<p>If you are visiting the capitol, I know there is lots to see, but what should never be missed?</p>
<p>Send me your ideas and I will pass 'em on to a current sightseer.</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Spy Museum, Newseum and Holocaust besides the traditional sites. Also try to make it over to the Pentagon to see their 9/11 Memorial. The interesting thing about it is if the bench is facing towards the Pentagon (look at the bottom support…kind of like a diving board) then they were on the plane, facing away they were in the building. The benches are also done be age range of the people, that is why it has some large breaks.</p>
<p>The FDR monument is also nice, but if you don’t have time than skip it.</p>
<p>The WH visitor center has a great gift shop that sells the WH christmas ornament. It is tradition in my home to buy them every yr for myself and gifts for family members. They are @15 and really pretty.</p>
<p>If you go to the spymuseum, go to Chinatown for dinner, it is right around the corner.</p>
<p>If you go to Fords theatre than go to hard rock for lunch or dinner.</p>
<p>“Spy Museum, Newseum and Holocaust besides the traditional sites.”</p>
<p>I agree. I also think that particularly in this time of so many challenges, the FDR memorial is an inspiration.</p>
<p>If you see only one art gallery, go to the new wing of the National Art Gallery.</p>
<p>There’s also a really good tapas restaurant diagonally across the street from the Spy Museum - too lazy to look it up, but it’s in the other DC threads.</p>
<p>Can’t miss:
On the Mall
National Gallery, American History, Air and Space, Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Memorial
Off the Mall:
Phillips Collection</p>
<p>Off the beaten track, but interesting National Cathedral. They are one of the few places where they ring changes (just like in Dorothy Sayers’ 9 Tailors.) [Washington</a> National Cathedral : Carillon & Peal Bells](<a href=“http://www.nationalcathedral.org/arts/carillonHistory.shtml]Washington”>http://www.nationalcathedral.org/arts/carillonHistory.shtml)</p>
<p>Hey, thanks, I have sent the info on direct. :)</p>
<p>Is that the greek restaurant with lots of glass windows and really modern?</p>
<p>One thing I would suggest is to go to this website
[Washingtonian</a> Magazine - Dining and Restaurants, Shopping, Politics, Entertainment, Nightlife, Real Estate, News and Events in Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia](<a href=“Washingtonian - The website that Washington lives by.”>Washingtonian - The website that Washington lives by.)</p>
<p>here’s just for this week and they do update it.<a href=“http://www.washingtonian.com/articles/artsfun/12299.html[/url]”>http://www.washingtonian.com/articles/artsfun/12299.html</a></p>
<p>They have some great restaurants to visit, and reviewed not only by food service/quality but also by $$$.</p>
<p>Bullfeathers in DC by the hill is also a great restaurant to go to, for lunch or happy hour, especially if the house is in b/c that is one of their watering holes. I was once told that it is the restuarant that was the basis for the one in the Murphy Brown show. Don’t know if it is true, but I could believe it. Everytime I have been there there has been a couple of MOCs there. Also for happy hour you will find it hard to get to be with MOCs and the cheap menu <a href=“bullfeatherscapitolhill.com”>bullfeatherscapitolhill.com; STOLI drinks for $3.50 is a bargain, rail drinks for $3.00 is even better and who could complain about paying $3.25 for wine or a Corona? They are certain days for each, but the site tells you which day of the week.</p>
<p>Don’t know when you are coming, but in the summer, the military bands have free concerts on the mall every Thursday night, or at least they use to.</p>
<p>On a nice evening going down to the Lincoln Memorial area at night, with the Vietnam, Korea and WWII memorials. It is a different experience at night. </p>
<p>If you venture out some, Mount Vernon is really nice this time of year. </p>
<p>If you don’t want to pay the price of the other museums mentioned, the air space museum .</p>
<p>bulletandpima - yes. It’s Greek/Mediterranean. More accurately small plates than tapas I guess. One of the best meals I’ve had in the last five years. Striking interiors and excellent food. I like eating Ethiopian food in DC - lots of choices and something you don’t see that much of in other parts of the US.</p>
<p>Bullet and I went there a couple of yrs ago, and I agree, order tapas, and they are very good at bringing them out in stages.</p>
<p>If you’re venturing outside of DC a bit - </p>
<ul>
<li>Mount Vernon</li>
<li>Annapolis </li>
<li>Baltimore inner harbor - tour some ships, tour the aquarium, eat some of those bad for you but tasty sausages at a place I can’t remember.</li>
</ul>
<p>Best food on the Mall, hands-down: National Museum of the American Indian. I try to get there with all of my out-of-town guests.</p>
<p>If you must eat in the Museum of Air and Space, head for the stairs in the center of the food court and go to the cafe on the upper level. It is one of those fancier McD places with sandwiches and lattes. If your tourists aren’t satisfied with the planes, etc. at Air and Space on the Mall, tell them to visit the Udvar-Hazy Center [National</a> Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center](<a href=“http://www.nasm.si.edu/udvarhazy/]National”>http://www.nasm.si.edu/udvarhazy/) near Dulles Airport where they can see the Concorde.</p>
<p>The East Wing of the National Gallery of Art has a nifty cafe on the upper level. Unfortunately it isn’t always open, but the bathrooms next to it are and they are out of the main traffic routes.</p>
<p>With kids, a good stop is the small National Aquarium in the basement of the Commerce Building. They feed the sharks and alligators at set times each week, so you can plan ahead and witness the frenzy. [Home[/url</a>]</p>
