Homes of the Presidents ~ Washington, DC & Charlottesville, VA

Estimated Tour Pricing Inclusions: 3 nights’ accommodation; 3 breakfasts; 1 lunch; 3 dinners; admissions, entrance, and guide fees as stated in the itinerary, including taxes, and gratuity, except gratuity for guide is not included on adult tours unless otherwise requested.

• George Washington's Mount Vernon
• Old Town Alexandria
• White House Visitor Center
• The Woodrow Wilson House
• National Portrait Gallery and tour the Hall of Presidents' Official Portraits
• Lincoln's Cottage
• Illuminated Monument and Memorial Touring
• Montpelier - the home of James and Dolley Madison
• Thomas Jefferson's Monticello
• Arlington National Cemetery

• Arrive in Washington, DC, and stop to visit George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate where he escaped the rigors of public office and enjoyed the life of a successful Virginia planter.  America’s most visited historic house, Mount Vernon sits on a grassy, shaded slope overlooking the Potomac River, and where he spent his final days. Many of the home’s furnishings are original pieces acquired by Washington himself. Mount Vernon is both George Washington’s home and final resting-place. This Southern plantation standing on the banks of the Potomac River details the life of the, “Father of Our Country” while providing fascinating insights into Colonial times. Be sure to visit Grist Mill while exploring the massive estate.
• Depart for Old Town Alexandria and enjoy a tour of this historic town with its cobblestone streets. See Christ Church, where both George Washington and General Robert E. Lee attended church services as well as Robert E. Lee’s boyhood home, and the George Washington Masonic National Memorial.
• Enjoy included dinner at historic Gadsby’s Tavern.  Gadsby's Tavern Museum consists of two buildings, a ca. 1785 tavern and the 1792 City Hotel. The buildings are named for Englishman John Gadsby who operated them from 1796 to 1808. Mr. Gadsby's establishment was a center of political, business, and social life in early Alexandria. The tavern was the setting for dancing assemblies, theatrical and musical performances, and meetings of local organizations. George Washington enjoyed the hospitality provided by tavernkeepers and twice attended the annual Birthnight Ball held in his honor. Other prominent patrons included John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, and the Marquis de Lafayette.
• Check in to your local hotel.

• Enjoy breakfast at the hotel this morning.
• Tour the White House Visitor Center, where you can experience an interactive touchscreen tour of the White House, view over 90 artifacts from the White House collection, shop at the White House Historical Association retail store, and view the 14 minute film, "White House: Reflections From Within."
• Stop for a White House photo opportunity.
• Drive by the Octagon House, former home of James Madison.
• Tour The Woodrow Wilson House,  residence of the Twenty-Eighth President of the United States, and where Woodrow Wilson, after he left office, spent his final days.
• Enjoy lunch on own at the National Portrait Gallery and tour The Hall of Presidents Official Portraits.
• Tour Lincoln’s Cottage. Located on a picturesque hilltop in Washington, DC,  President Lincoln's Cottage is the most significant historic site directly associated with Lincoln's presidency aside from the White House.
• Enjoy an included dinner this evening at a local favorite restaurant.
• Take a relaxing Illuminated Monument Driving Tour.  Washington’s impressive during the day - absolutely stunning at night!  Stop and walkthrough the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for a spectacular view of the city from the terrace, and see the famous bronze bust of John F Kennedy in the grand foyer.  Drive by other Memorials and Monuments to include: the Marine Corps. Memorial, (Iwo Jima Statue) and the Air Force Memorial.
• Return to the hotel.

• Enjoy breakfast at the hotel this morning.
• Visit and tour Montpelier, the home of James and Dolley Madison. The new Visitor’s Center and Museum Galleries at Montpelier displays how Montpelier looked during the ownership of the wealthy Du Pont family before the restoration began.
• Enjoy a buffet lunch at historic Michie Tavern where costumed wait-staff serve hearty Colonial period fare in this 200-year old converted log house.
• Visit Monticello the mountain-top estate of Thomas Jefferson. The Visitor Center includes a wonderful film, galleries, gift shop, café, courtyard, and more.
• Stop by for a photo at the University of Virginia, designed by Thomas Jefferson. He patterned the Rotunda in his original “Academical Village” after the Roman Pantheon, and it is still the focal point of the grounds.
• Enjoy dinner this evening at a favorite local restaurant before returning to your hotel.

• Enjoy breakfast at the hotel this morning before checking out.
• Enjoy a Presidential Monuments and Memorials Tour.  Visit the Jefferson Memorial, the new Eisenhower Memorial, the FDR Memorial, and the Lincoln Memorial.
• Enjoy lunch on own while touring.
• Visit Arlington National Cemetery where guests can visit the John F. Kennedy grave-site along with the Tomb of the Unknowns, and see the Changing of the Guard, along with numerous other monuments and memorials located on America’s most sacred square mile.
• Depart for home.