3 Days in Washington D.C
 

Finally getting around to writing my trip report about my 3 days (well 2.5 days) in Washington D.C.

Arrived about 3.30pm on November 17th at Union Station on Amtrak from NYC after a rather pleasant 3.5 hour train journey - very impressed with the Amtrak trains. Was staying at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill so was an easy 5 minute walk from the station. Had a Grayline Night Tour booked that night so didn't really get up to too much at that point.

Walked back to Union Station to get on my tour - for the record, it's not very user friendly signage.. you have to go up towards the car park - it is the level below the car park. I had an e-ticket but wasn't aware that I had to check in and exchange it for an actual ticket - nothing was mention on the paperwork. Also it was rather chilly and they made you stand outside for a good 30-40 minutes before the tour began - not very impressed.

Anyway, we finally got under way and took off. Drove past the US Capitol, which unfortunately was not lit up at that stage despite it being nearly 7.30pm. Went and saw the White House, which was a lot smaller than I imagined and then were driving to the Lincoln Memorial when the bus broke down. We were just near the Martin Luther King Memorial so the driver gave us a bout 20 minutes there whilst another bus came. Then we got to the Lincoln Memorial. I didn't go and see the Vietnam Wall but did check out the Korean War Memorial as my dad served in the New Zealand Navy during the Korean War so it was a little more close to home for me. Walked up the 58 steps to the Lincoln Memorial.. despite having a bad knee, it was completely worth the pain!

We then drove to the Iwo Jima Memorial, which was huge! We saw a little bit of Arlington, which I discovered more of the next day... it is freaking massive!!! We then stopped at the Jefferson Memorial. It doesn't sound like it was a long tour but we got back to Union Station about 10,30pm.

I was up and back at Union Station the next morning for my day tour to Mount Vernon and Arlington. It was a Sunday morning and we were one of the first lot of people through the doors at Mount Vernon - in fact, I was the first person to walk through the house that day... definitely go on a Sunday morning - it was a great time of day to visit. Ok, so I loved Mount Vernon, really, really loved it! It was mid November so Autumn and the colours of the trees etc where just the perfect backdrop for this beautiful estate. I also loved that when you went through the house, they had a person in each room telling you about the room and a bit about George Washington's life. We had about 3-3.5 hours at Mount Vernon which for me was a good time but I could see some people could spend all day there just wandering around. One the way back we did a bit of a tiki tour through Alexandria. I would love to go back and just wander the streets of this town - it was just so picture perfect!

On the way to Arlington, we stopped again at Iwo Jima - which was actually quite cool. It was good to see this memorial during the day as well as at night. We got to Arlington where we got on the trolley and on the way to the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider, we stopped at the JFK gravesite. The Changing of the Guard was just that.. it was one guy stepping in for another guy... I know I should be more respectful but that's all it was. We headed back to the bus after that.. Ok so I know they use these things for mass transit but the trolleys at Arlington are not disabled friendly. I would imagine that there are quite a few elderly people who come and I can't see them using these trolleys easily.

On the way back to Union Station we again stopped at the Lincoln Memorial. I didn't brave the steps this time but saw the Korean War Memorial again and got a bite to eat. We got back to Union Station about 4-4.30pm and I headed back to the hotel. Because I don't really like going out in strange cities at night on my own, I stayed in that night.

Day 3 and I was on my own - no tour, just me... I ended up walked from my hotel to the US Capitol and then down to the White House. I visited the National Archives & saw the Constitution & the Declaration of Independence. I went on the free tour of the Old Post Office tower for a birds eye view of D.C (a highlight!!) and wandered down to the White House for a view of it at day time. I ended up getting a cab back to the hotel and then I found out that I had actually walked about 3 km (not including when I was in attractions - that is just purely the distance between my hotel & the White House).. which for me is pretty impressive since I had torn a ligament in my knee months before and am still not quite right. Had a VERY early start the next morning to catch my Amtrak train to Philly....

All in all I had a great time in D.C. Not being American, the city and monuments mean different things to me than they would to an American. I have always wanted to see D.C and I am so glad that I did. After spending a week in NYC before hand and not being a huge fan of that city, I was so pleased when I got to D.C and loved it straight away. I love the fact that no building is taller than the US Capitol - which is a stunning building. It gives the whole city a real open air kind of feeling.

Highlights for me: Mount Vernon - definitely a favourite! Old Post Office. Lincoln Memorial and the US Capitol building.

thanks for your report. I enjoyed reading it.

Great trip report! It is amazing how far you can end up walking in Washington DC. It is also cool to see how a non-citizen reacted to the same things we saw.

Mount Vernon was one of my favorite things in DC too. My husband is still talking about the fact that the military offered George Washington a kingship and he walked away.

In my trip report, we had a special moment at Mount Vernon. Click this link and after the page comes up, wait a second and it should pop you right to the Sept 18 post.

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...omment-7854188

Nice TR, Seznz, thanks!

Mount Vernon underwent a big restoration in the last couple of years. My husband and I got there for the first time after the face-lift and enjoyed it as well.

I agree with you about the White House being smaller than one would expect. As for the changing of the guard, I had to laugh. I've seen them in Athens, London and Monte Carlo--a little pomp, a neat march or something like those cities would liven up things, eh? LOL

Will look for your other TRs.

Thanks :) It was my first visit to the States and I have a couple of other places to write about, it's just getting around to it!

@5alive. I actually read your trip report before I went! It was very helpful :)

You are entirely entitled to your opinions, but I can't see how you were not moved by the Changing of the Guard at Arlington National Cemetery. It doesn't really have anything to do with whether you are an American or not--it has to do with the realization of the loss of young lives in war and our honoring of those shortened lives.

Since I live in the D.C. area, I have been to see the Changing of the Guard at ANC many times and there has not been a time that my eyes weren't full of tears at the end of the ceremony.

Oh, and Dudette, let's be sure to add something to the ceremony to "liven up things" because that's what it's all about, eh--a good show.

@longhorn55.. you are right - I am entitled to my own opinion, as are you. It has nothing to do with being American. In NZ, we have a very proud military history also - ANZAC Day is commemorated every year for those lost at Gallipoli in WW1. My father served in the NZ Navy during WW2 and the Korean War and my brother served during the 80's and 90's so my family has a military history.

I was in no way being disrespectful, but at the same time the changing of the guard is simply just that. It is one solider taking over duty from another solider. I personally do not understand why it is such a ceremony. I have seen the changing of the guard in England and had the same reaction. I apologise if you were offended by my description but please do not think it was because I was disrespectful but that certainly was not the case

Enjoyed your trip report, seznz, and looking forward to more installments from your visits to Philly (and beyond?). It's always especially interesting to see a familiar place or thing through a fresh set of eyes. I don't think your comments about visiting the Tomb of the Unknown were disrespectful. It's a cemetery, events there are solemn and the soldiers who guard the tomb march and change regardless of whether there is an audience.

Hope your knee is on the mend.

Tdudette, I thought your reply to longhorn was crass.

Seznz, I did not feel that you were being disrespectful by your description of the Changing of the Guard and I was not offended by your comments. I just have a very different response to the ceremony and couldn't quite understand why you didn't. While we may have different responses to the ceremony, we clearly both have an appreciation of the military due to our both having strong military family backgrounds.

I am glad that you enjoyed D.C. I am a big fan of your country as well having visited it on 3 occasions.

we went to Arlington and were deeply moved by Ceremony., for me is a moment for reflexión
about many sacrificies , courage....