New England Islands Cruise

New Bedford has a long and storied history with the whaling industry, which was a major part of the city’s roots. Visit the New Bedford Whaling Museum to learn about this connection by exploring the interactive exhibits, cultural artifacts and five full whale skeletons.

Take a relaxing cruise around the historical New Bedford / Fairhaven harbor. Highlights of this tour include the Palmer's Island Lighthouse, Fort Phoenix, a working fishing fleet, and Coast Guard cutters.

New Bedford's historic district features dozens of whaling-era mansions worthy of admiration, including the 1833 Rotch-Jones-Duff House. Designed by Richard Upjoin, the house is one of the finest surviving examples of residential Greek Revival architecture. The house and gardens chronicle 150 years of economic and social life in the city and are named for the three prominent families who resided there. Furnished period rooms display the decorative arts, furniture and belongings of the families.

A small town steeped in tradition, Fairhaven, MA, is home to magnificent public buildings financed in the late 1800s by Standard Oil Co. millionaire, Henry H. Rogers. Your tour will include a visit to a harborside fort built during the Revolutionary War, a look at the unique town center with its European style architecture, and a visit to a restored one-room schoolhouse built in 1828.

For nearly 100 years, Nantucket Island was one of the premier whaling ports in the world. In 1869, Nantucket's last whaling ship left its shores, never to return to her home port. Recreational boating was on the rise, bringing summer visitors from the mainland to the island, but it wasn't until 1880 when Nantucket became an ideal destination for summer vacationing. Join your fellow passengers on a narrated bus tour of this enchanting island. Take a step back in time as you are captivated by the island's history, whaling stories, 17th century architecture and beautiful cottages.

Capricorn Gallery
Capricorn Gallery is located in one of the most beautiful spots on Nantucket. Old South Wharf has become a center for art studios and galleries since the 1950's. There are currently about twenty galleries occupying restored fishermen's shanties on this wharf in Nantucket Harbor. They have brought a unique European background to the beauty of Nantucket, creating a spectacular blend of contemporary glass art, ceramics, and jewelry. 

Maria Mitchell Association 
The Maria Mitchell Association is a scientific research and education institution that offers a museum, aquarium and observatory. The marine organisms of Nantucket's salt marshes, harbors, and near-shore waters await your acquaintance on Washington Street. There are friendly science interns to answer all your questions about the mollusks, crustaceans, and finfish. Bird-watching and wildflower walks are available when in season.  Website

Jethro Coffin House
History and architecture buffs should definitely visit this hilltop house built in 1686 as a wedding gift for Jethro and Mary Gardner Coffin. The most striking feature of the saltbox is its massive central brick chimney designed with a brick horseshoe adornment said to ward away witches.  Website

African Meeting House
When the island abolished slavery in 1773, Nantucket became a destination for free blacks and escaping slaves. The African Meeting House was built in the 1820s as a schoolhouse, and it functioned as such until 1846, when the island's schools were integrated. A complete restoration has returned the site to its authentic 1880s appearance.  Website  

Hadwen House
A pair of magnificent Greek Revival mansions on upper Main Street--commonly referred to as the Two Greeks--were built in 1845 and 1846 by wealthy factory owner William Hadwen. Today the Hadwen House is a museum, and its contents reflect how the wealthy of the period lived. On a guided tour of the home, you will see such architectural details as the grand circular staircase, fine plasterwork, and carved Italian-marble mantles.  Website

On a narrated bus tour of the island, you will experience a 19th century seaport village when you visit historic Edgartown, featuring magnificent examples of Greek Revival homes built by whaling captains. Delight in Oak Bluffs' gingerbread style cottages, discover West Tisbury, and Vineyard Haven's beautiful harbor. The excursion includes a one-hour stop in Edgartown, where you can stroll through the village and enjoy its famous rose-covered cottages.

Cape Poge Wildlife Refuge
Explore 1,000 acres of preserved land on 14 miles of walking trails and discover a myriad of native wildlife like great blue herons, sandpipers and piping plovers. Make sure to reach the northernmost point of the sand barrier, where the Cape Poge Lighthouse is located.  Website

MVM Historical Society / Museum
Learn about the storied history of Martha’s Vineyard at this museum, which offers a number of rotating exhibits and events, all of which illuminate the past, present and future of this great region.  Stroll around the grounds to see various pieces of history, including a lightning rod from the early 1900s. Website

Boat building and related industries have played a major role in the life of Bristol since the early 17th century. In 1878, the Herreshoff brothers formed the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company, building fast gunboats and torpedo boats for the government. However, it became most noteworthy during the "Golden Age of Yachting" for building the world's finest yachts. Today, you can visit this historic site at the Herreshoff Marine Museum, which honors the individuals of the 150-year competition and the most distinguished of all international sporting trophies. Both guided and self-guided tours are available.

