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Best Senior Class Trips to Washington DC

Choosing the best senior class trip can be a daunting task. But Washington D.C. is an excellent option for those looking for an educational and fun experience all in one place. With so much to see and do, students will never get bored in our nation’s capital! Some of the major attractions include the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. Wonderful museum tours include Apollo 11, the Columbia command module, and the First Ladies Dress Collection. Most importantly, here are some top ideas for the best senior class trip in Washington, D.C.

Take A Tour Of The Memorials

No visit to D.C. would be complete without a tour of the memorials. Students will be blown away by the history and significance of these landmarks. Plus, it’s a great way to get some exercise while sightseeing!

Do A Night Cruise On The Potomac River

What better way to see the city than from the water? A night cruise on the Potomac River is a must-do while in D.C. You’ll get to see all the monuments lit up against the dark sky- it’s truly a magical experience.

Visit The Smithsonian Museums

There are so many incredible museums to choose from in D.C., but the Smithsonian museums are definitely a must-see. From art and history to science and nature, there’s something for everyone at these world-renowned institutions.

Make Memories That Last A Lifetime

At Four Winds Tours , we specialize in ensuring your group has the best experience possible while visiting D.C. We’ll work with you to create a custom itinerary that hits all the highlights and leaves plenty of time for fun and exploration.

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2 Nights of Deluxe Accommodations

Enjoy clean, comfortable accommodations right in the heart of all the action!   We offer Spacious rooms, Friendly staff, and outstanding Customer service.  We can’t wait to welcome you to Washington!

2 Great Breakfasts

Enjoy a continental breakfast which typically includes items such as bagels, toast, and condiments, pastries, fruit, juice, cereals, beverages, warm and cold selections, and possibly eggs and meat.  Of course, each hotel offers different selections.

2 Sumptuous Dinners

Enjoy Great dinners at the most popular restaurants in the Area.  You will enjoy some great Choices at each restaurant and have a chance to enjoy the Local Flair.

Dinner Show at Toby's Dinner Theater

Located in the heart of Columbia, Toby’s Dinner Theatre offers award-winning Broadway and original musicals with an exceptional buffet-style dinner. From our customer’s first contact with our Box Office or Group Sales staff to watching our servers transform into the glamorous, talented performers on stage, our commitment to our guests’ enjoyable Toby’s experience is first and foremost.

Toby’s, now celebrating it’s 40th season, has it’s own history and style receiving over 100 Helen Hayes Award nominations confirming the excellence of our productions.

This unique venue, with amazing performances ‘in-the-round,’ provides each guest with a dynamic interactive experience and a great view, with no seat more than 30 feet from the stage. Additionally, Toby’s is one of the few regional dinner theatres featuring a live orchestra.

At Toby’s, we offer a 25-item salad bar, carving station, a plentiful buffet uniquely selected by our chef for each show, desserts and a make-your-own ice cream sundae bar. With our full service bar you can enjoy a cocktail, beer, wine or Toby’s signature show drink which is served in a take home souvenir glass.

Illumination Tour of the Monuments

Enjoy a guided tour of the monuments all lit up at night.  This is an amazing tour!

Guided Tour of Washington DC

Explore the famous landmarks and monuments of Washington, DC on this guided sightseeing tour. Enjoy an educational and entertaining narrated history of the nation’s capital. Stop at the White House and the United States Capitol, plus the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial and much more. The  tour features more than 30 sites  It’s a great way to see many of DC’s popular attractions.  

Arlington National Cemetery With Tourmobile

Arlington National Cemetery welcomes visitors to explore the rich history found within the cemetery grounds. Enjoy stops at the Ord & Weitzel walking gate to see the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial, President John F. Kennedy gravesite, U.S. Coast Guard Memorial, U.S. Army Gen. John J. Pershing's gravesite, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and the Arlington House (The Robert E. Lee Memorial). 

Visit to the Smithsonian Museum

Explore and learn about everything from the origins of man and the future of flight to the history of art across multiple continents with more than 150 million objects, works of art and specimens to discover. The Smithsonian’s collection of knowledge centers serve as a treasure chest for visitors and a guide to the most fascinating aspects of our world.

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Washington, DC

A Capital Adventure!

Washington, DC, the U.S. capital, is a compact city on the Potomac River, bordering the states of Maryland and Virginia. It’s defined by imposing neoclassical monuments and buildings – including the iconic ones that house the federal government’s 3 branches: the Capitol, White House and Supreme Court. It's also home to iconic museums and performing-arts venues such as the Kennedy Center.

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The Heart of the American Experience

Student Trips to Washington, D.C.

Our nation’s capital is a place where you can feel a part of something bigger than yourself. From the monuments and documents that represent the ideals of the Founding Fathers to memorials honoring soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice, visiting the sights during a Washington, D.C. educational student tour will put you and your students at the heart of the American experience.

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Sample Itineraries

Washington, D.C., Gettysburg & Philadelphia – 5 Days, 4 Nights

Highlights include Smithsonian Museums, Capitol Hill, Gettysburg National Military Park Museum, and Liberty Bell.

5 days, 4 nights

Washington, D.C. – 3 Days, 3 Nights

Highlights include Arlington National Cemetery, Smithsonian Museums, Capitol Hill, and the National Archives.

3 days, 3 nights

Washington, D.C. & New York City – 5 Days, 4 Nights

Highlights include Arlington National Cemetery, Mount Vernon, the Statue of Liberty, and Broadway.

Teachers, Parents, and Students Trust NationsClassroom

“I have thought about providing our students with a Washington, DC tour for many years. However, I was very concerned with the time commitment and support it would take to make a trip happen. From our first phone call, to your help with my Parent Night, handling all parent payments and finally running our tour I could not be happier. The NationsClassroom staff made my role so much simpler than I could have imagined. As a result, we had 160 students on our first tour that had a great experience. I am sure that the tour will now be a yearly highlight for our school. Thank you.”