<p>If your tourists are willing to head a bit further out of town, they might like the National Museum of the Marine Corps just off of I-95 in Virginia. [url=<a href=“http://www.usmcmuseum.com/index.asp]The”>The National Musuem of the Marine Corps - National Museum of the Marine Corps]The</a> National Museum of the Marine Corps and Heritage Center](<a href=“http://www.nationalaquarium.com/]Home[/url”>http://www.nationalaquarium.com/) or the bigger branch of the National Aquarium [National</a> Aquarium in Baltimore](<a href=“http://www.aqua.org/]National”>http://www.aqua.org/) and the American Visionary Art Museum [American</a> Visionary Art Museum](<a href=“http://www.avam.org/]American”>http://www.avam.org/) both in Baltimore, MD.</p>
<p>For a calendar of events in Washington, check out [Washington.org</a> - Official Tourism Site of Washington, DC](<a href=“http://www.washington.org/]Washington.org”>http://www.washington.org/)</p>
<p>Wear comfortable shoes, and if you take the METRO, stand to the right on the escalators so that locals who walk up or down while the stairs are moving can pass you on the left.</p>
<p>If you’ve got time, or want a little different diversion, attend a performance of The Marine Band, “The President’s Own” [Washington</a>, D.C.](<a href=“http://www.marineband.usmc.mil/see_a_performance/plan_you_visit/locations/dc.htm]Washington”>http://www.marineband.usmc.mil/see_a_performance/plan_you_visit/locations/dc.htm)</p>
<p>I agree that there’s great food at the Museum of the American Indian.</p>
<p>If you want to eat relatively cheap and want a variety of choices, go to the basement of the Amtrack station. It’s a fabulously beautiful building, too. Nice shopping. Several restaurants on the first and perhaps the second floor. Wonderful variety of food in the basement including food cooked by some good restaurants in D.C.</p>
<p>The Amtrack station is also known as Union Station.</p>
<p>I think the Vietnam Memorial is a must see. I’d second recommendations for the Holocaust Museum and Air/Space Museum and the East Wing of the National Gallery of Art. I also like the Hirshhorn Sculpture garden (it’s on the Mall). One restaurant that we really enjoyed (we lived in DC for four years) was the Old Ebbitt Grill. It’s got great
atmosphere–it’s right near the White House (lots of Presidents have been there) and there’s a very good oyster bar.</p>
<p>The new U.S. Capitol Visitor Center is impressive.</p>
<p>happymom:</p>
<p>Thanks for the tip about the Marine Corps museum - I hadn’t heard of it but will try to see it next time I’m in that area.</p>
<p>The good food at the Museum of the American Indian seems so random (I never expect good food at tourist places like museums). What makes the food there better than the typical place?</p>
<p>Having spent way too much time there - and having family a rock’s toss from the Supreme Court: </p>
<ol>
<li>The Interior Dept has a weird old museum that feels like time stopped and a neat Native American store that also feels like it’s from another era. If you’re into that kind of thing, this is the place.</li>
<li>In that regard, I hate the Native American museum but the food is decent and there is literally nothing to eat on that side of the mall outside of the museums. I mean literally; the area is a ghost town of federal office buildings so you eat in one of those or you walk and walk and walk. (The Museum kowtows to political correctness so stuff made 2 years ago is accorded the same status as antiques. A typical mess is an expensive video production that consists solely of cultural praise but says nothing.)</li>
<li>Go to the Vietnam Memorial at night. It’s surreal and beautiful. The WWII memorial is better by day. Also note the Einstein statue on the mall right near the Vietnam Memorial. I like that statue.</li>
<li>The Lincoln Memorial is also coolest at night. Do not sit on his lap. I know a guy who did and that ended with handcuffs.</li>
<li>The shows at the National Gallery are incredible. They get the best stuff. The museum itself can be a little like a train station but the special shows are worth it. Also, speaking of train stations, Union Station is neat looking inside. Kind of generic for food but neat looking.</li>
<li>The Library of Congress is amazing inside. And the Supreme Court is actually worth visiting.</li>
<li>As a warning, the main buildings like Natural History can be crowded and, for some strange reason, the shows - which can be excellent - are designed to handle many fewer people than come. You can get worn out very quickly. </li>
<li>To mention a side trip, one of the neat places a short drive away is Great Falls. Look it up. You can sometimes see kayakers shoot the falls.</li>
</ol>
<p>Are they there now? Just saw that the Spring Garden Party at Mt. Vernon is this weekend. Also the Embassy Open House is Saturday. [url=<a href=“http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/30/AR2009043001477.html]washingtonpost.com[/url”>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/30/AR2009043001477.html]washingtonpost.com[/url</a>]</p>
<p>The art museums are great. The National Gallery is a must-see, but my favorite is the Phillips Collection, a private museum just off Dupont Circle. The Corcoran, Hirshhorn, and Freer among others also have outstanding collections and special exhibits. </p>
<p>For legal buffs, if the Supreme Court is holding oral arguments go early to stand in line for a seat. At night, visit the Lincoln Memorial and walk along the reflecting pool to the Washington Monument. For those of us of a certain vintage, the Vietnam War Memorial is a touching tribute, with the engraved names of all the service men and women who gave their lives. The pandas at the National Zoo are worth seeing, as are many of the other exhibits. Go down to Fletcher’s Boat House in Georgetown and rent a canoe for a lesurely float down the Potomac, or rent a bike there for a ride up the C & O Canal Towpath. Stop in at Politics & Prose, a terrific independent bookstore and coffeehouse in Dupont Circle to browse their fabulous collection books, meet the authors at daily book signings, and people-watch (you’ll often see famous pols and pundits there).</p>