Day Trips

Day Trips & Tours

Readvertised Trips

(The following tours were advertised in the Fall Parktakes and are not eligible for early registration discounts.) (The following tours are new in this issue are eligible for early registration discounts.)

Philadelphia Flower Show, Philadelphia, PA

Includes motor coach and admission. The annual PHS Philly Flower Show is back inside! The Philadelphia Flower Show is the nation’s largest and longest-running horticultural event. It features stunning displays by some of the world’s premier floral and landscape designers. Immerse yourself in the spectacular and decadent floral displays and the exciting, energetic and passionate side of flowers, gardens and horticulture. Bring a lunch or enjoy the atmosphere and food at the Reading Terminal Market located across the street. Trip cancellation deadline: February 17, 2023.

Saturday, Mar. 4 Fee: $223 Code: 4E0.KY7F Friday, Mar. 10 Fee: $223 Code: 4E0.KYOI

Mar. 4 and Mar. 10 Bus Pick-up/Return Schedule: Fair Oaks Mall-depart 7 a.m., return 8 p.m.; Mason Government Center-depart 7:30 a.m., return 7:30 p.m.; Franconia Rec Center-depart 8 a.m., return 7 p.m.

Monday, Mar. 6 Fee: $159 Code: A19.21KH

Mar. 6 Bus pick-up/return schedule: trip departs Green Spring Garden Gardens at 8 a.m. and returns at 8 p.m.

Wednesday, Mar. 8 Fee: $159 Code: A19.YJT1

Mar. 8 Bus pick-up/return schedule: trip departs Green Spring Gardens at 10 a.m. and returns at 10 p.m.

New Trips

Museum of the Bible, Washington DC

Saturday, March 25 Fee: $118 Code: 1DC.DGUA

(5-Adult) Includes motor coach, and admission. The Museum of the Bible is a museum which documents the narrative, history, and impact of the Bible. With 1,150 items from the museum’s permanent collection and 2,000 items on loan from other institutions and collections, the museum claims to have amassed one of the largest assemblies of biblical artifacts, and texts in the world through collaborations with private donors, institution, and other museums. Meals on your own. Bus pick-up/return: Fair Oak Mall- depart 8 a.m., return 2 p.m.; Mason Government Center- depart 8:30 a.m., return 1:30 p.m.; Franconia Rec Center- depart 9 a.m., return 1 p.m. Trip cancellation deadline: March 10.

Constitution Bus Tour, Philadelphia, PA

Saturday, April 1 Fee: $181 Code: SCS.UQFD

(5-Adult) Trip includes motorcoach, boxed lunch, and admissions. Tour Philadelphia by bus. See more than 25 of the city’s top sites and attractions including Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, the National Constitution Center, Chinatown, City Hall, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the “Rocky” steps, Avenue of Arts, the Kimmel Center, Antique Row, Pennsylvania Hospital, Penn’s Landing and more. After bus tour lunch at the National Constitutional Center than a self-guided tour of the National Constitutional Center. Bus pick-up/ return: Fair Oak Mall- depart 5:30 a.m., return 6:30 p.m.; Mason Government Center- depart 6 a.m., return 6 p.m.; Franconia Rec Center- depart 6:30 a.m., return 5:30 p.m. Trip cancellation deadline: March 17.

