Dates: October 21–23, 2025
Registration: Open
History comes to life on this trip across Virginia. On this three-day trip, explore Virginia’s natural beauty and rich history. On days one and two, visit the homes of early-American presidents: George Washington’s Mount Vernon, located on the banks of the Potomac, and Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, a mountaintop plantation outside Charlottesville, Virginia. Day three will start with a guided tour of the Academical Village on the University of Virginia’s campus, a UNESCO World Heritage site, followed by time on your own to explore and have lunch at Charlottesville’s historic pedestrian Downtown Mall.
Day 1: George Washington’s Mount Vernon
George Washington frequently quoted the Bible phrase, “I will sit under the shadow of my own Vine and Fig tree (Micah 4:4),” in reference to his love for and longing to be at Mount Vernon. Enjoy a guided tour of Mount Vernon, the plantation home of George and Martha Washington. The interior has been restored to how it looked while they were in residence. The rooms you will visit include the New Room (largest of the dining rooms), George Washington’s Study, Servants’ Hall, and Kitchen. After the house tour, you will have free time to visit the Donald W. Reynolds Museum to learn about the people who lived and worked at Mount Vernon, the Washington tombs, and the Mount Vernon gardens and farm buildings.
Day 2: Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello
Thomas Jefferson, third president, philosopher, scientist, historian, and author of the Declaration of the Independence, helped establish the foundations of self-government and individual freedom we know today. In 1987, Monticello and the University of Virginia’s Academical Village were together named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Monticello is the only U.S. presidential and private home on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Thomas Jefferson’s architectural ingenuity and use of neo-classical elements created both Monticello and the University of Virginia. You will learn about Jefferson and his vision for America, the realities of slavery on the Monticello plantation, and the mountaintop’s iconic architecture. The guided tour includes first floor spaces, the West Lawn, and the South Wing. After the tour, you will have time to explore the gardens and other exhibits.
Day 3: Academical Village, University of Virginia and Charlottesville’s historic Downtown Mall
The Academical Village on the University of Virginia’s campus, along with Monticello, is one of only four man-made structures in the United States to be named a World Heritage Site. Jefferson envisaged a campus where students and professors would live in a village type setting surrounded by a lawn and living quarters. In 1976, the American Institute of Architects pronounced the village as the nation’s greatest architectural achievement in its first 200 years. We will have a historian-led walking tour of The Lawn and buildings with an emphasis on Jefferson’s vision and architectural genius.
Following the tour, enjoy time on your own to explore Charlottesville’s historic Downtown Mall, which is one of the longest of its kind in the country. Featuring restaurants and shops, the Downtown Mall is vibrant year-round and open to visitors looking to dine al fresco.
Itinerary
Physical activity level: Moderate amount of walking, museum/exhibit walking, accessible areas.
Cost per person
Member pricing:
- $848, single-occupancy
- $645, double-occupancy
Nonmember pricing:
- $893, single-occupancy
- $690, double-occupancy
Included in cost: Bus transportation, lodging, three guided tours, and admission to two museums. Breakfast is included with hotel room costs.
Not included in cost: Three lunches, three dinners
Note: This trip will be depart from and return to the Fullington Bus Station, State College. On the trip to Virginia, the bus will stop at Penn State York campus to pick up travelers (overnight parking on York campus will be arranged). On the return trip, those that are traveling from York campus/area will take a shuttle van from Breezewood to York campus.