Two things I always say about visiting a new city: Get on the water and take the elevator to the top of something tall.

A water cruise is a great choice for educational student tours to any city by a river or other harbor. It was a favorite part of our recent DC tour, a great way to see the city from just beyond it. The other way to do this is to view the city from a great height.

There are several places to view almost any city this way. It was a favorite part of my recent trip to find even more of these prime viewing spots than I had expected. In DC, for instance, we didn't make it to the top of the Washington Monument. But one of our first stops in the city took us to the Newseum, an absolutely amazing museum, and we soon found ourselves on a terrace. It was refreshing, beautiful, and from it we could see the Capitol on one side and the Smithsonian museums on the other.

I took as many pictures from that surprising rooftop as I took inside the Newseum. The view was wonderful, though not all that high. So I also enjoyed another stop that day when we found ourselves at the top of The Old Post Office.

The view from the Old Post Office was truly amazing. It wasn't built as an observation deck, so it's cramped and a wee bit stifling on hot days. But the view is incomparable. I was struck anyway that day at the many beautiful buildings stacked side by side throughout DC's streets. I had pictured only the large grassy mall between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. We followed our guide that day, though, through one stunning architectural building after another. We traipsed under tunnels and archways, through courtyards in the midst of buildings that seemed to run together, all resplendent in the same old world design.

The Old Post Office was one of these, and it was a brilliant beginning to our time in D.C. to view its streets from the vantage point provided by its tower. We also enjoyed standing near the bells inside. The Old Post Office is a Washington D.C. tradition that often gets missed in our list of government buildings, landmark memorials, and iconic attractions. With its antique style, though, beautiful design, amazing view, and modern food court, it's another great choice for student groups.

The variety of amazing museums - one for almost every subject of interest in the world - is one of the reasons schools love Washington DC educational tours. On my recent trip I looked forward to visiting as many of them as we could squeeze into our itinerary. It certainly wouldn't be a comprehensive look, but I wanted to get an idea about the possibilities, the general feel in the many museums, and what they had to offer.

Of course, I expected a lot from the Smithsonian. I knew it was comprised of many facilities - all unique. But I was surprised at how unique each Smithsonian museum is from the others. They all hold their own as beautiful attractions in their own right.

One of my favorite museums in the city, though, was outside the Smithsonian. In fact, this picture, with the Smithsonian's Natural History Museum in the background, was taken from it. It's called the Newseum, and all I really knew about it was that it was dedicated to journalists and to the stories they've told. I knew it had a wall dedicated to front pages across America and a 9/11 memorial. I did not expect it to have so many other exhibits of interest and that I would be fascinated by each and every one.

This section of the Berlin Wall was one of the most moving sights in the Newseum. One one side, we see freedom - evident here by the colors and graffiti on the wall. On the other side: Nothing. Just cold, hard stone. It was an insightful exhibit, inspiring me to dig deeper and learn more about this time in history that I lived through but without real awareness.

The 9/11 memorial was another moving experience for me and one I wanted to spend more time on. A massive exhibit of twisted metal stands at the center, the antenna from one of the towers that fell. Literature and photographs tell the story of that day from the perspective of the journalists who took on the horrific responsibility of capturing it.

Everywhere journalists are honored. There is a wall dedicated to the photographs of journalists who died while working. The photographs awakened us to the danger involved when they do their job with passion. And the space above the photographs - room for many, many more - was haunting.

Among the moving stories of tragedy and heroism, the Newseum also celebrates the sharing of news through comedy. I loved the exhibit showcasing Letterman, Leno, Jon Stewart, and more. I had to admit, I more often got my news from these guys than from any other source.

One comprehensive exhibit in the Newseum is dedicated to headlines from history. We pulled out display cases with headlines about the sinking Titanic and the World Wars. Anyone could spend hours in this room alone, searching out history as it was captured at the time.

Another fun exhibit while we there celebrated Elvis, one of the most memorable newsmakers from pop culture. This was one of the Newseum's temporary exhibits, guaranteeing visitors something fresh and exciting every time they visit.

This Week with George Stephenopolus films at the Newseum, and that set was interesting as well. Students will love the Be A Journalist interactive segment. And the 4D theater is always a favorite. We also loved the terrace, offering a beautiful east to west view of the Capitol to the National Mall.

It was fun to look for which of our state's front pages made it to the wall of Front Pages outside, and students will enjoy that part of the visit. Inside, every exhibit teaches, inspires, and fascinates in this amazing museum dedicated to our story really - the story of each of us, of the world - and dedicated to the people who tell it.

