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Merced College Community Services presents:
Washington, D.C.
Exploring America's Capital
Day 1: Wednesday, April 24, 2013 Washington, D.C. - Tour Begins
Explore America’s heritage and history on this in-depth tour of the capital city of the United States, Washington, D.C.

Day 2: Thursday, April 25, 2013 Washington, D.C.
A guided tour of America’s capital affords you wonderful views of the Capitol building, the White House, monuments and museums. Drive along Embassy Row and stop at the moving World War II Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Korean War Memorial. This afternoon, visit the White House Visitor Center where you will gain insight into the many transitions this historic residence has undergone. Tonight, get to know your fellow travelers at a special welcome dinner. (B, D)

Day 3: Friday, April 26, 2013 Mount Vernon - Alexandria - Arlington National Cemetery
Visit Mount Vernon, the beloved home of the first U.S. president, George Washington. Wander the beautiful plantation grounds he adored and tour the home, filled with 18th century artifacts. Next, arrive in old town Alexandria, a charming community nestled along the Potomac River. Enjoy time at leisure to wander the cobblestone streets, view the historic colonial architecture and stop in to some of the trendy restaurants and boutiques. This afternoon, visit Arlington National Cemetery for a narrated tour including the Tomb of the Unknowns and the Kennedy gravesites. (B)

Day 4: Saturday, April 27, 2013 Washington, D.C.
This morning you’ll uncover some of the treasures of the Smithsonian Institution with a visit to your choice of the famed Air and Space Museum or the National Museum of American History. Among the Air and Space Museum’s collection in the location on the National Mall are the famous Wright 1903 Flyer, the Spirit of St. Louis, and the Apollo 11 command module Columbia. The National Museum of American History features artifacts from locomotives to the flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to compose the national anthem, to the First Ladies Hall containing many ball gowns worn by America's First Ladies. The afternoon is at leisure to continue exploring on your own. (B)

Day 5: Sunday, April 28, 2013 Washington, D.C. - Annapolis, Maryland - Baltimore - Washington, D.C.
Today you’ll tour the vibrant city of Baltimore with a local guide. Highlights will include Fort McHenry - where America's national anthem, The Star Spangled Banner, was penned during the War of 1812; Johns Hopkins Hospital and Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Enjoy time at leisure in Baltimore. Travel to Annapolis for a fascinating walking tour of the U.S. Naval Academy with a local guide. Since 1845, more than 60,000 young men and women have successfully completed “four years by the bay” to take their hard-earned places in America's Naval service. (B, D)

Day 6: Monday, April 29, 2013 Washington, D.C.
This morning, visit the Washington National Cathedral. This magnificent church took 83 years to complete and has been host to such poignant moments in America’s history as state funerals, Presidential inaugural masses and Martin Luther King, Jr.’s last sermon. Admire the beautiful craftsmanship of the cathedral as you learn more about its history during a docent-led tour. This afternoon, visit Ford’s Theatre* where President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on that fateful night in 1865. Tour the theatre and hear about the timeline of events that transpired as John Wilkes Booth’s plan unfolded. Finish your tour with a visit to the neighboring Petersen House, the boarding house to which the fatally injured Lincoln was carried. This evening, join your fellow travelers for a special farewell dinner commemorating the end of a wonderful journey. (B, D)

Day 7: Tuesday, April 30, 2013 Washington, D.C. - Tour Ends
Your tour ends in Washington, D.C. this morning. (B)




April 24 - April 30, 2013
7 Days • 9 Meals
6 Breakfasts • 3 Dinners
Highlights: White House Visitor Center, World War II Memorial, Mount Vernon, Arlington National Cemetery, Smithsonian Institution, Annapolis, Baltimore, Washington National Cathedral, Ford's Theatre
Rates Per Person
Double: $2299, Single: $2899,
Triple: $2269
*Included in Price: Round Trip Air from Fresno Air Terminal,Air Taxes and Fees/Surcharges of $50 (subject to increase until paid in full),Hotel Transfers.
*Not Included in Price: Cancellation Waiver and Insurance of $165 per person.
Itinerary at a Glance
Day 1 - 6 Marriott Washington, D.C., Washington, D.C.
On some dates alternate hotels may be used.
Essential Experiences
  • Spend 6 nights in the heart of Washington, D.C.!
  • Glimpse into the life of America's first president with a visit to his estate, Mount Vernon.
  • Tour the vibrant city of Baltimore, including Fort McHenry.
For more information call
 Becky Barabe
Merced College Community Services
(209) 386-6737
Included Meals Key
B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner

AVAILABLE OPTIONS:
No options exist for this tour.
CANCELLATION WAIVER:

Worry-Free Cancellation
Our industry-leading cancellation waiver offers travelers a full cash refund for the price of the tour, right up to the day prior to departure, minus the small cost of the waiver. Travel worry-free knowing if anything changes, you're protected.

