NYC: Philadelphia, Washington DC & Amish Country 2-Day Tour

Philadelphia’s Liberty Bell, an Amish buggy ride, and Washington’s grand memorials make an ambitious two-day loop from New York. For $340, you get transport, a guide, one hotel night, breakfast, and a broad first look at three very different places.

I like that the tour pairs Philadelphia’s founding-era landmarks with the quieter farmland of Lancaster County, then turns to Washington’s monuments and government buildings. I also like having a guide handle the long drives and the city-to-city logistics, leaving you free to focus on the sights.

The trade-off is time: you cover a lot in two days, so stops can feel brief. The Amish buggy ride may be particularly short, and the Air and Space Museum is temporarily replaced by the Natural History Museum during renovation.

At a glance

• Liberty Bell and Constitution Hall: Visit central Philadelphia’s best-known landmarks, with time to see Elfreth’s Alley and the Rocky Steps as well.
• Amish country by buggy: The ride offers a glimpse of Lancaster County, but its length and depth can vary. One account described a ride of about five minutes around a farm driveway.
• Washington’s key sights: See the Capitol and White House, Arlington National Cemetery, and several major memorials.
• One night included: The package includes a hotel stay and breakfast, though the hotel may be outside central Washington.
• Price and pace: At $340, transport, guide, hotel, breakfast, admission fees, and the buggy ride are bundled. Meals beyond breakfast are not included.
• Museum change: The Air and Space Museum is temporarily closed for renovation; the tour visits the Natural History Museum instead.

From New York to Philadelphia’s founding landmarks

The tour begins at 6:30 AM outside the side entrance of the Port Authority Bus Terminal, on 42nd Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues. That early start buys you more sightseeing time, but it is worth planning for a long day before you set off.

You travel through New Jersey and Pennsylvania to Philadelphia. The city visit starts in its historic center, with the Liberty Bell, Constitution Square, and Congress Hall. The Bell is a compact stop with an outsized place in American civic memory, and the surrounding sites help put the country’s founding into context.

You can expect a guided visit rather than an extended, self-directed stretch in one place. That is useful if you want the essentials without working out the route yourself, but it leaves less room to linger or explore nearby streets at your own pace.

Elfreth’s Alley offers a different scale of history. The narrow street is described as the oldest continuously inhabited street in America, and its close-set homes make a striking contrast with the public buildings and broad avenues elsewhere on the tour. It is a short stroll, not a full neighborhood visit.

The panoramic drive takes in the financial district, Benjamin Franklin Parkway, and Historic Philadelphia. This helps you connect the separate stops and see more of the city than you could cover on foot in a tight schedule. On the other hand, a view from the bus is not the same as time to wander, so keep expectations in line with a highlights tour.

Before leaving Philadelphia, you stop at the Rocky Steps. It is a familiar movie landmark, and a fun change of tone after the Liberty Bell and Congress Hall. Treat it as a quick photo stop rather than an invitation to spend a long stretch at the museum complex.

Lancaster County: a brief look at Amish life

After Philadelphia, the route continues to Lancaster County, home to Amish communities. The tour includes an Amish buggy ride and a marketplace visit where you can browse handmade crafts and other products.

The chance to travel by buggy is a clear change from the bus and city stops. The countryside and the pace of the ride can offer a small window into a way of life that differs sharply from modern urban routines. The tour also introduces the community’s choice to live without some forms of technology and central services.

Keep your expectations modest about how much you will learn or see. One account described the buggy ride as roughly five minutes around a farm driveway, with time to see animals but little contact with the wider community. Another described the Amish visit as a highlight, so the experience can land differently depending on what you expect and what the stop includes that day.

The marketplace gives you a chance to look at handmade goods after the ride. It is a practical stop if you want a souvenir or a quick browse, but it is not a substitute for a longer cultural visit. If Amish life is your main reason for booking, a dedicated Lancaster County tour would likely allow more time; this one gives you a sample within a much wider itinerary.

By late afternoon, you leave for Washington, with an evening arrival. That makes for a full first day, and you should be prepared to spend much of it on the move. The bus has free Wi-Fi when the vehicle is a bus rather than a van, which can help pass the longer stretches.

A Washington morning of memorials and government

The second day begins at the Thomas Jefferson Memorial beside the Tidal Basin, known for its Japanese cherry trees. The setting gives you a calmer opening before the day’s larger memorials and government sights. In spring, the trees are a seasonal draw, but the memorial is worth seeing for its own sake.

From there, the tour visits Arlington National Cemetery. The scheduled highlights include the Changing of the Guard and the Kennedy family gravesite. The cemetery is a solemn place, and it asks for a different kind of attention than the photo stops in Philadelphia. Stay alert to group instructions here: one party became separated from the group at Arlington, causing avoidable stress for several people.