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Connecticut

“Thank you for an amazing trip to Washington, DC. My friends and I had a great time. My favorite parts were the changing of the guard at Arlington National Cemetery and going up in the Washington Monument. This was my best trip by far and I have been on a lot.”

“I have planned my Washington, DC and New York City tour with just about every student tour company that there is. Hands down, NationsClassroom is the best. Your staff really cares about doing things great and providing my kids with a great trip, year, after year. Every part of the process is done right-your company simply gets it.”

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“I just returned from an amazing experience with my daughter on her Washington, DC and East Coast school trip with NationsClassroom. I have to say I am very pleased and frankly quite surprised. Companies in other fields can take note of your attention to detail, dedication to providing great service and the passion of your employees. Our tour was very well thought out, the meals were better than I expected and the hotels were very nice. Our check in and check out were both very smooth. Most importantly, your Tour Guide was phenomenal. I don’t know how he was able to relate to everyone so well. He had the students really get involved in what they were seeing and didn’t just talk non-stop. Thank you for a wonderful lifelong memory.”

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The Student News Site of Pennridge High School

• April 18 Check out The Daily Ramble linked below for important information on our RAMS Block trial next week!

Senior Trip to Washington D.C.

Cate Didenko , Student Writer | May 2, 2023

Stephanie Nash

Pennridge High School Seniors at the Washington Monument

On April 21., The senior class hit the road to Washington, D.C. It was a trip full of fun, sightseeing, and memories. The Washington D.C. trip was designed to be an opportunity for the Senior class to celebrate their last weeks in high school. Since 2019, the trip has been run by Pennridge teachers: Timothy Busch, Stephanie Nash, and Angela Schoettle. However, this is only the second year the trip has occurred since the pandemic. Around 150 seniors out of the 600 seniors signed up. Students left early before school started that morning and left close to 6 p.m. from Washington, D.C., that night.

Students arrived in D.C. around 10 a.m. at Union Station, which is a transportation hub. From Union Station, students walked to the Capitol Building for a quick photo-op. From there, students walked to the Washington Monument. After spending some time by the monument, students were given the opportunity to explore the National Mall area, which encompasses the reflecting pool, World War II Memorial, Vietnam War Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, and many more. After spending the majority of the afternoon in these surrounding areas, Students were given the choice to look at the White House or to go to the Smithsonian Museum before heading back to Union Station for dinner. Overall, the seniors walked over 12 miles in total from monument to monument. In addition, Friday was a hot day in D.C., with temperatures soaring to 90 degrees. However, that did not stop students from enjoying the monuments, learning, and having fun with their friends.

Many of the students’ favorite parts of this trip were the freedom given to the seniors. Sabrina Oshea says, “My favorite part was the free time we had to explore the different memorials.” Once the Pennridge students arrived within the vicinity of the World War II Memorial, seniors were allowed to explore the National Mall on their own. Additional freedoms throughout the day were students were allowed to choose which bus to sit on and the groups they chose to spend the day with. Ava Ricci explains, “It was nice knowing I would get some freedom to do what I wanted while also being on a school trip for once.” Many students would agree with Ricci that the freedom given on the Washington D.C. trip was much greater than on field trips in the past.

Although our school did offer this opportunity for seniors, other schools may offer even larger-scale senior trips. For example, many high schools provide sponsored trips to Disney World or even the beach. While some seniors may complain that Pennridge should offer a bigger and better overnight trip, other students remain grateful for what we had. Ricci says, “I’ve heard about other schools going to Disney and things like that, and I think something like that would be fun too! But I know it takes a lot of planning, so D.C. was a great substitution to still give seniors the chance to have a ‘senior trip.’”

Top 10 Senior Trip Ideas

Cate Didenko, Grade 12, Interests/ Hobbies include dance, travel, and spending time with my family and friends. Cate plans to study psychology or neuroscience...

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100+ Lesson Plans to Prepare for a Washington DC School Trip

  How can I get my students even more engaged during our trip to Washington DC? 

Let’s face it, your entire curriculum is relevant on a trip to Washington DC ! History, math, science, writing, government, music, and geography are all experienced first-hand.

But to get students even more engaged, focus on one or two key learning areas before departure.  Collaborate with other teachers to teach a particular topic across all classes for a day (or longer, if possible).

Many of the sites that you will visit in Washington DC have developed lesson plans aligning with national standards. Provide a deeper understanding of a particular content area by using one of the free lesson plans provided below. 

Lesson    Plans

U.S. Capitol Lesson Plans (includes primary resources) – Topics include: 

• The Capitol Building
• The Apotheosis of Washington by Constantino Brumidi
• The Frieze of American History
• Statues from National Statuary Hall
• Congressional Biography
• Limiting Child Labor: Providing for the General Welfare
• National Interstate and Defense Highways Act
• The Clean Water Act
• The U.S. House of Representatives and the Gag Rule
• Secession and the Senate
• The District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act of 1862
• Philip Reid and Freedom
• Congressional Legislature and the Civil War: Telling the Story with Primary Resources

U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Lesson Plans – Topics include:

• Redefining How We Teach Propaganda
• Deconstructing the Familiar: Photo Activity
• Photo Narrative Activity
• Timeline Activity
• Who is Responsible When Genocide Occurs?
• Learning from the Early Stages of the Holocaust
• Organizing the History
• Why Did Germans Vote for the Nazi Party?
• Pre-World War II European Jewish Life Photo Project
• Individual Responsibility and Resistance During the Holocaust
• Rethinking Perpetrators, Bystanders, and Rescuers
• Bringing the Holocaust Unit to Closure: Implications for the Future

Library of Congress (includes primary resources) Topics include:

