Celebrate America’s 250th Birthday, along with commemorating the sites of the restoration in 2026, with Kay Godfrey & Morris Murdock Escorted Tours! We invite you to join your favorite tour director, Kay Godfrey, and Morris Murdock Escorted Tours on a journey that goes back to our roots—both as a nation and a faith. This is the tour that started it all for us many years ago, and we’re thrilled to bring it back in celebration of America’s 250th birthday in Washington, D.C. It’s long been a favorite among our travelers—and this summer, we invite you to come and discover why!
Your Love and Testimony For the Prophet Will Never Be the Same!
Celebrate America’s 250th Birthday, along with commemorating the sites of the restoration in 2026, with Kay Godfrey & Morris Murdock Escorted Tours!
We invite you to join your favorite tour director, Kay Godfrey, and Morris Murdock Escorted Tours on a journey that goes back to our roots—both as a nation and a faith. This is the tour that started it all for us many years ago, and we’re thrilled to bring it back in celebration of America’s 250th birthday in Washington, D.C. It’s long been a favorite among our travelers—and this summer, we invite you to come and discover why!
Two Powerful Stories—One Unforgettable Tour. This incredible journey takes you through two defining time periods:
- The founding of the United States of America, and the Restoration of the Gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith
Highlights of this tour include:
- The Nauvoo Pageant
- Historic sites in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Gettysburg, and Boston
- A thrilling ride on the Maid of the Mist at Niagara Falls
- Attending the Nauvoo Temple
- Singing in the Kirtland Temple
- Sacred reflection in the Sacred Grove
…and so much more!
A Tour for All Ages and Stages
Travel in comfort aboard a deluxe motor coach, where you can relax, learn, and enjoy without the stress of planning or driving. Whether you’re a family, a couple, a group of friends, grandparents traveling with grandkids, or a solo adventurer—this tour offers something meaningful and memorable for everyone.
Come celebrate history, faith, and freedom—join us this summer!
*Please note that while the physical activity on this tour (walking distances) is not significant, the days are full of touring from breakfast to dinner time with “down-time” only in the evening.
Tour ID # 9226G11
To book this tour contact your favorite Morris Columbus Travel Advisor or the Group Tour Manager listed below:
Questions? Contact:
Sarah Wangsgard, Tour Manager
Tel: (801) 483-6473
Highlights
- Hosted by Kay Godfrey for the whole tour along with local guides
- 1 tour-bus experience for the whole tour!
- Licensed, insured, and bonded travel agency with 65 years of experience!! It matters who you travel with!
- Meals as outlined in the itinerary
Our adventure begins as we arrive in Washington, D. C. At the airport we will meet up with other tour members and board our motor coach, our home for the next 2 weeks while we make our way to our hotel.
This morning for those interested we will attend a local sacrament meeting. Afterwards we will return to the hotel to change our clothes and then we take a ride along the Virginia countryside to Mount Vernon, home and burial place of George Washington. The evening is free for you to enjoy Arlington or to maybe take the Metro back to the Mall area for some nighttime viewing of the monuments.
Today we will cross the bridge into the capitol city to tour the great monuments, we’ll see the White House and many other well-known sights. Your afternoon and evening is free to visit the National Archives, the National Art Gallery or any of the thrilling Smithsonian Institute buildings including the new Space Museum.
Today, we bid farewell to our Nation’s Capital and journey to Fort McHenry, the birthplace of our National Anthem. It was here that Francis Scott Key, inspired by the resilience of American forces during the War of 1812, penned the stirring words of The Star-Spangled Banner. We’ll take part in the moving morning flag ceremony before continuing northward into one of the most hallowed grounds in American history—Gettysburg.
At Gettysburg, we’ll have a powerful two-hour guided tour of the battlefield where the tide of the Civil War turned, and President Lincoln later delivered his iconic address. Walk the very fields where courage and sacrifice shaped the future of a nation.
That evening, we’ll wind down our day with a scenic ride to Lancaster, heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country, where a warm, authentic Amish dinner awaits.
This morning we will continue our journey to Philadelphia, the birthplace of American independence and our nation’s first capital. There, we’ll tour the historic Independence Hall—where the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were debated and adopted—and view the iconic Liberty Bell, a symbol of freedom recognized around the world.” This afternoon we will make our way to Danbury to overnight.
