A New England Color Tour and Adventure – Boston and Plymouth

Several years ago, we moved into a 55+ community in Williamsburg VA.  As part of this community, the HOA has a Travel Club.  This Club provides travel adventures for the residents year-round and this year we chose to hop on the New England and Cape Cod Autumn Foliage trip.  We had discussed going to New England to see the fall foliage and this trip solved all the logistic problems – no driving, no hunting for places to sleep – all travel included.

The trip was set for the end of September when, hopefully, the fall colors in New England would be in abundance. So, with 30 or so of our neighbors we set out for this adventure.  Our adventure started off by driving all of a mile over to the HOA Clubhouse where we all boarded a couch and headed to the Richmond Airport.  

After a short flight we landed at Boston’s Logan Airport and found our way to Boston Park Plaza Hotel.  Once at the hotel we were met by our tour director, Debby Swope.  

Once settled into our room, we ventured across the street to Boston Common and explored a bit of the area.  Having lived in Cambridge (across the river) and Janeen having worked on Newbury Street (which ends at the Common) it is an area we had visited in the past.  Unfortunately, the Swan Boats were not on the pond so no boating today.  However, it was a lovely day and lots of views to take in.

The following morning, our first tour was an overview the oldest part of Boston – a place we have visited by many years ago.  Our “step on” guide (local guide who joined us on the bus) was very knowledgeable of Boston and did a great job of pointing out significant places along our trip.  

The majority of the ride focused on the Freedom Trail – The Boston Freedom Trail is a 2.5-mile-long path through Boston that passes by 17 locations significant to the history of the Boston and marked with a red brick line in the sidewalk. It winds from Boston Common, to the Old North Church in the North End and the Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown.

Stops along the trail include simple explanatory ground markers, graveyards, notable churches and buildings, and the USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides.  The USS Constitution is a three-masted wooden-hulled heavy and is the world’s oldest commissioned naval warship still afloat. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it to Bucker Hill or Old Ironsides but it was a good overview of the City and the historical significance of many of the places.  

We ended the tour at Faneuil Hall where we had time for lunch and a little exploration of all the markets around the place.

After rejoining our group, after lunch, we boarded the Couch and headed towards Plymouth and Cape Cod.

Plymouth Massachusetts is the home of Plymouth Rock, the traditional site of disembarkation of the Mayflower Pilgrims who founded Plymouth Colony in December 1620.  We are all familiar with the story about the Pilgrims and their establishment of the colony here but it wasn’t until a hundred years or so later there is a written reference to the “rock”.  In 1741, 121 years after the Pilgrims arrived, there is a written documentation about the landing place when it was described in the town boundary records as “a great rock”.  Regardless, the establishment of the colony in this location is significant and the story of the rock is a good timeline marker.

We all took advantage of the time off the bus to explore and take some pictures.  In the Park around the “rock” is the Mayflower II, a reproduction of the original ship which brought the Pilgrims across the Atlantic.  So, back on the bus and off to Cape Cod.

While in Plymouth, we also visited The National Monument to the Forefathers, formerly known as the Pilgrim Monument.

This commemorates the Mayflower Pilgrims and was dedicated on August 1, 1889, it honors their ideals as later generally embraced by the United States.  It is thought to be the world’s largest solid granite monument.

On the main pedestal stands the heroic figure of “Faith” with her right hand pointing toward heaven and her left hand clutching the Bible. Upon the four buttresses also are seated figures emblematic of the principles upon which the Pilgrims founded their Commonwealth; Morality, Law, Education, and Liberty. 

After our visit, we headed towards South Yarmouth where we were booked in for two nights.