Washington DC Must see in April
 

We will be visiting Washington DC in mid April for 4-5 days. We will be most likely driving. Planning to visit the Mall, Botanical garden, National Cathedral, Mount Vernon, Old Alexandria, National Zoo and Georgetown. What are some other must-see sites for two adults in their 40’s (no kids). I know that the White House is closed to visitors. My husband would like to take the FBI tour, but not sure if it is still available. Any food representative of DC? We would like to take a river cruise, but have only found cruises that offer lunch or dinner-we simply want to sight-see-any suggestions. Any hotel suggestions-under $150 night. Thanks.

I thought the Grey Line Bus tour was great. We got on and off a few times, but mostly stayed on the get the lay of the land and saw things we wouldn't have otherwise. It goes to all the impt. sites. The Metro is very easy to use to go back later to sites you saw on the bus. <BR><BR>Depending on what you like, the Smithsonian has terrific museums. My favorite is the National Gallery of Art and American History Museum. Try to see the Roosevelt Monument if you can. The monuments are especially pretty at night. If you take the bus tour it goes to Arlington Cemetary and the theater where Lincoln was shot among the others on your list.<BR><BR>Its a great city for food also. Enjoy.

Check the Washington Post for when the Cherry Blossoms are out. This is not to be missed.<BR><BR>The Franciscan Monastery out in NE is quite unusual, and there are hillsides of Azaleas then.

Cherry blossoms will probably be gone by mid-April. Peak bloom time is for about five days, usually in the first week of April. The 2003 Festival is March 22 to April 7, with the parade on April 5. For details see http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/<BR><BR>For schedules of exibitions at museums, consult their websites:<BR>National Gallery of Art www.nga.gov, Smithsonian (14 museums) www.si.edu,<BR>Corcoran Galelry www.corcoran.org, <BR>Phillips Collection www.phillipscollection.org.<BR><BR>As for the FBI tour, I think it is closed for now, but the website fbi.gov should have current info as your dates approach. Contact your congressional representatives for tickets to the White House and the FBI in case they resume public tours.

If you want a river cruise without a meal, and you want to go to Mount Vernon, I highly recommend a river cruise that goes to Mount Vernon out of Old Town Alexandria. It's the Potomac Riverboat Company and their site is potomacriverboatco.com. There's a nice narration of the sights you pass while on your way to Mount Vernon. The only downside is that you don't have the freedom of staying at Mount Vernon for a long time; I think you get 1-2 hours before the boat leaves. But we didn't feel rushed and loved the trip.

We did a narrated river ride last May from Alexandria to Georgetown, and I think the cost was about $19 each. You could visit Georgetown and return on a later boat if you got tickets when disembarking. We enjoyed (maybe the wrong emotion) the Holocaust Museum. Have visited the Arlington House, the one-time Robert E Lee home located in Arlington Cemetary, and also the Building Museum across the street from the Judiciary Sq Metro stop. Also did some walking tours with a group called &quot;Washington Walks&quot;.<BR><BR>We stayed over in Arlington at the Quality Inn Iwo Jima, walking distance to the Rosslyn Metro stop. Closer hotels would have been Holiday Inn, Hyatt, or BW Key Bridge, but not for &lt;$70. Qual Inn parking was free, but we were carless. The year before we had a car, and stayed at Red Roof Inn Laurel, MD for $45 and did the 10 min drive to Greenbelt Metro Station, where there was plenty of parking, but takes about 1/2 hr to ride to the main area of DC. <BR><BR>Earlier this month I stated at Red Roof Inn in DC near MCI Center, 1 block from GalleryPlace Metro stop, and found it more than satisfactory. We do not tend to return to hotel during the day, so as long as we can be close to a Metro station, that's ok with us.<BR><BR>

A word of caution: try to avoid visitng DC the week before and the week after Easter Sunday. Lots of school field trips are going on in DC at that time and they usually hog up any chances of getting into many of the sights.

I think you've got the basics on sightseeing, assuming when you say the Mall you mean you will go to some of the museums around it that you are particularly interested in. The Mall itself isn't anything much to visit, although the vistas can be nice. Some other things I've liked: Library of Congress, Building Museum, Phillips Collection, Dumbarton Oaks, and just walking around the White HOuse or Dupont Circle areas. I might wander around Adams Morgan if I were looking for nightlife or a restaurant, but don't find it that interesting in itself, otherwise.<BR><BR>I also enjoyed seeing the Capitol Building and viewing the Senate for a while from the gallery, in session (but you had to wait in line for that a while, it wasn't too bad--definitely a DC experience if you are interested in politics and government).<BR><BR>I took the FBI tour many years ago just for fun with a friend, and it was fun for a short visit, but we didn't have to wait in any line for it. I don't know if it's available now.<BR><BR>I don't think of DC as having its own cuisine in any way, but there are lots of good restaurants with any type you want. I suppose one might say crab cakes as the closest, but that's really from Maryland (and I don't eat them often enough, or like them enough, to even know when that is fresh, as I prefer crab from the Pacific NW).

