Politics and More in Washington, D.C.

Upon arrival in Washington, D.C., you will be greeted by your local guide and transferred to your hotel. 

This evening you are invited to a welcome dinner, where you will meet fellow travelers and gain valuable information to enjoy your trip. Your guide is an expert on the area and will be with you for the duration of your tour the states itinerary.

Following dinner, you will embark on a pleasant and relaxing drive around the monuments at night. Beautifully lit, the monuments look just as good – if not better – at night. A night drive is a great introduction to the city and its history.

Today you will head to the U.S. Capitol building to get a firsthand glimpse of the history of Washington and learn about American legislative processes. The guided tour will explain how the branches of government operate. Each state donated two statues to fill the Capitol’s National Statuary Hall — see if you can find your state’s statues.

You will also visit the Library of Congress, the U.S. National Archives, and the Supreme Court.

In the afternoon, you will explore the Capitol Hill area and its many historical sites.  Capitol Hill is one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods and has many shops and restaurants on Barracks Row along 8th Street.

In the evening, you can talk politics over a brew at one of the many local bars.

Today you will explore Washington on a bicycle. Your guide will pedal with you as you view the main sites from your bike. The focus will be on the many monuments in the area including the iconic memorials dedicated to Vietnam, Lincoln, Martin Luther King and Jefferson. 

This evening you will be treated to a unique and fascinating tour focusing on a night that changed history, the Lincoln Assassination Tour. You will learn about the three-pronged attack designed to decapitate the U.S. government. Meet the characters significant to that evening, walk the streets where it happened, and see the buildings where this momentous drama played out many years ago. 

Following breakfast this morning, you will head to Alexandria and Mount Vernon. You will begin by exploring the streets of Old Town Alexandria, including visiting many historic buildings. Then you will travel to George Washington’s hometown and the Mount Vernon Estate.

Enjoy lunch on the lawn of the estate along the river where George Washinton grew up. The museum and education center offer an in-depth look at his life. 

This evening you may participate in an optional tour around the White House, one of America’s most haunted houses. This ghost tour will fill your mind with stories of ghosts, including Lincoln and others who have made their ghostly presence known over the years. In addition to the White House area, you will also visit Lafayette Square. The area, also known as Tragedy Square, is famous because of the multiple violent deaths in the area. You’ll hear stories of the murder of Philip Barton Key, Admiral Decatur’s Duel, Dolley Madison’s Haunted House, the many ghosts of the White House, and the haunted Hay Adams Hotel. It may a very exciting evening if the ghosts attend.

Today you will head to the Smithsonian, one of the most popular and largest museums in the United States. After an overview of the multiple exhibitions, you will have the day to explore areas of interest on your own including the areas devoted to aviation and space travel, Native American history, and technology.

This morning you will head to Arlington National Cemetery to witness the changing of the guard ceremony, visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and visit some of the other final resting places within the park. John F. Kennedy and William H. Taft are the only two presidents who rest in peace here. You will also find memorials that honor those who died on the Space Shuttle Challenger and Columbia.

In the afternoon, you will head to the National Cathedral and the National Zoo. Enjoy these two unique attractions before your trip home tomorrow.

You will begin your return trip home today. We hope you have enjoyed your journey through the capital of the United States.