Begin your tour of the Historic Northeast in New York City, originally called New Amsterdam by the Dutch who arrived here in 1609. According to legend, it was here that the Dutch colonists 'bought' the island of Manhattan for $ 24, one of the greatest real estate deals in history. In Lower Manhattan, near where Fort Amsterdam once stood, you can follow the immigrant story on a visit to the Statue of Liberty and the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, where audio tours in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish are available. Afterwards, wander the streets of New Amsterdam, whose frontier trading post has long ago been replaced by Wall Street and the towering skyscrapers of the Financial District. In 1664, faced with the overwhelming firepower of the British, the Dutch mayor Peter Stuyvesant surrendered New Amsterdam without a fight, and the city was renamed New York. By 1740, the new colonial city had become the third largest seaport in the British Empire, surpassed only by Philadelphia and London. On the East River at the end of Wall St, the ships docked along South Street Seaport recall the grand age of sailing; you can visit the South Street Seaport Museum, or shop and dine with a stunning view of the Brooklyn Bridge. After the American Revolution, New York became the US capital, and at nearby Federal Hall on Wall St, a statue of George Washington commemorates where he was sworn in as the first President of the United States. Other sites associated with the early US history are also located in Lower Manhattan, including Fraunces Tavern, Trinity Church, and St Paul's Chapel

Continue your discovery of Historic New York in Manhattan's Lower East Side, where new neighborhoods such as Chinatown, Little Italy, and Kleindeutschland sprang up to house immigrants from the world over. The excellent Lower East Side Tenement Museum tells the stories of actual families who once lived here, their apartments restored according to the memories and photographs of their descendents. Nearby Katz’s Delicatessen, where “Harry met Sally”, is New York’s oldest deli, and most New Yorkers will tell you it’s the best. Another nearby favorite is Lombardi's Pizza, New York's first pizzeria. Cross Houston Street to the East Village, still Manhattan’s edgiest neighborhood, once home to successive waves of Irish, German, and Eastern European immigrants. Then cross town to Greenwich Village, originally a separate farming community settled by the Dutch in the 1630's. As New York grew in size and wealth in the early 1800s, successful merchants and tradesmen built the fine brick Federal-style homes that characterize the West Village today. With the founding of New York University here in 1836, Greenwich Village became the center of intellectual life, and remained so after New York society moved uptown to the more desirable addresses around Central Park. Artists and writers from Eugene O'Neill and the Bohemians to Jack Kerouac and the Beatniks to Bob Dylan and the hippies all made their home in Greenwich Village. In Washington Square Park and the surrounding clubs and cafes, artists, musicians and students still gather to exhibit, write and perform

Depart early this morning through Connecticut for Newport, Rhode Island. An important colonial port city, Newport became a summer resort for America’s wealthiest families, whose large mansions still line Ocean Drive and Bellevue Avenue. A variety of American architecture dating back to the 1600’s can be seen in downtown Newport. Spend the day in Newport, or make a short stop before continuing on to Plymouth, Massachusetts. It was here that the Pilgrims, sailing on the Mayflower in 1620, established New England’s first permanent settlement. Plimoth Plantation, a living history museum, recreates Native American and village life in 1627, and a replica of the Mayflower may be visited on Plymouth’s attractive and walkable waterfront. Continue on to nearby Boston for your overnight.

A full day to explore Boston and its surroundings. Founded in 1630 by the Puritans, Boston quickly grew to be the largest city in the English Colonies and the cradle of the American Revolution. Take a self-guided walking tour along Boston’s Freedom Trail, which links together and explains Boston’s most important revolutionary sites and events. Continue through the cobblestone streets and fine brick houses of Beacon Hill, the traditional home of Boston’s “Brahmins”, early Boston’s social, intellectual and artistic elite. Cross the Charles River to the vibrant streets of Cambridge and Harvard University (1636), America’s first institute of higher education. Return through Back Bay’s boulevards for stylish shopping and dining, or make your way to the Fenway for the artistic treasures of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts

Depart early this morning for Lexington and Concord, where the first shots of the American Revolution were fired and home to the writers Emerson, Hawthorne and Thoreau. Continue on to Old Sturbridge Village, an outdoor living history museum recreating life in rural New England between 1790-1840, or to Historic Philipsburg Manor, a Dutch manor house dating to the 1600s. Cross New Jersey to New Hope, Pennsylvania, a vibrant Delaware River arts town and a favorite spot for antiquing, before reaching Philadelphia for your overnight

This morning, head to the visitor’s center at Independence National Historical Park, where printed materials are available in various languages (English, French, German, Italian and Spanish). Pick up your free tickets to Independence Hall, a UNESCO World Heritage site where both the Declaration of Independence and US Constitution were signed. On either side of Independence Hall stands the original Congress and Supreme Court buildings, and across the street the Liberty Bell is on display. Stroll down Elfreth’s Alley, the oldest continuously occupied residential street in the United States, and step into Christ Church, where Benjamin Franklin and George Washington once worshipped. For dinner, experience culinary history at City Tavern (1773), and dine on the same 18th-century recipes enjoyed by Washington, Jefferson and the other Founding Fathers who frequently met here. In the evening, Philadelphia nightlife is easy to find, with plentiful restaurants and clubs clustered together in the Old City, along South Street, and south of City Hall

Depart Philadelphia for Baltimore, Maryland, for a visit to the Inner Harbor district. Continue on to historic Annapolis, Maryland’s seaport capital since 1694. Attractive and lively, Annapolis is a pleasant and walkable city, with the highest concentration of 18th-century architecture to be found anywhere in the United States. Continue to Washington DC for your overnight

Full day to view the sites of America’s capital city. Grouped on or near the open lawns of the National Mall are the major institutions of the US government - the White House, Capitol, and Supreme Court buildings - as well as the museums of the Smithsonian Institute and memorials to past presidents. This evening, head out for dinner and the nightlife in Georgetown or Adams Morgan, perhaps combined with a driving tour of the government buildings at night, lighted in an impressive display

Depart directly for New York, or perhaps visit the boardwalk at one of New Jersey’s beaches for some fun in the sun on your way to Manhattan

A final day to enjoy the Big Apple. Take the opportunity to do some last-minute shopping for your friends and family back home, or revisit a favorite neighborhood to enjoy a relaxing morning before your flight departs