HIGHLIGHTS TOUR OF CAPITAL PLACES

If this is your first time visiting Washington D.C. this tour is a must. 8 hours - including lunch on Capitol Hill.

Our first stop is 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue to take pictures of the exterior of the White House (to tour the inside, contact your Congressman/woman in advance of your visit). The Old Executive Office Building, housing the Office of the Vice President is near-by.  Across the street is the Blair House, the Presidential Guest House. 

Stop on Capitol Hill to see the exterior of the United States Capitol where Congress meets to write the laws of our nation. 

Walk across the street to the Supreme Court for a narrative tour from the outside of the building. Visit the Library of Congress, the largest library in the world with more than 110 million books, photos, etc.

Visit Ford’s Theatre where President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. Cross the street to see Petersen House where the president was taken after being shot.

It has been the site of services for many national leaders, including the funeral of President Ronald Reagan. Heading south on Massachusetts Ave. is the Vice President’s House located on the grounds of the Naval Observatory.

AMERICAN PLACES TOUR

Honor America’s generals and foot soldiers who have kept our country strong.  7 Hours with a stop for lunch in Alexandria

Visit Arlington National Cemetery to see the Changing of the Guard Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the final resting places of President John F. Kennedy, Supreme Court Justice William Rehnquist,  and over 300,000 Americans. Soldiers from every major U.S. war are buried in the cemetery. Drive through historic Old Town Alexandria en route to Mt. Vernon, the home of President George Washington from1754 until in 1799. Visit the mansion, walk the grounds, and feel his spirit.

Stop at the Banneker Park to honor Benjamin Banneker, a self-taught mathematician, astronomer, and assistant surveyor of the Federal Territory.  In his 1791 letter written to Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, Banneker attacked the institution of slavery and dared to call Jefferson a “hypocrite.”

Meet the “skinny kid with the funny last name,” and meet “Mr. Civil Rights. “ Meet the Congressman who wrote a memoir of the movement.  

Approximately 209,145 black troops fought for the Union Army during the Civil War. The African American Civil War Memorial brings long overdue recognition to their service and sacrifice.  

In the 1930’s the New Negro Alliance established the legal right to picket, paving the way for the struggles of the sit-ins in the 1960’s. Stop at the sites associated with this grassroots organization and learn about the involvement of young college students, including the first elected mayor of Washington, D.C. in the 20^th century, Walter Washington.  

A. Philip Randolph organized the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and the 1963 March on Washington.  See sites associated with his work.

Thurgood Marshall, appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1967, had a way of using the law for social change like few other attorneys.  Travel through the neighborhoods where he worked and places where he is remembered.

We will pause at the U.S. Capitol to hear how Black Americans in Congress from 1870 to the present have struggled to extend to all citizens the ideals of the Founding Fathers.

"From Slavery to Freedom" is the National Black History theme for 2007.  The tour is available all year long.  We will visit sites dedicated to the individuals who struggled to achieve freedom and equality.  The tour begins at the home of Dr. Carter G. Woodson, the founder of Negro History Week.  We invite everyone to take this tour. 

FAMILY REUNION FLING TOUR

Enjoy an intergenerational educational and entertaining experience.

The tour is ideal for the first time or repeat visitor to the nation’s capital. Visit the most requested places:  White House (exterior) and U.S. Capitol Building (exterior), National Mall, Washington Monument, Lincoln, African American Civil War (rated by USA Today newspaper as “in  the 10 must see sites” in the city) and World War II Memorials.  Driving the scenic route enables us to show other historic and interesting sites. This is an opportunity for you to create your own tour!

MEMORIAL PLACES TOUR

Explore those timeless landmarks that pay tribute to our nation’s heroes.

Visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, commonly know as the “Wall.”  Make a pencil rubbing of a name or leave a memento for a fallen hero.  At the east end of the “Wall” is the Vietnam Women’s Memorial.  Stop at the Korean War Veterans Memorial.  The most prominent part of the memorial is the larger than life-size sculpture group of servicemen. Step off the bus to visit the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial.  It consists of four outdoor sculpture rooms honoring the 32^nd president of the U.S. who was elected to an unprecedented four terms in office.   

SACRED SITES TOUR

Take an inspirational journey-you’ll never forget it!

Experience the beauty.  Learn the history.  Visit the Franciscan Monastery, the American headquarters of the Order of St. Francis.  Marvel at the replicas of Rome’s Catacombs and the garden of Gethsemane.  Tour the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the largest Catholic Church in the Americas.  Its exterior design reflects the Byzantine-Romanesque architectural style of the earliest Christina churches.

SHARE THE HERITAGE TOUR

Come bask in the richness of our diversity.

Come see for yourself how rich Washington, D.C. is in multicultural history.  Find an unlimited selection of attractions, exhibits, museums, restaurants and diverse neighborhoods.  Start with a visit to the Smithsonian’s American Indian Museum, to learn about the first inhabitants of the nation, the “First Americans.” Step off the coach at the Japanese American Memorial, honoring Americans of Japanese descent that were placed in relocation camps and those who served in the U.S. armed forces during World War II.  

Drive through Chinatown to see an ornately designed Friendship Arch. We invite you to venture into our culturally rich neighborhoods surrounding the Mall. Latin American and Caribbean immigrants have formed a unique Latino community in this city, distinguished by its multinational and intercultural character. In the Adams Morgan community see outdoor murals and street vendors which characterize the district. Ride through U Street, a neighborhood that predates New York City’s Harlem as a Mecca for African American culture.  

