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I will be in DC for the weekend in a couple of weeks and am trying to sort out what I want to see when I'm there. It will be my first time traveling to the city, so trying to get a good first impression. Realistically I'll only have about a solid day to roam around and a few obvious attractions come to mind. I'm just curious what you all would recommend for a short stint in the city. I will be staying downtown. Thanks!
If you're downtown then you could realistically see all of this:
1) Lincoln Memorial
2) Vietnam Wall
3) MLK Memorial
4) Jefferson Memorial
5) Washington Monument
6) Ford's Theater (Lincoln Assassination) --> See the bedroom where Lincoln died across the street with original furniture
7) Holocaust Museum
8) Air & Space Museum
9) White House
10) Capitol
11) Portrait Gallery/American History Museum if you're interested
The Spy Museum is way too crowded IMO and is more kids-oriented FYI. I'm also not a big fan of the Newseum -- it is way overpriced (and honestly I'm still trying to figure out how it's any different than a history museum).
I recommend you use the DC Circulator (costs $1) to get around the National Mall -- it's the most efficient and cheapest way.
If you're downtown then you could realistically see all of this:
1) Lincoln Memorial
2) Vietnam Wall
3) MLK Memorial
4) Jefferson Memorial
5) Washington Monument
6) Ford's Theater (Lincoln Assassination) --> See the bedroom where Lincoln died across the street with original furniture
7) Holocaust Museum
8) Air & Space Museum
9) White House
10) Capitol
11) Portrait Gallery/American History Museum if you're interested
The Spy Museum is way too crowded IMO and is more kids-oriented FYI. I'm also not a big fan of the Newseum -- it is way overpriced (and honestly I'm still trying to figure out how it's any different than a history museum).
I recommend you use the DC Circulator (costs $1) to get around the National Mall -- it's the most efficient and cheapest way.
Seriously, I think that is way to much for one day, unless you are literally just driving by the monuments, White House and Capitol.
Seriously, I think that is way to much for one day, unless you are literally just driving by the monuments, White House and Capitol.
To each their own, but all the tourist attractions are pretty much right next to each other. Walk straight down Independence Avenue and you pretty much have seen it all (save for the Jefferson).
This would be nothing for me, but I suppose might be overwhelming for some. Probably wouldn't have time for American History, but I'm not a big fan of that anyway. It's only educational for like a 5 year old.
Realistically I'll only have about a solid day to roam around and a few obvious attractions come to mind. I'm just curious what you all would recommend for a short stint in the city. I will be staying downtown. Thanks!
I recommend the Air & Space Museum, Museum of Natural History, National Gallery of Art and the monuments and memorials - Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, FDR, Vietnam, WWII. That's pretty much all you'll have time for in 1 day.
Expect your feet to hurt at the end of the day as you'll be doing a lot of walking.
If you're downtown then you could realistically see all of this:
1) Lincoln Memorial
2) Vietnam Wall
3) MLK Memorial
4) Jefferson Memorial
5) Washington Monument
6) Ford's Theater (Lincoln Assassination) --> See the bedroom where Lincoln died across the street with original furniture
7) Holocaust Museum
8) Air & Space Museum
9) White House
10) Capitol
11) Portrait Gallery/American History Museum if you're interested
The Spy Museum is way too crowded IMO and is more kids-oriented FYI. I'm also not a big fan of the Newseum -- it is way overpriced (and honestly I'm still trying to figure out how it's any different than a history museum).
I recommend you use the DC Circulator (costs $1) to get around the National Mall -- it's the most efficient and cheapest way.
We're coming from the Clarendon area and that's our metro stop. It looks like all these attractions are a mile walk from foggy bottom station. Is this the best bet to get going to the DC circulator or should we drive and park in the area 'so surrounding streets if that's possible? It's going to cost us $20 round-trip in Metro fees anyway. Not sure the kids can walk the mile and do all this and back.
We're coming from the Clarendon area and that's our metro stop. It looks like all these attractions are a mile walk from foggy bottom station. Is this the best bet to get going to the DC circulator or should we drive and park in the area 'so surrounding streets if that's possible? It's going to cost us $20 round-trip in Metro fees anyway. Not sure the kids can walk the mile and do all this and back.
The Smithsonian Metro stop would probably be more convenient than Foggy Bottom because that is right in the middle of the mall.
However, you can park on Ohio Drive for free and walk/take the Circulator from there. Here's the area I'm talking about: https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8839806,-77.0456995,17z. Come early, because the parking goes quick! You really can't drive around to all the different memorials though because there is very little parking.
Biking around to everything is another option that your kids might like depending on their age. It's about $10 per person.
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