Area Highlights

Oh, the Places You'll Go….!!!  

Many, if not most, of you probably have visited the Washington , D.C. area in the past, so if that's the case, just ignore these suggestions! If you haven't and you're looking for some ideas of places to visit and where to eat during your free time, this is an attempt to offer some guidance. Please note that this is not an exhaustive list, the area has much more to offer than can be listed here. It's not an expert list either, it's offered only on an amateur basis!

Walking the Mall

The first stop for most visitors to the Washington , D.C. area is the National Mall, locally known as “The Mall.” Take the Blue or Orange line Metro to the Smithsonian station and see the Washington Monument , the World War II Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Korean War Veterans Memorial. Walk toward the Tidal Basin and view the FDR Memorial and continue around to the Jefferson Memorial. You'll need to make it back to the Mall to catch the Metro. This is a lot of walking so wear really comfortable shoes! There are hot dog and snack vendors scattered around the Mall so if you want, grab a dog and have an impromptu picnic as you stroll through the beautiful grounds of the National Mall! You can also take advantage of one of the tour services such as Tourmobile, www.tourmobile.com , or Old Town Trolley, www.oldtowntrolley.com , to make the sight-seeing a bit easier.

Museum Information

Washington has an amazing system of museums known as the Smithsonian Institution, most of which are located on the National Mall. Included in these are the National Air and Space Museum , the Natural History Museum , the African Art Museum and the American Indian Museum , among others. Admission to these museums is free! Regular hours of operation are 10:00 am until 5:30 pm . To find out more details about the Smithsonian go to www.smithsonian.org. Another museum of great interest is the United States Holocaust Museum , just a block or so off of the Mall. For information about visiting see www.ushmm.org.

Other Mall Attractions

As you stroll along the Mall you will encounter many other great sites. First, the Capitol Building sits at the east end of the Mall. The building is open for tours at this time, if you are interested check out this link: www.aoc.gov/cc/visit/index.cfm. Also nestled among other museums is the National Gallery of Art, a world class institution. For details about holdings and special exhibits visit www.nga.gov. You will be truly impressed by the holdings of the Gallery.

Touring the Monuments by Moonlight

It has been said that you haven't seen the monuments in Washington until you've seen them by moonlight. There are two options for doing this and both depart from Union Station. Tourmobile ( www.tourmobile.com, 202-554-5100) offers a three-hour tour for $20. Tickets must be bought at the Union Station office (located near Godiva Chocolates) on the day of the tour. They offer 140 tickets and begin selling them at 9:00 am and sell them until they are sold out. Old Town Trolley
(www.oldtowntrolley.com, 202-832-9800) offers a two and a half-hour tour for $28.80. They offer their tickets online or they can be bought at the Union Station information desk on the day of the tour. Union Station offers many dining options and is on the Metro Red line.

Arlington National Cemetery

Until 6:30 pm Tourmobile offers tours of the touching Arlington National Cemetery , located very near the DoubleTree. See the Tomb of the Unknowns, the Eternal Flame at the gravesite of John F. Kennedy and rows and rows of headstones of those who served our country. You can also wander on the lawn of the famous Marine Corps War Memorial to Iwo Jima . Charge for this tour is $6.00. The Blue line of Metro stops at Arlington for easy access. There are no eating establishments at Arlington Cemetery so plan accordingly. You can also walk the grounds of the Cemetery for no charge. Maps and written guides are available at the gift shop/ticket center.

National Zoo

You might want to visit one of the most popular couples in D.C. -- no, not George W. and Laura, but Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, the giant pandas who arrived at the National Zoo in 2000. Actually, their baby Tai Shan is the star of the show these days, a real hit with all visitors. Admission to the zoo is free! Take the Red line to either Woodley Park-Zoo-Adams Morgan or to Cleveland Park . Hint: From the Cleveland Park exit the walk to the zoo is down hill! When you leave you can continue down hill to the Woodley Park Metro stop. There are restaurants around the zoo and concessions are available inside. Information on the zoo is found at nationalzoo.si.edu/default.cfm.

Visit the Kennedy Center

The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts offers world-class entertainment. You can buy tickets to see 12 Angry Men starring Richard Thomas (John Boy Walton) and George Wendt (Norm from Cheers ) or you can listen to the jazz sounds of the Cyrus Chestnut Trio, just two of the performances available from October 14 th – 17 th . The Kennedy Center is accessible by Metro with the closest stop on the Blue or Orange line at Foggy Bottom/George Washington University. Station (23rd and I). From there it is a seven-minute walk via New Hampshire Avenue . Or use the free Kennedy Center Show Shuttle (signs are towards the left as you exit the escalator). It departs every 15 minutes from 10:00 a.m. - midnight Monday-Saturday and noon-midnight on Sundays. To see what's showing or to buy tickets visit www.kennedy-center.org/

Other Areas of Interest, i.e., great food and lots to see!  

