Washington DC itinerary
Jul 19th, 2004, 09:26 AM
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Washington DC itinerary
To those of you who have done this before and all of you DC experts how does the below itinerary sound? Some of the sites have been locked in already either by our Congressperson or by personal booking. We are a family of four two adults, one 19 year old female, and one 12 year old male. Any and all opinions are welcomed and any possible suggestions for dining would be helpful too. Thanks in advance!
Fri, Jul 30
Arrive Dc @ 2:30pm via Amtrak from Union Station NY
Buy tickets for the WA by Night Monument Tour at Tourmobile kiosk in Union Station
Taxi to Radisson Barcelo in Dupont Circle for check-in
Metro Dupont Circle to Union Station for Dinner
Board Tourmobile for WA By Night Monument Tour
Tour Monuments
Metro Union Station to Dupont Circle
Sat, July 31st
Metro from Dupont circle to Metro Center
10am White House Tour & Visitor?s Center (booked)
DC Visitor?s Center (Ronald Reagan Bldg) for maps, Etc.
Old Post Office Pavilion-Clock Tower & Lunch
National Archives 2pm (booked)
Metro from Archives-Navy to Dupont Circle
Dinner in Dupont Circle
Sun, Aug 1st
Metro from Dupont Circle to Federal Triangle (
Natural Museum of American History
Walk to the Natural Art Gallery area for lunch (Cascade Café
Natural art Gallery
Walk to and tour Ford?s Theater and Petersen House
Walk to and tour Spy Museum (2:45pm tour booked)
Dinner around Spy Museum ESPN Zone ?
Metro Back to Dupont Circle
Mon, Aug 2nd
Metro from Dupont Circle to Smithsonian (Independence Ave)
Tour of Bureau of Engraving and Printing 8:15am (booked)
Breakfast Holocaust Café ?
Walk to WA Monument for 10:30am tour (booked)
Holocaust Museum 12pm-1:30pm (booked)
Walk to Smithsonian Metro. Metro to Capitol So.
Walk to Library of Congress for 2pm tour (booked)
Tue, Aug 3rd
Metro from Dupont Circle to Capitol So.
Capitol Tour 10:45am (booked)
Lunch 12:30-Tortilla Coast ?
Supreme Court Tour 1:45pm (booked)
Walk to the national Postal Museum
National Postal museum Tour 3pm
Metro from Union Station to Dupont Circle
Dinner in Dupont Circle
Metro from Dupont Circle to Arlington
Arlington Evening Tourmobile
Fri, Jul 30
Arrive Dc @ 2:30pm via Amtrak from Union Station NY
Buy tickets for the WA by Night Monument Tour at Tourmobile kiosk in Union Station
Taxi to Radisson Barcelo in Dupont Circle for check-in
Metro Dupont Circle to Union Station for Dinner
Board Tourmobile for WA By Night Monument Tour
Tour Monuments
Metro Union Station to Dupont Circle
Sat, July 31st
Metro from Dupont circle to Metro Center
10am White House Tour & Visitor?s Center (booked)
DC Visitor?s Center (Ronald Reagan Bldg) for maps, Etc.
Old Post Office Pavilion-Clock Tower & Lunch
National Archives 2pm (booked)
Metro from Archives-Navy to Dupont Circle
Dinner in Dupont Circle
Sun, Aug 1st
Metro from Dupont Circle to Federal Triangle (
Natural Museum of American History
Walk to the Natural Art Gallery area for lunch (Cascade Café
Natural art Gallery
Walk to and tour Ford?s Theater and Petersen House
Walk to and tour Spy Museum (2:45pm tour booked)
Dinner around Spy Museum ESPN Zone ?
Metro Back to Dupont Circle
Mon, Aug 2nd
Metro from Dupont Circle to Smithsonian (Independence Ave)
Tour of Bureau of Engraving and Printing 8:15am (booked)
Breakfast Holocaust Café ?
Walk to WA Monument for 10:30am tour (booked)
Holocaust Museum 12pm-1:30pm (booked)
Walk to Smithsonian Metro. Metro to Capitol So.
Walk to Library of Congress for 2pm tour (booked)
Tue, Aug 3rd
Metro from Dupont Circle to Capitol So.
