Highlights

Per Person Pricing:

Pricing begins at $1,209 Double in First Class Hotels

$1,435 Double at the Gaylord National Resort

Itinerary

Day By Day Itinerary

Day 1 – Washington, DC – VIP Pink Welcome Reception

Arrive in our Nation’s Capital and check into the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center for a five night stay. Visit the Exclusive VIP Pink Welcome Reception in Pose, the Gaylord’s glass enclosed rooftop event space offering amazing views of the Potomac River and National Harbor. Enjoy an included Pink Signature Cocktail, Hors D’oeuvres, and meet our “Pink Team” of entertainers including: Miss Sherry Cherry, Floyd the Fancy Flamingo, a “Cherry Picker” guitarist, and First Lady Helen Taft. Your evening is free to explore the many shops and entertainment options of the National Harbor. (Cocktail Reception)

Day 2 – Memorials – Monuments – Museums

After breakfast, meet your local guide for a full day of sightseeing. Visit the White House Visitor’s Center, The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, The Lincoln Memorial, The Korean War Veterans Memorial, and The National World War II Memorial. Enjoy lunch on own at the US Department of Agriculture South Building Cafeteria. The day also includes a driving tour of Embassy Row.

This afternoon tour Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens. The mansion is the former home of cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post and features one of the most amazing and comprehensive collections of eighteenth and nineteenth-century Russian Imperial art outside of Russia.

Dinner is included this evening at a local favorite in the District. Then enjoy an Illuminated Monument Tour of Washington’s grand buildings, memorials, and monuments. Impressive during the day – stunning at night!

Walk through The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for amazing city views from the terrace and the famous bronze bust of John F. Kennedy in the grand foyer. Drive by the Marine Corps Memorial (Iwo Jima Statue), The Air Force Memorial, The Washington Monument, and other memorials and monuments as time permits. (B, D)

Day 3 – Cherry Blossom Parade – National Portrait Gallery – Dinner Cruise

Following breakfast, it’s time for the 2021 National Cherry Blossom Parade which you will view from Premium-Preferred Grandstand Seating. The Cherry Blossom Festival marks the celebration of the original gift of the 3,000 cherry trees by the city of Tokyo to the people of Washington, DC in 1912. The celebration includes a massive parade, which navigates down Constitution Avenue from 7th Street towards the Tidal Basin where a queen of the festival is crowned. Along with the parade are several free concerts on the Mall, lantern lighting, dances, and races.

Visit the National Portrait Gallery and see the exhibit: “America’s Presidents,” the nation’s only complete collection of presidential portraits outside the White House. This exhibition lies at the heart of the Portrait Gallery’s mission to tell the American story through the individuals who have shaped it. Enjoy lunch on own in National Portrait Gallery Café or at one of many of the surrounding area restaurants in Penn Quarter.

Then enjoy an exclusive Pink Cherry Blossom Dinner Cruise! Sail down the Potomac River and enjoy beautiful views of the Tidal Basin from the glass-enclosed Bateaux & the outside deck. Indulge in an included pink signature cocktail, a delicious on-board meal, entertainment, and a keepsake photo!

Next, take a Guided Pink Stroll through the Japanese cherry trees the Tidal Basin and see the Jefferson Memorial, the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial and the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial. (B, D)

Day 4 – Artechouse DC – The National Mall Smithsonian Museums

Today, visit the amazing Artechouse DC, a first-of-its-kind innovative art space dedicated to showcasing experiential and immersive large-scale installations by artists who are forerunners of the new age in arts and technology. ARTECHOUSE celebrates spring and women in the arts and tech with the annual cherry blossom inspired seasonal exhibition in the nation’s capital. “In Peak Bloom” features interactive and immersive digital art installations inspired by the fragile beauty and ephemeral nature of the cherry blossom, reminding us of how precious and fleeting life is.

Then visit your choice of the Smithsonian Institution’s Museums. Enjoy lunch on own while at the Museums. Choose from the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Museum of American History, the National Air & Space Museum, and National Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of the American Indian or the National Gallery of Art.

