Cultural Connections Trip: National - Part 1

5th Grade Washington D.C. Trip – November 1 - November 6

Hotel rooms will be monitored by chaperones. Additionally, each night a security guard is present on the floor in the hotel that’s booked for PDS boys. Typically, there will only be two boys per room. All rooms are sequestered on a floor with chaperones and a security guard present throughout each night.

The Early Bird cost is $2350 covering flights, hotels, charter buses, tour guides, and chaperones. After the Early Bird deadline, the cost is $2500. Food costs and souvenirs are excluded.

We will provide students with a student ID that is sufficient for airline travel within the United States.

Food costs are not included in the amount. The cost of breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be each boy’s responsibility.  We suggest that each student budget $60 daily for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.  In order to help you budget for food costs, we will give a precise schedule of meals prior to the trip. Boys typically bring cash and often a credit card or a mix of both. Faculty will help boys look after and allocate their money as needed or requested.

The cost of breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be each boy’s responsibility. We suggest each student budget $60 daily for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.

In order to help you budget with food costs, we will give a precise schedule of meals prior to the trip. Boys typically bring cash and often a credit card or a mix of both.

Faculty will help boys look after and allocate their money as needed or requested.

We recommend dressing with layers that can be removed or worn as the weather dictates, such as a PDS collared shirt and sweatshirt with a rainproof windbreaker.  We always provide a packing list of items to be worn on the trip.  We are not traveling to Siberia, but remember that your extremities tend to get cold first so plan accordingly. We walk 7+ miles a day so it is essential that everyone wear a good pair of walking shoes.  If you plan to purchase these prior to the trip, we suggest that you wear them a few times to break them in before the trip to avoid blisters. The packing list will be sent several weeks before the trip.

Yes, we have PDS Dress code for the trip. When we attend Arlington National Cemetery for the wreath laying ceremony, those students selected for laying the wreath (if the wreath laying ceremony is allowed) will need to comply with the dress requirements stipulated by Arlington National Cemetery.  The day we visit the Capitol, students will need to wear PDS spirit shirts or hoodies.

Additionally, no baseball caps are allowed.

It’s safe to assume that you will walk on average 7+ miles a day. Since we travel primarily by Metro, it requires that we walk from our hotel to the Metro to every site on the itinerary.  We make this an active trip for boys to harness their energy and keep them engaged.

Electronics are not allowed on Cultural Expedition Trips. Daily communications are sent through Remind App and trip chaperones.

Yes. However, your bag will be examined and at some federal buildings you are not allowed to bring drinks inside. Chaperones will communicate what is allowed in bags before visiting federal buildings.  

No.  We will check in as a group on the day of our departure.  Please do not attempt to check-in early online