Today we will arrive in the Washington, D.C. metro area, and the remainder of the day will be spent at leisure. Tonight we will enjoy a welcome dinner together. Overnight Washington, D.C. Area. Hilton Garden Inn or similar. D.

This morning, after breakfast, we will the Lincoln Memorial before making our way to D.C.’s World War II Memorial, dedicated to Americans who served during the Second World War and containing 56 pillars which represent the U.S. states and territories. We visit the Washington Monument, taking time for a group photo, before moving on to the White House (exterior views only), the home of the U.S. President since John Adams took up residence there in 1800. Then we will make our way to the nearby World War I Memorial, where we will see sculptor Sabin Howard’s impressive work, A Soldier’s Journey. In the afternoon, we will visit Ford’s Theater, where Abraham Lincoln was shot, and the nearby Petersen House, where he died. We will enjoy a night tour of Washington, D.C., to include the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and the Korean War Veterans Memorial. Overnight Washington, D.C. Area. Hilton Garden Inn or similar. B, D.

Today we visit the U.S. Capitol Building, enjoying time at the Visitor’s Center, the Crypt, the Rotunda, and the National Statuary Hall. We visit the Library of Congress and U.S. Supreme Court Building (external views only). We explore the area of the Tidal Basin, a reservoir between the Potomac River and the Washington Channel which each spring serves as the focal point of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. We visit the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial which commemorates both FDR and the era of American history during which he was president, the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial, and the Jefferson Memorial. We will also visit the National Archives, the home of the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights. Overnight Washington, D.C. Area. Hilton Garden Inn or similar. B, D.

This morning we will leave Washington, D.C. and drive to Mount Vernon, where we will visit the former estate of George Washington. We will tour the mansion and the grounds, and will stop for a lunch break at the food court. We will then return to D.C., where we will visit the International Spy Museum, which is dedicated to the history and contemporary role of espionage. Overnight Washington, D.C. Area. Hilton Garden Inn or similar. B, D.

This morning we will visit the Museum of the Bible, where we will learn about the Bible’s contents, history, and impact on humanity. In the afternoon we will visit the Smithsonian National Zoological Park, one of the oldest zoos in the United States, featuing Asian elephans, Sumatran tigers, and much more. Overnight Washington, D.C. Area. Hilton Garden Inn or similar. B, D.

This morning we will visit the National Air and Space Museum, which is dedicated to human flight and space exploration. If time allows, we will also visit another of the Smithsonian Museums. Then we will visit Arlington National Cemetery, a military cemetery where dead from America’s wars and conflicts, beginning with the Civil War, are buried. We visit the gravesites of John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy, where an “eternal flame” burns. We visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and witness the Changing of the Guard. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a monument dedicated to U.S. service members who have perished and whose remains have not been identified. The changing of the guard takes place every half hour. We will visit the Arlington House, which was built between 1802 and 1818, with the original intention that it would serve as both the home of George Washington Parke Custis and a memorial to Custis’ adoptive grandfather, George Washington. Custis’ daughter married Robert E. Lee in the house in 1831, and later would be owned by Robert E. Lee, and is now a memorial to him. We will stop for a photo at the Marine Corps War Memorial, which honors members of the United States Marines who have given their lives for their country since 1775. The statue here depicts the raising of the American flag on Iwo Jima. From this memorial we enjoy also a panoramic view of the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, and the Capitol building. Tonight we will enjoy a farewell dinner together. Overnight Washington, D.C. Area. Hilton Garden Inn or similar. B, D.

Today we will make our way to the airport, and begin our journey home. If your flight schedule permits, breakfast is included today.