Biking in New York, Cape Cod & Vermont Thursday 1 - Friday 16 October 2020

15 nights

CYCLING

TOUR OVERVIEW

Open your tour with three nights in New York City and experience the vibrancy of The Big Apple. Visit iconic sites

on foot and by bike - Times Square, the Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park and many more. We will also have time to

catch a Broadway show if you wish. Moving on to Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard, you will cycle easy paths

past scenic lighthouses, gingerbread cottages and dramatic sea vistas. Discover what makes Martha’s Vineyard

such a favourite with artists, writers and American Presidents. Following some spectacular coastal riding, we move

on to the glorious fall colours of Vermont. Every day will feature leisurely lakeside cycling and awe inspiring views

of Lake Champlain. Our rides will be on the Burlington bike path and quiet back roads, through charming New

England towns all the while staying in cosy inns and boutique hotels.

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

• Three nights in New York City

• Visit tranquil islands – made for cycling, with exhilarating oceanside

rides, dramatic vistas, ferry crossings and scenic lighthouses

• See what makes Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard a favourite of

writers, artists and US Presidents

• Experience the beautiful fall colours, lakeside splendour and rich his-

tory of Vermont

• Enjoy the small town hospitality and culture of the Northeastern USA

• Enjoy magnificent lake, farmland and ocean panoramas – the best

way possible, on a bike

• Enjoy boutique accommodation in local inns

TOUR PRICE Ex Auckland

Share twin per person NZD $14,399

Single supplement NZD $ 2,900

Please contact Calder & Lawson Tours if you are interested in a single occupancy place; they are very limited.

GROUP SIZE Minimum 10, maximum 18

VARIATIONS IN TRAVEL We can make arrangements for any travel you would like to do before or after this tour, or

book business class seats for the flights. Please contact us.

TOUR EXCLUSIONS

• Airline taxes

• Personal expenses

• Travel insurance

• Beverages during included meals, unless

specified

• Other meals not specified in the itinerary

• Hotel porterage

• American eSTA visa (electronic travel

authorisation)

• If you wish to pay by credit card, a surcharge of

2.5% will be charged

TOUR INCLUSIONS

• The services of an experienced New Zealand based

Calder & Lawson tour manager

• Economy class airfares

• 13 nights accommodation in historic inns, resorts and

4 star hotels

• Meals as specified in the itinerary

• Bike and helmet

• Local guides

• All group transfers

• Admissions as detailed in the itinerary

• All tips for local guides and drivers

• Pre-tour material

IS THIS TOUR FOR ME? The cycling on this tour offers a range of easy terrain mixed with

moderate rolling hills and optional ride extensions. It is ideal for

both beginners who can choose shorter rides and experienced

cyclists who can choose longer rides. The focus of the tour is to

experience beautiful scenery, fall colours, delightful small towns,

scenic lighthouses and breath-taking ocean views. A

support van is available in Vermont and Cape Cod. E-bikes are

available at extra cost, and these really do take the strain. Before

using an e-bike on the tour be sure to borrow or hire one in

New Zealand to try it out. E-bikes require some different skills from

conventional bikes, and it's best not to try and learn these while in

a tour group.

DAILY ITINERARY

Depart Auckland to New York via Los Angeles, arriving in the late evening of

the same day. Transfer to your hotel for the next three nights. The Edison New

York is in the heart of New York’s theatre district and just steps away from

Times Square.

A leisurely start this morning and then we will stretch our legs with a guided

bike tour of the most famous city park in the world, Central Park. Focusing on

the art, architecture and history of Central Park, we will follow the entire

length of the park which is a 10 km loop. Highlights of this ride include:

Columbus Circle; Central Park Mall; Jackie Kennedy Onassis Reservoir;

Bethesda Fountain; The Great Lawn; Strawberry Fields and Belvedere Castle.

After lunch, we will take a walk to the High Line, a public park built on a

historic freight rail line elevated above the streets on Manhattan’s West Side.

Saved from demolition by neighbourhood residents and the City of New

York, the High Line opened in 2009 as a hybrid public space where visitors

experience nature, art, and design. End the afternoon at the extraordinary

new neighbourhood of Hudson Yards, complete with the landmark “Vessel” –

part spiral staircase to be climbed, part work of art. Around dusk we will visit

“The Top of The Rock”, the viewing platform at the top of the Rockefeller

Centre. Incredible views await including the opportunity to see two of the

other iconic New York skyscrapers, the imposing Empire State building, and

the stylised Chrysler Building. Finish the evening with your group welcome

dinner.