Stop by and explore the newly completed memorial to Dwight D. Eisenhower, then enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. (B, D)

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President’s Home Option – same price

Day 4 – After a day of DC touring as above, group will depart for Charlottesville, VA for a two night stay. Dinner is included this evening at a local restaurant. (B, D) 

Day 5 – Monticello – Lunch at Michie Tavern – Highland  

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before departing for Monticello, the mountaintop home of Thomas Jefferson. The house is a remarkable integration of classical architecture and modern innovation designed by Jefferson and built on the mountain top where he had played as a boy. Visit the spectacular Gardens and Mulberry Row, the plantation “street” along which Monticello slaves lived and labored.

See Thomas Jefferson’s World, in the Carl and Hunter Smith Education Center a 14-minute introductory film that dramatically present Jefferson’s ideals and accomplishments and illustrate Monticello’s central importance to his life and work. You also visit the new Robert H. and Clarice Smith Gallery: The Words of Thomas Jefferson, an innovative exhibition in which quotations by and about Jefferson are projected in light.

Enjoy lunch included at Historic Michie Tavern, one of the oldest homesteads remaining in Virginia. Your visit also includes a tour of the Tavern which offers a glimpse of 18th-century life through the exhibit of handcrafted furnishings and artifacts.

This afternoon tour Highland, home to James Monroe, fifth President of the United States of America. The 1818 guesthouse showcases an outstanding collection of eighteenth and early nineteenth-century furnishings, the majority original to the Monroe family. Tonight, dinner is included at Wood Grill Buffet. (B, L, D)

Day 6 – Tuckahoe Plantation – Lewis Ginter Richmond – Virginia Beach

After breakfast, visit Tuckahoe Plantation, the boyhood home of Thomas Jefferson. It is considered by architectural historians to be among the finest early 18th century plantation homes in America. Built between 1730 and 1740, this unique Randolph family plantation home and its outbuildings have persisted through a rich American history. Almost three centuries have passed, and Tuckahoe still fits the description of southern hospitality.

Tour the beautiful Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens Richmond. Chosen by the Travel Channel as one of the “Best Botanical Gardens in the US,” you will enjoy beautiful gardens, while being immersed in science and history. With over 50 spectacular acres to tour, a visit to the Garden is a memorable experience for groups of all ages.

Travel to Virginia Beach this afternoon and check in to your oceanfront hotel for a three night stay. Enjoy a free evening at the Virginia Beach Boardwalk. Dinner on your own this evening. Visit King Neptune, a colossal 34-foot-high bronze statue that rises from the depths of the Atlantic Ocean at 31st Street & Atlantic Avenue, overlooking Neptune Park. (B)

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Or Stay in Washington Option – Same Price

Day 5 – Capitol Hill – Memorials – Smithsonian Museums

Enjoy breakfast then meet your guide for a tour of Capitol Hill. Start with a tour of The United States Capitol, the most recognized symbol of democratic government in the world, the U.S. Capitol has housed Congress since 1800 and is one of the most imposing public buildings in the world. The Capitol is where Congress meets to write the laws of our nation, and where presidents are inaugurated. Its ceilings are decorated with historic images, and its halls are lined with statuary and paintings representing great events and people in the nation’s history. Enjoy lunch on own at the Capitol Visitor Center Cafeteria.

You also visit the Library of Congress.  Established as an act of Congress is 1800, The Library of Congress is the largest national library in the world with more than 100 million items in three buildings. The original Library of Congress Building (now called the Thomas Jefferson Building) is perhaps Washington’s most richly ornamented building.

Tour The Supreme Court Building. Within the walls of this white marble monument the third branch of government exercises its mandate to protect and interpret the spirit of the Constitution. Visit your choice of either: The International Spy Museum or the Museum of the Bible.

Stop at the Air Force Memorial. The Memorial includes a bronze Honor Guard, inscription walls, and an open glass Chamber of Contemplation, all landscaped to create a memorial park and parade ground overlooking the nation’s capital.

Enjoy dinner included tonight at Texas Jack’s BBQ Restaurant. Texas Jack’s is a large rustic-modern hangout with a woodsy feel serving Lone Star–style ‘cue & unique sides. (B, D)

Day 6 – Museum of the Army – Museum of the Marine Corps – Virginia Beach

After breakfast, visit the NEW National Museum of the United States Army (located at Fort Belvoir). The Museum will celebrate over 240 years of Army history and honor our nation’s Soldiers – past, present, and future – regular Army, Army Reserves, and the Army National Guard.

