My school has a Washington DC trip that I want to go to? Is the price a ripoff?

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Kaylah

total rip off

It's hard to say if it is expensive or not without seeing the breakdown. You can get airfare from CA to DC for $250-$500, depending on the time of year, flight dates, etc. Hotels in the DC area consistently run $250/night. Split by 4 people, that's $62.50 per night or $375 per person for 6 nights.

Most of the sites in DC are free, so there are no expenses for the museums, etc. Transportation on the Metro, if taking public transportation, will run about $5 per day for a day pass (or less). For 7 days, that would be no more than $35.

If you are taking a chartered bus to Willkiamsburg & Jamestown, that will usually run $800-$1200 for a day trip. Divide that by the number of students to get your average cost. (Ex. 30 students = $33 per person per bus trip, assuming a cost of $1000 for the bus.)

Breakfast buffet may be included in the cost of your hotel room. If not, assume $20 per day = $120 for 6 mornings. Lunch of junk food is @ $10 per day = $70 (assuming 7 afternoons, including the day you arrive). Formal dinner may run @ $35 - $50 per person, since no alcohol will be purchased. For 6 dinners, assume $210 - $300.

If we add all that up, the trip would run $1,000 - $1500. Of course, this doesn't take into consideration the price for having teachers/parents along to watch over you and make sure that you are safe. That could contribute to the additional cost. Share this breakdown with your dad and see what he thinks. It is an excellent opportunity if he can afford it. If not, it sounds like you will understand since you are already worried about the cost. (I wasn't able to go on our class trip 20 years ago because my parents couldn't afford it.)

JULIE R

We just got back tonight from the meeting about my 5th grader doing the same trip, well kind-of the same trip. We live in South Florida, and the trip is 3 days, leaving on a Wednesday morning EARLY, getting off the plane and going straight to some of the sites. They don't even check into their rooms until 9 pm that first night. The next two days start at 6 am and don't stop until 10 the second night and 7 the third night after which they jump back on a plane and come home. They are staying at a Westin hotel, plus airfare and three meals a day and the cost of the trip is $650. I'm not sure why your trip would include Williamsburg & Jamestown...the drive is somewhat far from the DC area, and DC definately has more to offer than any person could even see in a month. The price of your trip is high mostly because of the airfare from the West Coast to the East Coast, and because your stay is so long. If your staying in the Metro DC area your going to pay at least $200-$250 a night for a decent room...so if you take that into consideration, with the air fare, meals and charter buses that are going to take you to all the sites, I don't think the price is high at all. If you dad can afford it, then its worth taking him up on the promise. (Remember also, that your three hours behind us, so your going to feel a major jet lag when arriving....maybe that is why they make your agenda alittle longer). I did the DC trip when I was in 8th grade 20 years ago, and next to homecomings, proms, cheerleading and graduation, it is one of the most memorable events of my school years. I'm still debating whether or not to let my 10 year old go, just because he is so young, but the more I answer your question the more I'm leaning towards letting him do it! Hope this helps!

hayden

i think i went on that same exact trip a couple years ago? is it through worldstrides or something? i would not recommend going with the school because you wake up at 6 and dont get home until 11ish every day and you get hardly any down time. with ours they packed a whole bunch into the trip, so we rushed through everything and it was sort of a waste of time because we didnt get a whole lot out of it. i would recommend going to dc with your friends or family and not with the school. this way you can find cheaper prices and you are free to do whatever you want. you can also take some down time and just relaxe if you need too (dc is crazy...you WILL get tired!) Thats just my advice...hope i helped =]

puppydogcast

I dont think so

life goes on

well, how far away do you live? if its more than a 4 hour drive than yeah, that sounds reasonable. because they have buses, there and back (or air flight), buses for the whole time your there. hotel, food, ad the price to get in everywhere. so that sounds about right. It was $300 dollars to go to disneyland (with band). It was a 6 hr bus ride, to get there. it was only friday, saturday, and sunday. and that wasnt even for food.

question_evrything

well- went last year- and is it with a company called world strides??

well it was a great experience- and i loved it.

Vickey

No not really if you're worried about the price, get a job and help out.

Sav

I grew up in the SF Bay Area (Walnut Creek) and when I was in 8th grade back in 1997 that trip was about $1100-1200 and it sounds like the same thing; Williamsburg/Jamestown then to DC.