Plus, you're covered on tour.
Our cancellation waiver and insurance plan covers you on tour. If you have to stop your trip or return home early, need medical assistance or evacuation, suffer a baggage loss or delay; or are delayed on tour for 12 hours or more, you're covered.

Cancellation Waiver and Insurance is just $165 per person.

Click here for complete details.

TRAVEL TIPS:
Washington, D.C.
Listed below is important information to assist you in preparing for your upcoming trip. This information provided will help you have a more enjoyable experience while you are on your tour.
Accommodations
On some programs, there are a limited number of single and triple rooms. Double rooms usually consist of 2 beds. Triple rooms are normally a standard double room with 2 beds. A cot or rollaway bed may be added to the double room at some hotels, based on room size and fire codes. When triples are not available, appropriate charges for single and twin accommodations will be assessed. We make every effort to accommodate your specific requests and forward them to the hotels. These requests cannot be guaranteed as hotels may not always be able to honor them. Check-in times are set by individual hotel properties and vary by hotel. Depending on your arrival time, there may be a delay in gaining access to your room as most hotels offer afternoon check-in. We ask guests to observe check-out times at all properties as designated by the hotel. Some hotels require a credit card imprint or your passport information upon check-in in order to activate telephones in the rooms and for potential incidental charges. Most hotels charge an access fee for using phones in hotel rooms. Please check with the front desk personnel at each hotel for specific policies. Hotel membership programs are not applicable.
Arrival Day Suggestions
Due to varied flight schedules and different arrival times of our tour guests, your tour will not have any scheduled activities prior to dinner on Day 1. Should your flight schedule allow for an earlier arrival time that day, enjoy the great opportunity for some independent exploration.
Clothing & Packing Tips
If you are taking prescription medication, please be sure to take an adequate supply for your tour and a few additional days, in original prescription containers. Medication should be packed in your carry-on baggage. Do not place it in your checked luggage. You may want to carry an extra prescription in a separate bag in case medication is lost.
Currency
Your personal bank card may work at local ATM machines in the destination you are traveling to. Please contact your bank to determine if this option is available, that your PIN number will be accepted and to inform them that you are traveling. We recommend carrying only a few major credit cards. Credit card purchases often provide an extra guarantee on your purchase (check with your specific credit card company for details and fees). It is advisable to contact any credit card company you intend utilizing while on tour before you depart to notify them where you will be traveling, to avoid any rejection of services. If optional tours are made available to purchase, please note that credit cards must have an expiration date of greater than 30 days from the start of the tour.
Electricity
An adaptor (which changes the physical plug) and/or converter (which changes the electric current) are necessary if you plan to use an appliance with voltage different from the standard within the country you are visiting. Please note, if your appliance has dual voltage you may still need an adaptor for the plug. When packing your electronic items for travel, please review the converter electric current level to make sure it is the same or greater than the items you are planning on using. If you plan on utilizing or transporting a sleep apnea machine, please remember to pack an extension cord and adapter plug to ensure proper function.
Elevation
All sites are at or near sea level.
Helpful Hints
Bring a camera, memory cards, film, and batteries and be sure to bring enough photography supplies for your entire trip. If you have a video camera, bring an extra battery, plus proper recharging equipment. Due to security screening, we recommend storing your equipment in your carry-on luggage. Bring a travel alarm clock, travel sewing kit and an alcohol based gel hand sanitizer when soap and water is not accessible. Pack items that may leak in plastic bags. Do not pack any articles of value in your checked luggage. As a precaution, we suggest that you divide the contents of your suitcase with your traveling companion. Avoid over packing and leave room for souvenirs that you plan to take back home.
Bring a copy of your passport/identification and pack it separately from the original. Leave a copy of your tour itinerary at home with your emergency contact and a copy of your passport. Remember when flying you can only take one quart size bag with no more than 3 ounces of any one liquid. Liquids that do not fit in the one quart size bag and are larger than 3 ounces will be discarded by security. Remember to hydrate and get up and stretch while flying. If you are considering using your cell phone while traveling internationally, you should check with your cell provider concerning their access and charges for overseas calls, texting and emailing for the specific destination you are traveling to.
Included Features
The following are included in your tour package: transportation via motorcoach, accommodations, hotel luggage handling, meals, sightseeing, admission charges (as outlined in your itinerary), and applicable gratuities for bellmen, doormen and dining room wait staff. Customary gratuities for hotel housekeeping staff, local sightseeing guides, drivers and tour managers have not been included.
Local Guides
In order to further enhance your experience of this destination, three local guides have been arranged throughout this tour. Customary gratuities for these guides are not included in the cost of the tour. Gratuities should be extended on a voluntary and individual basis at a suggested amount of 1-2 USD per day, per guide. Your tour manager will review customary tipping amounts and timing with you when you are on your tour.
Luggage
