Help with a DC trip

[reddixie]

Hi we are heading out to DC. As most know we live in Central Florida. I am so not looking forward to the We leave in 2 weeks and thank goodness as of now no snow predicted while we are there. It is DH, DD(13), and I. We all threw in our 2 cents. I wanted to do the Holocaust Musuem and got tickets online. DH Arlington and Air and Space. DD Koshland Musuem and the National Gallery of Art. I contacted my Rep. and his secretary got us tours of the White House and Capitol YEAH. Therefore 3 things on our schedule are non negotiable. So here goes and anyone that has done this or lives nearby please throw in your 2 cents as well. All ideas welcome. Thanks

Thur. Leave by 8:00 and stop by 3:00 in the morning.
Fri. Leave Hotel by 10:00 and head north
check into our resort in VA..

Sat. we have a 7:30 tour White House.
Cab to and from can't take in tobacco and hubby smokes lol.
Take Metro back into town by 10:30 am
11:00 Ford's Theater
12:00 Peterson House
1:30 Old Post Office Pavillion lunch and the clock
3:00 National Archives for a peak at the Declaration and Constitution.
4:30 Koshland Museum
6:00 head back


Sun. 8:30 Hirshorn Sculpture Gardens
10:00 National Air and Space Museum
1:30 Lunch
2:30 National Gallery of Art until closing
6:00 head back


Mon. 8:30 Arlington Cemetary
11:00 American History Museum
Lunch at the Museum
6:00 head back



Tues. 8:00 go to the Mall
Lincoln Memorial, Thomas Jefferson Memorial, WW2 Memorial, Korean Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, look at the Washington Monument
10:30 Holocaust Museum 11:00 Tour Tickets
3:00 Library of Congress
4:30 Head back

Wed. 10:00 Tour arranged by our Rep. of the Capitol Building
12:00 Lunch at Union Station
1:30 Hillwood Museum until closing at 4:30 We have
these tickets also sorry forgot.


Thurs. A day off we will eat at Gadsby's Tavern for dinner



Fri. Time to come home a stop at Mount Vernon on the way!

 

[NC Belle]

I think that some of your time estimates are a bit too short. I have not been to DC in awhile, but the lines used to be long in the Archives and the Smithosian hours are often shorter in the winter.


I recommend that you eat at Pentagon City (mall with Ruby Tuesday's as well as other options-better early in the day) when you do Arlington Cementary---it is a short Metro ride. I have not eaten at the museums lately---but, in the past...they were pricey and not the best tasting.

If you are hungry around the Capitol/Archives area try the Union Station--lot of choices. I used to like the Old Post Office---nice views.

You may want to check out some of the memorials after the museums closed like the Vietnam War Memorial, Washington Momument, and the Lincoln Memorial. Just be aware of your surroundinngs.

Have fun!

 

[reddixie]

Thanks I know that the winter hours are about 1 and hours earlier in closing the museum. I found that DC uses the same hours as St. Augustine in the winter. The Archives have me worried also. I think if I need to I will skip those and try those on Thursday. I want to just go into the public area. My hope is that the weather is just nice enough so that we don't freeze and cold enough to keep away the rest of the tourist. After all we do Disney all the time and are great walkers. Thanks for the advise on the food. I knew Union Station was a must but was unsure of anything else where food was concerned.

 

[Tuffcookie]

Reddixie, I haven't checked lately but are the pandas at the Washington Zoo on display during winter months?
I would love to go in the Spring to see the new panda baby!

My youngest DS's 8th grade class is doing a Gettysburg/Washington DC trip at the end of April.

Have a very fun, educational trip!

TC

 

[Barb D]

The Udvar-Hazy annex to the Air and Space museum is the worth the trip if you have time (maybe on your off day?) It's near Dulles Airport. I think there's a shuttle between the A&S museum on the mall and Udvar-Hazy.

 

[tkd lisa]

I believe the Pandas would be on exhibit in their building even if it's bad outside. And the zoo has a number of inside exhibits. My kids liked Amazonia and the bug exhibits, and both of them are inside.

And I completely agree with NOT eating at the museums. Generally overpriced bland food. Union Station and the Old Post office both have a good variety of foods. Pentagon City Mall food court is standard food court fare.

