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7 days and 6 nights

East Coast Explorer   Christmas  Shopping Tour

Dec 5-11 2009

Take a group photo in front of the White House. See the city both by day & by night, including the Washington Monument, Jefferson Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial, Supreme Court, & Capitol. Experience the Vietnam Memorial – celebrating bravery & mourning the loss of soldiers just a few years older than you. A stop at the Holocaust Museum puts faces on a 20th century tragedy.


     Enjoy free time in the Smithsonian. Choose to see the Air & Space Building, or any of the 10 other choices. Lightup the holidays with the National Christmas tree & 56 live trees representing all the US states & territories.


      Philadelphia is the next stop. The city tour includes the museum steps made famous in the movie ROCKY, the museum parkway, & a short stop at Independence Mall to see the Liberty Bell & Independence Hall.
      Visit the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island. Take awesome photos of the New York skyline from the boat & from above,while looking at the Empire State Building from the Top of The Rock.
Fifth Avenue stores are nice anytime of year, but at Christmas all the stores compete to see who has the best holiday windows, decorations &, of course, holiday shopping!

Rockefeller Center is always a highlight. But at Christmas the 8-story tree, the ice skating rink, & the illuminated angels are really awe-inspiring.  Walk through Central Park. This time of year it like a Christmas card—white serenity in the middle of the city. The lights on the trees at Tavern on the Green are beautiful.


     Enjoy a walking tour in the financial district, including Wall Street, home of the stock exchange, & Ground Zero.  Pick out some fun souvenirs or the latest in fashion at one of New York's trendy stores, or the bargains of Chinatown's Canal street.

  

     You will see lots of things you have seen on television like the United Nations Grand Central Station, & the NY public Library . Walk through Trump Tower, see MTV studio & take the NBC Studios Tour.
Times Square is always full of lights, but it feels especially festive around the holidays. Stop in Toys”R”us & ride the indoor Ferris wheel surrounded by all the lights & sounds of the big city. See a real Broadway show!!


New York is a true memory-maker—new friends & an experience that will be the highlight of your exchange year!

 

AIRLINE/AIPORT  INFORMATION

Begin your trip at BWI (Baltimore Washington airport) & end at EWR (Newark Airport).  Both cities have other airports - so be careful you land and take off from the correct airports.

We will meet you at the airport on 12/5 and take you back on 12/11.

Arrivals: Arrive between 10:00 AM and 5 pm on 12/05/08. If you arrive before 10:00 AM you will have to wait for us. We prefer that you arrive within the time window though. If you arrive after 5 PM, there will not be anyone at the airport to meet you.

Departures:  Depart between 8 am and 2 pm on 12/11/09. You may fly earlier than the 8 AM time above, but because you go to the airport 2 hours before departure you may miss breakfast.   If you depart later than 2 PM you risk getting stuck in New York on your own;  There will not be any chaperones left to assist you.  Students should not be taking the last flight home on any trip.

Do not purhcase flights until you are confirmed on a tour.  We suggest completeing permssion first as flights are non-refundible once purchased.