Day 1 You'll See:
Day 2 You'll See:
Day 3 You'll See:
- White House Area Walking Tour
- Ford's Theatre and Peterson House
- Smithsonian Museums on the National Mall
Day 4 You'll See:
Depart for Philadelphia - 2.5 Hours
Depart for NYC - 2 Hours
Day 5 You'll See:
Day 6 You'll See:
Are you ready for this fantastic 6-day tour of Washington D.C, Philadelphia, and New York City?? You will truly be seeing all of the most iconic American landmarks, from our nation's capitol White House to Philadelphia's Liberty Bell, to New York City's Statue of Liberty!
1
Pentagon Memorial
Begin your visit to our nation’s capital with a stop at the somber, impressive, and overall truly moving Pentagon Memorial. This memorial is just southwest of the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, a permanent outdoor memorial dedicated to the 184 victims of the tragic September 11th attacks, people who were either in the building or on the American Airlines Flight 77. Walk through the sea of 184 granite covered benches, each engraved with the names of the victims. Learn all about the events of 9/11, the stories of the victims and heroes, the role of the Department of Defense and Pentagon, and the United States’ plan for preventing future attacks.
Arlington National Cemetery
More than 400,000 individuals found their last resting place among the iconic white headstones at Arlington including notable names such as Washington, D.C. city designer Captain Charles Pierre L’Enfant, Justice Thurgood Marshall, President Taft, and novelist Dashiell Hammett. Bus service and walking tours are available for interpretive, informational tours of the popular landmarks such as the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial, the Sept. 11 Memorial, and the gravesite of U.S. Army Gen. John J. Pershing. Visit President John F. Kennedy’s gravesite and see where the Eternal Flame burns at the head of his stone. See the changing of the guard at the famed and poignant Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and then visit the Arlington House (Robert E. Lee Memorial).
Monuments and Memorials Tour
This monumental tour includes the following major attractions throughout DC:
- The Washington Monument
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
- FDR Memorial
- World War II Memorial
- Jefferson Memorial
- Lincoln Memorial
- Korean War Memorial
- US Marine Corps War Memorial
- Vietnam Veterans Memorial
2
Library of Congress
There are 3 main buildings that make up the Library of Congress: The John Adams Building, James Madison Memorial Building, and the Thomas Jefferson Building. Within the Thomas Jefferson Building, you will find the exhibits, some popular ones including Exploring the Early Americas, Hope for America, and Mapping a Growing Nation: Independence to Statehood. You can take a free 1-hour guided tour of this building, or take topic-specific tours that range in subject from music and performing arts to history and culture. There are also special tours such as Shall Not be Denied: Women Fight for the Vote and Exploring the Early Americas.
Capitol Hill Tour
Tours of the Capitol Building are available Monday through Saturday and explore everything from the Crypt and Rotunda to the National Statuary Hall, beginning and ending at the Visitors Center which is in itself a masterpiece. Standing at three-quarters the size of the Capitol Building, the Visitors Center was built underground so as not to detract from the majestic, classic beauty of the Capitol. There you will find exhibits and galleries featuring collections of artifacts and art, two theaters showing orientation films, gift shops, and food service areas. Visit Capitol Hill and see policy in action. Guide yourself through the grounds or let your group be led through the Capitol Building for a more in-depth look at the U.S. Congress.
Mount Vernon
Experience life the way George and Martha Washington did on the estate with living history character representations, exploration programs, and presentations. See the working blacksmith shop where they would have made horseshoes, tools, and more for the farm or explore the six-acre gardens designed by George Washington. Animals still live on the estate so be sure to visit the horses, mules, oxen, sheep, hogs, and more while you’re touring. Besides the mansion, you may also visit the tomb where George and Martha are buried, the Slave Memorial and Burial Ground, the Distillery and Gristmill where they made liquor and beer, and the Pioneer Farm where President Washington earned a reputation as a farmer and mule breeder.
Alexandra's Ghosts & Legends Lantern Tour
This entertaining tour will enlighten your group on various stories of local ghosts, local legends, and even more local folklore. Some of the stories involve unsolved mysteries or angry ghosts still out looking for revenge, others are captivating tales of romance and of horror. Enjoy walking the empty D.C. streets, the tour departing from the Ramsay H. Visitor Center each Friday through Sunday, 7:30 pm and 9 pm (be sure to arrive 5-10 minutes early). The departure point is just two blocks from the Potomac River if you get lost, and while any guest is allowed to partake in this night-time tour, keep in mind that the suggested age for this spooky walk is 9 and up.
Springtime at the Washington Monument framed by pink cherry blossoms. Washington, DC, United States.
3
White House Area Walking Tour
What better way to celebrate arriving in our nation’s capital than by viewing the White House, the home of our nation's President and First Family. One of the easiest ways to see the White House is with a walk-through tour. This is a self-guided public tour is regularly scheduled each Tuesday through Thursday from 7:30 am to 11:30, and to 1:30 on Fridays and Saturdays. During this tour you may move from room to room at your own pace, the entire tour probably taking anywhere from 20-45 minutes, depending on how much time you want to spend exploring all the presidential details.
Ford's Theatre and Peterson House
This fully restored and renovated landmark has been made to look as it did in Civil War-era Washington, D.C. with updated amenities and a history museum on the first floor. Displays include artifacts and items such as President Lincoln's coat, the Treasury Guard flag Booth tore in his escape from the President's box, and several of Booth's possessions. See the Deringer pistol Booth used to shoot the president, his diary, knife, and even pictures of his secret fiance, Lucy Hale, who was the daughter of a U.S. Senator. For tour groups, entry into the theater includes a presentation by the National Park Service rangers, a one-act play, access to the Petersen House across the street where President Lincoln died, and the Center for Education and Leadership, a museum focusing on the president and his assassination.
