Wow, that was so much fun looking at all the Restaurant web sites! I am hungry now.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions, of course if you forgot any don't hesitate to add to the list.

I emailed all the links to my Aunt to see if she would like to pick any of them. This is going to be so much fun.

thereyet

"Women in Military Service to America Memorial"

sarge56, we stayed there for about 3 hours and I and my SO, got into a very nice conversation and they showed us some extra taped footage of his era.

I also bought a very nice carry bag from them. The day was ice sleeting, but even with the shelter we got there, it was one of my SO's and mine too, favorite parts of the Arlington phase of our trip. We also viewed the fallen (Iraq) there-as their pictures were all on display from the beginning of the war to 2005.

I have talked and em'd with all my congress members offices and they are very receptive to my requests.

I can see a lot of time getting booked up already, between special tours, breakfasts and town hall meetings with my Congress members. This is going to be a blast!

thereyet

I think it is in a tie for my favorite city vacation, tied with San Diego for entirely different reasons.

I'm going to do another week again with some of the grandchildren in 2009, I think.

Have a great time. There is way, way more to do than you could fit into such a time span.

Read my long report here, with $22 in the title, if you want some more ideas.

Thanks JJ, as I said, I already feel my time booking up and I have only been planning for two days!

Dang, I am now staring to think of the things I WON'T get to do!

thereyet

Has anyone mentioned that you should NOT MISS the National Archives (I hope I'm not adding to your misery LOL!)? It is just a really incredible thing to see an actual copy of the Declaration of Independence. When we took our kids the first time (probably 15 years ago, it wasn't even in the hermetically sealed, raise it up once an hour contraption that they later put it in for safety (from people and pollution). Regardless, it's a must-see.

dmlove, it is a misery of joy! LOL:)

I seem to be confusing library of congress with national archives. Do the Archives require a ticket? Or do they require reservations? Or both?

You are correct that I would be thrilled to see the Declaration, Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

thereyet

thereyet, the Archives are the biggest absolute bottom line must see, to me. And I think the Jefferson Building, Library of Congress, Reading room is #2. But then I am prejudice.

It isn't just the Dec. of Independence but all those all yellowed papers, and the walls. And the people there were International. We spent a full 2 hours, and I thought it was about a 1 hour draw.

Even in a snowstorm, it was the only place that still had a "proper" amount of customers. No ticket, that I can remember.

Here is some info re visiting the National Archives in DC

http://www.archives.gov/nae/visit/

The website says reservations are recommended.

http://www.archives.gov/nae/visit/reserved-visits.html

I went there twice - once on Memorial Day and once on a October afternoon. There was a wait on MD but not on October. I don't think that reservations are essential. If you make them but don't show up, nothing will happen. There isn't a booking fee like the Holocaust Museum (I think they have one)

<<Women in Military Service to America Memorial"

sarge56, we stayed there for about 3 hours and I and my SO, got into a very nice conversation and they showed us some extra taped footage of his era...it was one of my SO's and mine too, favorite parts of the Arlington phase of our trip>>

JJ5- so glad you enjoyed it! One more reason for thereyet to get there. :) :) :)

Thanks for the link vjp. :)

JJ5, it is with reverence that I will visit the National Archives.

thereyet

Now Paula...how will I know which Paula you are as a charter member? What questions will I ask to see your story?

thereyet

email me: [email protected]
:)

Do you remember the 12th General Order? ;)

I will walk my post from flank to flank, and take no spit from any rank.

Oorah!

You got mail Sarge.

thereyet

Topping

You definitely do NOT want to rent a car with that location. You are within easy walking distance of the red line on the metro at Woodley Park. Especially if your aunt is willing to drive you around I would forget the car. Also, it can be very hot and humid in early June so please do not be surprised if it is! I would recommend avoiding the outdoor monuments until the evening when the temperature cools off (it never cools off in July and August, even at night) and even better, do the monuments at night. Spend the days inside the museums. If you get a nice, not humid day, grab it to do the zoo or some other outdoor activity and do not assume you will get another nice not humid day! :-)

laminmd

I lived in the DC/Baltimore area one summer, and if memory served me correctly, the heat and humidity usually comes end of June/early July. Early June was usually warm and dry and very nice, with temps in the 80s in the day and 60s at night.

I do agree that July/August can be another story, but June was quite pleasant (to me) in DC. Of course, I'm a Southerner, so my heat tolerance may be a bit higher than yours...

Hi bkluvsNola,

I would say that you lucked out the one summer you lived in this area. Based on my 45 years of experience here, I can tell you that it is very normal to have more hot, humid days in June than not. Therefore, to avoid disappointment, visitors should prepare for the worst and be pleasantly surprised when it is not humid. :-)

Definitely will not rent a car.And have my fingers crossed for the less humid "rarity". I grew up in Chicago where humidity was a part of the lexicon. Now live in N.Ca. where we don't know humidity...unless it is raining. :)

On another topic, my aunt has recommended the Spy Museum and now I hear of the opening of the Newseum. Any views on these two museums?