Another city bike ride awaits you today. The Brooklyn Bridge ride takes you

over one of the most iconic landmarks in New York City and rewards you with

stunning panoramic views of the Manhattan skyline. This ride focuses on the

art, architecture and history of the engineering marvel that is the Brooklyn

Bridge, plus we get to enjoy the waterfront and Brooklyn Bridge Park. We ride

a path that goes through the middle of the Brooklyn Bridge, so you are

elevated above the car traffic below. The bird’s eye views of Manhattan,

East River, Statue of Liberty and downtown Brooklyn will be an experience

you will not forget! This afternoon, explore iconic sites and hidden gems of

downtown New York on a walking tour with a local New Yorker. We will visit

Greenwich Village, Soho, Little Italy, Chinatown, Wall Street and The World

Trade Centre site. Tonight we will have free time for a relaxed dinner, to

explore Times Square, local neighbourhoods or even take in a Broadway

Show.

This morning, we’ll check out of our hotel and take a private transfer to Cape

Cod. It is a picturesque drive up the Northeast seaboard to Falmouth in

Cape Cod where we will be welcomed by the innkeepers to a delightful

Victorian property situated in the tree lined historic district - only a 4-minute

walk from the shops, galleries and restaurants of Falmouth. In the evening

we’ll take a short stroll to one of the area’s finest restaurants followed by a

get together back at the Inn to get to know our bike guides.

Today’s ride is spectacular. Part of the day we follow the famous Shining Sea

bikeway as we weave our way past salt marshes, cranberry bogs, bird

sanctuaries, beaches and harbours. Follow some quiet roads to the shores of

Vineyard Sound in Falmouth, and then follow Surf Drive and Beach Road past

Little Pond and Inner Harbour where hundreds of yachts and sailboats are

anchored. We skirt past Oyster Pond, pausing here to breathe in the sea air,

watch osprey and heron, or take a brief side trip to Spohr Gardens where

you will be treated to an array of over 100,000 daffodils, lilies, magnolias and

azaleas. Rejoining the bike path, cruise along the Sound before cycling into

the historic seaside village of Woods Hole. This was once a wealthy whaling

town as shown by the many 19th century estates and the still-bustling

commercial harbour. Continue to bike north to our lunch under the umbrellas

at Dana’s Café. Our return ride takes us north along Buzzards Bay where we

Thursday 1 October 2020

Auckland – New York

Meals: In flight

Flight: 12 hours and 5 hours 30

minutes

Overnight: New York

Friday 2 October

New York

Meals: B/D

Overnight: New York

Saturday 3 October

New York

Meals: B

Overnight: New York

Sunday 4 October

New York - Cape Cod

Meals: B/D

Coach: 4 hours

Overnight: Cape Cod

Monday 5 October

Cape Cod

Meals: B/L/D

Cycling: 38 or 55 km

Overnight: Cape Cod

are treated to more awe-inspiring views as we ride through Great Sippewissett

Marsh on an elevated causeway and pass through tidal flats bustling with

egrets, geese and ducks.

After breakfast, we’ll ride back into Woods Hole to take the ferry to Martha’s

Vineyard. This is a delightful transition from mainland to island and you’ll have

views of the harbour and Vineyard Sound. We arrive 45 minutes later in

Vineyard Haven and ride from there along a route that includes a sea side

bike path to the easterly end of the island. Streets lined with 18th Century

houses surrounded by white picket fences and topped with widow walks

announce that you have arrived in Edgartown, a world-renowned seaport

that still reflects the wealth and good taste of the phenomenally successful

whaler captains of the early 1800’s. Our home for the next three nights is a

hotel located near the Chappaquiddick ferry landing and just a few minute’s

walk from boutique shops and waterfront galleries for which Edgartown is so

renowned.

Today’s ride takes us to Katama a beautiful three-mile barrier beach, then

follow bike paths to West Tisbury, home to a number of Vineyard artists, and

galleries, and to Alley’s, a quintessential general store. We then weave our

way past Lambert’s Cove and take back roads into Vineyard Haven where

we visit the West Chop Lighthouse with its great view over Vineyard Sound.

Here we might look at the numerous small shops in the village and maybe

stop for refreshments at the iconic Black Dog Tavern. In the evening we have

plenty of time to explore Edgartown, a great place to walk and you may

want to indulge in the time-honoured tradition of sampling the fudge and

brittle at Murdick’s.

