DC--Off the beaten path?
 

Hi! Can anyone recommend off the beaten path activities or sights for DC? I'm planning on spending time at the Smithsonian museums, library of congress, and revisiting my favorite monuments. I've been to Arlington and Mount Vernon- I may or may not go this time. Also have been to the Holocaust Museum, so I'm skipping that and going to the Newseum.

I'd love some ideas about neighborhoods or historic areas I can wander through.

I have 8 nights, end of March. I'd prefer to not rent a car. I've always been with a group or family in DC before, so I haven't had much of a chance to just exlore the city and its surrounding areas.

Lastly- I was foolish, and didn't realize Washington Monument tickets would sell out so soon! I know day of tickets are available at 830. How early should I get in line? If that falls through, can you recommend any other places with great views?

I was going to suggest the Newseum so I'm glad to see it's on your list. We were there for half a day and could have used more time.

Here is a thread from a few years ago. http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...hington-dc.cfm

I glanced over it and the places still exist as far as I know.

"If that falls through, can you recommend any other places with great views"

The Old Post Office Pavilion is currently closed. Other than that the only place I know of is the bar at the W Hotel

http://www.wwashingtondc.com/pov

Thanks for the link! Is National Museum of Health and Medicine in MD accessible by transit? If so, how long of a trip?

Spy Museum
The Phillips Collection
National Cathedral
Smithsonian Air Museum out near Dulles. (The other Air Museum)
Folger Shakespeare Library

We enjoyed the tour of Lincoln's Cottage. www.lincolncottage.org It gives a very interesting slant on Lincoln's time in the White House with insights into his personal/family life that wasn't covered in the Ford's Theater tour... and most people have not been there or even heard of it. ( I learned of it here on Fodor's!)

Thanks, Lynni! Saw that on the other thread and have added Lincoln's Cottage to my list.

Thanks Ackislander! Any opinions on the Spy museum? I've heard really mixed reviews so I keep adding and erasing it. How different is the other air museum from the one on the Mall?

A bike ride along the canal on the towpath from Georgetown to Bethesda. Or ride to Mount Vernon.

I love both the Phillips Collection and the National Cathedral -- but would not consider them "off the beaten track."

Of the lesser-visited Smithsonian museums, I'm partial to the Freer and Sackler and the National Museum of the American Indian (and its cafe, the Mitsitam).

You also might consider the Hillwood or Dumbarton Oaks.

I took a docent tour of the Anderson House and lived it. Near the Phillips Collection.

http://www.societyofthecincinnati.org/visit/info

I'm local but took a Segway tour with friends last year and loved it! It was a neat way to see a lot of monuments and neighborhoods (and a cool way to pick your favorites to return to later) and just fun to zip around on a Segway. We used Capital Segway but there are a few outfits that run tours. One advantage to Capital Segway is that it was close to Zaytinya, a great Greek/Mediterranean tapas place.

I'd also like to do a boat tour and March would be a nice time of year to be in an enclosed boat.

Personally, I liked the Spy Museum.

I always recommend the Zoo (it's free) but I have a mild obsession with otters...

With 8 days in DC, you could easily spend a day in Philly. Union Station is a really impressive building and fun to check out even if you don't take the train anywhere.

Have fun!

Oh, and if you're going to the Newseum, hit The Source for brunch. They're in the same building and The Source does a fantastic pork fried rice with a perfectly cooked egg on top. So satisfying and warm. The duck bao is stellar as well.

Love Hillwood, both Dumbartons, and Wilson's house. I like to walk around Embassy Row and the back streets of Georgetown.

Kja- Actually, the main motivation for this trip is the NMAI. Last time I had the opportunity to go to DC, it was only a few weeks from opening- I was really bummed to miss it. So definitely looking forward to that, but I'm disappointed the Freer is closed for renovation. It's always something!

Hillwood is on my list, I just forgot to mention it in the first post. Glad to know it's worthwhile!

