August 04 - 24, 2023
19 Days
Tour Status - Guaranteed
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Included:
- Transport & transfers as per itinerary with experience driver/s.
- Accommodation on a twin share basis.
- Meals as indicated in the itinerary – B=Breakfast, L=Lunch & D=Dinner.
- Entries as listed in the itinerary.
- Experienced agricultural tour escort travelling with the group.
- Farm & technical visits listed in the itinerary.
Itinerary:
DAY 1: Fri 04 Aug ARRIVE DENVER (D)
Arrive in Denver, Colorado – a city built in the beginning of the Gold Rush boom. Be met on arrival by agricultural tour manager and enjoy a panoramic tour of Denver with the magnificent Rocky Mountains as a backdrop, whilst making our way to the charming village of Golden for lunch (own expense) – Golden was the territorial capital in 1867 and will give a taste of the Wild West. Afterwards stop at Coors Brewing Company, one of the largest breweries in the world, for a sample of 3 beers. Coors has been brewing since 1873 with the fresh clean Rocky Mountain spring water. Enjoy dinner downtown this evening. Overnight: Denver
DAY 2: Sat 05 Aug DENVER – STERLING (BD)
This morning is an early departure northwards to Sterling, Colorado. Visit a cattle ranch with over 60 years of cattle experience marketing over 1,000 bulls within a year including Angus, Red Angus, Charolais and Simmental. Continue to visit one of the largest feedlots in the world. They have a capacity for 865,000 head for feeding and market over 1.8 million head in a year (spread over several facilities). Travel eastwards to Sterling, Colorado for dinner and overnight. Overnight: Sterling
DAY 3: Sun 06 Aug STERLING – GRAND ISLAND (BD)
After breakfast continue eastwards across Nebraska with its stately corn and wheat fields along the highway. Travel along the Lincoln Highway, built in 1913 and established as the first transcontinental highway in the US. Stop at the Golden Spike Tower, a glass viewing tower where one can see over Bailey Rail Yard where 150 trains and 10,000 rail cars enter daily. Enjoy a tour led by a former Union Pacific employee to hear about the US rail industry and its vital role in the economy. Continue to the Archway, a rest stop with interactive displays in relation to local Native Americans, fur trappers, pioneers and railroaders and enjoy lunch (own expense). Continue to visit the Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer, one of the top 10 living history museums in the nation. Overnight: Grand Island
DAY 4: Mon 07 Aug GRAND ISLAND – EASTERN IOWA (BL)
Visit the world renowned Case Header plant in Grand Island this morning. Enjoy a tour of this state-ofthe-art manufacturing facility and see how the red equipment comes to life! The Grand Island plant is home to the Case IH Axial-Flow combines and several types of hay and forage equipment. Stop to visit the Homestead Historic Park which pays tribute to those who created settlements and farms, drove industrial advancement, and built the nation chasing the American Dream. This afternoon visit a large scale soybean and corn crop farm of 3,000 acres. The farmer is also a dealer for seed corn and has a custom contract harvesting operation. Dinner is at own expense this evening. Overnight: Eastern Iowa
DAY 5: Tue 08 Aug GRAND ISLAND – DES MOINES (BL)
Depart for a travel day heading east through the rural landscape towards our destination of Des Moines, Iowa. Enroute today visit an ethanol plant along with a corn and soybean property – a very typical Midwest farm that is multigenerational. Arrive in Des Moines today where dinner is at own arrangements. Overnight: Des Moines
DAY 6: Wed 09 Aug DES MOINES – QUAD CITIES (BD)
Continue east towards Iowa. Visit Kinze Equipment Company which manufactures planters, grain carts & tillage where you may have the opportunity to see blue planters or grain wagons being built and a highlight of the visit will be seeing John Kinze’s antique tractor collection. Lunch is at own expense at Iowa 80 Truckstop, the largest in the world, and have the opportunity to see the antique truck museum. Afterwards visit the John Deere pavilion – a look into the past, present & future followed by a visit to the 200 acre John Deere Harvesterworks facility producing its full line of combines. If this is not operational at the time we will visit the JD Tractorworks in Waterloo. Overnight: Quad Cities
DAY 7: Thu 10 Aug QUAD CITIES – MOLINE – CHICAGO (BD)
Depart for Moline on the Mississippi River today, travelling through the vast corn fields of Iowa. Enroute visit a diversified operation that includes a Jersey dairy herd, swine operation, 1400 acres of their own row crops and a 3000 acre custom cropping visit. Continue to Chicago, our home for the next two nights. Overnight: Chicago
DAY 8: Fri 11 Aug CHICAGO (BD)
After a leisurely breakfast the morning is yours to explore at leisure before meeting after lunch (own expense) for an afternoon tour. Chicago, known as the ‘Windy City’, is a tantalising modern city with a gangster past. Visit the Chicago Cultural Centre to admire the world’s largest Tiffany stained-glass dome built in 1897. Continue for a stroll through Millenium Park, observe your reflection with the city skyline at “The Bean” and marvel at the multimedia Crown Fountain that spits, all the while marvelling at the impressive architecture. Cross the river and learn about Al Capone and his unruly Chicago doings before seeing the specialty boutiques in Michigan Avenue along with China Town & Little Italy. End the tour at Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower) to see the museum before taking an elevator to the 103rd floor to take in the spectacular sweeping views from the observation deck. Overnight: As Above.
