| Washington, D.C. is ready for your visit and is one
destination
individuals or families can get around without too much trouble or
assistance from a tour company. You may find this an odd statement on a
Web site that advertises just that service, namely high-quality class field
trips for GROUPS. But I felt impelled to come to the aid of my fellow
partners in travel by noting some basic information about Washington, D.C.
for independent travelers. We receive many such pleas for help and
assistance, so
consider this a public service announcement of sorts for all you lost
souls, possibly confused about how to take on Washington, D.C., as a
travel destination. I write for a family of five or for a retired couple on a
visit to our nation's capital. For them, armed with a plan, getting around
is easy enough. For starters, monumental Washington, D.C., is compact, mostly located within the confines of the National Mall, stretching from the United States Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial. Now, granted, at the end of a long day it would be very tiring to walk from end to end while covering the sites in-between, a little place called the Smithsonian Institution. Instead, you need to break it down into manageable areas to visit over two or three days. Area one: Capitol Hill would include the United States Supreme Court and the Library of Congress and, of course, the Capitol, too. Various regulations are in play to visit each building, so some research on your part is worthwhile. Google away! Don't forget one of the greatest resources for visitors' information are members of Congress. While, they are quite busy, especially senators, and should not be pestered for trivial matters, their aides can offer help and you are even welcomed to stop by their offices which flank the Capitol--House office buildings to the south and Senate office buildings to the north. Call ahead, of course. Now, you might be getting hungry, so take time to go deeper into Capitol Hill to Eastern Market, a farmer's market; there is a Metro stop, so named, and enjoy a fresh fish platter or sandwich at a local institution--Market Lunch.. It's been there for years; you can't miss it for the long lines and, yes, the crab cakes are very good. | Area two: Smithsonian Institution.
This area comprises many museums of the Smithsonian Institution
located along Jefferson and Madison Drives or think of it as the area
sandwiched between widely-known Independence Avenue and Constitution
Avenue, stretching from 4th to 14th Streets, NW. A bit of a mouthful, but
basically all these museums are side by side and oppose one another on
several, monster city blocks. And did I say free, yes, no admission is
charged to visit. You could start at the National Gallery of Art (two
wings, one old, one new or West or East wings, however you wish to refer to
them). They are side by side and even connected by subterranean passage and
some very nice cafes, when your feet and mind tire. Opposite the National
Gallery of Art is the National Air and Space Museum. Excellent IMAX films
offered, again, another chance to rest your weary feet. No snoozing, Dad!? That's probably
enough for one morning. Why not make your way to Union Station (taxis are
cheap) and pick up the
new Circulator Bus which charges the
least public fare, one buck, to ride from Union Station to Georgetown, where you can shop, shop, shop, have a coffee
or crêpe (new pocket-sized place just opened on Thomas Jefferson at the C & O Canal) or have
Hershey's Ice Cream on K Street next to the Ritz and movie theatres.
Tomorrow you can return to the Smithsonian Institution and cover
the Natural History Museum (Hope diamond and great insect zoo) and
American History Museum (First-Ladies' gowns, etc.) and make your way over
to the Washington Monument
(reserve your tickets on-line, before coming to D.C.) Area three: This would include the memorials at the western end of the National Mall, roughly between the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial. Nearest Metro stops would be Smithsonian or Foggy Bottom (not all that close), so maybe just take a taxi to the Jefferson Memorial and start from here. You can then walk to the FDR Memorial and the WWII Memorial and then to the Lincoln Memorial which is right next to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Korean War Memorial. If you've got some feet left after this hike, then cross Constitution Avenue at 21st Street and visit often-overlooked Einstein Memorial in front of the National Academy of Science. I think it's time to land a whale, a whale of a meal that is at Moby Dick House of Kabob.. Now, don't pinch your nose since this a Middle Eastern fast-food carryout place, with some tables to eat in, located both in Georgetown and in DuPont Circle. It's off to visit DuPont Circle, so walk north on 23rd Street to Foggy Bottom Metro stop and then take Metro to DuPont Circle stop (change trains at Metro Center). Or simply hail a cab, short trip and cheap. Moby Dick is off Connecticut Ave,. They serve a yummy kabob platter, with rice, salad, yogurt sauce, freshly baked bread, and tasty skinless chucks of grilled chicken. The place is extremely clean and the food is very cheap and very good. Right up the block is Ben and Jerry's (or better still, Larry's Ice Cream at 1633 Connecticut Ave--north of DuPont circle-- for a taste of inspired 41 flavors including Green Tea) or hot doughnuts at Krispy Kreme for dessert and stop in at Olsson's Book Store (independent book dealer) with fine selection of fiction. If you've taste for art, the Phillips Collection is nearby and so is delicious Teaism or you could wrap up the day with a visit to the National Zoo (take Metro from DuPont Circle to National Zoo stop) and say hello to the pandas (new parents). Some pundits have often called Capitol Hill a zoo, too. But that's for another column. Enjoy. All recommendations are just that, so do your own homework. P.S. River Inn in Foggy Bottom would be good headquarters for your stay. Quiet spot on a residential street, near Metro stop and within walking distance of Georgetown and DuPont Circle. |