In 1863, perhaps the most important battle of the Civil War took place on the hills of Gettysburg. The Union troops and the Confederate troops met for a three-day battle that was one of the bloodiest in America’s history.

At the end of the battle, the tide of the war started to turn for the Union. Though the battle took place from July 1-3, 1863, President Lincoln did not give his famous Gettysburg Address until November 19, 1863, during the dedication of Gettysburg National Cemetery for the Union troops killed in the battle.

Gettysburg is now located in Adams County, to the west of the English Quakers and Germans. Today, it is a hotspot for tourists who wish to come and visit re-enactments, or just see the humbling ground where over 51,000 Americans died. To get an idea of the magnitude of this, 58,000 U.S. troops died over 21 years in Vietnam. The Battle of Gettysburg took only three days.

Philadelphia is a delightful exercise in exploring the city’s many diverse districts, from the Old City where the Liberty Bell takes pride of place and the city centre filled with shopping malls and museums, to the Italian-flavoured South Philly.

On July 8, 1776, the Liberty Bell rang out from the tower of Independence Hall summoning citizens to hear the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence. Today the Hall stands proudly, revered as the birthplace of the American nation, in Independence National Historical Park, an eight-block historic neighborhood in the very centre of old Philadelphia. The Liberty Bell itself is on display here, in a pavilion in Market Street between 5th and 6th Street. Independence Hall on Chestnut Street was originally built as the Pennsylvania State House in 1732, but became famous after first the Declaration of Independence and later the Constitution of the United States was ratified here.

The rest of the 45-acre Independence Park is packed with historically significant buildings and museums, interpreting the events and lives of the movers and shakers involved in Philadelphia’s years as capital of the United States from 1790 to 1800, including George Washington and John Adams.

Washington, DC grew up along the banks of the Potoma River, in a central location chosen by George Washington to satisfy northern and southern interests. Using Paris as his inspiration, city designer Pierre Charles L’Enfant fashioned the capital city with grand boulevards and ceremonial spaces. Since that time, Washington, DC has evolved into a fascinating, lively world capital, known for its vast green centers, urban spaces, sweeping memorials and majestic neoclassical architecture.
The city’s most famous landmarks are clustered in and around the National Mall, spanning from the Lincoln Memorial to the US Capitol. Flanked by dozens of museums and memorials, this grassy space plays host to festivals, protests, gatherings and performances.

As you explore Washington, DC, we invite you to immerse yourself in the American experience that you can only find in Washington, DC. It’s here where you can see the original Declaration of Independence and US Constitution, marvel at the sight of the nation’s monuments and memorials, dine in a world-class restaurant and take in an acclaimed theatre production-all in the same day.