Arrive at The National Museum of the Marine Corps, a lasting tribute to U.S. Marines–past, present, and future. Situated on a 135-acre site adjacent to Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, and under the command of Marine Corps University, the Museum’s soaring design evokes the image of the flag-raisers of Iwo Jima and beckons visitors to this 120,000-square-foot structure. World-class interactive exhibits using the most innovative technology surround you with irreplaceable artifacts and immerse them in the sights and sounds of Marines in action. Enjoy lunch on own at the museum.

Experience We, The Marines movie at the Medal of Honor Theatre. This action-packed, giant screen adventure will immerse audiences in the unparalleled experience of becoming and serving as a member of the U.S. Marine Corps. Narrated by Academy Award®-winning actor and Marine, Gene Hackman, the film follows the journey of Marines from boot camp to training, deployment and finally homecoming. With footage filmed at Marine Corps Bases across the nation, including Parris Island, Camp Pendleton, Camp Lejeune, Quantico and 29 Palms, it brings to life the often-intense experience of what it takes to serve as a Marine.

This afternoon travel to Virginia Beach, VA. On arrival, enjoy a Welcome Dinner at a local seafood restaurant. Then check into your oceanfront hotel for a three night stay.  Enjoy a free evening at the Virginia Beach Boardwalk. The Virginia Beach oceanfront boardwalk is nearly three miles long and ideal for strolling and biking. Visit King Neptune, a colossal 34-foot-high bronze statue that rises from the depths of the Atlantic Ocean at 31st Street & Atlantic Avenue, overlooking Neptune Park. (B, D)

Day 7 – Nauticus – MacArthur Memorial – Chrysler Museum of Art

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before touring Nauticus, The National Maritime Center, an exciting science and technology center exploring the power of the sea. This high-tech, virtual reality “museum” allows you to explore the rich life of the ocean realm, human uses of the sea through shipping and the role the port of Hampton Roads has played in world maritime affairs. Discover why the USS Wisconsin is truly the most unique battleship in the world. Experience the excitement and nostalgia of some of the world’s largest guns fired from the deck for the last time. Enjoy lunch on own while visiting Nauticus, the National Maritime Center.

Visit the Douglas MacArthur Memorial. An “army brat” with no hometown, the controversial war hero designated this navy town as the site for a monument for himself because it was his mother’s birthplace.

Then tour the Chrysler Museum of Art Norfolk, an esteemed museum with a broad collection of ancient to contemporary art, including glass & sculpture. The museum was founded in 1933 as the Norfolk Museum of Arts and Sciences. In 1971, automotive heir, Walter P. Chrysler Jr., donated most of his extensive collection to the museum. Enjoy dinner on your own this evening. (Meals: B)

Day 8 – Naval Base – Botanical Gardens – The International Tattoo

Today, tour the Norfolk Naval Station. This is homeport to more than 80 ships of the Atlantic Fleet, and the world’s largest naval installation. Narrated guided bus tours pass by Atlantic Fleet training centers, aircraft carriers, cruisers and destroyers, amphibious assault vessels and sleek submarines. A strip of preserved historic homes from the 1907 Jamestown Exposition is included on the 45-minute tour.

Next, take a tram tour of the Norfolk Botanical Gardens. This garden has one of the largest collections of azaleas, camellias, and rhododendrons on the East Coast. See the 155-acre garden with canal boats, trackless train tours, 12 miles of pathways, and special theme gardens.

Return to the hotel for a free afternoon to enjoy the hotel’s amenities, free time on the boardwalk or spend some time on the beach. Lunch and Dinner on own this afternoon.

This evening’s featured event is the 2021 International Tattoo at Scope Arena. Enjoy International Tattoo performances from your premium reserved seats. A spectacle of military splendor – part-parade, part-theater, and sometimes, part-circus. Tattoo features bands and military drill teams and more! (B)

Day 9 – Departure

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before departing for home. (B)

Note: This package is a co-operative venture between U S Tours and MARS.