Our first stop after landing will be in Philadelphia. For those wanting the basic highlights, try the Hop-on-Hop-Off City Tour.
We'll be visiting Independence Hall and seeing the Liberty Bell. We have our tickets, click here to get yours for a $1 charge.
We'll go see the Liberty Bell. Admission is FREE. NO tickets are required. Entrance is on a first-come, first-served basis. Written information about the Liberty Bell is available in a dozen languages. Please ask a park ranger.
At the National Shrine of Saint Rita of Cascia, people from all walks of life find a place of peaceful retreat and hopeful encounter. Stop by and experience this special place for yourself.
We encourage you to make a pilgrimage to the Shrine of St. John Neumann and the Church of St. Peter the Apostle to spend some peaceful time in prayer and contemplation.
The cathedral church (Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul) is the principal church of the diocese. It is the largest brownstone structure in Philadelphia and the largest Catholic Church in Pennsylvania. We hope to make it to a Mass there.
Philadelphia is phamous phor its Cheesesteaks. Pat's King of Steaks was the originator. We'll be eating one somewhere in Philly.
Located in Doylestown, this is the site for the Congress. We plan to arrive a couple of days early and attend Sunday Mass here.
We'll have some free time before the Conference, and so will drive to nearby Warminster to visit this shrine to St. Gianna Molla
The Pine Valley Covered Bridge was completed in 1842 and is the second-oldest covered bridge in Bucks County. It crosses Pine Creek Run in New Britain Township. Nearby Covered Bridge Park is a popular recreation area. Peggy & I are staying at a nearby B&B
We'll have a number of meals at the Shrine, but before the Congress starts we'll try a local restaurant. Trip Advisor rates the Lobster Claw as the best seafood restaurant in Doylestown. Peggy loves lobster, and I'd like to try out a Lobster Roll.
Fonthill Castle was the home and showplace of Henry Mercer.
The castle serves as an early example of reinforced concrete architecture and features forty-four rooms, over two hundred windows and eighteen fireplaces.
A serious winery, Bishop Estate Vineyard and Winery is offering 18-21 kinds of wine and they are open every day! Visit our farm any day and enjoy a tasting of 6 wines and find out which wines are your favorites. Wine Tastings include 6 wines of your choice and a complimentary glass for $8.
The Moravian Pottery and Tile Works, a National Historic Landmark, is a non-profit working history museum operated by The TileWorks of Bucks County. Explore the decorative halls and historic workshops that lay throughout the grounds. Watch our craftsmen as they turn wild Bucks county clay into Mercer tiles. $10 for tour.
In 1850, the Parish was founded as Saint Mary’s Parish in Doylestown. In 1855, St. John Neumann broke ground for the first church. In 1875, the church was renamed in honor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
M-F Mass at 7am
Valley Forge is the location of the 1777-1778 winter encampment of the Continental Army under General George Washington. Here the Continental Army, a collection of disparate colonial militias supported by hundreds of camp followers and allies, emerged under Washington’s leadership as a cohesive and disciplined fighting force.
Featuring a diverse mix of over 400 stores, including Nordstrom, Macy's, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's, Lord & Taylor, and a collection of luxury retailers unsurpassed in the region, King of Prussia Mall is one of the most iconic malls in the nation. At King of Prussia, you'll find offerings for every taste
Quakertown Farmers Market has become a tradition in shopping. Offering more than 100 Unique Farmers Market Departments, 120 Indoor Flea Market Vendors, 450 Outdoor Flea Market Vendors, and a Garden Center.
The Farmers' Market is only open weekends, so check hours before going. If we make it, we might try out the Boova Haus Restaurant located there.
Post Conference, we'll head to New York. It's about a 2 hour drive, closer than I'll be for a while. There are various options as to what we might do in New York. We'll only have a day or so, might need to come back some time to hit all the highlights.
My first look at the Statue of Liberty, either from the Ferry or a Cruise/Tour. A number of our ancestors arrived as immigrants to America through Ellis Island.
Might visit Coney Island and have a Nathan's Hot Dog or and Egg Cream at Tom's Coney Island.
Lot's to see in NYC, but might like a carriage ride through Central Park
As a Catholic Faith Based Travel Agency, we prefer having a priest on board for cruises. The Stella Maris Chapel serves 8,000 Catholics who work aboard ships and in port, while being connected to the Apostleship of the Seas which provides priests for cruise ships.
St Lucy's is a century old baroque building built by Italian Immigrants. The church has statues of many saints and stained glass windows depicting different devotions. The St. Gerard's chapel was dedicated as a national shrine In 1977.
The Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral is the original Cathedral of the Archdiocese of New York. St. John Neumann was ordained a priest here. Two extraordinary parishioners are connected with St. Peter’s Church: Pierre Toussaint, who is being considered for canonization, and Mother Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first native-born American saint.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral is the Mother Church of the Archdiocese of New York and the seat of its Archbishop. Built by contributions large and small, it remains emblematic of the ascendance of religious freedom in the New World.
The St. Frances Cabrini Shrine houses the remains of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini in a peaceful chapel overlooking the banks of the Hudson River. The quiet neighborhood in northern Manhattan is easily accessible by mass transit.
Peggy and I had our first in-person meeting on the observation deck of the Carew Tower in Cincinnati. The Empire State Building might be a good substitute to re-enact that meeting.
Besides the more well-known Memorial Museum at Ground Zero, there is also the Catholic Memorial at nearby St. Peter's Church.
There are many Broadway plays to choose from, but we're more likely to pay a visit to the Actors' Chapel at St. Malachy's.
We'll be using the Baltimore Airport for our journey, and so will explore Washington on out last day. A bus tour of the monuments at night sounds interesting. This evening tour takes you on a scenic ride past the Capitol, the Washington Monument, the White House, the Lincoln Memorial, and other sites.
This patronal church is home to more than 80 chapels and oratories that honor the Mother of God and represent the peoples, cultures, and traditions that are the fabric of the Catholic faith and mosaic of our nation.
The Monastery here in Washington was built to serve those who could not physically travel to the Holy Land and includes replicas of many of the sites that the Franciscans oversee in the Holy Land.