USA New York+Washington D.C. + Niagara Falls 5-Day Tour (EWR airport pick-up)

Airport pickup at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) on first day. Complimentary pickup times: 9:00 or 16:00-21:00 (meeting time after baggage claim). For domestic flights: proceed to Baggage Claim and meet tour guide. For international flights: clear immigration, proceed to Baggage Claim, clear customs, then meet tour guide. For guests arriving before 9:00am with baggage, optional New York Morning Tour available: New York City Hall & Brooklyn Bridge (80 mins) → Lunch at own expense (45 mins) → Chinatown & Little Italy & Manhattan Bridge (60 mins) → SoHo (30 mins). This morning tour includes visits to 200+ year old City Hall (oldest active US city hall), famous Brooklyn Bridge with Manhattan skyline views, Chinatown and Little Italy neighborhoods, Manhattan Bridge, and SoHo's trendy fashion and art district. All-day transportation from Newark International Airport to hotel (25 miles, 30 minutes). Day 1 itinerary subject to change upon arrival. Note: Free airport pickup service included (service fee $15/person separate). Outside complimentary hours, 24-hour pickup available for $160 (includes 1st & 2nd persons, $10 each additional).

Drive from New York to Philadelphia (100 miles, 1 hour 40 minutes). Visit Independence National Historical Park (30 mins) - a site witnessing American independence and birth, containing historical buildings related to American Revolution. Known as "the most historic square mile in the United States" with Independence Square, clock tower, and bronze founding hero statues. Drive from Philadelphia to Washington D.C. (140 miles, 2.5 hours). In Washington D.C., choose one of two options: OPTION A: U.S. Capitol In-depth Tour + The National Archives (120 mins, optional) - Enter Capitol Building (geometric center of Washington D.C.), walk congressional corridors, hear stories of murals and statues. The National Archives houses Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights, Emancipation Proclamation, Nazi Germany surrender documents, and Watergate tapes. Also includes outside visits to Supreme Court of the United States and Library of Congress. OPTION B (if Capitol unavailable): Washington D.C. In-depth Tour (optional) - Air Force Memorial (20 mins, three curved steel columns over 80m inspired by Thunderbirds smoke trails) → Thomas Jefferson Memorial (20 mins, commemorates "all men are created equal") → World War II Memorial (20 mins, honors 16 million American service members). Visit White House (outside visit, 30 mins) - white neoclassical sandstone building covering 73,000+ sq meters, consists of main building and east/west wings. Office and residence of US presidents, synonymous with US government. Visit Lincoln Memorial + Vietnam Veterans Memorial (45 mins) - Lincoln Memorial is white ancient Greek temple-style building commemorating 16th President Abraham Lincoln, site of MLK's "I Have a Dream" speech. Vietnam Veterans Memorial is 500-foot V-shaped black granite monument engraved with names of 57,000+ US soldiers who died 1959-1975. Drive from Washington D.C. to Gaithersburg hotel (25 miles, 40 minutes).

Drive from hotel to The Corning Museum of Glass (275 miles, 5 hours). Visit Corning Museum of Glass (optional, 90 mins) - world-renowned center in upstate New York small town, center of American glass industry. Display of ~100,000 glass boutiques and artistic sculptures - colorful, crystal clear, dazzling. Also functions as production factory and retail store for glass products, sunglasses, necklaces, pins. Optional: Watkins Glen State Park + Finger Lakes (optional, 90 mins, seasonal summer itinerary available May-October when state park officially opens, subject to park's opening date) - Watkins Glen in Finger Lakes region of New York has stratified rock geology eroded by glaciers and streams forming unique landforms. ~12+ waterfalls along 2-mile canyon trail. Excellent canyon trails and photo spots, known as "Millennium Valley". Finger Lakes consist of 14 long narrow lakes arranged vertically like fingers, scenic spot with Hollywood star vacation villas. Drive from Finger Lake to Niagara Falls (135 miles, 2.5 hours). Niagara Falls Night View Tour (mandatory, 90 mins) - Visit [One Park, Two Islands, Three Falls]. Go deep into Niagara Falls Park viewing exotic flowers and trees. Stand on Ram Island and Moon Island appreciating Thor's Water from multiple angles. See three major waterfalls - Horseshoe Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, American Falls - under colorful neon light illumination, feeling majestic natural momentum with different waterfall faces. Drive from Niagara Falls to hotel (20 miles, 30 minutes). Note: Fireworks show at waterfall guaranteed on this day (except when no fireworks scheduled).

