Sightseeing in Washington DC

AllSeasons · #1 May 19, '12, 5:38 pm

I'm going to be visiting Washington DC with my parents in a few weeks. Does anyone have any recommendations on the sights to see? I'd like to visit the White House, but I hear they don't give tours anymore due to security concerns. We're likely going to be staying on the outskirts of the city, and take the subway in. So any advice on the subway or places to stay is also appreciated. We're planning to be there for a couple days. We're also planning a day trip to Philly if we have time, so any recommendations for that would also be great. Thank you in advance.

AthenaC · #2 May 19, '12, 5:58 pm

1) Lincoln memorial

2) Jefferson memorial

3) Washington memorial (although there was construction there when I went there 6 years ago. Hopefully they are done now.

)

4) Smithsonian. As much as you can.

Those are the big ones just off the top of my head.

cjmclark · #3 May 19, '12, 6:05 pm

Catholically speaking, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, located near the Brookland-CUA stop on the Red Line, is always a good place to visit.

The Holocaust Museum (on the National Mall) is always a powerful experience, and the WWII memorial (in between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial) is nice. In fact, you can spend a good day or two just wandering the National Mall and visiting all the sights there. The National Mall is most easily accessible via the Smithsonian and Federal Triangle stops on the Blue and Orange Lines, or via L'Enfant Plaza (junction of Blue, Orange, Green and Yellow Lines).

PaulinVA · #4 May 19, '12, 6:30 pm

I think the White House tours require an arrangement with your congressperson and about six months lead time.

You can do a lot on the Mall. The Smithsonian museums are always interesting. I haven't been to Mount Vernon (Geo Washington's place) in ages but that is a good bet and the ride down the parkway is beautiful.

The Manassas Civil War battlefield is in - Manassas, just out I-66.

Old Town Alexandria is an interesting place to walk around. It's on the Potomac across the river from the District.

I pass by the Dunn Loring Metro in VA every day on the way to work. It has a Courtyard Marriott across the street from it. There are places further in, and obviously in Maryland as well.

On the Metro escalators to the station platforms stay to the right - commuters will blow by you on the left. Go to the WMATA web site and figure out what kind of multitrip fare cards will fit your needs. Metro is expensive, but you don't want to hunt for parking in the District.

If you are going to drive to the Metro, you will need a SmartTrip card to pay the parking fee. Some of the stations accept credit cards for the parking fee - check the parking tab on the web site.

Oh - the Shrine rocks. It is absolutely beautiful.

Corki · #5 May 19, '12, 7:15 pm

What everyone else said +1.

Also the FDR memorial, the Vietbnam Veterans memorial and Arlington National Cemetary.

mellowcalico · #6 May 19, '12, 7:48 pm

I don't know what your budget is, but something to look into is saying in Alexandria. There is an Embassy Suites and a Hilton right near the metro station at Duke Street. And the Duke street metro is also right by the Amtrack station--so you can take the train to Philly. You could literally fly into Regan National Airport, take the metro to the hotels at Duke Street, metro into the city, then take a train to Philly... and never rent a car (and trust me, driving in this area can be hectic). There is a nice little diner near that area named Table Top that is very popular with the locals and you can get a decent breakfast there at a good price.

It looks like there was a lot recommended already (as in the big "to dos" like the Smithsonian and the Capital, etc), so I will mention a few less common ones. I find the Bureau of Engraving and Printing interesting (where they print money). There is also the National Archives. The International Spy museum is a lot of fun (you need to buy tickets for this). I haven't been to the Newseum yet, but I hear it's interesting too.

The Smithsonian is great since it's free though and there is so much to see. It's not just one building though (a lot of my out of town friends think that). But all the buildings are grouped together pretty much on the Mall. My favorites are the Natural History and American History ones (and the are right next door). All my friends always want to go to the Air and Space one too.

Have fun!

Nec5 · #7 May 19, '12, 11:50 pm

Stay away from Southeast Washington (Anacostia) particularly at night. I used to commute through there and had to dodge the gangs and addicts. I also recommend parking outside the city and taking a bus or the metro. If you drive in DC, the police and meter maids will feed on you with impunity.

The Air and Space Museum is worth visiting along with the other major monuments. You also might stop by Mount Vernon which is just outside the beltway southwest of town. I believe you can drive to and park there.

dedo · #8 May 20, '12, 12:12 am

I don't know any really good hotel deals in this area. We usually stay around Tyson's Corner Mall. However, traffic can be busy at rush hour.

There is an Embassy Suites on Leesburg Pike (Rt. 7) /Tysons Corner that is decent. The Ritz Carlton at Tysons II mall often has good rates on the weekend, but is very expensive on weekdays. There is a metro station on Leesburg pike a few miles from Embassy Suites toward Falls Church. I think I have only caught the metro here once, since we usually drive down town. However, driving in this area can be tough if you are not a local, so the metro can help.

A couple sites we like:

1. Air and space museum at Dulles Airport.
2. Spy museum in D.C.
3. Memorials already mentioned.

Have fun. There may be some shows at the Kennedy Center. We are subscribing to the Ballet this year. Upcoming ballets include the Bolshoi and Paris ballets.

Decent restaurant's in this area:
1. Ruth's steak house next to Embassy suites. Excellent but expensive.
2. Woo Lae Oak if you like Korean.
3. Maggiano's at Tyson's II mall if you like Italian.
4. If you visit Great Falls Park, (short drive down 193 w/ Garmin), a great place for lunch on the way is the Old Irish Brogue restaurant / bar on 193, and Katie's coffee house (same chef.) We love the blackened salmon salad.

