placeu2

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!

Anonymous

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

kellyhayes

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.

Mamaw

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

Anonymous

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

Ruff

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.

rphsims1

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

DoctorCarrie

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

memejs

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!

mingtsainy

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

cvilleva

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.

FauxSteMarie

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.

cvilleva

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.

FauxSteMarie

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.

Christina

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).

FauxSteMarie

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.

FauxSteMarie

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.

anne1975

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

repete

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.

Cargillman

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.