DAY 9: Sat 12 Aug CHICAGO – INDIANAPOLIS (BL)
Depart for Fair Oaks, Indiana, and visit Fair Oaks Farms. Board a bus to visit one of the ten barns where 3,000 Holsteins are kept in naturally ventilated and summer cooled free stall barns. See a 72 head carousel milking station in action where the cows are milked three times a day. Enjoy lunch at the farm before visiting a very large scale corn farm utilising the latest technology which is synced to his phone. End the day in Indianapolis for the next 2 nights and dinner is at own expense. Overnight: Indianapolis
DAY 10: Sun 13 Aug INDIANAPOLIS (B)
This morning visit the legendary Indianapolis Speedway. Enjoy a self guided tour through the museum and then take a 30 minute guided tour on a bus including a lap around the famous raceway and the chance to stop and “kiss the bricks” at the finish line. Then transfer to the Indiana State Fair, a month long celebration highlighting the best of Indiana agriculture. Competitions abound for crafting, animal husbandry, crop production and much more. Enjoy music and livestock sales, innovative agriculture and machinery and the best of local foods and smallgoods. Overnight: As Above
DAY 11: Mon 14 Aug INDIANAPOLIS – CHARM/MILLERSBURG (BD)
Continue east across Ohio to one of the largest Amish community in the Unites States located in Charm/Millersburg. See first hand the unique experience of a community displaying strong faith, strength, humility, family and beliefs in simple living which separate them from regular society because of their exclusions on the use of telephones, internet or electricity. This afternoon enjoy a buggy ride to see the different sights and sounds of the community including a large collection of historic tractors and a visit to a “one roomed” schoolhouse and the opportunity to enjoy a very rare and unique experience of a traditional Amish meal in an Amish home. Overnight: Charm/Millersburg
DAY 12: Tue 15 Aug AMISH COMMUNITY (BL)
Today experience the Amish community beginning with a tour of the farming properties including an arable cropping farm, dairy farms and a mixed cattle/fodder property to see firsthand how they defy modern day technology and see the results of their farming and ranching practices. After lunch visit the Age of Steam Roundhouse Museum, a 20th Century rail roundhouse where talented restoration specialists work to preserve locomotives and other items from the glory days of steam travel. Overnight: As Above
DAY 13: Wed 16 Aug CHARM/MILLERSBURG – NIAGARA FALLS (BD)
After breakfast depart for the 5 hour drive to Niagara Falls. This afternoon enjoy a boat ride under the falls and see stunning views of Niagara Gorge, American Falls, the Bridal Veil Falls and come face-to-face with the famous Canadian Horseshoe Falls. Feel the thundering roar, awesome power and amazing mist before dinner at the hotel. Overnight: Niagara Falls
DAY 14: Thu 17 Aug NIAGARA FALLS – HERSHEY (BD)
Travel to central New York today, stopping at a Finger Lakes winery with tasting enroute. The Finger Lakes in upstate New York have perfect weather for growing cool-climate grapes since the late 1800’s. Riesling and Gewurztraminer flourish in the area. Afterwards visit an apple orchard and cider mill with tasting. This impressive family owned operation since 1923 will be gearing up for the fall season where cider is produced and sold throughout the state. Then a visit to a cheese producer with tasting where you will learn how they started with just a few acres and have grown into a large operation producing award winning cheese with 1,500 cows that are grass fed. Overnight: Hershey
DAY 15: Fri 18 Aug HERSHEY – GETTYSBURG – WASHINGTON (BL)
After breakfast make our way to the New Holland hay baler factory which produces 30 different models of round balers, square balers, pull-type forage harvesters and other haytools exported to 45 countries around the world. Continue on to Gettysburg for lunch and a guided tour of the historic battlefield. This afternoon visit a producer who has won national corn growers awards. They are 11th generation farmers whereby the farm was established in 1728 and now produces corn, wheat, barley, hay & straw. Afterwards continue to Washington DC and our accommodation for the next two nights. Overnight: Washington
DAY 16: Sat 19 Aug WASHINGTON DC (B)
After breakfast a guided sightseeing tour of Washington DC including stops at the White House, the Jefferson & Lincoln Memorials, the Washington Monument and the WWII & Vietnam War memorials. Cross the Potomac to Arlington National Cemetery which is the resting place for more than 300,000 people and the site of the Tomb of the Unknowns and the Eternal Flame of the Kennedy grave. Visit the Smithsonian Institute to see the amazing space exhibit and afterwards is free time at leisure to explore the many vast aspects the Smithsonian has to offer. This evening is at leisure to dine out (own expense). Overnight: As Above
DAY 17: Sun 20 Aug WASHINGTON DC – NEW YORK CITY (B)
This morning we begin the journey to renowned New York City. This afternoon we will enjoy a guided walking tour to see the highlights of the city. Overnight: New York
DAY 18: Mon 21 Aug NEW YORK CITY FREE DAY (BD)
A full day at leisure to enjoy the highlights that New York is famous for. We suggest a visit to Battery Park, Central Park, Times Square and Chinatown. You may decide to see one of the famous Broadway shows or visit the centre of capitalism – Wall Street and the New York Stock Exchange. There is the option to take a cruise around the New York Harbour passing the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island and learn about how the Statue of Liberty was a gift to the United States from the people of France in 1886. This evening meet again to enjoy a special farewell dinner to reminisce about the events of the last 18 days. Overnight: As Above
DAY 19: Tue 22 Aug NEW YORK – FLY HOME (B)
Sadly, pack up for the final time for your transfer to the airport in preparation for your flight home.
**This tour is hosted and operated by our travel partner in the USA