Have fun.

dedo · #9 May 20, '12, 12:50 am

A couple other places nearby for entertainment that are easier to get to than the Kennedy Center include:

1. Jammin Java in Vienna, VA. Just up the road from these hotels for concerts.

2. Wolf Trap has shows / concerts and is also close by.

Mickey Finn · #10 May 20, '12, 6:40 am

There is a lot to see in DC. I would also recommend, the Bassilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. The Natural History Museum of the Smithsonian. The National Mall (FDR, Korean war, WWII, and Vietnam memorials.) Oh and a couple of presidential monuments as well.

Enjoy your trip!

cjmclark · #11 May 20, '12, 7:30 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by mellowcalico

It looks like there was a lot recommended already (as in the big "to dos" like the Smithsonian and the Capital, etc), so I will mention a few less common ones. I find the Bureau of Engraving and Printing interesting (where they print money). There is also the National Archives. The International Spy museum is a lot of fun (you need to buy tickets for this). I haven't been to the Newseum yet, but I hear it's interesting too.

I used to work at the Newseum back in college! This was when it was in Rosslyn, but it was pretty cool back then, so I imagine it's still a neat place to visit.

ack · #12 May 20, '12, 9:16 am

As mentioned above, most of the museums and monuments are on the National Mall, so this is probably where you're going to spend most of your days. Be aware that the National Mall is extremely large, and it's a punishingly long walk from one end to the other, so bring a map and plan accordingly. Also, the "Smithsonian" metro stop is not the best stop for all the Smithsonian museums.

Museum hours vary and some museums are open late. Some attractions (such as the Holocaust Museum and the Washington Monument) require timed tickets. Check hours at their websites:
http://si.edu/Visit/Hours
http://www.nga.gov/ginfo/index.shtm#hours

Restaurants and shopping on the Mall are extremely limited. Your best choice for lunch is in the museum restaurants (the American Indian museum cafeteria has especially good international and healthy options.) To find a restaurant for dinner, walk from the Mall toward the Archives, Gallery Place, Metro Center, or Foggy Bottom metro station (whichever is closest to where you are).

The metro is undergoing some extensive maintenance work, and some stations are closed on weekends. Check out the schedule before your trip: http://www.wmata.com/rail/trackwork.cfm

Regarding hotels, don't rule out staying in a downtown hotel before you check the discount rates. I've found some very good hotel discounts on Expedia and Hotwire. If you decide to stay in the suburbs, carefully check the location of the hotel on a map relative to a Metro station. If the Metro station isn't within walking distance, look for another hotel. You'll waste too much time waiting for the hotel shuttle, or if you try to drive to the station, you'll be frustrated when the station parking lot is full. There is no free weekday street parking anywhere near any metro station or anywhere in downtown DC. Also, for safety reasons, avoid the hotels near the New York Avenue metro station (and the neighborhoods around the Silver Spring station can be iffy at night.)

If you decide to drive into the city rather than take the metro into the city, then your strategy will change a bit. Find a hotel with free parking (and double-check that the parking is actually free). You're probably better off staying near the beltway in Maryland rather than staying in Virginia, so you can take surface streets all the way downtown and not worry about the HOV lanes and congested bridges. Don't bother looking for on-street parking -- you won't find it unless you know where to look; instead, reserve a prepaid garage space at bestparking.com

Many of the other posters's suggestions are far away from the tourist areas, so double-check the map first, and remember that it will take longer to get anywhere than you think.

ack · #13 May 20, '12, 9:33 am

Regarding the trip to Philadelphia, Amtrak is very, very convenient but probably much more expensive than you think. If you're going to take Amtrak, stay in a hotel in Alexandria (like the previous poster suggested), downtown, or near the New Carrollton metro in Maryland (if you have a car), so you're not fighting through rush hour traffic just to catch your train.

The cheapest possible way to get there is by bus, but I don't think I would mess around with that as a tourist. If there are several of you, driving is a good choice (but stay in a Maryland hotel if you're going to do this). You will pay a lot of tolls driving, but the train is even more.

Regarding Philadelphia itself, I've found it to be a little hit-and-miss. Research specific attractions that you want to see there, and then follow your itinerary -- it's hard to find areas you would want to visit if you're just exploring aimlessly. The Philadelphia public transit is great for local suburban commuters, but it's a confusing mishmash for tourists in the center of the city. Some attractions in Philadelphia (such as Constitution Hall) require timed tickets, so check in advance.

cjmclark · #14 May 20, '12, 9:41 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by ack

Quote:

Originally Posted by ack

Rolltide · #15 May 20, '12, 10:37 am

First, you MIGHT still be able to get White House tickets. You can request them as late as just three weeks in advance, but there is no guarantee that there will be slots available. I would try contacting EACH of your Congressmen on Monday. (Different Congressmen may have different allotments of tickets left.)

Now, you could stay in Washington, D.C. for a month and not see everything, but here's what I consider must-sees:

U.S. Capitol
Supreme Court
White House (even if only the exterior, it's worth seeing)
Lincoln Memorial
Jefferson Memorial
Washington Monument
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
WWII Memorial
Ford's Theater
Arlington National Cemetery / Lee Mansion
National Archives (Magna Carta/Declaration of Independence/Constitution/Bill of Rights)
National Air and Space Museum
American History Museum
Natural History Museum
The National Gallery of Art

If you can get tickets, the FBI tour is also very good. The National Zoo is nice, but it's only a must see if you love Pandas. The Holocaust Museum is superb, but not required if you've seen Holocaust sites in Germany or Poland.