A Capitol Christmas, Washington, DC

Wed. Dec 6, 2023

Depart for Washington D.C.
Pick up your local guide as you arrive in D.C.
Continue to the Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens where you will enjoy an included lunch at the Merriweather Café' located onsite. A beautiful space paired with a refreshing menu offers the perfect complement to your Hillwood visit. Enjoy a 1-hour docent-led, guided tour of Hillwood Estate Museum, pending availability. The mansion is the former home of cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post and features an extensive collection of eighteenth-century French decorative arts. Highlights include a diamond crown worn by Empress Alexandra at her marriage to Nicholas II; Beauvais tapestries designed by François Boucher; two Imperial Easter eggs by Carl Fabergé; La Nuit by William-Adolphe Bouguereau; and a collection of costumes and accessories worn by Mrs. Post or her family. The greenhouse and formal gardens are set among 25 acres of wooded hillsides located in the heart of Washington, D.C. and are open for self-guided tours during your visit. During this season, Hillwood offers hands-on workshops, guided holiday tours, and the annual Russian Winter Festival add to the Christmas grandeur.

Depart for a drive of Embassy Row. After the Civil War, the powerful and socially elite built large mansions along Massachusetts Ave. After the Great Depression, many of the families who built these homes went broke. Today, the area is known as Embassy Row. Embassies, associations, foundations, and clubs have claimed and restored these lovely homes.

Check into Gaylord Hotel. The Gaylord National goes all out for the holiday season, celebrating with over 2 million twinkling lights hang throughout the resort, Christmas trees and decorations as far as the eye can see, evening Snow Fall in the Atrium. Over a million pounds of ice for "ICE!" the Gaylord's annual celebration featuring a classic childhood favorite cartoon, ice slides, and sculptures from award winning artists across the country! The ICE! Facility is kept at a cozy 9 degrees - special coats will be given upon entrance!
Enjoy dinner on your own at the National Harbor. Save room for dessert and/or hot chocolate at your next stop!

Visit Enchant! at Nationals Park. Enchant is the creator of the The World's Largest Christmas Light Maze and Market - now with experiences in Dallas, Texas; Las Vegas, Nevada; St. Petersburg, Florida; and Washington, DC that are unique to each event. The event is also host to a bustling artisan Christmas Market, an Ice-Skating Trail, seasonal food and beverage, visits with Mr. and Mrs. Claus, as well as exciting VIP and group experiences. It's true - a world of Christmas wonder awaits! In Washington, DC, Enchant Christmas will turn Nationals Park into a winter wonderland with a mythical forest of twinkling lights and Christmas-themed art installations. You can follow the "Mischievous Elf" through the Christmas Light Maze to search for Santa's missing gifts, listen to stories and take photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and skate along the Ice-Skating Trail adorned with its own light displays.

Depart and return to hotel for the evening.

Thurs. Dec 7, 2023

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel.

Visit Mount Vernon Christmas! Mount Vernon has some of the most unique and wonderful holiday shopping of the season to be found in the DC area. Find Colonial style and American Holiday traditions for your home, friends and family. See the beautifully decorated Mansion and grounds. Tour the Mansion and discover what the Washingtons, enslaved people, and hired workers ate during this season. Learn how food was grown, preserved, prepared, and served during the holiday season. Watch 18th-century demonstrations and hear stories of Christmases past from costumed characters.
Enjoy lunch on your own while visiting the museum.

Meet your local guide at the main entrance to the United States Botanic Gardens a living plant museum. Exhibits interpret the role of plants in supporting earth's diverse and fragile ecosystems and in enriching human life. Established by Congress in 1820, the U.S. Botanic Garden is one of the oldest botanic gardens in North America. See the Poinsettias displayed for the season at the Botanic Garden.

Visit the Basilica of the National Shrine of Immaculate Conception where you will visit the largest Roman Catholic Church in the United States and in North America and is one of the ten largest churches in the world.

Continue on to the DC Christmas Markets all decked out for the holidays! For those not interested in the Christmas Markets, you can visit the National Portrait Gallery. It's always face time at the National Portrait Gallery. We tell the diverse story of America through leaders, rebels, artists, entrepreneurs, and other prominent personalities who shaped our culture. See the exhibit: "America's Presidents", the nation's only complete collection of presidential portraits outside the White House, this exhibition lies at the heart of the Portrait Gallery's mission to tell the American story through the individuals who have shaped it. The Portrait Gallery shares a building-named the Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture-with the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Enjoy dinner included at Elephant & Castle a British pub and restaurant.

Depart for a stop at the National Christmas Tree and the Pathway of Peace at The President's Park. Each year, the National Christmas Tree is surrounded by 56 state, district, and territory trees. The trees are decorated by school children chosen from each state. The public can visit the National Tree and the 56 surrounding trees that make up the Pathway of Peace through the end of December.

Return to the resort for the remainder of your evening.

Friday, Dec 8, 2023

Breakfast at your leisure and enjoy free time to explore ICE, the National Harbor, and the resort.

Arrive in Baltimore and enjoy Brunch included at Miss Shirley's Café. Miss Shirley's Cafe offers guests an upscale-casual and exceptional award-winning culinary experience for all-day breakfast, brunch and lunch.

Explore the Baltimore Inner Harbor Christmas Market. Christmas Village in Baltimore is a combination of an outdoor and indoor holiday market at West Shore Park at the Inner Harbor. The event is modeled after the traditional Christmas Markets in Germany. Vendors in wooden booths sell traditional European food, sweets and drinks. You will also find great shopping opportunities with a large variety of international holiday gifts, ornaments, jewelry as well as high-quality arts and crafts. The unique atmosphere with thousands of lights, the big Gluhwine Pyramid, the delicious smell of waffles, gingerbread, bratwurst and mulled wine is sure to get you into the perfect Christmas spirit!
Depart for home.

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner