In July of 1968 (53 years ago), Webb Tours operated our first US/LDS History Tour. We have been directing tours to those areas now for over 5 decades. Although the church pageants have been canceled for 2021, we will be offering this tour which traces the history of the early saints in the northeast and midwest. We will also enjoy the US History in Philadelphia and spend a day in New York City.
As you’ll note, the tour visits many critical church history sites, but at a relaxed pace. In fact we stay for two consecutive nights in Philadelphia, Palmyra, Kirtland and Nauvoo. That means we have plenty of time to enjoy those areas thoroughly and we aren’t constantly on the move. We also spend a night in New York City where there is much to see and do.
Airfare is approximately $450 and will be arranged by Webb Tours unless you prefer to do it on your own.
July 5: Salt Lake to Philadelphia: Today we’ll meet at the airport and board our flight to Philadelphia, arriving in the early evening. Our luxury touring coach will be waiting for us. Our hotel is in a nearby Philadelphia suburb. A nice welcome dinner is included this evening. Tour to pay for dinner today.
July 6: Philadelphia. Some of the most important events in our history played out in Philadelphia. We will attend sacrament meeting this morning. We’ll then see the historic Visitors Center, Independence Hall and Liberty Bell. After lunch, we will be joined by a local guide for a short walking tour/coach tour to see other very important sights in the area like the iconic City Hall, Franklin Place and more. We will also make a photo stop at the beautiful Philadelphia Temple, built to resemble the historic buildings around it. If the temple is open, we will be able to do a session. Architecturally, it is one of the most interesting temples in the church. We’ll stay in the Philadelphia area again tonight. Tour to pay for city tour and breakfast.
July 7: Philadelphia to New York City: This morning we’ll drive about 90 minutes to the northeast toward New York City. We will board the Statue Ferries from Liberty Park, New Jersey and make a stop at Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. If these sites are not open, there are PLENTY of other things to do to use the time. If you have done this before, you’ll have the option to go to the top of Freedom Tower/Lower Manhattan sites instead. One or the other is included. We’ll show you some other sites as we make our way to our hotel near Times Square. Tonight you’ll have an option to attend a Broadway show if they are operating. If not, other options will be provided. Tour to pay for breakfast, ferries, Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island admission.
July 8: New York City to Milford, PA. Another choice today: You can get up early and do a 6:30 session in the Manhattan Temple, or you can join us for a morning stroll in Central Park along with several other things to show in the city. After lunch, we will be on our way through interior Pennsylvania. It’s about a 3 hour drive. We stay tonight in the town of New Milford, Pennsylvania, just 15 minutes from the Susquehanna River. Tour to pay for breakfast and dinner today.
July 9: Milford to Palmyra. We are just minutes away from the Aaronic Priesthood Restoration Site in northern Pennsylvania on the Susquehanna River. Much has been restored here and a new Visitor’s Center has been built. It is a peaceful setting and an important stop on our trip. We’ll then cross into upstate New York and head for Palmyra. We’ll arrive in Fayette in the afternoon and visit the Peter Whitmer Farm where the church was organized and much of the Book of Mormon translated. For dinner tonight, we’ll be dining at Edgars on the shores of Seneca Lake in the old Bellhurst Castle. The setting is exceptional and the meal is delicious. You’ll have time to enjoy a stroll along the lake after dinner. Our hotel tonight is in the neighboring town of Canandaigua. Tour to pay for breakfast today.
July 10: Palmyra area: After breakfast this morning, we’ll continue to visit the historical sites of interest in the area. We’ll begin with the Sacred Grove, the recently restored Smith cabin and the frame home. You’ll have time to reflect and enjoy it at your leisure. We’ll also go to the top of the Hill Cumorah. At 3:00, we’ll visit the Grandin Press (where the first copies of the Book of Mormon were printed). If it’s available, those interested can attend a session in the Palmyra Temple tonight (you must bring your own clothing). Tour to pay for breakfast and dinner.
July 11: Palmyra via Niagara Falls to Kirtland: This morning, we head for Niagara Falls, arriving on the New York side at about 10:00. We have included a ride on the exciting Maid of the Mist which takes us to the face of the world’s most impressive waterfall. We’ll have lunch in Niagara Falls before we depart. Our afternoon drive will take us along Lake Erie toward Kirtland, Ohio where we’ll arrive about 6:00 (a bit later due to church this morning). We will stay in the neighboring town of Mentor at the Hampton Inn or Lawnfield Inn. Tour to pay for breakfast and Maid of the Mist today.
July 12: Kirtland all day: There is much to see in Kirtland as much has been recently restored. We’ll start at the Visitors Center built in the form of a 19th Century grist mill. The town streets have been rerouted creating a pedestrian area from which to enjoy all of the sites. We will also enjoy a guided tour of the Kirtland Temple (if open), the Newell K Whitney Store, the Isaac Morley Farm, and the newly restored Johnson Inn. Kirtland is a quaint town, covered in trees and foliage. After a rest, we’ll visit the John Johnson Farm where we’ll review the important history that happened here. This evening we visit an authentic Amish Community where we’ll enjoy dinner with an Amish family at their farm. It is one of the tour highlights. We’ll stay in the Kirtland area again tonight. Tour to pay for breakfast and dinner.
July 13: Kirtland to Macomb: Today we make our way toward Nauvoo the Beautiful. We’ll relax, watch a DVD, enjoy some teaching, read a book, etc. We’ll make sure the time is well spent, but we’ll give you time to relax and do your own thing as well. It will give us all appreciation for the saints who journeyed often between Kirtland and Nauvoo (and not on a comfortable coach!). We’ll stay in Macomb, Illinois tonight. Tour to pay for breakfast and dinner.
