Virginia holds a unique place in American history as the birthplace of eight presidents, the site of several of their residences, and home to a host of family links to the White House. Historian Gregg Clemmer leads a two-day tour of Virginia’s presidential past, exploring both well-known and privately owned sites that reveal the deep connections between the state and the nation’s leaders. This guided journey takes you to iconic landmarks like James Madison’s Montpelier, Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, and James Monroe’s Highland, each offering insights into the lives and legacies of these founding fathers.
The tour also includes visits to Woodrow Wilson's birthplace in Staunton and the privately owned estates of Montebello, the birthplace of President Zachary Taylor, and Pine Knot, the secluded retreat once enjoyed by Theodore and Edith Roosevelt. A stop at the homestead and cemetery of Abraham Lincoln's great-grandparents in the scenic Shenandoah Valley, as well as the birthplace of Ida Stover, the mother of Dwight D. Eisenhower, round out the tour.
Know Before You Go
- Cost includes bus transportation, lodging, all activities, and the following meals: one breakfast, two lunches, and Sunday dinner.
- Overnight accommodations are at the English Inn of Charlottesville.
- Tour departs by bus from the Mayflower Hotel, Connecticut Ave. and DeSales St., NW, with a pickup stop at the Vienna Metro station, south side Kiss and Ride kiosk at about 7:55 a.m.
- Single-room supplement $80 (factored into the Single Room Member and Single Room Nonmember pricing).
- Singles registering at the double-room rate are paired (on a nonsmoking basis) if possible, but must pay the single-room supplement otherwise.
- Detailed information is emailed to registrants about four weeks prior to departure.
- Participants are advised to purchase travel insurance for overnight and multi-day tours from a provider of your choice. Travel insurance provides additional coverage against unforeseen incidents that require last-minute cancellations.
General Information
- The tour departs by motorcoach from downtown Washington, DC with a designated secondary pick-up outside the city. Content delivered by the study leader on the way to the destination, after the secondary pick-up, is an integral part of the study tour experience. Meeting the group once the tour is en route is discouraged.
- Smithsonian Associates is a mask-friendly environment. Please feel free to bring and wear a mask at any time during a tour, both for your safety or the safety of others.
- As we aim to move away from single use water bottles, guests are strongly encouraged to get in the habit of bringing their own reusable water bottle on tour.
- For additional tour information:
