Cadette Trip ideas
Cape Canaveral Florida -
A great trip for your girls to relax and learn not only about the history of astronomy, but also fundraising/budgeting your income and expense, discovering interests about space exploration as a possible career choice and actually get a hand's on look at what it would be like to be an astronomer. Our troop spent about 1-2 years fundraising for this trip, but it really paid off! We got to stay at Lake Buena Vista Resort Village and Spa. The first day was spent relaxing at the pool and receiving massages/facials/manicures at the spa. The spa services were not funded by the troop but by the girls individually and they are definitely not necessary to enjoy your day to relax and have fun with your troop. The second day we had breakfast in the room and then drove to Cape Canaveral. From 9 am to 5 pm we toured Cape Canaveral and got to look inside the Kennedy Space Center. We returned to the hotel and had a dinner by a local restaurant. The girls each brought a specific amount of money to spend on food/meals all weekend including groceries, baggage fees and souvenirs. It was definitely one of the best trips we have ever taken as a troop and it was rewarding to see Cape Canaveral after fundraising and selling cookies!
Washington D.C.-
There are formal trips to Washington D.C. run by EF Girl Scout Tours. You can find out more details by calling or visiting their website: 1(800)457-9023 or eftours.com/girlscouts. These trips tend to be expensive, so you could arrange your own trip. This was our trip proposal...:
Proposed Washington DC Trip
Proposed Date: Columbus Day Weekend
Current estimated Cost: $485.-- $530.00 per person
Proposed Itinerary:
FRIDAY Day 1- Depart from Goldens Bridge early morning 7AM- 5 hr drive
OR take the train from Penn Station to Union Station in DC
Bag lunch brought from home.
Visit Smithsonian Museum, start at National Air and Space or Natural History Museum (Hope Diamond). Allow 3 hours for individual museum touring with families.
Check into hotel in Northern VA or Wash DC
Dinner (maybe pizza in hotel)
Evening bus tour of DC by night (Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson, Wash. Monument)
SATURDAY Day 2-
Morning- White house visit and tour WH only open Saturday
National Gallery of Art or National Archives- Constitution/Declaration of Independence
Bureau of Printing and Engraving
Ford’s Theater
Free Time to browse Smithsonian
Dinner and Evening Performance at Kennedy Center
SUNDAY Day 3-
Morning- Arlington National Cemetary, JFK gravesite, Tomb of Unknown Soldier
US Marine Corps War Memorial, Vietnam Memorial Wall, Embassy Row and Pentagon (drive by)
Afternoon- Visit Mount Vernon- Home of George Washington- open 9-5 year round.
Dinner
Evening- Dinner cruise on Potomac River
MONDAY Day 4-
Morning- US Capitol, meet with congressman
US Supreme Court, Library of Congress
National Archives
Holocaust Museum
National Cathedral
National Zoo
Drive Home
Proposed itinerary includes local transportation on Coach Bus, 3 nights hotel (Holiday Inn type with pool) including breakfast.
Tour guide service for evening tour of monuments and ½ day sightseeing
Admission to Mount Vernon and all museums
Kennedy Center performance
Spirit of Washington Dinner Cruise ($40 per person savings if we omit but addback $12 for dinner in Georgetown)
3 dinners (food courts)
Guard at hotel ($17 per person savings if we omit)
Extras: Tram tour of Arlington Cemetary extra.
Snacks, incidentals
** I am looking into additional savings if we drive our own cars to the hotel first and pickup a local bus for day service only.
Boston MA/ Freedom Trail
You could arrange your own 3 day trip to Boston, driving in leader cars, and staying at budget hotels like Holiday Inn Express (free breakfast, sometimes a pool) or check into a local Girl Scout property.
Freedom Trail-
The Freedom Trail is a walking path through the historic area of Boston, with visits to many of the historic landmarks that were significant during the Revolutionary War. The historic locations along the trail include;
Paul Revere's home
Old North Church
Granary Burial Ground
Old South Church
Site of the Boston Massacre
Boston Tea Party Ship
Faneuil Hall
Other fun activities include the Duck Boat Tours, visiting Old Ironsides (USS Constitution), Boston Common, Bunker Hill Monument, and Faneuil Hall Market place.
