Williamsburg Colonial Village is a premier destination where actors dress in period costume and act in character as visitors mingle through shops and the town. We even saw a live archaeological dig happening on the outskirts of town.
Appomattox Court House in Virginia was where General Robert E. Lee of the Confederate Army surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant of the Union Army at the end of the Civil War. We were too late to tour the grounds, but we snuck in for a photo on the steps of the courthouse.
Mount Vernon is the home of George and Martha Washington. We enjoyed seeing how many buildings made up the plantation, how things might have run, and how beautiful the area was. The visitors' center also told several stories and had many artifacts from the time.
Back of main house
We were barely able to make it to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery before it closed. Appropriately, rain poured from the sky as we stood for the final public changing of the guard of the day. Then the sun came out as we left the cemetery. It was a sober place to visit.
We probably fit as much of Washington DC into one day as is physically possible for 3 adults and 9 kids ages 8 to 18. Our cousin called it a "monument sprint."
The Jefferson Memorial
A note from mom: From his first day of kindergarten at Walden School, to first grade at Wasatch Elementary, to homeschooling for seven years...
