North East Wine Trail | Vineyards and Beaches

Days 1-3

New York City

On arrival in New York you will be met and transferred to your hotel and spend the rest of the day relaxing, recovering from the journey and getting into the vibes of New York.  A 3-attraction City Pass is included in the cost of your holiday and you might like to use one of these this evening depending on your arrival time.

Spend the next day in New York to use your pass, shop, walk the High Line or visit one of the many extraordinary museums in the city.  The choice is yours.  If you would like us to book a Broadway show tonight, please let us know.

Your winery travels start on the third day at the City Winery in Soho. Delivering a culinary and cultural experience, the winery offers a combination of live music, food and wine, bringing wine country to the middle of New York City. City Winery’s cellar holds 300 French oak barrels with 11 tap lines that automatically cool the wine to optimal temperatures. They are eco-friendly by removing the need to bottle the wine before it is served. Book a tour, which begins at 4 p.m. daily, or visit the Barrel Room, an intimate, 40-seat restaurant and tasting room serving wine fresh from the tap as well as a full food menu.

3 nights New York

Day 4

New York City to Philadelphia

Collect your car and leave New York City early and head south to New Jersey wine country. En route take the opportunity to visit Princeton, New Jersey, home of the prestigious Princeton University since 1756. Celebrate getting out of New York by stopping by Jammin’ Crepes in downtown Princeton for a late breakfast. The ever-changing menu features a variety of fresh produce from local farms wrapped in a crêpe. With hunger satiated, if you are an art enthusiast, do not miss the Princeton University Art Museum, home to over 72,000 works of art before driving on to Philadelphia, one of America’s most historical cities. Walk in the footsteps of the Founding Fathers, visit Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. Stroll through Elfreth’s Alley, a charming cobblestone street which is the oldest continuously inhabited residential street in America.

1 night Philadelphia       

Day 5

Philadelphia to Cape May

Continuing south, the first wine stop today is Amalthea Cellars Farm Winery, where you will be transported back in time to a boutique chateau in southern France while taking a tour that includes a 100-year-old horse carriage and tasting in a candlelit barrel cellar. A short distance from Amalthea Cellars is the White Horse Winery, which opened in 2016 and is one of the newest wineries in New Jersey. Sample wines in the tasting room and enjoy lunch from one of the artisan food boards. A must-see on your journey to the next winery is the six-story Lucy the Elephant along the shore in Josephine Harron Park in Margate, New Jersey. For 360-degree views, climb a staircase inside Lucy, which is listed on the National Park Registry of Historical Landmarks. The final winery today is Hawk Haven Vineyard and Winery just outside of Cape May, nestled between Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean. The vineyard is a natural safe harbour of serenity and abundance, a stop-off ground for many migrating birds of prey. It’s the perfect location for your final tasting before continuing the short journey into Cape May. At the tip of southern New Jersey’s Cape May Peninsula, Cape May is known for its grand Victorian houses and the Cape May Lighthouse, which provides views across the bay and ocean. Tonight, explore this historic seaside gem. The entire city is a National Historic District with nearly 600 preserved Victorian buildings. If you are a fish-lover, we recommend dinner at The Lobster House on Fisherman’s Wharf overlooking Cape May Harbor.

1 night Cape May

Days 6-7

Cape May to Kennett Square

Depart Cape May and travel into Delaware via the Cape May-Lewes Ferry. Take the 85-minute ferry (NB this needs to be prebooked) In Lewes, a short drive from Rehoboth Beach, is Nassau Valley Vineyards, the state’s first winery, established in 1993. Enjoy a self-guided tour before sipping samples from the award-winning wine selection. Next, drive to Harvest Ridge Winery in Marydel in the Delaware countryside. The winery spans the border of two states, Delaware and Maryland, on the historic Mason-Dixon Line. One of the unique features of the property is the original Mason-Dixon crown stone boundary marker No. 47. Don’t miss the opportunity to try Harvest Ridge’s selection of red wines, especially the Malbec. The waters of the Chesapeake region allow their grapes a longer, warmer growing season, which is ideal for reds. Follow the Chesapeake Bay, crossing some of its many inlets, into Pennsylvania, where you will have ample time to discover the historic town of Kennett Square, known as the “Mushroom Capital of the World.” Explore State Street’s unique stores, such as The Mushroom Cap, offering mushroom based gifts and culinary items, before enjoying dinner at Portobello’s.