Capitol Tour 10:45am (booked)
Lunch 12:30-Tortilla Coast ?
Supreme Court Tour 1:45pm (booked)
Walk to the national Postal Museum
National Postal museum Tour 3pm
Metro from Union Station to Dupont Circle
Dinner in Dupont Circle
Metro from Dupont Circle to Arlington
Arlington Evening Tourmobile
Jul 19th, 2004, 11:11 AM
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The itinary looks fine with the possible exception of Sunday Aug. 1. I think it will be a little tight trying to get all those places in before your 2:45 Spy Museum Tour. Also, you've got a lot of walking in plans. Given the heat and humidity consider taxis periodically. They're reletive cheap in DC with the way the "zone fares" work and you won' be so wiped out at the end of the day. Finally, rather than dinner at the ESPN Zone after the Spy Museum, consider Zola's (at the Spy museum, Rosa Mexicana (a reletively new restuarant in the area) or even Cafe Atlantico.
ON Aug. 2, you should definately "cab it" from the holocaust museum to the Library of Congress. Otherwise, it could be tight depending on the time it takes for you to get a subway train in non-rush hour.
ON Aug. 2, you should definately "cab it" from the holocaust museum to the Library of Congress. Otherwise, it could be tight depending on the time it takes for you to get a subway train in non-rush hour.
Jul 19th, 2004, 11:36 AM
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Your itinerary looks fantastic - you seem like a great planner. Also I agree w/ all of skipop's comments:
1)Aug 1 is tight - consider moving Nat. Hist to Monday after Lib. of Congress tour.
2) definately taxi from Holucaust Memerila Museum to - cabs are on plentiful on Independance Ave.
And I'll add a comment of my own:
3)July 30: Union station restaurants are OK but consider also eating close to one of the many great restaurtants close to your hotel BEFORE you metro to Union Station.
Restaurants:
Around ESPN: in addition to the good suggestions so far, also consider Zaytinya http://www.zaytinya.com/
or Jaleo http://www.jaleo.com/
The Holocaust Memorial meuseum cafe is fine (and really your ONLY option near the museum)
Totilla Coast is fine (again not too much to choose from right next to the Capitol Bldg although the congressional office building cafeterias are also very good (and because they are subsidised by your tax dollars - cheap) ask your tour guide.
1)Aug 1 is tight - consider moving Nat. Hist to Monday after Lib. of Congress tour.
2) definately taxi from Holucaust Memerila Museum to - cabs are on plentiful on Independance Ave.
And I'll add a comment of my own:
3)July 30: Union station restaurants are OK but consider also eating close to one of the many great restaurtants close to your hotel BEFORE you metro to Union Station.
Restaurants:
Around ESPN: in addition to the good suggestions so far, also consider Zaytinya http://www.zaytinya.com/
or Jaleo http://www.jaleo.com/
The Holocaust Memorial meuseum cafe is fine (and really your ONLY option near the museum)
Totilla Coast is fine (again not too much to choose from right next to the Capitol Bldg although the congressional office building cafeterias are also very good (and because they are subsidised by your tax dollars - cheap) ask your tour guide.
Jul 19th, 2004, 12:21 PM
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What kind of dining are you looking for? do you have price ranges in mind for the meals? There is a very good Spanish restaurant in the Radisson Barcelo; also across the street and about 1/2 block down to the left is a very good Thai restaurant. You may want to check out what is in Union Station when you arrive on July 30 to see if you're comfortable coming back there for dinner or grabbing something in the DuPont Circle area before you return to Union Station. There are both restaurants and a food court in Union Station but I think much of the food court closes up pretty early (I may be wrong on this).
I second the suggestions of Cafe Atlantico, Jaleo, Zantinya as possible places to dine on the 1st after the Spy Museum. You are also not that far from Chinatown at that point so it would be an easy walk to some places there.
On the 2nd it looks like you will be having breakfast around 9:00 or so and then no time to eat again till after the Library of Congress tour??? A possible place after the LC tour is Il Radicchio which is one or two blocks down Pennsylvania Ave from the Library of Congress. It can be a relatively good priced meal for a family if you stick to the all you can eat pasta with sauce (but I warn that cost can go up quickly if you venture from that). Basically you get all the pasta you can eat for something like $6.00/person and then pay for the sauces. If, like my family, two or three people can share one bowl of sauce, it's a good price. If, however, yours is a family likes to pile on the sauce (as many people do) then this may not work. There is also a cafe in the Library of Congress building as well.
