Ride the rails through the Rockies or float past fairy-tale villages on the Rhine with Mayflower Cruises & Tours
Travelers have a cornucopia of choices for the trip of their dreams with Mayflower Cruises & Tours. With a reputation for providing the ultimate travel experience and maximum value, Mayflower is a nationally recognized tour company. In fact, they’ve been a leader in guided getaways since 1979 with programs that span the globe, covering every continent.
The Mayflower team consists of tour managers selected for their experience and knowledge. Their executive staff has more than 400 combined years in the travel and hospitality industry. Moreover, Mayflower includes more local guides and historians than most other travel providers. They believe that these experts truly enhance the trip with first-hand knowledge of the areas visited.
Highlights From Five Mayflower Cruises & Tours
Domestic Mayflower Cruises & Tours
When traveling with Mayflower Cruises & Tours, domestic offerings range from adventures in Western national parks to fall foliage forays in New England.
1. From the Red Rocks to the Rockies
Featuring four national parks, this seven-day swing from Las Vegas to Denver takes in some of the American West’s most stunning mountain scenery. After a night to enjoy the pleasures of the Las Vegas Strip, it’s off to the awe-inspiring canyonlands of southern Utah’s Red Rock Country.
An open-air tram ride at Zion National Park showcases a rugged gorge of multi-hued sandstone, shale and limestone. In addition, the fantastic “Pink Cliffs” of Bryce Canyon National Park dazzle travelers. This also includes Dead Horse Point State Park with its stunning views of the Colorado River snaking through massive sandstone walls.
Mayflower Cruises & Tours to the Rockies
Begin the next day in Arches National Park, which contains the largest concentration of stone arches in the world. In addition, view hundreds of soaring pinnacles, massive fins and giant balanced rocks. Once in Moab, board the famed Rocky Mountaineer train and head east. Enjoy breathtaking views of white-capped peaks, raging rivers and mountain lakes from the train’s oversized glass-dome windows. Follow the Colorado River and past red-rock formations, desert cliffs and canyons. When your group is finished touring, stay overnight in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.
Visit Arches National Park with Mayflower Cruises & Tours
The seven-day adventure concludes with a two-night Denver stay. This is highlighted by an excursion to Rocky Mountain National Park, a city tour and a farewell dinner at the historic Buckhorn Exchange.
Visit the website for more information.
2. Yellowstone, Grand Tetons & Mount Rushmore
A 10-day Western adventure begins with a night in Denver and a drive through Wyoming to the Black Hills of South Dakota. Experience the dramatic lighting ceremony at Mount Rushmore National Memorial, an epic tribute in stone to four U.S. presidents. The next day features an open-air Jeep ride in search of bison herds at Custer State Park. Afterward, visit the colossal Crazy Horse Memorial, a monumental work-in-progress being chiseled on the face of a mountain nearby.
Your Mayflower Cruises & Tours trip then brings you to the South Dakota town of Deadwood, a National Historic Landmark, preserving the history and legends of the Wild West. In fact, take a brief tour takes you along streets walked by Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane. Next, cross into Wyoming to Devils Tower National Monument, a monolith that towers 1,267 feet above the Belle Fourche River.
Witness the Grand Tetons with Mayflower Cruises & Tours
At this point, travel across the expansive Bighorn Mountains where cowboys still graze their sheep and cattle. Visit the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody, an outstanding museum of Western history. Especially intriguing are the stories about legendary figures like Bill himself, sharpshooter Annie Oakley and Chief Sitting Bull.
On a two-night lodge stay in Yellowstone National Park, tour members come face to face with its renowned geysers and thermal basins. Highlights include the 1,200-foot-deep Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and the terraced formations of Mammoth Hot Springs. Not to mention the storied Old Faithful, a geyser named for its regular eruptions about every 80-90 minutes.
Continue to Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park. Here, guests can marvel at the jagged peaks and feast on cowboy chow at a chuckwagon meal with songs and storytelling. A float trip on the Snake River affords spectacular vistas of the Grand Teton Mountains. This is followed by a visit to downtown Jackson Hole, with its wooden boardwalks and unique antler-horn arches. During the summer, catch cowpokes in action at the Jackson Hole Rodeo or, after Labor Day, a show at the Jackson Hole Playhouse.
The 10-day Western trip concludes in Salt Lake City. During a visit, guests can explore historic Temple Square and walk in the footsteps of Mormon settlers who founded the city more than 150 years ago.
For more details, go to their website.
3. Autumn in New England & Cape Cod
Beginning and ending in Boston, this eight-day fall circuit begins with a sightseeing tour of Boston’s historic Freedom Trail, from the Public Garden to Old North Church. After free time for lunch at Faneuil Hall, head to the town of Plymouth, Massachusetts. Take in the site of Plymouth Rock, where the Pilgrims landed in 1620. Afterward, continue to Cape Cod for a lobster bake, a New England tradition.
