Washington DC trip Need help..

[kymom99]

We also did a night tour of the monuments which was very cool.

And we went to Monticello on the way home. It is a distance from DC but it was easy enough for us to stop on our way back. You do need reservations for a tour there and it costs. The area is beautiful.

 

[afan]

I didn't read all the replies but I just got back from DC with a group of high schoolers. We stayed at residence inn Pentagon. It was great. There is a mall a block away with a fantastic food court. Good stuff like Panera and chipotle. Very convenient. The hotel runs a shuttle to nearby places but you can also get the metro at the mall. We had a bus to drop us off but a couple from our group used Uber and the metro. We went to Fords Theater, Holocaust Museum, and Air and Space museum. Catholic or not, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is amazing. I would check that out. I believe it is the 3rd largest in the world.

What metro stop is that? I'm planning to request a Pentagon tour and may need somewhere to eat lunch. My day is up in the air until I know what time my tour is. I'm going to a Nationals game that night so I'll either take the metro to Alexandria and the boat from there or go back into DC to do stuff and then take the metro to the game. It would be nice to have a few options for lunch.

 

[kymom99]

What metro stop is that? I'm planning to request a Pentagon tour and may need somewhere to eat lunch. My day is up in the air until I know what time my tour is. I'm going to a Nationals game that night so I'll either take the metro to Alexandria and the boat from there or go back into DC to do stuff and then take the metro to the game. It would be nice to have a few options for lunch.

It looks like it's called pentagon city station.

 

[gdrj]

Lots of good suggestions. For anyone not just OP, If you are going to stay outside of DC besides Crystal City/Pentagon area. I would suggest in looking at Old Town Alexandria area.

You can take Metro from King St Station to DC.
Hotels with-in Walking distance on King St (this runs to the river approx. 1.2 mile long and has free bus that runs the length every 20 minutes or so). Lots of restaurants, wine bars, etc.}
- Hilton Inn
- Hampton Inn
- Lorien Hotel and Spa

There are other hotels on King St further down but these 3 are the closest to Metro.
near the water there are water taxis to National Harbor (low priority for a short trip- newer with hotels and restaurants but expensive)
Old town Alexandria also has Ghost Tours in the evening and a few ice cream/candy shops if you need to add some weight back on from all the walking.

Definitely in DC stick with the Natl museums and monuments primarily. Although Ford's Theater I think is worth the fee due to the history. One thing that you can not plan on completely but look at calendar as far as when Congress needs budgets passed or when Govt runs out of money. If Govt shuts down all Museums are closed, even the monuments. (Not trying to get political). It just that the govt shutdowns in the past have caused havoc to vacations for people.

 

[kymom99]

Lots of good suggestions. For anyone not just OP, If you are going to stay outside of DC besides Crystal City/Pentagon area. I would suggest in looking at Old Town Alexandria area.

You can take Metro from King St Station to DC.
Hotels with-in Walking distance on King St (this runs to the river approx. 1.2 mile long and has free bus that runs the length every 20 minutes or so). Lots of restaurants, wine bars, etc.}
- Hilton Inn
- Hampton Inn
- Lorien Hotel and Spa

There are other hotels on King St further down but these 3 are the closest to Metro.
near the water there are water taxis to National Harbor (low priority for a short trip- newer with hotels and restaurants but expensive)
Old town Alexandria also has Ghost Tours in the evening and a few ice cream/candy shops if you need to add some weight back on from all the walking.

Definitely in DC stick with the Natl museums and monuments primarily. Although Ford's Theater I think is worth the fee due to the history. One thing that you can not plan on completely but look at calendar as far as when Congress needs budgets passed or when Govt runs out of money. If Govt shuts down all Museums are closed, even the monuments. (Not trying to get political). It just that the govt shutdowns in the past have caused havoc to vacations for people.

Fords theater doesn't cost anything.

 

[Araminta18]

Depending on when you're going, you can see a show at Ford's Theatre--they're currently doing "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" and starting in March I think they're doing their spring musical: Ragtime. If you can, DEFINITELY see a show--the shows there are great. One of the ones they did last season is going to Broadway this spring.

 

[kymom99]

Depending on when you're going, you can see a show at Ford's Theatre--they're currently doing "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" and starting in March I think they're doing their spring musical: Ragtime. If you can, DEFINITELY see a show--the shows there are great. One of the ones they did last season is going to Broadway this spring.

Oh, right. I just meant to tour. It doesn't take long and you can see the theater and the building across the street where Lincoln died.

 

[clori]

Embassy Suites Alexandria is right across the street from the King St Station. Since I was traveling with 2 elderly people it was really convenient.

The Pentagon City Station was maybe 2 stops from King ST and connected to the mall without going outside. We also liked the food court at the Ronald Reagan Building. The food court at the US Capital Visitor Center didn't have as many choices but had plenty for us.

 

[100AcreWood]

We just saw Ford's last month and we booked the tour in advance for $3 a person. Definitely worth it! There was a line of people waiting to get in and tours were already booked through the morning when we arrived.

