Footsteps to Freedom

Estimated Tour Pricing Inclusions: 2 nights’ accommodation, 2 breakfasts, 2 dinners, admissions, entrance, and guide fees as stated in the itinerary, including taxes, and gratuity (excluding gratuity for guides and driver, unless requested).

Highlights Include:

• Guided City Tour
• Illuminated Monument Tour
• Tram Tour Tickets at Arlington National Cemetery
• Guided Tour of the US Capitol Building
• Smithsonian Museum(s)
• Monuments & Memorials Touring
• Illuminated Monument Touring (at night)
• United States Library of Congress
• Kennedy Center of the Performing Arts & the REACH Exhibit
• OPTIONAL Add-on Exploring available to include The International Spy Museum or the Museum of the Bible

Sample Itinerary: 

• Arrive in our Nation’s Capital and meet your Guide at Ben's Chili Bowl for an included lunch at the famous eatery.  Opened on August 22, 1958, Ben’s Chili Bowl began with owners Virginia and Ben Ali and is a celebration of DC’s African American history, culture, and character.
• Depart to explore the District with your Guide and see such sites as:
  • Stop at the White House for a Photo Opportunity.
  • See Black Lives Matter Plaza.
  • See the Willard Hotel, where Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote the finishing touches to his I Have A Dream speech.
  • Explore Freedom Plaza, a popular site for local events and political protests in Washington, DC. It is located along Pennsylvania Avenue, adjacent to Pershing Park and just a few blocks from the White House.
  • See the Martin Luther King, Jr. Library.
  • See the African American Civil War Memorial. At the center of a granite-paved plaza encircled on three sides by the Wall of Honor is the Spirit of Freedom sculpture. Unveiled on July 18, 1998, the sculpture stands ten feet tall and features uniformed black soldiers and a sailor poised to leave home. Women, children and elders on the cusp of the concave inner surface seek strength together.
  • See Howard University, one of the most prestigious, historically black universities in the country, Howard’s main campus is home to 256 acres of land across the District of Columbia and Maryland.
  • See the Thurgood Marshall Center, located in the historic Twelfth Street YMCA building, the former home of the first full-service YMCA for African Americans in the nation. It was designed by one of the nation's first African American architects, W. Sidney Pittman, son-in-law of Booker T. Washington and was built largely by African American artisans.
  • and more!
• After checking in to your DC Metro “home” for the next two nights, enjoy a Welcome Dinner at a local favorite restaurant.

• Enjoy breakfast at the hotel this morning.
• Depart to visit the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. The long-awaited memorial utilizes landscape elements to powerfully convey three fundamental and recurring themes of Dr. King's life: justice, democracy and hope. The memorial is a quiet and receptive space, yet at the same time, powerful and emotionally evocative, reflecting the spirit of the message Dr. King delivered and the role he played in society. The King Memorial is intended to be personally transformative for visitors, building a sense of commitment to the promise of positive change and active citizenship.
• Spend the rest of the day exploring the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), the newest museum on the National Mall opened September 24, 2016. The NMAAHC is a museum that seeks to understand American history through the lens of the African American experience. Experience this amazing museum as you travel through time and culture as you move throughout the massive building.
• Meet your DC Guide for a Half-Day of Guided Touring to include:
  • Stop at the World War I Memorial.
  • Visit the Vietnam War Memorial.
  • Visit the Korean War Memorial.
  • Stop at the FDR Memorial. 
  • Visit the Jefferson Memorial.
  • Stop at the Lincoln Monument where you'll be able to stand in the exact spot where Dr. King gave his "I Have A Dream" speech.
• Enjoy dinner included this evening at a popular downtown hot spot.
• Experience an Illuminated Monument Tour including a walk-through at the John F. Kennedy Performing Arts Center and exploring the new REACH Exhibit.

• Enjoy breakfast at the hotel this morning before checking out.
• Spend the morning discovering history at your choice of either:
  • The African American Tour at Arlington National Cemetery with Tram Tickets included, or
  • Tour Mount Vernon Estate and experience their Slavery Tour and see what life was like on the plantation.
• Drive along Embassy Row and see the National Cathedral, taller than the Washington Monument, and the sixth tallest church in the world.
• Depart for home.

• All of Day 3 as listed above, but instead of departing for home, your group will depart for Cambridge, Maryland.
• Upon arrival, enjoy a waterfront Crab Feast!
• Check in to your local accommodation to rest and digest.

• Enjoy breakfast at the hotel this morning.
• Spend the day exploring the Harriet Tubman Trail! The Tubman Byway is a Driving Tour winding for 125 miles through the beautiful landscapes and waterscapes of Maryland's Eastern Shore, then continues for 98 miles through Delaware before ending in Philadelphia. There are 45 amazing sites along The Byway you could stop or drive by.
  • Along the way, you will also enjoy a Boxed Lunch included.
• Enjoy a Farewell Dinner with your friends this evening before returning to the hotel for the night.
• Depart for home.

• Enjoy breakfast at the hotel this morning prior to checking out.
• Depart for home.