Experience a whale-watching expedition to Cape Bay and Stellwagen Bank. The thrilling adventure promises encounters with majestic marine life in their natural habitat. Ride in a special SUV and roll out into the Peaked Hill Bars Historic District Sand Dunes. Learn the history and ecology of the dunes from your knowledgeable guide. Then climb aboard the newly rebuilt Schooner Hindu for a narrated sailing excursion on Cape Cod Bay.
Next, take a ferry to the Massachusetts resort island of Martha’s Vineyard, a playground for many rich and famous, including former Presidents Clinton and Obama. Visit the village of Edgartown with its quaint gingerbread cottages and narrow streets. Entering the smallest New England state, arrive in Newport, Rhode Island, a fascinating seaport with maritime history and Guilded Age summer homes. In fact, visit the Vanderbilts’ Breakers mansion for a glimpse of how elite families lived at the turn of the 20th century.
Afterward, in the heart of Sturbridge, Massachusetts, Old Sturbridge Village awaits. Explore this 200-acre living history museum dedicated to recreating life in rural New England from the 1790s to the 1830s.
Find more details about this trip on their website.
International Mayflower Cruises & Tours
International destinations on Mayflower Cruises & Tours run from Iceland to Antarctica and beyond. They offer packages in ocean sailings, river cruises and scenic rail trips as well as motorcoach holidays.
4. Tulip Time on Jewels of the Rhine
This 11-day, four-country journey begins with a flight to Amsterdam, Netherlands where your group can explore the 700-year-old canal city. From there, travel to Germany, France and Switzerland.
Step into the timeless allure of Amsterdam, a city with 700 years of captivating history woven into its picturesque canals, renowned museums, and charming cafés. Upon your arrival, Mayflower’s team will greet you and your group and ensure a seamless transfer from the airport to your luxurious Emerald Cruises Star-Ship.
Take a delightful morning journey by coach to explore the enchanting Keukenhof Gardens. Renowned as the ‘Garden of Europe,’ this floral haven is a sensory delight during tulip season. The gardens showcase vibrant displays of tulips, hyacinths, orchids, and more. Afterward, marvel at iconic windmills, traverse locks, and set sail tthrough the picturesque Dutch countryside.
Continue along the scenic Rhine River bound for Cologne, Germany. This is a city steeped in history and renowned for its ancient roots, notably founded by the Romans. At its heart stands the magnificent World-Heritage listed Gothic cathedral, a symbol of architectural grandeur. Immerse in the serenity of Cologne Botanical Gardens, where a local expert unveils the botanical wonders and rich history of this green oasis.
Cologne Botanical Gardens. Photo courtesy of Flickr
This seven-day trip focuses on the scenery, wildlife, geothermal activity and ancient culture of Iceland, a pristine, wildly beautiful island in the North Atlantic. Sightseeing excursions are made to popular tourist areas during a five-night hotel stay in Hveragerdi or Selfoss.
Your tour of Iceland begins with a journey to the South Shore that features villages, farmlands and views of majestic mountains like Mt. Hekla, the country’s most active volcano in Iceland. Also view the towering, ice-capped strato volcano Eyjafjallajokull, which last erupted in 2010. You’ll also see two magnificent waterfalls and visit Skogar Folk Museum. Continue to Dyrholaey, a rocky headland with sheer cliffs, en route to the village of Vik, and a seashore flanked by steep bird cliffs rising high above a black sand beach.
The next day, visit the Reykjanes Peninsula, one of the most active volcanic areas in Iceland. Then you’ll have a chance to soak in the famous Blue Lagoon. This a lake of warm, mineral-rich geothermal water renowned for its healing prowess and beneficial effects on the skin. The following day stars Rekyjavik, the world’s most northerly capital. On a panoramic tour, see the old town center, Parliament, cathedral, harbor, National Museum and Hallgrímskirkja Church, whose steeple is a city landmark. After free time for lunch and shopping, prepare for takeoff at Fly Over Iceland, a virtual flight over waterfalls, geysers and other natural wonders.
Accordingly, your Iceland odyssey is climaxed with a full-day driving tour of the Golden Circle. The classic excursion hits some of the country’s top sights. Highlights include the amazing canyon in Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Lake Thingvallavatn, the largest lake on the island. Additinoally, the park hosts Iceland’s most historic site, as the world’s oldest democratic parliament was founded here in 930 A.D.
More crowd-pleasers await at Geysir, the island’s most famous area for thermal activity. In addition, view Strokkur, one of the most active geysers, and Gullfoss (Golden Waterfall), the best-known waterfall. Afterward, the Golden Circle tour ends with a farm visit that offers the chance to meet some Icelandic horses. While there, learn about the growing of healthy tomatoes using green energy, pure water and organic pest controls.
Find out more on their website. Be sure to subscribe to the current issue of Leisure Group Travel for other amazing adventures both domestic and abroad.
