What to do in Washington DC?
I’ll be staying in the Adams Morgan neighborhood and do not have a car
I’ll be in Washington DC till Friday the 18th. I was hoping someone could tell me what do to, what places to visit. museums, and where to eat or anything you feel like I should know
Thanks a bunch!
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Adams Morgan! Eat Pupusas!
It’s not like NYC or London, but the rail and bus network in DC is respectable. Hit the Smithsonian up. It’s not the best museum in the world, but it’s still excellent and free. Then there are obviously all sorts of government-related tourism. Adams Morgan has a lot of nightlife, so it’s a good place to stay.
Washington, DC is an excellent city for tourists, The subway system is modern and clean with helpful attendants. Most museums and other attractions are free and the residents of the city are unusually helpful in offering directions.
The Holocaust Museum sounds like a downer, but it is actually quite spectacular.
You should visit Georgetown for some delicious cupcakes, and some great shopping! Just take the metro to Foggy Botton, and there is a free shuttle that will take you to Georgetown! There are also excellent restaurants, I suggest Clyde’s and their veggie sandwich, or really anything on their menu. And as for heading to DC for the museums I suggest it! The Hirshhorn is fantastic and by far a favorite if you are a fan of modern and contemporary art. (also free) Union Station has some killer gyros! Another random thing you can do, is go to the house of representatives, I like to bring my friends from out of town there because you can just walk into their offices like you own the place because they work for you. Very exciting. And their cafeteria has awesome pizza.
That’s all I can think of right now…
Go to Capital Hill and visit the Capital, the Library of Congress, and, if you want, the Folger Shakespeare Museum.
The Iwo Jima memorial every Tuesday evening.
DC has an excellent metro system, which is easy to us.
- I agree Air and Space Museum. Be sure to see To Fly at the IMAX in the museum.
– The Holocaust museum is fantastic. http://www.ushmm.org/
– My husband really enjoyed the FBI tour/museum. Shoot, I just looked up the wensite and it says it is presently closed so scratch that.
– If you are interested in seeing the White House be warned that I think you need reservations ahead of time.
– My exboyfriend goes to Lima which I think is a Restaurant dance club type place if you are into that? Knowing him I assume it is nice with good music, probably along the lines of House, or Eurobeat high energy type thing. Here is the link http://www.dcclubbing.com/thursdays-at-lima/ I’ve never been there.
– National Postal Museum http://www.postalmuseum.si.edu/
– Jefferson Memorial and go on the paddle boats near by http://www.nps.gov/thje/index.htm
– Arlington National Cemetary http://www.arlingtoncemetery.org/index.htm
You’ll be right near a great restaurant in Woodley Park on Connecticut Avenue called the Lebanese Taverna. Also great is an Indian one further up on Connecticut, in Cleveland Park, called Indique. The National Zoo is around there too and quite lovely if it’s not too hot and you’re into zoos. I find the Lincoldn Memorial very touching too.
There are so many things to do in D.C. There are, of course, the monuments. Old Town (Alexandria) is a good time…so if Georgetown. If you are into live music there are TONS of nice venues.
If you do the Smithsonians (and you like Mexican food) go to Rose Mexicana for lunch. You will thank me.
Most everything you would want most to see and do is accessible by Metro, 2 closest stops [walkable from much of Adams Morgan] are Dupont Circle and Woodley Park – Zoo. Adams Morgan night life is lively and nearby U Street nightlife also.
I agree with @dpworkin Holocaust museum is impressive. And the architecture is as compelling and evocative as the exhibits. And it is right next to all the Smithsonian museums.
The Smithsonian’s Freer Gallery with its spectacular Asian art collection and its splendid collection of works by James Abbott McNeill Whistler including his recreated Peacock Room is really worth seeing and more of an undiscovered treasure than such things as SI’s Air & Space. [Smithsonian Metro stop for Smithsonian mall museums and Holocaust Museum].
