$349 (Per person based on double occupancy)

$419 (Single room, must be 18 years old)

Sorry, but no child discount on this tour.

To reserve a seat for this tour you must pay a $100 deposit per person. Remaining balance is due latest July 2nd 2022. If the remaining balance is not received latest July 2nd, the reservation will be considered cancelled with loss of the deposit. Reservations for this weekend tour made after July 2nd. must be paid in full at time of reservation. (If seats are still available)

The following is included in the price for this 2 days/1 night Connecticut All-Inclusive Weekend Tour:             

• 1 nights accommodations at a 2-3 Star comfortable hotel
• 4 full meals – Saturday Lunch through Sunday Lunch
• A light breakfast to start the day with Saturday morning
• Unlimited Water
• Transportation with air-conditioned vehicle roundtrip from NYC
• Entrance fee for Gillette Castle
• Entrance fee for Florence Griswold Museum
• Entrance fee for Wadsworth Falls State Park
• Visit Doctor Francis Giuffrida Park
• Visit a Lavender farm
• Hubbard Park visit
• Thimble Island Cruise
• Friendly and professional tour guide
• Free Wifi in your room
• All taxes and fees

Not included in price:

• Any food/snacks/beverage between the main meals
• Gratuities for your guides/driver (Tipping your tour guide is left to your discretion)
• Insurance

We will start our tour at 7 am. We will meet at 8th. Ave between 33th and 34th Street in Manhattan by the Duane Reade. DON'T BE LATE! Please come 20 minutes early to check in. You will be greeted by your tour guide for the weekend. You will sign our liability waiver and after departure a light breakfast be served onboard the van.

Gillette Castle State Park

We will visit Gillette Castle. The castle was originally a private residence commissioned and designed by William Gillette (1853–1937), an American actor who is most famous for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes on stage. Gillette lived at this estate from 1919–1937. The estate was taken over by the state of Connecticut in 1943. From the outside it looks like a medieval fortress, but inside you will find many interesting special design features such as built-in couches, table tracks and wood carvings. There are 47 doors within the structure, and none of them are the same, each door has a external latch intricately carved of wood.

The castle is sitting high above the Connecticut River on 184 acres. You will have time to enjoy both the inside and outside of this magnificent place.

Florence Griswold Museum - Celebrating Art, History, and Nature

The Florence Griswold Museum is a nationally recognized center for American art and history. The 13-acre site in the historic town of Old Lyme offers you the opportunity to explore art, history, and nature in a New England village setting. The Museum is noted for its collection of American Impressionist paintings. The house was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1993. The cornerstone of the Museum is the Florence Griswold House, designed in 1817 by Samuel Belcher. In 2006 the Museum completed a restoration of the boardinghouse to its 1910 heyday, when American artists and leading public figures such as Woodrow Wilson, called it their summer home. Between 1899 and the 1930s, over 135 American artists boarded in the Florence Griswold House, it was the center of Impressionism in America. 

Leading artists were invited to paint a panel on the walls or doors of the house. Over 43 panels now adorn the house, with a concentration in the Dining Room. Here is one of the most complete chronicles of the art colony movement in America. There is no other room like it in America.

The Robert and Nancy Krieble Gallery was completed in 2002, this is a 10,000 square foot state-of-the-art exhibition, collection storage, and study facility.  You will find an exceptional collection of American art from the 18th to the 20th centuries with local ties to Connecticut and New England. The Gallery hosts changing exhibitions of American art and culture. The museum is located on the banks of the Lieutenant River.

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Castle Craig Tower

Accommodation

To make this tour affordable for everyone, we will choose a basic but comfortable 2-3-star hotel with a minimum TripAdvisor guest rating of 3.5 (on a 1 to 5 scale). Your room will have a private bath, AC and comes with free Wifi.

Food Included in price:

Day 1 Sat: A light Breakfast on the van, Lunch and Dinner

Day 2 Sun: Breakfast at hotel and Lunch

Note: Please understand that since the start of the Covid pandemic many hotel breakfast menus have been downsized or replaced with grab-and-go items, mostly because many hotels are short-staffed, so please have realistic expectations and an open mind regarding the breakfast that is served at the hotel.

We anticipate to be back in NYC Sunday evening at approximately 7 - 7:30 pm. 

Connecticut Weekend - Suggested Packing List

BAGS: We have limited space in our transportation vehicle. Please don’t bring more than one small to medium size duffel bag or suitcase and one small backpack for day tours per person.

DOCUMENTS

□   A valid government issued identification

□   Email or letter confirmation from Hines Tours on phone or paper

CLOTHES

□   Underclothes and socks

□   T-shirts

□   Sweater/Sweatshirts

□   Light jacket

□   Light hiking pants

□   Shorts

□   Swimsuit

□   Sneakers or other good Walking Shoes

□   Rain Gear

ELECTRONICS

□   Phone and charger

□   Camera + charger and maybe extra memory

□   Flashlight

MEDICATION

□  Allergy medicine if needed

□  Pain relievers

□  Band-aids

□  Motion sickness medicine if needed

□   Any prescribed medication

TOILETRIES

□   Toothbrush and Toothpaste

□   Travel-sized lotion, shampoo, and body wash

□   Contact lens case and solution

□   Hand sanitizer

MISCELLANEOUS

□   Water

□   Snacks for between meals

□   Insect repellant

□   Bottled water

□   Sun block and sunglasses

□   Cash and a credit card/debit card

(We will pay for the hotel room, but you will have to give the hotel your credit card which only will be used for incidentals such as long distance phone calls or any damages done to the hotel room incl. cleaning after smoking)

MULTI DAYDRIVING TOURS CANCELLATION FEES (Per Person)

61 days or more before departure - $25

22 – 60 days before departure - Loss of deposit.

8 – 21 days before departure - 50% of tour price

7 days or less before departure - No refund or tour credit.