2011 Programs – The Historic Waterways of America

May 18 – June 2

The Historic Waterways of America: The Great Lakes, Hudson River and
Erie Canal | Program #14373

Depart from Rhode Island in the afternoon and wake up the next morning to see the Manhattan skyline ahead of you. Join your historian on the Sun Deck (bring a cup of coffee or tea, if you'd like) for a memorable, personally narrated cruise down the East River, a fabulous photo op at the Statue of Liberty, and a reflective few minutes as you steam by Ground Zero before proceeding up the historic and beautiful Hudson River. This 15–night voyage is packed with sights to see, history to learn and places to visit. Since its debut as a Road Scholar program in 2007, “Historic Waterways” has quickly become one of the most popular Adventures Afloat programs and sells out annually.

Highlights of this remarkable cruise include:

  • Traveling one of the most historic waterways in the US, the Erie Canal, while learning how a young country with no engineers built more than 400 miles of canal through virgin wilderness when everyone said it couldn’t be done.
  • Visiting a small museum in Oswego, New York, that tells a little–known story about how this town played a remarkable role in World War II.
  • Laughing out loud while getting splashed by Niagara Falls on the iconic Maid of the Mist boat ride.
  • Discovering some of the greatest American architecture in Buffalo, New York, with a local historian as your guide.
  • Exploring the hugely intriguing Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village near Detroit.
  • Relaxing on a horse–drawn carriage ride on the magical (car-less) island of Mackinac Island, Michigan.
  • Seeing Chicago as few get to see it – from the waters of Lake Michigan. It’s a sight you’ll long remember as the city’s skyline comes into view as The Grande Mariner approaches her final port–of–call, Navy Pier, in the heart of downtown.
  • Enjoy a leisurely, narrated architectural river cruise of Chicago as your final laughing and learning adventure.

Intrigued? Watch a short video for this program.

Note: Space is rapidly filling for the 2011 trip, so contact roadscholar.org (800–454–5768 Monday through Saturday), for more details and to enroll in program #14373