Our recent vacation to Williamsburg, Virginia, included several days of historic bus tours with Oleta Coach Lines and their fabulous tour guide, Matt. It was without a doubt one of the highlights of our trip.
We had been considering this 12-hour trip to Williamsburg, Virginia, for quite some time. It was a first visit to the state for both of us, and we were excited for the adventure. We knew there was a lot to see, and we planned to find a historic bus tour after we reached Williamsburg. We got lucky because the Bus Tour we selected had an option to visit Washington, D.C., so we signed up for that trip as well.
Although neither of us would consider ourselves to be history buffs, we do love our country and enjoy visiting historic places. Visiting Colonial Williamsburg and Yorktown to see where the original English settlers landed was an exciting adventure. This trip proved to be much more than we anticipated because of the expertise and knowledge of our Oleta tour guide, Matt.
Table of Contents
About to board that very nice bus for a full day of touring Washington, D.C.
Bus Tour
Oleta has several options to choose from for the bus tour starting in Williamsburg. Check their site for updated options. They also do tours to New York and even a Christmas lights tour during the holidays.
We selected two of Oleta Coach Lines’ tours: the bus tour to Washington, D.C., and their Historic Triangle tour. I am sharing our experiences with both of those days, but I can go ahead and tell you now, we had a wonderful time.
The bus ride is very comfy because the bus is quite nice. The seats are plush, and the air conditioning works great. Our driver was also our tour guide, Matt. He was extremely knowledgeable of all the historical facts and proved to be an excellent tour guide as well as an excellent bus driver.
Washington D.C. Bus Tour
The ride to Washington, D.C. from Williamsburg was about 3 hours, but they went by really quickly. My hubby and I chose to sit in the very front seat so we had too good of a view of the busy highway with all the terrible traffic. Matt, our tour guide, is easily one of, if not THE best, bus driver in the world. He drove splendidly through narrow lanes in DC and even parallel parked that bus at one point!
Itinerary
We were provided with a printed Itinerary for the day on the D.C. Tour. As you can see, it is a very full day beginning at 6:30 am and not returning back until 9 pm. That return time is subject to change when unforeseen events might occur, like heavier-than-normal traffic.
Breakfast at Pentagon Center Mall
Our first stop for breakfast was in Virginia at the Pentagon Center Mall, which is called Fashion Center at Pentagon City. Only a few of the restaurants were open for breakfast that early in the morning. It is a large mall, so there were still plenty of places to choose from to eat.
We entered the Mall through the escalators, which apparently go to a subway system. Even though we were there rather early before the Mall opened, there were still a lot of people there. Folks seem to be in quite a hurry. You need to stand to the side on the escalator if you intend to actually ride it down because the locals walk quickly down passed you.
Arlington National Cemetery
After breakfast, we visited Arlington National Cemetery. We were there on a very hot July day. The humidity in the area is worse than what we have in Georgia, and that is saying a lot! We agree, however, that visiting Arlington was probably the highlight of the day for both of us.
Tips for Visiting Arlington National Cemetery in the Summer
- Wear comfortable walking shoes and keep in mind you will be in full sun, walking uphill most of the time.
- Apply sunscreen.
- Wear a big hat to protect your face and neck from the sun.
- Carry an umbrella to keep the sun off.
- Bring a bottle of water. There are outdoor fountains where you can refill it.
- Buy yourself one of these personal neck fans. You will be glad you did.
- If you tend to perspire, you may want to stick a handkerchief in your pocket.
- Don’t bring heavy bags. It’s mostly uphill.
There is a great deal of history at Arlington National Cemetery.
The highlights for us
- Watching The Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
- JFK’s grave,
- and learning that the big beautiful house at the top of the hill once belonged to Robert E. Lee. Named The Arlington House, it was undergoing renovations during our visit, hence the scaffolding in the photo. There are 650,000 visitors per year to Arlington House, making it the most visited house in the National Park system.
We learned the flag at Arlington National Cemetery is flown at half-staff on days when funerals are taking place. Typically, the flag is lowered 30 minutes before and after the funeral. However, there are, on average, about 30 funerals per day, so the flag is pretty much always at half staff.
The Changing of the Guard
Being there to witness the Change of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was another highlight of our vacation. It happens at certain times throughout the day, so you will want to check that schedule before your visit.
Ford Theatre
We drove past Ford’s Theatre, where President Lincoln was assassinated in Washington, D.C. The boarding house where he was taken and died is right across the street. The theatre remained closed for over 100 years following the shooting of the President.
The theatre was eventually restored to its very beautiful state and reopened in 1968. It is now a national historic site managed by the National Park Service. You can tour the museum and explore the exhibits that share Lincoln’s presidency, Civil War memorabilia, and the assassination conspiracy led by John Wilkes Booth.
White House
Walking down the street to see the White House in person was a big deal for us. There is a lot of activity going on in the street, which is blocked off. There are a lot of protestors. Our guide informed us that there are always protestors, and some of them have been there for many years. There are also street vendors selling a variety of things.
Armed guards are placed at intervals along the fence line. I talked to one of them just for the fun of it, and he was quite friendly.
Memorials
There are many memorials located in Washington, D.C.. It would be quite a task to try to visit them all in one day. I found myself wanting to stand and reflect for a few moments at each one.
The Washington Monument is a spectacular sight to see in person. It is a towering 555-foot marble obelisk built to honor our first president, George Washington.
The Lincoln Memorial is a must-see if you are visiting D.C. The imposing statue is solid marble. It stands 19 feet tall and 19 feet wide. The statue is housed in its own building patterned after the Parthenon in Athens, Greece. The commanding steps leading up to the statue were the location for Martin Luther King’s famous “I Have A Dream” speech.
One of the most recognizable sites in Washington, D.C. is the reflecting pool, which is an extension of the Lincoln Memorial and situated directly in front of the memorial. Turn around, and at the opposite end of the pool, you will see the Washington Memorial.
The Korean War Memorial stood out to me because my Uncle served in the Army in Korea. He never talked about any of the details of his time there.
Smithsonian Museums
There are multiple Smithsonian museums to visit. It can be overwhelming, so I suggest you do your research before going and decide which one(s) you have time to tour. You could easily take several days just to enjoy these museums.
We were so overwhelmed by how much there is to see that we didn’t even take but a couple of silly pictures of ourselves. Dorothy’s Ruby Slippers from The Wizard of Oz movie stand out in my mind as one of the museum’s items.
Expect to have your purses and bags inspected at any time while entering or leaving. This is for the protection of everyone. It can be intimidating, but it is not intended to be offensive.
Would we take the bus tour of Washington, D.C. again?
Yes, we certainly would. There are two good reasons:
- They drive!
- The bus driver is an extremely knowledgeable tour guide