Smithsonian Museums on the National Mall
Your choice!
- National Museum of African American History and Culture
- Smithsonian National Museum of African Art
- Smithsonian American Art Museum
- Smithsonian National Museum of American History
- Smithsonian National Museum of the Am. Indian
- Smithsonian Arts and Industry Building
- Smithsonian Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
- Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
- Smithsonian Freer|Sackler
- Smithsonian Castle
4
Depart for Philadelphia - 2.5 Hours
Liberty Bell
Observe the bell through the glass with Independence Hall in the background, an unforgettable experience! Students will have the opportunity to view larger-than-life images and historical documents and discover the facts and myths about the bell. X-rays give visitors a glimpse of the inside of the cracked bell and her inner workings, while a history film shown in quiet alcoves of the Visitor Center traces how abolitionists, suffragists, and other groups adopted the bell as a symbol of freedom.
Independence Hall
Here you'll discover the history of the Declaration of Independence, see the room where it was argued and finally adopted and where the United States Constitution was signed into being. Your group will experience fascinating glimpses into the past through the reconstructed and restored interior, into the Governor's council chamber, the long hall, and the lovely Committee of Assembly chamber. Take part in ranger-led historical programs and tours throughout the park and Independence Hall for a deeper look into American history.
Eastern State Penitentiary
Your student group is sure to experience interesting sights while touring the facility. While here your group can participate in hands-on history demonstrations, interactive audio voice tours, and observing exhibits in the prison museums. There is a fun scavenger hunt that is also offered to students as part of the experience. Hands-on history tours involve group participation. They are offered in the regular season but can also be booked in the winter months. These demonstrations are shorter in length usually five minutes or less. One possible choice is for you to learn how to unlock an escape-proof iron cell door.
Philadelphia Night Skyline Pixabay Public Domain
Depart for NYC - 2 Hours
5
Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island
Your group can board a ferry in Battery Park in New York City or Liberty State Park, New Jersey, to get to Liberty Island. A security screening is required, as are tickets in advance to see the crown, pedestal, or indoor museum. The grounds tour is the most widely available tour, allowing your group to see Lady Liberty up-close as they tour the island as well as the nearby Ellis Island. Visiting the Statue of Liberty will give you patriotic chills as you glimpse back to America’s roots and feel the history of the nation forming around you. Learn about the start of the Land of the Free, as well as the history of the immigrants that used these islands as a gateway to freedom. Be sure to check out the Wall of Honor to see if you can find your own ancestors while you’re there!
National 9/11 Memorial and Museum
Once here your group will have the chance to see many different multimedia displays, archives, narratives, and a collection of monuments and authentic artifacts that not only cover the 9/11 attacks but the 1993 bombings as well. Hear the life stories of over 3,000 men and women that tell of loss, compassion, and recovery, as you pay tribute to those fallen in one of the biggest tragedies to ever hit the United States. Your group may choose to take a self-guided audio tour, a 60-minute guided museum tour, or a 45-minute guided memorial tour while here, and be sure you see the sobering "Survivor’s Stairs" before leaving.
Top of the Rock
You haven't seen New York until you've seen it from the Top of the Rock, one of the cities, and perhaps countries, greatest observation decks. This Rockefeller Center observatory is styled in an ocean-liner fashion, providing some of the most epic photo ops in the entire city. You will be able to catch 'sweeping, unobstructed views of both Central Park and Manhattan Midtown' here, a truly unmissable NYC experience
Broadway Play
Your student group will undoubtedly love an opportunity to see a Broadway Play during your New York City visit, and we would love to send them there! Enjoy a performance on the 'world's greatest stage'
1
Central Park
Central Park is as pivotal a landmark to New York City as the Empire State Building, being the first major landscaped public park in the country, established in 1843. Visit the rides and attractions at the Victorian Gardens Amusement Park and then head over to the Central Park Zoo or even the pool. The Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, Belvedere Castle, Wollman Rink, and more offer visitors a diversity of entertainment for every season. Play a game of volleyball or tennis on the courts, catch a concert or a play at the amphitheater, or take a custom or group tour of the park to learn more about the ecology, history, and design.
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Met is one of the largest museums in the world with two million square feet of galleries and exhibits. Permanent collections include works by Rembrandt, Albrecht Durer, Georgia O’Keeffe, El Greco, Renoir, and Winslow Homer. Five paintings by Vincent Van Gogh including his beautiful piece, Cypresses, three sketches by Leonardo da Vinci, and five paintings by Pablo Picasso are also on display for visitors. The Met is so large that the museum recommends having a touring plan before visiting, based on the theme and interest of your group, to see all that you desire.
Midtown Manhattan Tour
Join Real New York Tours for an unforgettable, true New Yorker experience with the 3-hour Midtown Manhattan Tour. This tour combines both walking and subway riding as a transport system, meaning before you embark on this journey be sure you have 3-4 subway rides on a MetroCard. Riding the subway with the tour guide will provide an immersive perspective of New York City, allowing you to get familiar and even comfortable with traveling like a real New Yorker.
Times Square
You can find everything you want, except perhaps peace and quiet, on the streets in and surrounding Times Square. This entertainment district runs the full gamut of amusements from live performances to Madame Tussaud’s wax museum, over a hundred restaurants, and countless shops. Take a tour of the area and possibly meet some Broadway actors after their performances, see the famed Coca-cola sign, Chevrolet clock, and explore the exhibits at the Discovery Times Square museum. See a show at The Orion or the Paramount Theatre, see where ABC’s Good Morning America is filmed at Times Square Studios, or check out the new exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art.
NEW YORK CITY - MAY 11: Times Square with tourists on May 11, 2013. Iconified as "The Crossroads of the World" it's the brightly illuminated hub of the Broadway Theater District.