• African American History
• American History
• American Indian History
• American Revolution
• Arts & Culture
• City & Regional History
• Culture & Folklife
• Discovery and Exploration
• Government, Law & Politics
• Immigration & Ethnic Heritage
• Maps & Geography
• News, Journalism & Advertising
• Oral Histories
• Photographs, Prints, and Posters
• Poetry and Literature
• Science, Technology & Business
• Sports, Recreation & Leisure
• Women’s History
• World History & Cultures
• World War I
• World War II

National Archives Lesson Plans – Topics Include:

• Revolution and the New Nation (1754-1820s)
• Expansion and Reform (1801-1861)
• Civil War and Reconstruction (1850-1877)
• The Development of the Industrial United States (1870-1900)
• The Emergence of Modern America (1890-1930)
• The Great Depression and World War II (1929-1945)
• Postwar United States (1945 to early 1970s)
• Contemporary United States (1968 to the present)
• Across Multiple Eras

Newseum Video Lessons – Topics Include:

• The Berlin Wall and the Press
• Recognizing Bias
• The Digital Revolution
• Getting It Right
• Edward R. Murrow
• The Press and the Civil Rights Movement
• Running Towards Danger
• What’s News
• Fundamentals of News
• The 14th Amendment
• Belva Lockwood
• How to Conduct an Interview

 Smithsonian’s History Explorer Lesson Plans – Topics Include: 

• American Presidency Lesson Plans (Grades 4-6)
• American Presidency Lesson Plans (Grades 7-9)
• Americans at War (Grades 4-12)
• Brown vs. Board of Education: A Landmark in American Justice Lesson (Grades 4-12)
• Comparing Confederate and Union Soldiers in the Civil War (Grades 5-12)
• Exploring the Gettysburg Address(Grades 5-12)
• Design Your Own Monument (Grades 1-6)
• Montgomery Bus Boycott Comic Artifact Exploration (Grades 6-12)
• Poetry and Our National Anthem (Grades 6-8)
• POWs (Grades 7-12)

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Lesson Plans – Topics Include:

• Ocean Portal 
• Measuring Biodiversity across North America
• Anthropology Lesson Plans
• Ecosystem Lesson Plans
• Lewis & Clark as Naturalist Lesson Plans
• Sant Ocean Hall Educators’ Guide
• Behring Family Hall of Mammals Educators’ Guide

Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian Lesson Plans – Topics Include: 

• Manhatta to Manhattan
• The Haudenosaunee Guide for Educators
• We Have a Story to Tell: Native Peoples of the Chesapeake
• Ways of Living, Ways of Giving
• Lone Dog’s Winter Count
• Native People and the Land: The A:shiwi (Zuni) People

 Smithsonian National Building Museum Lesson Plans – Topics Include: 

• Fuller’s Fantastic Geodesic Dome  (Grades 5-9)
• Be a Green Builder  (Grades 5-9)
• City by Design  (Grades K-9)
• Bridge Basics  (Grades 4-8
• Green by Design  (Grades 4-9)

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How to Plan a Class Trip to Washington, D.C.

There’s no question: Washington DC is one of the most important places in the country. As the home of our government, countless national monuments and historical and cultural attractions, and known as the museum capital of the country, there are few places in the United States better suited for an educational tour than Washington DC.

But with so many sights to see and educational opportunities to engage with, it can feel like an overwhelming task planning a class trip to the nation’s capital. How do you squeeze in everything you want your students to learn in the little time you get to experience it?

In this guide from our professional class trip planners at Junior Tours , we lay out the step-by-step process to help equip any teacher with the tools to plan the awesome trip in Washington DC their class deserves.

Step 1: Plan the Essentials Far in Advance

Ask yourself:

• How do I plan a trip to Washington DC?
• How long does it take to tour Washington DC?
• How much does the average Washington DC school trip cost?

Like any trip, the first thing you need to do is plan the essentials far in advance. No parent will want to send their kid on a trip that doesn’t have an airtight schedule and itinerary, and the only way to achieve that is with months of careful planning. Don’t show up to class two weeks before the proposed trip and spring it on your students – your trip should be planned months in advance.

Whether you decide to plan your educational tour with our team at Junior Tours or on your own, we can guarantee one thing: the quality of your trip all depends on your planning of the essential details. These are the details you will need to present to students and parents months before the trip to convince them to sign on.

• Length: Figure out the exact time you and your class can take away from school to tour DC. This depends on a number of factors, such as what attractions you and your class want to see, the time the school will let your class stay on trips, and the quality of your itinerary. A short tour can last 2-4 days, while a more thorough tour of Washington, D.C. with Gettysburg and Williamsburg can take up to a whole week.
• Cost: Cost will always be a big issue for many students and parents, and keeping costs low without sacrificing the quality of the trips is a balancing act that takes many trip-planning experiences to perfect. The age and interests of your students is important here, as this will determine the kind of activities that will interest them, and the prices those activities will cost.
• Theme: What’s the theme of your trip? Is it a general learning experience where you will try to cover an overview of the most interesting subjects that the museums and attractions of Washington, D.C. offer, such as the National Museum of American History? Or is it more centered on a certain subject; politics, history, culture, art, or something else? While you don’t have to plan your hour-by-hour itinerary several months before the trip, it is crucial to have an idea of what you want the trip to be about.

Step 2: Try to Contact Your State’s Political Representatives

• What do I want my students to learn from this trip?
• Who are the political representatives of our state?
• What can our political representatives teach my students?

Washington DC is the home of political representatives, from congressmen and congresswomen to senators, and each state has their own representatives. While they tend to live busy lives, they are always happy to offer up a possible group tour opportunity or meeting, led by them personally or their team.

Some tours, such as the Capitol tour and the White House Washington tour, require the help of a political representative to book for your class, so getting in contact with them as early as possible is important. You want to make sure you call or email them early enough that they can clear up their schedule for the school trip dates, and so they can reserve certain venues and prepare meeting rooms for your students.

