A Student’s Perspective of Philadelphia and Washington DC:
Nov 28th, 2014, 06:26 PM
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A Student’s Perspective of Philadelphia and Washington DC:
I am a 21 year old Australian student studying at the University of Utah for a semester. Whilst I love Utah, it is difficult to get around without a car so I decided for my fall vacation (October) to travel further afield. Washington DC has always been on my list of places to visit so with 9 night’s holiday, I decided to add in Philadelphia as well. I spent 4 nights in Philadelphia (3 days sightseeing) and 5 nights in DC (4.5 days sightseeing).
In Philadelphia I stayed at Apple Hostel (http://www.applehostels.com/). I was in a mixed gender dorm which wasn’t my first preference as a woman travelling on my own, but it wasn’t an issue. The bathroom in the dorm was unfortunately not able to used due to a blocked sewerage line in the street. This meant women had to use the bathroom two stories below in the female only dorm. Whilst annoying, it wasn’t the hostel’s fault. The hostel was impeccably clean and extremely well located within Philadelphia. My only complaint was instead of providing breakfast in the morning they put the money towards free beer in the evening instead (and I don’t drink).
In Washington DC I stayed at Hostelling International (HI) Washington DC (http://hiwashingtondc.org/). Again, rooms were very clean and a good basic breakfast was provided. I didn’t realise how BIG DC was, and the location was slightly further from the main attractions than I would have liked. Having said that, it was a cost effective option and I still walked everywhere in town. It was about a 15 minute (maybe 20min) walk from the hostel to the edge of National Mall.
Philadelphia – Day One:
I arrived at Philadelphia airport at 11pm at night and took a taxi to my hostel.
Philadelphia – Day Two:
Philadelphia is a very compact city, with many of the tourist attractions located centrally. I picked up my free timed ticket into Independence Hall and had my tour 45 minutes later. The tour was guided through the building, with the guide giving a good overview of America’s history surrounding the reasons for independence and the founding fathers’ actions. It was an excellent first stop as an introduction to US history.
By this time it was lunch time and I headed to Reading Market Terminal. An excellent food market, though packed with people, with a wide variety of food on offer. Being in Philly, I had to have a cheesesteak! Be warned though, they are big!
Philadelphia is a wonderful city to just wonder through. Lots of sculptures, parks, old and new buildings side by side and historical buildings in side streets. I wasn’t even aware of the ‘love’ sculpture in JFK plaza until I stumbled across it (it is on the main tourist thoroughfare, but there are also lots of sculptures just off the main strip).
I am not a big museum person, but I do enjoy history. I therefore decided to visit the Constitution Museum. It was definitely an excellent decision. There was a special exhibit on slavery, an introduction show and then a museum about the constitution and America’s history which contributed to amendments to the constitution. As an Australian, my knowledge on US history was lacking and I found it an excellent introduction.
Philadelphia – Day Three:
I started my day by queuing to see Liberty Bell. In the afternoon the queues are extremely long (over 100m) so I recommend getting there in the morning to see the Bell. If you don’t have time to stand in the line, there are windows at the back of the building in which you get a pretty good view of the Bell. There is a museum you pass through before reaching the bell, which also gave some interesting history of the bell and its significance in various freedom movements such as slavery, suffrage and independence.
I had booked a walking tour with free and friendly tours (http://freeandfriendlytours.com/free...-philadelphia/) titled ‘Colonial Cheesesteak’. It didn’t have much to do with Cheesesteak, but rather focused on the history of Philadelphia with discussion focusing particularly on Benjamin Franklin and William Penn. An excellent tour, though you need to register interest beforehand.
After the tour I walked to Philadelphia’s art museum. This was a reasonable walk, though quite pleasant. There were buses running out there, but I didn’t use public transport in Philadelphia so cannot comment on it. I didn’t want to visit the museum but rather see the famous Rocky steps and statue. An additional bonus (beside the fitness from running up the steps!) is the excellent view of Philadelphia’s skyline!
