Politics trip to Washington, DC

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Alexandra, Head of Physics, Alleyn’s School London

“I have had excellent service as always. We used the sites as sources of historical evidence to aid GCSE performance. All aspects of the trip...”

Patrick, History Teacher, Hampshire

Home to many national monuments and museums

The historic capital of the USA and the centre for all three branches of the American federal government, including the Congress, the President, and the Supreme Court, Washington, DC is a fascinating destination for an A level Politics educational trip. Home to many national monuments and museums, students can explore the origins of the Civil Rights movement and learn more about the path of American political history.

Sample Itinerary

Day 1

Flight to DC. Transfer by coach to accommodation.

Day 2

Breakfast at the hotel before meeting local guide in the lobby of the hotel for a four-hour city tour of Washington, DC. Tour will also include time at Arlington National Cemetery. Walk to the Smithsonian African American Museum. Evening at a local movie theatre nearby to see a film. Watch a sports game or enjoy a trip to the theatre.

Day 3

Travel by metro to the U.S. Capitol where the group will have a take a 45-minute guided tour. Afterwards take in the sites of the National Mall from the steps of the Capitol Building. Travel by Metro to Ford’s Theatre, the site of President Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination. Listen to a Ranger give a presentation on the history of Lincoln and the night of the assassination. Visit the theatre where Lincoln was shot and the home where he later died.

Day 4

This morning transfer by coach to Mt. Vernon, the former estate of George Washington. Transfer to the Frederick Douglas National Historical Site. Travel back into the city to spend the rest of the relaxing on the National Mall or visiting the Smithsonian museums.

Day 5

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before checking out. Transfer to the airport for your flight home.

Day 6

Arrive back in the UK.

Some interesting Facts

The DC War Memorial, which honours local residents of Washington, DC, is the only memorial to World War I on the National Mall.
There’s a bathtub in the basement of the U.S. Capitol! Four marble tubs were installed in 1859. When most senators lived in boarding houses on Capitol Hill that had no running water so they came to work to work – and wash.
When the Washington Monument opened in 1884, it was the tallest structure in the world until the Eiffel Tower in Paris opened in 1889.
The Library of Congress is the biggest library in the United States. It has 535 miles of bookshelves.

Visits

Browse a selection of our favourite activities and visits.

Guided tour of the city
Arlington National Cemetery
The African American Civil War Museum
U.S. Capitol tour
Mount Vernon
The Frederick Douglas National Historical Site
Other places of interest include

Explore the governmental and historic areas and its many residential neighbourhoods. See the Library of Congress, the Capitol Building, the White House, the 17 free museums making up the Smithsonian Institution, and visit the Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials. Travel through U Street – once known as “Black Broadway”, Dupont Circle, Adams Morgan, Capitol Hill, and notable Georgetown, an historic and affluent section of the city.

The hallowed grounds of Arlington National Cemetery have long been recognized as a place of honour for those who have served the United States.

Whose mission is to preserve and tell the stories of the United States Colored Troops and African American involvement in the American Civil War.

Includes stops at the Rotunda of the Capitol and National Statuary Hall. See the Exhibition Hall, the only exhibition in the world dedicated to telling the story of the U.S. Congress.

Offers a glimpse into 18th-century plantation life through beautiful gardens and grounds, intriguing museum exhibits, and immersive programs honouring George Washington’s life and legacy.

Walk the halls of Cedar Hill, home of the famed abolitionist Frederick Douglas. Born into slavery, Douglas escaped to spend his life fighting for justice for equality for all people.

The Supreme Court, the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Archives and the Martin Luther King, Jr Memorial.

Where to stay

Popular places to stay.

We can accommodate groups in a variety of hotels, according to their budget, allowing easy access to all the city’s attractions.

Watch our films

Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about planning a school educational tour.

Watch all our films

Our step-by-step Guide to planning a School Trip: Part 1

FAQs

Find the answers to some of our most frequently asked questions.

We can send you mini-brochures to hand out at school and a PowerPoint presentation for assemblies and parent’s meetings you may wish to hold. We also have an interactive promotional poster you can put up on walls and noticeboards. This will make it easier for you to get your students excited about your plans.

You should book your tour between 8-18 months in advance. This will give us time to secure the best possible accommodation and excursion programme for your tour and you will have ample time for fundraising should you need to do so.

We agree a three-stage process so that payments can be staggered to make it easier for parents.