DC & Virginia Road Trip

7:00 AM

Start from Marietta at 07:00 for the drive to Sandston/Richmond. Allow roughly 8–9 hours of driving plus fuel, meals, traffic, and a generous buffer; make Old Salem Museums & Gardens the substantial late-morning sightseeing stop, then continue toward Petersburg National Battlefield for a late-afternoon visit. After Petersburg, allow the final 35–45 minute drive to Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Richmond Airport, which must be the final stop; do not schedule anything after hotel arrival.

9:00 AM

Richmond base day from Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Richmond Airport in Sandston, returning there that evening. This is a choose-from menu, not a requirement to visit every place or indoor museum; select one or two clusters and preserve time for lunch, parking, traffic, and the return to the hotel.

8:00 AM

Check out of Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Richmond Airport at 08:00. Drive north on I-95 with a generous traffic buffer to historic Fredericksburg; allow roughly 2.5–3 hours for the historic-core visit and lunch, then continue to Washington, DC. Make Home in Washington at 1258 Penn Street NE the final stop and plan to arrive mid-afternoon; do not schedule anything after arrival.

9:00 AM

Use the Big Bus Washington, DC hop-on hop-off tour as the primary sightseeing transport. Board in the morning and use the 48-hour Essential pass, recommended over the 24-hour pass because it covers both full DC sightseeing days. Hop off for the National Mall, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and Lincoln Memorial, keeping the walking portion compact between nearby west-end stops; reboard when practical rather than moving the car.

The 7:00 PM sunset tour is an optional add-on with Lincoln Memorial and White House views; it is not a confirmed booking.

8:30 AM

Continue using the Big Bus 48-hour Essential pass. Prioritize timed Capitol access and reserve the United States Capitol tour in advance; check Library of Congress access requirements. Use the Capitol Hill cluster first, then Big Bus, Georgetown Shuttle, Metro, or rideshare as useful for Georgetown Waterfront; avoid driving between neighborhoods.

10:00 AM

8:30 AM

Check out of Home in Washington by 11:00. Do not schedule the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Begin the return drive to Roanoke, allowing realistic time for traffic, fuel, meals, and breaks; lodging in Roanoke will be selected separately from the hotel options. If arrival is early and energy allows, make Mill Mountain Star a short overlook stop, then continue to downtown Roanoke for dinner. After the Roanoke lodging arrival, schedule nothing else.

8:00 AM

Depart Roanoke after breakfast for the final drive to Marietta, Georgia. Allow a full day for the drive with normal fuel, meal, restroom, and traffic breaks; keep this as the final homebound day and do not add sightseeing stops.