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My wife and I are visiting DC this week end from abroad and will stay for two weeks in USA. During the first week, We've reserved a hotel in Alexandria VA to visit the university ( Georgetown) and doing the paper work of the admission process.
I need your suggestions. What can one possibly do in DC and its surrounded areas for this week? We'll have a car.
For the second week, I have no idea where to go ( must stay this additional week in US to meet up with the university requirements of the admission test). This is our second visit to US and we're not thinking of visiting New York and New Jersey as we've already did last time. We want to visit near by places by car. Please advise?
What about places have natural hot springs near DC? Are there ?
Finally, my wife suggested we visit Boston. However, a friend of mine told me it is such a boring place if you are not living there ( come to Boston to study at its universities or to check its hospitals), or as he said.
It really depends on your interests. There are plenty of things to do in DC even without a vehicle. I have only been in Boston once, but it seems to me there is much more to do in DC than Boston anyway. If you did want to do a side trip, New York City is closer to DC than Boston, and much more interesting. I would recommend Amtrak for the trip, though, rather than driving. Driving in NYC is a major hassle, parking is expensive, and the traffic on I-95 can be a nightmare.
However, unless you really want to see another city, there should be plenty to do in DC. Like I said it really depends on your interests. Museums? Plenty in DC with the various Smithsonian museums, many of which are absolutely unique in the country and all free. Historical sites? Plenty to see in DC. Arlington Cemetary, monuments on the mall, etc. 9/11 memorial at the Pentagon, just to name a few. Restaurants/bar scene? DC has a very extensive selection of restaurants/bars. Like I said, you need to be more specific about your interests.
There's a lot, so it really depends on what you want to do.
Cities: You said you've done NYC, but you could do a trip up to Philadelphia (2.5 hours) or Baltimore (1 hour) for a couple of days (or do both through the whole week).
Bay/Beach: Still a little cold for beach weather, but you could still check out towns on the Chesapeake Bay (Annapolis, St. Michael's, Solomons) or go out to the coast: Dewey Beach, Bethany Beach, Rehoboth, Lewes (maybe take the ferry from here to Cape May, NJ). It'll be quiet, but I've always like the beach in the off-season
Mountains: Going the other direction, check out Shenandoah for hiking, camping, or get a cabin and just relax. The area near Luray is nice, and close to Skyline Drive, hiking trails, and wineries. West Virginia is also nice (and I think has hot springs somewhere), could check out the area near Harpers Ferry. Closer to DC you can hike in Great Falls and stay where you are in Alexandria. If you're also staying around DC you could take time to visit some wineries in Loudon/Fauquier Counties.
History: Lots of historical areas and battlefields. Fredericksburg and Charlottesville are both nice towns, and fairly close (1-1.5 hours), or Richmond could be interesting (2 hours)
That's all I've got off the top of my head, but I'm sure I'm missing quite a bit.
There are many thousands of interesting things in and near Washington, many of them free of charge, such as Smithsonian . What's the name of your hotel in Alexandria ? Is it near Metrorail ?
It seems odd that you asked about hot springs. Perhaps the nearest springs is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berkele..._West_Virginia but with the countless other diversions and sights in and near Washington, I would not advise spending hours of time to drive to a hot springs.
I need your suggestions. What can one possibly do in DC and its surrounded areas for this week? We'll have a car.
In addition to the things mentioned in the DC metro area, I recommend that you visit the Baltimore Inner Harbor, Annapolis, Skyline Drive and Luray Caverns.
For the second week, you might try western Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania Dutch Country or places farther out in Virginia. Even southern Maryland has a lot of nice spots.
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