Compare Spy Kids: Sleuths & Secrets With Your Grandchild by Road Scholar vs Hike New Hampshire's Appalachian Trail and Presidential Peaks by Intrepid Travel

Day 1 Check-in, Program Registration, Orientation, Welcome Dinner Washington, DC

Hotel check-in from 4:00 p.m.

Program Registration: 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. After you have your room assignment, come over to the Road Scholar table to register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing the up-to-date schedule that reflects any changes, other important information, and to confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet when you check in. Orientation, 5:15 p.m.: The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. This is a Road Scholar Intergenerational program. Grandparents are responsible for their grandchildren. If/when separate age group activities are conducted concurrently, program staff will supervise. Children are never to be left unsupervised.

At leisure to prepare for the week ahead.

At the hotel, we will enjoy a welcome dinner, plus iced tea, water, coffee, and soft drinks; other beverages available for purchase.

Day 2 International Spy Museum Washington, DC

Walking 2 miles to/from museums & metro stops, use of public transportation.

We will start this morning with a walk over to the brand new International Spy Museum for a self-led visit. The museum just reopened it's doors in May of 2019, and is “…the only public museum in the U.S. dedicated solely to espionage and the only one in the world that provides a global perspective on the ‘invisible’ profession...” Its large and extensive collection includes amazing artifacts of international espionage, many never displayed publicly before. Many of these objects are being seen by the public for the first time. The museum seeks to present the history of espionage throughout history, apolitically, with accurate, unbiased information. Following this, we will have a workshop hosted by Spy Museum staff. Let’s take a crack at being spies and see if we have what it takes. In this hands-on activity we will play the role of a U.S. intelligence officer on a mission to learn about collecting information from foreign adversaries.

Returning to the Spy Museum, let’s take a crack at being spies and see if we have what it takes. In this hands-on activity, led by museum staff, we will play the role of a U.S. intelligence officer on a mission to learn about collecting information from foreign adversaries. Following our workshop, we will visit the FBI headquarters by motorcoach for an independent exploration of their exhibit, detailing the agents’ experience. We’ll see artifacts from some of the most well-known cases in history.

At the hotel, we will enjoy a movie night together, watching some of our favorite fictional spies.

At the hotel, we will enjoy a meal with coffee, tea, water included.

Boxed lunches at the museum

At the hotel, we will enjoy a meal with coffee, tea, water included.

Day 3 Mount Vernon, Spying & The Revolutionary War Washington, DC

Getting on/off motorcoach.

We will board the motorcoach and head out to Virginia to visit George Washington’s former estate at Mount Vernon, a National Historic Landmark. On our way to Virginia, we will watch a film about General Washington's group of Spies in the Revolutionary War, The Culper Spy Ring. Once arriving at Mount Vernon, we will start with a visit of the mansion, led by a knowledgeable expert, where we will learn the history of George and Martha Washington’s beloved home and how Washington personally supervised the design and expansion of this impressive mansion.

We will explore Mount Vernon on our own before heading back into Washington, D.C. Mount Vernon includes four different gardens, the tombs of George and Martha, and a working farm and recreations of his distillery and gristmill.

At the hotel, we will experience a performance from a historical interpreter who will tell us more about the Revolutionary War.

Hotel meal.

At Mount Vernon, we will order lunch from the full menu using a voucher, with coffee, tea, water included.

At a local restaurant, we will sit for dinner. Coffee, tea, water included.

Day 4 Gadgets Lecture, The City of Spies by Motorcoach, Free Time Washington, DC

Getting on/off motorcoach. Walking up to 2 miles during visits to national monuments/memorials.

We will have a presentation from a former technical officer at the CIA, similar to the role of a real-life “Q” from Ian Fleming’s Bond series. They will host a demonstration about spy devices and how a spy uses them. Following our lecture, we will board the motorcoach to head out on an expert-led exploration of Washington, D.C., home to dozens of the most well-known monuments and memorials in the country, like the Lincoln Memorial and the World War II Memorial. We will also learn more about this city of spies.

The rest of the day is on your own to explore Washington, D.C. with your grandchild. Our Group Leader will be available to offer suggestions on local activities and restaurants.

At leisure.

Hotel meal.

At a local restaurant, we’ll have a meal. Coffee, tea, water included.

On your own to try what you like.

Day 5 Code Making & Breaking Washington, DC

Participants will need to get on and off the motor coach. Expect to stand for up to 1 hour at a time. The drive time to the National Cryptologic Museum is approximately 45 minutes and we may encounter city traffic

We will start with a field trip by motorcoach to the National Cryptologic Museum, adjacent to the National Security Agency headquarters at Fort Meade in Maryland. The museum is the NSA’s principal public portal. Its thousands of artifacts preserve and illuminate the history of cryptology. As we go through the halls with a volunteer museum docent, we will learn how codes are “broken” and explore the museum's collection of Enigma machines.

We will return to D.C. where our Group Leader will host a fun activity before we can take part in a graduation ceremony—grandparents and grandchildren are no longer junior detectives, but the next international spy!

At leisure.

Hotel meal.

At the Cryptologic Museum, we will enjoy boxed lunches consisting of a choice of sandwich, sides, and water.

We will enjoy a farewell dinner at the hotel, sharing experiences of the week with our fellow Road Scholars.

Day 6 Program Concludes Washington, DC

Hotel check-out by 11:00 a.m.

If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on another rewarding program in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!

Hotel meal. This concludes out program.

Day 1 Appalachian Mountain Club Highland Center

Meet your guide at the Appalachian Mountain Club Highland Center, located in the impressive Crawford Notch, at 5pm for a Welcome Meeting. If you would like to arrive a day or two earlier, we suggest to pre book additional pre-trip accommodation directly with the hotel. Get to know your group over a family-style dinner where your leader will chat about trip logistics and hand out some lightweight gear to make your hiking experience even more comfortable. It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting this morning as we will be collecting insurance and emergency contact details at this time. If you are going to be late please let your travel agent or Intrepid know.

Day 2 White Mountains

After a hearty buffet-style breakfast, catch a shuttle to the trailhead where our hike begins with stunning views of the Ammonoosuc River before some exciting rock scrambling (sometimes using both hands) among beautiful waterfalls and mountain views. It’ll be hard work, but we’ll take a long lunch break at Lake of the Clouds hut, perched above the trees near spectacular alpine lakes and with phenomenal views. From here, we will hike to the summit of Mount Washington, weather and fitness permitting. The trails are rugged, rocky, and steep but the breathtaking views from the top are well worth it. Tonight, enjoy a relaxing evening at your accommodation.

Day 3 White Mountains

After breakfast, we have the option to traverse some of the most famous Presidential Peaks, including Mount Monroe and Mount Eisenhower, and walk a section of the Appalachian Trail, the oldest maintained footpath in the United States. Depending on the fitness of the group, we can tackle the steep and rugged yet rewarding trails if we choose to summit the Presidential Mountains or opt for smoother and more level trails by traversing the ridgeline around the summits. Regardless, we’ll have a steep, scrambling, and exciting final kilometre as we descend into the trees to end our day at tonight’s hut – Mizpah Springs – where we will settle in for the evening and enjoy a meal prepared by the friendly staff.

Day 4 White Mountains

After a final delicious breakfast together at our hut, we’ll hike along the trail toward the Appalachian Mountain Club Highland Center, a gradual descent that takes us through lush old-growth forest. After our final hike, your guide will prepare a delicious lunch back at the Appalachian Mountain Club Highland Center. After lunch, your trip will come to an end.