Dear Travelers,
Our trip is fast approaching and hopefully everyone is getting excited. This is a copy of our current itinerary and a few important notes.
Transportation:
Everyone that is traveling with us will have a seat on the bus when we take bus transportation in the city. I can’t however promise that non-transportation travelers will have a seat on any particular bus. (You may not be able to be seated on your child’s bus or on a bus with friends if you are just joining us in DC.)
Tuesday, March 31st
There will be a mandatory information meeting on Tuesday, March 31st at PHN (location to be determined.) All band students and chaperones must attend the meeting. In an effort to accommodate schedules there will be two meetings one at 4:30 and one at 7:30. Souvenir merchandise will be handed out at the meeting. The meeting should last about an hour. Please bring any paper work that Mr. Senkmajer requires with you that evening.
Tuesday, April 7th
All bus riders should arrive at PHN at 6:30. If you are not traveling with your child and he/she requires medications be sure to fill out the appropriate forms and check them in before you leave. Eat dinner before arriving. Luggage will be taken into the building and checked by chaperones. After that it will be loaded onto the busses. You will receive your lanyard and first envelope from your chaperone. We will have a full day in the city on Wednesday so you will want to make sure you get some rest on the bus. We would hope everyone would respect quiet hours on the bus after 11:00.
Wednesday, April 8th
6:30 Arrive in the DC area for breakfast at Cracker Barrel. (Band students will receive stipend for their breakfast.)
9:00 (This itinerary assumes we do not have access to the White House or Treasury Building) Arrive at the Smithsonian. During the day groups must stay together and students must always travel from place to place with a chaperone. Groups may visit any of the Smithsonian Museums including: National Museums of … American Art, Natural History, American History, Air and Space, African American History and Culture, Native American History, and Modern Art. (Band students will receive a stipend for lunch)
5:45 Meet at Pizzaria Uno Chicago Grill in Union Station for dinner (included for everyone.) We will have a buffet consisting of 3 types of pizza, 2 flavors of chicken wings, salad, brownie, and beverage. This meal will be served buffet style.
7:00 Our busses will arrive to take us on a tour of the monuments. We will make several stops where travelers will be able to view the monuments.
9:30 Leave for the hotel and get room assignments. Chaperone check rooms before going to bed, Hotel security will be on duty at 12:00.
Thursday, April 9th
7:30 Buffet breakfast in the hotel (included for everyone) We will have fruits, milk, juices, coffee, pastries, cold cereals, scrambled eggs, bacon, breakfast potatoes, and pancakes or French toast.
9:00 (approximately) We will take the busses to the White House to view from the outside. There will be an opportunity to take pictures and view demonstration groups.
10:00 Busses will take us to The National Mall again. From there groups may spend the day at the National Zoo, Arlington National Cemetery, or any of the Smithsonian museums. (Band students will receive a stipend for lunch.)
4:45 Arrive at Carmine’s for dinner. (Included for all) This meal will be served family style and will include: salad, garlic bread, rigatoni & broccoli in white sauce, vegetarian marinara with linguini, chicken lemon & butter, chicken parmigiana, chocolate torte, cheesecake, coffee, and soft drinks.
7:00 After dinner we will walk to the theater to see Swing Time - the Musical, a romantic comedy set during the radio era and World War II. The busses will pick us up and bring us back to the hotel. Security will again be on duty.
Friday, April 10th
7:00 Wear your Cherry Festival Shirt. Leave the hotel. We will stop at a fast food place for breakfast. (Band students will receive a stipend.) We will arrive at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg at about 10:00. (Band students will receive a stipend for lunch and dinner.) We will probably leave the park around 8:00. If there is a good spot for a group picture at the hotel we will take one before we leave, otherwise we will take one at the park when we arrive.) Security will be on duty.
Saturday, April 11th
7:00 Breakfast in the hotel (everyone included) Menu will be the same as Thursday. Plan to check out of your room prior to eating breakfast. After breakfast we will leave for the parade. Mr. Senkmajer will have more specific information on this. You will want to have some plan for changing into your street clothes after the parade. There is general viewing of the parade between 9th & 15th streets. I have been told these spaces usually fill up by 8:30. Reserved seating is available for the parade for $20 - $30. I will post the order form for reserved seating on the Facebook page as a file.
10:00 The parade begins.
12:00 Parade concludes. All bus travelers will need to go to the busses. Depending on the crowd we will have lunch at the Union Station food court, or look for a location outside the city. (Band students will receive a stipend for lunch and dinner.) We should be back in Port Huron at about 2:00 am. (this depends on the lunch and dinner decisions we make along the route.)
