Highlights of America's East Coast

Our holiday starts when we meet our Tour Manager and group at London Heathrow, before our flight to Washington DC, the US capital. We arrive in the late afternoon and are transferred into the city where we check into our friendly downtown hotel for a three night stay.

As we drive through the city, it may start to look familiar. Washington DC has iconic sights around every corner, from the poignant Lincoln Memorial, where Martin Luther King Junior delivered his famous 'I Have a Dream' speech, to the instantly recognisable White House, home to each serving US president since John Adams in 1800. This evening you are free to orientate yourselves with the neighbourhood and to dine independently. Besides other local dining options, our hotel restaurant offers a menu of traditional American and Irish cuisine.

This morning we begin to explore the city on a guided coach tour, seeing highlights such as Capitol Hill, the largest historical residential district in Washington DC and home to the distinctive Capitol Building. We also see the Pentagon, the Washington Memorial and its reflecting pool, with an impressive marble statue of former President Abraham Lincoln. Lastly, we stop at the elegant yet imposing White House, residence of the President of the United States. Our tour may also take in seasonal events occurring in the city, during our visit.

There's free time after our tour to find your own place to enjoy lunch, then an afternoon at leisure to continue discovering the city in your own time. You could revisit the landmarks we've been introduced to, enjoy the shopping streets downtown, or simply relax at our hotel. For dinner this evening, in the East End district of our hotel are several American style diners, or you could venture a few blocks north west, where you're spoilt for choice with a hub of international restaurants.

Today you're free to continue sightseeing and getting to know Washington DC at your own pace. The centrepiece of this fascinating city is the National Mall, stretching over 1.9 miles, a national park where you'll find a multitude of museums based on American history, several iconic monuments and memorials. The US Botanic Garden is situated here, is free to enter and a delight to wander through - it is the oldest continually operating botanic garden in the United States.

Among Washington DC's attractions, the Smithsonian Institution is unmissable. Consisting of a staggering 17 museums, galleries and a zoo, entry to this world-renowned museum and research complex is completely free. The Institution is an incredible source of knowledge relating to US history, art, science and culture. You may also choose to visit Arlington National Cemetery, the final resting place of the assassinated politician John F. Kennedy.

This evening is also yours to explore and you are free to dine independently, with a vast choice of cuisine on our hotel doorstep.

This morning we board our Amtrak train to New York, for a two-night stay in 'the city that never sleeps'. Without a doubt, the most famous American city, New York is an extraordinary blend of sounds, sights, and scents, rooted in the diverse culture of this electrifying metropolis.

On arrival we enjoy a classic New York refreshment, a coffee and bagel, at our hotel, right in the beating heart of the city - Times Square. We then take an afternoon guided sightseeing tour, passing iconic landmarks such as dazzling Fifth Avenue, famous for its high-end shops, galleries and regal buildings, and Central Park - a vast parkland of 843 acres, which stretches across no less than 51 blocks through the centre of multicultural Manhattan, dividing the city's Upper East Side and Upper West Side.

Your evening is free; maybe to catch a Broadway show, or see some dance, music or comedy in the nearby Theatre District. If you're considering this, we advise you to book in advance. When it comes to dining, there are restaurants aplenty, from American steakhouses and burger joints to authentic eateries in Chinatown and Little Italy. New York's only revolving restaurant is a popular fine dining venue with a view, and it's at the top of our hotel.

Today you are free to immerse yourself in the excitement of New York City. You may like to visit one of its many museums, such as the Guggenheim, the American Museum of Natural History, or the Museum of Modern Art. Or maybe enjoy people watching and American portions at a pizza parlour, diner or coffee shop.

Apart from the most famous skyscraper in the world, the Empire State Building, there are other places to scan the New York skyline. You could head to the Top of the Rock at the Rockefeller Plaza, or to The One World Observatory for views of midtown from Lower Manhattan. Other iconic landmarks to explore include the Chrysler Building, an Art Deco skyscraper with distinctive ornate arches.

You might choose to take a ferry across the Hudson River to historic Ellis Island, passing the iconic Statue of Liberty. Or maybe spend an afternoon in Central Park, with a picnic lunch from one of New York's famous delis. Tonight is your last evening in the city and there are countless places to eat in Midtown, or take a cab up to the Upper West Side where you'll find a great choice of international cuisine, from African to Vietnamese, Japanese to Provençal.

Making an early start this morning we leave the buzz of New York behind, as we board the Amtrak Maple Leaf service to Toronto. Our journey takes us through the beautiful Hudson River Valley, New York's wine growing region, and - as we cross the border to Canada - past the stunning gorges of the Finger Lakes region near the wonderful Niagara Falls.

We arrive into Toronto's Union Station in the evening, where we are transferred to our Downtown hotel. In this culturally diverse district you'll find a great choice of eating places; our hotel also offers a restaurant and bar. If you feel like exploring further this evening, the city's entertainment district is around a 15-minute walk away.

Today the day is yours to explore Toronto at your own pace. The city is a multicultural melting pot with an inviting, laid-back atmosphere.

A fun way to experience the city is on a hop on-hop off sightseeing bus. In summer, these are open-top double-deckers which are a great way to see the city, while in the cooler seasons it is possible to hop aboard a cozy trolley bus instead. The bus starts in Yonge-Dundas Square and stops at various sightseeing points including the Royal Ontario Museum, the Art Gallery of Toronto and the Harbourside District. Another historic quarter is the Distillery District, where you'll find galleries, restaurants, bars and live music venues. This is such an iconic destination that the brick-paved streets are UNESCO-listed.

For something different, you could take a 10-minute ferry journey from the harbour to Toronto's quiet, collection of tiny islands. The journey offers great views of the city skyline, while Ward's Island is an ideal spot to wander among leafy streets and quaint cottage-like houses. Back in Toronto this evening you are free to dine independently.

This morning we set out by coach to experience another highlight of our East Coast adventure, a full day of guided sightseeing at the spectacular Niagara Falls. Straddling the US-Canadian border, between New York state and Ontario province, Niagara Falls is split into three separate sections: the American Falls, the Bridal Veil Falls and the Canadian/Horseshoe Falls. Dating back thousands of years, when melting glaciers created a passage of water from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario, the Horseshoe Falls is one of the largest in the world.

We take a Hornblower cruise for a close encounter with the powerful cascading waters, feeling its force as we sail into the sparkling mist at the base of the falls. We have free time over lunch at the Table Rock Centre, which overlooks Horseshoe Falls, before continuing to view the Niagara Whirlpool. On our return journey to Toronto we stop at the quaint town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, arriving back in the city in the early evening. On our last night in this vibrant city you may choose to mark the occasion with a show or a meal in one of Toronto's great restaurants.

Our last day in Toronto starts with a morning and lunchtime at leisure. You may wish to take a final stroll through the multicultural streets, wander along the Harbourside District or enjoy a final Canadian-style lunch in an atmospheric café. In the early afternoon we are transferred to the airport for our flight back to London Heathrow.

After our overnight flight, we arrive back in the UK today. After saying our goodbyes to our Tour Manager and fellow travellers, it's time to head home with memories of our exhilarating trip to these three dynamic cities, and the stunning Niagara Falls.