If you had just a half day of shopping in Washington, DC.....?
 

I have a whirlwind trip to DC for meetings in a couple of weeks and looking at my schedule, I think I may only have a half day for shopping. I've been to DC before (maybe 10 years ago, then 10 years before that) if that makes a difference.

If you only had a half day for shopping, where would you go? Pentagon City, or Georgetown? Or...? If I can sneak some extra time for shopping, I'll try, but I also wanted to check out at least one walking tour.

That's easy: Georgetown.

Definitely Georgetown

cool! It's...er...uninimous!

Depends on what you're looking for though. Georgetown is great but it's all chain stores. For more independent boutiques I'd go with Old Town Alexandria.

Hey, that wasn't a choice!
good 1 tho

But unless you want tchochkas, there isn't much to buy in Old Town.

Skip the shopping and do the walking tour - or perhaps take in one of our better restaurants. There's nothing you can buy in Washington, D.C. that you can't buy anywhere else in the U.S.

Shade

All chain stores in Georgetown? Nay I say- I have a silk jacket that came from a splendid boutique.

I'd say Old Town Alex too. However if you want to stay in D.C. I'd suggest the Old Post Office building that has some neat eateries, souvenir stores and entertainment during lunch and then after that you could walk on up to JW Marriott The Shops which isn't too far up from the Old Post Office - about 15th and Pennsylvania? Use to work around that area for the FBI long ago and this is where I go whenever I come back to D.C. to visit.

skipping shopping is actually not an option since that's my job...plus, unfortunately Hawaii does not yet have all chain stores like Crate & Barrel, Victoria's Secret, Express, Urban Outfitters....Old Town & the Post Office sound interesting from a tourist standpoint, though, so maybe I should break up my shopping time. Thanks!

Then G-town is a good choice, Melissa. A lot of stores you won't find at a traditional mall. Recently, some high-end boutiques--liike Barney's Co-op--has come to G-town.

Will you have a car? Go to Tyson's Corner Mall and Tyson's Galleria across the street from it. It's not far from Dulles Airport.

If shopping is your job, Tyson's Corner is by far the largest and most varied concentration of upscale stores in the area. If I were coming from Hawaii (and I used to live there), it's where I would head for megashopping.

Tyson's Corner has almost every chain store you can think of and there is a Nieman Marcus, Saks and very, very high end boutiques at the Galleria across the street. Tiffany and Hermes etc in another center across the street from that too.

Bethesda is another good shopping option which you can reach by Metro.

Pentagon City is pretty good mall at a Metro stop. Georgetown has quite a few chain stores and would do if that's the only place you have time for and you'd like to do a historic walking tour.

I wouldn't consider Alexandria for serious personal shopping. Lot's of art knicknacks etc. and not many clothing stores.

Second for Tysons Corner

nope, no car.

hey, this thread is pretty useful! I'm going to forward it to another friend who will also be in DC around the same time. I don't think she'll have much time for shopping, either....

Tyson's Corner is the ultimate place for variety of chain type stores in the DC/MD/VA metro area but if you don't have a car and are staying in DC then Pentagon City would be the way to go for serious shopping. Don't get me wrong... Georgetown is a great area and is fun to shop in but for me it has always been more of a stroll along and wander in and out of stores kind of place when you aren't looking for anything in particular. If you want to do "power" shopping and can't get to Tyson's Corner then go to Pentagon City.

On of my favorite stores in DC is Kindred Spirits.
They have a store at Reagan National Airport and Pentagon Row, right behind the mall. If you do find yourself in the area eat at Thaiphoon. It is amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!