[akern]

<p>Can anyone offer any advice? The husband and I will be travelling to the east coast at the end of the month and would like to tour D.C, but I'm totally intimidated! I found an all day tour on-line, where someone drives you around in a bus. Is this the way to go?</p>

 

[Tech Tee]

If you and hubby are runners, then walking is the way to go. Because you can do everything at your own pace. Most of the stuff on the mall/etc. is close enough. Especially if you have more than one day.<br><br>
Last November our family want down there for two days. We had no plan. Day 1 we walked. A lot. Started around 11 AM (when we checked in to our hotel). Saw Air and Space Museum, Hirschorn Museum, Smithsonian "castle", the Capital, Library of Congress (DW is a librarian, she swooned), Museum of American History, Museum of Natural History and more. We could have done plenty more, but it was November, and the days were shorter, and it was cold (as were we). All in all, that day, we walked, maybe 5 miles tops. Easy peasy.<br><br>
Day 2, we took the subway to the nearest station to the zoo and spent the day there. The hotel was about a 5 minute walk from the subway (Metro).<br><br>
You just have to grab a hotel that is pretty much near the center of everything. Our hotel was somewhere around F and 13th, can't recall what it was, or the exact location, and was pretty inexpensive, although not the nicest place in the world, it served it's purpose. A place to crash. Because we spent very little time there. There were places to eat and shop all around there. Street cafes which looked cool, and some chain restaurants. Malls, etc.<br><br>
Basically, you just have to grab a map BEFORE HAND, and plan your day(s) out. But don't plan too much, that's no fun.<br><br>
Word to the wise...it can be HOT AS HELL in Washington in the summer. Standing in line for an hour to go up the Washington Monument in a tiny little elevator, then when you get to the top you look out a tiny window, and there's no air conditioning, isn't all that great. But, how often are you going to get to do that?<br><br>
I've been there a lot on business, and the heat can be brutal.<br><br>
Also, word to the wise. Don't be intimidated. Just grab a map and walk. It's an amazing place!<br><br>
Also, break out those running shoes early in the morning before it heats up and jog the mall!

 

[markalan]

<p>Definately walking is the way to go, you'll be exhausted by the end of the day</p>

 

[rlemert]

<p>  There is so much to see on the Mall (or just off it) that you will spend an entire day on it and still have things left over that you weren't able to fit in. Even if you spend more than one day you'll still miss a lot, so it's best just to resign yourself to not seeing everything.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>  Don't limit yourself to the mall, though. The METRO is very comfortable, and it will get you to a lot of places you might be interested in - such as the zoo (as someone has mentioned). (If I remember correctly the METRO doesn't stop at the zoo but you can get a transfer to a short bus ride to finish the trip.) One line goes from downtown out past Reagan National Airport, passing the Pentagon and Watergate (with stops at both, I believe) - not that the former is big on guided tours.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>  Heck, if you've got the time it can be fun just to "ride the rails" on the METRO to some of the out-lying stations - my wife and I did that the first time I took her to DC. With a little care you can go out to some of the more interesting subburbs and see what they're all about (Georgetown would be interesting).</p>
<p> </p>
<p>  You can find the METRO routes on the web, and a lot of the tourist sites you can find will tell you how close they are to the nearest stop (and what that stop is).</p>
<p> </p>
<p>  I'd consider the guided tours only under two conditions, and both if you've got plenty of time available. The first is if you want to get an overview of everything so you can decide which sites to target for the rest of your visit. The other is if you want to see what's off the Mall.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>  The one site that is NOT on the METRO that I would go out of the way to see is the Edvar-Huzzy Aerospace Museum out at Dulles airport. It's got the big displays that won't fit at the Mall's museum. If you're flying into/out of Dulles, you might arrange to spend a day at either end of your trip to catch this.</p>

 

[gretriever]

<p>We stayed in Maryland near where they have the Preakness. (I think that's the track). We took a commuter train into Union Station. This is just a short walk from the Capitol, Mall, WH, etc.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Strongly recommned the Smithsonian. the thing with DC being hot is true, but as you're in StL, it shouldn't be anything you haven't dealt with.</p>

 

[akern]

<p>Thanks for all the info!</p>

 

[RaisingArizonainNH]

<p>One thing we did was to contact our state representative's office. I found out from a friend that they offered personal tours ( staff of course) of the Capitol building.  We got to go through the tunnels from their offices to the Capitol... then got to see a lot of the ins and outs including up this tiny old back stairway to the gallery for the Senate ( I think ).   My SIL  lives there so  we always have a knowledgeable local to guide us... but even she had not had that tour.</p>
<p>   </p>
<p> Smithsonian - Natural History-  DEFINITELY allow time to look at the minerals. May sound dry, but the mineral display was really cool- better than seeing the hope diamond and all.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> We have never seen the Smith Museum of Art... but the sculptures alone in the courtyard intrigue me  enough to go back again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> Loved the zoo too - not to be rushed. ( We went a second time .. in a snowstorm - not so fun then!)</p>
<p> Have fun!</p>
<p> </p>