I've always said - long before I would have considered myself all that expert in an experiential way - that the joy of traveling is in its surprises. We all go places with a list of things we know we'll see, the things we hope we'll see. It's the stuff we've seen on television and read in books and cried over in the movies.

But then we get to the destination we've been planning on for years, and besides the stuff of our dreams, we find charming corners, lively music, and comic oddities that truly make the trip and the destination all that we'd hoped it would be.

On my recent tour of DC, we had just explored the expansive grounds of Mt. Vernon and I'd gotten a history-crush on our first president through his beautiful estate and the passion of the docents who described him. And we were headed to the uber-modern Newseum with stories of journalists and recent history, when I opened my eyes to beautiful Old Town Alexandria.

Our tour guide had added the jaunt as a special treat. I suppose we could have driven from Mt. Vernon to the heart of D.C. some boring way - like the interstate. Instead, we drove through the heart of Alexandria, Virginia, with quaint and gorgeous homes like this one. And believe me, I was too busy gazing in awe to capture pictures of the even quainter other homes.

One of my favorite parts was the blue house. I'm kicking myself for not getting a picture. The house is eight feet across. It was the smallest house I'd ever seen, tucked between two other tall narrow buildings, and our guide knew all about its history. It sold for a song compared to most of the homes in Old Town Alexandria today, and it's been featured on HGTV.

As we drove through the historic neighborhoods, I thought Alexandria would be the perfect place to stay for Washington DC group travel tours. You can even stay in a bed & breakfast there to fully embrace the charming, historic side of the DC area. Alexandria has tons to enjoy with its variety of historic architecture, shopping, and food. You'll have all the transportation you need there as well, including the metro and even old-fashioned trolleys.

Then, besides its own amazing charm, Alexandria is within minutes of the National Mall, the government buildings of D.C., its monuments and memorials, as well as its fascinating museums. The historic town sits just across the Potomac from Washington D.C. And together, with Alexandria's charm and D.C.'s stunning architecture, these cities make the perfect group travel tour.

Our second stop on our recent tour of the D.C. area was to beautiful Mt. Vernon. I'd been told by a person I consider to be the biggest fan of Washington D.C. ever that it was her favorite attraction there, which I never would have guessed. It was beautiful, though, and enormous, and rich with American history.

I am especially thrilled I saw it since we missed out on the White House this trip. Mt. Vernon was in many ways the first White House, and its owner the best remembered president in our history.

The Mt. Vernon experience begins in the Ford Orientation Center where guests are greeted by the first First Family. It's a bronze statue of George Washington, Martha Washington and her grandchildren whom the couple raised. There's also a brilliant scale model of the Mt. Vernon mansion, literature, and a film. This is a great stop for student groups. It sets the stage for what's ahead and offers a restroom break before the tour begins.

Next, the group travels from the visitor's center down a road made of tiny gravel and suddenly Mt. Vernon is in view. The picture here is what guests see at that point before winding to the left and along the tree-covered lane there to tour the mansion itself. Mt. Vernon has several docents inside the mansion, but there is so much to tour here that I definitely recommend a professional guide for student groups. There's so much they can tell you about General Washington and his election to the Presidency - George Washington was, for instance, the only U.S. President voted in unanimously by the electoral college. But a guide can also explain so much about the entire Mt. Vernon estate and grounds. There's so much to learn about George Washington and about early American history throughout the Mt. Vernon experience.

The mansion itself is filled with docents, almost one for every room. If the crowd is low, you can hear from each one and ask questions. If the line is long, as when we went, the mansion tour becomes open door. You file through quickly from one side, through the mansion, up the stairs, past the bed in which George Washington died, down some stairs and out the other end of the front porch. The docents still tell stories and relate history - they'll even answer questions - but you won't be able to hear every detail as you have to keep moving. The back of Mt. Vernon offers an amazing view of the Potomac and its beautiful lawn.

Beyond the mansion, Mt. Vernon still has so much to offer. Through its outbuildings (dependencies, our guide called them) and the farm and gardens, a guide can enlighten you on the amazing resourcefulness George Washington showed. I loved everything I learned about this man at Mr. Vernon. One of the docents was particularly passionate about Washington's contributions to our nation, and I've never been more inspired to study more about this truly fascinating father of our nation.

