April in Washington, D.C.: A Study in Contrasts

April in Washington, D.C.: A Study in Contrasts

Thursday, April 20–Sunday, April 23

$3200 pp/double occupancy        $3550 pp/single occupancy

Spend three days with the Houston Seminar viewing stellar art in unique settings and exploring the Washington, D.C. area. We plan to visit Glenstone, the very modern private museum created by collectors Emily and Mitch Rales, located on nearly 300 acres in the rolling hills of Potomac, Maryland. The Museum, at the forefront of today’s art world, is exceptional for its contemporary art, architecture, and landscape. While in Maryland we will travel to Annapolis and have a private tour of the Naval Academy.

In contrast to Glenstone, we will visit the Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens, the legacy of Marjorie Merriweather Post. This Georgian mansion, decorated in the French style and sited in formal gardens, is representative of the established, largely homogenous Washington society to which Mrs. Post belonged. We will tour the Washington National Cathedral and have a walking tour of historical Old Town Alexandria which is filled with activity, restaurants, and shops. Each evening we will retire to The Alexandrian Hotel, a beautiful historic site in the center of Alexandria.

Local travel will be by private motorcoach. Travelers should be comfortable walking or standing for extended periods of time.

Travel Information
Travelers will make their own flight arrangements. Programs are designed to coordinate with the below schedule:

Thursday, April 20: UA 1383 departing IAH at 9:45 am, arriving DCA at 1:40 pm.

Sunday, April 23: UA 2007 departing DCA at 4:25pm, arriving IAH at 7:00 pm.

Itinerary

Thursday, April 20:  Fly from Houston Bush to Washington DC Reagan. Transfer to the historic Alexandrian Hotel in Old Town Alexandria.  Check in and settle in. Late afternoon walking tour of historic Old Town. Welcome dinner at Virtue Feed & Grain in Old Town.

Friday, April 21:  Travel to Potomac, Maryland for a morning visit to Glenstone, the very contemporary private art museum set on nearly 300 acres. Stroll the grounds, enjoying the outdoor art installations and visit the galleries.

We will have bag lunches on the way to Annapolis where we will have a private tour of the US Naval Academy.  Afterwards, we’ll have free time to stroll around Annapolis visiting the shops before we return to Old Town. Everyone is free this evening to enjoy dinner at one of the Old Town restaurants, or to head into DC for the evening.

Saturday, April 22:  We will have a private tour of the National Cathedral.  Afterwards, we will visit Hillwood.  We will have a walking tour of the gardens, a late lunch at the Merriweather Cafe followed by a tour of the mansion.  This night is our farewell dinner at 1799 Prime Steak & Seafood.

Sunday, April 23:  Check out of the hotel.  We will have an early morning visit to the recently opened Rubell Contemporary Art Museum.  Afterwards we will have brunch at Oyamel, a Jose Andres restaurant, before we leave for the airport.

Please note, we will spend a lot of time outdoors so pack accordingly for inclement weather.

Reservations will be made on a first come-first served basis upon receipt of a $500 deposit, the Reservation and Deposit Form, and the signed Release of Claims form.

You may print the forms and email them to [email protected] or send them by mail to:

The Houston Seminar
PO Box 22764
Houston, TX  77227

Travel Registration and Cancellation Policy

Reservations will be made on a first come-first served basis upon receipt of a $500 deposit, the Reservation and Deposit Form, and the signed Release of Claims form. Payment in full is due on February 20, 2023. Reservations received after February 20, 2023, may be accepted if space is available and payment is made in full. Your reservation is not confirmed until you have received written confirmation from the Houston Seminar.

If payment in full for the tour is not made by February 20, 2023, your reservation will be canceled, and your $500 deposit will be forfeited. Should the Houston Seminar cancel the tour for any reason, your deposit and any additional payments will be refunded in full. Should you have to cancel for any reason, you must notify the Houston Seminar in writing. For cancellations before February 20, all payments, less the $500 deposit, will be refunded. A cancellation between February 20, 2023 and March 20, 2023, will result in the forfeiture of your $500 deposit plus 50% of all other amounts paid. After March 20, 2023, cancellation will result in the forfeiture of 100% of all amounts paid. We recommend that you consider purchasing travel insurance.