As one of the finest garden estates in New England, an exploration of Blithewold yields diverse gardens, specimen trees, and a 45-room English style manor house, all chronicling the rich social history of the lives of one family over 8 decades. Experience breathtaking views of Narragansett Bay, and see the mansion decorated with original furnishings just as it was when the family lived there.

Bristol is known as the most patriotic town in America. Host to the oldest continuous Fourth of July celebration in the nation, Bristol has celebrated its independence since 1785 with a parade that rivals any other. Motor coach services are available in the afternoon from the Herreshoff Marine Museum to the Visitor's Center in downtown Bristol.

Enjoy a 3-hour, narrated tour of historic and famous Newport. With the brilliant Atlantic Ocean on one side and some of the country’s most impressive properties on the other, this celebrated trail is an unforgettable one. You will drive along the spectacular Ocean View Drive, "Avenue of the Mansions” and the Tennis Hall of Fame. You will not forget your tour of The Breakers, a 70-room mansion and a National Historic Landmark built in 1895.

Fort Adams
Located directly across Newport Harbor, Fort Adams is a National Historic Landmark, considering that it was the first coastal fortification built to defend the U.S. coastline. Since it was given to the state of Rhode Island in 1965, Fort Adams has been commissioned as a state park offering tours to visitors with incredible views of Narragansett Bay and Newport Harbor.   Website

The Tennis Hall of Fame
Visit the Tennis Hall of Fame and learn about this 800-year-old sport through interactive exhibits, multimedia presentations and the largest collection of tennis memorabilia in the world. Take a self-guided tour of the 20,000 square foot museum and 13 grass courts on the property.  Website  

Join us on a narrated tour in a famous Block Island taxi conducted by a spirited, Block Island native guide. The tour includes a stop by the colorful Mohegan Bluffs, 200 feet above sea level, which create spectacular ocean views. Finally, enjoy the Southeast Lighthouse, Mohegan Trail, Fresh Pond and Rodman Hollow. A true Block Island experience.

Holocaust Memorial Museum
The mission of the Rhode Island's Holocaust Memorial Museum is to honor the memory of the victims and to pay tribute to the survivors, rescuers, liberators, and witnesses of the Holocaust. The Museum teaches the painful lessons learned from racism, bigotry, and genocide to the next generation in order to promote tolerance, mutual understanding, and respect. Website

John Brown House Museum
Considered to be “magnificent and elegant” by John Quincy Adams, this house-turned-museum was the first mansion built in Providence. After being donated by the Brown family in the early 1940s, the home was restored and preserved by the Rhode Island Historical Society. Tour the Brown House to learn about Rhode Island’s cultural and social climate in the 18th century. Website

State House
Featuring the fourth-largest self-supported marble dome in the world, the Rhode Island State House is the workplace of many state and local government officials. The State House features a number of interesting items, including a replica of the Liberty Bell and a portrait of George Washington painted by Gilbert Stuart. Website

Governor Henry Lippitt House
Take a tour of this well-preserved home, built for textile merchant Henry Lippitt in the late 19th century. Guide tours will illuminate the history of this building, showcasing the elaborate woodwork and Victorian-era furnishings. Website

Cathedral of Saints Paul and Peter
This Romanesque cathedral was designed in the late 19th century by Patrick Keely. On a tour, you will see a number of amazing features, including a 36-foot-tall organ, a tabernacle created by hand and a testa weighing 3000 pounds. Website

The Roger Williams Park & Botanical Center
This center, which is the largest public indoor display garden in New England, features two greenhouses and 150 species and cultivars of plants. This is the perfect excursion for anyone who loves escaping into natural settings within urban areas. Website

Waterplace Park and River Walk
Romantic Venetian-style footbridges, cobblestone walkways, and an amphitheater encircling a tidal pond set the tone at this 4-acre tract, which has won national and international design awards. The Riverwalk passes the junction of three rivers -- the Woonasquatucket, Providence, and Moshassuck -- a nexus of the shipping trade during Providence's early years. However, the area had been covered over by highways and parking lots in the middle of the 20th century. An urban-renewal project uncovered the buried rivers, rerouted them, and surrounded them with amenities for pedestrians rather than cars. Waterplace Park is now a gathering for the city. Website

Roger Williams Park Zoo
Featuring a host of interactive exhibits, this zoo’s mission is focused on the conservation of wildlife and providing a wide range of education to its visitors. See more than 100 species of wide-ranging animals, including harbor seals, red pandas and carpet pythons. Website