There's still much more. There's a memorial to slaves who were buried in unmarked graves at the estate. There are sheep and other animals, information about Washington's use of crop rotation, his carriages, the famous 16-sided barn, a three-seater outhouse (ew), and so much else to learn about the Washingtons and the time in which they lived. It's an amazing experience for Washington D.C. educational student tours, for families, and all kinds of group travel to D.C.

Whew. Are you having as much trouble as me getting back into the groove after a holiday weekend? I love that the Fourth of July fell on a weekend this year as it became a very long one. We were able to devote an entire day to both sides of the family, which when you live close to both sides is a huge deal and seriously puts Thanksgiving to shame. (What kind of holiday centers around ONE MEAL? How are we supposed to make that work with two big families nearby, huh?)

Each Fourth of July during the fireworks display in my relatively small town, I can't help but wonder at least once what it might be like to watch the one in New York City. So I thought today would be a good day to write about my recent experience at the Statue of Liberty, which I think features pretty prominently in Manhattan's fireworks display.

Here's the thing: I didn't actually walk up to her. Lady Liberty, that is. I heard from numerous locals and frequent tourists that taking time on Liberty Island isn't that much more meaningful of an experience than simply cruising by it on a ferry** or a speedboat with an entertaining guide. Our guide, actually, was one of the people to tell us so. And I have to admit, when I was there I had no desire to go ashore when so many other attractions awaited and we had already had an incredibly moving experience around the Statue of Liberty.

Our guide was able to give us the history of the statue, its proper name (Liberty Enlightening the World), and some trivia about it. He even recited for us, from memory, the beautiful inscription. And the entire deck of our ferry applauded. The boat took us very near the statue, so we could look on her as our guide spoke. We saw it from several angles. And by that point, with Ellis Island still on the agenda, we felt we'd seen enough to continue.

Now, I admit, I feel disappointed that I can't tell you exactly what the experience is like if you take advantage of your monument pass. And I can't honestly tell you we made the right choice for a first-time visit. Perhaps standing on top of the base on which Lady Liberty stands is extremely important to you. Maybe, like me, you just want to know for yourself how it does or doesn't enhance the experience. All that, you have to decide for yourself when purchasing tickets for this attraction.

But I can tell you this. New York City educational student tours won't be complete without at least the drive-by. And I know, both from an expert guide and from experience, that you must do it first thing in the morning. The line will be maddening later in the day when you have so much else to do. (On the flip side, a ferry ride might be just the ticket on a hot afternoon. We were freezing on the water on the cloudy day when we went!) And although I can't tell you for certain whether a drive-by is enough, I can tell you that it's amazing, that if you don't feel you're in New York before that moment, you'll definitely feel it then, and that the Statue of Liberty cannot be truly experienced in photos. There's no feeling like seeing it for real.

**We chose Statue Cruises for our Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island experience. The ride was perfect. We chose the highest deck and, although we were cool, no one experienced motion sickness or trouble of any kind. The ferry took us to both islands with the option to stay on board at Liberty Island and depart immediately for Ellis. Other cruise lines offer a similar experience, I'm sure.

There's a pretty little treasure just outside of Washington D.C. that I never knew about before my recent trip and that I definitely want to share with future travelers. Its name is National Harbor, Maryland, and it's a delightful little landing by the water with shops, restaurants, walkways, hotels, and art.

The Washington D.C. area has so much to offer families and group travel tours - both within its famous National Mall and beyond its borders in places like Arlington, Mt. Vernon, historic Alexandria, and National Harbor.

National Harbor rests along the Potomac River, a landmark for the DC area. You'll be able to look over the Potomoc from the Kennedy Center and from George Washington's mansion at Mr. Vernon. We even took a dinner cruise on it one night - a favorite part of our trip. And on our first morning, we stood by it on a sandy beach just down the steps from the pretty National Harbor boardwalk as we discovered this fascinating sculpture, which was recently moved to National Harbor from its original spot on Hains Point.

The sculpture is five separate pieces rising from the sand, depicting a giant as he (presumably) awakes and tries to free himself from the ground. At The Awakening, we found a respite, a peaceful moment by the water. Only a few other people stood nearby - photographers, other tourists. The sculpture is one of those delightful artistic pieces that can be touched and explored. You can walk right into the giant's embrace, touch his face, fall into his hand. It offers any number of fun photo opportunities - with or without members of your group within them!

You know the big reasons to visit Washington D.C. You can't wait to climb the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, to sand in the shadow of the Washington Monument and to sit by the Reflecting Pool. But you may not have known about this quiet, artistic treasure, just one more magnificent sculpture in a city beautifully filled with them.