Thursday’s ride takes us “up island” through quaint and quiet villages that

evoke the island’s maritime past. We ride out to Aquinnah Cliffs, one of the

most spectacular spots on the island. After enjoying the multi-mile views from

the lookout we will take the boardwalk to the beach to see the mosaic of

colors for which the cliffs are rightfully famous. We might stop at the top of the

cliffs to visit the shops owned by the indigenous Wampanoag Indians. On our

way back from Aquinnah we will stop in the fishing village of Menemsha, a

supremely picturesque fishing village situated on Menemsha Pond and

Vineyard Sound. This historic harbour serves as the point of departure for most

of the local fishermen, and is usually bustling with activity. We will plan to

picnic here, after a scenic walk along beautiful Menemsha Beach.

You can opt for an early morning ferry ride to Chappaquiddick before cycling

along a beautiful bike path to Oak Bluffs. Here you can explore labyrinthine

streets lined with fanciful rainbow-coloured gingerbread cottages and visit the

town’s antique Flying Horses Carousel. You may want to splurge at one of the

local ice cream emporiums before finishing the ride along the Beach Road

bike path as it cuts its way between the ocean on one side and beautiful salt

marshes on the other. We end our time in Cape Cod with a ferry back to

Woods Hole. After lunch, we will take a private shuttle transfer across the

states of Massachusetts and New Hampshire and into Burlington, Vermont

where will check in to our hotel, located in downtown Burlington near the

shores of Lake Champlain. We will meet our bike guides at dinner tonight.

Today’s ride takes us south, along quiet roads that treat us to views of Lake

Champlain and the Adirondack mountains. Arriving in the village of Charlotte,

we will stop at the 160-year-old Old Brick Store where we can buy snacks.

From here, we’ll cycle down to the Charlotte - Essex Ferry where we will take a

20 minute scenic ride across Lake Champlain to Essex, New York. This is our first

close glimpse of this fabulous 108-mile-long lake that will be our companion

for the next several days. Discovered on July 4, 1609 by the French explorer

Samuel de Champlain, this is the sixth largest lake in USA. While it seems rather

peaceful and quiet today, in earlier times it witnessed a great deal of

tumultuous history including battles in the French and Indian Wars as well as

the capture of Fort Ticonderoga in 1775 with the efforts of Ethan Allen,

Benedict Arnold and the Green Mountain Boys. The British also had a large

Tuesday 6 October

Cape Cod - Martha’s Vineyard

Meals: B/D

Cycling: 48 or 64 km

Overnight: Martha’s Vineyard

Wednesday 7 October

Martha’s Vineyard

Meals: B

Cycling: 36 or 60 km

Overnight: Martha’s Vineyard

Thursday 8 October

Martha’s Vineyard

Meals: B/L/D

Cycling: 41 or 64 km

Overnight: Martha’s Vineyard

Friday 9 October

Martha’s Vineyard - Burlington,

Vermont

Meals: B/D

Cycling: 27 km

Coach: 4 hours 30 minutes

Overnight: Burlington

Saturday 10 October

Burlington

Meals: B/D

Cycling: 45, 55 or 70 km

Overnight: Burlington

fleet here during the war of 1812 and were defeated by American forces in

the nearby battle of Plattsburgh in 1814. The village of Essex is on the

National Register of Historic Places and the buildings on the main street

comprise one of the most intact collections of pre-Civil War architecture in

America. You also have the option of taking a six-mile loop ride that gives

you stunning views back over the inlets of Lake Champlain and the Green

Mountains of Vermont. Enjoy a lunch at your leisure, perhaps in the Old Dock

Restaurant or a picnic in a park beside the lake. On our return ride to

Vermont we’ll enjoy more quiet roads, cross a one-way covered bridge,

and take in more great views of the lake. We’ll end the day with a wine

tasting at the Shelburne Vineyard where we can savour their organic wines

before being transported back to our hotel. We will enjoy a group dinner

tonight after a craft beer tasting led by Hotel Vermont’s in-house beer

concierge.

Today we’ll start cycling on the beautiful Burlington Waterfront Bike Path. The

Bike Path follows the Lake Champlain shoreline, offering views of the lake

and the Adirondack Mountains to the west and the city of Burlington to the

right. The bike path links six major waterfront parks, crosses the Winooski River

on a pedestrian/bike bridge and ends on a causeway that juts out into the

lake. From here a seasonal ferry takes us and our bikes just a few hundred

feet across a gap in the causeway to Grand Isle and the Champlain Islands.

