The American story. Your next chapter.
Four cities, three ways to go. History you can stand in.
Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, DC and New Orleans, planned for late 2026 and all through 2027, while the 250th anniversaries keep coming.
Travel closer to what matters.Washington, DC / Lincoln Memorial
Pick the chapter that calls to you
In 2026 the United States turns 250, and the anniversaries do not stop at July 4: the Philadelphia campaign and the winter at Valley Forge reach 250 years in 2027, and the story keeps unfolding. These are four cities where that history is still standing. Pick a city, pick your way to go - Affordable, Family Friendly or Luxury - and we build the trip around it.
01 / PennsylvaniaWhere it started.
02 / MassachusettsWhere it boiled over.
03 / District of ColumbiaWhere it's kept.
04 / LouisianaThe America that grew after 1776.
Real places. Real city photography. Photo credits
Same city. Your kind of trip.
A well-placed hotel, independent exploring and a budget focused on the experiences you care about.
The right room setup, hands-on experiences and one main adventure at a time.
A distinctive hotel, private-guide options and more of the details arranged around you.
01 / Where it started.
The Declaration was signed and the Constitution was written here, in rooms you can still stand in. Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Benjamin Franklin's city and the Museum of the American Revolution sit within a short walk of each other - and 2027 marks 250 years since the Philadelphia campaign and the winter at Valley Forge, so the story keeps going.
The places behind the plan
Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell anchor the founding story; the Museum of the American Revolution adds the people and the choices behind it. Then the city widens: the Barnes Foundation, the Parkway museums and Reading Terminal Market make Philadelphia a trip, not a field trip.
Step into the room where the Declaration and the Constitution were debated and signed. Timed tickets are free from the National Park Service; reservations carry a small handling fee.
Official experience details — Independence Hall (opens in a new tab)See this tripRecreated eighteenth-century rooms kids can walk through, try on and ask questions in - the Museum of the American Revolution's hands-on family discovery center, included with regular admission.
Official experience details — Revolution Place (opens in a new tab)See this tripA collection tour that connects the artworks to the way Dr. Barnes hung them - wall by wall, the way he intended. Private tours need advance planning; admission and guide arrangements are quoted separately.
Official experience details — The Barnes, with a guide (opens in a new tab)See this tripKeep Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell and the Museum of the American Revolution together in the Historic District rather than crossing the city between visits. Independence Hall's timed tickets are free from the National Park Service - reserve ahead; a small handling fee applies.
Valley Forge and Longwood Gardens are excursions beyond central Philadelphia, not add-ons. Give either one its own day and arrange the drive.
Affordable / Suggested 3-night stay
Three nights in the Historic District: free-ticketed Independence Hall, the Revolution Museum and Reading Terminal Market, all on foot.
A good place to come back to
Examples to shape your shortlist. Your dates and room choices determine the price; we’ll confirm availability and any inclusions before you book.
Historic District
Rooftop pool, and a Historic District address steps from Independence Mall - the founding sites are your morning walk, not a commute.
Explore the hotel — Wyndham Philadelphia Historic District (opens in a new tab)Independence Hall on free timed tickets from the National Park Service, then the Liberty Bell - both on Independence Mall, minutes from your hotel.
The Museum of the American Revolution in the morning; Elfreth's Alley and Christ Church Burial Ground, where Franklin is buried, in the afternoon.
Lunch at Reading Terminal Market, the Rocky Steps, and an afternoon in the Philadelphia Museum of Art. We check the exhibition calendar for your dates.
A cheesesteak and the Italian Market on the way out.
April-June and September-October: walking weather, lighter crowds.
A starting point, shaped around you. We confirm hotels, tickets, guides and availability for your dates.
Family Friendly / Suggested 4-night stay
Four nights built for kids 6-14: the Liberty Bell, a museum with rooms they can walk through, Franklin's science museum and a market breakfast to finish.
A good place to come back to
Examples to shape your shortlist. Your dates and room choices determine the price; we’ll confirm availability and any inclusions before you book.
Center City
Center City, in the historic PSFS building, a short walk from Reading Terminal Market - and the two-room Connecting Comfort package below is built for families.
Explore the hotel — Loews Philadelphia Hotel (opens in a new tab)Historic District
Rooftop pool, and a Historic District address steps from Independence Mall - the founding sites are your morning walk, not a commute.
Explore the hotel — Wyndham Philadelphia Historic District (opens in a new tab)A better reason to stay
These are the hotel’s published offers, not a confirmed room quote. We compare the full cost and terms before you choose.
