Washington DC

5-day MS/HS adventure​

  

⚓ Washington, DC Sailing + Learning Adventure (5 Days / 4 Nights)

Group: 6 MS/HS students + 1 teacher
Lodging: Sailing vessel Boundless moored in Washington Channel
Vessel Activities: 1 sunset cruise, 2-day sail to Mount Vernon
Transportation on land: Metro + walking

📅 Day 1 — Arrival + National Mall Orientation

Morning

• Arrive at The Wharf Marina / Gangplank Marina

• Welcome aboard, boat briefing, bunk assignments

• Safety orientation: PFDs, head usage, rules, boundaries

• Light sail within the Washington Channel / Potomac Park for familiarization

Afternoon

• Walk to the Smithsonian Museum of American History

• Explore exhibits on innovation, transportation, pop culture, and U.S. history

• Outdoor lunch on the Mall

Evening

• Sunset Cruise on the Potomac

  • Sail past the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Memorial, Roosevelt Bridge

  • Students take turns on helm and lines

• Dinner onboard

• Night walk along The Wharf (ice cream stop)

📅 Day 2 — Full DC Exploration Day

Morning: Capitol & Museums

• Metro to Capitol South

• U.S. Capitol Grounds Walk + exterior photos

• Library of Congress tour (excellent student experience)

• Walk to Supreme Court for brief visit (outside)

Afternoon: Smithsonian Choice Blocks
Choose 1–2 depending on interest:

• Air & Space Museum (popular with students)

• Natural History Museum (dinosaurs + gemstones)

• African American History and Culture Museum (if tickets available)

Evening

• Dinner at The Wharf (student-friendly restaurants)

• Return to boat: prep/briefing for 2-day sail to Mount Vernon

• Early lights-out

📅 Day 3 — Sail to Mount Vernon (Overnight Trip, Part 1)

Morning – Departure

• Cast off early (around 8:00 AM)

• Sail down the Potomac past:

  • Hain's Point

  • National Airport flight path

  • Old Town Alexandria

• Students rotate helm, navigation, lookout, sail trim positions

• Navigation lesson: chart reading, AIS, depth, channel markers

Afternoon – Arrive at Mount Vernon Wharf

• The Deck Crew (students), will anchor Boundless across the Potomac River from George Washington's home and take the inflatable "dinghy" to shore. 

• Tour George Washington’s Estate

  • Mansion tour

  • Farm, gardens, slave memorial site, education center

• Picnic lunch on the estate grounds

• Return to boat for downtime, journaling, reflection, and possible swim/shower.

Evening

• Cook dinner onboard

• Team-building activity on deck

• Night sky observation lesson

• Overnight aboard near Mount Vernon

📅 Day 4 — Sail Back to Washington DC (Overnight Trip, Part 2)

Morning

• Review weather + navigation plan

• Students lead portions of the return sail (skipper-for-an-hour rotations)

• Marine science module options:

  • Water quality sampling

  • Potomac watershed ecology

  • Tides/currents activity

Afternoon – Arrive Back in DC

• Return to our mooring. 

• Break + showers

• Walk to Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

• Continue to FDR Memorial & Jefferson Memorial around the Tidal Basin

Evening

• Dinner onboard

• Low-key game or “DC scavenger trivia” session

• Optional night sail in protected channel (weather dependent)

📅 Day 5 — Final DC Highlights + Departure

Morning
Choose based on time and interests:

• Arlington National Cemetery (Changing of the Guard)

• Holocaust Museum (age-appropriate; powerful for high school groups)

• Native American Museum + outdoor areas

• International Spy Museum (good for teens, not Smithsonian but excellent)

Afternoon

• Return to Boundless.

• Pack, cabin cleanup, debrief circle

• Depart DC

This is a sample itinerary and there are too many monument and museum options to list for you to choose from. We will put together the ideal trip based on your group's interests to make your sailing adventure memorable, impactful, and life-changing! 

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Cost: $1,475 per student (based on 6) and includes 5 days/4 nights lodging on Boundless, a Captain and First Mate, all educational materials, tour guides, instruction, museum entrance fees, dockage, fuel, all meals on board, side trips, sunset cruise, Mount Vernon entrance fees, and local transportation. Meals ashore (group's choice), extra museums/events not on our itinerary, and/or airport pickup, additional. Airfare/transportation to/from Washington DC not included. A teacher attends for free including airfare with six students.

 

***Groups with more time available should consider our 9-day trip option. This trip starts at the mouth of the Potomac River with a sail to historic St. Mary's Maryland, to be greeted by its inhabitants in 16th century costume! ​We will tour the grounds to the Godiah Spray tobacco plantation, Native American hamlets, Sir William Nuthead's print house, and end with a tour of The Dove, a replica of a 17th century sailing trade ship. After departing St. Mary's, we will continue sailing north up the mighty Potomac to Mount Vernon and into Washington DC connecting with our 5-day itinerary listed above. $1,675 per student.

 

​​Whether you're a scout group, a teacher, a family, or group of friends looking to build memories together,

this is a trip not to be missed! 

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Our Washington, DC trips take place in the spring, early summer, and fall of each year.