Philadelphia – Day Four:
Today was my last day in Philadelphia. I had planned on visiting the US Mint and City Hall, however it was Christopher Columbus Day so everything was closed. I had wanted to go up the tower in City Hall but it wasn’t open on the weekend or on public holidays! The Mint was the same.
Well, when travelling one must be flexible! I decided to pop into the original post office in Philadelphia. That’s right, also closed. Well, I know Carpenter House would be open (that is the original parliament house in Philadelphia). However, it was currently being used for a seminar so wasn’t open to the public. Not my day!
I went across the road to Liberty Museum which had pictures and information about thousands of heroes of Liberty in America and abroad. Not hugely remarkable and not worth making a special effort to see, but did pass some time and keep me out of the rain!
Washington DC – Day Five:
I caught the Amtrak from Philadelphia to Washington DC. I caught the train from my hotel to the main station in town (pretty easy – can buy a ticket at the station). Buses between the cities were cheaper, but I am a fan of train travel as train stations are always easy to find!
DC was warm and balmy, particularly compared to Utah which is extremely dry! As I had half a day in DC, I thought it would be an excellent opportunity to get an orientation of DC and see some of the main monuments. I walked past the White House and then down to the National monument. The WWII memorial is extremely well done and probably my favourite! I also walked to Lincoln, Korean War, Martin Luther King, Roosevelt, Jefferson and Washington Memorial. Last stop for my day was past the US Capitol. Lots of pictures taken and the distance walked was much further than I realised (the map is deceptive where things look close to each other!)
Washington DC – Day Six:
This morning I had a tour booked of Capitol Hill. They have a long list of items that cannot be brought into the museum, including backpacks, water and food. I did see people bringing backpacks in (I would have liked to but managed without it). Being one of the first tours of the morning, the security line wasn’t too bad. I also picked up a ticket to visit the Senate. The Senate and House of Representatives were not in session, though it was interesting to see a lesser visited part of the building and see where legislation is voted on! Whilst the tours are big with lots of people (I visited on a slow day with just of 4000 visitors going through Capitol Hill doors!) Definitely worth booking the tour in my opinion, even if it is just to see the inside of the building.
I then walked through the tunnel to Congress Library. A very impressive building with the mosaics, artworks and statues. Well worth meandering through!
As the weather had worsened (leading to a Hurricane warning) I went to the Museum of American History. It wasn’t what I was expecting, as it had exhibitions such as independence and civil war, but also presidents, evolution of American diet, changes in American transport, First Lady outfits through the ages, and story of families living in a home in Illinois over 200 years! I believe tours can be done (one in the morning and one in the afternoon) and they are probably worth doing.
In the evening I had booked a ticket to see Evita at Kennedy Centre. A lovely theatre! It is a little difficult to get to by walking, but they run buses from Foggy Bottom Metro Station which are pretty efficient (even after the show when everyone queues to get on the buses, the lines move and the wait isn’t too long).
Washington DC – Day Seven:
I started my day at the Air and Space Museum. I was using this as a time filler but really enjoyed it! I went on a two hour tour which I think made the museum so interesting! The tour went longer than two hours, though people left throughout the tour. He not only showed us the many artefacts, but gave us the history behind them, including some history of the cold war and issues when designing the equipment.
The purpose of my day was to visit the Bureau of Printing and Engraving. I was one of the last to be accepted into the building for a tour. Must visit with a tour, and I would recommend going early to queue if you are going to go. The tour was a bit disappointing and not really worth it in my opinion.
I then went next door to the American Holocaust Memorial Museum. The museum was organised in chronological order and basically was a hallway you followed, reading all the information and seeing the pictures. Whilst it was very interesting, there were lots of people there, making reading the information difficult. As I have been to museums about the holocaust in Europe, I skimmed over much of the reading, looking at the pictures, watching the movies and focusing on the section which talked about America’s response to the Nazis and Holocaust.
