Taylort771

We will be staying pre cruise in baltimore and want to take a day trip into dc with our grandsons (17,11)
We will be taking the amtrak train arrving at union station at 845 am
and taking the train back to baltimore leaving at 730 or 830

We will be there on a wednesday OCT 5. Is anything closed
We want to see as much as possible and are possibly going to do a Hop on hop off tour.
The boys are really interested in history. So any help with an iten is greatly app!

tenthumbs

A hop-on-off tour might be a good idea for your limited time. The monuments on the Mall are always open (the reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial is currently empty due to construction); the museums are typically open until 5pm. If you're interested in a particular museum (Air and Space, Natural History, American History), check their websites for closures on that day.

vjpblovesitaly

"We will be there on a wednesday OCT 5. Is anything closed"

Is that a special day or something? If not, whatever is normally closed on Wednesdays will be closed.

vjpblovesitaly

I was asking if it a special day that would cause someone to have concern if things would be closed. Why else would someone ask if anything is closed on a random day? It really makes no sense.

It is not your place to decide what my intentions were.

tenthumbs

Taylort771, keep in mind that in one day you won't even begin to scratch the surface of what DC has to offer. Ask your grandsons what is most important for them to see~the monuments or any of the specific Smithsonian museums.

cferrb

What about touring the U.S. Capitol Building. It's at the same end of the mall as the train station. You do have to get tickets ahead of time. I would definitely ask the boys first though.

memejs

There are many great off-the-beaten-path spots in DC, but since your time is so limited, I would stick to the mall area. I personally would also skip the hop on, hop off tour. It might give you a good lay out of the city, but it won't allow you to actually experience all that much.

The Library of Congress is one of the most beautiful buildings in DC, and it's very close to Good Stuff Eatery, which is a popular and affordable place for lunch (burgers, fries, milkshakes).

The National Archives' exhibits are always very well done and often quite interactive. The sculpture garden right across the street has a big fountain that is a great spot to sit for a minute if you need some time to rest. The Museum of American History is great too.

I also really like the Portrait Gallery, which is just a couple of blocks off the mall. It's a great combination of history and art. The docent-led tours tend to focus on most heavily on history - e.g. why is this person featured in the museum? There is also a beautiful new covered courtyard in the middle of the building.