Trip Details
About the Tour Guide:
Dr. Steve Harper is a leading scholar of Joseph Smith's First Vision and his later revelations, and he's the only guide in the game with over 20 years as a professor of Church history, 10 years as a volume editor of The Joseph Smith Papers, and 6 years as the Managing Historian and a General Editor of Saints: The Story of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Trip Dates: Available upon request
Trip Length: 6 days
Trip Cost per person: Cost available upon booking.
Trip Difficulty: Modern urbanized (learn more)
Click "More Information" if you are interested in booking this tour
About this Trip:
Experience the most sacred and significant sites in American history: from George Washington's Philadelphia to Joseph Smith's Sacred Grove.
This trip is for Latter-day Saints (young, old, and in between) and their family and friends including teens who think about scriptures when they don't have to. You'll need to be able to walk a mile each day and ride in a vehicle for up to three hours at a time. If you’re not sure it's for you or your family and friends, contact us, and let's chat about it.
The itinerary is as follows:
Day 0
We'll meet in Philadelphia, enjoy dinner together at an amazing Brazilian churrasco, and plan for our travels beginning the next morning.
Day 1
Visit Independence Hall and surrounding sites, learn about the historical trajectory of I to We, or what Steve calls "the distance between the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution." Experience Washington's Crossing of the Delaware River on Christmas 1776. Tour Valley Forge, where the Continental Army was forged in the winter of 1777-78.
Day 2
Visit Pennsylvania's World Heritage Site in Bethlehem and learn about the Moravian Zion and religious freedom. Visit the Sun Inn, where both George Washington and Benjamin Franklin dined and slept, and learn how their experiences and characters shaped the course of history from Revolution to Restoration. Then a scenic drive through the Pocono Mountains to the Susquehanna River Valley and the Priesthood Restoration Site to tour Emma and Joseph's home where the Book of Mormon was translated by the power of God. We’ll visit the cemetery where Emma and Joseph buried their first child, the nearby woods where angels restored priesthoods, and the river, where we will contemplate the first baptisms of the last dispensation.
Day 3: Tuesday, May 19
Start the day at Taughannock Falls enroute to the Whitmer Farm in Fayette, where Joseph finished translating the Book of Mormon, the witnesses saw the plates, and the Savior organized His Church on April 6, 1830. Tour the Women's Rights National Historical Park in Seneca Falls, and learn how what happened there highlights the ongoing American Revolution as well as the ongoing Restoration.
Day 4
Spend the day at the Sacred Grove, the Smith homes, and at the Hill Cumorah, with plenty of time for temple worship.
Day 5
We will see Alvin Smith's gravesite and tour the Grandin Press and Print Shop where the Book of Mormon was published and sold, then follow Samuel Smith on his historic missions to the villages west of Manchester on our way to Niagara Falls. We'll overnight near the airport in Buffalo.
What is Included in Your Price:
- Ground transportation
- Accommodations
- Two meals per day
- Entrance fees into activities as outlined in the itinerary
- Gratuities at all group meals and for all services covered by trip fee
What is Not Included in Your Price:
- Airfare and baggage fees to Philadelphia, PA where the tour begins, and from Buffalo, NY where the tour ends
- Snacks and one meal per day
- Souvenirs and clothing
- Activities not included in the itinerary
- Personal medical and emergency costs (we strongly recommend purchasing traveler's insurance for this trip, and all trips you may take)
Tipping Standards
Tipping is acceptable throughout the United States for services.
Unlike other tour companies, Restoration Travels covers the cost of generous gratuities for all drivers and waitstaff for all group meals and excursions where the cost is already covered by your trip fee.
Safety and Other Special Considerations
There is a low to moderate risk of experiencing crime on this trip. We do our best to travel in well-marked and safe areas, but there is no guarantee.
All guests must be able to enter and exit a bus or van without aid, and must be able to walk at least 3 miles without being aided.
It is highly recommended that all guests purchase traveler's insurance for all trips in the event of theft or medical emergency. Restoration Travels is at no point responsible for costs incurred due to theft or medical emergency.