I second the suggestions of Cafe Atlantico, Jaleo, Zantinya as possible places to dine on the 1st after the Spy Museum. You are also not that far from Chinatown at that point so it would be an easy walk to some places there.
On the 2nd it looks like you will be having breakfast around 9:00 or so and then no time to eat again till after the Library of Congress tour??? A possible place after the LC tour is Il Radicchio which is one or two blocks down Pennsylvania Ave from the Library of Congress. It can be a relatively good priced meal for a family if you stick to the all you can eat pasta with sauce (but I warn that cost can go up quickly if you venture from that). Basically you get all the pasta you can eat for something like $6.00/person and then pay for the sauces. If, like my family, two or three people can share one bowl of sauce, it's a good price. If, however, yours is a family likes to pile on the sauce (as many people do) then this may not work. There is also a cafe in the Library of Congress building as well.
Jul 19th, 2004, 12:46 PM
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Thank you skipop, bardo,and Louiseee for your suggestions. We knew Aug 1st would be tight so the suggestion of doing the Nat. His. Museum after the Library of Congress sounds better. Restaurant suggestions also sound great and I have no problem axing ESPN Zone. Will remember to "taxi it" from Holocaust Museum. Thanks, thanks and more thanks!
Jul 19th, 2004, 02:22 PM
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You do know that American History Museum and the Natural History Museum are two different Smithsonian museums, don't you? In your itinerary for August 1, you used the word "Natural" in 3 different places where I think you probably meant "National."
Overall, your itinerary seems very crammed with pre-scheduled tours.
Overall, your itinerary seems very crammed with pre-scheduled tours.
Jul 19th, 2004, 02:39 PM
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I concur with the prior posts. I lived in Dupont for four+ years and would definitely recommend eating in that neighborhood over any places in Union Square or otherwise.
For a quick breakfast (continental), try Firehook bakery in Dupont Circle. If you are there for brunch, Bistro du Coin is a great little french bistro or try Kramerbooks Cafe. We were partial to Annie's Steakhouse for greasy, diner-type breakfast as well (on 17th St near R). You can also get breakfast at the Whole Foods on P street.
For moderately priced restaurants in Dupont, you can't go wrong with Thaiphoon for Thai or Levante's for middle eastern. Further up toward Adams Morgan is the great Tex Mex Lauriol Plaza (lots of outdoor seating, but often crowded).
For pricier meals, try Etrusco for Italian (half-orders of pasta can be placed as a cost-saving measure). For a very nice meal out, you would want to hit Tabard Inn just off 17th and near the National Geographic Museum. This is probably my favorite restaurant in Dupont, if not DC, and is well worth the cost, although it is still more affordable than Kinkeads (also fabulous) or other similar restuarants.
If you are in DC on a Sunday and want to treat yourself to the best brunch in time, try to get a reservation at Georgia Brown's. You can reserve on opentable.com.
Finally, try to keep 2 hours free for most museums. Some might require more time to do them justice. For the National Gallery, make sure you visit when the tower is open to see the Matisse cut-outs - they're really beautiful.
For a quick breakfast (continental), try Firehook bakery in Dupont Circle. If you are there for brunch, Bistro du Coin is a great little french bistro or try Kramerbooks Cafe. We were partial to Annie's Steakhouse for greasy, diner-type breakfast as well (on 17th St near R). You can also get breakfast at the Whole Foods on P street.
For moderately priced restaurants in Dupont, you can't go wrong with Thaiphoon for Thai or Levante's for middle eastern. Further up toward Adams Morgan is the great Tex Mex Lauriol Plaza (lots of outdoor seating, but often crowded).
For pricier meals, try Etrusco for Italian (half-orders of pasta can be placed as a cost-saving measure). For a very nice meal out, you would want to hit Tabard Inn just off 17th and near the National Geographic Museum. This is probably my favorite restaurant in Dupont, if not DC, and is well worth the cost, although it is still more affordable than Kinkeads (also fabulous) or other similar restuarants.
If you are in DC on a Sunday and want to treat yourself to the best brunch in time, try to get a reservation at Georgia Brown's. You can reserve on opentable.com.
