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Ornate room at Ardrossan Estate

Hidden Philadelphia

Explore classic architecture in the Athens of America
Heritage Tour
In Person
May 11 - 17, 2022
Philadelphia, PA
Curt DiCamillo
Jim Mundy
Sold Out

This tour has reached capacity.

To join the waitlist, please contact Cy Britt at cy.britt@nehgs.org

 

Join us this spring on an odyssey to 21st century Philadelphia, the Athens of America and birthplace of American independence.

Accompanied by Curt DiCamillo and historian Jim Mundy, and other experts along the way, we will explore the great treasures of art and architecture that define this city as one of the most important cultural and historical destinations in the United States.

Tour highlights include private guided visits to Andalusia, William Strickland’s Greek-revival mansion; Ardrossan, Horace Trumbauer’s Georgian estate and inspiration for The Philadelphia Story; early 19th century townhouses on Philadelphia’s most elegant street; the First Bank of the United States; and two national architectural masterpieces: Thomas Ustick Walter's Girard College and John Haviland’s Eastern State Penitentiary. Additional visits include the estates and houses of the Duponts and Pitcairns. We will end our tour with a farewell dinner at Carpenters’ Hall, meeting place of the first Continental Congress.

Our home will be the centrally-located Inn at the Union League, whose Second Empire and Beaux Arts clubhouse combines distinctive history and old world hospitality with delicious local cuisine.

Download Full Itinerary

  • Thursday, May 12—Philadelphia
  • Friday, May 13—The Scotts & The Du Ponts
  • Saturday, May 14—Rittenhouse Square
  • Sunday, May 15—Old Architecture for a New Century
  • Monday, May 16—From Rags to Riches
  • Tuesday, May 17—Departures
Curt DiCamillo
Decorative Arts
Historic Houses
England
Curt DiCamillo, who joined American Ancestors/NEHGS in February of 2016 as the organization’s first Curator of Special Collections, is an internationally recognized authority on British historic houses and the decorative arts.
Jim Mundy
Jim is the Historian and Art Curator for The Union League Legacy Foundation of the Union League of Philadelphia, where he has worked since 1978.
Inn at the Union League of Philadelphia

39.949967252407, -75.16442835331

Tour Cost Details

Payment by check:
Land Package: $4,595 per person based on double occupancy
Single Supplement: $595 (For those who wish single occupancy, a limited number of spots are available on a first-come, first-served basis.)

Payment by credit card (online, by phone, or by mail)
Land Package: $4,755 per person based on double occupancy
Single Supplement: $615 (For those who wish single occupancy, a limited number of spots are available on a first-come, first-served basis.)

Tour price is per person, based on double occupancy, with a minimum of 12 payment participants.

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Tour Price Includes

Five (5) nights’ accommodation at Four Diamond Inn at the Union League; breakfast daily, three (3) lunches, 2 drinks receptions, four (4) dinners; all sightseeing and admission charges as outlined in the itinerary; land transportation by deluxe air-conditioned coach; bottled water on coach; leadership of Curt DiCamillo and Jim Mundy for duration of the tour; expert local guides for planned sightseeing activities; gratuities at included meals and for guides and drivers; service charges and taxes; complete pre-departure documentation and materials, including recommended reading list, travel tips, and destination information.

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Tour Price DOES NOT include

Airline tickets, airline taxes, or fuel surcharges; baggage fees, airport porterage; airport transfers; meals other than those specified in the itinerary, gratuities for hotel cleaning staff; personal items such as telephone calls, room service, a`-la-carte orders, specialty wines and liquors, valet/laundry service, travel extensions, and tour deviations. If due to weather, flight schedules, or other uncontrollable factors, you are required to spend any additional nights, you will be responsible for your own hotel, transfer, and meal costs. Personal insurance for health, baggage, and tour cancellation is not included.

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Activity Level

This is a moderately active tour that requires some walking over uneven paths with no handrails and standing/walking in museums for up to 2 hours at a time. You will explore neighborhoods on 1 to 2-hour walking tours with several stops, but places to sit are not always guaranteed. As you are visiting many historic sites, elevators may not always be available.

The group will follow a leisurely pace on tour, but it is entirely up to individuals to pace themselves according to their own capabilities. It always is possible to choose not to participate in certain tour activities. Please keep in mind that this program is a group experience and that your level of physical ability could have an impact on the other participants.

We recommend that you consult your personal physician or a specialist travel clinic about your health and the likelihood of experiencing any problems with the physical requirements of this tour. Also discuss any necessary precautions that you should take prior to departure. Some of the visits on tour may require proof of a COVID-19 vaccination and entry may be limited if proof is not provided.

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Cancellation Policy

The New England Historic Genealogical Society (“NEHGS”) reserves the right to cancel the tour prior to departure for any reason including insufficient numbers of participants. NEHGS reserves the right to decline to accept or retain any person as a member of the tour at any time. If bookings fall below the minimum required, passengers will be advised of additional costs or itinerary alterations before departure date.

All cancellations must be sent by email to Cy Britt at Cy.Britt@nehgs.org or by mail to Heritage Tours, NEHGS, 99-101 Newbury Street, Boston, MA 02116-3007 and shall only be effective upon its acknowledged receipt by NEHGS. Cancellation charges are calculated as of the day notification is received in writing by NEHGS. The costs associated with any tickets purchased for planned activities (as indicated in the itinerary) are non-refundable. The Cancellation Fee covers administrative and operational costs and any penalties assessed by suppliers. No refunds for any unused portion of the tour including, but not limited to, missed meals or any missed sightseeing tours. Costs for promotion, staff, and other group expenses are not refundable. In the case of cancellation, substitutions are not acceptable. The tour cost is non-transferable. If NEHGS cancels the tour due to low registrations, active registrants will receive a full refund of all tour payments.

If a tour member cancels, the following scale of charges is incurred:
Cancellations received more than 90 days prior to the tour start date
(i.e. from the time of deposit up to 60 days prior): $500 (non-refundable administrative fee)
Cancellations received from 90 to 45 days prior to the tour start date: 50% of tour cost
Cancellations received within 45 days of departure: total tour cost

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Travel Insurance

Tour participants are encouraged to purchase travel insurance for their protection (regardless of present good health). There are many options for travel insurance. Should you decide to cancel at any time between now and the date of tour departure, NEHGS must strictly abide by the cancellation policy outlined in the Terms and Conditions. Purchasing travel insurance is the best way to protect your financial investment in the trip against unexpected complications. NEHGS will send Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance information upon tour registration.

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For questions or to pay by check contact Cy Britt, Director
(617) 226-1267