Compare Roaming Western Trails by Tours of Distinction vs Spy Kids: Sleuths & Secrets With Your Grandchild by Road Scholar
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| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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4.5 | Great
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| Duration | 8 days | 6 days |
| Price From | $ 3,789 | $ 1,499 |
| Price Per Day | $ 474 | $ 250 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Small group tour | Small group tour |
| Lodging Level | Premium | Standard |
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| Flights & Transport | Airfare included | No |
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| Description |
Blaze an unforgettable trail experiencing the legends and lore of America’s Wild West. This trip includes a medley of manmade and natural attractions – of gargantuan proportions - from Yellowstone, and the Grand Tetons, to Mount Rushmore, and the Crazy Horse Memorial. Channel your inner pioneer spirit as you meet a colorful cast of characters in Cody, and the rough and tumble town of Deadwood. Unwind in the splendor of Jackson Hole’s profoundly beautiful landscape brimming with wildlife. Watch herds of buffalo graze against majestic mountain ranges as you float on Snake River, marvel at the timely precision of Old Faithful in Yellowstone, and have a close encounter with the nation’s first National Monument, Devil’s Tower in this small group guided tour. |
Decode D.C.’s history of espionage with your spy kid grandchild, as you visit the city’s most notorious spy sites and learn about investigative gadgets from former CIA agents. |
Day 1 - Arrive Salt Lake City, Utah
If you’ve ever wanted to know what it was like to be an early Frontiersman, now is your chance! Transfer to the airport for your flight to Salt Lake City. Upon arrival, we will be greeted by our local guide and our awaiting motor-coach. Enjoy a city tour of Salt Lake City, where we will see downtown, the Capitol, Temple Square and more. We will check into our hotel before our ‘welcome’ dinner.
Day 2 - Salt Lake City - Jackson, WY
This morning, we will head over to Temple Square after breakfast. Here we will have a chance to see the world-famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s weekly broadcast performance. After, we say goodbye to Salt Lake City as we travel north along the shores of the Great Salt Lake. We will travel through Logan Canyon to beautiful Bear Lake for an included lunch. We will arrive into the fun town of Jackson, WY. Once we check into our hotel, the evening is free to explore the many shops, art galleries and restaurants on your own.
Day 3 - Jackson - Yellowstone National Park
This morning after breakfast, we are in for a wonderful experience as we are introduced to Grand Teton National Park on a half day scenic float trip on the Snake River! Enjoy amazing views of the Teton Mountains and wildlife viewing opportunities as your guide explains the geology and history of the area. After the float trip, we continue sightseeing of Grand Teton which will include: Jenny Lake, Colter Bay and Jackson Lake. Next, we enter into Yellowstone National Park, the world’s first National Park, for sightseeing including the heart of the park, Old Faithful. There will be time to witness an eruption and explore Old Faithful Village and the many thermal features in the area. Later this afternoon, we travel to West Yellowstone and check into our hotel. This evening is free to explore and have dinner on your own.
Day 4 - Yellowstone National Park - Cody, WY
After breakfast, we head back into Yellowstone National Park for another day of sightseeing. We will visit the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and pass through Hayden Valley and along the shores of Yellowstone Lake. As we exit the park, we enter into the historic town of Cody, where we will tour the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, which is five museums under one roof. Tonight, we enjoy food and entertainment at the Cody Cattle Company with a chuckwagon style dinner, traditional cowboy music and some laughs. Then, there is exciting cowboy action at the Cody Nite Rodeo!
Day 5 - Cody - Rapid City, SD
We will depart Cody after breakfast and continue East crossing the Bighorn Mountain. Our first stop is at Devil’s Tower National Monument for sightseeing of the country’s first National Monument. Later this afternoon, we will arrive at the historic town of Deadwood for sightseeing. This is a rough and tumble western town famous for outlaws, gunslingers and lawmen alike. There will be time to explore the town and have dinner, on your own, before continuing on to Rapid City, SD for a two night stay.
Day 6 - Rapid City
After breakfast, we take a short drive to Badlands National Park for sightseeing. This famous park consists of nearly 243,000 acres of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles and spires blended with the largest, protected mixed grass prairie in the United States. After lunch, we travel to Custer State Park and the historic State Game Lodge to get up close and personal with the residents of this park as you head out on a Wildlife Jeep Safari to view the buffalo herds and much more. Next, we make our way to the Crazy Horse Monument for sightseeing of the unfinished mountain carving and insight into the Lakota culture. Then, join the group for an included dinner followed by a wonderfully patriotic and inspiring event as we attend the Mt. Rushmore Evening Lighting Ceremony!
Day 7 - Rapid City - Cheyenne, WY
We start our day after breakfast with a beautiful drive to Mt. Rushmore National Memorial, where we will have morning views of this magnificent monument. Depart the Black Hills and take your journey south returning to the plains of Wyoming. We make a stop at Fort Laramie National Historic Site for sightseeing and a picnic lunch. This afternoon, we continue to the capitol city of Cheyenne and check into our hotel. After, we have time to freshen up, we will enjoy a ‘farewell’ dinner, at the hotel.
Day 8 - Depart Cheyenne
After breakfast, we take a Trolley Tour of Cheyenne. After, a nice introduction to the city, we arrive at the Cheyenne Frontier Days grounds to experience a ‘Behind the Chutes Tour.’ The Cheyenne Frontier Days Arena is the home of the world’s largest outdoor rodeo each July. Get a first-hand look at what goes on during the rodeo from behind the scenes. This exiting tour follows the path of the bulls and broncs as the animals are rounded up and threaded through the maze of gates on their way to the chutes and out into the arena with cowboy in tow. A special experience awaits as we step into the chutes and finish the tour by walking across the arena. This afternoon, we will enjoy a western lunch before departing Cheyenne for the Denver International Airport for your departing flight.
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.