July 14: Macomb to Carthage to Nauvoo. In the late morning, we’ll enjoy a visit to Carthage Jail to review events that led to the Martyrdom. We’ll go over to Nauvoo for lunch. We’ll check into the Nauvoo Family Inn & Suites (just up the street from the temple) for a brief rest. This afternoon, we’ll see the Visitors Center and enjoy an orientation tour of Old Nauvoo, including a chance to stroll down Parley Street reading the poignant signs as we walk toward the river. Dinner is included today at our hotel. Tour to pay for breakfast and dinner today.
July 15: Nauvoo all day: Those who are interested can attend a morning session at the Nauvoo Temple which is a treat. After changing clothes, we’ll continue to see Nauvoo. We’ll begin at the Community of Christ Visitors Center with a chance to see the Mansion House, Homestead and Smith Family Cemetery. After lunch, you’ll have the rest of the day to see the sites that are of most interest to you. Tonight we have dinner at Hotel Nauvoo (famous buffet). Tonight we will go across the river to Montrose to enjoy the views of Nauvoo and to review the important history there. Tour to pay for breakfast and dinner today.
July 16: Nauvoo to Independence. We’ll get an early start today as we travel west toward Jackson County. We’ll then visit Adam-Ondi-Ahman, a place of great historical and future significance. A short drive from there are the remains of Far West, a once bustling city with thousands of inhabitants. If time permits, we’ll visit Richmond and see the monument to the Three Witnesses and other interesting things. We’ll then continue toward Independence where we’ll spend the evening. Tour to pay for breakfast and dinner.
July 17: Independence to Salt Lake: This morning, we’ll visit the LDS Visitor’s Center which was recently completely revamped. We’ll also see the temple lot, as well as other highlights in the area. After lunch, we’ll visit Liberty Jail. Known as the prison-temple, The Prophet was incarcerated here for 4 1/2 months. It is one of the most profound places we’ll visit, and a fitting place to end our tour. You will have an enhanced appreciation of church history and the people that made it possible. The Kansas City Airport is nearby. Tour to pay for breakfast.
Note: This is a guaranteed departure. We expect that the church will open the sites before July. If some are still closed, we will substitute other meaningful activities. We look forward to having you join us!
Registration Information:
To make a reservation, simply fill out the attached reservation form and send it to us with a deposit of $300 per person. When we receive your deposit, we will mail you a receipt confirming that you are registered for the tour. A letter with instructions, hotel itinerary flight information (if applicable) and luggage tags will be sent roughly 60 days prior to departure at which time the balance will be due. You do not need to pay the balance until after you receive that packet. We require final payments in the form of a check. If that is not possible, arrangements can be made to use a credit card. Webb Tours accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover. A 2% fee applies to final payments made by credit card.
Cancellation Penalties
We understand that you may need to cancel your trip for whatever reason. If it is 60 days or more before departure, all money will be refunded. If airline tickets are purchased prior to that time (with your permission), they become the property of the traveler and are not refundable. All other funds will be returned if cancellation occurs outside of 60 days. If it is within 60 days, we will charge you only what Webb Tours cannot recover. In some cases, we can recover all of it. In others, we cannot. Cruise lines, airlines, hotels and other service providers require funds in advance and have their own rules about what will be refunded once paid. We must follow their guidelines. For airlines, specifically, tickets are generally non refundable when purchased. However, most airlines will allow the value of the canceled tickets to be reused for future travel, though a penalty may be assessed to reuse the tickets. If you have to cancel, Webb Tours will work with other providers to obtain as much refund as possible for our travelers. Our travelers know us to be very fair in this regard.
Cancellation Insurance:
Cancellation insurance is also available should you be interested. The insurance provider that we us is Travelex Insurance. You can learn about them at www.travelexinsurance.com. With this insurance, most of your money will be returned to you in case you have to cancel for covered reasons (illness or death of an immediate family member) at the last minute. The price for the insurance varies based on the price of the trip and the age of the participant (at the time the insurance is purchased).
If you are interested in the insurance, you can purchase it through Webb Tours at any time. The insurance goes into effect once purchased. If you have any pre-existing conditions, it is best to purchase the insurance within 14 days of making your initial deposit as that will cover an illness that may result from a pre-existing condition. If you don’t have pre-existing conditions, you can purchase the insurance any time between now and the time you make your final payment. Insurance cannot be purchased after your final payment is made. Webb Tours is not the insurer and acts as agent for Travelex. To activate your insurance, we need your premium and your birth date. Insurance also includes the following items:
Trip interruption up to 150% of the cost of the trip (if you have to leave in the middle of the trip)
Per person prices are as follows:
|
Trip Cost |
Ages 35-59 |
Ages 60-69 |
Ages 70-74 |
Ages 75-79 |
Ages 80-84 |
|
$1,000-$1,500 |
$103 |
$140 |
$198 |
$245 |
$348 |
|
$1,501-$2,000 |
$135 |
$181 |
$248 |
$306 |
$428 |
|
$2,001-$2,500 |
$168 |
$227 |
$306 |
$377 |
$522 |
|
$2,501-$3,000 |
$190 |
$256 |
$342 |
$421 |
$581 |
Mail deposit and enclosed reservation form to:
WEBB TOURS
2378 Evergreen Avenue
Salt Lake City, UT 84109
Tel. (801) 278-3101
or Toll Free 1-800-658-8519
Or call us and register over the phone. We hope you can join us.
