DeeDee, I'm asking for your input because your trip just about mirrors ours for next week. Including the same hotel. And if anyone else has any comments, please feel free to pass them along. I posted a message earlier regarding taking pictures around DC. DeeDee was nice enough to let me know that pictures were restricted in certain places. My question is, if they don't let us take pictures, what do I do with the camera? Do they let me keep it with me? And it looks like maybe rain, so what about umbrellas? Are there lockers or a storage area? Thanks again for everyone's help.

I live in DC and haven't seen the post you are referring to, but have a few bits of general advice/comments:

1) it is raining now and rains in DC quite a bit in general, all year long. It is always a good idea to take an umbrella with you to such an area. I would never come to DC without one. Of course you can buy one on street corners in some areas if you need one.
2) Most places that have photo restrictions do not remove your camera from you, you just aren't allowed to take photos.

Seashell,

The only place where they actually took the camera was in the House and Senate chambers. They check everything you have on you there, place your belongings in a plastic bin and give you a number to claim your things when you come out of the House/Senate galleries. I had an agenda for the day that my congressman had just given me and I asked if I could please keep that with me so I could follow the proceedings on the House floor. No go! I was a bit surprised by this!

Everywhere else they would simply ask that you not take pictures. Actually the only other place that I remember a picture restriction was in the Supreme Court chambers. Most everywhere they do permit picture-taking. Be sure to bring your camera with you to Congress because the Capitol building is a sight to behold and you are only restricted, camera-wise, in the galleries of the House and Senate.

As far as rain is concerned, it rained nearly every afternoon we were in DC in early June. That's a hard, soaking rain I'm talking about! In fact, we brought food into our room at the Embassy Suites several nights because we didn't want to go out in the heavy rain. My daughter and I got completely soaked one afternoon walking back from the Lincoln Memorial. We waited under an overhang of a building for at least a half hour hoping for a brief respite from the rain that was literally a torrential downpour. Finally we gave up the wait and ran the last 2 blocks and we were completely soaked. After that we took the umbrellas with us everywhere. We're from the West Coast and the East Coast weather will creep up on you very quickly. Consider yourself forewarned and be sure to bring along a small, travel umbrella. I bought a couple inexpensive travel umbrellas (under $5 apiece) for our trip from Wal-mart. We carried one backpack each day with the 2 umbrellas and bottles of water for the family. They will check your backpack, security-wise, every building you enter, but that arrangement worked well for us. Everything went in the one backpack, maps, trip notes, etc.

Incidentally, a few buildings do not permit the water (guess they think you might be bringing in gasoline?). The Capitol makes you throw away your water bottles. The White House Visitors Ctr. had us pour out our water in the gutter outside, then we could bring in the empty plastic bottles and fill them from their refrigerated water fountain! Worked for me, the cold water was great!

BTW, our favorite restaurant just around the corner from the Embassy Suites was a great Chinese food place called Mei Wai. We picked up take out from them 2 nights in a row (in the driving rain!!). If you try it, let me know how you enjoy it.

Seashell,

Just remembered one more recommendation. Be sure to take a picture with Einstein at his statue. It's a bit tucked away, but not too hard to find. It's just off Constitution Ave., across the street from the Viet Vets Memorial, in front of the Nat. Academy of Sciences. I'm sure someone else can supply the exact street coordinates.

Enjoy your trip! Post again if you have any other questions. I still have all my trip notes.

DeeDee I'm so glad to see your attitude about checking items and water bottles. I know there are some that will get all upset about having to do so. And this is not tongue in cheek. I truly am glad there are some that do understand the need for security.

Boy it's nice to see pleasant attitudes like this.!!

Just thought you'd like to know that the White House has re-opened for tours BUT you have to have a reservation. You can probably do this through your congressman or check the white house site. I believe that it's www.whitehouse.gov. you can actually reach each government agency by using the name.gov.

Yes, we've been going through a terribly rainy time here but last year we were going through a drought - so who knows. Hope you enjoy your visit and you get to see all you wish.

Thanks everyone! I hope our trip goes well especially with Isabel out there. It looks like it may come in right when we arrive. I live close to Houston, so at least I'll know what to expect. My best wishes to everyone on the east coast. Let's all hope this thing fizzles out or heads out to sea.

White House tours to the public start Sept. 16. You have to make arrangements through your congressman. The White House website is www.whitehouse.gov. Take careful note of that. Once when I was at work, I accidentally typed in www.whitehouse.com (instead of gov) and got a porn site!