Here are a few more helpful responses.
Thanks again,
Lee Ann Marona
Library Media Specialist
Brentwood Elementary School
4820 N. Palafox Street
Pensacola, FL 32505
850.595.6800 x235
_lmarona@escambia.k12.fl.us_ (mailto:lmarona@escambia.k12.fl.us)
My husband and I are actually heading down to DC this weekend. We always do
for Easter as a little get away! Since we go every year, we certainly have
those things we do every year! It's just the two of us, so you may want to find
some more kid-friendly things, but our favorites are great for anyone! Here
they are:
-The International Spy Museum (not free, but very interesting, lots of kids
always there!)
-Smithsonian Museum of Natural History
-Mount Vernon
-Arlington National Cemetery (changing of the guards is a MUST see... it
really renews your patriotism)
-Tour the monuments both by day and night. It's absolutely breathtaking to
walk around the mall after sunset
- The White House (get in touch with your local representative NOW to try to
secure tickets)
- The National Archives
- There are a lot of neat walking tours. Check out washingtonwalks.com
- If you have time for a day trip, Annapolis, MD is really cool. About a 40
min. drive from DC. The Naval Academy is amazing.
I know it's sometimes cheaper to stay outside of the city in Arlington or
Alexandria, but it's definitely a neat experience to stay down-town. We get
really great rates through Orbitz. If we come across anything new this weekend
I'll be sure to email you.
Here are the restaurants my son recommends:
Clyde's, Capital City Brewery, Guapos
Enjoy.
I didn't notice Mount Vernon, George Washington's home along the Potomac.
It isn't far from DC and a beautiful sight. He was an engineer who needed
symmetry in his life, which is depicted with the layout of his house.
Beautiful gardens...great piece of history.
I haven't visited Quantico either, but wish I had when I lived in the
Richmond area.
I just read your long hit and noticed there's something nobody mentioned:
We have a relatively new bus service called the Circulator that stops at
various points around the Mall, takes you to Georgetown, etc. They are very
clean and air-conditioned buses; great for seeing the city in.
They are terrific if you find the DC heat and/or walking the Mall to be a
bit too much...my in-laws were here last spring and we used it to get from one
end of the Mall to the other. Website: _http://www.dccirculator.com/_
(http://www.dccirculator.com/)
As others mentioned, be prepared for heat/cold and rain.
Some interesting sites that were not mentioned. The Air and Space
museum just open a new branch at Dullas Airport. The have the space
shuttle, the Concord and several other planes. My husband loved it, me
not so much. They also have an Imax theater there. During the winter
holidays we watched Night In The Museum there, at night. Cool!
I would travel lightly, not with a backpack. They have to be searched
in all the government buildings now.
I would take in some Virginia sites if you have time; Arlington, Old
Town Alexandria, the plantations.
Try to see a performance at on of the theaters. The Kennedy Center has
two stages in the lobby and many evenings have free performances.
Old Ebbits Grill is the only restaurant we go to a lot that was not
mentioned. It is one block from the Hotel Washington. We take guest
to the roof bar then to Old Ebbits for dinner. As for restaurants,
there are so many ethnic ones that we generally choose by the type of
food we want to eat.
Everybody suggested metro, as side bar. The flashing lights on the
station floor that informs you when a train arrives is my dad's
invention. He was one of the signal designers for the system.
If you have lots of time: Jamestown is celebrating it's 400
anniversary this year. There are a lot of celebrations and special
programs being planned. Queen Elizabeth is coming in May. The
Reedville Fisherman's Museum has built a replica of John Smith's boat.
You will have a great time!
Get a RECENT map of the streets around the White House; when we went, ten
years ago, some of the roads changed direction depending on the time of day,
and others were closed off. Since 911, I imagine there are other changes.
Don't miss the Smithsonian Museum of History, the Washington Gallery, and
the Vietnam Memorial Wall. If you have time, go to Annapolis, MD, and tour
the Naval Academy. My late daughter went to school there and it's a
marvelous place; we've been there a number of times and always enjoyed it.
If you go to Annapolis, I recommend Chick and Ruth's for breakfast and
Buddy's Crabs and Ribs for all other meals (the view from their upstairs
location over the water is fabulous!). Have fun!
Holocaust Museum: Call your senator's or representative's office ahead of
time to get tickets reserved. It saves standing in line.
The spy museum is fun and interesting.
-Spy Museum
-Holocaust Museum
-Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall
-Museum of American History
-Air and Space Museum (name?)
-Lincoln Memorial
-Washington Monument
A night bus tour is really fun; the monuments are so
so beautiful at night.
I visited DC about 5 years ago with a group of teacher friends. We
stayed at Homewood Suites and it was wonderful. Friendly staff,
breakfast, simple supper in the evening. Every room is a suite,
kitchen, livingroom and bedroom. It is within walking distance to
subway. They offered a night tour of the monuments, for a price. It
was great.
A good way to see all the sites is the tram around the area. It stops
at almost every monument and goes to Arlington Natl. Cemetery.
A fun activity is to take a boat trip to Mt. Vernon, great scenery and
would be fun for kids.
If you have connections with someone in the government, try to get
tickets to the Marine Barracks and watch their program. It is very
impressive.
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