Day Trips & Tours Information & Policies

For departure and return schedules, weather related information and/or schedule changes, call the Tours Hotline at 703-324-8687 (703-324-TOUR) for recorded information. Email tours@fairfaxcounty.gov and automatically receive a list of upcoming tours or call the Program Coordinator at 703-324-5611 and leave your name and address. Transportation: Transportation is either by chartered motor coach equipped with reclining seats and restroom or by a small bus or van. Arrive at your departure location 15 minutes before the scheduled departure time a location and do not wait for the bus inside businesses or nearby establishments. Call 703222-4664 for additional details and tour reservations. Bus Seating: Registered participants may select seats on a first-come first-served basis. Usually, two seats adjacent to the driver are reserved for the trip escort and a tour guide (if needed) as well as a few other seats for interpreters (when needed), in the rare case of a defective seat or for persons who may experience motion sickness. The trip escort will try to accommodate requests for special seating when possible. Bus seating will be socially distanced, and masks will be required while riding on the bus. Age Parameters: All minors must be accompanied by an adult. Only children age 5 and older may travel by motor coach. Alcohol: No kegs, opened cans or glass containers are allowed on the bus. No large coolers are allowed unless the cooler can be positioned on the back seat so that it does not take away a seat from any passenger. Damage or spillage from a cooler can stain coach seat upholstery and compromise bus cleanliness and appearance. Registration: Tour reservations may be made by phone at 703-222-4664, through Parktakes online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/parktakes, or completing the form in the back of Parktakes to register by mail or fax. Payment can be made by check, or by MasterCard, Visa or Discover. Registrations are accepted on, a first-come, first-served basis until the trip is filled. Discounts: Early registration discounts apply only to tours first advertised in this issue of Parktakes. Senior discount fees do not apply to tours. The class scholarship policies also do not apply to tours. People with Disabilities: Participants requiring ADA accommodations must call 703-324-8563 at least 10 business days in advance of the scheduled activity. TTY Va. Relay 711. Cancelations: The FCPA reserve the right to cancel a trip due to low enrollment and/or other circumstances. If a trip is canceled, all registrants will be notified, and all fees will be refunded to your Parktakes account. Trips are not canceled due to inclement weather unless you are notified by phone. Call 703-324-TOUR (8687) for emergency weather instructions. Refund Policy: Refunds, credits or transfers for day trips are allowed up to 14 days prior to the trip date. Cancelation/refund requests received 13 or fewer days prior to the trip date will not be granted because of bus company and vendor deadlines. For trips requiring deposits, the deposit is nonrefundable. You can, however, substitute another person in your place. The FCPA retains the right to decline, accept or retain any person as a member of a trip when such action is deemed to be in the best interest of the health, safety or general welfare of the tour group or the individual concerned. Schedule times are approximate. Reasonable substitutions for some items included in the printed trip description may be necessary in certain cases. Refunds are not given for delays or changes in the itinerary due to weather, traffic, security delays, crowds, mechanical breakdown, or other factors beyond the Park Authority’s control. FCPA is not liable for cost of tickets, meals or expenses due to schedule changes. Confirmation and Itinerary: The week before a trip, you will receive an itinerary in the mail.

Departure/Return Locations

Fair Oaks Mall

(lot #1 across from the Marriott Hotel in the Macy’s lot), Rts. 66 and 50, Fairfax

Green Spring Gardens

4603 Green Spring Rd., Alexandria

Franconia Rec Center

Mason Government Center

6601 Telegraph Rd., Franconia (park in lower parking lot by gym)

(park along the fence) 6507 Columbia Pike, Annandale

TOUR ESCORTS NEEDED!

Hillwood Estates & Museum, Washington DC

Saturday, April 15 Fee: $264 Code: 8GB.XVTXZ

(5-Adult) Trip includes motorcoach, meal. Nestled in the hills of Northwest Washington, D.C., Hillwood welcomes visitors from around the world with its gracious hospitality. Escape into an oasis only five miles from downtown Washington and explore the pristine mansion, dine at Merriweather Café, and enjoy the beauty of the formal gardens. Marjorie Post purchased Hillwood with the intent to leave it as a museum that would inspire and educate the public. Guided mansion tours led by our trained volunteer docents treat visitors to additional information and viewpoints about Post, her rich collections, and how they are experienced today very much as they were in Post’s time. Bus Pick-up and return Fair Oaks Mall- depart 8:15 a.m., return 5:15 p.m. Mason Government Center-depart 8:45 a.m., return 4:45 p.m., Franconia Franconia Rec Center-depart 9:15 a.m., return 4:15p.m.

Getaway – Lewis Ginter’s A Million Blooms, Richmond, VA

Wednesday, April 19 Fee:$106 Code: FZQ.YL0V

(Adults) Lewis Ginter Botanic Garden in Richmond, Virginia will be bursting with its “A Million Blooms” spring display. Enjoy a leisurely guided tour along the Central Garden and see a succession of colorful flower bulbs, spring perennials and flowering trees that will chase away the greys of winter. Lunch is on your own at the Garden Café. You will also have time to browse their one-of-a-kind Garden Shop. Wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather. Bus departs Green Spring Gardens at 10:15 a.m. and returns at 6:15 p.m. Cancellation deadline: April 5. Includes motor coach, entrance and tour.

Natural Bridge, Natural Bridge, VA

Saturday, April 22 Fee: $229 Code: EF4.NX0W

(5-Adult) Trip includes motorcoach, admissions, and lunch. Explore a National Historic Landmark that has been carved out of limestone over hundreds of years. Walk along a wooden path under the great stone arch along Cedar Creek. Stroll pass Monacan Village and then on to Lace Falls. Bus Pick-up and return: Franconia Rec Center - depart 7 a.m., return 8 p.m. Mason Government Center-depart 7:30 a.m.; return 7:30 p.m.; Fair Oaks Mall – depart 8 a.m.; return 7 p.m. Trip cancellation deadline: April 7.