 

[100AcreWood]

I didn't read all the replies but I just got back from DC with a group of high schoolers. We stayed at residence inn Pentagon. It was great. There is a mall a block away with a fantastic food court. Good stuff like Panera and chipotle. Very convenient. The hotel runs a shuttle to nearby places but you can also get the metro at the mall. We had a bus to drop us off but a couple from our group used Uber and the metro. We went to Fords Theater, Holocaust Museum, and Air and Space museum. Catholic or not, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is amazing. I would check that out. I believe it is the 3rd largest in the world.

Sounds like a nice place. The thing we struggled with during our last trip was food options near the hotel. Where did the hotel shuttle go?

 

[kymom99]

Sounds like a nice place. The thing we struggled with during our last trip was food options near the hotel. Where did the hotel shuttle go?

Well I'm not sure but I do know we had a parent and student who needed to stay at the hotel for a medical reason. Later they wanted to go to church and the shuttle took them to a church nearby. When we stayed at a residence inn in Pittsburg the shuttle took people around town. Not sure of the boundaries but it was very convenient.

As far as the food was concerned, I think the mall closed at 9. There is a cvs a block away but that's about all. We did order pizza to be delivered one night.

 

[kymom99]

Looks like behind the mall there are more restaurants like a bonefish. I also see on the map a costco. That could be handy.

 

[afan]

For anyone that plans on trying to get tickets to the African American history museum pack your patience. Tix for May opened at 9am est this morning and it took awhile to get a page to even pick my date and then another almost 2 hours to get through to the confirmation point. Registering for run Disney was easier and quicker. No idea how fast the tickets 'sell out'.

 

[DaystarPrincess]

Thank you everyone all your advice have been very helpful. I do not know what I would do without my Disboards and all you amazing people. Thank you again.

 

[Eureka]

For anyone that plans on trying to get tickets to the African American history museum pack your patience. Tix for May opened at 9am est this morning and it took awhile to get a page to even pick my date and then another almost 2 hours to get through to the confirmation point. Registering for run Disney was easier and quicker. No idea how fast the tickets 'sell out'.

Yes and even when you have tickets, lines may still be long. We went Columbus Day weekend and still stood in line at the museum for quite a while. The exhibits were packed and we didn't get through all of what we wanted to. Maybe now that it's been open for awhile, it will have thinned out though. I'm waiting awhile before going back just for that reason. (But I live locally so I can do that.)

 

[afan]

Yes and even when you have tickets, lines may still be long. We went Columbus Day weekend and still stood in line at the museum for quite a while. The exhibits were packed and we didn't get through all of what we wanted to. Maybe now that it's been open for awhile, it will have thinned out though. I'm waiting awhile before going back just for that reason. (But I live locally so I can do that.)

My friend was there in Dec and didn't see it all. We'll start on the bottom and go from there.

 

[afan]

I didn't want to start a new thread for my question. Has anyone toured the Navy Museum on the Navy Yard? I've read some reviews and it sounds good and I know you have to either be escorted or fill out a form to get approved when you get there, but I was curious. I thought I might check it out before the baseball game if I have enough time.

 

[WaywardMemphian]

I live and work in DC and echo a lot of the recommendations--the Smithsonians are fantastic, the capitol/Library of Congress/Supreme Court are all great as well. Too bad the Washington Monument is closed til 2019. You might be able to get a tour of the White House--contact your congressman.

DEFINITELY check out goldstar.com though for discounts to the museums/things that do charge. The Newseum is great, but super pricey. The Spy museum has cool stuff but is WAY overpriced (and isn't great as a museum--they just have cool stuff).

I'm going to rant here. How long was it closed to stabilize it after the earthquake? Why didn't the KNOWN issues of the elevators get fixed then. And people wonder why some hate the idea of government running stuff.

We are headed out in three weeks, 7 nights in DC at the Residence Inn/Capitol. Got the tours of the Capitol and Library of Congress booked through our US Senator's office. They handled those two and the Bureau of Printing and Engraving. Waiting word on the White House. Got Ford's Theater booked up and the Holocaust Memorial as well. We have the docent led tour of National Archives booked. My Brother and his family are doing DC with us and we are flying into BWI. We got a big SUV, we'll hit Fort McHenry and Geppi's before heading south to the Smithsonian at Dulles and Manassas. before heading into DC.

They go back home and we set out for a day along the Cheasepeake hitting my decoy and waterfowl museums before landing in Wildwood and Morey's for two nights. We'll hit the ferry and go down to Virginia Beach and Norfork then get up to Williamsburg for four days hit up the Civil War sites in Richmond and head to Appomattox, next day we stop at Monticello, Antietam, and Gettysburg before rolling into Hershey, and from there we end up in Philly for a couple of days before we fly back via Baltimore.

 

[WaywardMemphian]

The holocaust museum is incredible. As are walking the Vietnam war memorial, Second World War memorial, etc. and Lincoln memorial.

Memorials at Night, the dramatic lighting is better and they are less crowded.

We are tasked with getting a rubbing of a name on the Vietnam Wall for my Father in Law that had a buddy that died there.

 

[chartle]

Memorials at Night, the dramatic lighting is better and they are less crowded.

We are tasked with getting a rubbing of a name on the Vietnam Wall for my Father in Law that had a buddy that died there.

Also most if not all the museums close at around 5.