Help your students realize their political aspirations by getting them face-to-face with someone from their own state.

Step 3: Plan the Itinerary

Ask yourself:  

• What are the most important attractions in Washington DC?
• What topics should my students learn about?
• What are the most highly rated museums?

Now that you know your desired trip length, the desired cost and budget for your students, and the theme you want to plan your learning experiences around, it’s time to start planning the itinerary. And yes – we mean an actual hour-by-hour breakdown of every day you spend in Washington DC.

This can be pretty intimidating, but here are a few pointers:

1) Don’t over-schedule

Many first-time school trip planners make the mistake of over-scheduling their days. We know you do this with good intentions; maybe you wanted the trip to last another 2-3 days but the school administration or parents association wouldn’t budge, so you are trying to make up for it by squeezing in as many museums and attractions as you can.

But you want your students to have time and truly embrace every stop you take. Learning requires reflection, and when you quickly usher students from one place to another, you leave them no time to reflect on what they see. Try to give each museum at least 3 hours minimum; bigger museums should be given 4-5 hours.

2) Visualize your actual route

In our eagerness to make the most interesting trip possible, we as educators tend to go for the biggest national attractions and monuments, putting them on the itinerary willy-nilly. The problem with this? We forget that the more places you put on the itinerary, the more you force your class to travel around from one place to another.

This means it’s important to visualize your actual route. You don’t want your first stop to be on the other side of the city from your second stop, and your third stop to be right next to your first stop. Think of the layout of your itinerary, and prepare it out place by place.

3) Tell an overarching story

Whether you are sticking to a certain subject or just giving your students a general learning breakdown, you want to make sure that the trip tells an overarching story with an overarching learning experience.

While two museums may not have anything to do with each other, you want to plan your days in a way that students will sit back and ask themselves: do they relate? At the end of the day, these learning experiences are all about teaching your students to think , using the information we give them to stimulate their own imagination.

When it comes to planning the places you visit, you will find that Washington DC is known as the national capital of museums for a very good reason: there are countless museums, memorials, and other attractions in Washington DC like the Lincoln Memorial that offer free admission, and they are all worthy of your time. It’s up to you and your students’ interests to just pick and choose places and events.

Some awesome memorials and museums include:

• National War Memorials – Korean War Veterans Memorial, World War II Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial
• National Influential Individual Memorials – Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, Thomas Jefferson Memorial, Lincoln Memorial
• Washington Monument
• Smithsonian Museums
• National Mall
• National Gallery of Art
• National Museum of American History
• National Museum of Natural History
• National Air & Space Museum
• National Museum of African American History and Culture
• U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum

You also want to make sure that your trip isn’t just museums and memorials, but actual places where the bills and laws of our country are made. Giving your students the experience of being in the places where bills are written and laws are passed can be a once-in-a-lifetime feeling for them. Try to schedule tours of the Capitol Building through the Capitol Visitors Center, as well as the Eastern Market.

Step 4: Prepare Your Students

• What should I pack for a school trip to Washington DC?
• What do my students already know about Washington DC?
• What social and cultural elements should my students know to best absorb learning during the trip?

In some cases, student groups travel all the way to Washington DC with students who know very little (or nothing at all!) of what Washington DC represents. Some teachers avoid teaching their students more than a general overview of Washington DC because they are going on a trip to D.C. anyway.

But this is a wrong way in approaching this. Your students should have a foundation of Washington, D.C. knowledge; its culture, its history, and what it represents today. Their trip in DC should be a learning experience that builds upon existing knowledge; you don’t want them spending their first day or two just getting up to speed.

And of course, prepare your students for what they need to pack. Make sure they all have light and small backpacks for the day trips, where they can bring their essentials for any activities you might prepare – a notebook, a pen, and their phone for emergencies.

They might also want to bring a jacket or light sweater wherever they go, especially if your trip is in the fall or winter. And finally – no heels. Wear comfortable shoes you can spend a whole day walking in.

Step 5: Work with Junior Tours for a Perfect Trip

• Have I ever planned a successful overnight class trip before?
• Can I make sure that the itinerary, accommodations, tickets, and every other detail flawless?
• Can I offer my students a better learning experience with professional help?

As long-time educators, we understand the desire to plan the perfect class trip for your students, and doing it on your own can lead to major headaches. With so many things to plan and organize and track, as well as executing the trip to perfection, planning a school trip can be your own personal nightmare.

With Junior Tours, we will handle all the heavy lifting and all the legwork. Our professional team of tour planners have been working with students, schools, and educators for decades, over thousands of school trips all across the United States and abroad. Planning and executing a trip that moves along as smoothly as possible while ensuring that every minute is spent learning or having fun is our forte.

Stop Googling “how to plan a class trip to Washington DC” and just work with people who have done it a thousand times before. If you are planning a class trip to the nation’s capital or anywhere else, contact us at Junior Tours today and find out exactly why we are America’s favorite educational tour planners.

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School Trips in DC: What Visitors Need to Know

Participating in one of the multi-day school trips in DC is a right-of passage for many 8th graders across the U.S. If you are not visiting with one of these groups but coming to DC between mid-March and mid-June, these are a few things you need to know.

What is school field trip season?

School trips in DC are a huge part of the local tourism industry. Most schools send eighth grade class trips. This is why you will also occasionally hear referred to as “eighth grade field trip season”. Eighth grade is usually the class that gets to come to DC because it’s a final reward before the kids head off to high school.

Trip Hacks DC offers tours specifically designed for school groups . We have led tours with students in fifth grade all the way up to 12th grade. Our tours are best for small schools who don’t pay for an all-inclusive package. For large schools, these services might make more sense.

When is school field trip season?

