yestravel

Georgetown does have much to offer outside the main drag of Wisconsin Ave and M St. However, when most say "they are going to Georgetown" I think that is what they are referring to unless they mention Dumbarton Oaks or some of the other various sites. Georgetown has a great Home & Garden Tour in the Spring and I've done various other tours there and certainly agree that there is much to learn about historic Georgetown if that is what is planned.

I have been to various special exhibits of museums in Feb and they can get rather crowded. People obviously head indoors during the colder weather that Feb usually has. If you are not here on a weekend that would help.

obxgirl

>>3. Or a nice place to have a cocktai in the eveningl with a view?

gardendiva

For places to eat after your Capital tour, I suggest Good Eats just around the corner from the Library of Congress or PAUL on Penn Ave across the street from the Archives.

iris1745

Keep in mind www.goldstar.com for half price of many venues.

Just scroll to the bottom and click on D.C.

You may just miss restaurant week as it ends on the 10th of February.

5alive

Hi, Dina,

We took our family of five this summer, so totally different weather. A couple of things that come to mind:

1. It is possible to get "museumed out."

2. I hope your White House tour works out. I love museums, but just going to a place and wandering through and absorbing it changes the pace of your days.

We went to Mount Vernon and you do not mention a car, so maybe that is not a good choice. Also if the weather is poor, you may not enjoy it. I regretted that we didn't make it to Ford's Theater--perhaps that is another alternative.

3. On your Capitol Tour, is it through the Capitol Website or through your representative/senator? We did the tour through the official Capitol Site. We were suprised to find out that tour does NOT include the actual Senate or House floor. You can request passes from your senator or representative. I would highly recommend adding that piece.

4. At some point, just "pop in" to the Library of Congress, but you need to be at your Capitol tour easily a half hour early, so I'm not sure you can do it before. The security line can be slow. Read my report for how that worked out for us

Here is a link to the DC part of my trip report:

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...omment-7843317

dina4

5ALIVE -
thanks. i will read your trip report tonight. and yes, i did book through the capitol website. can we still do that and ask for "passes" from our senator? how does that work? you show your pass and go on your own? thanks...

thanks everyone for the restaurant and bar tips -- i'll check them out.

and yes, our daughter is going to georgetown univ and my parents want to see the charming neighborhood, do a campus tour, and eat at some of her favorite places, etc.
**i have been dying to go to dunbarton oaks, but didn't think it would be very lovely in the dead of winter -- am i wrong?

thanks again,
dina

yestravel

Dumbarton Oaks musuem is nice anytime of the year. the gardens are not at their best obviously in the winter.

dina4

I think my parents are now putting Arlington Cemetery at the top of their list, so we will definitely go and take the bus tour there. Does anyone know if it's necessary to book in advance (president's day weekend) and, more importantly, how long it takes to do the tour and all the stops?
thanks so much for all your help!!
dina

kayd

Under the prior tour operator (and I'm guessing that the current one, Martz Grayline, does also) it was a hop-on-hop-off, so if you were to get off at three stops (tomb of the unknowns, Kennedy gravesite, Arlington House), with 20 minutes between buses, allow maybe 2 hours total. You might stay longer at one or more of the stops, especially if you want to see the changing of the guard but you reach there 40 minutes before the next ceremony (on the hour).

tchoiniere

I would assume 3 hours. Could be a little less or a little more. I don't see any benefit of booking early but it wouldn't hurt.

dina4

ok, that's very helpful!
thanks so much.

iris1745

If you are considering the Hop on Hop off bus tour, remember this site sells half off tickets. This was one of our purchases from this site. www.goldstar.com/washington-dc/events

5alive

Hi, Dina,

Sorry I missed your prior question regarding visiting congress. You can email or write your Congressperson for passes. You can also stop in at his/her DC office to see if passes are still available.

Anyone with a pass for that day would go and get in line for security. It took a while to get through that and you have to check in everything--your phone, your purse, etc. Then you wait in a second line for other people to leave and then the guard will let you in.