We have 4 1/2 days and way too much we want to see! We are traveling with my parents in thier 70's. We are staying in DuPont Circle. We want to see the the monuments and the American History Museum. Probably the Capital building too. Is the spy museum fun? I really need help trying to figure out how to space our days. I know my parents can't spend ALL day on their feet. Also, we would love to catch some goo theatre/concerts in the evening. We were thinking about the river trip to Mount Vernon. We will pass on the Holocause Muesum (too sad). Oh, my parents enjoy nice shopping and eatting. Will Dupont Circle do or do we need to go to Georgetown? I wish we had a week!!! Anyway, I sure could use some help trying to figure this out! We are from California so this may be our only trip to Washington. Thanks so much!

dupont will be fine, you can always get a cab to georgetown. you will also be a bit far from the mall at dupont, but you have the metro right there, or a cab again... driving and parking near the monuments can be a hassle.

We went to DC last spring and stayed at Dupont Circle. There were four of us too, and we found it convenient and cost effective to take cabs everywhere.

I would definitely spend some time in Georgetown if you enjoy shopping. Since we had our two sons with us, we skipped the shopping and checked out the Georgetown campus and went to a lacrosse game there.

We took a "moonlight" tour of the monuments. I would recommend seeing them (except for the Washington Monument)at night, but I would not recommend a bus tour. Ours lasted much longer than it was supposed to, and we didn't enjoy getting back to the bus on time only to sit and wait for others. If you could rent a car and driver for a few hours, that would be perfect.

We enjoyed the Spy Museum; we were there two plus hours and could have stayed longer. Depending on when you plan to be there, you might want to purchase your tickets ahead of time. While you're in the area you might want to go to Ford's Theater (make sure it's open) and the National Archives. Then check out Jaleo for dinner.

Also if you want to go to the top of the Washington Monument, I would purchase those tickets online before your trip. Have your Representative get you tickets for a Capitol building tour (way before you go). We thought it was worthwhile to visit (and have lunch at) the Library of Congress while we were near the Capitol.

When you're visiting the Smithsonian's, have lunch at the the National Gallery of Art.

We dined at Obelisk near Dupont Circle and it was absolutely wonderful. Other restaurants we enjoyed were DC Coast and Johnny's Half Shell.

When I planned our itinerary, it was really helpful to group our activities and dining according to proximity. Also if I could get tickets in advance, I did that too. Everything will take you longer than you think it's going to!

If you want to do some really serious shopping, then plan to spend a few hours in Georgetown (take a quick cab - no metro there). Dining, however, is MUCH better in Dupont than in Georgetown. There are shopping opportunities in Dupont as well (just not as extensive as Georgetown shopping).

Go to washingtonpost.com in the arts&living section for exhaustive theater and concert listings. You can search the entertainment guide box by event type, dates, neighbohood, etc.

Plan on a few hours for each museum at a minimum. I personally think the National Gallery of Art is a don't miss. Contact your congressperson and both of your senators NOW to arrange a tour of thew Capitol.

It sounds like you have a full four days planned. Have a great time.

I highly recommend the tourmobile. For about $20, you can get on a Union Station and travel around most of the monuments and the mall area. During the ride, a tour guide will provide all sorts of information and anecdotes about the city. A day pass has unlimted on and off priveledges, so you can spend as much time as you like at each location. You can get more info at www.tourmobile.com. I live in SE Virginia. We use the tourmobile every time we have first time visitors to the city.

The spy museum is fun. However, there are quite a few stairs, so it might be tough on your parents.

The museum of American History is a must see. I could spend a whole day there. They just added Julie Child's kitchen and have a good temporary exhibit of Brown vs. the Board of Education.

For shopping, I recommend Pentegon City or Tysons Corner. Both have very nice upscale malls, surrounded by great dining. For fine dining in the city, I recommend Vidalia and Olives.

For a tour of the capital, you may want to check with your Senator. Security is tight, so they may be your ticket in.

Have a great trip.

Shari

We loved the trip up the Potomac to Mt. Vernon. It was a beautiful trip on a beautiful day. The down side is that it requires quite a bit of walking. We have also visited Mt. Vernon and entered from the front gate (we had a rental car) and there was not near as much walking. When you arrive at the dock on the river you walk through fields that replicate the gardens of Mt. Vernon and then to a beautiful barn where horses are used to remove the wheat grain from the plant. From there you have to climb many steps to get to the top of the hill and then walk to the mansion. The line can be long. Then you have to make this same walk in reverse to return to the dock. Depending on how long the line is at the mansion you may not have a lot of time to see the rest of the grounds.

From April through the fall Mount Vernon offers a shuttle bus from the barn area mlm59 mentions up the hill. It is only a short level walk from the shuttle stop to the house. The boat ride is relaxing and Mount Vernon is inspiring to visit.

I am so excited! Thanks for the info! It's going to be a great trip!

Which boat tour to get to Mt Vernon? Any preference?

rphsims, this thread is 4 months old.

If you're interested in getting info about the boat tours, you'll get better results if you post a new thread with a specific title.