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This cruise into the past presents
the early settlement of New York State. You will relive much
of America’s Westward Expansion via the Erie Canal,
gateway to the country’s interior. This is a repeat
of last year’s wonderful cruise on The Crescent. You
will be astounded at the amount of local history we will
explore, at how justifiably proud of its unique story is
each town along the canal.
Together, these stories tell one
coherent, fascinating story. You’ll be surprised at
how the bucolic beauty of Upstate NY contrasts with its vibrant
and often violent history. $1545 ($225 single supplement)
Itinerary
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.......................................................onboard The
Crescent, ................................traversing
one of the first canal locks
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Friday,
June 21:
Check into Best Western Rensselaer Inn, Troy, NY any time after 3 pm.
Complementary transportation from the Albany Airport is available through
the hotel. Meet for welcome dinner at 7 pm.
Saturday,
June 22:
After an early breakfast at the hotel we depart by bus to Cohoes Falls
where we will have a tour of the Cohoes Music Hall, perhaps with an
appearance of their resident ghost! also we will see a diorama of the
Harmony Mills & Cohoes Falls area. We then proceed to the Waterford
Visitor Center where a guide will meet us. We will have a ten minute
video presentation of the Canal System, see a restored tug boat, and
take a walking tour of the Canal Park, including remains of the Champlain
Canal. Then we board The Crescent and commence our canal boating, as
we make our way up the “Waterford Flight,” (the highest set
of lift locks in the world) locks 2,3,4,5 and 6. Lunch is on board
The Crescent. Afternoon tour of Wit’s End (an upscale gift shop
with remains of various historical buildings), followed by Dinner Cruise.
Finally bus takes us back to hotel for the night.
Sunday,
June 23:
After breakfast baggage is placed on bus; we join The Crescent and
continue our canal boating from locks number 7 through 11. Lunch will
be served on board. At Lock 8 we will be joined by two musicians who
will entertain us as we continue our liesurly cruise on the river.
By early afternoon The Crescent will reach Amsterdam (lock 11). For
the rest of the afternoon we will tour the area. This will include
Schoharie Crossing where you will see a restored canal store and remains
of a double lock and a picturesque aqueduct from the original canal.
We will also tour Fort Johnson, the 1749 Georgian style home of Sir
William Johnson. We arrive at the Johnstown Holiday Inn for dinner
and for the night. We expect to have a speaker that night.
Monday,
June 24:
After breakfast there will be a morning tour of Amsterdam’s Elwood
Museum. We then board The Crescent at lock 11 heading for Canojaharie
Terminal. Lunch is on board. Afternoon tours include Canojaharie Library
and Art Gallery, with works by Homer, O’Keeffe, Stuart, Wyeth
and others, and Fort Plain, a Greek revival home with Indian and canal
artifacts as well as 1848 Victorian collection. Then we return to our
rooms at the Holiday Inn. Dinner at hotel. (Bring your bathing suit.
Holiday Inn has a nice pool.)
Tuesday,
June 25:
7:45 breakfast at hotel. After loading baggage we rejoin The Crescent
at 8:45 for our day’s canal boating. The day’s boating is
broken up by a morning tour of Fort Klock, a 1750 fortified farm home,
used during French and Indian War as well as during our Revolutionary
war. After this we continue boating to Little Falls, arriving
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| Waiting for the
lock to fill |
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mid
afternoon. A guide from the Little Falls Visitor Center will
meet us on the boat and then take us for a walking tour of
this historic village which will last until about 4:30 pm,
after which we proceed to our hotel. This evening we will
have a speaker representing the next day’s highlight,
Erie Canal Village.
Wednesday,
June 26:
8:00 am breakfast at hotel. Our bus will take us to a morning tour
of Fort Stanwix in Rome. Fort Stanwix, built during the French and
Indian War, is a re-encactment of 18th century life. Lunch at Savoy
Restaurant. The afternoon will be spent touring The Erie Canal Village,
a restored 1840 community and our visit includes a horse drawn packet
boat ride. After visiting the Canal Village there will be time to freshen
up, back at our hotel, before rejoining The Crescent for a farewell
wine and cheese party. Dinner will be at a local restaurant.
Thursday,
June 27:
8:30 am breakfast at hotel. After putting bags on bus we proceed to
Herkimer Home, the 1764 home of American Revolutionary War General
Nicholas Herkimer. We will have a guided tour. On our way to the Albany
Airport we will also visit the Auresville Shrine and enjoy a last view
of the Mohawk River Valley. At about 12:30 we will be at The Albany
Airport. At 1 pm the bus will return to Best Western Troy, for those
who have arrived by automobile and left their cars there. (No charge
for leaving your car.)
NOTE:
Itinerary is subject to change due to availability of sites,
extreme weather or other unanticipated conditions.
Cost for entire trip is $1545 per person, double occupancy.
This is an all inclusive cost; meals, accommodations, tours,
everything.
Single room supplement is $225.
To enroll, using your credit card, call Karl Rodman at 239-395-2191.
Deposit is $200 per person. The balance will be due forty-five days
before the trip. Optional cancellation insurance will be sent to you.
In case of early withdrawal, $100 will be refunded to you and $100
will be credited to any future RVT trip you take.
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