A great trip for your girls to relax and learn not only about the history of astronomy, but also fundraising/budgeting your income and expense, discovering interests about space exploration as a possible career choice and actually get a hand's on look at what it would be like to be an astronomer. Our troop spent about 1-2 years fundraising for this trip, but it really paid off! We got to stay at Lake Buena Vista Resort Village and Spa. The first day was spent relaxing at the pool and receiving massages/facials/manicures at the spa. The spa services were not funded by the troop but by the girls individually and they are definitely not necessary to enjoy your day to relax and have fun with your troop. The second day we had breakfast in the room and then drove to Cape Canaveral. From 9 am to 5 pm we toured Cape Canaveral and got to look inside the Kennedy Space Center. We returned to the hotel and had a dinner by a local restaurant. The girls each brought a specific amount of money to spend on food/meals all weekend including groceries, baggage fees and souvenirs. It was definitely one of the best trips we have ever taken as a troop and it was rewarding to see Cape Canaveral after fundraising and selling cookies!
Washington D.C.-
There are formal trips to Washington D.C. run by EF Girl Scout Tours. You can find out more details by calling or visiting their website: 1(800)457-9023 or eftours.com/girlscouts. These trips tend to be expensive, so you could arrange your own trip. This was our trip proposal...:
Proposed Washington DC Trip
Proposed Date: Columbus Day Weekend
Current estimated Cost: $485.-- $530.00 per person
Proposed Itinerary:
FRIDAY Day 1- Depart from Goldens Bridge early morning 7AM- 5 hr drive
OR take the train from Penn Station to Union Station in DC
Bag lunch brought from home.
Visit Smithsonian Museum, start at National Air and Space or Natural History Museum (Hope Diamond). Allow 3 hours for individual museum touring with families.
Check into hotel in Northern VA or Wash DC
Dinner (maybe pizza in hotel)
Evening bus tour of DC by night (Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson, Wash. Monument)
SATURDAY Day 2-
Morning- White house visit and tour WH only open Saturday
National Gallery of Art or National Archives- Constitution/Declaration of Independence
Bureau of Printing and Engraving
Ford’s Theater
Free Time to browse Smithsonian
Dinner and Evening Performance at Kennedy Center
SUNDAY Day 3-
Morning- Arlington National Cemetary, JFK gravesite, Tomb of Unknown Soldier
US Marine Corps War Memorial, Vietnam Memorial Wall, Embassy Row and Pentagon (drive by)
Afternoon- Visit Mount Vernon- Home of George Washington- open 9-5 year round.
Dinner
Evening- Dinner cruise on Potomac River
MONDAY Day 4-
Morning- US Capitol, meet with congressman
US Supreme Court, Library of Congress
National Archives
Holocaust Museum
National Cathedral
National Zoo
Drive Home
Proposed itinerary includes local transportation on Coach Bus, 3 nights hotel (Holiday Inn type with pool) including breakfast.
Tour guide service for evening tour of monuments and ½ day sightseeing
Admission to Mount Vernon and all museums
Kennedy Center performance
Spirit of Washington Dinner Cruise ($40 per person savings if we omit but addback $12 for dinner in Georgetown)
3 dinners (food courts)
Guard at hotel ($17 per person savings if we omit)
Extras: Tram tour of Arlington Cemetary extra.
Snacks, incidentals
** I am looking into additional savings if we drive our own cars to the hotel first and pickup a local bus for day service only.
Boston MA/ Freedom Trail
You could arrange your own 3 day trip to Boston, driving in leader cars, and staying at budget hotels like Holiday Inn Express (free breakfast, sometimes a pool) or check into a local Girl Scout property.
Freedom Trail-
The Freedom Trail is a walking path through the historic area of Boston, with visits to many of the historic landmarks that were significant during the Revolutionary War. The historic locations along the trail include;
Paul Revere's home
Old North Church
Granary Burial Ground
Old South Church
Site of the Boston Massacre
Boston Tea Party Ship
Faneuil Hall
Other fun activities include the Duck Boat Tours, visiting Old Ironsides (USS Constitution), Boston Common, Bunker Hill Monument, and Faneuil Hall Market place.