I just re-did my planned itinerary as I decided to not drive to Florida next year after all.

Our new plan:
Sunday (6/22)
Amtrak from Hartford to DC (get into DC about 1:30 - if on time)

Check into Hotel and then take the Tourmobile to Arlington Cemetery. Once we leave the cemetery, we will walk around Roosevelt Island. Do whatever else we feel like around the city.

Monday 6/23
Smithsonian
Air and Space Museum
American History
Natural History Museum - maybe
DC Night Tour - Should we do the trolley tour or the coach tour?

Tuesday 6/24
White House
Washington Monument
WW2 Memorial
Jefferson Memorial
Supreme Court
US Capital
Red Sox @ Nationals Game

Wednesday 6/25
Washington Zoo - may not spend much time other than to see the pandas
Make up from Tuesday (whatever we don't make it to)
Red Sox @ Nationals Game

Thursday 6/26
National Archives
Holocaust Museum
Red Sox @ Nationals Game

Friday 6/27
Amtrak home to Hartford - late afternoon so we will be able to do something in the morning. This may turn out to be Arlington Cemetery if we get in later than anticipated

Does my new schedule seem reasonable or still too tight? I have started playing with hotels but am not going to book anything yet (unless they are not pre-paid)

Seems reasonable, as long as you have plenty of energy! It was smart to leave the better part of Wednesday as a "make-up" day -- without that I'd say Tuesday seemed a bit tight. As far as the White House, keep in mind that tours have to be requested a month or more in advance through your member of Congress, so if you want to go inside, you'll need to arrange that in the spring sometime. If you're just doing a walk-by, then that's nothing to worry about.

On Monday, when you say "Smithsonian....Air and Space....American History Museum....maybe Natural History", what do you mean by "smithsonian", which encompasses all of the others (and more). I think just the Air and Space and American History Museum could easily take the better part of the day, especially if you want time to rest before the game.

That was a copy / paste formatting issue from Excel. We are planning on just the Air and Space then the American History Museum. If we still have time and the desire to, we will go into the Natural History.

For the White House, we are just planning on a walk-by at this point but may change our mind. Is there a minimum # of people needed for a tour?

No minimum. You're just reserving your spot, assuming one is available.

tchoiniere, you may want to read my D.C. trip report. It is very long but might give you some ideas.

While in Baltimore last year for baseball, we also meet several Chicagoans- they too were doing the DC and baseball thing- and taking the train between.

This year I'm going to Cincinnati and probably either Seattle or Texas.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...=JJ5&fid=1

Sorry, that link didn't work- only put you on my page of responses and not on the link of that one post.

It's the one I ttt'd with $22 Value in the title.

We have other vacations since and yet I think that one was the most fun. And it was in cold February weather, but I think we actually did more, not less- because of the lack of crowds.

Thanks. That trip report will definitely help me.

Enjoy Safeco when you go. Haven't been to Texas yet. Definitely one of my favorites. I didn't like Cincinatti's stadium but that was probably due to me trying to compare it to Pittsburgh (was there the night before and loved it). It just felt really boring.

I haven't been to Pittsburgh's but my son and his friend have and just loved that one too.

So far my favorite is Baltimore's. I like the Cell, but there are features of Baltimore's that could have been done at ours and weren't- especially upon the entry route getting into the stadium proper.

There's two or three I have to do again because the old one is gone, like St. Louis.