Washington Cherry Blossoms

March 27, 2025

We'll begin the day with a 6:00am departure from Bellvillemaking brief stops along the way in Napanee, Kingston, and Gananoque. Once everyone is on board, we will begin our journey to Washington, DC! We will be making comfort stops along the way including the Duty Free.

We will arrive at the Hampton Inn & Suites National Harbor in the evening. After checking in, dinner will be on your own in the National Harbor. There are plenty of dining options right outside of our hotel.

The National Harbor is a community unlike any other in the D.C. region, designed to take full advantage of the most historic river in the nation, the Potomac. Rising from its banks, National Harbor is a 350-acre resort destination that includes the Tanger Outlets, thousands of hotel rooms, tree-lined promenades with popular shops and over 40 restaurants, a marina, and The Capital Wheel - a 180-foot observation wheel featuring panoramic views of the nation's capital.

You will also receive a keepsake Cherry Blossom pin and admission to the Capitol Wheel during your free time at the National Harbor.

The rest of the evening is yours to relax. Have a look at your McCoy Guide for our restaurant recommendations!

March 28, 2025

After enjoying our included breakfast this morning at our hotel, we will meet our local guide and depart on the Pink Stroll and photo opportunity among the Japanese cherry trees along the tidal basin. This photo opportunity is among the Japanese cherry trees (blossoms cannot be guaranteed- they are weather dependent) along the Tidal Basin. These trees are the 1912 gift to the city of Washington of 3,000 cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo. They represent the friendship between the United States and Japan and celebrate the continued close relationship between them.

We will stop at The Jefferson Memorial first. The 19-foot statue of the third president stands beneath a rotunda inscribed with passages from the Declaration of Independence and Jefferson's other famous writings. Looking from the memorial across the Tidal Basin provides an unforgettable view of the city.

Next, we will visit The Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial. This memorial to FDR combines sculpture, water and natural landscape to forge a dramatic setting for recounting the events and terms of office of the nation's 32nd President. The FDR is unique among the memorials of Washington, DC. Its shade trees, waterfalls, statuary and quiet alcoves create the feeling of a secluded garden rather than an imposing structure.

Afterwards, we will spend some time at the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial. The long- awaited memorial utilizes landscape elements to powerfully convey three fundamental and recurring themes of Dr. King's life: justice, democracy, and hope.

Now that we have explored this beautiful area of the city, we will board the Odyssey III Cruise Ship at 12:00pm. Travel beneath the historic bridges that span the Potomac while enjoying live entertainment, impeccable cuisine, and unparalleled views of the Capital's greatest monuments. Enjoy your included lunch and signature pink drink aboard the Odyssey III Cruise Ship.

At 2:00pm we will dock, disembark our cruise ship, board our motorcoach and head to the Smithsonian Institution's museums. This is a world-renowned museum and research complex consisting of 17 museums, galleries and a zoo. Visit your choice of museums in the National Mall. Explore, discover and be inspired!

At the National Museum of American History, browse through the state-of-the-art gallery and make sure to check out a spectacular view of the Star- Spangled Banner. The National Museum of Natural History is home to the Hope Diamond, dinosaur fossils, a live insect zoo and more.

You will find an outstanding collection of masterpieces that trace the development of Western art from the Middle Ages to the present at the National Gallery of Art. The original West Building concentrates primarily on European works from the 13th century, while its contemporary counterpart, the East Building, highlights the work of modern artists.

At 5:30pm, we will head back to the National Harbor for a relaxing evening and dinner on your own.

March 29, 2025

Our breakfast is included this morning at our hotel we will depart to meet our local guide. Our first stop on our tour today will be at the White House for a photo opportunity. At 10am we will visit the National World War 1 Memorial; a national memorial commemorating the service rendered by members of the United States Armed Forces in World War 1.

At 11:00am we will arrive at the United States Library of Congress. Established as an act of Congress in 1800, The Library of Congress is the largest national library in the world with more than 100 million items in three buildings. There are more than 650 miles of bookshelves, and more than 138 million objects in 470 different languages.

At 12:00pm we will walk over to the United States Capitol and enter the security line for the Visitor's Center. After lunch on our own today at the Visitor's Center Cafeteria, we will make our way to the United States Capitol. The Capitol is the most recognized symbol of democratic government in the world. The ceilings are decorated with historic images, and its halls are lined with statuaries and paintings representing great events and people in the nation's history.

Then we will visit The National World War 2 Memorial. This memorial honors the 16 million who served in the armed forces of the U.S. during World War 2, more than 400,000 who died, and the millions who supported the war effort from home. Our next stop will be to The Vietnam Veterans Memorial. This privately funded memorial has drawn millions who have come to touch the over 50,000 names, make pencil rubbings and leave flowers, letters, flags and personal mementos.

We will continue our journey as we head to the Lincoln Memorial. Seated proudly at the West end of Washington, DC's National Mall, the Lincoln Memorial is one of the most beloved American monuments. Our last stop will be to the Korean War Veterans Memorial. The Triangular field contains nineteen ground troopers, clad in foul weather ponchos, fully equipped for battle. Those who supported the ground groups are represented in hundreds of faces etched on a polished granite wall.

Now that we have worked up an appetite, we will enjoy our included dinner together at Nick's Riverside Grill. Nick's is a family restaurant in the truest sense of the word. Established in 1992, Nicholas, his cousin, father and brother began operating this renovated establishment. One of them is there at all times!

After our delicious meal, we will embark on our Illuminated Monument Driving Tour. Washington's grand buildings, memorials, and monuments sparkle and are impressive during the day; but in the evenings they are stunning.

Once the tour is over, we will head back to our hotel for the rest of the night.

March 30, 2025

Your morning will begin with an included breakfast at the hotel. At 9:30am we will depart and head to Mount Vernon and the Ford Orientation Center. 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 is both George Washington's home and final resting place.

The Ford Orientation Center contains sculptures, paintings, portraits, models, photos, films, documents, and diverse artifacts, with succinct descriptions and pithy quotations describing the life, times and accomplishments of our nation's first president.

You will have time for lunch on your own at the Mount Vernon Food Court.

At 1:00pm we will depart Mount Vernon and head to the Arlington National Cemetery. No land in America is more sacred than this square mile. This is the final resting place for President John F. Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Audie Murphy, prizefighter Joe Louis, and thousands of soldiers from every major U.S. war. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres in Arlington, VA.

Next, we will visit the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial; the site for the Pentagon 9/11 memorial lies immediately adjacent to the Pentagon where flight 77 collided with the building. At 5:30pm we will depart and drive to the Fish Market Restaurant for our included dinner. The restaurant is located in historic old town, Alexandria and offers some of the best and freshest seafood in Northern Virginia. Whether you are looking for the freshest of raw Chesapeake oysters, great clam chowder, Maryland Crab Cakes, fish 'n' chips or grilled fresh catch, the fish market has it all.

After our delicious meal, our motorcoach will take us back to our hotel for a relaxing evening.

March 31, 2025

After our included breakfast at the hotel, it will be time to say good-bye to the beauty of Washington and head back home to Ontario. We will begin our journey home; there will be comfort stops along the way including the duty free and lunch and dinner on your own.

We can't wait to get away with you again soon!

Home Times (all approx.)
Gananoque - car pool lot by the casino @ 7:00pm
Kingston - McCoy Offices @ 7:30pm
Napanee - Flying J @ 8:00pm
Belleville - Quinte Mall @ 8:30pm

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner