Spy Kids: Sleuths & Secrets With Your Grandchild

Program Registration: 3:00-5:00 p.m. After you check in and have your room assignment, join us at the Road Scholar table in the hotel lobby to register with the program staff, get any updated information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please locate your Group Leader and let them know you have arrived. Orientation: 5:15 p.m.: The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. This is a Road Scholar Grandparent program. Grandparents are responsible for their grandchildren at all times. If/when separate age group activities are conducted concurrently, program staff will supervise. Minors are never to be left unsupervised. We will learn from a series of local experts who will give lectures, lead field trips, performances and hands-on experiences. Program-related travel and transfers will be via private motorcoach, public transportation, and walking. Your knowledgeable Group Leader will provide you with all pertinent information. We will have meals at the hotel and local restaurants, and a period for you to explore local cuisine on your own. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

At the hotel.

At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

At the hotel.

We will depart by motorcoach for the National Cryptologic Museum in Annapolis, Maryland, where you can join your grandchild on a scavenger hunt around the museum or crack open your own interests with a separate expert-led journey.

At the museum.

After we’ve mastered cryptology, we’ll head back to D.C. for a motorcoach exploration of the monuments and memorials led by our expert Group Leader.

At a local restaurant.

At leisure. Rest up for tomorrow, when we will take a field trip to learn about one of America’s founding fathers and his role as a spymaster.

At the hotel.

This morning we will welcome George Washington himself, who – via a historical re-enactor – will reveal more about the Revolutionary War and the Culper Spy ring before we head to his home at Mount Vernon. After, we will board the motorcoach and head to Virginia for a field trip to explore George Washington’s estate at Mount Vernon, a National Historic Landmark. On our way, we will watch a film about the Culper spy ring who reported to General Washington during the Revolutionary War.

At Mount Vernon.

After lunch, we will explore the mansion with a knowledgeable expert. We’ll learn about the history of George and Martha Washington’s beloved home and how Washington personally supervised its design and expansion. From MountVernon.org: “In 1754, George Washington began residing at Mount Vernon, a 3,000 acre estate and a house that likely approximated 3,500 square feet. By his death, Washington’s Mount Vernon consisted of about 7,600 acres and an almost 11,000 square foot mansion.” We will have some time to continue exploring Mount Vernon independently to see what interests each of us most. There are four different gardens, the tombs of George and Martha, a working farm, and re-creations of his distillery and gristmill.

At the hotel.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We will walk over to the International Spy Museum for a self-directed field trip. The museum – which moved into its current location in 2019 – is “…the only public museum in the U.S. dedicated solely to espionage and the only one in the world that provides a global perspective on the ‘invisible’ profession....” Its large and extensive collection includes amazing artifacts of international espionage, some never displayed publicly before. Many of these objects are being seen by the public for the first time. The museum seeks to present the history of espionage throughout history with accurate, unbiased information.

At leisure. You will be provided with a gift card for your lunch before you head out for your day of exploring our nation's capital.

Free time. This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Please note that the period scheduled for free time is subject to change depending on local circumstances and opportunities for independent exploration.

This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to have what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We will start with a field trip by motorcoach to visit the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, part of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. During our field trip, we will learn about the important role aerial reconnaissance and satellites played during Cold War from an expert as we explore the Udvar-Hazy Center’s collection of aviation and space artifacts. Afterward, we’ll have time to explore the center’s two hangars of air- and spacecraft on our own, including one-of-a-kind biplanes from the 1920s and 1930s, a Concorde, and the Space Shuttle Discovery.

At the hotel.

This afternoon we will put our skills to the test. We will be joined by former CIA officer, Charles Miller where we will learn about Spycraft and the art of disguise and then test our own skills with a spycraft activity. Grandkids and grandparents are no longer junior detectives, but could be the next international spy!

At the hotel. Share favorite experiences and enjoy camaraderie with new Road Scholar friends.

We will wrap up our evening with another activity led by our Group Leader to put our detective skills to the test! Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.

At the hotel. This concludes our program.

If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!