School group trips in DC typically happen at one of two times during the year. The big one is in the spring, roughly from mid-March through mid-June. There is also a secondary field trip season in the fall roughly from early October through Thanksgiving.

If you’re trying to avoid field trip season the months you want to consider for your trip are: December, January, and February in the winter, and July, August, and September in the summer. Most schools choose to come in the spring because it’s an end-of-the-school-year reward. Plus, the students get to spend all school year learning about social studies and history and then they get to come to DC and see things up close.

Fall field trip season is much less busy since most schools don’t want to do the trip at the beginning of the school year.

How will field trip season impact your trip?

The most important thing to know is that school groups travel together in large packs. So, if you are visiting the memorials, there might be four groups of 50 students or more at once. This can really change the feel of some of the sites, particularly smaller memorials like the Vietnam and Korean War memorials.

School groups are only in DC for a limited amount of time. They need to maximize that time as best as possible. That means that during the day they’re going to be at the sites that are only open from 10 to 5. This includes the museums and the other indoor sites. Then, after dinner, they are going to head out and tour the monuments and memorials. This is because there are not a lot of evening activities you can do with big groups of teenagers.  

The bottom line is that if you’re visiting during spring field trip season you’re going to be sharing those monuments and sites with a lot of other people.

Where do field trip groups eat?

As far as restaurants go, school trips groups in DC tend to stick to a limited number of places. For lunch they go to food courts. The food courts at Union Station, L’Enfant Plaza, the Reagan Building, and Pentagon City Mall are all popular choices. Food courts are ideal for school groups because they’re cheap and they give the students a lot of different choices. For dinner, they go to the inexpensive restaurants that can accommodate groups. This includes places such as the Hard Rock Cafe, Buca di Beppo, Carmine’s, and similar chain places.

Where do school groups stay?

School groups usually stay at suburban hotels because they travel on charter buses. Thus they do not need to be near Metro. Suburban hotels usually offer group rates to schools. Although, you will occasionally see school groups staying downtown, especially if they’re a small group who doesn’t have a charter bus. So if you plan to stay at a downtown hotel and eat at mostly local restaurants, you are probably not going to bump into too many of these groups at those places.

Coming to DC and want to book a tour? Trip Hacks DC was founded by Rob, a veteran tour guide in the Nation’s Capital. Trip Hacks DC provides tips, tricks and travel hacks for planning your trip; and guided tours to show you around once you get here. Our tours are family and school group friendly and our guides specialize in the major Washington, DC sites.  Click here to check out the upcoming tour options  and to book your tour here today!  Feel free to contact us if you have any tour questions

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Trip planning resources.

• DC Airports: a Guide to Navigating DCA, IAD and BWI
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How to Plan a Senior-Friendly Trip to Washington, DC?

The passion for experiencing the world is not restricted to any age. Traveling by yourself or with friends is a fun way to spend your idle time and make memories as you age.

Packed with world-renowned museums, historic monuments, and exquisite malls, Washington, DC is one location that has much to offer for senior citizens to enjoy. With just a little bit of research and planning, one can plan a comfortable and successful trip around this capital city of the States.

Here DC Trails has collected some tips on how to go about your planning!

1. Do your research

As mentioned, it is best to do a little bit of homework before embarking on a trip, particularly for senior citizens. Know your rest stops, meal timings, and hotel reservations well in advance to avoid any gaps. Call ahead to check with hospitality professionals about any special amenities that you may require as a senior citizen or that they might offer.

2. Know your commute

A critical yet frequently overlooked part of planning a successful trip is to arrange a viable commute. Especially for the elderly, a comfortable and efficient travel option is a must to avoid unnecessary exertion and hassle. One excellent option for such trips, specifically for larger groups, is charter buses . Charter buses are affordable commute options, equipped with all essential amenities such as air conditioners, free water bottles, storage spaces, Wi-Fi options, and charging portals, that make your travel experience easy and efficient.

3. Plan for backup destinations

Having a perfect itinerary in place is essential. However, sometimes due to unforeseen events, you can’t follow through. To avoid such scenarios, it is always best to have a backup destination in mind and communicate it to your charter bus driver beforehand. In case your primary destination cannot be accessed, you can always make your way to the backup spot without skipping a beat.

Contact us for your senior-friendly trip to DC!

DC Trails offers reliable charter bus services at an affordable price. Apart from the above-mentioned amenities, in addition to flexible scheduling. You can learn more about our specific services by contacting us online or calling 1 (703) 360-2800.

Looking for a reliable and simple way to book a charter bus service? You have come to the right place. Reach out to us with your requirements or queries and we will walk you through the step-by-step process to help you plan the perfect trip to Washington DC.

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School Trip to Washington, D.C. Cost

School trip to washington, d.c. cost.

What is the the cost of a school trip to Washington, D.C? This is a question that we often receive from trip organizers when they are planning a trip to DC for their students. Our answer? A school trip to Washington, D.C can vary in cost based on transportation, meals, desired passenger count and more. Our goal at GO Educational Tours is to always off the most affordable DC school trip package cost to our travelers. 

Below are some variables that can change your desired trips cost. Our travel specialists can help customize and personalize your DC trip's cost proposal. From choosing the inclusions to the passenger count, everything is up to the trip organizer. 

Distance from Washington, D.C.

Desired passenger count , trip inclusions, hotel selection (downtown or suburban) , desired length of trip .

The trip cost will be greatly impacted by your distance from DC. A group from California for example will be flying and and group from North Carolina might be getting to DC directly by motorcoach. The choice to fly and drive will have an impact on the school trip cost.

Desired Passenger Count

Group travel offers great benefits as all the passengers take on a small part of a larger cost. A full motorcoach will mean a lower cost per paying student passenger. The larger the group size the better pricing we can offer. Most vendors will offer great pricing  the larger the group size and we pass on these savings to the group.