Finally, try to keep 2 hours free for most museums. Some might require more time to do them justice. For the National Gallery, make sure you visit when the tower is open to see the Matisse cut-outs - they're really beautiful.
Jul 19th, 2004, 02:52 PM
#8
I agree that Dupont Circle restaurants are better than almost anything Union Station has to offer. But don't the evening monument tours start around 7:30? Might just be easier to sacrifice culinary superiority for convenience and grab something at Union Station.
Jul 19th, 2004, 03:26 PM
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Anonymous, I will agree with you that our "itinerary seems very crammed with pre-scheduled tours" but since our time is limited we are taking the "When in Rome" mode of thinking when visiting our Nation's Capitol. Nothing is engraved in stone and if we choose to skip things great. We have spend many vacations relaxing here and abroad and we know that this vacation may be a faster pace. With that said, what would you suggest?
Jul 19th, 2004, 03:38 PM
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re Saturday:
The White House tour will take less than a half hour. If you go to the Old Post Office and DC visitor center first, you may have time to see a Smithsonian Museum prior to the National Archives.
However, you can't bring anything into the White House. You will have to leave cameras, cell phones, purses, beepers, etc in the motel. This will require another metro ride of you want them for the remainder of the day.
The White House tour will take less than a half hour. If you go to the Old Post Office and DC visitor center first, you may have time to see a Smithsonian Museum prior to the National Archives.
However, you can't bring anything into the White House. You will have to leave cameras, cell phones, purses, beepers, etc in the motel. This will require another metro ride of you want them for the remainder of the day.
Jul 20th, 2004, 03:08 AM
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Well, amesinc, let me start by saying that my family like busy vacations, we've taken 6 vacations in DC, my daughter will start college there in the fall, and we have never taken a scheduled tour of anything. The US system of government is wonderful, but we have no interest in touring the big office buildings that administer it. Your tightly-scheduled Monday with 4 appointments just isn't our style!
Your vacation is skipping most of the excellent Smithsonian museums which house national treasures and which are free and unscheduled; likewise, the zoo, which technically is part of the Smithsonian. You've scheduled a tour of the Postal Museum, which is unnecessary; does the National Archives tour show you things you can't see on your own?
We've enjoyed walks through historic Georgetown, the National Botanic Garden and the Folger Shakespeare Library (both are right near the Capitol), and the Building Museum (not far from the Postal Museum). (We also enjoyed the FBI, but it's closed.) Washington is so much more than government operations!
How long does the (possibly unnecessary) NationalArchives tour last? You have nothing scheduled after that on Saturday, except dinner, so you might want to look into visiting the Natural History museum afterwards; it's nearby and IIRC it's one of the few Smthsonians that has extended summer evening hours (otherwise, they all close at 5:30).
You should contact Ford's Theatre to make sure they aren't using the theatre on Sunday afternoon for a rehearsal or performance, because then you'd just have access to the museum in the basement. The ranger talk in the theatre is excellent.
Your vacation is skipping most of the excellent Smithsonian museums which house national treasures and which are free and unscheduled; likewise, the zoo, which technically is part of the Smithsonian. You've scheduled a tour of the Postal Museum, which is unnecessary; does the National Archives tour show you things you can't see on your own?
We've enjoyed walks through historic Georgetown, the National Botanic Garden and the Folger Shakespeare Library (both are right near the Capitol), and the Building Museum (not far from the Postal Museum). (We also enjoyed the FBI, but it's closed.) Washington is so much more than government operations!
How long does the (possibly unnecessary) NationalArchives tour last? You have nothing scheduled after that on Saturday, except dinner, so you might want to look into visiting the Natural History museum afterwards; it's nearby and IIRC it's one of the few Smthsonians that has extended summer evening hours (otherwise, they all close at 5:30).
You should contact Ford's Theatre to make sure they aren't using the theatre on Sunday afternoon for a rehearsal or performance, because then you'd just have access to the museum in the basement. The ranger talk in the theatre is excellent.
Jul 20th, 2004, 10:36 AM
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Thanks to all of you above for the many suggestions. We have "tweeked" our schedule and will probably continue to even while in DC. We are looking forward to our visit and all your assistance helped. Thanks again.
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