In Grand Isle, we will have lunch at the Accidental Farmer while visiting the

adjacent Allenholm Farmstand. From here we wind our way along the

western shore of the lake and then cross a drawbridge leading into North

Hero. Before settling in, you might want to take the opportunity to explore

Hero’s Welcome General Store. This iconic general store is located in a

century-old building on the shore of the lake, and you will enjoy walking

through its many aisles and outbuildings, including a bakery, cafe, as well as

the general store itself.

Enjoy a pleasant ride to Alburg and then head north for an optional ride into

Canada (bring your passport!). One Canadian highlight is a visit to

Fromagerie Kaiser, a boutique cheese and bread shop and a great place

to have a picnic before cycling back on a loop to the United States. From

here, West Shore Road leads down another beautiful side of the lake and to

Alburg Dunes State Park. This 625-acre property is named for the sand dunes

located along the long south-facing natural sand beach, and we’ll cycle

along a tree-shaded “beach road” before riding our last few kilometres

back to North Hero.

Today we will explore historic Isle La Motte. Heading north, we’ll arrive at a

point in the road where Lake Champlain is very close on both sides. This is

known as “The Carrying Place” a narrow isthmus that was used by Native

Americans to traverse canoes between sections of Lake Champlain as well

as rum-running smugglers trying to avoid Jefferson’s 1808 embargo on trade

with Canada. Crossing the bridge over Alburg Passage, we’ll ride the narrow

neck and bridge leading onto Isle La Motte. Visit the site of Fort Saint Anne

and Saint Anne’s Shrine. The shrine includes a chapel, scenic walkways,

historic site markers and a seasonal snack bar. Fort Saint Anne was built by

the French in 1666 as protection against Mohawk Indian raids, and was the

first white settlement in Vermont. General Montgomery had his headquarters

here before the 1775 expedition into Canada. Benedict Arnold also

anchored his fleet near here before the Battle of Valcour Island (1776), and

the British fleet stopped here before their defeat at the Battle of Plattsburgh

in 1814. Leaving St. Anne, we continue to hug the island shore with views

west into the Adirondacks. You can opt for a visit to the Fiske Farm and

Quarry Preserve where old quarries have exposed outcroppings of the

Chazy reef formation. This is the world’s oldest coral reef - 450,000,000 years

old and nearly a mile long. After completing our ride, we’ll return to our

hotel to have an afternoon of instructed and guided kayaking on the

beautiful eastern bays of Lake Champlain, including a stop on Butler Island,

so we can hike the pathways and stretch our legs. Enjoy a group dinner

tonight at a local restaurant.

Sunday 11 October

Burlington - North Hero

Meals: B/D

Cycling: 53km

Overnight: North Hero

Monday 12 October

North Hero

Meals: B/D

Cycling: 56 or 74km

Overnight: North Hero

Tuesday 13 October

North Hero

Meals: B/D

Cycling: 16, 42 or 58 km

Overnight: North Hero

HOW TO SECURE YOUR PLACE ON THIS TOUR

A deposit of $1,000 is required to secure your place on the tour. When minimum numbers are reached, the tour

will become a ‘confirmed departure’. At that point we will advise when the tour payment will be due.

• Click here to complete the online registration form, pay the $1,000 deposit and your place in this tour is

secured.

• Or you can complete a paper registration form. You can download one from the website

www.calderandlawsontours.co.nz, or give us a call and we will email or post one to you.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

Can be found on the website www.calderandlawsontours.co.nz, on the back of the paper registration form or on

the summary page when you complete an online registration. If you wish to pay by credit card, a surcharge fee

of 2.5% will be charged.

VARIATIONS

This itinerary is Version 1 dated 09/07/2019 and is subject to change.

Exchange rate fluctuations may result in a change to the tour price.

Have a relaxing breakfast before a late check out and transfer to

Burlington. Then take a short flight to Chicago to connect with your non

stop evening flight to Auckland. After crossing the date line, you will arrive in

Auckland in the early morning on Friday 16 October.

Chicago is a fantastic city to explore and we highly recommend you

spend more time here with a three day optional stay to see all the public

art, architecture and museums that Chicago has to offer. You could even

do some more cycling!

Wednesday 14 October

North Hero - Burlington - Chicago -

Auckland

Meals: B/in flight

Flights: 2 hours 30 minutes and 16

hours