Motown, Rock 'n' Roll & Niagara Falls

Kick your North American escape off with a flight to metropolitan Toronto, Canada’s largest city. Upon arrival, you’ll meet your tour manager before checking into your hotel for the first of two nights.

For a closer look at Toronto’s historic waterfront, join an optional guided tour, starting with a drive around the area's most impressive sights. After some time on the road, head to the docks for a cruise across Lake Ontario and through the city's inner harbour. Across this two-hour tour, you’ll enjoy panoramic views of famous city landmarks, including the imposing CN Tower, Sugar Beach, named after the neighbouring Redpath Sugar Refinery, and the Rogers Centre, home to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Back onshore, you’ll be free to head for the CN Tower, explore the city’s museums and galleries or take in the neo-Gothic opulence of Casa Loma, one of Toronto's most recognisable landmarks, or do some shopping at the Eaton Centre.

Board the coach, following the banks of Lake Ontario and crossing the US border into Detroit, the home of Motown. Known for its automotive industry, and as the birthplace of the Ford Motor Company, Detroit is commonly referred to as Motor City, and you’ll have the evening at leisure to familiarise yourself with its lively riverside district.

Today, enjoy the birthplace of Motown. Feel the soulful rhythm of the city with a visit to the world-renowned Hitsville USA, which propelled musical legends, from Marvin Gaye and Diana Ross and the Supremes to Michael Jackson and the Jackson Five, to stardom. This building, previously the record label’s original headquarters, now houses the Motown Museum, celebrating the ‘Sound of Young America’ from the 1960s. You’ll be escorted by a local guide who will reveal the stories behind the wide collection of artefacts, memorabilia, and original sheet music. You’ll also see Studio One, where some of the greatest jazz and blues performers of all time recorded.

This afternoon, embrace Detroit’s historic automotive industry on an optional tour. Nicknamed ‘Motor City’ largely due to the work of Henry Ford, Detroit was once considered the automobile capital of the world. You can celebrate inventive America with a visit to the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation. Officially the largest indoor-outdoor museum complex in the United States, the museum showcases the technological feats of America through the centuries. Marvel at its collection of culturally significant prototypes and memorabilia, from the presidential limousine of John F. Kennedy, and the Rosa Parks bus, to Thomas Edison’s laboratory.

Your musical pilgrimage will take you to Cleveland for a tour of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame. Set in an impressive glass pyramid and offering an insight into the development of one of the world’s most celebrated genres throughout the ages, this museum showcases the illustrious lives of the world’s most iconic rockers. Start by discovering the trailblazers that propelled the genre to global popularity, like Robert Johnson, the world’s first rockstar.

You can then perhaps catch a live performance on the Klipsch Stage before continuing to The Garage, which emulates a rock studio and the Hall of Fame where rockstars, from Bob Dylan and AC-DC to Johnny Cash and The Beatles, are displayed. The museum also pays ode to one of the best rock albums of all time, Pink Floyd’s The Wall, and the ‘Legends of Rock’ exhibit celebrates the genre’s far-reaching impact on wider modern culture.

Spend a few final hours in Cleveland with the morning at leisure in the city. Only a short walk from your hotel is Cleveland’s Museum of Illusions, which promises mind-bending exhibits, while the nearby House of Blues offers traditional American fare with regular rock ‘n’ roll and blues-themed live music performances. The Tower City Centre, a shopping mall housed in a 1920s building, is another worthwhile stop for some retail therapy and you can find breakfast at the delightful West Side Market with its diverse food vendors and grand vaulted ceilings.

After lunch, reboard your coach for the drive back across the border into Canada to Niagara Falls, where you’ll check into your next hotel.

Niagara Falls will be yours to explore, and you’ll have the entire day to make the most of its dramatic natural beauty. For the very best views of Niagara Falls, witness its majestic landscapes from above with an optional 10-minute helicopter ride over the white-water rapids below – the only way to fully appreciate Niagara’s stunning scenery! Every minute, 45,000,000 gallons of water crash over the knife-like lip of Niagara Falls, into the foaming waters below. Your 10-minute flight includes an excellent audio commentary and will take you up above the roaring Falls for an unforgettable view.

Back on land, consider soaking up unobstructed views of the falls with a ride on the Niagara SkyWheel or enjoy lunch from the vantage point of an overlooking restaurant. Be sure not to miss a walk along the Falls’ nearby walking trails or perhaps step aboard a Hornblower cruise for a sailing into the mist. For a unique perspective of the Falls, from behind the cascading waters, the Journey Behind the Falls offers two panoramic viewpoints – make sure to bring a raincoat, though! If you prefer an up-close view from ground level, a visit to the ever-popular Table Rock, a rocky promontory overlooking the Canadian Horseshoe Falls, is also an option.

Board the coach for the scenic final leg of your North American journey. You’ll travel along the magnificent Niagara Parkway, commonly known as the ‘prettiest Sunday afternoon drive in the world’, which follows its namesake river from Fort Erie to the rural town of Niagara-on-the-Lake. Famed for its original Victorian-era buildings and a wide variety of world-famous wineries, this delightful lakeside town promises a memorable final stop to your North American adventure. Explore at your own pace or perhaps find lunch one of the town’s traditional pubs or cafes.

Later this afternoon, continue to Toronto for your overnight flight back to the UK.

Arrive back in the UK this morning at the end of truly memorable musical journey.