Next comes Capitol Hill, where you see the U.S. Capitol and the White House. These stops give a quick visual introduction to the institutions at the center of American government. The tour is useful for first-time visitors who want to understand where these landmarks sit in the city, though the schedule is designed for seeing key exteriors rather than taking a deep look inside.

The museum stop currently goes to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. The Air and Space Museum is temporarily closed for renovation, and the Natural History Museum is the replacement. This is an important detail if aviation and space are the main attraction for you. The substitute is a major museum in its own right, but it is not the same visit, and the tour does not promise time to cover every gallery.

The day also includes the Lincoln, Korean War, and Vietnam Veterans memorials. Each offers a different way to reflect on national memory, and together they make a powerful close to the Washington sightseeing. The Lincoln Memorial is familiar from photographs, while the Korean and Vietnam memorials bring more personal and direct reminders of the costs of war. You will see several major sites in a short period, but you should not expect a leisurely visit at every one.

In the late afternoon, the group heads north for an evening arrival in New York. The return drive completes a demanding two-day loop, so this is not the trip to choose if you want relaxed mornings or long lunches between attractions.

What the $340 price covers

At $340 per person, the price bundles round-trip transportation, a live guide, sightseeing in Philadelphia and Washington, entry fees, the Amish buggy ride, one hotel night, hotel taxes, and breakfast. That can be good value if you want to see all three regions without arranging separate transport, lodging, and admissions yourself.

Meals are not included beyond breakfast. Plan for lunch and dinner costs, and remember that your schedule may limit the time available to choose where and what to eat. The hotel’s location also matters: although the overnight stay is part of the package, one past stay was described as being in Maryland, away from shops and central Washington. A cab was suggested for reaching more dining options. The exact hotel is not specified, so do not count on spending the evening in the heart of DC.

The bundled price is most compelling for a first visit, or for anyone with only a couple of days to spare. It is less compelling if you prefer to set your own pace, spend hours in museums, or focus on one region in depth. In that case, separate trips give you more control, though they require more planning.

Guides, comfort, and the brisk schedule

A strong guide can make a fast tour feel much easier to follow. Carlo has been praised for handling route changes when Philadelphia events threatened the schedule, while Nick O’Keeffe and Stefano have also been described as engaging, organized guides. These names are examples of guides who have led the trip, not a guarantee of who will lead your departure.

The guide can add useful context and keep a complex itinerary moving. The driver matters just as much on a route with long highway stretches. Past groups praised drivers including William, Mario, and Devon for being accommodating, safe, and efficient.

Comfort can vary by vehicle. One person reported an unpleasant smell near the bus bathroom, a reminder that a long ride is less pleasant if the vehicle has an issue. Free Wi-Fi is provided on buses, but not vans, so it is best treated as a possible convenience rather than a sure thing for every vehicle.

The pace is the main compromise. Some people found the schedule well balanced for the number of sights; others felt rushed. Both reactions make sense: Philadelphia, Amish country, Arlington, the National Mall, and the museums are too much for a slow, in-depth visit in two days. Think of this as a sampler that helps you decide what deserves a return visit.

Who should book this two-day trip

I’d consider this tour if you are staying in New York and want a guided overview of Philadelphia, Lancaster County, and Washington without handling the transport and hotel arrangements yourself. It suits first-time visitors, people with limited time, and anyone who likes a full schedule with a guide providing context along the way.

It may not suit you if you want to spend a half-day in one museum, explore the Amish community at length, or choose your own meal and sightseeing breaks. The short buggy ride and the museum substitution are especially worth weighing before booking. Check that the current museum arrangement matches your interests, and pack a passport or ID card as required.

The booking terms allow free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance, and you can reserve now and pay later. The tour is listed as wheelchair accessible, and live guides are available in Spanish, Chinese, English, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, and Portuguese.

FAQ

Where is the meeting point?

Meet outside the side entrance to the Port Authority Bus Terminal building on 42nd Street, between Eighth and Ninth Avenues. Departure is at 6:30 AM.

What is included in the $340 price?

The price includes round-trip transportation, a live guide, sightseeing tours in Philadelphia and Washington, entry fees, one hotel night, hotel taxes, breakfast, and the Amish buggy ride.

Are meals included?

Breakfast is included. Other meals are not.

Which museum does the tour visit in Washington?

The Air and Space Museum is temporarily closed for renovation. During that closure, the tour visits the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History instead.

What should I bring?

Bring a passport or ID card.

Is the tour available in languages other than English?

Yes. Live guides are available in Spanish, Chinese, English, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, and Portuguese.