows of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The quaint village of Middleburg or bustling Leesburg are good stops for specialty and boutique shopping and lunch. Leesburg Corner Premium Outlets offer 110 name brand outlet stores. Before turning in the car at Dulles Airport, visit the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, companion to the National Air & Space Museum in DC, which together house the world's largest collection of aviation and space artefacts.