Thanks for all your help.

thereyet

I agree with laminmd on the humidity issue - not uncommon at all for it to get very uncomfortably humid at that time of year. Last year I had a friend visiting the first week of June, and it was very hot and humid during her visit - we did the monuments at night around 9:00 and were still sweating buckets.

I think the Spy Museum is enjoyable - it is not one of the Smithsonian museums, so there is an admission fee. I would suggest getting tickets in advance as they are for timed entrances. If you are in the neighborhood, Zaytinya and Jaleo are great restaurant choices, and Poste and Zola (which is in the same building and associated with the museum) are nice places for a cocktail.

The Newseum (also not part of the Smithsonian) is opening tomorrow! What I've been reading about it sounds fantastic, and I am looking forward to visiting. I would check their website to see if you can secure tickets in advance, since I would guess it will be very popular for the next few months.

I guess I was lucky with the weather then, huh?

Having grown up and lived in hot and humid climates most of my life, let me offer some advice. The early morning will offer up cooler temperatures than the late evening. Generally, the lowest temperature is right before sunrise, so doing the monuments bright and early at 8 AM would be cooler than 9 PM. The reason why is (note: meteorology lesson to follow) during hot and humid weather, the high for the day is usually around 5 PM and although the sun is down around 9 PM, the temperature has not decreased that much due to the humidity keeping the heat in. In much the same way, the cooler humid morning air takes longer to warm up, so you have a window (albeit small) when you can still enjoy the monuments. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about. The temperature will be much cooler at 8AM than 9PM in humidity.

Hi thereyet,

You also originally asked about seasonal events. One of the biggest is on Saturday, June 7th - the Race for the Cure.

Downtown DC will be packed that day with runners and people watching the race. It might be nice for your son to see thousands of people in a charity event raising money for a great cause! But, if not, you may want to plan that day to be zoo/cathedral day (or whatever else you have planned away from downtown.

bookmarking

Hi bkluvsnola, it is a good thing I am an early riser but...it will probably be my coffee and newspaper time as my family is NOT. LOL!

kaudry, I am guessing this is a really big race? Do you know how many people participate? We have these races for good causes all the time in the SF Bay Area so it wouldn't be of particular interest but it is good to know that is going on and I have to admit I am not thrilled to learn about it. Saturday is going to be a big day for sight seeing as my wife won't be busy with her conference. Any other suggestions besides the zoo for that day downtown?

thereyet

Hey, Semper Fi Bear..I just saw this thread.

Yes to the Spy Museum and probably the Newsmuseum, too.

Are you still looking for places to eat? Old Ebbitt is good but for dinner definitely think about reservations (they can be done through OpenTable.com)

What kind of food do you like? For Italian you can also try Filomena in Georgetown if you are in that neighborhood.

For more of a dress-up dinner the 1789 in Georgetown is great...
I could name many more.
You might also consider seeing the Korean Conflict memorial, especially at night as well as the FDR Memorial which employs lots of water features and isn't all that far from the Viet Nam and Lincoln memorials.

And I am certain you are going to want to at least look at the Iwo (assume you've eben before)...and yes it could be muggy by that time.

Let us know when you'll be here for sure..perhaps we could organize some sort of impromtu GTG which I would really enjoy.

Oops..sorry..just realized you will be here first week in June..where are you guys staying?

Semper Fi Dukey, We are staying at the Omni Shoreham Hotel. From the website it looks great! I gather from your Oooops, that means you will be out of town? If so, I am sorry I will miss you.

Thanks for your recommendations, any other advice is surely welcome.

I am planning on a visit to Arlington for sure and will check out the Women in Military Service Mem. at Sarge's recommendation.

Thanks for popping in on this thread!

thereyet

Oh, and being an SF Bay Area res, I like ALL kinds of food. Ethnic, traditional, Euro, Japanese, on and on and on...

thereyet

Reviving this..nope, will actually be here in Arlington during that period...let us know if there's any other info you need.

laminmd,

I hate to prove you wrong, but here goes. Based on yahoo forecast, the temp for DC today is high of 80, low of 64. I would not call that hot at all, and it is now the first week of June.

It will get up to 90 by Wednesday, but back down to 82 by Friday. Hardly unbearable in any aspect.

Like I said before, and it still stands: the extreme heat and humidity does not hit DC until July/August.

Having lived a long time in DC and then long times elsewhere, I can say that you get used to the humidity in DC, and June is ALWAYS more clement than July and August. But outsiders notice the humidity first, and for them, that means it's hot.

Lived for a while in western NY, where people put shorts on when it reaches 60 and complain bitterly when it's more than 82 out. When they came to visit me once I moved to DC, I realized how relative things are when I thought it was a lovely day (80 degrees, with a breeze) and they were gasping from the humidity.

Cassandra,

I live in Texas where it's been highs approaching 100 and lows approaching 80 for a week now and no signs of abating, and it's only June!

I would love a high of 80 and low of 64. In fact, I would call that a cool day.

thereyet- WHERE IS YOUR TRIP REPORT??? :)