Historic New England, here we come! See the countryside come alive as we drive through Connecticut and Rhode Island. In history packed Boston, our Historian will share sites such as the famous SS Constitution (Old Ironsides) the oldest U.S. Naval ship in service. We’ll stroll the Freedom Trail and see the Old North Church and Paul Revere’s statue. You’ll want to browse the quaint shops and choose a restaurant for some Boston clam chowder and seafood. Next, we motor through the scenic, quiet New England countryside past Lexington and Concord, to our hotel for the night.
We depart this morning from Boston for Sharon, Vermont – birthplace of the Prophet Joseph Smith. We will pass some historical sites along the way. At Sharon, we will stop and enjoy the peaceful woods and grounds and go to the Visitor Center, which is located on the site of Joseph’s birth.
Today we’ll visit Fayette, the town where the Church was organized in 1830, and explore the Peter Whitmer Farm. After that, we’ll head to Macedon, just a short drive from the Hill Cumorah. We’ll wrap up the day with a group dinner this evening.
This morning we will spend time in the Sacred Grove and reflect on the special events that have taken place there. We will visit Joseph Smith Seniors home, the Hill Cumorah and the Grandin Printing complex where the first Book of Mormon was printed.
As we bid farewell to Palmyra, we travel to one of the Wonders of the World – the mighty Niagara Falls. Here we will have time to enjoy the sights and even take an optional boat ride behind the falls. After we leave the falls, we will get to then visit the Church’s first temple in Kirtland. Tonight we will also stop at the Isaac Morley Farm.
Today we leave Kirtland and transfer to the Cleveland airport for our flight to Kansas City to start the second half of the church history section of our tour. Upon arrival, we will go the LDS Visitors Center in Independence near the temple site in Jackson County. We will then make our way to the hotel for the evening.
We begin our day by traveling to Liberty to visit the jail where the Prophet Joseph spent several months while the Saints suffered severe persecution in Missouri. We will then travel to Far West to see the sight of the temple and discuss the historic events that occurred here before the Saints were forced to leave Missouri. Our next stop is Adam-Ondi Ahman to see where Adam and Eve lived after the Garden of Eden and then we’ll continue on our scenic drive to Nauvoo. Tonight we will get to see the British church history Pageant “Truth Will Prevail” (2026 schedule still pending).
Today we will truly discover the Nauvoo of the early Saints as you explore the restored buildings of Old Nauvoo. We’ll visit Joseph Smith’s Mansion House, Nauvoo House and Homestead, and other LDS sites like the Seventies Hall, Times and Seasons Office, and the Browning Gun and Blacksmith Shops. We’ll marvel at the Brigham Young, Wilford Woodruff and Heber C. Kimball homes, as well as the LDS Visitors’ Center and Gardens with the many statues honoring women. We will enjoy an incredible buffet dinner at the Nauvoo Restaurant and then enjoy the Joseph Smith Pageant.
Our day begins with an early morning opportunity to serve at the Nauvoo Temple (attendance at the Temple is optional). Afterwards we will head back to the hotel and change clothes. We will make our way to Carthage Jail and pay tribute to Joseph and Hyrum as we recount the martyrdom. After Carthage we will go and visit the stone quarry and Pioneer Cemetery. Tonight we will gather back together for dinner, then off to see the production of “Sunset By the Mississippi”. We will end the evening with a visit to the Trail of Hope.
As we say farewell to Nauvoo, we continue on to Hannibal, MO to enjoy a little Huckleberry Finn on the Mississippi River, including lunch on a Riverboat. We will finish our touring by heading to the St. Louis airport for our flights home.
- 1 tour-bus size experience for the whole tour
- Hotel accommodations in first class hotels or best available
- Morris Murdock escort Kay Godfrey and local guides to historical sites
- Meals as outlined in the itinerary: (B) Breakfast; (L) Lunch; (D) Dinner
- Flight from Cleveland to Kansas City
- Ground transportation via luxury air-conditioned motor coaches
- Tips for local sightseeing guides, hotels, and provided meals outlined in the itinerary
- All sightseeing and transfers as outlined in the itinerary
- Travel document package and study books
- Whisper headsets throughout the tour so you don't miss a thing!
