What to do in Washington DC w/ eldly mother?

Question

My husband, son and I are taking my mother to Washington DC on the 4th (Arriving around lunchtime)-7th (Leaving around lunch time) of October? She's 68, in pretty good shape but cannot walk for long periods of time. This is what I've tentively planned. One of the days I'm planning to take her on the Trolley Tour. I have done this tour and I think it's great. We're also planning to do the Monuments by Moonlight tour as well. She wants to see Arlington Nat'l Cementary, the Kennedy Grave site and changing of the guard...Does anyone know the name of that tour???. She would probably enjoy the Museum of Natural History to see the Gemstones. Any other suggestions.??

Answer 1

If you get down to Alexandria, there is a shuttle from the King Street Metro on weekends that will take you within about three blocks of the waterfront. They have hour-long minicruises down and up the Potomac.

I also love the Museum of Natural History gemstone exhibit. And I agree doing a trolley tour is great, although for some monuments (such as the FDR memorial), you may have to do some walking.

I wouldn't recommend going to Arlington Cemetery. The one time I was there, I recall doing a lot of standing and walking.

Answer 2

This is a great idea - in addition to the Old Town Trolley tour, you might also consider the Tourmobile one day - on the day you want to visit museums and Arlington Cemetery. Tourmobile has a tour through Arlington Cemetery, which Old Town Trolley does not, and it stops on Madison and Jefferson Drives, right on the Mall, which means much fewer steps getting into and out of museums. (The Trolley stops on Constitution and Independence Avenues, one block outside the tourmobile. The difference is small, but could be significant for someone with limited mobility.)

Old Town Trolley has legs to Georgetown and The National Cathedral, which are very good, too, but Tourmobile really has the best stops on the mall itself.

The Capitol Tour is very interesting, and the art there is beautiful, she might like that - not a lot of walking, and they let people with limited mobility take an elevator. You do need to get free tickets in the morning, though.

If she likes gardens, the botanic gardens by the Capitol are great, if she likes churches, the National Cathedral is a must-see.

Answer 3

I agree that the TourMobile is a great way to see the city. Plan to walk around (it is not a long walk) the World War II Memorial and to stop at the Vietnam Memorial.

Your mom will love the Gemstones at the Natural History Museum.

I have a couple of 2-for-1 coupons for the TourMobile you can have. Email me at ----.com. They expire on November 1 and I am not going to be using them.

Answer 4

I don't know what eldly means but there's a lot to do in Washington D.C you can go to the Abraham Lincoln memorial or the Jefferson Memorial