From your base in Kennett Square, explore the many vineyards and wineries in beautiful Brandywine Valley. No visit to the area would be complete without stopping at Longwood Gardens spread over nearly 445 hectares in Kennett Square. See 11,000 varieties of plants and trees in gardens, woodlands, meadows and glasshouses. The next stop today is Penns Woods Winery in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. Tastings are conducted inside the tasting room and on the outdoor patio with views of Brandywine Valley. The vineyard also offers weekend events, such as live music and food and wine pairings. At Va La Vineyards in Avondale, the boutique winery offers its delicious field wine tastings in a 19th century barn. The wines are developed to shine with food, and tastings are accompanied by local cheeses to enrich the experience. Take a short drive from Kennett Square tonight and visit West Chester, Pennsylvania, to explore Market Street boutiques offering local arts and produce. Finish your night with a fabulous steak dinner at Pietro’s Prime accompanied by a glass of the reds that you have just discovered.

2 nights Kennett Square

Days 8-9

Kennett Square to Hershey

A leisurely start before the 45-minute drive from Kennett Square to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, The oldest Amish settlement in the USA is in Lancaster, but the diverse city also offers over 90 art venues, historic architecture, and great cultural and entertainment attractions in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country. A short drive north of Lancaster, you will find Waltz Vineyards Estate in Manheim, Pennsylvania. The European-inspired tasting room complements the estate-grown wines; local artisan cheeses and chocolates are also served. Continue your journey through the Pennsylvania countryside to Hershey, Pennsylvania, which will be your final stop today. Upon arrival, visit Cullari Vineyards and Winery, a boutique operation specializing in both traditional dry and sweet red, white and rosé wines. The main tasting room is in the heart of Hershey on Chocolate Avenue.

Later, you will explore the Hershey and Harrisburg wine regions, but you must visit The Hershey Story museum on Chocolate Avenue to learn about Milton S. Hershey, his “Great American Chocolate Bar” and the town named after him. Next, head north along the Susquehanna River to Halifax, Pennsylvania, home to Armstrong Valley Vineyard & Winery. A waterfall greets guests entering the tasting room in a 200-year-old barn with rustic beams. Sip wine on the covered patio, with its stone fireplace, while taking in the beautiful landscape. Stroll to the stables, through the gardens and to the icehouse, where ice used to be stored for use in the warmer weather. Journey back toward Hershey and stop in Grantville, Pennsylvania, at J & P Winery, where you will be able to sit in a rocking chair on the patio and enjoy a tasting with spectacular mountain views. Your final winery today is Cassel Vineyards in Hershey. Sample wines at a long bar in the high-ceilinged tasting room or on the patio that spills onto the lawn and stretches to the nearby vines. Summer visitors can also enjoy live music on weekends.

2 nights Hershey

Days 10-12

Hershey to Ithaca

Depart Hershey and continue northeast toward New York State’s Finger Lakes region. Stop in Corning at the famous Corning Museum of Glass. Explore 3,500 years of glass history and see 50,000 objects in a building designed to mimic the flow of glass, then watch live hot glass demonstrations. You’ll never look at glass the same way again. Continue to the heart of the Finger Lakes Wine Country in Ithaca, on Cayuga Lake and home of Cornell University and its I.M. Pei–designed Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art.

Aside from its renowned wines, Finger Lakes are known for their beauty. They consist of eleven pristine long, narrow, roughly north-south lakes located just south of Lake Ontario and the border with Canada.

