What to do in Washington DC?

Question

I'm going to DC in April for Vacation with my guy so far we are going to the Holocaust museum and going to Baltimore to see a game (sox and Orioles) is there anything else you guys would reccomend we do??

Answer 1

The good news is that most of the museums and monuments are free and within walking distance of the metro. The National Mall runs from the Lincoln Memorial to the U.S. Capitol, and in between you'll find the Viet Nam memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the Washington Monument, most of the Smithsonian museums, and the Botanical Gardens. The White House, Jefferson Memorial, FDR Memorial, National Archives, and other memorials and museums (Holocaust Museum, Bureau of Printing and Engraving -- money is printed here) are just a couple of blocks north or south of the mall. Just east of the Capitol are the Library of Congress and the Supreme Court.
Nearby metro stops include the Smithsonian, L'Enfant Plaza, Navy Memorial, and Capitol South. (http://www.wmata.com/metrorail/systemmap.cfm)

For information on the Smithsonian, go to www.si.edu. Note that the Museum of American History is closed for renovation.

Tip: Most of the museums open at 10 am. However, the grounds of the National Zoo (part of Smithsonian and free) is open at 7 am, and many animals are outside by 8 and this is when they are most active (and fewest crowds -- great time to see the Giant Pandas at their best). Nearest Metro: Woodley Park/Zoo or Cleveland Park on the Red line.

For information on what do see and do, where to eat, nightlife, etc. I recommend you look at the Washingtonian Magazine (http://www.washingtonian.com/).

If you are flying into Dulles or Regan National Airport, I highly recommend that you pick up a copy of The Washington Flyer magazine. It's free, and it has some great maps of the area.

There's a lot to see and do and a visit can be very economical, but very exhausting. Lot's of walking. I recommend that you look into taking the Tourmobile. (http://www.tourmobile.com/) These buses provide guided tours along the mall, stopping at most of the sites along the mall, plus the Capitol, White House, Jefferson Memorial, etc. You can ride it all day, getting on and off as much as you want. It also goes to Arlington National Cemetery. A single day pass is $20, or $30 for a 2-day pass.

Another Tip: Go to the museums, Capitol, Library of Congress, etc., during the day, and many close at 5 or 5:30 during the winter months. The Lincoln, Jefferson, FDR, and other memorials are open until midnight, and some, such as the Viet Nam Memorial and Iwo Jima Memorial, are open 24 hours.

Also, the Kennedy Center, which is open at night, has the Millennium Stage -- free shows in the main lobby area at 6 pm each evening. No tickets or reservations required. http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/millennium/schedule.html Nearest metro is Foggy Bottom, with free shuttles to the Kennedy Center.

Do a little research and plan your attack. Good luck, and have fun!

Answer 2

Gee, I think you could write a book about all there is to see in DC. I really enjoyed the Spy Museum, Take the Metro to the Mall and go to some of the muse mums, especially the Air and Space and the History (Where the dinosaurs area) Washington has a wonderful zoo. When you go to Baltimore, go over to the Inner Harbor. Great restaurants, good shopping and a great people watching place. I would go online and make choices before you ever leave for DC.

Answer 3

Air and Space Museum is very popular. Actually, any sort of art or history that you like can be found in one Smithsonian museum or another - they're everywhere, and their free. You should also go the monuments - Vietnam War Memorial, the new WW2 and Korean memorials, and then make sure you go to Lincoln and especially Jefferson at nighttime... just beautiful. There's also an FDR memorial that I would love to see.

Away from the Mall, you should certainly go to the Dupont Circle area... there's a textile museum (I forget the name) in the Kalorama neighborhood that is really interesting.

Make sure you go to an Ethiopian restaurant - no, it's not a joke. DC has the largest Ethiopian community in the US, and the food is really special (beware, can be spicy).

As long as you're in Baltimore, eat at Bertha's Mussels, if it's still there.

Too much to do! Have fun!

Answer 4

April will be when the cherry blossoms are blooming, and it's gorgeous. Check out the Mall, where you can see the Washington Monument, Capitol Building and Smithsonian museums, which are great, and free. You might want to take a Potomac river cruise on the Odyssey, which is fun, walk around DuPont Circle, or tour the National Cathedral. And check out Georgetown (main intersection is Wisconsin and M Streets), for great shopping and wonderful restaurants. The Portrait Museum is wonderful, too. There's tons to do, too many to list

Answer 5

Since you're going to Baltimore anyway, I'd suggest you look into to taking a tour of Camden Yards. It's fascinating.

In D.C. itself my favorite place is the Smithsonian's museum of American history, which is often called the nation's attic. There's lots of fascinating junk there--and it's free. The National Zoo is also fun and also free. Finally, you can eat outsandingly well for very little money in D.C. by trying various ethnic restaurants. Someone else mentioned Ethiopian. I've also had Afghani and Thai cuisine in D.C., both of which were outstanding.

Answer 6

There are so many things to do in D.C. There are many museams that spark all interests. Also, if you want to experience the true downtown, go to places such as Dupont Circle and Adams Morgan. Georgetown has a lot of bars and clubs and also a bunch of shopping. Stay in the N.W. quadrant. Don't go to S.E. because there aren't many tourist attractions and a bunch of crime that could lead you into a lot of trouble if you're not careful.

Answer 7

The Spy Museum is great
Make sure to visit Old Town Alexandria...nice shops and good eats
Visit the cherry blossoms
Sign up for the tourmobile and use it all day long

Answer 8

There are so many amazing landmarks in DC and I suggest you see at least Arlington National Cemetery, Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, The National Archives and Capital Hill. These are great places to see and so much American history is presented through these monuments. DC is one of my favorite cities to visit and I hope you have a lot of fun there!

Answer 9

Well first to get around town take the Metro. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU DON"T GET LOST. IT"S EASY TO GET LOST IN THE METRO SYSTEM.
I would say visit the Mall. You'll a good time down there. You can go to the museums down there. And if you want to go shopping go to the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City. I hope you'll have a good time.

Answer 10

Whatever you do don't leave your bags anywhere or it could be quite embarassing. I was in DC a couple of years ago and left my shoulder bag a few feet from the White House. When I came back to get it they had a lane of traffic shut down, choppers hovering and secret service all around. Yikes!