Considering a group vacation to New York from Atlantic Canada? You can read the itinerary for our upcoming bus tour to New York City here. But Lindsay did a recap of our last trip to the Big Apple to help you imagine what this group travel adventure is really like!
Day 1: On the road again
Holy high energy (may have just been me, LOL) morning! We got the buses loaded with our Island travelers and hit the road for pick-ups in Halifax, Dartmouth, Truro, and Aulac. We had a big bus switch in Aulac, and the energy started picking up from there once we had the whole group together. Everyone was excited to get back on the road. For most of the 30 people on the bus, this was their first big trip since Covid, so it was almost surreal (especially for John, Lynn, and myself) to have such a busy morning.
The Drive was smooth all the way to our first rest stop, at the Acorn Restaurant. We use this restaurant time and time again, and there is no question why. The staff is always so lovely and not to mention efficient. They use a pre-selected menu for us, and the food came out so fast. They got all of us in and out within about 45 minutes, tops.
We headed to the Canada/US border for a quick 20-minute check of passports and then the bus. The officers were joking with our passengers, and it was a very light-hearted and easygoing experience. A quick bathroom break and we were back on the bus headed for our next rest stop.
Our Tour Director, Merv, is perhaps the best storyteller we have. He has a story for everything and a way of keeping everyone intrigued! His quick wit always gets a good laugh. The first driving day can be a bit exhausting, but Merv makes a point to stop by every seat to get to know the person behind the name tag.
Target Tours doesn’t just want to know your name – we want to know your story. Where you were born, where you were raised, and what you do or did for a living. We all have a story to tell, and our team makes a point to find that story because this is usually where those “oh, what a small world!” connections are made. We live for those connections, whether made with our team members or our other passengers on the bus.
We arrived in Portsmouth for our overnight stay. Check-in was seamless, and our luggage was brought to our rooms which were ready and waiting for us. Everyone had the evening to themselves, whether they wanted to venture out for dinner (the hotel is close to grocery stores and restaurants) or stay in the room and rest up.
Day 2: Hello, New York!
The following morning started with included breakfast – always a great setup—and then we were back on the bus to the Big Apple. Merv kept the group entertained with more stories, bus bingo (we have a love/hate with bus bingo because some would play all day long, LOL), and some NYC trivia.
Our Tour Directors have a great way of setting up the activities so that there’s downtime for when people want to read or nap, and then they know when to liven them up and get them excited. (When you come on a group vacation with us, be sure to have some change so you can participate in all of the high-stakes bus gambling!)
We even did the infamous Frank Sinatra “New York, New York” sing-along! Nothing like a little karaoke to get those NYC juices flowing.
We arrived in NYC late afternoon and were able to check into our hotel right away.
We headed up to our rooms and had time to relax and freshen up for our first Broadway show. Folks could choose between seeing Chicago or Wicked – I opted for Chicago, and it did not disappoint.
It was a high-energy show that kept your foot tapping and your butt on the edge of the seat.
New York is certainly a walking city – so many things to see and do, and all are mostly within walking distance, but there are many modes of transportation to choose from. After the show, I explored the city and Times Square, and let me tell you, New York City is a must-see for anyone, and if you can manage it, try to see it in the wintertime. November was beautiful (and quite mild) so walking to each location was a treat.
Day 3: Touring the city
On our first morning in New York, we started the day with a city tour. Our step-on-guide, Jimmy, has been doing this tour for us for years! He’s a fountain of information and a true New Yorker. He keeps everyone engaged in the tour, and his knowledge of such a huge city is outstanding.
We made stops at Central Park…
Grand Central Station…
And the 9/11 Memorial grounds…
If you are in the area, I highly recommend this stop and a visit to the 9/11 Museum, but we will get back to that a bit later.
Following the tour, we had the afternoon to ourselves. Some passengers opted to go shopping while others had planned their own activities.
I headed to the Top of the Rock and went up the elevator (which has a glass ceiling, so you see yourself heading up floor by floor). Even if you are afraid of heights, I urge you to go to the top because the views are unmatched.
This city is so busy but being up that high brings a sort of calmness or simplicity (if you can listen past the honking horns).
In true PEI fashion, I was playing photographer for all the other tourists around me. You can take the girl out of PEI, but you can’t take PEI out of the girl!
It was so interesting to see just how free-flowing everybody felt post-Covid. I think it was kind of a shared, surreal feeling amongst the city because it was quite busy with tourists, but it was like the city, or at least its visitors, had slowed down. After being there in 2008 (am I that old?), it really was an interesting comparison.
After the Top of the Rock, I headed back to the hotel with my friend for a much-needed nap and rest (ok, I guess I AM that old), and we grabbed some food to munch on before our second Broadway performance of the trip.