Since that was about 10 years ago and with airline tickets being more expensive and inflation it's not a total rip off and seems about right. Usually you don't have to pay at once and can make several payments to spread it out, at least my school let us. but it was sucha fun trip so I would recommend going b/c the price really isn't that out of line.

M. J.

Wow...a bus trip from CA to DC?? That's some trip.
If everything is included from transportation, lodging, food and any entrance fees, then it seems like a good price to me.
Does your father know how much it's going to cost?
Does he know what a considerate daughter you are to worry about the price?
If you feel quilty about the money, perhaps you could suggest something else be done with it - like a weekend trip for the whole family instead.
Good luck.

More information - where are you traveling from? Is the cost of travel included? Food? Entrance to parks, etc?

gary s

That's a discounted group rate.The only way you could go for less is fewer days at an economy hotel.Average Hotel prices for the largest US Cities average $100-300 a night,resturant meals add $25-75 dollars a day.Also Chartered buses to go out of town.You could wait to go by car with your family at a more leisurly pace,staying outside the city,then drive to downtown each day,but for a family of four it would be almost the same amount.When you go with a tour,you aren't as stressed getting there,but it's harder to do things spontaneously.

beachbum

My daughter went on the Washington trip when she was in middle School,I have to say it has gone up in price, but it has been a few years.....It was the best time she has ever had, she had alot of fun and learned about our nations history, so no the price is not a rip off..It includes all admission prices also, and it includes all the food and snacks. please don't give up the opportunity to go, you will never forget it. you will love Amish country.

crystal_of_ravenclaw

Well it depends on where you are coming from. I remeber in 8th grade, which was about 4 years ago, the trip cost about $600 dollars from Florida. But I think they took a bus there, but it was a really nice charter bus. Honestly I think that is a bit much to pay to go there.

defeat godliness

a week in a decent hotel is probably worth 1.9k. transportation will vary with where you're from. your school probably also booked some tours.

luckylove200

Girl! if u want to go then go!
If its something u want its never a ripoff.
hope that help u made ur decision

reading rules!

well, since ur comin from CA, its so not a rip off!!!! thats a good price to get from there 2 DC, considering hotels and food and travel

Chelsea Pong

That would be a really fun trip to go on. Although, the price is kind of high, especially if you are middle or low class (financial wise). But there are ways you could raise some of the money so your dad doesn't have to pay for it all. Then you will also feel more like you've earned the trip. You could get a job, babysit, do public car washes, or ask your family or neighbors to pay you in return for work. Good luck!

Jen

Hmmm, hard to say. If this is a school trip then the adults in charge of the trip must have some sort of budget for the trip, with very specific details where the money is going. I was on my daughter's PTA executive board for 3 years and even though it was elementary school I still saw how things worked. No matter who is charge of this trip (school office, PTA, class, etc) there HAS to be very specific paperwork to keep those in charge from getting into trouble. If you have concerns or questions about the cost then have your dad ask for a copy of the trip's budget and where all $1900 is going.

$1900 a person does sound like a lot of money but I don't know what all the plans are for the trip. Bus fare, hotel room for a week, food (nice dinners), Williamsburg and Jamestown, etc. that stuff all adds up. Most tourist things to do in DC are free so not much cost from that unless you guys are doing something special. This is hard to judge without knowing exactly where this money is going.

maryncland

If everything is included it doesnt sound unreasonable...you are coming from clear across the country!

Nick

yea rip off

secretservice

skeerew it

Brian

dont put that burden on your father, just think a week of fun for your dad to work it off for a month.

nitebird

of course it is dont go your gonna leave your dad broke beside you can do something else with that money.

Renae

Its a once in a life time opportunity, i'd take it. But yes. It is a bit of a rip off.
I live in Arizona and my high school stayed in newark for a week while we spent that whole week in new york. We watched broadways lion kind, the phil harmonic do a mid summers night dream.. ate at this FINE chineese dining place and had two way air tickets with a tour guide and a bus... There were seven of us that went. And we only payed 500$$ each. and dont get me wrong. nothing that we did was cheap. our hotel was a four star... our seats on broadway are your tipical 200$ seats, and the phil harmonic was about 150$$ for our seats. While. the chinese resturant. small portions, big price. and they closed the place down so it would be JUST us. oh and it wasnt 200$$ or 150$$ for a grouping of seats, it was that price normally for just one seat.

Definate rip off..

Pustic

Yep.

Miranda H

look they took you you should appriciate it

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