The National Portrait Gallery and American Art Museums [one building] have been totally redesigned and include an open conservation lab, where you can watch conservators at work behind glass walls [Gallery Place Metro stop]. Chinatown is just up the street, walk a block north and turn right at the beautiful Chinese Gate and go down to Tony Chen’s—either Mongolian stir fry on lower level or traditional Chinese [with emphasis on seafood!!] on second floor—both are great.
Yes go to the Capitol and visit your congressman and explore the tunnels connecting all the Capitol office buildings [you used to be able to ride on the little train that ran between buildings underground but I think that is off-limits now], mail your letters from one of the Capitol post offices [in different buildings or the touristy one at the Capitol itself] and then go to Hill hangouts Bullfeathers or Tortilla Coast on First Street SE a few blocks away and maybe run into him again [Capitol South Metro]. And the Library of Congress is impressive. Grand building, terrific exhibits, and do go into the main reading room!
And much much more.
DC is a terrific walking city!
You should visit:
Congress
Ford’s Theater
The Lincoln Memorial
The Viet Nam Memorial
The Korea Memorial
The Jefferson Memorial
The MLK Memorial park
The FDR Memorial
The WWII Memorial
The Holocast Museum
The Smithsonian Museum (You can spend a good 4 days here)
Arlington Cemetary (The Tomb of the Unknowns, JFK’s grave, RFK and Teddy’s graves)
Washingtons Monument
Walk by the White House
The National Treasury has the Bill of Rights and the Constitiution on display
The Mint
You can spend a lot of time here, and you will be so much the better for it!
Have a great time!
It’s hot as hell in DC right now and humid and will only get worse until September. That might lessen some walking enthusiasm. One good thing though, is DC can be quixotic, like sitting outside at a restaurant wearing shorts on a fluke New Year’s Eve. Maybe you’ll get a few cool days.
@anartist Too right; I think Isweated off about 5 pounds there last weekend (I wish.)
@janbb I wish that worked for me but I must be acclimatized
address your grievances at the various federal buildings.
If you get hot while at the Capitol, the US Botanic Gardens is right there, never crowded, and very cooling. Also it has an amazing collection of orchids.
Yes, I do agree with WItsAHabit. Washington DC is a popular tourist spot. Search in any search engine and pick up the top rearched results and visit those sites. And it is very easy to find out top attractions. I think then you would get a list of top attractions and there venue. Then choice yourself whenever you want to go. Simple work….:)
All the best. Have a nice trip.
I lived in DC from 1963 to about 73 and loved every minute of it. There is so much to see and do, all of the above and so much more. I think the Smithsonian is one of the best museum in the world actually it is a collection of museums, and I agree the Hirshorn is fantastic, if you’re lucky, Morris Louis Point of Tranquility will be on display, the Portrait Gallery, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier even if you are not into military things, it is so impressive to watch the changing of the guards there. In the evening Georgetown and Old Towne. And practically all of it FREE. Have fun and report back, makes me nostalgic just thinking about it, all the times I was gassed during the peace demonstrations, all the hazy memories of the Cellar Door, ahhh those were the days! I even managed to acquire a couple of degrees.
Pricy but interesting are the Newseum [near the must-see National Gallery on the Smithsonian Mall -closest metro Archives station] and the Spy Museum [near the American Art Museum and Portrait Gallery—metro stop Gallery Place]
@anartist I didn’t care much for the spy museum. They had some cool stuff, but everything else is DC was more fun and fascinating.
@filmfann I agree with you—it is too plastic, high-tech, “artifake”-ridden, and slick for my taste, too. And at that cost! There are many more genuine things to see for free. There was, maybe still is, another spy museum that is definitely not slick but may be far more interesting. NSA developed a little museum in a funky motel across the highway from their “reservation” [so you didn’t need to provide ID and a thumbprint to get in]. But that’s kind of impossible without car and may not still exist.
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