Tips for a great time in Washington DC?

mocnoc26
Sun, 03 Jun 2007 15:20:02 +0000

I highly recommend that you stay in Alexandria, VA… it’s much cheaper and there is a Metro stop, so no problem (we stayed at the Hilton… very nice and made travel easy).

When in D.C., you have to see the Capitol (I was a House of Representatives Page and I can honestly tell you that this is the one place you HAVE to see!). Ask your congressman if he/she can arrange a tour of the Capitol dome for your family/friends. I went with Congressman Taylor and had a blast… you literally can touch the Capitol rotunda and then you get to stand outside the dome and overlook all of Washington D.C. It is absolutely necessary that you see some of the Smithsonians, I recommend Air and Space, American History, and Art. The National Archives is fun but the line is always long and people are very pushy to see those documents.

If you are able to see all the monuments/memorials, do it! I suggest seeing them at night because the lighting in D.C. is just amazing. Go to the FDR memorial when the sun is about to set because there are not a lot people there and it creates a very peaceful environment. Lincoln, Vietnam, Korea, etc. should be seen when it is completely dark outside because it is much more dramatic.

One of my favorite restaurants in D.C. is called Tuscana West, an Italian restaurant. To get to the restaurant, get off at McPhereson Square on the Metro red line. Once you exit the Metro station, turn right and continue to walk straight for about 2 blocks and the restaurant is on your right. I also recommend the Hawk and Dove, a restaurant/bar close to the Capitol, as well as a Pakastani restaurant called Aatish on the Hill (very nice family owned restaurant and the food is amazing!).