Hobbert: thanks! Adding the Source, the fried rice sounds terrific. And naturally the zoo is on the list- who doesn't have a mild obsession with otters? You make me want to take a Segway tour even though I really didn't enjoy the one in Chicago (too much pressure on the feet).I usually take bike tours, but I'm a little leery of of booking it until I know what the weather is like. I've considered a day trip to Philadelphia, but I'm unsure if I want to give up a whole day in DC.

Come to think of it though: any great walking tours in DC that I should look up? Or does anyone have any personal experience with any of the bike tour companies? I'd like to take some kind of tour to get a good overview early on, but I'm not very fond of buses.

All my favorites have already been listed :-)

I love a walk through Georgetown, avoiding the shops but encompassing the University, the Exorcist Steps (just got a commemorative plaque!), JFK's residence when he was in Congress, Dumbarton Oaks, Tudor Place (hardly anyone knows about this gem), and the beautiful residential streets of the neighborhood.

I also second the Phillips Collection, Hillwood, and Lincoln's Cottage, all are excellent.

Two stops even farther off the beaten path: the Masonic Temple of the Scottish Rite ( https://scottishrite.org/headquarters/visitors/ ); the State Department's Diplomatic Reception Rooms ( https://diplomaticrooms.state.gov/home.aspx ).

Enjoy!

I almost forgot about food!

I agree, The Source is great. DC has loads of excellent restaurants, but Rasika (either location) and Le Diplomate are my favorites year after year.

For a cocktail, I love the bar at the Jefferson Hotel. Always makes me feel like I'm meeting Frank Underwood on the sly.

"Hillwood is on my list, I just forgot to mention it in the first post. Glad to know it's worthwhile!"

Try to play your visit there by ear so you can explore its delightful gardens if weather permits.

Enjoy!

Newbe- thanks for mentioning Tudor Place!! That was not on my radar yet and it looks absolutely fascinating. Already applied for a ticket to the reception rooms- hoping I get in, as the White House tour is not going to happen. Will have to check out the Jefferson's bar now with that idea in my head:)

And food recommendations are always welcome! A mouse has got to eat, lol. I've got vague ideas of Ethiopian and Maryland crab, but that's about it. I love exceptional craft cocktails- so any other recommendations for bars are most welcome. Either newfangled or old fashioned are just fine with me!

So does anyone have an opinion on the Botanical gardens vs the arboretum? I don't know if I'm more drawn to the bonsai tree collection or the orchids so I'd like to know if there's anything that would tip me towards either place.

I haven't seen the arboretum :-(, but I love the botanical gardens. :-)

I love the craft cocktails--and everything else, come to think of it--at the Dabney ( thedabney.com ).

Add to the list:

Frederick Douglass Home & National Historic Site
Mary McLeod Bethune Council House
Heurich House Museum (Brewmasters Castle)

The National Arboretum is beautiful these days. I love the bonsai exhibit and the herb garden. Easiest to get to with a car but worth a trip on public transportation -- bus and then a short walk along a very busy park of New York Ave.

Not sure about transport links (busses might be an option), but the Air and Space Museum, Udvar-Hazy Center by Dulles is impressive.

Oops, saw it had been mentioned up-thread. The hangars at the Udvar-Hazy are FULL of all kinds of flying machines. The range from military, to early airplanes and flying machines, to the Concorde and Space Shuttle Discovery.

They offer free tours. We didn't do one (had sleepy kids), but my husband and I wished we could have.

obxgirl, those are great additions, thanks! I'm adding them to our list for next year's visit.

The Heurich House is on Dupont Circle, isn't it? Or perhaps a block off? If it's the one I'm thinking of, it's always been closed when we've tried to go. But it can easily be combined with a visit to the Phillips, or, if one is a hearty walker, with a walk from Dupont through Georgetown.

Yes, a block off. I used to work next door to it. They have set times for the tours as far as I know.

My picks would be the Kreeger Museum and the Phillips Collection, along with Hillwood House (car is good for visiting that museum, but you need a parking reservation).


Walk the Kalorama neighborhood to see the houses.