Washington DC – Day Eight:
I started my day in Virginia visiting Arlington Cemetery. This is a military Cemetery near DC with many notable people buried here. It was a really interesting visit, and a beautiful place to be laid to rest. Our first stop was a memorial to all women who have served in the military. Then went to the original homestead. The area used to be plantation and was run and owned by George Washington’s step grandson (who he raised like his own son when his step son died young). A very grand house! Then went to watch the changing of the guard at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This tomb always has a guard and they change every hour or half hour depending on the weather. A very solemn occasion. Last stop was the grave of J.F. Kennedy (and his family) which has an eternal flame. All up, a very moving cemetery. It can be visited alone as maps and signage is pretty good, though a tour would have been really good. (I know DC by Foot does some).
In the evening, I did a night walking tour of Monument Mall which was offered by the hostel. It is definitely worth the effort to see them at night. The guide was extremely informative as well!
Washington DC – Day Nine:
I started my day with a walking tour of National Mall. Whilst I have walked through this area multiple times, I wanted to get a bit of history behind the area and monuments. I did the tour with Free Tours by Foot (http://www.freetoursbyfoot.com/washington-dc-tours/) and the guide was extremely knowledgeable and I was sorry I didn’t do the tour earlier in the week as I would have done more of their tours.
I then went to the National Archives to view the original Constitution, Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights. Interesting to view in person! Be prepared to wait to get through security and to see the Constitution.
Next stop was the Natural History Museum. Their website states they do tours, but apparently not on the weekend as I unfortunately discovered. Nevertheless, I wandered around having a look at some of the exhibitions.
An unexpected highlight of my trip was visiting the White House gardens. I really wanted to see the inside of the house, but foreigners have to apply through their embassy for tickets and apparently the White House isn’t letting foreigners in at the moment (don’t know what the case is with locals). However, the gardens are opened to the public twice a year and I happened to be there on one of those weekends. I only found out about it because I walked past the White House earlier in the day when they were giving out tickets (they still had tickets at the end of the day). Security line was long and no water allowed inside (not even a clear empty water bottle!) An enjoyable end to my time in DC.
In the evening I did a tour of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln which was really interesting (also by Free Tours by Foot).
SLC – Day 10:
I had an early flight from DC to SLC this morning.
DC and Philadelphia were excellent destinations for a fall vacation as lots of museums are free (friendly for a poor university student’s budget!) and I learnt a lot about American history and politics.
For those who are interested, some pictures of my trip can be found here: https://clairedeluney.wordpress.com/...rading-system/ (The blog is of my experience as an exchange student in the US. Previous posts are of my Fall Vacation)
In Philadelphia I stayed at Apple Hostel (http://www.applehostels.com/). I was in a mixed gender dorm which wasn’t my first preference as a woman travelling on my own, but it wasn’t an issue. The bathroom in the dorm was unfortunately not able to used due to a blocked sewerage line in the street. This meant women had to use the bathroom two stories below in the female only dorm. Whilst annoying, it wasn’t the hostel’s fault. The hostel was impeccably clean and extremely well located within Philadelphia. My only complaint was instead of providing breakfast in the morning they put the money towards free beer in the evening instead (and I don’t drink).
In Washington DC I stayed at Hostelling International (HI) Washington DC (http://hiwashingtondc.org/). Again, rooms were very clean and a good basic breakfast was provided. I didn’t realise how BIG DC was, and the location was slightly further from the main attractions than I would have liked. Having said that, it was a cost effective option and I still walked everywhere in town. It was about a 15 minute (maybe 20min) walk from the hostel to the edge of National Mall.
Philadelphia – Day One:
I arrived at Philadelphia airport at 11pm at night and took a taxi to my hostel.
Philadelphia – Day Two:
Philadelphia is a very compact city, with many of the tourist attractions located centrally. I picked up my free timed ticket into Independence Hall and had my tour 45 minutes later. The tour was guided through the building, with the guide giving a good overview of America’s history surrounding the reasons for independence and the founding fathers’ actions. It was an excellent first stop as an introduction to US history.
By this time it was lunch time and I headed to Reading Market Terminal. An excellent food market, though packed with people, with a wide variety of food on offer. Being in Philly, I had to have a cheesesteak! Be warned though, they are big!