The Connecting Comfort package pairs a king room with a two-double room and a $30 daily food-and-beverage credit per room.
Published terms checked 2026-10-25. Availability, deposit and cancellation are confirmed on the dated quote.
The Liberty Bell and Independence Hall first, then the carousel and mini golf at Franklin Square.
The Museum of the American Revolution, including Revolution Place, its hands-on family discovery center.
The Franklin Institute - the science museum in Benjamin Franklin's own city.
The Philadelphia Zoo, or Please Touch Museum for younger kids.
Breakfast at Reading Terminal Market, then home.
Spring break and summer; late June puts you in the city that started it for July 4.
A starting point, shaped around you. We confirm hotels, tickets, guides and availability for your dates.
Luxury / Suggested 4-night stay
Four nights from Rittenhouse Square: a historian in Independence Park, the Barnes, a private drive to Valley Forge, and Longwood Gardens.
A good place to come back to
Examples to shape your shortlist. Your dates and room choices determine the price; we’ll confirm availability and any inclusions before you book.
Rittenhouse Square
On Rittenhouse Square, the quiet end of Center City - the Barnes and the Museum of Art are an easy ride up the Parkway, and the square is your front garden.
Explore the hotel — The Rittenhouse (opens in a new tab)A private historian-led walk of Independence National Historical Park, then settle into Rittenhouse Square.
The Barnes Foundation, then the Philadelphia Museum of Art or the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, with exhibitions chosen for your dates.
A private driver to Valley Forge, where the Continental Army spent the winter of 1777–78. Its 250th anniversary begins in late 2027.
Longwood Gardens and the Brandywine Valley at an unhurried pace.
A long Rittenhouse breakfast before the flight home.
May–June and September–October for walking and gardens. Late 2027 begins the 250th anniversary of the Valley Forge winter.
A starting point, shaped around you. We confirm hotels, tickets, guides and availability for your dates.
02 / Where it boiled over.
The Tea Party, Paul Revere's ride, Lexington and Concord, Bunker Hill: Boston is where the argument turned into a revolution. The Freedom Trail ties 16 historic sites together over 2.5 miles of red brick, and every April, Patriots' Day brings the battles back to life at Lexington and Concord.
The places behind the plan
The Freedom Trail is the backbone: Boston Common to Faneuil Hall, through the North End to Paul Revere's house and the Old North Church, then across the river to USS Constitution and Bunker Hill. Walk it in chapters, and leave a day for Lexington and Concord, where the first shots were fired.
The red-brick line is the itinerary: 2.5 miles, 16 sites, walkable at your own pace. Individual sites set their own admission and opening arrangements.
Official experience details — Follow the Freedom Trail (opens in a new tab)See this tripLive interpreters, replica ships and a chest of tea your kids get to throw overboard - the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum puts the family inside December 1773. Ticketed; plan it around your children's ages.
Official experience details — Take part in the Tea Party (opens in a new tab)See this tripThe Freedom Trail Foundation runs private and custom tours - a shorter, more personal introduction shaped around what you want to ask, before an afternoon in the city.
Official experience details — A private walk, your questions (opens in a new tab)See this tripDowntown, the North End and Charlestown do not have to be one long walking day. Walk the sections that suit your group and save your legs for the sites you care about.
Downtown puts the Trail at your door; the Seaport suits waterfront plans and families; Beacon Hill slows the pace into a smaller-hotel stay.
Affordable / Suggested 3-night stay
Three nights downtown: the full Freedom Trail, the North End, USS Constitution, and a commuter-rail day where the war actually started.
A good place to come back to
Examples to shape your shortlist. Your dates and room choices determine the price; we’ll confirm availability and any inclusions before you book.
Downtown / Beacon Hill edge
A working piece of Boston history standing on the Freedom Trail itself - the red-brick line starts at your front door.
Explore the hotel — Omni Parker House (opens in a new tab)Boston Common to Faneuil Hall along the Freedom Trail - the first chapter, on foot.
Paul Revere House, Old North Church and a cannoli stop in the North End; then Charlestown for USS Constitution and the Bunker Hill Monument.
Commuter rail to Concord: Minute Man National Historical Park and the Old North Bridge.
Back Bay and the Boston Public Library, then home.
May-June and September-October; mid-April for Patriots' Day at Lexington and Concord.
A starting point, shaped around you. We confirm hotels, tickets, guides and availability for your dates.
