For the first time in three years, the fifth graders at our elementary school were able to visit Washington, DC, for a field trip. Bodie was so excited that this was back on the agenda! His grade missed the usual fourth grade trip to Charleston, so this was extra special.
I’m not going to lie: I was a bit apprehensive about this particular trip. First of all, the itinerary is extremely ambitious. Each day was chock full of attractions and started with breakfast before sunrise and ended with a late return to the hotel. Also? We traveled by bus. DC is not exactly close to Greenville and I don’t love a bus. However, all went well and we had an incredible adventure with friends, learned a lot, and made memories to last a lifetime.
We began the trip last Tuesday with a 5:30 AM arrival at the elementary school. We quickly boarded the buses and were on our way. We ate bagged lunches at a rest stop in Virginia to break up the trip. The kids enjoyed playing football in the sunshine.
We hit the ground running as soon as we got to the metro DC area (Quantico) with a visit to the National Museum of the Marine Corps. I think the drill instructor exhibit interested Bodie the most. The hanging aircraft made for a cool backdrop.
Marine Corps
Dinner was at The Harbour Grille in Woodbridge, VA. They did an excellent job setting up a buffet for our large group. If you ever find yourself in charge of planning a field trip to DC, check them out. After dinner we headed to our hotel (a Hampton Inn in Alexandria) for a good nights sleep, but not before some of the fellas had a gathering in the hallway.
Our first full day in our nation’s capital included a phenomenal tour of Arlington National Cemetery. I cannot tell you how thankful I am that we had gorgeous weather our entire trip. The temps were a bit chilly at times, but the sun was shining brightly the entire week. I can’t imagine how miserable this would have been in the rain. But back to Arlington….we saw a funeral with full military honors taking place, which quite impressive. We also saw the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the eternal flame at the Kennedy graves.
Arlington National Cemetery
Following our Arlington, we made our way to several monuments, including Roosevelt, Lincoln, Washington and MLK. I’m excited for Bodie to learn more about FDR and his presidency!
Monuments
We enjoyed lunch at a Chick Fil A and then popped into Ford’s Theater to learn more about President Lincoln’s assassination. I’m honestly a little concerned by Bodie’s level of interest in this tragic event.
Ford’s Theater
A quick stop by the Air Force Memorial and then dinner at a mall food court. It’s hard to tell in pictures just how tall the Air Force Memorial is.
Air Force Memorial
Our final stop for the day was a somber one, but a highlight for me. The 9/11 memorial at the Pentagon is one of the most moving tributes I’ve seen. It’s so hard for these fifth graders to comprehend just how drastically life changed for every American that day and how many families suffered tremendous loss. If you’re in DC, you must visit this memorial. It’s even better at night. We got to hear from a Pentagon employee who was in the building when the terrorist attack took place.
9/11 Pentagon Memorial
We returned to our hotel tired and pensive. Unlike the first night, there was no hallway gathering. We all showered and hit the hay to rest up for our early morning wake up call.
Our second full day kicked off with a tour of the Capitol. I actually don’t think I’d ever been inside the Capitol before, so I learned just as much as the students. Our tour guide was wonderful.
Capitol
Following a picnic lunch from a local deli (again, I have no idea what we would have done in the rain), we bounced around the Smithsonian museums. Bodie and I got a kick out of this Delta uniform in the Air and Space Museum. Just like my dad wore! The Wright brothers’ airplane was my favorite part. Bodie’s favorite spot was the gift shop.
We also made our way to the Archives and got to see the Declaration of Independence and The Constitution in person. Very cool, but no photos allowed.
Air & Space Museum
Dinner this evening was at the food court in the Reagan Trade Center where I had a surprisingly good falafel bowl. We needed to fuel up because after dinner we still had to visit the White House, the WWII Memorial and Thomas Jefferson Memorial. I’m so thankful we had a tour guide with us for all of the monuments and memorials. We would have missed so much without them!
White House, WWII and Jefferson Memorials
Needless to say, we once again collapsed in our beds back at the hotel after such a busy day. The next day would be our last in DC.
Our final day included a tour of George Washington’s beloved home, Mount Vernon. I’ll be perfectly honest, Bodie was over the history lessons by this point and really only wanted to run around the gorgeous grounds with his buddies. However, he did indulge me with a house tour, which I really enjoyed. George and Martha had exquisite taste!
Mount Vernon
We left for SC straight from Mount Vernon. The bus ride home was not as easy as the ride up, due to traffic in Richmond and Raleigh, but we made it home safe and sound around 11:15 Friday night. I speak for everyone, adults and children alike, when I say I was exhausted. The trip was incredible and these kids will forever remember their fifth grade trip to Washington. We are grateful for a school that works so hard to make these field trips happen.