Philadelphia is a wonderful city to just wonder through. Lots of sculptures, parks, old and new buildings side by side and historical buildings in side streets. I wasn’t even aware of the ‘love’ sculpture in JFK plaza until I stumbled across it (it is on the main tourist thoroughfare, but there are also lots of sculptures just off the main strip).
I am not a big museum person, but I do enjoy history. I therefore decided to visit the Constitution Museum. It was definitely an excellent decision. There was a special exhibit on slavery, an introduction show and then a museum about the constitution and America’s history which contributed to amendments to the constitution. As an Australian, my knowledge on US history was lacking and I found it an excellent introduction.
Philadelphia – Day Three:
I started my day by queuing to see Liberty Bell. In the afternoon the queues are extremely long (over 100m) so I recommend getting there in the morning to see the Bell. If you don’t have time to stand in the line, there are windows at the back of the building in which you get a pretty good view of the Bell. There is a museum you pass through before reaching the bell, which also gave some interesting history of the bell and its significance in various freedom movements such as slavery, suffrage and independence.
I had booked a walking tour with free and friendly tours (http://freeandfriendlytours.com/free...-philadelphia/) titled ‘Colonial Cheesesteak’. It didn’t have much to do with Cheesesteak, but rather focused on the history of Philadelphia with discussion focusing particularly on Benjamin Franklin and William Penn. An excellent tour, though you need to register interest beforehand.
After the tour I walked to Philadelphia’s art museum. This was a reasonable walk, though quite pleasant. There were buses running out there, but I didn’t use public transport in Philadelphia so cannot comment on it. I didn’t want to visit the museum but rather see the famous Rocky steps and statue. An additional bonus (beside the fitness from running up the steps!) is the excellent view of Philadelphia’s skyline!
Philadelphia – Day Four:
Today was my last day in Philadelphia. I had planned on visiting the US Mint and City Hall, however it was Christopher Columbus Day so everything was closed. I had wanted to go up the tower in City Hall but it wasn’t open on the weekend or on public holidays! The Mint was the same.
Well, when travelling one must be flexible! I decided to pop into the original post office in Philadelphia. That’s right, also closed. Well, I know Carpenter House would be open (that is the original parliament house in Philadelphia). However, it was currently being used for a seminar so wasn’t open to the public. Not my day!
I went across the road to Liberty Museum which had pictures and information about thousands of heroes of Liberty in America and abroad. Not hugely remarkable and not worth making a special effort to see, but did pass some time and keep me out of the rain!
Washington DC – Day Five:
I caught the Amtrak from Philadelphia to Washington DC. I caught the train from my hotel to the main station in town (pretty easy – can buy a ticket at the station). Buses between the cities were cheaper, but I am a fan of train travel as train stations are always easy to find!
DC was warm and balmy, particularly compared to Utah which is extremely dry! As I had half a day in DC, I thought it would be an excellent opportunity to get an orientation of DC and see some of the main monuments. I walked past the White House and then down to the National monument. The WWII memorial is extremely well done and probably my favourite! I also walked to Lincoln, Korean War, Martin Luther King, Roosevelt, Jefferson and Washington Memorial. Last stop for my day was past the US Capitol. Lots of pictures taken and the distance walked was much further than I realised (the map is deceptive where things look close to each other!)
Washington DC – Day Six:
This morning I had a tour booked of Capitol Hill. They have a long list of items that cannot be brought into the museum, including backpacks, water and food. I did see people bringing backpacks in (I would have liked to but managed without it). Being one of the first tours of the morning, the security line wasn’t too bad. I also picked up a ticket to visit the Senate. The Senate and House of Representatives were not in session, though it was interesting to see a lesser visited part of the building and see where legislation is voted on! Whilst the tours are big with lots of people (I visited on a slow day with just of 4000 visitors going through Capitol Hill doors!) Definitely worth booking the tour in my opinion, even if it is just to see the inside of the building.
I then walked through the tunnel to Congress Library. A very impressive building with the mosaics, artworks and statues. Well worth meandering through!
