Before 2011, I was in Virginia riding in a car on the way to another state. However, on this trip we did not have a chance to spend much time in Virginia.

On Friday August 12, 2011, my dad and I drove from Michigan to Virginia for part of a 'road trip' vacation. We found a hotel in Winchester (with a pool) then had dinner at an outdoor restaurant by the old court house, and listened to a band playing music from the courthouse steps.

On Saturday, we toured Montpelier (the house and estate of our 4th President; James Madison, Jr.); ate lunch at the famous Michie Tavern; toured Ash Lawn-Highland (one house and estate of our 5th President; James Monroe); and visited the Appomattox area (where the last battle of the Civil War took place and in which General Lee of the Confederate forces surrendered to General Grant of the Union forces.) We then drove to Richmond (and found a hotel with a pool.)

On Sunday, we visited the Jamestown Settlement Museum and the Yorktown Victory Center; returning to Charlottesville for the night (in a hotel with a pool, of course.)

Monday, we visited Monticello (the house and estate of our 3rd President; Thomas Jefferson) and the site of the Civil War wilderness battles. Afterwords, we traveled to Mount Vernon to stay the evening (in a hotel with a pool, of course.)

Tuesday (before swimming at hotel in northern Virginia) we visited Mount Vernon (the house, estate, and gardens of our 1st President; George Washington.)

On Wednesday, we visited the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia.

After this, we went to the city of Washington in the District of Columbia.

In April of 2018, my 8th grade class took a trip to northern Virginia, Washington D.C., Baltimore, Maryland, and to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Upon arrival to northern Viginia, we had dinner and played games at Dave and Busters. We stayed in northern Virginia the next day. We visited Arlington National Cemetery where we saw the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and four of our classmates were able to place a wreath from our school. After this, we visited The National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial; visited George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate; and took the Legends of Alexandria Tour.

After this, we went to the city of Washington in the District of Columbia.