Take the next morning to explore the leafy town of Ithaca Falls, famous for Cornell University and the over 100 waterfalls within 10 miles of the town centre.  When you are ready, start off on the Seneca Lake Wine Trail. Seneca Lake is the largest and deepest of the Finger Lakes and provides a beautiful backdrop to your wine-tasting experience today. Your first stop will be Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars in Lodi. The wine tasting will be in a soaring Greek Revival building designed by Ithaca native Bruce Corson. Enjoy lake views through the floor-to-ceiling windows or from outside on the winery deck. Next, travel to Dr Konstantin Frank Winery, one of the most prestigious wineries in the Finger Lakes. Frank, the winery’s founder, began a winemaking renaissance in the region in 1962 and it is commonly acknowledged that without his contributions, the Finger Lakes Wine Region would not be as respected as it is today. The winery, which is on the southwestern hills of Keuka Lake, is steeped with four generations of history. Several tastings are offered but opt for a personalized experience in the 1962 Reserve Tasting Room inside Frank’s original home. You can select from the entire wine list, but the Riesling and Pinot Noir are unmissable. While you’re in the area, stop at the 1880s Belhurst Castle overlooking Seneca Lake. The stone castle was a speakeasy during Prohibition, casino and supper club and now is a perfect lunch stop with two restaurants. Choose between Stonecutter’s, with an eclectic, tavern menu and relaxing atmosphere overlooking Seneca Lake, or Edgar’s Steakhouse, a more formal dining experience overlooking the lake. Heading back to Ithaca, the final winery today will be the Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard in a shell of a 90-year-old barn on the western shores of Seneca Lake. The structure accommodates the wine production area for its hand-crafted estate wines, including the signature Rieslings. Return to Ithaca and enjoy an evening exploring The Commons, a downtown shopping and dining area.

On the third day take the short drive around Cayuga Lake to the spectacular Taughannock Falls, which plunge 66 meters past rocky cliffs towering nearly 122 meters above the gorge. Hike the Gorge Trail to experience views from below the falls or drive to the Gorge Trail Overlook for breathtaking vistas from above. A short drive along Cayuga Lake will bring you to your first winery stop today, Sheldrake Point Winery, with amazing lake views from the tasting rooms. A variety of menus encompass their best-selling wines, reserve wines, dessert wines and estate-produced ice wines. Farther along the lakefront, you will find the Thirsty Owl Wine Company with over 600 meters of lake frontage and 61 hectares of vineyards. This is the perfect place to enjoy a wine-tasting experience with lake views and to eat lunch at the Thirsty Owl Bistro, which specializes in incorporating fresh, local ingredients into its delicious dishes and plates of wine-friendly cuisine. After lunch, cross the highway to get to Hosmer Estate Winery. With some of the largest and oldest vines on Cayuga Lake, Hosmer is a leader in environmentally friendly wine production, focusing on preservation and sustainability. The cathedral ceilings and natural light of three tasting rooms contribute to a relaxed atmosphere to sample the wine collection. Must-tries are their Cabernet Franc, Riesling, Gruner Veltliner and Sauvignon Blanc. The final stop today will be Buttonwood Grove Winery, one of Cayuga Lake’s most scenic wineries. Set high above the road, the wrap-around deck offers views of the vineyards, beautifully landscaped grounds and Cayuga Lake. Savour a tasting of the award-winning wines, including the Frances Amelia Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon. On weekends during summer months, enjoy deck parties with live music and barbecue. Eat Italian cuisine tonight at chef owned Mercato Bar & Kitchen on Restaurant Row in Downtown Ithaca.

3 nights Ithaca

Days 13-14

Ithaca to New York City

Depart the Finger Lakes through upstate New York, stopping for lunch in the beautiful Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania before crossing the Delaware Water Gap for your last night in America which will be on the fabled Long Island. .
Overnight: Hilton Long Island, Huntington

Then, after a relaxing day on Long Island, drop your car back at the airport before your onward or homeward flight.

1 night New York