Washington DC offers many free attractions. The museums of the Smithsonian Institution and the government buildings and memorials are all free of admission. This makes DC very attractive. There are however some museums and attractions that do have paid admissions. For example the International Spy Museum is one or the Newseum. Mount Vernon is also another has the fees go to maintaining this precious heritage for future generations. Also meals can impact pricing. We prefer a nicer sit down meal for dinner and on the go lunches in some case. You can choose to have a full meal plan or have students pay for some meals on site.

Hotel Selection (Downtown or Suburban)

DC offers a variety of hotels ranging from downtown to just outside the district to all the way to Dulles airport. The closer to DC the higher hotels prices are. You can have budget properties when you are 10-15 miles outside the city. Traffic is an increasing factor. So if time is of the essence we recommend staying closer to downtown.

Desired Length Of Trip

The more days you spend in DC the more the higher the trip cost. For example the difference between a 3 day DC school trip and a 4 day DC school can be about $150 more. This is a rough estimate we base on a base package.

Our 3 day trips range from $400 to $600 based on the different variables mentioned above. A four day Washington DC school trip will be in the $600 to $900 range. These rough prices exclude airfare of course.

If you have any questions about school trip cost to Washington DC cost please contact our team and we will be happy to design a trip for you and your students.

Topics: School trips , class trips , Washington DC , civics

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Senior Trip to Washington D.C. – Days 1 & 2

Trivium Seniors at the Washington Monument in Washington D.C.

It is Senior Trip time at Great Hearts where seniors throughout our academies have the opportunity to visit our nation’s capital and see the historical places and context for so many of their discussions regarding human nature, freedom, liberty, justice, and many other ideals and virtues.

Kyle Navarrette, Headmaster at Glendale Prep , will be accompanying his seniors on their trip this week. “[This trip is] living out the love of Community and Conversation- students share this experience together. The focus is not simply for a personal experience connected to history or travel, but a communal experience since the last 7 years have been one of sharing time, energy, food, and conversation. This trip means nothing apart from community and friendship.”

We arrived at Sky Harbor at 5am this morning to catch a 7am flight. We were all tired but excited. Even had time for a quick game of chess. The flight was great, except a lot of our group had to have their carry-on bags checked because of the amount of snacks that they packed (a lot of Trader Joe’s Takis). We got on the plane great, and it was good flight, but it was a little bumpy when we landed. It wasn’t too bad, but I had to laugh when everyone applauded once all of the wheels of the plane were on the ground.

From the airport, we loaded onto a bus that took us to our hotel. Once we settled in and ate dinner, we went to the National Mall and walked through the World War II , Korean War Veterans , and Vietnam Veterans , and Lincoln Memorials along with the Washington Monument .

It was awesome seeing the Lincoln Memorial and I think it was most of our group’s favorite because of the different interpretations of what the statue means and the fact that there was an error in the writing on the walls that was fun to look for. [Side note from editor: Did you know there was a typo on the Lincoln Memorial?]. And we sat on the ground against the Washington Monument with our feet up on it to make it seem like we were standing on it.

It was a great start to our trip!

Monday, March 6 th Written by Jacob Rickey, Great Hearts Senior

We got up this morning and walked to the Metro Station , which we rode to the Capitol Hill for a tour of the U.S. Capitol Building , and it was a very cool experience. It was cool to just sit in the House of Representatives. We weren’t allowed to bring our phones for this part, but it was great to just take in how cool the room was. The tour of the Capital building was awesome, and it was crazy to see how tall the Capital Dome is.

We had lunch at pizza place called We, The Pizza . After lunch, we went to the African American History Museum which had an amazing sports section. My group was a little late because Mrs. Roiger had turned us around in the Metro a few times 😂. What an adventure that was! The architecture of the building was beautiful and even better from the inside.

Our first full day in D.C. was capped off with a group dinner at Gatsby’s .  It’s been a great day!

Stay tuned for Day 3!  Do you have a story or know of a story that you would like to see featured at Great Hearts?  Please contact  [email protected] .

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THE BENEFITS OF TAKING YOUR 8TH GRADE CLASS TO WASHINGTON, D.C.

For teachers striving to plan end-of-the-year trips, there are typically two options – either dread or delight. Organizing, planning, and executing can be even more excruciating for teachers in the middle school arena, but what if it could be simpler than that? There is an easy solution for teachers wanting to take a meaningful class trip but struggling to isolate the best destination for their time and their dollar.

An epic solution to the where-in-the-world-to-go dilemma is this – Washington! Why? Washington D.C. shines like a copper penny, ripe with history, landmarks, and promise for any age group, but especially useful for a group of middle schoolers. This destination offers the best of both worlds – beauty, education, and affordability.

 Beautiful Memories

One only need Google “Washington D.C.” to know the wonders that would greet students in the United States’ capital. From the White House to the cherry blossom festival, Washington offers a picturesque view of our nation and the history behind it.

Just imagine standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, surrounded by ninety middle school students and a handful of enthusiastic chaperones, and taking a photograph. There, in that beautiful place, you will have captured a memory that not only your students but also you will treasure   forever .

Educational Value

There is no arguing the educational promise that Washington DC offers schools and school-age children. Middle school teachers think of your standards. In seventh and eighth grades, students learn all about United States history. Why not exit middle school with an exploration of the United States capital?

When planning a trip to Washington DC, teachers could very easily create a  meaningful field trip for their students that will not only entertain them but also educate them. Students could visit the White House for a little modern-day history, soldier to Georgetown for a lesson in classic history, and meander to the Capitol building for a tour.

Teachers could seamlessly build their trip around historical landmarks they have taught that year or anticipate future lessons. In one, swift trip, your middle school students will wrack up invaluable experiences that will intensify their understanding of their nation’s rich history.