Monticello, Charlottesville, VA

Saturday, April 29 Fee: $239 Code: 211.FHF9

(5-Adult) Includes motor coach, admission and lunch at Michie Tavern. See the splendor of Thomas Jefferson’s home, Monticello. Start in the visitor center, then tour the house, see the films and exhibits, and then explore the grounds and the graveyard. Enjoy a traditional lunch at Michie Tavern. Bus pick-up/return schedule: Franconia Rec Center-depart 7 a.m., return 7 p.m.; Mason Government Center-depart 7:30 a.m., return 6:30 p.m.; Fair Oaks Mall-depart 8 a.m., return 6 p.m.

Getaway – Mt. Cuba Center and Winterthur, Delaware

Wednesday, May 3 Fee:$159 Code: Y5J.OB5F

(Adult) Travel to Delaware and see some of the finest woodland gardens around. Tour Mt. Cuba’s native plant gardens in the morning and spend the afternoon at Winterthur with a self-guided house tour plus a tram tour of the gorgeous grounds and gardens. The morning tour requires extensive walking on various surfaces, so wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather. Price includes motor coach and tours. Lunch is on your own at Winterthur Café. Bus departs Green Spring Gardens at 7:30 a.m. and returns at 7 p.m. Cancellation deadline: April 19. Includes motor coach, entrance and tour.

NEW! Tygart Flyer, Mountain Rail, WV

Saturday, May 6 Fee: $299 Code: N0E.OZHS

(5-Adult) Trip includes motorcoach, admissions, and lunch. This wilderness excursion features mountain grades, an “S” curve tunnel, a high bridge and miles of unspoiled mountain views. Vintage diesel-powered locomotives climb along the cascading Shavers Fork of the Cheat River to the High Falls of Cheat pulling comfortable climate-controlled passenger coaches. Trip includes a 30–45-minute stop-over at the Falls and an on-board cold sandwich buffet. Bus Pick-up and return: Franconia Rec Center - depart 5 a.m., return 8 p.m. Mason Government Center-depart 5:30 a.m.; return 7:30 p.m.; Fair Oaks Mall – depart 6 a.m.; return 7 p.m. Trip cancellation deadline: April 21.

Total Amish Experience, Lancaster, PA

Saturday, May 13 Fee: $223 Code: 0EJ.L4NR

(5-Adult) Includes motorcoach, meal. Experience Theater, Amish Country Homestead, and step-on guide.400 years of history in 40 minutes of magic. In Jacob’s choice, film combines with a three-dimensional set and special effects to tell the unforgettable story of the Amish from Europe to America. You’ll also tour the countryside with a step-on guide and stop at authentic Amish house to walk through nine rooms. For lunch enjoy a meal at Miller’s Smorgasbord. Bus Pick-up and return Fair Oaks Mall-depart 7 a.m.- return 7 p.m. Mason Government Center-depart 7:30 a.m.; return 6:30 p.m. Franconia Rec Center - depart 8 a.m.; return 6 p.m. Trip cancellation deadline: April 28.

Day in Cape May, Cape May, NJ

Saturday, May 20 Fee: $268 Code: 573.PUBL

(5-Adult) Includes motor coach, Trolley and Inn Tour and lunch. Take a 30-minute trolley tour through Cape May and learn about the oldest residential street in town and the elegant grand dames of the Victorian commercial center. Then tour one of Cape May’s fabulous Victoria Inns. Afterward, enjoy shopping and sightseeing on your own. Bus pick-up/return schedule: Fair Oaks Mall- depart 6 a.m., return 11 p.m.; Mason Government Center- depart 6:30 a.m., return 10:30 p.m.; Franconia Rec Center- 7 a.m., return 10 p.m. Trip cancellation deadline: May 5.

Getaway – Tudor Place and Dumbarton Oaks, Washington, DC

Wednesday, May 31 Fee:$132 Code: ERH.C9TW

(Adult) Experience the historic gardens of Tudor Place and Dumbarton Oaks in Georgetown. Enjoy an elegant Victorian tea party in the 1867 Dower House, and an informative house tour afterwards. Then, travel up the road to Dumbarton Oaks and explore the famous gardens designed by Beatrix Farrand. Bus departs from Green Spring Gardens at 11 a.m. and returns at 5:45 p.m. Cancellation deadline: May 15. Includes motor coach, entrance, tea, and tours.

St. Michael’s Cruise, St. Michael’s, MD

Saturday, June 3 Fee: $181 Code: BGF.73QZ

(5-Adult) Includes motor coach and cruise. Enjoy a relaxing day aboard the Patriot and cruise the Miles River. Upon disembarking, browse St. Michael’s quaint shops and boutiques. Meals on your own. Bus pick-up/ return schedule: Fair Oaks Mall- depart 8:30 a.m., return 8:30 p.m.; Franconia Rec Center- depart 9 a.m., return 8 p.m. Trip cancellation deadline. Trip cancellation deadline: May 19.