Northeast

Groups eager to get outdoors and enjoy the splendors of Mother Nature will discover a panoply of scenic eye-poppers and invigorating activities in America’s diverse Mid-Atlantic region. From the beaches of coastal Delaware to the Adirondack Mountains of New York, fun-filled adventures await your travelers. Places like Allegheny National Forest in northwestern Pennsylvania and the mountains of western Maryland beckon those seeking to escape the urban frenzy, but plenty of natural beauty and recreational opportunities also can be found in the countryside right outside of Washington, D.C.

Aside from its natural allures, the region offers an abundance of historical sights and cultural treasures. The District of Columbia contains hundreds of monuments and museums, while groups in Philadelphia will be enthralled as they tour Independence Hall, a hallowed shrine where the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution were framed. Planners looking to include a show in their itinerary have a number of solid choices, from well-established Pennsylvania dinner theaters to lavish Disney musicals on Broadway.

Benjamin Franklin Parkway

Photo courtesy of Ocean City CVB

Ocean City, MD

Photo courtesy of Meet AC

Atlantic City, NJ Statue of Liberty

MARYLAND

Ocean City is your getaway Atlantic Ocean destination. With free, wide clean beaches and an expansive three-mile boardwalk, your group will have plenty of room to span out and enjoy. Whether it is enjoying a beach day in early spring or feeling the fall air beside the ocean, any season is beach season in Ocean City. Known for the local wild ponies of nearby Assateague Island, Ocean City is your headquarters for mid-Atlantic touring. >> www.ococean.com

NEW JERSEY

For casino action, beach fun and nightlife on the East Coast, no place compares to Atlantic City, New Jersey. The iconic Boardwalk runs more than five miles in length and invites visitors to stroll, bicycle or be pushed in an only-in-AtlanticCity rolling chair. An array of shopping options can be found along the Boardwalk, in the casinohotels and at Tanger Outlets The Walk, a 15-cityblock dining and retail outlet. Sightseeing and dolphin-watching cruises also enhance group itineraries. >> www.touratlanticcity.com

Only 4.7 miles from Manhattan with spectacular views of the New York City skyline, Hudson County offers direct ferry service to the Statue of Liberty and over 35 top quality hotels. Visitors can reach New York City in minutes by ferry, train, bus or car and can easily visit the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and the Liberty Science Center (the largest planetarium in the Western Hemisphere). Liberty State Park has 1,200 green acres of park directly across from New York City. >> visithudson.org

NEW YORK

Dubbed “The World’s Most Famous Arena,” Madison Square Garden is the perfect location to watch a concert or sporting event during your visit to New York City. In addition to being the home venue for the New York Knicks NBA team and the New York Rangers NHL team, Madison Square Garden welcomes musicians in multiple genres, wrestling matches and private events. If you’re visiting New York during the holiday season, book tickets for the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall. Starring the world-famous Rockettes, this production will lift your spirits with hundreds of dancers and choregraphed routines to classic Christmas songs. >> msg.com

Embark on a leisurely excursion through New York’s Catskill Mountains on the historic Delaware & Ulster Railroad. Round trips are 24 miles between Arkville and Roxbury and take approximately two hours to complete. Themed experiences include the Great Train Robbery (which includes a dramatic shootout between a team of deputies and the Catskills Bushwackers and a Western-style barbecue) and Twilight on the Rails (an evening of live blues music aboard the train). >> durr.org

PENNSYLVANIA

The Keystone State features dramatic state parks, bustling cities and engaging historic sites to explore on your next group visit. The city of Philadelphia traces its origins to the 17th century and is home to popular attractions like the Liberty Bell,

Photo courtesy of Madison Square Garden

Radio City Christmas Spectacular

Photo courtesy of Delaware & Ulster Railroad

Delaware & Ulster Railroad Mount Vernon

NORTHEAST

Independence Hall and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where Sylvester Stallone made his famous Rocky pose. Groups can also tour and enjoy a meal at Reading Terminal Market, a former train station that houses hundreds of stalls that sell everything from Amish donuts to spicy stir fry. Continue west to Lancaster county to learn about the Mennonite community and embark on a buggy ride.

VIRGINIA

Groups touring the Washington, D.C. area often make their base of operation in northern Virginia’s Fairfax County, which offers more than 100 hotels for every budget. Besides lots of shopping, dining and outdoor recreational opportunities, there’s a long list of attractions, including George Washington’s Mount Vernon and the brand-new National Museum of the U.S. Army. Turning Point Suffragist Memorial features 19 informational stops and a section of the White House fence where activists picketed. >> fxva.com

Step back into the 1700s at Colonial Williamsburg, America’s largest living history museum. Costumed interpreters portray real people who lived in Virginia’s colonial capital, including George Washington, Patrick Henry and lesser known figures like Aggy, a slave fighting for her family’s freedom. Live outdoor theater experiences re-create the struggle for American independence, pioneer crafts are demonstrated, and world-class indoor museums feature American folk art and decorative arts. Colonial-style fare is served in several tavern restaurants on the 301acre grounds. >> colonialwilliamsburg.org

Newport News, on the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, is packed with things to see and do. Virginia Living Museum, which explores the state’s natural heritage, is part zoo, nature park, aquarium, botanical garden, planetarium and science center. The Mariners’ Museum and Park is all about ships and the sea; its USS Monitor Center brings to life a famous Civil War maritime battle. Huntington Park, overlooking the James River, is home to the Virginia War Museum, a rose garden and a beach. >> newport-news.org

Jamestown Settlement and the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, open yearround and adapted for safety, present the story of America’s 17th- and 18th-century beginnings through expansive gallery exhibits, dynamic films and immersive experiences in outdoor recreations of a Paspahegh town, three 1607 ships, a 1610-14 fort, Continental Army encampment and Revolution-era farm. >> historyisfun.org

Photo courtesy of Visit Williamsburg

Colonial Williamsburg Newport News

Virginia Beach, at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, is a great place for getting in touch with nature, relaxing at the beach and walking along the festive seaside boardwalk. Active groups will want to go hiking, biking or kayaking at First Landing State Park. Manmade attractions include the Military Aviation Museum, Old Cape Henry Lighthouse, and Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, which is home to Komodo dragons, sea turtles, crocodiles and 350 other species. Whale- and dolphin-watching cruises are also big. >> visitvirginiabeach.com

With 144 miles of shoreline along the Chesapeake Bay, Atlantic Ocean and several rivers, Norfolk offers countless waterfront activities for groups of all interests. Enjoy a craft cocktail at a downtown bar, embark on a sunset cruise or be energized by a worldclass art scene. Popular attractions include the Battleship Wisconsin, delicious seafood eateries along sandy beaches and the Barry Art Museum at Old Dominion University. >> visitnorfolk.com

Photo courtesy of Jamestown Settlement

Jamestown Settlement

Photo courtesy of Visit Virginia Beach

Virginia Beach Norfolk