One thing you didn't mention that might interest your family is the Native American museum. It's very new, and often overlooked. They have a lot of art in there, so it might be up your DD's alley.

Weather is obviously the big factor in what you do. One thing I would definitely be prepared for is cold rain. That's very common in the springtime in DC.

 

[LiteBrite]

We ate at the cafeteria in the National Gallery a couple of times on our last trip - I didn't think it was so bad. It was a little overpriced, but not that bad, and I thought the food was ok. If you just want something convenient in the middle of your Smithsonian day, it fits that bill, anyway.

 

[sk8belle]

If you want to see the pandas, there are a few options to try. You can get advance tickets here: http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/GiantPandas/ The link for tickets is right at the top of the page. You can also try for same-day tickets at the kiosk right outside the panda exhibit. There seem to be quite a few same-day tickets available, but you have less control over what time they'll be for, so I recommend the online option. Hopefully, there will be some for the day you are there. All the tickets are free of charge. Finally, if you don't want to try for tickets, you can go to the Panda Cafe and check out the viewing area there. You can only see them there if they are outside, however.

 

[caitycaity]

Sat. we have a 7:30 tour White House.
Cab to and from can't take in tobacco and hubby smokes lol.
Take Metro back into town by 10:30 am
11:00 Ford's Theater

where is your hotel? you don't have to take the metro "back into town" from the white house because the white house is downtown. you can easily walk from the white house to ford's theatre. taking the metro from the white house to ford's theatre would be silly because it would probably take you longer (and require more walking) than just walking directly there.

i really like the cafeteria at the national gallery. other than that, i would steer clear of the museum cafeteria's as others have noted.

 

[reddixie]

We are staying at the Fairfield in Alexandria Virginia. White House means no camera, no tobacco, no anything. seriously I understand due to 9-11 but we are only allowed a cellphone(why I don't want to talk to anyone while there), ID, money, and wallets. That is it. As a Disney nut I always carry camera, extra batteries, moleskins, id, money, small first aid kit, maps, sewing kit, cellphone, extra cigratees for dh, etc. So I will have to head back to hotel and pick up these things. There is no where to store them on property at the White House and you will be denied entrance if you bring any banned items. I am still very excited though. We have no problem with taking a cab and then the metro back into town. As for the Zoo we may add that in as most seem to really love it. Thanks

 

[justhat]

If you're not into the pandas, I would say you could skip the zoo as, sadly, the National Zoo really isn't that great. I would definitely do what sk8belle said though and get the online tickets cause if it's a nice day when you decide to go they may be all sold out. You can take a cab to/from the White House, or you can take the metro there too. DC cabs can really rip you off cause of their zone fare system so the metro might be cheaper.

I also agree that the Udvar-Hazy center is worth the trip if you can fit it in. It's a trek, but a great museum and since your husband wants to see the regular Air and Space he should be interested in this one too.

Oh yeah, most of the food courts in the museum aren't so great, but the one at the American Indian museum was very good I thought. It had less 'junk' type food and tried to be a little healthier and also closer to 'Native American food'. So I'd give that one a try. And the Air and Space museums (both on the mall and Udvar-Hazy) have McDonalds in them.

 

[sk8belle]

Udvar-Hazy is awesome. Also, let me suggest the Spy Museum, if you need an indoor thing to do.

As for the Zoo, while Tai Shan is cute, the place can be rather depressing. I meant to put this disclaimer in my other message. After seeing all the room the animals have at AK, it's tough to see the animals in these little bitty cages at the National Zoo.

If you are looking for some place to eat while down by the museums, let me suggest the Hawk & the Dove or Bullfeathers up on Capitol Hill (on the Independence Ave. side of the Capitol) or Froggy Bottom (great lunch buffet during the week) at Washington Circle (22nd and PA Ave.).

 

[justhat]

I 2nd Froggy Bottom. We live a few blocks from it and the lunch is pretty good there.

I also agree that the Spy Museum is a great place. It's not free, but definitely worth the admission IMO.