As the weather had worsened (leading to a Hurricane warning) I went to the Museum of American History. It wasn’t what I was expecting, as it had exhibitions such as independence and civil war, but also presidents, evolution of American diet, changes in American transport, First Lady outfits through the ages, and story of families living in a home in Illinois over 200 years! I believe tours can be done (one in the morning and one in the afternoon) and they are probably worth doing.
In the evening I had booked a ticket to see Evita at Kennedy Centre. A lovely theatre! It is a little difficult to get to by walking, but they run buses from Foggy Bottom Metro Station which are pretty efficient (even after the show when everyone queues to get on the buses, the lines move and the wait isn’t too long).
Washington DC – Day Seven:
I started my day at the Air and Space Museum. I was using this as a time filler but really enjoyed it! I went on a two hour tour which I think made the museum so interesting! The tour went longer than two hours, though people left throughout the tour. He not only showed us the many artefacts, but gave us the history behind them, including some history of the cold war and issues when designing the equipment.
The purpose of my day was to visit the Bureau of Printing and Engraving. I was one of the last to be accepted into the building for a tour. Must visit with a tour, and I would recommend going early to queue if you are going to go. The tour was a bit disappointing and not really worth it in my opinion.
I then went next door to the American Holocaust Memorial Museum. The museum was organised in chronological order and basically was a hallway you followed, reading all the information and seeing the pictures. Whilst it was very interesting, there were lots of people there, making reading the information difficult. As I have been to museums about the holocaust in Europe, I skimmed over much of the reading, looking at the pictures, watching the movies and focusing on the section which talked about America’s response to the Nazis and Holocaust.
Washington DC – Day Eight:
I started my day in Virginia visiting Arlington Cemetery. This is a military Cemetery near DC with many notable people buried here. It was a really interesting visit, and a beautiful place to be laid to rest. Our first stop was a memorial to all women who have served in the military. Then went to the original homestead. The area used to be plantation and was run and owned by George Washington’s step grandson (who he raised like his own son when his step son died young). A very grand house! Then went to watch the changing of the guard at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This tomb always has a guard and they change every hour or half hour depending on the weather. A very solemn occasion. Last stop was the grave of J.F. Kennedy (and his family) which has an eternal flame. All up, a very moving cemetery. It can be visited alone as maps and signage is pretty good, though a tour would have been really good. (I know DC by Foot does some).
In the evening, I did a night walking tour of Monument Mall which was offered by the hostel. It is definitely worth the effort to see them at night. The guide was extremely informative as well!
Washington DC – Day Nine:
I started my day with a walking tour of National Mall. Whilst I have walked through this area multiple times, I wanted to get a bit of history behind the area and monuments. I did the tour with Free Tours by Foot (http://www.freetoursbyfoot.com/washington-dc-tours/) and the guide was extremely knowledgeable and I was sorry I didn’t do the tour earlier in the week as I would have done more of their tours.
I then went to the National Archives to view the original Constitution, Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights. Interesting to view in person! Be prepared to wait to get through security and to see the Constitution.
Next stop was the Natural History Museum. Their website states they do tours, but apparently not on the weekend as I unfortunately discovered. Nevertheless, I wandered around having a look at some of the exhibitions.
An unexpected highlight of my trip was visiting the White House gardens. I really wanted to see the inside of the house, but foreigners have to apply through their embassy for tickets and apparently the White House isn’t letting foreigners in at the moment (don’t know what the case is with locals). However, the gardens are opened to the public twice a year and I happened to be there on one of those weekends. I only found out about it because I walked past the White House earlier in the day when they were giving out tickets (they still had tickets at the end of the day). Security line was long and no water allowed inside (not even a clear empty water bottle!) An enjoyable end to my time in DC.
In the evening I did a tour of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln which was really interesting (also by Free Tours by Foot).
SLC – Day 10:
I had an early flight from DC to SLC this morning.
DC and Philadelphia were excellent destinations for a fall vacation as lots of museums are free (friendly for a poor university student’s budget!) and I learnt a lot about American history and politics.