Yes, as mentioned, Heurich House is a block or so from Dupont Circle on New Hampshire Ave. Like a lot of those small places they have abbreviated hours so the timing thing can be off.

Last year they did a monthly evening opening for tours and a tasting from a local craft brewery. Never managed to make it for that, but perhaps this year. I did visit the house over the holidays for a Christmas Market and to see the decorations. Worth a trip if you like period homes and some quirky history. You won't spend all day there.

Two more for the list:

1. OAS Art Museum of the Americas. Small galleries mostly focused on Latin American art. It's a very pretty building with a lovely garden in the back. It's at the crux of 18th Street and Virginia Ave across Constitution from the National Mall.

2. The Textile Museum and the Albert H. Small Washingtonia Collection. 701 21st Street NW. The Textile museum reopened here last year under Geo Washington University's ownership. I wasn't especially impressed with first exhibition but the space is gorgeous so hoping for something better to see in the future. Nice museum shop. This isn't an all day affair so it could be combined with other things in the area.

Rasika is a very good restaurant, the staff especially but I would recommend making a booking

I've been to the hangar, it's a bit of a hassle to get there but worth it. I took the metro to Weihle Rest on and then a bus. It also has the Blackbird spy plane and the enola gay which dropped the a bomb on Hiroshima

Rasika for sure. Either location is great but I prefer West End just because it's a bit more casual. The palak chaat is fantastic. Order your own and don't share! I love the Phillips Collection and this thread reminds me to head back down there.

We like Rasika a lot, but I can tell you they were none too pleased to have an infant in their midst when we were last there (he was 8 months old at the time, and didn't make a peep that anyone could have heard). I'm not holding it against them, though, the food is too good for that. (Oh, and it was Rasika West that time).

The Renwick Gallery has recently re-opened with a new 9-room installation art exhibition called "Wonder" which is fantastic! Definitely plan to go early on a weekday morning in order to enjoy the exhibits without a crowd. (I've been twice--the day it was crowded wasn't worth my time.)
See: http://renwick.americanart.si.edu/

I'm not a fan of the International Spy Museum. It's not a big museum and it can get crowded quickly. (They try to alleviate this with timed tickets, but it doesn't always work.) I was under-impressed by the exhibits.

Longhorn55- ooh, thanks. Wonder does look really interesting, so I'm adding it to the list!

Not sure if this counts as "off the beaten path" but I know a lot of people avoid anything east of the Anacostia like the plague. The botanical gardens there are really nice though and there's also a pretty cool Smithsonian in Anacostia that people forget about.

For clarity's sake in response to Peter's post, both the Botanic Gardens and the Arboretum are west of the Anacostia River.

I assume Peter was referring to the Frederick Douglass home??

We were seated near a large family group at Rasika the last time we were there (not the West End location, the other one). They weren't particularly noisy and seemed to be in the middle of a long meal and I didn't see any issues arising.

<i>I assume Peter was referring to the Frederick Douglass home??</i>

I assumed he meant the Anacostia Community Museum which is under the Smithsonian umbrella. Maybe he'll be back to say?

NewbE, they didn't say anything - they just brought all our food really fast, like they just hoped we'd eat and run LOL!

Two of my favorite "off the beaten path" things is the Torpdo Factory in Old Town Alexandria and the Pope Leighley House on Woodlawn Plantation.

The Torpedo Factory, accessible by metro, is a huge art co-op, with some very fine jewelry, sculpture, weaving, painting, etc. The artists have studios and galleries so you can see some working, and often meet them. It really is a fantastic place. Afterwards, amble by all the little shops in Old Town and find a nice place for lunch.

The Pope Leighy House is a wonderful example of Frank Lloyd Wright's Unsonian houses. It is a bit harder to go there as you take a bus from the metro, but certainly doable by public transport, and very worth while if you have any interest in Wright's work.

One other thing you might enjoy - a trip down the Potomac River to Mount Vernon.

I love the Torpedo Factory - it makes art very accessible.