- Air transportation from your hometown city to Washington DC/BWI Airport and -return from St Louis, MO.
- Transportation not scheduled in the itinerary
- Meals other than those specified
- Tipping for guide and bus driver
- Personal expenses (phone calls, beverages, etc.)
- Trip Cancellation insurance
About Kay Godfrey
Kay Godfrey is a period historian of the life of the prophet Joseph Smith.
He is a graduate of Brigham Young University. He holds degrees in Historic Archaeology and Anthropology as well as Law Enforcement and Justice Administration.
He has studied and researched the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith for over 45 years. He has done extensive “on-site” research in New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois and Missouri. He has spoken to the issue of the “Trials of the Prophet Joseph” at numerous symposiums in Nauvoo, Il. and Independence, Mo. He has edited books and videos for various authors on the historical accuracy of materials pertaining to Joseph Smith. Kay serves on numerous boards and foundations such as Ancient American Archaeology, Missouri Mormon Frontier Foundation, the Foundation for Indigenous Research and Mormonism and the Nauvoo, Illinois, and Topsfield, Massachusetts Historical Societies.
Kay lectures regularly to missionaries on the topic of modern-day restoration, most recently speaking to the missionaries and investigators of the New Hampshire Manchester, Oklahoma Tulsa and Portland Oregon Missions. He has conducted firesides from Calgary, Canada to Fort Smith, Arkansas.
He has authored a comprehensive four-part DVD presentation detailing the life of Joseph Smith. This history is entitled: “Following the Footsteps of Joseph”. Kay’s material has been requested by such institutions as Oberlin College Archives, (Oberlin, Ohio) to be filed with the Spaulding Manuscript documents, Brigham Young University, in celebration of the bi-centennial celebration of Joseph Smith’s birth, the Joseph Smith Memorial Site, (Sharon, Vermont) as a teaching tool for new missionary couples and the archives department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Kay has been conducting domestic Church History tours for Morris Murdock and Legacy Travel since 1990. He also takes groups to Israel and European (Apostle) destinations. He speaks Hebrew and can read Egyptian hieroglyphs. His wife, Debra speaks French. He has served in numerous ward and stake callings including the High Council of the Meridian South Stake, Meridian, Idaho.
Kay and his wife Debra recently served a mission to Sharon, Vermont, where they were involved in numerous historical preservation endeavors including having secured permission from Topsfield, MA, to have a monument erected in Pine Grove Cemetery as a tribute to five generations of the Topsfield Smiths.
Kay has been asked by LDS Media to present a series of 25 podcast on the history and life of Joseph Smith. This podcast cast is to enhance the continuing study of the Doctrine and Covenants and can be viewed at www.comefollowme2021.com or on YouTube, search Kay Godfrey Podcast.
Kay retired in 2012 after serving 35 years with the BSA. He retired as Director of Development/Finance, Support Services, and Public Relations for the Great Salt Lake Council, Boy Scouts of America. He and his wife, Debra, live in Kaysville, Utah, and are the parents of five children. Kay is dedicated to sharing his knowledge, research, and testimony with groups of all ages. If you would like to schedule Kay as a speaker or have questions regarding the Prophet Joseph Smith please contact him at footstepsofjoseph@gmail.com.
Pricing Information
Optional Pricing:
- Double – $3959.00 per person
- Triple – $3649.00 per person
- Quad – $3549.00 per person
- Single – $5259.00
Payment Information:
- Deposit of $250.00 pp due at time of booking
- A Cash Discount of $125.00 pp is offered for final payment by check or electronic bank transfer
- The final Payment is due May 22nd, 2026
- Program based on a minimum of 20 travelers. Surcharges may be assessed if the number is not met.
Please see our cancellation policy:
If a participant needs to cancel their reservation, written notice must be provided. Cancellations within seven calendar days of booking (if not past the final payment date) will receive a full refund, excluding airfares, which follow the airline’s policy. Cancellations after the seven-day grace period incur a 50% penalty on the deposit until the final payment date, and cancellations after the final payment date are non-refundable, including for unused portions of the tour.
