Washington DC

Day 1 - Fly to Washington DC

Arrive in DC and transfer to your hotel. Your first glimpse of the Capitol will be the Washington Monument in the distance and with so much to see in the city, even a transfer to the hotel is a sightseeing tour. This is a good opportunity to get yourself orientated with the city - DC's streets are easy to understand and run numerically north and south and alphabetically east and west with grand boulevards named after States running diagonally. If you know the intersection you're going to, it's hard to get lost in DC.

The Smithsonians are a superb collection of free museums largely dotted around the National Mall area which require no advance booking and can be visited during your tour. Of particular interest to students are the National Air and Space Museum, the National Museum of American History and the National Museum of African American History & Culture.

Day 2 - US Capitol tour

The main focus today will be a guided tour of the US Capitol, home of the US Congress since 1800, prior to which Congress moved around to different cities including New York and Philadelphia.

Begin in the large underground Capitol Visitor Center – make your own mind up as to whether this is an example of huge Congressional overspend ($600m!) or a necessity. The short 12 minute video at the start of the tour is incredibly useful for British students in getting a good overview of how representative democracy works in the US. Students should take note of the now-outgrown rooms e.g. the old Supreme Court room and the old Congressional chambers, because it indicates the huge growth in the US and its need for ever larger government offices.

Learn first-hand about the operation of the Supreme Court on a walk through the courtrooms and building – it is often possible to watch Supreme Court cases being heard. The Supreme Court is often regarded as the place where the US’s power is enhanced or curtailed.

Then visit the Library of Congress, the national library. In 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt approved plans for all of the papers of the Founding Fathers to be transferred into the Library. Today, there are over 32m books and 61m manuscripts, including over 1m US government publications. A specific item of interest for students is the rough draft of the Declaration of Independence. It is possible to have a highly personalised visit to the Library – keep an eye out before you go for new, specialist tours.

Day 3 - Memorials tour

Today take a walking tour through the thought-provoking Memorials dotted around near the National Mall. Depending on your period of study, Memorials of particular interest include the African American Civil War Memorial and Museum, the DC War Memorial (commemorating those who died in WW1), the F.D. Roosevelt Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial (surrounded by inscriptions of key passages from the Declaration of Independence), the Lincoln Memorial (surrounded by inscriptions from his famous Gettysburg Address and his Second Inaugural Address), the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the WW2 Memorial, the US Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Washington Monument where you can take the lift to the top for stunning views (at one time this was the tallest structure in the world!)

You can then cross the Potomac on Memorial Bridge into Arlington National Cemetery, established during the Civil War, once other local and smaller cemeteries were full, using land on the Arlington Estate that had been owned by a Confederate leader. You can spot differences in the headstones of Confederate soldiers as they have a peaked rather than rounded top. The Cemetery has expanded following WW2, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Take a look for the graves of President J.F. Kennedy, and numerous astronauts from the ‘space race’ era.

Day 4 - Choice of activity, fly home

Our Washington DC tours are all customised and flexible, no one tour is alike. Your last day's activities will depend on what you have managed to fit in elsewhere and whether there are any Smithsonians you still need to visit!

It is possible to visit the Pentagon on a short tour (weekdays only) led by a member of the US military. The Pentagon is a real symbol of American international clout, although for obvious security reasons, most of the interesting activity is not on display.

Ford's Theater is a super museum-in-a-theatre focusing on the life of Abraham Lincoln up to his presidency and assassination in the Presidential Box, as well as the Civil War.

You will be able to see the iconic White House from across the lawn, but it is extremely difficult for students to gain entry into the actual building itself. Instead, it is possible to go to the White House Visitor Center, where students can enjoy a virtual interactive tour of the home of the US President, watch a short film about the role of the White House in the Presidency, and see important artefacts.

Later on, transfer to the airport for your overnight transatlantic flight.

Day 5 - Arrive home

Arrive home in the morning with some unforgettable memories of a fantastic school tour to Washington DC.