 Affordable Moments

Another undeniable pro of a class trip to Washington is the affordability. Any educator knows that funding for field trips is limited at best and that World’s Finest Chocolate bars only sell so much, so inevitably the bill will fall to the parent. Therefore, keeping costs low is paramount.

Washington offers a wealth of inexpensive and  free adventures for school trips. From the United States Botanic Garden to the Library of Congress, Washington is a walking tour waiting to happen. Schools can travel from memorial to memorial in the heart of Washington, and students will be delighted to watch their nation’s history – not to mention the fact that you will love the creative, excited side of your students that will emerge during the adventure.

Think of it this way, a field trip committee could design a field trip that requires food, housing, and transportation costs but little to no other cost. There are so many free – and inexpensive – activities to do in DC that it makes a phenomenal place to share with your students… even on a budget!

The Best of Washington, Free Addition

Here’s just a sample of three of the most memorable places to visit on your next class trip to Washington!

• Visit the White House, the Library of Congress, and the Capitol Building. These buildings are beautiful, historic and full of insight into how our nation operates. Just remember, if you want to stroll through any of these wonders, you’ll have to make appointments and/or set up free guided tours.
• Art teachers or arts integration enthusiasts might have heard of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. A unique touch to any trip to DC would be to visit the Kennedy Center for a free tour. This interactive experience is sure to be something your students will remember for a lifetime!
• Pack a lunch and visit Rock Creek Park for a picnic, a photo opportunity, and maybe even a hike. There, you’ll find both beautiful scenery and hiking trails, so you could split into two groups – with equally distributed chaperones, of course – and either relax or adventure.

So, if you’re an educator attempting to plan an end-of-the-year trip for your middle schoolers, consider the historical touch and visit the United States capital. Washington offers a host of options for any school in search of the perfect location. The city is inexpensive, educational, and gorgeous, making it a phenomenal option for you and your students.

Nonetheless, wherever you choose to go, cherish those final moments with your students. They will cement the memories you’ve already created together, and you’ll enjoy seeing your students in another light. Don’t worry too much about the logistics – you and your colleagues will figure that out!

Just read, research, and discover.  That will lead you to the perfect place for your school trip! Maybe, just maybe, it’ll be Washington, D.C!

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Seniors carry on DC trip tradition

Destinations included the Holocaust Museum and Arlington National Cemetery

Miel Pearce , Staff Writer June 5, 2022

The senior class of 2022 carried on the John Carroll tradition of attending the Washington, D.C. trip on Monday, April 4. Seniors arrived to school early and boarded buses which took them to D.C.

Trip Coordinator Louise Geczy planned a full day of events for the students. Mrs. Geczy said, “Field trips such as the senior class trip to Washington D.C. are an important educational experience. The D.C. trip brings history to life.” The students were first dropped off at either the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial or the World War II Memorial and were given time to walk around and explore these area. One group of seniors got to meet and take pictures with Martin Luther King Jr’s son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter who were at the memorial to commemorate the anniversary of his assassination. Senior Rosalie McGuirk said, “It was cool not only to see the memorial but also to meet part of MLK’s family, especially on such an important date.” After visiting the memorials, students boarded their buses and headed to the Holocaust Museum. At the museum, each student received a passport that had the name and information of a person affected by the Holocaust. This gave guests a personal connection to one of the victims. The museum provided an educational and emotional experience for students to get to learn more about the events surrounding the Holocaust. One of the exhibits that had a huge impact on many students was a train car in which many victims were transported. Visitors to the museum were allowed to walk through the train car and imagine what it might have been like when packed with a hundred individuals. Senior Abby Leslie said, “It was really powerful learning about that part of history that we aren’t always exposed to. I really enjoyed this field trip as a whole and encourage everyone to make the most of it.” After the museum, students were taken to the Pentagon City Mall for lunch in the mall’s food court and for some free time to walk around. The last event on the day’s agenda was to visit Arlington National Cemetery, a military cemetery where many American veterans are buried. Many students and chaperones on the trip were able to find gravestones belonging to members of their families. Additionally, students were able to see the graves of President John F. Kennedy and his wife. They also saw areas dedicated to the memories of those lost in the space shuttle disasters. Mrs. Geczy commented, “You cannot walk through Arlington Cemetery and not get a sense of the sacrifice that conflict involves and the importance of memorializing.” Students were able to witness the Changing of the Guard, a ceremony occurring every half hour in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a tomb that holds the bodies of four unidentified soldiers who were killed in World War I, World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. The Changing of the Guards is an elaborate ceremony where new guards replace the previous ones. The guards stand in front of the tomb for 24 hours a day. During the Changing of the Guard, soldiers march 21 steps in each direction to symbolize the highest military honor. Mrs. Geczy said, “For me, the best part of the D.C. [trip] for any year does not occur while the trip is taking place. The best part for me are the reflection responses that seniors share post-trip when they share the impact that the experience has had on them.”

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Juniors begin new traditions during Ring Week

Juniors participate in JC tradition

Seniors remember the horrors of the Holocaust

Class of 2024 continues Holocaust education during trip to museum in Washington D.C.

Seniors place wreath at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Patriot actors take the stage for production of ‘Guys and Dolls’

Department plans trips abroad for spring and summer

Class celebrates 100-day mark to graduation with lunch

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Class of ‘24 prepares to say goodbye

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D.C. wants more kids to finish college. Here’s what it would take.

The city is embracing a new “moonshot” goal to have 80 percent of high school graduates earn degrees by 2050.

It was a weekday morning, and music was blaring from Capital One Arena.

More than 2,000 teens — caught in brief glimpses on the jumbotron — waved pompoms and danced as music group T.O.B. played go-go covers of pop songs. They waved signs declaring themselves as part of the Class of 2024 and, by the end of the afternoon, had gotten pep talks from professional athletes and former first lady Michelle Obama.

