So my family and I are planning our vacation plans. We are going to Baltimore, Charlottesville, VA, Arlington, VA and Washington D.C. We are leaving exactly one week from tomorrow. I am very, very excited. Thrilled, actually. I love vacations and I love history and monuments and things having to do with Lincoln, our Constitution, government, colonial reenactments and so on. I've never been to D.C. I can't believe that in over a week I will be standing at the feet of the Lincoln Memorial, staring into Honest Abe's (yes, I know, he didn't like to be called that) eyes.
We have been working on our itinerary and I have been knee deep in all things D.C. I may have already elicited the advice of some of you, but if anyone has any suggestions for activities, bookstores, restaurants, museums, etc. please let me know.
Things we are pretty much for sure doing:
-Monticello
-Mount Vernon
-All the monuments, including: Washington, World War II Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Veterans, Korean War, FDR, Jefferson, Grant, Garfield, Peace Monument
-Capitol Building (including tour) and Reflecting Pool
-National Air and Space Museum (of course), which at the moment includes an exhibition from the currently being renovated Museum of American History
-Holocaust Museum
-White House (no tour, unfortunately -- 3 months advance booking required)
-Ford's Theatre (no question)
-Georgetown
-Neighborhoods such as Adams-Morgan, Foggy Bottom, Dupont Circle (how great are the neighborhood names?)
-Eastern Market
-Ben's Chili Bowl
-Arlington National Cemetery
-Iwo Jima Memorial in Arlington
Other Possibilities:
-National Archives (where you can see the Declaration of Independence, The Constitution and the Bill of Rights)
-United States Botanic Garden
-Bureau of Engraving and Printing
-International Spy Museum
-FBI Building and tour
-National Gallery
-National Portrait Gallery
4 comments:
Wow. That is an astounding itinerary of plans for D.C.! I am so excited for you and so jealous...You have on your list everything I would recommend...especially nothing better then walking the Mall and seeing all the monuments, make sure u walk along the paths under the trees along the sides of the reflecting pool on your way to Lincoln and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial...really lovely. Also at Lincoln, when you get to the top of the second flight of stairs, look for the spot they have marked where MLK gave his "I have a Dream" speech. Amazing to stand on that spot and look out across the mall and see the Capital in the distance, then turn around and look up and there is Lincoln in his chair.
well you have full list but I would also add the National Cathedral which I really love...it's amazing in many ways, and also the neighborhood up there is really nice, I used to live up there, it's also near Rock Creek Park which is nice. The cathedral also has a really nice bookstore/gift shop. And there is also the national zoo up in that direction too.
Arlington national cemetary is a must...both JFK and RFK's gravesights are extremely moving and also Mrs. Kennedy is there now too...and if you explore, Justice Brennan my hero is there...and unfortunately many young soldiers killed in Iraq. At RFK grave is a beautiful little reflecting pond with a marble wall inscribed with his inspiring writings including his ripple of hope speech.
Also just sit in the atrium of the National Gallery around the fountain. Nothing more needs to be said. Except that national gallery has the amazing book and gift shop downstairs too. Also please check in on the collection of my favorite Joseph William Mallord Turner paintings there...including Approach to Venice with his move toward his pre-impressionistic style before the French impressionists did it.
just some random thoughts...as I avoid starting my work here at ACR!
Thanks for the suggestions, CB. Yes, we are planning to go to Arlington National Cemetery. I'm going to add that to the definite list right now. And the National Gallery as a possibility, because I would really like to go there. The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery has also already attracted the attention of Jamie and Erin with its exhibition "Great Britons: Treasures from the National Portrait Gallery, London" and its promise of portraits of Elizabeth I and II, Henry VIII, Oliver Cromwell, Churchill and more. Also the Iowa Jima Memorial in Arlington. In fact, I think we are staying in Arlington for a few nights.
There is so much to do, it is overwhelming. I also bought a 2 GB memory card for my camera in preparation for my trip, so you expect many photos.
Sorry, that's supposed to be Iwo Jima in my comment, not Iowa Jima. You can tell I've been in the Midwest too long.
p.s. After saying and seeing Iowa a few times, do you realize how weird a word it actually is?
Yes, Iwo Jima for sure. Which reminded me to tell you that another huge recommendation from me is to do the monuments tour at night, amazing...it is a bus tour that takes you around all the monuments but you get out at each one and it takes you up to Iwo Jima. All of the monuments are truly stunning at night and if you're lucky, it's a moonlit night. I took my mom on the night monuments tour a decade ago when she came to D.C. to visit and she has never stopped talking about it. Probably because she has blocked out our other fun experience together in D.C., which was our walking tour down from the Capital to the National GAllery during which one of the fleeting thunderstorms blew through and we were drenched standing there with no shelter.
Anyway, also want to recommend that when you are up visiting the Capital, you must continue across the street to see the Supreme Court, which is gorgeous and always goose-bump inducing to walk up underneath "And Justice for All" and think about the civil rights protests that were launched on those steps...and then head down the street to the right to the Library of Congress. It is a beautiful building inside with stunning ceiling frescoes and inscriptions, and also usually some cool exhibit going on. There is a cool fountain out front to rest at that offers a panoramic view of the other side of the Capital...then you can walk back down towards the Mall on either side of the capital. Really nice.
Also up at the time on Capital Hill, you can go the other direction and walk over the Union Station which has some neat shops inside with political memorabilia and touristy stuff but also several good places to eat. My favorite place to go for the political postcards and buttons and bumper stickers etc. is up near the White House on the corner of Pennyslvania and I think it's 14th. Pennsylvania Ave is fun to walk, you pass the Navy memorial kinda cool where I saw Dennis Kucinich speak along with Jane Fonda and Sean Penn at the march in January...and then you eventually end up at the White House where, even if you can't get into the tour, you should walk by the front...pretty cool and usually protesters outside at the park there.
For food, check out the Ethiopian restaurants in Adams-Morgan, YUM.
I'm sure I'll think of more but you already have a lot to see and do! Have fun!
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