1st timer itinerary DC
 

Thanks for your help in advance! I have been reading up on this but here goes.

I have reservations in June in Rosslyn for Sat. with checkout on Thur. Will arrive early Sat. 2 adults who are in good walking shape and perhaps a college son on some days. Have never been to DC but son is doing a summer internship there. Want to see it all!
I believe I understand the Metro, have emailed my congressman, etc. I have no idea how much can be accomplished in a day.

Thanks again!

For a head start, check the trip reports and sample itineraries in past threads about visits to DC.

As a first timer, you definitely want to work in the Smithsonian Museums you think will be interesting, and be sure to include the main monuments-Lincoln, Jefferson, Washington, and possibly FDR. If aviation is interesting to you, the new Smithsonian at Dulles Airport is amazing and definitely worth the trek. One of the most amazing views of DC are the cherry trees on the tidal basin. They are a must-see if still in bloom.

my advise is this...Bring lots of Cash. This has to be one of the most expensive town I've been to.

LOL, the Smithsonian's endless treasures and the monuments/memorials are all free! A 7-day pass for the Metro is $22.

FYI, the cherry trees bloom in the spring, so you won't see those, but the Tidal Basin is still a beautiful place to walk. Anonymous is absolutely right; there are tons of free things to do in DC. You might go online to washingtonpost.com on the Friday before you travel here (or buy a hard copy of the newspaper) and look at the Weekend section. They always have great listings of things to do and see in DC.

I believe on of the most overlooked yet fantastic place to visit is the National Cathedral. Fantastic Garden and a fantastic Mexican Food rest.with the best sangria to chill out the WDC tourist stress

How much you can accomplish in one day will depend partly a great deal on how much time you spend in each place. You can get through several museums and monuments on the Mall in one day if you start early and don't spend lots of time in each. Another thing to take into account is the weather - it can start to get hot and sticky in June and I know that always drains my energy, which may cut down on the level of activity.

If you're interested in seeing some Congressional action, taking a Capitol tour, visiting your member of Congress, etc. keep in mind that they're usually only guaranteed to be in town Tuesdays through Thursdays and plan your days accordingly.

For some random tips - have lunch at the American Indian Museum, on the Mall, but don't waste your time on the exhibit; check out the newly renovated Portrait Gallery / American Art Museum and then have lunch or dinner at a trendy restaurant in Gallery Place / China town (one block away); and definitely consider visiting Mount Vernon. Enjoy! --Carrie

I've been living in DC for about a year and one of my favorite things about this city is the great music. I'd suggest going to the Tiffany Tavern in Old Town Alexandria for great burgers and bluegrass and the Westminster Presbyterian church on Friday nights for jazz (only $5 and $5 more for a great home cooked meal). You may not think these styles of music appeal to you, but it's a whole different story when it's live!

Actually, I'm curious how safe DC is. I have heard some horrific tales from former DC residents who have moved to NYC.

I live near D.C. and think the tourist areas are mostly quite safe, although there is certainly random crime, as in any big city. Some areas of town are obviously not safe, as would again be true of any major city, but those are not areas where tourists would be likely to venture. I grew up near New Orleans and was always amazed that so many tourists came and went safely despite the fact that the worst areas of town were so very close to the most heavily visited ones.

I would never tell anyone not to "waste time" at the Museum of the American Indian. It is a fascinating museum. Go to the top floor and see the multimedia show for starters. Then work your way down. It's a very interesting museum.

Obviously, the museums in which you chose to spend your time when you are are here for a short period depend on personal interest.

The Behring Center for American Art and Portraiture is also very interesting (off The Mall at Gallery Place Metro). If you go to the top floor there, you will see the space where Lincoln's second inaugural took place.

I particularly love the FDR memorial; it's very different from the others, set up more like a series of "rooms" of sculpture and fountains that you wander through and experience at your own pace. A much more intimate experience than the Lincoln, for instance, and has nice spots to sit, rest & reflect.

I'd say definitely start with the Smithsonian museums and the monuments, and branch out from there as your interests and time guide you. The National Cathedral and Mt. Vernon, while both at enough of a distance to consume a bit of travel time (and in opposite directions), are well worth it.

Also check the Washington Post online to see what's playing at Kennedy Center. The venue's fascinating, many of the performances are wonderful, and a glass of champagne at intermission, on the terrace overlooking the lights on the water, is an experience in itself.

The Kennedy Center has FREE performances EVERY night at 6:00pm at the Millenium Stage in the Grand Foyer.

To buy any tickets in DC, check first with Ticketplace at 7th & D Streets, NW. You can find half the stuff going on there--including Kennedy Center shows. I never buy tickets at the KC unless I buy the few $25 seats available for performances months ahead of time. Obviously, that is not a good strategy for occasional tourists, but Ticketplace is.

"Shear Madness", a show that has been running at the Kennedy Center for eons, has gotten racier over the years and, in my opinion, has become unsuitable for school groups. Groups still go but some of the chaperones will complain. It is a given. For a more bland offering for kids, check and see if there is a military band concert while you are here; those are FREE, enjoyable and will not offend anyone!