Family Friendly / Suggested 4-night stay
Four nights in the Seaport: tea thrown overboard, a costumed Trail guide, Old Ironsides, duckling statues and a Fenway tour to finish.
A good place to come back to
Examples to shape your shortlist. Your dates and room choices determine the price; we’ll confirm availability and any inclusions before you book.
Seaport District
Heated rooftop pool, open year-round, and a short walk to the Tea Party Ships - the waterfront base for families.
Explore the hotel — Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport (opens in a new tab)A better reason to stay
These are the hotel’s published offers, not a confirmed room quote. We compare the full cost and terms before you choose.
The hotel’s Bed and Breakfast package includes daily breakfast for each registered guest.
Published terms checked 2026-10-24. Availability, deposit and cancellation are confirmed on the dated quote.
The Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum, where the kids toss the tea overboard.
A Freedom Trail walk with a costumed guide, then lunch at Faneuil Hall Marketplace.
USS Constitution and its museum, then the Public Garden's Make Way for Ducklings statues and the Swan Boats (seasonal).
The New England Aquarium or the Museum of Science - their call.
A Fenway Park tour, then home.
Summer, and April school vacation week for Patriots' Day.
A starting point, shaped around you. We confirm hotels, tickets, guides and availability for your dates.
Luxury / Suggested 4-night stay
Four nights in Beacon Hill: a private historian on the Trail, the Gardner and the MFA, a private drive out the battle road to Concord, and a harbor sail at sunset.
A good place to come back to
Examples to shape your shortlist. Your dates and room choices determine the price; we’ll confirm availability and any inclusions before you book.
Beacon Hill
A small Beacon Hill hotel at the top of the Trail - the quieter, residential end of Boston's story.
Explore the hotel — XV Beacon (opens in a new tab)A private Freedom Trail walk with a historian, at your pace and your questions.
The Museum of Fine Arts' Art of the Americas wing and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.
A private driver out the battle road: Old North Bridge, the Minute Man park and the authors' homes.
A sunset sail, then dinner in the North End.
A Newbury Street morning, then home.
Late September-October for fall color; June for the long evenings.
A starting point, shaped around you. We confirm hotels, tickets, guides and availability for your dates.
03 / Where it's kept.
The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights are on view in the National Archives Rotunda. Most of the Smithsonian is free. Add the monuments, the Capitol and George Washington’s Mount Vernon, and DC is the place to see what the founding became.
The places behind the plan
Free admission changes how you build a DC trip: choose fewer museums and give them more time. Stand in front of the real charters at the Archives, walk the monuments at dusk when the crowds thin, and save a day for Mount Vernon, where Washington's story is a house, a farm and a view over the Potomac.
Free admission across the Smithsonian's DC museums means the budget goes to the stay and the meals, not the tickets. Some museums require timed entry passes - we check yours for your dates.
Official experience details — Choose your Smithsonian (opens in a new tab)See this tripThe Smithsonian's family planning starts from your kids, not the building list: the Wright Flyer, the Hope Diamond, a hall of dinosaurs - one big museum a day, done properly.
Official experience details — A museum day shaped around them (opens in a new tab)See this tripAn evening route through the National Mall, when the marble goes quiet - with a guide or private transport arranged around it. Museum tours and restricted access are separate arrangements, never assumed.
Official experience details — The memorials, with time to pause (opens in a new tab)See this tripPick American history, natural history or aviation as the day's main event and plan its entry arrangements first - the National Air and Space Museum uses free timed passes. Fill the rest of the day around it, not the other way round.
The Mall is bigger than it looks on a map. Build in breaks and transport that work for the people traveling, and choose a neighborhood - Capitol Hill, Georgetown, the West End - for dinner.
Affordable / Suggested 3-night stay
Three nights, much of it free: the charters in the Archives Rotunda, the monuments at dusk and a reserved Capitol tour. Put the budget toward a well-placed hotel and good meals.
A good place to come back to
Examples to shape your shortlist. Your dates and room choices determine the price; we’ll confirm availability and any inclusions before you book.
West End
West End rooms between the Mall and Georgetown - a practical base when the museums are the point, and most of them are free.
Explore the hotel — West End Washington DC, Tapestry Collection by Hilton (opens in a new tab)A better reason to stay
These are the hotel’s published offers, not a confirmed room quote. We compare the full cost and terms before you choose.
