Happy Holidays Bus Trip

by DIG-IT

Sit back… relax… leave the driving to us as we whisk you away December 3rd on a Happy Holidays Garden Bus Trip to Winterthur’s Yuletide Holidays and Longwood Gardens’ Longwood Christmas. Join DIG IT! Magazine on a jam-packed glittering day of decorated gardens and mansion and lots of holiday shopping. (There’s always room under the bus.)

Stop 1: At Winterthur Museum and Garden, experience a country estate Christmas as featured on Downton Abbey. We’ll have a one-hour guided tour of Henry Francis du Pont’s mansion with a glimpse into Christmas past and how he celebrated with friends and family.

Tour areas include the Court where the du Ponts viewed first-run films during holidays and, new this year, the Staff Sitting Room where staff entertained their own guests. A new Christmas tree celebrates the current exhibition, Costumes of Downton Abbey. View du Ponts’ holiday activities such as afternoon gift opening in the Marlboro Room, early evening caviar and cocktails, dinner in the dining room, midnight card games, and dancing—set against elaborate decorations and floral displays, which H. F. du Pont called “the Christmas Show.”

Have lunch on your own in Winterthur’s Garden Café, see the Costumes of Downton Abbey, with time to shop in Winterthur’s two stores.

Stop 2: At Longwood Gardens just minutes away, wander as you wish through indoor gardens, greenouses and living wall. Special bird-themed displays of Longwood Christmas include topiary swans and Christmas trees depicting The Ugly Duckling and The Goose that Laid the Golden Egg in the Exhibition Hall and 16,000 seasonal plants in the 4-acre Conservatory. Elegant trees (some 24-feet tall) sparkle with bird-inspired ornaments, while in the Peacock Masquerade Ball-inspired Music Room there’s an 18-foot rotating peacock-themed tree. And you can sing along to Longwood’s pipe organ of 10,010-pipes.

Grab a snack in the café and do some serious holiday shopping. Then outside, the extravaganza continues with over 500,000 lights on 124 trees and fountains that dance to holiday music under starry snowflakes. See an outdoor train display, Wildlife Tree and enjoy the 62-bell carillon in the Chimes Tower.

Join us for a holiday to remember!

What people are saying:
"Thank you for organizing and leading such a wonderful trip to Massachusetts." -John Diglio

"The planning of the trip was excellent. The pacing was perfect: there was exactly enough time to take in the beauty each location had to offer and they were different enough from each other to keep it interesting. Not only would I recommend this trip to my friends, I plan to both come on another one you'll offer soon and I also plan to return to the places to which you introduced me. Thank you for a lovely time, we all had a blast!" -Inge Pudell-Spatscheck

"I really enjoyed our trip over Tuesday and Wednesday! My head is spinning, and my mind is full of all the beautiful things that I saw and experienced during our tour. It was relaxing at the same time. You planned everything so well. Thank you for all that you do!" -Rosina van Strien

DATE: Wednesday, December 3. Bus leaves ShopRite, 178 Hanover Ave, Cedar Knolls, NJ at 8:30am SHARP and returns approximately 8:30-9pm.
COST: $77/person. Cost includes bus, garden admissions and guided tour
REGISTER: Click here for Registration Form.
QUESTIONS / INFO: mary@dig-itmag.com

Worried you won't catch the bus in time? Hotels on Rt. 10 near Ridgedale Ave, which intersects with Hanover Ave: The Parsippany Hilton, Hanover Marriott, Courtyard Hanover

No time to eat breakfast? ShopRite has a "patio diner" inside the store which opens at 7am and serves breakfast or just coffee.