Niagara Falls is group of three waterfalls at southern end of Niagara Gorge spanning Ontario/New York border, formed by Niagara River draining Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. Highest flow rate of any waterfall in North America with vertical drop >50m. CHOOSE ITINERARY BASED ON SEASON: SUMMER (when Maid of the Mist opens): Niagara Falls Classic Tour (optional, 2.5 hours including Whirlpool Park + Cave of the Winds + Maid of the Mist) WINTER (when Maid of the Mist closes): Niagara Falls Classic Tour (optional, 2.5 hours including Whirlpool Park + Cave of the Winds + Old Fort Niagara State Park) ATTRACTION DESCRIPTIONS: Niagara Whirlpool State Park - 125 feet deep, formed by water erosion 7,500 years ago where Niagara River turns northeast from northwest. Rapid water flows back after direction change forming huge whirlpool. Quiet park with barbecue pits and picnic tables overlooking whirlpool below. Trail leads to valley bottom; speedboat rides into whirlpool available. Maid of the Mist - Most monumental boat trip in United States since 1846. Put on blue raincoat and board dreamy boat experiencing refreshing mist, surging waves, roaring waterfalls from 2+ million liters water per second. Unique fleet of yachts under skilled captains sailing safely in Niagara Gorge for 100+ years carrying tens of millions tourists. Old Fort Niagara State Park - Tourist attraction of great historical value existing before US independence at mouth of Niagara River between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. Played important role in Indian-French War, American War of Independence, and Anglo-American War. Behind it is vast Lake Ontario, one of five Great Lakes. Cave of the Winds - Entrance on Goat Island with small museum and cinema. Take elevator down 53 meters in Niagara Gorge cave to valley bottom. Standing at falls foot looking up see falls rushing down with overwhelming momentum. Drive back to New York from Niagara Falls (400 miles, 7.5 hours).

Welcome to the city that never sleeps! New York City full of life and energy. MANDATORY: New York City Fortune Tour (150 mins) - Attractions viewed by car and hiking, stopping at four regions, all outside visited. First Stop: Canyon of Heroes → Woolworth Building → 15 Park Row (world's tallest skyscraper 1899-1901) → The Porter Building → St. Paul's Church → Telegraph Building Second Stop: Equitable Building → Trinity Church → Bank of New York → Federal Hall → New York Stock Exchange → Trump Building → Deutsche Bank → Charging Bull → Customs House → Standard Oil Building → Cunard Line HQ Third Stop: Rockefeller Center (pass by Diamond District and International Gem Tower) Fourth Stop: Pulitzer Fountain → Grand Army Plaza → Plaza Hotel → Times Square → Nasdaq MarketSite Manhattan's financial institutions gathered experiencing classic landmark buildings - Canyon of Heroes, Park Road Building, Trinity Church, New York Stock Exchange, Rockefeller Center - to experience rich financial and commercial atmosphere as world's financial center. OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES (arranged by tour guide according to itinerary): One World Trade Center Observatory (70 mins) - Also called "Freedom Tower" standing on original World Trade Center September 11 attack site. 1,776 feet tall (tallest US building, 3rd tallest world), height commemorates 1776 Declaration of Independence signing. Features video board with welcome messages in various languages, hometown highlights on dynamic world map. "Voices" experience recounts building construction stories. "Foundations" provides bedrock close-up. Global Welcome Center, guest elevators with virtual time-lapse, breathtaking video displays, Discovery Level with 360-degree views. Liberty Cruise (60 mins) - Statue of Liberty cruise around island for one-hour Hudson River tour. See Manhattan skyline and Hudson River scenery. Overlook Empire State Building and World Trade Center. Slowly pass Statue of Liberty seeing radiant crown, freedom torch, Declaration of Independence, symbolizing American ideals of freedom and pursuit of better life. RiseNY (60 mins) - Recreation of New York's first City Hall subway station. Short film by award-winning filmmaker Ric Burns voiced by Jeff Goldblum sweeps through city history. Seven immersive galleries with iconic artifacts, dazzling costumes, pop culture treasures co-curated with top museums. Grand finale lifts 40 feet into air on soaring 4D ride flying over five boroughs through year of celebrations. Journey ends on Statue of Liberty torch replica gazing over Times Square as if standing in New York Harbor.