Washington DC Travel Guide

What can you do in two hours?  Watch a movie, sure, or enjoy a fine dinner out (including appetizers and dessert).  But what about exploring the fine city of Washington, DC, and getting some exercise while you’re at it?

Washington Walks is a premier organization in the city which makes the process of getting out and about as painless as possible.  Simply show up at the appropriate Metrorail station at the right time, pay in cash ($15 per person and free for children 3 and under), and you’re ready to go.  Over the next two hours, your horizons will be expanded, your feet will be strengthened, and your trip to DC made more complete.

WW offers a variety of different tours.  The “Georgetown” experience takes guests through the historical freedmen community Herring Hill, Victorian mansions, and even the steps from the film The Exorcist. Read the rest of this entry »

Geographically, Constitution Gardens is the equivalent of North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park, except instead of cities, the Gardens are enclosed by three national sites: the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Constitution Avenue, and Reflecting Pool.  This location, along with the Gardens’s own beautiful scenery, has made the site a popular tourist attraction since its dedication in 1976.  The Gardens are also the site of a yearly National Park Service naturalization ceremony, where immigrants to the country are welcomed into their new home.

The Gardens’ focal point is its memorial island, where the names of the fifty-six men who signed the Declaration of Independence live on in stony solitude—literally.  The names and their signatures are engraved on stone monuments which honor the foundations of our country and government. Read the rest of this entry »

As the most important political site in the nation, it’s no surprise that there are a variety of luxury hotels in the area.  You don’t have to be a visiting dignitary to take advantage of these high-class digs, though—you just have to be ready to spend the extra money to make your DC trip one to remember.

• The Hotel Palomar: Any hotel that offers a nightly wine reception automatically makes the list.  The luxury extends to the rooms themselves, where guests can nestle under faux-lynx throws and Frette Italian linens while enjoying their favorite show on a flat-panel TV.
• The Westin Arlington Gateway: Food connoisseurs will be taken in by the hotel’s high-end Italian steakhouse, offering meats, pastas, and salads.  Complimentary wireless internet and an on-site Starbucks also make it easy to stay connected to your work back home—although why you would want to is beyond us. Read the rest of this entry »

In the 2009 film Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, several seasoned stars make appearances, including Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Hank Azaria, and Robin Williams.  The only star with their name in the title is the Smithsonian Museums themselves, however, which has been an American landmark since its establishment in 1846.  Today, the Smithsonian Institution includes 19 different museums (2 in New York City), 9 research centers, and the National Zoo.

With so much to explore, trying to take in all of the Smithsonian in a single day is impossible.  Groups and families will definitely want to personalize their visits based on their own interests.  However, the Institution does recommend starting your visit at the Smithsonian Information Center in the Castle.  The Center is open every day from 8:30am to 5:30pm.  Inside, you’ll find friendly advice from enthusiastic Volunteer Information Specialists and delicious food at the Castle Café. Read the rest of this entry »

While DC isn’t exactly thought of as a spring break hotspot, there is still a thriving nightlife scene for the young professionals who make their home in the city. Each club has its own identity and offers its own attractions to the prospective partier.

1. 18^th Street Lounge:  Would Teddy Roosevelt have been an electronic fan?  Who knows, but that’s what you’ll find every night at the restored mansion-turned-club where he once lived.  The club even heads its own music label, with owner Eric Hilton’s dreamy duo Thievery Corporation at the head of the roster.
2. Fur Nightclub: This group-owned warehouse club offers the expansiveness of a dance club you would find in New York or Miami, along with lounges and private rooms to get away from the action.  These rooms are accessible only by a special tunnel, so you’ll definitely feel a special sanctity once you reach your destination. Read the rest of this entry »