Insofar as the National Cathedral is concerned, it is out of the way, and not as interesting if you have been to cathedrals in Europe--more of the same. Mount Vernon has enough to see that it can easily consume a full day with the new museum and educational center. Unless you have a car, it is difficult to get to with public transportation. I do not recommend any of the day trips, as they do not give you nearly enough time at the site to do it justice.

For a 3-5 day trip, I would concentrate on The Mall and the mounments and save Mount Vernon and the Cathedral for another time. I would also suggest you visit Arlington Cemetery to view, at a minimum, the Kennedy graves and the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns. Arlington House, the mansion that belonged to the Lee family--and where Robert E. Lee resigned his commission in the US Army--is on the grounds of Arlington and is also very interesting.

By the way I have a tour guide license and know a lot about all of this--and am learning more every day.

There are so many museums, you just have to know what appeals to you. I personally don't think the American Indian museum is exactly fascinating, I was very disappointed in it and do not think it is well done at all. And I am interested in that history and culture.

I wouldn't ever recommend or even mention such rubbish as Shear Madness, which is supposed "theater" for people who don't like theatre, and the reason has nothing to do with being racy. If this son is college-age, that's very inappropriate because it is so stupid and full of teens. It would be embarrassing to take him there or suggest it. It's for kids who have no interest in performing arts, and can't behave in public, basically.

I wouldn't waste my time going to the Kennedy Center unless there is something you want to see there, or a concert. The building is ugly and there isn't anything fascinating in it IMO. It does have a nice terrace and view over the Potomac (those free concerts are just SRO in the hallway, another thing I wouldn't recommend doing).

There are folding chairs for the free concerts at The Kennedy Center. Sometimes when I have a ticket for later in the evening, I go early for one of the concerts. I don't understand why you don't like them, but I do.

And they are a great thing to do with a group of kids at the end of a busy day of sightseeing.

Insofar as "Shear Madness" is concerned, I wouldn't take 8th graders there, but it would be fun for college students. No, it isn't sophisticated "think" theater. It is just fun. There is a reason it has been playing for years.

There are also free military band concerts in Washington during the summer in the evenings. This is a lot of fun for families and "free" is good.

Here are a couple of websites you might want to check out as you plan your trip:

http://www.usarmyband.com/event-calendar.html

http://godc.about.com/od/arts/a/freeconcerts.htm

I have a tour guide license and, when I have a group, this is something I always look at as an evening option. You offer the options to the groups and the group chooses. Whatever you personally think about the military, these concerts are done by professional musicians and are very enjoyable.

Someone was asking about safety. I have lived in DC for three years now and although in the past I felt safe walking around Georgetown in the evening, there seems to have been an increase in crime in the area. Walking around there at night is not recommended, especially for women on their own.
On where to go, a friend of mine came in February and--even though I'm a local--I decided to go with her on one of the hop on/off bus tours that go around town. It was really good, since it allowed her to see most of the attractions of the city, getting off to wander around every time we felt like it.
Anne

Georgetown isn't unsafe at night. You just need to use the same precautions you'd use in a similar neighborhood in any large city.

There was a horrible, high-profile crime last summer. It raised awareness and was shocking because it was an aberration (not a trend), but my friends and I don't feel unsafe there night or day.

Generally, all the tourist areas of DC are quite safe for folks using the usual precautions.

I have never, ever felt unsafe in Georgetown. I think it is as safe or safer than many rural US towns.

For a true DC experience, I would recommend standing in line for a Supreme Court hearing. It would need to be a not-so-popular case, or else there will be no observer seating. Also, the attire in any Supreme Court hearing, even as an observer, is full business attire.

Please note that there are no Supreme Court cases being argued at present. The Court is writing opinions. All the opinions will be done by June 30th. The Court goes on summer "vacation" then until the first Monday in October when the new Supreme Court term begins.

In addition to being a tour guide in DC, I am also a lawyer (albeit almost retired from law; I am doing the guiding as a new "retirement" career), so I know what I am talking about.

When the Court is on "vacation", justices work reviewing petitions for review, so it does not mean the justices go to the beach for 3 months or something like that. They also attend conferences, give speeches, etc.

The bottom line is from the end of April to the beginnig of October there generally are no arguments at all.

You can accomplish a lot in one day, if you have the energy. Having led students to DC for 14 years, I would suggest checking into your hotel in Rosslyn, take the metro (with a week-long pass) to Arlington Cemetery. This is a somber way to start your trip, but I believe it has a great impact on the way you look at the rest of your week. After the Tomb of the Unknowns, Kennedy gravesites, etc....you can get back on the metro and ride to the Smithsonian stop. From here you can walk down past the Washington Monument to the WWII memorial. From here, you can walk the loop of the Vietnam War Memorial and Vietnam Women's memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Korean War Memorial. This will probably take you a total of about 4 hours from starting at Arlington. After this, you could take in dinner at the restaurant at the top of the Key Bridge Marriott (expensive, but a great view). After dinner, you could walk to the Marine Corps Memroial (Iwo Jima Statue) and back to your hotel. This is a long day to start your trip, but you have knocked out some of the more memorable sights in one swath. If you'd like, I can make more suggestions of groupings of sights to see in a day by day plan. WHAT AN AWESOME CITY!

