We went on a college road trip to The University of Richmond, UVA, GW, American, and Georgetown to get the latest scoop for you. Here are the notes--a sample guide you can use--from our trip. For detailed information visit each school's individualized itineraries.

Day One:  Richmond Virginia

Travel: Fly early morning from NYC JFK to Richmond Virginia, get the rental car then drive to Graduate Hotel downtown Richmond to check in.

Late Breakfast/Lunch: Perly’s

Campus: Tours at 9:45 and 2:15 each day, refuel with an iced tea at Passport Café and check out Heilman Dining Center, observe and talk to students at Tyler Haynes Commons and visit the bookstore.

Afternoon: Short drive to Carytown, quick coffee, and cookie at Sugar and Twine, then browse shops, and spend an hour or so at Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

Pre Dinner Drinks: 6:30 walk from Graduate to Saison.

Dinner: 7:30 at Pasture (quick Uber from Saison)  

Day Two: Richmond to Charlottesville/UVA

Early Morning Coffee: At Graduate Richmond before checking out

Breakfast: Drive to Church Hill, approximately ten minutes from hotel to Sub Rosa Bakery.

Drive: Leave Richmond 9 am--one hour, 15 min drive to Charlottesville

Stop: Visit Monticello for around 2 hours.

Check-in:  Graduate Charlottesville

Quick Lunch: The Virginian

Campus:  2 pm Grounds Tour, spend time on the lawn, walk around the Grounds and visit the new 1515 Student Center in The Corner.

Refuel: Coffee at Grit Coffee right in The Corner

Dinner: 7:30 PM, Nice walk to Oakhart Social (or quick uber)

After Dinner: Drink at C&O

Day 3: Charlottesville to Washington DC: Georgetown University  

Breakfast: Quick stop at Bodos Bagels

Drive: Leave at 8:30 am heading to Georgetown, approximately 2 hours 15 minutes

Check-in: Ritz Carlton Georgetown or Jefferson Hotel

Visit Georgetown University: Tour at 11:15, if miss do self-guided tour here -- 

Late Quick Lunch: Chaia Georgetown

Coffee Break: Baked and Wired

Dinner Downtown: Zaytinya

Dessert: Georgetown Cupcakes and/or Ice Cream at Thomas Sweets

Day 4: George Washington University

Breakfast: Founding Fathers

Campus: Tour and information sessions at 10 am, spend time in Marvin Center, walk around Foggy Bottom

Quick Lunch: Beefsteak

Afternoon: Visit National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Day 5: American

Breakfast: Before the tour grab a quick bite at Megabytes

Campus: After the tour grab a coffee at Davenport Coffee Lounge, a great place to talk to students or at the Mary Graydon Carter Building.

Time Allowing: Head for a quick lunch in Tenleytown.

Travel: Return rental car, Amtrak Acela back to NYC (2 hours, 46 minutes)

Notes: You could easily combine GW and American (or Georgetown) on one day if you had to, but we feel seeing more than one school a day is overload—for you and your child.

Continue the Tour: Depending on your families college list and time, schools that work well with this tour include: The University of Maryland, The University of Delaware, The College of William and Mary, and John Hopkins University.

DTU’s COLLEGE TOUR Planner

School Itineraries