Escorted & Package Tours

Packages for the Independent Traveler

Package tours are simply a way to buy the airfare, accommodations, and other elements of your trip (such as car rentals, airport transfers, and sometimes even activities) at the same time and often at discounted prices.

One good source of package deals is the airlines themselves. Most major airlines offer air/land packages, including Southwest Airlines Vacations (tel. 800/243-8372; www.southwestvacations.com), Continental Airlines Vacations (tel. 800/301-3800; www.covacations.com), and United Vacations (tel. 888/854-3899; www.unitedvacations.com). For example, on the Southwest Airlines vacation packages page, I plugged in mid-July dates and round-trip flights for two people from Cleveland, Ohio, to Baltimore-Washington International Airport, and selected the Kimpton Hotel Helix from a diverse list of hotel options. The result was excellent: a total of $788 covering round-trip flights for two and lodging for 3 nights.

Amtrak Vacations (tel. 800/268-7252; www.amtrakvacations.com) offers similar great-value trips, with travel by train. Also check out Cosmos (tel. 800/276-1241; www.cosmos.com), a longtime specialist in budget travel planning. Cosmos trips to D.C. tend to be part of multi-city tours that take groups and individuals in private air-conditioned motorcoach to their various destinations along the East Coast.

Travel packages are also listed in the travel section of your local Sunday newspaper. Or check ads in the national travel magazines such as Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel Magazine, Travel + Leisure, National Geographic Traveler, and Condé Nast Traveler.

For more information on package tours and for tips on booking your trip, see Frommers.com.

Special-Interest Trips

Escorted tours are structured group tours, with a group leader. The price usually includes everything from airfare to hotels, meals, tours, admission costs, and local transportation. Often, operators and agencies offer tours embracing a special interest. In Washington, the majority of special-interest tours are educational, organized for students. Heritage and culture themes are also big.

If you're interested in exploring escorted tour packages and special-interest trips, you might start by accessing the websites of two major trade organizations, the U.S. Tour Operators Association (tel. 212/599-6599; www.ustoa.com) and the National Tourism Association (tel. 800/682-8886; www.ntaonline.com). Tour companies and other travel professionals must satisfy certain requirements to become members, which means that you can count on finding dependable professionals in each association's roster. Both associations list their members online and offer a destination-search feature, which brings up names of companies that offer trips in that particular place. (I recommend the organizations, which are reputable, but the search engines for both websites are, frankly, maddeningly inadequate. Still, the listings give you a place to start.)

History & Culture -- Fancy a behind-the-scenes tour of the Smithsonian's renowned American art museums and rare access to exhibitors at the institution's fabled annual juried craft show? Or maybe a trip that focuses on politics in the nation's capital is more appealing. Smithsonian Journeys (tel. 877/338-8687; www.smithsonianjourneys.com) offers a round of options at different times throughout the year, each package designed to satisfy the intellectually curious. Expert "study leaders" give lectures and share their insights.

Academic Tours -- Julian Tours (tel. 703/379-2300; www.juliantours.com) organizes day and overnight trips for student groups. The 26-year-old, family-owned company is based in Alexandria, Virginia, so is on first-name terms with the capital. (Other trips go to Boston, New York, Quebec/Montreal, and Philadelphia.) Julian customizes each tour to accommodate the group's needs and desires.