As a student at Georgetown University, I get all the crime alerts in the area sorrunding campus, and it is definitely not recommended for women to walk around on their own at night in the area.

In addition to the monuments, Arlington Cemetery, and the Capitol, try to get to Ford's Theatre and the Lincoln museum there. You can see a lot in the time you have; use the metro and be prepared for lots of walking. DC is a great city to visit!

Given the time you have, when you are at Arlington, go to Arlington House at the top of the hill. This house belonged to Robert E. Lee's wife. It was specifically taken for a cemetery to make it unusuable for the Lee family ever again. Union revenge.

It was in Arlington House that Lee resigned his commission in the US Army. There is a lot of history connected with that house. Mary Lee, Robert E. Lee's wife, was descended from one of Martha Washington's children (George had no children).

Also, Pierre L'Enfant who designed the plan of Washington, is buried on the grounds of Arlington House where he can look out on the city he designed.

Did you know that you could spend the next 100 years viewing exhibits at the smithsonian museums? Yes, the museums are that gigantic. Look at a tour book and decide what you would really like to see - then when you get here - just starting walking and you will see more than you ever imagined! And guess what, it's all free!!

Smithsonians are wonderful, as are the WWII memorial, the Korean, Viet Nam and FDR memorials. The Capitol is a given - got to see it. Maybe you'd like to see the Senate and house chambers - sometimes it's nice to sit in while a debate goes on.

You positively have to see the Lincoln and jefferson memorials as well as the Washington monument. I'm certain that you wouldn't want to miss Union Station or visiting Arlington Natl Cemetery, the Iowa Jima Memorial, the Pentagon, and even Mt Vernon (although I no longer take visitors there)

The national cathedral is spectacular and so is the Naval Observatory (great views of the stars at night as well as the VP's home).

In addition there are some of the great universities: George Washington, Georgetown, American U, Catholic U. And if you have additional time skip over about 30 miles to Annapolis and visit the Naval Academy.

Good luck and hopefully you'll choose your sightseeing by areas and get more accomplished that way.

Happy sightseeing!!!

Why do you no longer take visitors to Mount Vernon? You know it has been totally redone with a wonderful education center with multimedia attractions. What used to be a "ho hum" visit to the house and the tombs is now a full day deal. In the education center, you absolutely MUST see the show about Washington crossing the Delaware. When he crosses, it snows in the theater!

The problem with Mount Vernon is that tours get about 2 hours there. It is a given that there will be a queue for the house and you have to wait. You do that and you see the tombs and, since they do not have much time, you never get to see the education center. It is a terrible shame because that show is absolutely terrific. I spent 4 hours there in the winter just to have a look at the orientation film, education center and the museum. I never went to the house. I did that because, when I guide people, I do have to know what is there to give them the options. While I think most kids would enjoy the multimedia show more than the house, the teachers always want to go to the house. We go to the house.

I am, sigh, going to the house again next Thursday with a group. With all there is to see at Mount Vernon now, you could easily spend two days there if you want to walk the grounds, take a boat ride on the Potomac (offered in season), etc. It is a stunning redo and really a destination by itself now.

To be honest Marie, I don't go to Mt Vernon unless someone REALLY wants to see it. It's a hefty distance from DC and there's not a lot around it to combine a couple sightseeing activities to.

Those are my only reasons plus there's so MUCH to see in DC that I generally stick with that.

Now that Mount Vernon has improved what is available there, it will take you an entire day to see everything.

The previous poster is correct it is outside of DC and, if you don't have a car, it is difficult to get to. If you are only in DC for, say, 3 days, I do not recommend it because you can see more just by concentrating on The Mall.

If you are in DC for a week, it is an excellent way to spend a day--especially if you are interested in American history (and the American History Museum on The Mall is closed for renovation).

There is a lot to see in DC and some picking and choosing is inevitable.

Thank you all for your suggestions. I really appreciate it!

Don't forget the National Archives! It is very cool to see such important documents on display. The Treasury is fun too. Going on the tour and seeing the stacks of $20 bill sheets is jaw-dropping.

You see the uncut pages of bills at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, not at the Treasury.

D'oh! I always get them mixed up!

Not to worry. I just put up the clarification in case someone else saw what you wrote and got confused. There is so much to see in DC that some confusion is inevitable--for everyone including tour guides.

I will be in DC this weekend with my husband on a very short 3 day trip. My first time to DC. We plan to stay at the Hyatt on Capitol Hill for $109/nt. plus taxes. I thought this would be a good central location. Any comments yay or nay?

The hotel is fine--not to mention the price! You will have a good time so long as the weather cooperates.

There are no hotels right on The Mall. You can use the Metro to get around.