STARTING FROM NEW YORK *
* IF NEEDED, YOU CAN ALSO DO THE ITINERARY IN REVERSE
Day 1: NYC
Arrival in New York and Airport Transfer.
Check-in Hotel. Free time at your disposal.
Night: New York City Watson Hotel *** or similar
Day 2 & 3: NYC
Enjoy
2 full days to explore NYC. Depending on whether this is your first time in the city, or not, you might want to
organize a couple of tours to be more effective with the time at your disposal.
On the other hand, if you are familiar with the city, you can enjoy these 2 days to visit new openings, maybe
check out a couple of museums you haven't visited before or simply walk around and enjoy the city-scape.
Night: New York City Watson Hotel *** or similar
Day 4: NYC > Philadelphia (PA)
Today, you will
pick-up your rental car and start heading South to visit
Philadelphia and
Amish County before proceeding towards the capital Washington DC for an evening arrival.
From New York to Philadelphia you have to drive for
1 hour and 45 minutes (98 miles (ca. 158 km)). For visiting the Amish county reckon a couple of Hours, then from there to Washington a
2 hours and half drive (119 miles (ca. 192 km))
Night: Washington, DC Washington Hampton Inn Union Station*** or similar
Day 5: Washington, District of Columbia
Enjoy a
full day to visit DC with all the
Memorials, Museums, Capitol Hill, the
White House, and
Arlington National Cemetery.
Night: Washington, DC Washington Hampton Inn Union Station*** or similar
Day 6: DC > Shenandoah National Park
Leave DC and head south towards the
beautiful Shenandoah National Park. Today will be a day to be
"lost" in mother nature. We recommend starting your visit from the "Front Royal Entrance" (North Gate) located approx. 72 miles (ca. 116 km) from DC and
drive south within the park along the Skyline Drive to Rockfish Gap entrance Station (South Entrance) for approx. 3h09 and
107 miles (ca. 172 km) of scenic drives, look-out-points, and beautiful landscapes.
Once you exit the park, continue south for another
70 miles (ca. 113 km) staying right on the Blue Ridge Parkway to reach Lexington (VA). The Blue Ridge Parkway is considered one of the
most beautiful scenic roads in the US, it extends for over 450 miles (ca. 724 km) from Virginia to North Carolina.
Today, your total drive will be approx. 249 miles (ca. 400 km) and a total of 5-hour behind the wheel.
Night: around Lexington (VA) Motel 6** or similar
Day 7: Lexington VA > Lexington, Kentucky
Today, you will start heading towards the
State of Kentucky and the town of
Lexington. There is a bit of road to cover, approx 360 miles (ca. 579 km) which will require about 6 hours.
Kentucky not only is the
home state of 2 Presidents -- Lincoln and Bill Monroe, but it's also a great state for all
outdoor adventure lovers, especially rafting, and known for its
amazing Bourbon and BBQ.
Night: Lexington (KY) Hilton Garden Inn*** or similar
Day 8: Lexington (KY)
Take a day "off" from driving and go explore Lexington, also known as the
"Capital of Horses" -- ever heard of the Kentucky Derby? The Derby takes place in Louisville (next stop) but Lexington brings on the tradition.
Night: Louisville Hilton Garden inn Louisville/northeast*** or similar
Day 9: Louisville > St. Louis, Missouri
Spend your morning in
Louisville to visit the historic center, and continue towards St. Louis, Missouri. You will have approx. 4.30 hours (261 miles (ca. 420 km))
Night: St. Louis Red Lion Hotel *** or similar
Day 10: St. Louis, Missouri
Relax
visiting the city of St. Louis right on the banks of the Mississippi River.
Night: St. Louis Red Lion Hotel *** or similar
Day 11: St. Louis > Chicago, Illinois
Today will be the last big "stretch' of driving that you will have to do. You will leave St. Louis to head towards Chicago. 5 hours (298 miles (ca. 480 km))
During your drive, we recommend stopping for lunch and for a visit to
Springfield (IL), located approx. 100 miles (ca. 161 km) from St. Louis, and
home of President Lincoln. Here, you can do a tour to learn more about President Lincoln.
Also, you can take the opportunity and stop by some historic and original sites of the
iconic Route 66 including the famous Chain of Rocks Bridge.
Arrive in Chicago by late afternoon, check-in in Hotel and drop off car.
Night: Chicago Crowne Plaza Chicago West Loop*** or similar
Day 12 & 13: Chicago
Two full days to discover the beautiful Chicago.
You will have
many attractions and things to do to choose from -- Panoramic Terraces, Museums, Architecture River Cruises, Walking Tours and more.
Night: Chicago Crowne Plaza Chicago West Loop*** or similar
Day 14: Chicago > End of Service
Free morning & Hotel Check-out,
Airport Transfer
End of Service.