 

[caitycaity]

or Froggy Bottom (great lunch buffet during the week) at Washington Circle (22nd and PA Ave.)

hey - i am a froggy bottom regular!

another good place for lunch is lindy's red lion (21st and I st.) - they have awesome burgers and some of the best fries i have ever had in my life. if you or your dh is into beer, you might try foggy bottom (on tap at the frog and lindy's). it's a good local beer.

 

[MinnieM3]

WE loved the Washington at Night tour. It was great. had a super meal at Old Ebbit Grill downtown. At Union Station, great meal at America.


Don't forget at the White House Tour you can not take ANYTHING in with you and there are NO lockers to store your stuff. WE had to leave everything except the tickets and DH's wallet at the hotel and go back and get them afer the tour. NO cameras, cell phones, pocketbooks, backpacks, nothing at all.

We did do the Ford's Theatre place and it took all of 10 minutes. Some of the other places I thought you had allotted too much time. Not the museums, argh, I can't remember now.

Oh, on our Capitol tour day we had a great buffet lunch in the Senate Dining room. Very cool!!

In the Old Post Office there's this touristy place that will put your picture in numerous shots (like they do with Mickey at wDW) with the President and other people. We did get those and they were great fun!

Enjoy!

 

[PlutoPony]

Another vote for Udvar Hazy out by Dulles. You can drive it (entrance is free, parking $12 I think) but try to avoid going or coming during rush hours. There is a shuttle to it from Air and Space, that might be the easiest (small charge).
Check out the outdoor sculpture garden by the National Museum of Art - it's in front of the Archives. Your daughter might enjoy ice skating there (you can rent skates) and the "restaurant" there is a step above stuff in some of the museums.
If you have time, stop in the Museum of the American Indian - check out the exhibit of beaded items as some of them are just amazing! And if you have time walk thru the Botanical Gardens (between the Capitol and AI).
I'd make reservations in advance to to up in the Washington Monument. Winter days are good for that visibility is much better than in summer.
You might want to consider the Tour Mobile to see the monuments, especially if it's really cold.

 

[EthansMom]

I'm not sure that you've left yourself enough time in many places. The National Mall is sooooo huge and you really haven't left a lot of time for travel (mostly walking).

On the day where you want to do 6 memorials and then the Holocaust Museum, you will need more time if you want to read all of the plaques and take pictures at each memorial.

Also, you will probably want more than 2.5 hours at Arlington Cemetary. You'll likely want to see many of the graves and memorials. You could spend the better part of an entire day at Arlington and not see everything.

Here is a map of the National Mall: http://www.nps.gov/nacc/pphtml/maps.html

Enjoy your trip!

 

[reddixie]

Thanks guys I am taking notes. I really appericiate the advise on places to eat. As we know being Disney fans that great food can make a vacation. As for Arlington I am only doing the Changing of the Guard and the Kennedy's gravesite. I will take the 6.00 a person bus tour to cut down on the walking. I know there is no way to see everything in DC just like at Disney. My timeline is more of a guide than set in stone. I just wonder if I am being to optimistic or was I managing well considering that we don't have so much time and I don't want to overwhelm my family. Old Towne Trolley's are the only tour doing the night tours at 20.00 a person of the monuments. I might do one of these in addition to my day things. We have most evenings free. Thanks once again and keep the info coming.

 

[justhat]

I think it's pretty reasonable, and if you see you're falling behind your schedule you can always speed things up pretty easily. What I mean is, when you go to the monuments, there's only so much time really needed at each one, at least IMO, so you can make up some time there. And you have a whole free day, right? That will be great for making up anything you missed on the other days.

 

[sk8belle]

If you want another good place to eat that's Metro-accessible, try Rio Grande over at Ballston. GREAT fajitas! Or better yet, El Paso Cafe. But that one you'd have to drive to.

Oh, and the day you go to the Vietnam and Korean Memorials, check out the Einstein statue hidden over by the National Academy of Sciences (I think it's at the corner of 23rd and Constitution? Might be 22nd). The DC WWI Memorial is tucked away in that area as well, on the Independence Ave.-side of the Reflecting Pool.

Did you list the FDR Memorial? It's just over the bridge from the Jefferson and my personal favorite in the memorials.

Finally, if you have evenings free and some energy left, check out what's going on at the Kennedy Center. Sometimes they have free programs.