Please consult with your scheduled airline as luggage fees and restrictions vary by carrier and destination. Due to the limited motorcoach capacity, one checked luggage (62 inches in length, height and width; weight not to exceed 23kg/50lbs) is allowed on tour. We also encourage just one carry-on bag per individual (for carrying items that might be needed during the day’s sightseeing excursions or camera/video equipment). Dimensions for carry-ons should not exceed 17" x 12" x 10", allowing it to fit under the seat or in the overhead rack of most motor coaches. If you exceed the limit of 2 bags, we cannot guarantee that your additional luggage will be able to fit in the touring vehicle. Storage or shipment of additional luggage will be at your own expense. If we are able to accommodate your additional luggage, we will assess a fee of 4 USD per bag per hotel. Please remember to label your luggage and important items with your name, home address and telephone number. We recommend labeling your luggage on both the outside and inside of the bag. Please attach only the plastic luggage tag included in this mailing to your checked luggage before checking in for your flight. Your paper luggage tag is to be attached at the first hotel. We cannot assume liability or accept claims for loss or damage to luggage and personal effects due to breakage, theft or normal wear and tear that results from hotel, airline and group carrier handling. It is in your best interest to have adequate insurance (such as our comprehensive “No Worries Travel Protection”) to cover these eventualities.
Meals
Most meals are included as indicated in your document itinerary. Guests with special dietary requirements must advise their travel counselor at the time of booking and also the tour manager upon joining the tour. When information is provided, every effort will be made to accommodate these requests. Please be advised that the average cost of meals (not inclusive of tax and gratuity) that are not included in your tour are as follows: breakfast 5 to 10 USD, lunch 8 to 12 USD and dinner 15 to 25 USD.
Name Badges
Collette Vacations provides name badges to our travelers in order to facilitate conversation among fellow travelers. The name badge also ensures that a Collette Vacations representative can easily recognize you, especially at airports upon arrival.
Reading List
Interested in reading about your destination before you depart? We have pre-selected travel guides, novels and books on history, nature and art to help enhance your total vacation experience. You can access the complete list by typing the following into your web browser. Select the region of the world to find your tour: http://www.longitudebooks.com/find/d/7662/r/CV/mcms.html
Smoking
Smoking Restrictions: Our tours are non-smoking throughout. If you require a smoking room, please alert your agent upon tour booking. Please be mindful of locations where smoking is prohibited: the motorcoach, at dining venues and other restricted areas on tour including most hotels. Customers are responsible for any fines incurred for failure to comply with smoking restrictions.
Time Zone
Eastern Standard Time
Tour Manager
We pride ourselves on having the best-trained and most experienced tour managers in the industry. Gratuities should be extended on a voluntary basis and should be in direct proportion to the level of professionalism and personal service extended to you throughout the tour. Past experience has shown that a guideline of 4-6 USD per person for each traveling day is a customary amount for the tour manager. A customary amount of 3-5 USD per person per day is suggested for the driver.
Transportation
Flight Information, Departure Taxes & Fees Land Only Vacations: If you chose to purchase a land only vacation, pay particular attention to flight segments that occur during the tour which are not included in your land only rate. You must purchase these internal flight segments and the schedule must match the flights that we utilize on the group tour. Please provide us with your flight schedules for the entire tour six weeks prior to departure so we may secure services if you purchased transfers from us, as well as maintain emergency contact. Air Inclusive Vacations Air inclusive vacations cover air transport to and from your origin gateway as well as all internal air segments on tour. In order to comply with Homeland Security’s “Secure Flight” mandate, all passengers must provide full name, date of birth and gender at time of reservation. Your airline ticket must match the name on your valid, non-expired, government issued photo ID to be shown at the airport (including middle name, first or middle initial). If you are a member of a participating frequent flyer program, provide the number upon booking and retain the passenger copy of your ticket and boarding pass to ensure that you receive proper credit of your mileage. Some air tickets are not eligible for mileage accrual. Whenever possible, we will add charges for air departure taxes to your invoice. Some international arrival and departure fees are not included in your air ticket and must be paid by you on tour in local currency.
Transfers We are pleased to provide you with complimentary airport to hotel, and hotel to airport transfers at the beginning and end of an escorted tour when you purchase an air-inclusive vacation. Land-only clients who have purchased round trip transfers will be accommodated at the same times as air inclusive clients. Arrival meeting locations and transfer departure times are provided on your document booklets. On some programs there may be a waiting period at the airport due to varying flight schedules of other arriving passengers. If you have secured your own transfer, you may meet your tour manager at the hotel. Motorcoach Information: We do not own or operate vehicles. We charter quality coaches that are temperature controlled vehicles. Coach size may vary based upon the number of tour patrons. In certain countries, lavatory equipped motorcoaches are not available or the lavatory is for emergency use only. Frequent stops will be made en route for comfort and convenience. Seat Rotation: Seats are rotated for the benefit of our tour guests. This fosters communication and enables our guests to enjoy a variety of vantage points on the motorcoach. Guests will rotate seats at least once a day, as directed by the tour manager. In fairness to all, there will be no exceptions to this policy.