Again, thanks to all who helped me with our trip. We LOVED DC!! We stayed at the Radisson Barcelo in the DuPont Circle area. The hotel was just ok, for the price ($119) I would have liked something just a bit more of an updated room but we didn't spend much time in it, we were running around for 3 and a half days!!

DuPont Circle is a great area to stay in. A lot of good places to eat and lots of shopping up Connecticut Avenue. I'd also suggest looking at the Woodley Park/Adams Morgan area. The Marriott Wardman is right on the Woodley Park stop of the Metro, I'd look at that next time.

Great places to eat include, Lauriol Plaza (for spectacular mexican food, try the seafood enchiladas and have a margarita! - sit outside if the weather is good, it is fun to people watch but they have a beautiful dining room - two levels), Lebanese Taverna (great salads, pita, chicken dishes , etc, great service), Pizzeria Paradiso (pizza! great Tuscan Sangria and Tuscan Salad too), for breakfast (and dessert, which we didn't get but it looked great) try Kramerbooks and Afterwards.

We road the tourmobile the first day and initially most people will think that spending $16 a person is too much but you get your money's worth and then some. We boarded at Union Station and took it around until we got to Arlington Cemetary - got off and got on the Arlington tourmobile which immediately took us to the changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknown solider ( A MUST, if this doesn't move you in some way, you are not human!! ) then we strolled around and got back on the tourmobile and just jumped on and off all day. We saw a million things in three and a half days. It was great.

Another thing I'd suggest which I initially thought I wouldn't end up at is the Zoo. We were amazed at it, it was just beautiful. The animals are so close compared to the zoos in Chicago and it's just very scenic and full of trees and hills.

The Metro line is great and CHEAP!! It only cost $1.10 per person to get from National to DuPont Circle, the system is clean and efficient and not like any other, especially if you have ever ridden the elevated trains in Chicago. It doesn't smell down there in the train stations in DC, it amazed me!!

I could go on and on and obviously have. I am not an expert but if anyone has any questions please e-mail me directly!!

We saw about 23 things in our short stay - I

Glad you had such a good time. When I was a "young professional" I lived just north of Dupont Circle and walked to work (and back) down (and up) Connecticut Ave to 16th and M Street. Pretty impressive for a girl from the midwest. I think the price for your hotel was pretty good -- I know hotels get booked up frequently because of conferences and conventions, so prices -- while not as bad as New York -- can easily rise to the $150-200+ range. The National Zoo is lovely. There is an Amazon-forest exhibit that is quite fine, and an exceptional "station" with hands-on exhibits demonstrating what animals may or may not "know," attached to the primates' area.

Glad you saw so much stuff and went to a bunch of my favorite neighborhood restaurants! (In fact, my boyfriend and I met on a blind date at Lauriol Plaza, almost 2 years ago.) If you ever get back to Lebanese Taverna, I have to tell you to try the hummus special appetizer (with seasoned ground lamb, olive oil, and pine nuts sprinkled on top), with the Arabic bread, the stuffed grape leaves, and the best dinner special which is the sharhat ghanam (very thin slices of roasted lamb and potatoes, with lemon, garlic and rosemary -- mmm).

Also glad you liked the tourmobile -- agree it is definitely worth the money. And yes, our metro is nice and clean and everybody takes it including members of Congress.

You picked a great time to come too -- it's not so hot and crowded like it is in the summer.

Cleo, if you're into zoos, check out the one in San Diego! It's FAR SUPERIOR to D.C.!!

We are going to Washington DC for the weekend..only have 2 full days! What are the things we must see? High on our list is the US Holocaust Museum..should it be? Let me know.

Pam,

This is an old posting and probably won't get you the answers you need to plan your own trip. I suggest you post a new question appropriately titled something like: "Only 2 days in Wash. DC, what are the top sights ?"

Also, in the body of your question be sure and indicate if you are a museum lover, history buff, can you do a lot of walking, your budget to get good hotel and restaurant ideas, etc...I think you will get a lot more helpful info that way...good luck!

We did Wash D.C. over a weeks time with our four children ages 16 to 11 last May. Our favorite sights/tours were as follows:
1. The NATIONAL CATHEDRAL, find out when the docents give guided tours (after church on Sunday, I think). Our tourguide was an amazing woman who enchanted all of us with her love of the cathedral and so many amazing stories of its history, artwork, visitors, funerals, etc...
2. The White House tour...get VIP tickets from your congressperson for this one.
3. Arlington Cemetery...we were there on Memorial Day and saw the President and Hilary and the pageantry and ceremony was wonderful. I have also visited at times when it is almost deserted and it was also an incredible place then, too.

4. The Lincoln Memorial (I still cry everytime I read the Gettysburg address), the Vietnam Memorial (more crying), The Jefferson Memorial, the Korean Memorial and the FDR Memorial. If you are able to walk to all of these through the pathways it is an amazing route.

5. The Holocaust Museum. Extremely powerful and moving but some of the most horrible photos and camera footage are screened from visitors, like myself, who choose not to watch it. It would be easy to spend 12 hours in the Museum in the various areas, but 3 or 4 were a max for us due to the overwhelming nature of the subject.

6. The National Gallery...an amazing building, (both of them) but I prefer the older one and it has such a wonderful collection...

Good Luck in just 2 days, just plan to come back and do the rest of the sights at another time.
Maria

the Holocaust Museum is an incredible experience & you should keep it high on your list. See the Vietnam Memorial & the Albert Einstein statue which is right across Constitution Ave from the Vietnam Memorial at about 22nd st -- a great little site. You must also see the FDR Memorial. If you are walkers, you can park your car on Constitution, see Einstein, cross the street & see the Vietnam Memorial, keep walking & see Lincoln Memorial & Korean War Memorial. Then cross Independence Ave, see FDR; walk around Tidal Basin to Jefferson, keep walking around Basin to Washington Monument & then walk back along Constitution to your car. It's long but very doable!

Make sure that when you visit the Holocaust museum you save lots of time at the end to view the film of the footage of interviews with Holocaust survivors. It is very moving and inspirational and is my favorite experience at the museum.

Also, if you do a search of this forum under DC using the word "museum" you will bring up lots of old threads on this subject (ditto for restaurants, tours, etc.).