Girdlestone Orthopaedic Society 2025 Annual Meeting

Fall Foliage Tour: Saturday, October 18-Monday, October 20, 2025      

Saturday, October 18th, 2025

9:00 AM: A private coach with a dedicated tour guide will take you through the scenic backroads of the North Shore. You will wind through the Cape Ann region and enjoy quintessential seaside towns such as Gloucester and Rockport, followed by Ipswich and Newburyport. We have designed a full day balanced with outdoor adventure, boutique shopping, and unique photo stops with a backdrop rich in culture and history.

After a full day of exploring, you will enjoy dinner on the waterfront in beautiful downtown Newburyport. Your private coach will continue to Portland, ME where you will check into your downtown hotel. If you still have energy, stroll around the diverse downtown Portland area and enjoy the nightlife!

Sunday, October 19th, 2025

After a relaxing breakfast on Sunday morning, join your tour guide for a historic walking tour of the working waterfront and downtown Portland. After your walk, you will be escorted to the bustling Ferry Terminal for a short ride to Peaks Island

Peaks Island is a sleepy, coastal island in the gorgeous Casco Bay, an inlet on the Gulf of Maine, and a true New England gem! You will have the opportunity to enjoy lunch on your own, stroll around the quaint town, or secure a golf cart or bike rental to explore more of this charming island. Return to Portland on the ferry that suits your timing!

For an additional cost, experience the daily routine of a Maine Lobsterman! This 90-minute excursion will take you out on Casco Bay to participate in the excitement of hauling up the lobster traps (or sit back and relax as you cruise near picturesque lighthouses, historic civil war forts, and the “Seal Rocks”). You’ll see how these tasty treats get from the bottom of the ocean to your dinner plate and learn about lobster habits, conservation efforts, and the difference between hard shells, shedders, shorts, culls, and keepers. Any lobsters caught can be purchased after the cruise for wholesale “boat” price, and you can take them across the pier to the Portland Lobster Company restaurant for the freshest lobster dinner anywhere.

Upon your return to downtown Portland in the afternoon, we will guide you back to the hotel where you will have time to unwind, refresh, and relax before a classic Maine lobster dinner. Dinner will be on the earlier side to provide more opportunities to explore Portland on your own in the evening.

Monday, October 20th, 2025

After breakfast on Monday morning, we will wind back toward Boston. Your tour guide will take you down the Maine coast with photo stops along the way to enjoy views of lighthouses and an easy lunch. You will be back in Boston by late afternoon to check into the Omni Parker House Hotel where you will join your colleagues for the meeting!

Pre-meeting Pricing: $3830/double, $2677/single

Add-On Activity: Lobster Boat Tour, $60/pp

Newport, Rhode Island: Friday, October 24-Sunday, October 26th, 2025    

Friday, October 24, 2025

Newport, RI offers the perfect blend of elegance and natural beauty! On Friday, you’ll be treated to lunch and a private tasting of some of the best oysters in the region at Matunuck Oyster Farm, followed by a visit to the opulent Gilded Age estates of America’s wealthiest families, including a tour of "The Breakers," owned by the Vanderbilts.

Late afternoon, you'll check into the Newport Harbor Island Resort, surrounded by picturesque Newport Harbor and Narragansett Bay. You'll have the evening to relax at the resort or explore Newport on your own.

Saturday, October 25, 2025

Saturday morning, you’ll have breakfast at your leisure, then your bus will arrive to take you to visit the International Tennis Hall of Fame, and you'll have time after to explore the sights and shops of downtown Newport and have lunch on your own. In the afternoon, you’ll take in the ocean breeze on a private schooner excursion through Narragansett Bay, and end the day with a group dinner on the scenic Newport waterfront.

Sunday, October 26, 2025

Your trip concludes with a leisurely Sunday morning breakfast at the hotel, and transportation back to Boston.

Post-Meeting Trip Pricing: $4200/double, $2705/single