Departure Info

Yankee Trails, Rensselaer - 7:00am
Pet Smart, Crossgates Commons - 7:30am
*Catskill, Exit 21 Park & Ride - 8:15am
*Kingston, Exit 19 Park & Ride - 8:35am

*Please Note Catskill & Kingston are pickup/drop off locations ONLY. Per the NYS Thruway Authority there is no parking longer than 24 hours.

Thursday, April 8:

As Spring approaches, we look forward to our tour to Washington where we can rediscover our past and imagine an exciting future. We will travel south to our accommodations tonight at the Clarion Collection Arlington Court Suites, in Arlington, VA (571-384-8272). Upon our arrival you will have time to relax and freshen up and then dinner is on your own tonight. This hotel is just a 15-minute walk to The Crossing Clarendon which houses over 10 restaurants from pizza and ice cream to The Cheesecake Factory and Whole Foods!

Friday, April 9:

A full buffet breakfast is included this morning at the hotel. The best way to learn the history of an area is to see it through the eyes of a local guide. We'll meet our guide this morning in DC and embark on an unforgettable journey through our nation’s capital. Turn back the pages of history and get a feel for the spirit of our nation's founders on a full day city tour. You will view the stark, black granite walls of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and drive past Capitol Hill where laws are made, the Library of Congress, the Supreme Court, the Smithsonian Institute, the Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, the World War II Memorial, Air Force Memorial, and the all new Martin Luther King Memorial. There will be time for visiting and photos at the memorials. Lunch will be on your own this afternoon at Union Station. We will return to the hotel after the tour to relax and refresh. Transportation will then be provided to the Fashion Center Mall food court where dinner will be on your own. After our dinner we will do a night light tour of the monuments. You will have the opportunity to disembark the coach & take in some of these monuments.

Saturday, April 10:

Following your full buffet breakfast at the hotel, we're off to the Arlington National Cemetery for a narrated Tourmobile ride. The Arlington National Cemetery is our nation's largest burial ground with more than 600 acres of landscaped hills. Among the thousands of white headstones are Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and World Champion Boxer Joe Louis. You will be able to leave and board the Tourmobile at different points on the route. Visit the gravesite and eternal flame on the grave of President John F. Kennedy! After our time at Arlington we’ll make our way to Hillwood. Nestled in the hills of Northwest Washington, D.C., Hillwood welcomes visitors from around the world with its gracious hospitality. Escape into an oasis only five miles from downtown Washington and explore the pristine mansion, dine at Merriweather Café, and enjoy the beauty of the formal gardens. Lunch will be on your own at the cafe followed by a self guided tour of the mansion and stroll through the gardens. We’ll return to the hotel later this afternoon to rest after our full day of touring. Dinner is included this evening at the Fish Market in Alexandria. Your meal choices are 1) Fish & Chips (Beer-battered and fried cod filets served with Captain’s fries and coleslaw,) 2) Combination Seafood Pasta (Shrimp, scallops and white fish with penne and fusilli pasta cooked in a light cream sauce) 3) Grilled Chicken served w/roasted red potatoes & fresh vegetable of the day, or 4) Grilled Bone-In Pork Chop (10oz. center cut pork ribeye served with asparagus and roasted red potatoes) Please give your entrée selection to our staff when you make your reservation. Your meal also includes all non alcoholic beverages, mixed green salad and Pop’s Homemade ice cream for dessert.

Sunday, April 11:

Following your full breakfast this morning, we’re off to the Smithsonian Institute, which encompasses more than a dozen different buildings. At the National Museum of American History, you will find a wealth of Americana; at the National Museum of Natural History you'll find the 45.5 carat Hope Diamond; and at the National Portrait Gallery you'll find portraits of famous Americans from the world of politics, sports, literature, stage and screen. The Smithsonian Institution Information Center, known as The Castle, the oldest of the 14 Smithsonian museums in Washington, is located at 1000 Jefferson Drive, SW, Washington, D.C. Lunch will be on your own in this area before our departure at 2pm. Our approximate arrival in the Capital District will be 11pm. Stops will be made each way.

DN=Dinner, FB=Full Breakfast