Dupont Circle : Take the Red line to the Dupont Circle stop. There are restaurants of all types and price ranges in the area. One popular place is Pizzeria Paradiso located just off Dupont Circle on P Street . Obelisk is an upscale restaurant located just next door and there are many others along P Street . There are restaurants of varied cuisines located on Connecticut Avenue and on the side streets. You won't leave hungry! Frequently there are street performers to entertain you as you stroll around the area. It is an interesting shopping and great people-watching place! This is where you will find Embassy Row (generally around Massachusetts and New Hampshire Avenues). Check it out at this link: www.culturaltourismdc.org/information2550/information.htm?area=2522

Adams Morgan: Another thriving area of D.C.! A wide range of restaurants is at your fingertips. Lots of interesting ethnic eateries are found here -- Ethiopian, Thai, Turkish, Vietnamese and many others. Are you feeling adventurous? You also can find American cuisine, if that's more to your liking. The Metro does not serve Adams Morgan directly. Your best bet would be to go to Dupont Circle and walk north on 18 th Street for several blocks. But at least it's not up hill! Taxi service is also an option. Find out more about what's happening at www.exploredc.org/index.php?id=49.

Georgetown : An interesting blend of upscale townhouses and shopping this historic area is a great place to visit. The shopping offers upscale and unique opportunities, along with your popular merchants such as Abercrombie & Fitch. The dining opportunities are extensive and can meet the needs of almost anyone. The primary retail area is found along M Street and Wisconsin Avenue . There is a picturesque view of the C&O Canal and a beautiful waterfront, with dining available on both. Again, you cannot go home hungry! Take some time to tour the lovely residential neighborhood that has been, and is, the home to many famous Washingtonians like JFK, Ben Bradlee, Madeline Albright and others. If you really like jazz, a trip to Blues Alley is a must! Jazz saxophonist James Moody will perform live October 13 th -14 th. For details and directions go to www.bluesalley.com . Remember, you're in Duke Ellington's city! To arrive at Georgetown take the Metro to either Rosslyn or Foggy Bottom (Blue or Orange lines). From there take the Georgetown Metro Connection that will take you into the main part of Georgetown. One-way fare is 35 cents with a Metrorail transfer (which you must obtain at the Metro station before getting on the train) or $1.00 without a transfer.

Old Town Alexandria , VA : A beautiful 18 th century seaport town with many restaurants and lots of excellent shopping. If you're interested in antiques this is a great place to visit! Enjoy the bustling activities along the waterfront or visit Christ Church where George Washington and Robert E. Lee once attended. Old Town is not served directly by Metro, but you can get there by catching the Blue or Yellow line to the King Street station. Then board the DASH bus to Old Town (AT2, AT5 or AT7 bus). On the weekend the DASH ABOUT bus (painted entirely with a mural of Alexandria) is free and will take you to Market Square in the heart of Old Town (Friday 7pm-midnight, Saturday 10am-midnight, Sunday 11am-7pm). Another option would be to walk the 12-15 blocks on King Street to the waterfront. You'll pass lots of shops and eateries so it won't be a boring stroll!

Other areas for dining and exploring:  

Cleveland Park - on the Red line: www.clevelandpark.com/index2.html

Chinatown - on the Red or Yellow lines: www.culturaltourismdc.org/dch_tourism2555/dch_tourism.htm?doc_id=44107&area=2521

Union Station - on the Red line: www.unionstationdc.com/

Shopping: The DoubleTree is about three blocks from the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City. This mall has more than 170 stores for your shopping pleasure. Anchor stores are Macy's and Nordstrom with all kinds of merchants in between. There is an excellent food court at this mall along with several sit-down restaurants such as L&N Seafood and Ruby Tuesday. To check out the mall just click www.simon.com/mall/default.aspx?ID=157. Located adjacent to Pentagon City is Pentagon Row, a plaza-style shopping/dining/residential area. Excellent opportunities for spending a few dollars can be found at favorite stores such as Chico 's, Ann Taylor Loft and DSW Shoe Warehouse, among others. Good food is readily available as well. Explore the offerings at www.pentagonrow.com/.