Highlights

We are happy to accommodate Groups who want to add a night or two, or further customize their trip.

GoAndersonGroups Flexible Pricing:

• Customizable Comps
• Net Rates
• Luxury or First Class Hotels & Meals
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Whatever you want, GoAndersonGroups will be happy to structure tour prices to match your needs. Just let us know!

Itinerary

Day 1 – Thursday – George Washington’s Mount Vernon – Dinner at Mount Vernon Inn – Alexandria, VA 

Arrive this afternoon in Mount Vernon, VA where you enjoy a visit to George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate.  One of the nation’s most beloved historic sites, Mount Vernon offers a glimpse into 18th century plantation life through beautiful gardens and grounds and intriguing museum exhibits. Learn of the history of the mansion through a guided tour as well as the Ford Orientation Center, the Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center and the Distillery & Gristmill.

Following your visit, dinner is included this evening at the Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant located on the grounds of Mount Vernon. Savor the flavors of early America at George Washington’s estate.

Then checking into your nearby Alexandria, VA hotel for the night. (D)

Day 2 – Friday – Montpelier Station, VA – James Madison’s Montpelier – Presentation on America’s first First Lady – Lunch at Michie’s Tavern – Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello – Charlottesville, VA 

After breakfast, travel to Montpelier, home of the 4th President of the United States James Madison and his wife Dolley.  He is known as “The Father of the Constitution.” Having conceived and written most of it, creating the basic foundations of our American Democracy. As you tour the Mansion you will discover his genius while also learning about his wife Dolley.  She is known as America’s “first” First Lady and was the very first presidential wife to entertain in the White House.  Your tour will focus on her, by all accounts she was a social and political force of nature, influencing policy, pop culture, and fashion. Hers is a story for the ages.

Historical note:  In regard to Dolley Madison being know as the first First Lady.  John Adams was the first to occupy the White House, but he and Abigail were only there for the last 5 months of his term and it was still under construction.  Jefferson lived there for 8 years, but was widowed by the time he moved in.  Thus, Dolley was the first woman to really entertain there.

Your lunch is included today at Historic Michie’s Tavern, once owned by Patrick Henry’s father.  This Virginia Landmark captures 18th century life.  The Tavern’s dining room is a rustic setting with the servers dressed in period attire. Wet your whistle with a local spirit at the 1784 Pub, housed in the oldest section of this historic landmark and see where travelers have eaten and rested for 240 years. Grab a souvenir or gift from The General Store or The Tavern Shop, both housed in restored period structures.

End the day with a visit to Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello.

Here you learn about this fascinating Renaissance man famous for writing the Declaration of Independence. Discover his passion for politics, agriculture, architecture, reading and inventing. See firsthand many of his innovative creations. Walking down Mulberry Row, the industrial hub of Monticello, you will learn about the work and domestic life of the many free, indentured, and enslaved people whose contributions helped Jefferson accomplish his achievements both agriculturally and architecturally.

Following the tour, check into your local hotel and enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. (B,L,D)

Day 3 – Saturday – James Monroe’s Highland – Reenactment of the Second Virginia Convention – Dinner at Hanover Tavern 

Today starts with a tour of James Monroe’s Highland. The 5th President of the United States, he was categorized as a small planter who raised tobacco on a farm of approximately 500 acres from 1799 to 1823.  Your guide will lead you on an outdoor history walk, which includes the site of the recently discovered 1799 Main House. You’ll learn the significance of Highland and its enslaved and free occupants, as well as how recent archaeological discoveries have added to the understanding of plantation life. Following the history walk, guides will accompany you for a visit of the  interior exhibit spaces. Plus, you have an audience with President James Monroe (character actor) for a truly unique experience. Monroe served at a time when there was only one political party in America, the period was known as “The Era of Good Feelings.”

Next, head to Richmond, VA for the Historic St. John’s Church. Here you witness the democratic process at work through an animated reenactment of the Second Virginia Convention. It was at this meeting that Patrick Henry shouted “Give me liberty or give me death!”  The re-enactment is by professional actors, in historic attire.  You will hear Patrick Henry’s “Give Me Liberty” with comment from Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington. (2025 is the 250th anniversary of Patrick Henry’s speech)

Afterwards you enjoy dinner at historic Hanover Tavern, one of Patrick Henry’s favorite stops. After a guided tour and discovery of its unique history you enjoy a delicious tavern dinner. Return to Richmond for the evening. (B,D)

Day 4 – Sunday – Williamsburg, VA – American Revolution Museum at Yorktown – Colonial Tavern Dinner

Travel to Williamsburg, VA today and visit the new American Revolution Museum at Yorktown. The American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, replacing the Yorktown Victory Center, is among America’s foremost sites that tell the story of the nation’s founding, from the twilight of the colonial period to the dawn of the Constitution and beyond. Exciting indoor galleries feature period artifacts, immersive environments and films, including “The Siege of Yorktown,” with a 180-degree surround screen and dramatic special effects.

In the outdoor areas experience colonial life with a visit to a re-created Continental Army encampment to learn about the life of a soldier and take in daily demonstrations on medical treatment, camp life and cooking, and see firings of a flintlock musket. Explore a Revolution-era farm, based on a real-life 18th-century family, to help with chores in the house, kitchen, tobacco barn, gardens and crops.

Check into your Williamsburg, VA hotel for the night.  This evening, enjoy a Colonial Tavern Dinner, a 18th-century Colonial reproduction offering hearty American specialties from servers in costume. (B,D)

Day 5 – Monday – Depart for home

After breakfast, depart for home. (B)

Itinerary Note:  This tour has four one-night hotel stays because of the distance between Presidential homes and to avoid backtracking.  We are happy to expand the itinerary and add more lodging or separate the destinations into shorter itineraries.  Let us know your interests.

Tour Map