The property’s published AAA/CAA offer is up to 10% off its Best Available Rate for eligible Hilton Honors members.
Published terms checked 2026-10-25. Availability, deposit and cancellation are confirmed on the dated quote.
Lincoln Memorial, the WWII Memorial and the MLK Memorial as the light goes - the Mall at its best.
The National Archives for the Declaration and Constitution; then the National Museum of American History. We check exhibition dates and entry arrangements before your trip.
A U.S. Capitol tour (free - reserve ahead) and the Library of Congress.
Eastern Market, then home.
September-November; late March-early April for the cherry blossoms (the busiest weeks of the year).
A starting point, shaped around you. We confirm hotels, tickets, guides and availability for your dates.
Family Friendly / Suggested 4-night stay
Four nights from Capitol Hill: the Wright Flyer, Junior Ranger badges, the real Declaration and a day at Mount Vernon - one big museum a day, done properly.
A good place to come back to
Examples to shape your shortlist. Your dates and room choices determine the price; we’ll confirm availability and any inclusions before you book.
Capitol Hill
A skylit indoor pool and a Capitol Hill address within walking distance of the Mall - built for museum days with kids.
Explore the hotel — Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill (opens in a new tab)The National Air and Space Museum on free timed passes, then outdoor time on the Mall.
The National Museum of Natural History and the National Museum of American History - one in depth, one for the highlights.
The Washington Monument on timed tickets, and Junior Ranger badges earned from the National Park Service.
A day trip to George Washington's Mount Vernon.
The Smithsonian's National Zoo (free), then home.
Spring break, summer and Thanksgiving week.
A starting point, shaped around you. We confirm hotels, tickets, guides and availability for your dates.
Luxury / Suggested 4-night stay
Four nights on Pennsylvania Avenue: an evening among the monuments, the Archives and National Gallery with guide arrangements, a requested Capitol tour and Mount Vernon by private car.
A good place to come back to
Examples to shape your shortlist. Your dates and room choices determine the price; we’ll confirm availability and any inclusions before you book.
Pennsylvania Avenue
Pennsylvania Avenue's grand address, two blocks from the White House - Washington's front parlor since the nineteenth century.
Explore the hotel — Willard InterContinental Washington, D.C. (opens in a new tab)West End / Georgetown area
West End calm at Georgetown's edge - the neighborhood base, with the Mall a short ride away.
Explore the hotel — Fairmont Washington, D.C., Georgetown (opens in a new tab)A better reason to stay
These are the hotel’s published offers, not a confirmed room quote. We compare the full cost and terms before you choose.
The published offer combines 15% off the hotel’s Best Available Rate with a $50 food-and-beverage credit.
Published terms checked 2026-10-25. Availability, deposit and cancellation are confirmed on the dated quote.
An evening tour of the memorials, with time to pause and a guide or private transport arranged around you.
The National Archives and the National Gallery of Art with a private guide.
A Capitol tour requested through your member of Congress, then the Library of Congress reading room overlook.
A private tour of Mount Vernon and lunch along the river.
Georgetown, then home.
Late September-October; April for the blossoms.
A starting point, shaped around you. We confirm hotels, tickets, guides and availability for your dates.
04 / The America that grew after 1776.
New Orleans is not a Revolution city, and that is the point. It is the story of how America grew: the Louisiana Purchase was transferred at the Cabildo on Jackson Square in 1803, the Battle of New Orleans was fought at Chalmette in 1815, and jazz was born here. Food, music and history - all of it honest about who built this city.
The places behind the plan
Start at the Cabildo, where the 1803 transfer doubled the size of the country. Ride the St. Charles streetcar under the oaks, give the National WWII Museum a full day, and save the evenings for the music the city invented. New Orleans rewards travelers who slow down.
New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park runs free ranger programs in the French Quarter - start there, then build your own evening around the city's music rooms.
Official experience details — Find the jazz story (opens in a new tab)See this tripMake this the main event of a day, with exhibits chosen for your family's ages. The Higgins Hotel sits on the museum campus; package inclusions vary by rate.
Official experience details — The National WWII Museum (opens in a new tab)See this tripA museum centered on slavery and the people who endured it. Allow at least two hours on site and plan transport both ways; guides and admission are arranged separately.
Official experience details — Whitney, with intention (opens in a new tab)See this tripChoose the venue, the reservation and the age policy before you commit to a night out - a Preservation Hall set and a late night on Frenchmen Street are different trips, and family plans are a third.
