Tina/tmodav re: admission costs to Newseum - you can get a very good discount as teacher/chaperone plus students -- scroll down to your home state here: http://www.newseum.org/education/pla...ces/index.html

You can look at staying at hotels in Arlington, VA, or Crystal City. Use kayak.com or hotels.com to check rates in either of those cities.

For Lisa1970:

The best budget hotel option in the DC area, IMO, is the Americana Motel in Arlington's Crystal City where you will almost certainly get a room for under $100 nearly any time of year. Free breakfast, free parking (virtually unheard of that close to the city), free wifi, free shuttle to metro though it is easily walkable to two metro stations. Minutes from downtown on metro. Lots of restaurants and a couple of grocery stores nearby. It gets a lot of positive mention on this forum.

I think what we are going to try to do is one major museum per day for four days then a side trip on the fifth day. I think I am going to suggest:

Newseum
The National Museum of American History
Air and Space Museum
The Holocaust Museum

Are any of these better than the others to visit on the weekend or should we do the Mt. Vernon trip on a weekend day?

They have scheduled our Capitol tour for Monday at 9. I thought we could pick one of the museums after we finish at the Capitol. I am still waiting for the other tours and will fit them in where I have to.

I am still narrowing down the choices so will let you know more as I do. I really can't thank you all enough for all of the great advice! I promise a trip report!

Tina

Just wondering why you would not consider going to Library of Congress and Supreme Court after your Capitol tour. There is a tunnel directly to the Library from the Capitol and the Supreme Court is right next door to the Library. All are free. If your students are 16 and older, you can request cards to enter the reading room at the Library.

tmodav -

In the <b>spring/summer/fall</b>, the Newseum, Museum of American History, Air and Space Museum, and The Holocaust Museum are all better on weekdays to avoid the crowds.

HOWEVER, since you'll be there in <b>mid-March</b>, it's not an issue at all. All the museums and tourist sites will only have about the half the number of visitors that they receive in the busier times of the year. The same applies to Mt. Vernon - in March it will be uncrowded no matter what day you go.


Lisa -

Two suggestions for budget ($100/night range) accommodations in D.C.:

1) Woodley Park Guest House http://www.dcinns.com/
2) The District Hotel http://www.districthotel.com/


...and one for a slightly higher ($150-$175/night) budget:

http://www.tabardinn.com/

Charsu, of course we were part of WWII, and the Holocaust is absolutely something that our students need to know about. However, AP US History has such a focus on politics, social movements, expansion, industrial development etc. here in the U.S. that I am not sure that the Holocaust Museum is an effective use of time for an AP US class that has only five days in DC. Not that it isn't an important place to see, just that given the time constraints, it might not be the most important for this group of kids at this time.

I think the horror displayed at the Holocaust Museum is a perfect illustration of why the US gets involved in social movements, even if they occur in other countries.

DC is such a vast wealth of historical information and sites that few of us will agree on what is "most" important. :)

Are you getting a discount for the newseum? I second the Holocaust Museum.

Newseum is 1/2 price admission for a student group.

Thanks for the insight on the Supreme Court and Library of Congress. I will try to do them at the same time as the Capitol. I am waiting on a tour for the Library so not sure when it will be.

Thanks for the thoughts about the crowds, I was thinking that we were going to be there for the beginning of busy season so that is great to know!

If you can tickets to a play at the Ford's Theater, it would be fantastic.

Just got my reseved tickets for Ford's Theater today. Also was able to arrange the Library of Congress tour directly after our Capitol tour. I have been very pleasantly surprised at how helpful offices have been to try to make the most of our days in Washington. So looking forward to our visit.

In looking at transportation to Mount Vernon, I see that we have to take the metro then a bus. I have looked at the metro website and it seems that the bus from Hunington Station to Mount Vernon leaves every 30 minutes. Does anyone know if we would probably get everyone on 1 bus. It would be terrible if 1/2 were able to get on and then the other 1/2 have to wait another 30 minutes. Just trying to figure out if a visit here will be worth our time. Thanks.

<i>Does anyone know if we would probably get everyone on 1 bus.</i>

It's possible but I definitely wouldn't count on it. It's a public bus route, not one dedicated to getting people back and forth to Mount Vernon. There is no question that a visit to MV would be worth the time for your group of students but it will take most if not all of one of your touring days. I don't envy you trying to move a group that large around from place to place!

<i>Thanks for the thoughts about the crowds, I was thinking that we were going to be there for the beginning of busy season so that is great to know!</i>

Not to be a downer, but I think you are correct about being there at the beginning of a busy time. DC's Cherry Blossom Festival starts the day after you leave and that event draws more than a couple of people to town.

How about a boat trip, would be fun for everyone! Here's website w/ info:

http://www.mountvernon.org/visit/tra...nt-vernon-boat

I think this would be a better option than trying to take the bus as I have read that the busses don't come frequently. Or do a one-way to Mt. Vernon and take busses back.

When we were at Mt. Vernon and touring the mansion, we walked out back and saw the Potomoc from there.

You would be getting student group discounts tixs so maybe price of ferry might be cheaper too. Worth a call to 800#.

I think that to miss visiting Mt. Vernon would be a shame if you can factor in the time. It's such a beautiful venue and to walk out and see tombs of George and Martha Washington is such a historical and educational experience. I had goosebumps!


http://www.mountvernon.org/visit/tra...nt-vernon-boat

I think you are probably going to have to rent a bus/tour to see Mount Vernon. I would pair it with another activity outside the city.

Arlington cemetery is a production (28 round trip Metro rides and it takes forever to walk around it). If it's a must do, then do consider the tour bus option - it departs from the Arlington Cemetery visitor center and is $8.75/person.
__________

The walk from the Lincoln Memorial to Arlington is really not that long. These are high school students. I was 51 and not is top shape and I walked from the Arlington Metro stop, throught the cemetery to most of the sites and over to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Watched the changing of the guard, walked back through the cemetery and on to the Lincoln Memorial and the on to the Smithsonian Metro stop. After much time in museums they will need a little fresh air.

Lisa - Woodley Park Guest House is more in the $160+ range. It is very nice. I have stayed there twice and worth the extra $$ for me.

I wouldn't want to plan a group that large going to/from Mt Vernon on a public bus. But I think it would be a good experience, also, better than a lot of the other things that were being considered. Why not get a quote as to what a charter bus would cost for that trip? This group has some small 24-36 person vans that would work. http://www.inglimo.com/mountvernonli...Limousine.limo

Sure it won't be as cheap as a public bus, but I'd check it out for such a trip.