2026019 Fall Adventure "Homes of the Presidents"

Day 1

8:00am Depart.
11:30am Stop in Gainsville, VA for lunch on your own.
12:30pm Continue.
2:30pm Visit James Madison's Montpelier Take a guided tour and explore the histories and legacies of James and Dolley Madison, the Enslaved Community, and the Constitution as you journey through the landscape and inside the Madisons' home.
4:00pm Depart.
4:45pm Arrive and check into DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Charlottesville. Baggage handling is not included.
6:15pm Depart
6:30pm Enjoy an included dinner at Timberwood Grill. Locally owned restaurant with American cuisine. Menu TBD. (DI)
8:00pm Depart.
8:15pm Return to the hotel for rest.

Day 2

7:00am Enjoy included breakfast at the hotel.
8:00am Depart.
8:45am Arrive at Monticello the mountaintop home of Thomas Jefferson. The house is a remarkable integration of classical architecture and modern innovation designed by Jefferson and built on the mountain top where he had played as a boy. Mr. Jefferson named his home Monticello, meaning "Little Mountain" and always used the Italian pronunciation of Monticello (mon-ti-chel-oh).
12:00pm Depart.
12:15pm Enjoy lunch included at Historic Michie Tavern This is one of the oldest homesteads remaining in Virginia. The Tavern offers a glimpse of 18th-century life through the exhibit of handcrafted furnishings and artifacts. Hearty, Typical colonial fare is served in "The Ordinary." (DI)
1:45pm Depart.
2:00pm Visit James Monroe's Highland and meet Mr. Monroe! Through Highland's architecture and landscape you will hear the story of the lost and found main house, and how Highland and its inhabitants reflected the economic fortunes of the growing United States. You'll also gain insight into American history through the prism of one of its early leaders. James Monroe's political career spanned 50 years, from soldier to governor to international diplomat to president, and Highland was one of the fixed points in his private life.
3:30pm Continue.
4:00pm Arrive at University of Virginia for a guided tour of the Rotunda, Academical Village, and Memorial to Enslaved Laborers. The Rotunda at the University of Virginia was designed by Thomas Jefferson as the architectural and academic heart of the University's community of scholars. He named the University's original buildings the "Academical Village." As the phrase suggests, the Academical Village is based on the Jeffersonian principle that learning is a lifelong process, and that interaction between faculty and students is vital to the pursuit of knowledge.
6:00pm Depart.
6:15pm Return to the hotel to freshen up.
7:15pm Depart
7:30pm Enjoy an included dinner at Wood Grill Buffet American food buffet. Menu TBD. (DI)
9:00pm Depart.
9:15pm Return to the hotel for rest.

Day 3

7:00am Enjoy included breakfast at the hotel and check out. (DI) Baggage handling is included.
8:00am Depart.
10:00am Meet your Richmond tour guide and visit St John's Church with a guided tour and meet Patrick Henry! (2401 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23223). As tensions grew between the colonies and Great Britain in the 1770s, Virginia held a series of meetings to organize its protests against the mother country. In March of 1775, the Second Virginia Convention was held here at what was then called Henrico Parish Church. Patrick Henry, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Peyton Randolph and other prominent Virginians were delegates to the convention. Here, Patrick Henry embodied the spirit of the Revolution on March 23, 1775, with his words, "Give me liberty…or give me death!"
11:00am Depart on a driving tour of Richmond, where history comes to life. This tour provides a rich blend of historic landmarks, beautiful scenery, and a deeper understanding of Richmond's role in American history. See sites such as: "Drive by the Virginia Executive Mansion. The oldest continuously occupied governor's mansion in the United States, and a symbol of Virginia's political heritage. "Drive by the White House of the Confederacy. The former residence of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, offering a glimpse into the city's Civil War-era past.
" Stop at the Virginia War Memorial. A tribute to Virginians who served and sacrificed in the nation's wars, offering a moment of reflection on the state's military history.
" Drive down Monument Avenue Historic District. Renowned for its grand statues and beautiful architecture that showcase Richmond's rich history.
12:00pm Tour the Virginia State Capitol (1000 Bank St, Richmond, VA 23218). Thomas Jefferson's neo-classical marvel features a hidden dome, pre-historic fossils in the floor marble and the world-famous statue of George Washington.
1:30pm Lunch is on your own- stop at the guide's discretion.
3:00pm Visit Historic Tuckahoe (12601 River Rd, Richmond, VA 23238) with a guided tour. Situated on a bluff overlooking the James River in Goochland County, Tuckahoe was the boyhood home of Thomas Jefferson and is a designated National Historic Landmark. Built between 1730 and 1740, this unique Randolph family plantation home and many of its original outbuildings have stood the test of time for almost three centuries. Tuckahoe stands as an example of plantation life in Virginia across hundreds of years.
4:30pm Guide drops and depart.
6:15pm Enjoy an included dinner at Madigan's Waterfront. A casual riverside restaurant specializing in seafood, steaks & pasta. Menu TBD. (DI)
7:45pm Continue.
8:15pm Arrive and check into Courtyard Alexandria Pentagon South Baggage handling is not available.

Day 4

7:15am Enjoy included breakfast at the hotel. (DI)
8:15am Depart.
9:00am Arrive at Mount Vernon. Enter the line (queue) at your reserved time to see the inside of the Mansion. Here, George Washington escaped the rigors of public office and enjoyed the life of a successful Virginia planter. America's most visited historic house, Mount Vernon sits on a grassy, shaded slope overlooking the Potomac River. Many of the furnishings are original pieces acquired by Washington himself. Mount Vernon is both George Washington's home and final resting-place. This Southern plantation standing on the banks of the Potomac River details the life of the "Father of Our Country" while providing fascinating insights into colonial times. "Lunch is on your own while visiting
1:30pm Depart.
2:00pm Arrive at Tall Ship Providence for a Dock Side History Tour and 1 hour cruise with 1 drink included: wine or beer. After the tour, set sail on Tall Ship Providence and capture the spirit of early American seafaring. When you tour Providence, you step back in time into the shoes of a sailor fighting the American Revolution. A sailor straight out of the 18th Century will assign you your role among the crew, show you the ropes, and give a short briefing on your duties and the mission assigned to Providence by the higher ups of the Continental Navy. When you're ready, you will board Providence and present yourself to her esteemed captain - the legendary John Paul Jones, Father of the American Navy. From there, you will visit the quarterdeck, the main deck, the captain's cabin, and the hold to see where you'll be spending the next several months during your time at sea. You may even learn to load a cannon!
3:00pm Tall Ship Providence cruise.
4:00pm Dock and depart.
4:30pm Tour Gadsby's Tavern Museum. For nearly a century Gadsby's Tavern was a center of political, social and cultural life in Alexandria. Nearly all of the founders of American Independence enjoyed the warm tavern hospitality.
5:30pm Enjoy an included lunch at Gadsby's Tavern. Meet Martha Washington at lunch!
7:00pm
7:30pm Return to the hotel for rest.

Day 5

8:00am Enjoy included breakfast at the hotel and check out. Baggage handling is not available.
9:30am Depart.
10:00am Arrive for a guided tour of the George Washington Masonic National Memorial offering one of the finest views of Washington, plus an extraordinary collection of Colonial-era treasures.
11:15am Depart.
11:30am Tour Christ Churchin Old Town Alexandria, a beautiful example of Georgian church architecture, dating from 1773. Silver plaques mark the pews of George Washington, who served as a vestryman, and Robert E. Lee.
12:30pm Enjoy lunch on your own and free time to explore the shops in Old Town Alexandria.
3:00pm Depart for home
6:00pm Approximate arrival home.

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner