 June 2-11, 2009 |
| Join alumni, parents, and friends, along with Robert Allen Skotheim Chair of History, David Schmitz as we explore New York's Finger Lakes and the Erie Canal. |
| Completed in 1823 and over 300 miles long, the Erie Canal connected New York's Hudson River and Lake Erie and soon transformed upstate New York from a remote wilderness to a thriving commerce, farming, and trade center. With the success of the Erie Canal, the United States experienced a canal-building boom and by the 1850s, there were thousands of miles of canals in the eastern states. |
| The tour provides you with an in-depth look at the stately towns, vineyards, and prosperous farms of central New York's beautiful Finger Lakes region. It showcases grand Victorian mansions and elegant lake-side cottages, and a beautiful church in Auburn containing a priceless interior designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany. There are many 'water features' on this tour: a luncheon cruise on Skaneateles Lake and later sail again on the waters of Seneca Lake; waterfalls of the Grand Canyon of the Genesee; the 19 cascades of Watkins Glen; and of course, the breathtaking Niagara Falls with a trip on the "Maid of the Mist". The tour is escorted by Rail Travel Center Vice-President/General Manager Carl Fowler, who grew up in upstate New York. |
Day 1: Arrival in Albany, New York. Accommodations at the Albany Crowne Plaza. Day 2: Tour Cooperstown: National Baseball Hall of Fame; the Fenimore Art Museum; Farmers Museum: Cooperstown and Charlotte Valley Railroad. We'll drive southwest through the Catskill Mountains, then board a specially-chartered train on the Cooperstown and Charlotte Valley Railroad for a lovely trip along the headwaters of the Susquehanna River. Lunch will be a grand buffet at the stately Otesaga Hotel.  Day 3: Chittenango Falls; cruise Skaneateles Lake; Willard Memorial Chapel in Auburn. First we travel to see the cascades and narrow gorge of Chittenango Falls, then a luncheon cruise on Skaneateles Lake. Later, we're off to visit a very unique church, completed in 1892 with the interior design work of Louis Comfort Tiffany.Day 4: National Women's Rights Museum; Watkins Glen; Seneca Lake cruise; Glenora Winery. We travel past the outlet of Cayuga Lake to Seneca Falls, home of the Women's Rights Convention. Then on to Watkin's Glen. Walking down the glen on a stone path, we enter a narrow canyon lined with 19 waterfalls and cascades, and we'll actually walk behind a waterfall! (You need to be able to walk at least a mile and descend multiple flights of stone steps to enjoy this beautiful place. Only the lower falls can be seen without walking through the gorge.) Lunch is on the shore of Seneca Lake. Next we'll have an hour cruise on the lake, then drive to Glenora Winery to taste some New York wines. Day 5: Sonnenberg Estate and Gardens; New York State Museum of Transportation. We'll explore formal gardens at an 1887 Queen Anne-style mansion. More than a dozen formal gardens are preserved here, including fountains, streams, ponds, and greenhouses. We'll even have lunch here. Then we'll drive to Rush to visit the New York State Museum of Transportation.  Day 6: Letchworth State Park and Grand Canyon of the Genesee River; ride Arcade and Attica (steam) Railroad. Today we'll see beautiful waterfalls and towering cliffs and have a fine lunch at the historic Glen Iris Inn over looking the Upper Falls of the Genesee River, a deep gorge 17 miles long with depths of nearly 600 feet. Later, we continue to Arcade to ride the steam-powered railroad on a fourteen-mile round-trip through beautiful rural settings. Day 7: All-day cruise on the Erie Canal from Macedon through Rochester to Brockport. Our two-day voyage on the canal's western reaches on the M/V Emita II, with all meals prepared on-board and served in the main cabin. The open decks are perfect for sightseeing.Day 8: All-Day Erie Canal cruise from Brockport to Lockport. Ahhh, the quietest and most "authentic" stretch of the Erie Canal. A tow-path traces the canal and we pass under some very, very low bridges. We will see one of the canal builders greatest challenges - the bluffs of the Niagara Escarpment. After dinner we'll take a short ride to the breathtaking cascades of Niagara Falls.  Day 9: Niagara Falls; Old Fort Niagara. Most of our time is devoted to the spectacular Niagara Falls. All-day tickets on the Park Trolley can be used to access all three cascades, also sightseeing tours and viewpoints. We'll cruise to the base of the Falls on the Maid of the Mist. Later in the day, we'll visit Old Fort Niagara. It once controlled the outlet of the Niagara Gorge into Lake Ontario and was bitterly contested in the French and Indian War, the Revolutionary War, and the War of 1812. A Farewell Dinner caps off our evening. Day 10: Amtrak on the former New York Central Railroad "Scenic Water-level Route" from Niagara Falls to Albany. We'll head to the Amtrak station, board an EMPIRE SERVICE streamliner, and travel through pretty farmland and the great cities of Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse. After passing through Utica we'll follow through the gap separating the Adirondack Mountains from the Catskill and Helderberg ranges into Schenectady. We will see stone arches of the partially destroyed Schoharie Creek Aqueduct, which was part of the original canal of 1823. Just before 1:00 PM we arrive back in Albany where our tour ends. Same-day rail and air connections are available throughout the country. |
| ******************************************************************** When: June 2-11, 2009 Price: $2899.00, per person, double occupancy, $3499.00 single occupancy, exact price to follow. Tour prices include the two-day Erie Canal cruise with all meals; all admissions and other meals as noted; all hotels; rail and boat fares during the tour; services of a full-time tour manager; and luggage handling. (Not included are items of a personal nature: laundry; souvenirs; and alcoholic beverages.) Deposit: $750 per person, payable to Vacations by Rail. Send checks to the Whitman College Alumni Office. Due by October 15, 2008. CANCELLATION CHARGES: No penalty other than a $75 per person service charge will be assessed for a tour canceled 90 days or more before departure. Cancellations received within 60 to 90 days prior to departure are subject to a 25% cancellation penalty, based on the full tour cost. Cancellations received 59 to 30 days prior to departure are subject to a cancellation charge of 50% of the full tour price. Cancellations received within 29 days of departure can not be refunded. In the interest of fairness to all passengers, these rules will be, enforced. If we cancel a tour for any reason, we will refund in full. TRIP CANCELLATION INSURANCE: Trip cancellation insurance is available to protect against loss due to cancellation for covered medical reasons and is strongly recommended. Special Notice: There are 40 spaces available for this tour, after October 15, 2008 remaining spaces will be open to the general public (not affiliated with Whitman College). If you want to go, please be sure to get your reservations and deposit in early. For more information: Contact Margaret Hoglund via email, or call (509) 527-5167 or (800) 835-9448, ext. 1 Whitman College Alumni Office
219 Marcus Street, Walla Walla, WA 99362 Photos Courtesy of the Rail Travel Center |