Patriots of America, Philadelphia to Washington DC tour is an inspiring family journey along America’s road to freedom – including memorable visits to Gettysburg, the Amish country, Williamsburg, Mount Vernon and more! Stand where the American patriots who bravely signed the Declaration of Independence once stood in Independence Hall – and visit the new home of the Liberty Bell – in the City of Brotherly Love. Imagine getting along without your TV or computer as you watch the Amish people still living the plain and simple lives of their forbearers in Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Walk the battlefields where the tide of the Civil War turned at Gettysburg. You’ll say “Ooh-rah!” as you learn about the proud history of the Marine Corps, and what it means to be a “Leatherneck,” at the National Museum of the Marine Corps. Journey to Colonial Williamsburg for a two-night stay and dine at a Williamsburg tavern just as colonists in the 1700s did. Experience how George and Martha Washington’s family lived at Mount Vernon, see secrets of master spies revealed at the International Spy Museum, and be inspired by the nation's most famous monuments and sights during a Washington DC tour. Your family will never forget this special journey through America’s past!
Tour Itinerary
Day 1 – Welcome to Philadelphia, the “City of Brotherly Love”Tour begins: 5:00 PM at the Sheraton Society Hill. Welcome to Philadelphia! A transfer is included from Philadelphia International Airport to the Sheraton Society Hill. Join us this evening to meet your Director and fellow explorers on your family's Philadelphia to Washington DC tour at our welcome dinner aboard the Moshulu, a historic 1848 schooner-turned-restaurant on the city's waterfront.
Meals: Dinner
Lodging: Sheraton Society Hill, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Day 2 – Following in history's footsteps in Old Philadephia
A day of exploration in Philadelphia starts with a sightseeing tour of the old city including a horse-drawn carriage ride along cobblestone streets, seeing the Betsy Ross House. Stop at famous Independence Hall, where courageous delegates from the thirteen colonies put their lives on the line by signing the Declaration of Independence; where George Washington was named commander-in-chief of the Continental Army; where Betsy Ross’ design for the first flag was approved; and where the American Constitution was drafted – that’s a whole lot of history in just one building! Visit the new home of our symbol of freedom, the Liberty Bell, and learn all about the "blueprint" of American democracy at the Constitution Center. Spend the rest of the day checking out more of the "City of Brotherly Love" on your own.
Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: Sheraton Society Hill, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Day 3 – Amish country and the battlefields of Gettysburg
Today your family's Philadelphia to Washington DC tour takes you to rural Lancaster County, “the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country,” where the Amish people still live very much as their ancestors did without things like electricity, cars, computers and TV – necessities that we probably couldn’t live without! You may see them driving along the roads in their horse-drawn buggies or tending their fields with a plow pulled by a horse or a mule. The Amish are very private people, so please don’t take their pictures without their permission! Continue on to historic Gettysburg, site of the crucial battles that marked an important turning point in the Civil War and are often referred to as the “High Water Mark of the Confederacy." Poignant reminders of the Civil War are all around at Gettysburg National Military Park; you’ll find out what happened here from a local guide as you tour the battlefields where 93,000 Union troops stopped General Robert E. Lee’s 70,000 Confederate soldiers’ advance northward during three days of ferocious fighting in July of 1863.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Wyndham Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Day 4 – “Ooh-rah!” and “Semper Fi!”
Philadephia to Washington DC tour continues south across the Mason-Dixon Line to Triangle, Virginia, and the National Museum of the Marine Corps. Here, you’ll learn how boot camp transforms Marine recruits from just ordinary folks to Marines, honor the heroic feats of brave Marines in battles around the world, view priceless artifacts from the Corps’ proud history, and discover the significance of “Ooh-rah” and “Semper Fi!” (a Marine Corps rallying cry taken from the Corps’ motto, “Semper Fidelis,” which means “ever faithful”). Have lunch in historic Fredericksburg, then arrive in Colonial Williamsburg for a two-night stay. You'll dine tonight at a colonial tavern, just like Williamsburg citizens did in the 18th century.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: Williamsburg Lodge, Williamsburg, Virginia
Day 5 – Back in time in wonderful Colonial Williamsburg
Have you ever wondered what life was like when America was a brand-new nation? At Colonial Williamsburg, you’ll be able to see it for yourself. Explore colonial homes to see how families lived and visit colonial shops to discover what kinds of businesses and trades were thriving in the 1700s. You’ll meet 18th-century people going about their daily chores just as people did back then. Tonight, explore Williamsburg by the light of flickering gas lamps as you hear about the legends and lore of the Williamsburg of long ago.
Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: Williamsburg Lodge, Williamsburg, Virginia
Day 6 – A home fit for a president
After leaving Williamsburg this morning, you’ll head off to historic Mount Vernon. Set on the banks of the Potomac River, Mount Vernon was the awesome plantation home of “America’s first hero” and first president, George Washington. Walk in Washington's footsteps and discover what life was like for his family during your visit. Later, your Philadelphia to Washington DC tour arrives in the nation's capital, where a close-up look at the shadowy world of international intrigue awaits you at the International Spy Museum. Discover how talented spies have changed the course of history as you explore this cool interactive museum, the first stop on your two-day Washington DC tour.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: L’Enfant Plaza Hotel, Washington, DC
Day 7 – Monumental Washington, DC
You’ve seen pictures of them and you’ve read about them. Today, you’ll visit them – the Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial, and the United States Capital Building, and see other famous sights like the Washington Monument on a guided tour. Then, take a walk through America’s historic legacies as you explore the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian, affectionately known as "America's Attic." There will be free time this afternoon for you and your family to spend as you please in the nation's capital. Join us this evening at our farewell dinner, where you can swap favorite memories of your Philadelphia to Washington DC tour with your new friends.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: L’Enfant Plaza Hotel
Day 8 – Your Philadelphia to Washington DC tour concludes
Tour ends: Washington, DC. It’s time to pack up all your memories of your family’s adventures during Patriots of America... Philadelphia... Gettysburg... Williamsburg... Mount Vernon and more... and head for home. Fly home anytime; a transfer is included from L'Enfant Plaza Hotel to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport or Washington Dulles International Airport. Please allow two hours for airport check-in.
Meals: Breakfast
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