Whitney Plantation tells its story from the perspective of the enslaved people who lived there. Plan the drive both ways and time to reflect afterwards; it is not interchangeable with another plantation tour.
Affordable / Suggested 3-night stay
Three nights in the Warehouse District: the Cabildo where the country doubled in size, the St. Charles streetcar, a Preservation Hall set and Frenchmen Street.
A good place to come back to
Examples to shape your shortlist. Your dates and room choices determine the price; we’ll confirm availability and any inclusions before you book.
Warehouse District
Warehouse District, with a rooftop pool and live music in the building - the city's creative side as your base.
Explore the hotel — The Barnett (opens in a new tab)Central Business District
The former New Orleans Public Service building in the CBD - a grand 1920s shell, a short walk from the French Quarter.
Explore the hotel — NOPSI Hotel (opens in a new tab)Jackson Square and the Cabildo, where the Louisiana Purchase changed hands in 1803.
The St. Charles streetcar to the Garden District, then a free ranger program at New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park.
A set at Preservation Hall, then Frenchmen Street for live music.
Beignets on the way to the airport.
February-May and October-November; skip the August heat.
A starting point, shaped around you. We confirm hotels, tickets, guides and availability for your dates.
Family Friendly / Suggested 4-night stay
Four nights next to the WWII Museum: a riverboat jazz cruise, the aquarium, the zoo by streetcar, beignets and a family cooking class.
A good place to come back to
Examples to shape your shortlist. Your dates and room choices determine the price; we’ll confirm availability and any inclusions before you book.
Arts & Warehouse District
The official hotel of The National WWII Museum, right on the museum campus - the big day starts next door.
Explore the hotel — The Higgins Hotel New Orleans (opens in a new tab)A better reason to stay
These are the hotel’s published offers, not a confirmed room quote. We compare the full cost and terms before you choose.
The National WWII Museum Admission Package includes two-day museum passes for registered adults, plus Beyond All Boundaries and the Freedom Theater experience.
Published terms checked 2026-10-25. Availability, deposit and cancellation are confirmed on the dated quote.
The National WWII Museum - the main event, at family pace.
The Audubon Aquarium, then a jazz cruise on the Steamboat Natchez.
The St. Charles streetcar out to Audubon Zoo.
Jackson Square, the Cabildo and beignets; a family cooking class in the afternoon.
Chalmette Battlefield, where the Battle of New Orleans was fought in 1815, on the way out.
Spring and autumn for a balance of outdoor time and museums. Festival periods need extra planning for crowds, hotel terms and family-friendly routes.
A starting point, shaped around you. We confirm hotels, tickets, guides and availability for your dates.
Luxury / Suggested 4-night stay
Four nights, told well: a private historian in the French Quarter, the Garden District with a guide, Whitney Plantation with a private driver, and a reserved table for jazz.
A good place to come back to
Examples to shape your shortlist. Your dates and room choices determine the price; we’ll confirm availability and any inclusions before you book.
Central Business District
A small, design-led CBD hotel - the intimate version of a New Orleans luxury stay.
Explore the hotel — Maison Métier (opens in a new tab)Central Business District
The city's grand, traditional address - quiet, formal calm a few minutes from the French Quarter.
Explore the hotel — The Windsor Court (opens in a new tab)A better reason to stay
These are the hotel’s published offers, not a confirmed room quote. We compare the full cost and terms before you choose.
The hotel’s longer-stay offer includes a complimentary fourth night on a qualifying four-night stay.
Published terms checked 2026-10-25. Availability, deposit and cancellation are confirmed on the dated quote.
A private historian walk of the French Quarter and the Cabildo.
The Garden District with a private guide, then lunch at a classic Creole dining room.
A private driver to Whitney Plantation, the museum told from the perspective of the enslaved people who lived there.
A reserved table for an evening of jazz, chosen for your taste.
One slow morning, then home.
March-May and October-December.
A starting point, shaped around you. We confirm hotels, tickets, guides and availability for your dates.
A few good ideas. A trip that’s yours.
Tell us the city, your travel style and roughly when—late 2026 or in 2027. We compare rooms, current offers and experiences for your dates, party and pace, then put a proposal in front of you.
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Representative city views, not current event photography. Philadelphia: NPS photo · Boston: NPS Photo · Washington, DC: NPS/Terry Adams · New Orleans: Mark Westguard / WordPress Photo Directory (CC0). No claim to original U.S. Government works. No government affiliation or endorsement implied.