Thanks for the info everyone!

Assuming you are US citizens, contact your US Rep's office and get tickets to see Capitol. They offer same-day stand-in-line-for-tickets admission now, but can avoid that by contacting your Rep. You might even get a private tour by someone from their office (we did, but it was August and summer interns were looking for something to do.) In any case, the inside of the building is impressive.<BR><BR>You might like Spy Museum (one of few things not run by govt. and so admission is not free).

Regarding restaurant recommendations:, he current issue of Washingtonian Magazine has DC's 100 Best Restaurants as its cover story. Pick up a copy or check out the website for extensive dining opportunities.

Also consider adding the Postal Museum (across thestreet from Union Station) and the Holocaust Museum to your list.

ttt

The view from the tower of the Old Post Office (near the FBI bldg.) is superb. Consider using the Blue Trolley (tickets available at Union Station). This takes you the closest you can get to all the major monuments. Excellent idea if anyone in your party doesn't have the stamina they once did. Union Station itself is architecturally beautiful. The shops are pricey but fun.

I think the Phillips Collection is temporarily closed while they remodel. The art is traveling the country.

The Phillips collection is open. There are always some works out on loan, just as Phillips's special exhibits include works borrowed from eslewhere. The current special exhibit, Pierre Bonnard, closes Jan. 19, 2003, to be followed by other exhibits. Check the website for authoritative information.

Thanks for the suggestions! We are planning on the week of April 7 -after the crowds of the Cherry Blossom Festival but before the Easter Holidays and schoolkids. Hopefully the cherry blossoms will still be blooming. We are definitely considering the trolley or tourmobile for the first full day to view the monuments and Arlington Cem. Hopefully they are worth the money. Kris: Potomac Riverboats sounds good for Mt Vernon and the time limit shouldn't be a problem. We will be view the city from the Old Post Office rather than Washington monument to avoid waiting in a huge line. Where is the best place to stay for a reasonable (less than $150/night) priced room??-out in the suburbs is okay if the commute on the metro is fast otherwise we would prefer to be close to the monuments and museums. Also considered Georgetown but I thought I read that there is not a Metro station there. May try Priceline-has anyone booked DC hotels with them? Thanks for your help!

Emma - don't completely rule out Georgetown due to no Metro. Check http://www.georgetowndc.com/shuttle_stops.php for where the Georgetown shuttle stops. It's only 50 cents, or 25 if you have a valid transfer pass, and gets you to Metro Stations at Dupont, FoggyBottom, and Rosslyn. See my previous post for some suburban hotels, especially Rosslyn area for easy commutes. CourtHouse area should be good too. I've also stayed at Embassy Suites Alexandria, but that exceeded $150 some of the nights. A Days Inn (4400 Connecticut NW ?) is near Metro &amp; received kudos from DaysInn last year. A U. Md. student told me that when school is out of session, the hotels in College Park area are good deals. You've picked a nice time to visit DC.

For lodging, I've used the Holiday Inn Select on King Street in Old Town Alexandria. It might be above your price limit, but the biggest perk is free shuttle service to and from the Metro stop. You really can't beat that. I researched all other hotels in Old Town, and they were the only ones to provide that. I think they also have shuttle service from the airport, but the Metro stop is above the airport as well, so you could always take that and then pick up the hotel shuttle. It's a great convenience, and the location is wonderful. For a taste of local life, I recommend the Saturday Farmer's Market out in front of City Hall. We picked up fresh sandwiches and fruit there, had a picnic in the park facing the river, and then boarded our riverboat cruise to Mt. Vernon. It was a very nice day. Staying in Old Town gives you easy access to everything in DC, plus the added bonus of staying in such a great historical and beautiful town.

I totally support the other Kris's suggestion about Old Town. IMO it's as enjoyable if not more so than Georgetown, and more convenient so far as the shuttle and subway, definitely. Old Town is a wonderful place to walk, eat, and shop, and the waterfront park is also very enjoyable. Enjoy your stay!