“SIXTY SOMETHING” TOUR

Visit fascinating places at moderate paces. 

Seeing Washington, D.C. at a more casual and relaxed pace is for the tourist who is not in a hurry, but wants to see it all. We leisurely walk-through various sites, making our nation’s monuments and memorial all the more accessible.

STAR-SPANGLED PLACES-TOUR OF WASHINGTON, DC BY NIGHT

Enjoy breathtaking views of the city at its finest.

En route to tour stops, we will drive past the National Mall, Smithsonian Museums National Gallery of Art and the Washington Monument.  Stop at the Lincoln Memorial which honors our 16^th president.  Inside, inscriptions from Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address and Second Inaugural Address flank the marble statue of Lincoln.  Dr. King delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech from the steps in 1963.  See the engraving which marks the spot.

Visit the Jefferson Memorial situated along the Tidal Basin.  In the springtime the world-renowned cherry trees are in bloom.  Stop for photos of the Iwo Jima, the Marine Corps War Memorial.

Visit the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, a national cultural center and a “living memorial” to President Kennedy.  Walk the Grand Foyer, the building’s most glamorous space.  From the Roof Terrace see the beautifully lit capital domes which dominate the skyline.

AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE & CULTURAL TOUR
The tour covers more than 200 years of history.  8 Hours includes a lunch stop. 

The truth is…African American history is American history. The capital of the United States is also a capital of African American history and culture. As we drive through the city see sites of slave pens and stops on the Underground Railroad. Hear stories of the “Secret City,” Herring Hill, Black Broadway, the original Barrys’ Farm and Strivers’ Row. Follow the paths taken by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, Mary McLeod Bethune, Adam Clayton Powell Jr., and Zora Neal Hurston.   Learn about Lewis Jefferson, a millionaire at the age of 35 who owned steamboats and an amusement park. Step off the coach at Mount Zion United Methodist Cemetery where runway slaves found shelter. Visit Metropolitan AME Church where Frederick Douglass was eulogized, where Paul Lawrence Dunbar worshipped and where Rosa Parks was remembered. Visit the Anacostia Museum, the African American Civil War Museum, and site of the future African American History and Culture Museum.  

AFRICAN AMERICAN EDUCATIONAL TOUR FOR STUDENTS

There are so many stories to tell ... stories of hope, determination, strength and resilience.

See Cedar Hill, the home of slave and national statesman Frederick Douglass. Visit the African American Civil War Memorial, the only national memorial honoring the Colored Troops who served in the Civil War.  At the museum learn the real story of the “War for Emancipation.” Tour Howard University and sneak a peek at the Greeks. The history of black American Catholicism begins with the Healey brothers. Father Patrick Francis Healy, S.J., president of Georgetown University in 1874 is best remembered for his dedicated leadership in turning the small college into a major educational center. See the building dominating the Georgetown skyline which bears his name.  Stop for a photo opportunity and narrative tour of the outside of the White House.  Learn about the slave who wrote the first White House memoir, the trusted employee in charge of White House household accounts, and the “Queen of Staccato.”  After the tour, stop at Ben’s Chili Bowl to enjoy the “Bill Cosby Special.”  

“IF THESE HATS COULD TALK” TOUR

The tour explores the lives of extraordinary women living in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol who overcame the odds.

Stop at the Mary McLeod Bethune statue and the Black Fashion Museum.  Visit a museum named after a “little woman” and a $20 million office building purchased as a gift by friends.  Walk in the footsteps of Elizabeth Keckley, the dressmaker whose clients included the wives of Jefferson Davis and President Abraham Lincoln.  Meet Anne Lowe who designed the gown Jacqueline Bouvier wore for marriage to John F. Kennedy.  Born into slavery, Anna J. Cooper, received her doctorate from the Sorbonne in the 1920’s. Nannie Helen Burroughs and Lois Mailou Jones left legacies for all to enjoy.   

WALK IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. TOUR
“The Vision, The Dream of Dr. King was for eternity…We honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by…lifting our eyes as he challenges us to do.” Rev. Billy Graham

Help us celebrate Dr. King’s birthday-all year long!  In October, 1983, the U.S. Congress passed legislation making the third Monday in January the day America would honor Dr. King with a national holiday.  Dr. King a clergyman, civil rights leader, and Nobel Peace Prize winner dedicated his life to make life better for other people.  His life and work live in the nation’s capital.  We will sing and hear his words as we visit sites that honor him.  Stand where he stood when he delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963.  The tour concludes at the site where the national memorial honoring “The Man, Movement and The Message” will be built.

A portion of the proceeds of the tour will be donated to Washington, D.C. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation., Inc. The organization is charged with raising $100 million to begin construction of the memorial.  For more information on how you can help, log on to

www.mlkmemorial.org

ANNAPOLIS

The city has more 18^th –century buildings and houses than any other city in the U.S. 6 Hours with a lunch at the City Dock.

The capital of Maryland is a walking city. Visit the state house, one of the oldest in the nation. See St. John’s College, established in 1696.  Many important events have occurred at the City Dock, including the burning of the Peggy Stewart, a cargo ship loaded with tea that was taxed by the British. The arrival of the slave named Kunta Kinte, ancestor of Alex Haley, author of Roots is remembered at the dock.  Enjoy a delectable seafood meal!  

BALTIMORE

What’s new in “Charm City?” 6 Hours with lunch at the Inner Harbor.

A visit to the National Aquarium allows visitors to discover amazing creations of the sea.

Visit the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, the newest memorial in the city. The complexities of black American life in Maryland have been preserved and are ready to be explored.