For those who are interested, some pictures of my trip can be found here: https://clairedeluney.wordpress.com/...rading-system/ (The blog is of my experience as an exchange student in the US. Previous posts are of my Fall Vacation)
Nov 29th, 2014, 12:16 AM
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For someone with an interest in history and a limited budget, kudos! You saw a LOT that is, IMO, well worth seeing.
Thanks so much for posting!
Re: "it was Christopher Columbus Day so everything was closed.... Everything was closed. ...also closed. ... wasn’t open to the public. Not my day!" -- You have provided an excellent reason for checking times and dates beforehand. Sorry you didn't know to do so in advance, but a great lesson for future travels! ;-)
Good luck with the rest of your exchange program!
Thanks so much for posting!
Re: "it was Christopher Columbus Day so everything was closed.... Everything was closed. ...also closed. ... wasn’t open to the public. Not my day!" -- You have provided an excellent reason for checking times and dates beforehand. Sorry you didn't know to do so in advance, but a great lesson for future travels! ;-)
Good luck with the rest of your exchange program!
Nov 29th, 2014, 04:57 AM
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Glad you enjoyed it and obviously you got to lot of wonderful places. I might have aded the Library of Congress (gorgeous!) and the Supreme Court. But surprised that you think DC is so big. It;s not really compared to larger cities like NYC, LA etc. Granted the Mall is long - but the city itself is quite compact. (And sightseeing areas of philly are VERY compact.)
NYC and LA are both more than 450 Sq Mi - or almost 7 times as big as DC.
NYC and LA are both more than 450 Sq Mi - or almost 7 times as big as DC.
Nov 29th, 2014, 05:12 AM
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I have visited NYC and will agree that it is a very big city (spent a week there and after five days my Mom and I gave up walking and caught the subway!).
Did visit the Library of Congress which was beautiful, but didn't make it to the Supreme Court unfortunately nytraveler.
kja - definitely a lesson learnt to check dates and holidays! Especially since different states celebrate different holidays.
Did visit the Library of Congress which was beautiful, but didn't make it to the Supreme Court unfortunately nytraveler.
kja - definitely a lesson learnt to check dates and holidays! Especially since different states celebrate different holidays.
Dec 3rd, 2014, 10:45 AM
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Sounds like a great trip covering 2 great cities! Glad you enjoyed it.
nyt, I took the size of DC as being that the tourist sights are more spread out than they look on a map. I agree with this but overall DC is truly a small city.
nyt, I took the size of DC as being that the tourist sights are more spread out than they look on a map. I agree with this but overall DC is truly a small city.
Jan 7th, 2015, 08:22 AM
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downunder,
Have you made it to any of the UT Natl Parks yet? I know there are various student study/tour groups that go. There are also small camping tours you can take with really fun people. You've got to go while you are here even if you don't have a car yourself. Have you made some friends who drive who would do a trip?
Have you made it to any of the UT Natl Parks yet? I know there are various student study/tour groups that go. There are also small camping tours you can take with really fun people. You've got to go while you are here even if you don't have a car yourself. Have you made some friends who drive who would do a trip?
Jan 7th, 2015, 08:34 AM
#14
"My only complaint was instead of providing breakfast in the morning they put the money towards free beer in the evening instead (and I don’t drink). "
Yet you claim to be both a college student and an Australian?
Nice report, thanks.
Yet you claim to be both a college student and an Australian?
Nice report, thanks.
Jan 10th, 2015, 12:59 AM
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Glad to hear people are enjoying the report. Had a marvelous time and DC was my favourite American city I visited!
Dayle - I did make it to Utah's national parks. Travelled around US and Canada for seven weeks before my exchange - with 10 days in Utah's national parks. Also visited Moab area for two more long weekend trips hiking and rock climbing. The Southwest National Parks and Canadian Rockies were definitely the two highlights of my trip!
Dayle - I did make it to Utah's national parks. Travelled around US and Canada for seven weeks before my exchange - with 10 days in Utah's national parks. Also visited Moab area for two more long weekend trips hiking and rock climbing. The Southwest National Parks and Canadian Rockies were definitely the two highlights of my trip!
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