This was a show everyone was attending, A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical, and let me tell you, if you weren’t a Neil Diamond fan before, you certainly left that performance as one.
The cast was fantastic, the acting was phenomenal, and the energy coming from that stage was amazing. I don’t think a single person kept quiet when Sweet Caroline started (and I mean, there was a lady punching her fist into the air with every “BUM BUM BUM,” so you tell me how pumped this crowd was). Following the show, folks either headed back to the hotel or ventured out into the city.
Day 4: A day to explore
Today was a full free day, so I decided to sleep-in day before heading back downtown to the 9/11 Memorial.
I suggest bringing tissues, but they have lots available in the museum (and with good reason). There was a specific area of the museum dedicated to the real, raw details of the terrorist attacks, including voicemails, testimonies from survivors, raw photos of people jumping from buildings, and firefighters’ last words… it was emotionally taxing, but you learn so much and find a newfound appreciation for our American neighbors.
To have heard about such a horrendous event is one thing, but to see the intimate details, laid out in front of you in images and artifacts and voicemails of real voices, real people, is another. It was probably my most recommended and cherished stop on this whole trip.
To lighten the mood, we went to the Oculus.
This innovatively engineered building is a shopping center and food court, which you would not think looking at it. We took a few minutes to walk around and browse before stopping for something to eat. Taking in the city and its people is a whole experience in and of itself.
After a busy morning, we headed back to the hotel for some downtime and, yes, another nap. This is the beauty of traveling with Target Tours – you have free time to spend exactly how you want. There is no schedule, but your Tour Director is always there with recommendations, and sometimes, you’ve even made connections on the bus and have new friends to join in with on things.
We had groups that didn’t know each other on day 1 going for supper together by day 3.
That evening we took a cruise of New York, Manhattan, and New Jersey.
This is something I also highly recommend, especially in the evening. A group did it in the morning and enjoyed it, but seeing the city lights at night and all the bridges lit up was beautiful.
We even got close to Lady Liberty!
Following the cruise, we used the metro to head back to Times Square for some walking and shopping. Again, the city is just astonishing at night time, and the people really are quite friendly.
The city was not at full tourist capacity, so it wasn’t shoulder-to-shoulder foot traffic, and having the freedom to explore the city yourself really gives you confidence as a traveler that you didn’t know you had. Using maps and street signs to find your own way can sound intimidating, but confidence really is a lot of fake it until you make it (while doing ample research beforehand, of course).
We checked out the Hershey Store and some other local shops before heading back to the hotel for the night.
Day 5: Farewell, Big Apple
On our last morning in New York, the view did not disappoint on our walk for coffee. The sunshine mixed with crisp November air filling my lungs, and the stillness of the city that still hadn’t woken up (this was 7 am) was a cherished moment, and I’m so glad I got this picture.
In a city that is so busy with the hustle and bustle of daily life and tourists coming in every day, it was nice to see that even the city that never sleeps has quiet time.
We boarded the bus to Portsmouth. When we stopped for the evening, we joined some fellow travelers for dinner at Olive Garden. We even shared a cab and headed for Target to do some shopping.
Making friends as adults can be hard, but when you’re in a foreign city with people you’re traveling with, it forces you out of your comfort zone, and I think that’s why so many people lean towards group travel. Sometimes, the hardest part about making new friends is finding something in common or to connect over. But with group travel, you already have something in common… your destination!
Day 6: Home again, home again
Our last driving day. By this point, everyone was a little bit tired after a few busy days in the city, but Merv continued to keep us busy with games, including our infamous horse races.
Now, this was my first time playing the game but betting on paper cups really is a crowd-pleaser. It can get quite competitive, and folks love it for that reason! We stopped at a duty-free shop (and were the only ones there which was a nice surprise), and then we were across the border in less than 10 minutes. Quick and easy! We were back on Canadian soil and headed home. A late night for many, but our stop at Aulac was filled with hugs and goodbyes, and this continued right until Charlottetown.
Everyone was excited to get home, but it was bittersweet as you had just spent six days with the same people and had gotten to know them.
Working in the business vs. experiencing the business are two very different things, and I’ve had the opportunity to do both. I love that I have a job now where I can do both. The people we take on these adventures are why we are in this business in the first place. Traveling is great, yes, but getting to meet new people and make THEIR dreams come true really is its own dream come true (cliché, but when you’re passionate about your job, it’s true).
If you’re someone who isn’t sure about group travel or can’t commit to a long-haul trip (over six days), I would highly recommend New York as your first taste of travel. A mix of planned activities, as well as free time in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, is a no-brainer.
All you have to do is show up ready to have fun!
