East Coast Tour

Day 1

After arrival in Boston, you will meet your Joshua Expeditions tour director then transfer to the hotel for a brief orientation. Afterward, the group will take a walking tour of Back Bay where you will see a host of historical sites, including Trinity Church, Beacon Hill, Newbury Street, Bunker Hill, Faneuil Hall, and Harvard Square. The day will close with devotions and group discussion time to reflect on what you saw and learned throughout the day.

Day 2

This morning your group will follow the Freedom Trail and visit such locations as Old State House, Boston Commons, Old North Church, Old Granary Burying Ground, Tea Party Ship, Paul Revere House, and the U.S.S. Constitution. In the afternoon, you will travel to Lexington and Concord where you will visit Lexington Battle Green, Old North Bridge, Author’s Row, and Walden Pond. The group will head to New York City later in the day and close the evening with devotions at your hotel.

Day 3

This morning you will enjoy a walking tour of Midtown Manhattan and the surrounding neighborhoods, where you will see Rockefeller Center, 5th Avenue, and Radio City Music Hall. Following dinner, the group will set out on a night-time tour of Times Square, known as the "Crossroads of the World." Your day will conclude with devotions and discussion at the hotel.

Day 4

Your morning will begin with a ferry ride past the Statue of Liberty to Ellis Island, where you will learn about early immigration to the U.S. In the afternoon your group will take an urban hike to visit Wall Street, the New York Stock Exchange, Federal Hall, Trinity Church, Ground Zero, Little Italy, and Chinatown, and then you will have some free time after dinner for shopping and additional sightseeing on your own. (Your group may choose to include optional activities like a Broadway show or sporting event. Ask your JE coordinator about your options.) Devotions and group discussion at the hotel will round out the night.

Day 5

Your day will begin with a visit to the world famous Metropolitan Museum of Art to see the works of such artists as Picasso, Van Gogh, Rembrandt, and Georgia O'Keefe. In the afternoon, you will have free time to explore Central Park, a site that includes more than 640 acres of green space in the middle of New York City! There will also be time for shopping on world famous 5th Avenue or at Macy's Department Store. In the evening the group will head to the 86th floor of the Empire State Building where you can see as far as 80 miles on a clear day! Devotions and group discussion at the hotel will conclude the day.

Day 6

Today your group will participate in an exciting time of ministry in New York City, serving the hurting and sharing with them the Good News of Jesus Christ. After lunch, you will head back to the hotel to prepare for a night on Broadway! The group will attend a Broadway production like The Phantom of the Opera then enjoy dinner in the city after the show. This busy day will close with devotions at the hotel.

Day 7

Rising early, your group will head to Rockefeller Center in hopes of making an appearance on NBC's Today show! Later, you will transfer to Philadelphia and explore City Hall, Congress Hall, Franklin Court, and the Franklin Post Office before ending at Christ Church in the Old City area. You will also enjoy a visit to Betsy Ross House and Elfreth's Alley, as well as National Constitution Center, Independence National Historic Park, and Liberty Bell Center. The day will conclude at the Lights of Liberty show (available from late April through September).

Day 8

This morning your group will visit Franklin Institute Science Museum, known for its use of hands-on science techniques and demonstrations, and then you will travel to Fairmont Park, one of the largest parks in the nation. Later, a visit to the Philadelphia Museum of Art will allow an opportunity to do your best impersonation of Rocky as you can run to the top of the steps and stand in his footsteps. The day will close with dinner in the city then devotions at your hotel.

Day 9

Today your group will spend the morning at a local mission site where you will have the chance to help some of the less fortunate living in the Philadelphia area. During the afternoon you will visit the Independence Seaport Museum, which recounts the role that shipping and sailing played in the building of Philadelphia. The last stop for the day will be the Edgar Allen Poe National Historical Site, known as the house where Poe wrote many of his stories, including “The Tell-Tale Heart.” Dinner and devotions will round out the day.

Day 10

On this final day in Philly your group will head over to Eastern State Penitentiary, known as the first modern jail when it opened in 1829. Even Al Capone was held there for a time! After your tour, the group will head into the Italian market for lunch and take some time to shop and explore the area. In the afternoon, you will spend more time in ministry before heading to the airport for your flight back home.