The fanfare of college signing day is usually reserved for prospective athletes. But city leaders were celebrating students who are on their way to schools across the country, from big-name historically Black campuses to esteemed universities in their own backyard. Ten students even took home $5,000 scholarships.

There are other reasons to celebrate: More D.C. students are finishing high school and, after years of decline, the most recent data shows that the share of students enrolling in college saw a modest improvement in 2022. But the city still has a problem with college completion — roughly 18 out of 100 ninth-graders will finish college within six years of graduating high school, according to an estimate from the D.C. Policy Center, a local think tank. Nationwide, about 64 percent of first-time college students finish in that amount of time, federal data shows.

Now city leaders — from top education officials to business owners — are throwing their support behind a lofty new goal: 80 percent six-year college completion by 2050.

“It’s a moonshot goal,” said Eric Waldo, president and chief executive of the D.C. College Access Program, a nonprofit that helps students go to college. “At a time where the headwinds have led to 30 years of education losses, we’re saying we want to double down, and that’s the only way this city is going to thrive.”

But getting there will take big changes, experts said, including expanding dual-enrollment programs that allow teens to earn college credit in high school, providing low-income students with more financial aid and making sure students are prepared for college.

“The reading ability of the students has to improve in high school,” said Patricia McGuire, president of Trinity Washington University, a popular destination for D.C. public-school graduates. She said students often come to college “many grade levels behind,” sometimes reading below the high school level. “It’s too late when they get to college, especially if they want to be nurses or IT professionals. To be on some of these intensive professional tracks, their reading skills have to improve.”

Students also have problems attending class consistently, a habit they often carry over from high school, McGuire said. In the most recent school year, about 63 percent of the 12th-grade class was chronically absent, meaning they had missed at least 18 days of school, according to citywide attendance data . “Most of our students who flunk out in the first year don’t attend class,” she added.

Maurice Edington, president at the University of the District of Columbia, also said many students come to campus behind in core subject areas.

“There’s a direct correlation, in general, between socioeconomic status and college preparedness,” Edington said. “We enroll many students from the lower end of the socioeconomic spectrum who maybe haven’t matriculated through and not grown up in an environment where they had access to the kind of learning and resources and advice and support and structure at home that will allow them to start college in the fast lane.”

UDC offers academic coaching and tutoring but is also embracing “co-remediation,” which researchers are finding helps students stay in school. Traditionally, if a student needs to take pre-calculus for his major but isn’t ready academically, he would take lower-level math courses until he is — adding additional semesters of work. With co-remediation, that student would enroll directly in pre-calculus and get extra help outside of class at the same time, Edington said.

“That’s something we’re going to push heavily moving forward,” Edington said, as part of an effort to help students graduate faster — something the city needs if it wants to meet the 80-percent graduation target.

Lewis D. Ferebee, chancellor of D.C.'s traditional public-school district, acknowledged that students are behind. He pointed to the district’s Ninth Grade Academies, a program that helps teens transition into high school and, ultimately, finish ninth grade — often an indicator of whether a student graduates. Five out of the nine campuses with these academies have four-year high school graduation rates higher than the city’s 76 percent, city data shows.

This school year, the district started a similar program at 11 middle schools for kids transitioning from elementary school.

Students are also encouraged to apply to “Smart Choice Colleges,” campuses that D.C. students have attended and in which they’ve done well, Ferebee said. And during the pandemic, officials started DCPS Persists, which provides high school graduates with academic coaching, emotional support and small grants to help them afford expenses like books or transportation while they’re in college.

“The beauty of DCPS Persists is we’ve created that structure for students” where they can reach out for help, Ferebee said. “The ability to help students with their mental health, the social-emotional connection that they’ll have with DCPS as they go onto college, is something we think is important.”

Mikayla Kelley, 18, a senior at Banneker High School who attended last month’s college celebration, said students need more counseling while they are still in high school. “I definitely think more mental health support and in-care home support,” she said when asked about what it would take to help more students graduate. “A lot of students, they can’t focus on school because of external issues they have going on at home.”

Inside Capital One Arena, she wore the blue-and-white T-shirt of Spelman College, the historically Black Atlanta school where she plans to spend the next four years.

Getting students to think about college sooner also could help them stay focused, some leaders say.

“We need to strengthen the college advising and college exposure,” said Patricia Brantley, chief executive of Friendship Public Charter School. Students enrolled there take college trips as early as during elementary grades. “At Friendship, we do a lot of dual-enrollment courses so that kids are showing that they can do college-level work while they are still in high school.”

The entire city has embraced dual-enrollment and early-college programs in recent years, particularly with the opening of the Advanced Technical Center in Northeast Washington. High-schoolers at the site can earn college credits toward degrees in nursing and cybersecurity. In her budget request, D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) signaled plans to open a second site in Ward 8.

Getting more students through college may also mean expanding the definition of completion to include apprenticeships, certificates and professional credentials, said Derrick Anderson, senior vice president of Education Futures at the American Council on Education.

“It’s totally within the realm of possibility,” Anderson said about D.C.’s goal to raise the college graduation rate, but added that “I don’t think everyone needs a four-year degree and I don’t think everyone needs to be on a four-year degree pathway.”

Finances also remain a barrier for many students, experts said. D.C. kids can secure scholarships through DC-CAP and the D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant, which pays students up to $10,000 each year to attend public universities outside the city and $2,500 to go to a District private school or private historically Black institution.

But they also are contending with the loss of DC Futures, which helped cover tuition for about 1,500 students at Trinity Washington, UDC and Catholic University. The program was funded with $12 million in federal pandemic relief that will expire this fall.

“$3 million, that’s just going to be gone by the end of the fall semester,” McGuire said, adding that 500 of her students used DC Futures funds to work toward degrees. “If students don’t know how they’re going to pay for this, they’re not going to finish.”