A trip to Washington DC
Home of the White House and Capitol, Washington DC is the capital of the US. The city is home to the bestcollection of museums and galleries in the country and lies adjacent to beautiful states like Maryland and Virginia. Home to the Washington Wizards, visitors can enjoy the American sports scene here as well. Getting to Washington DC is via either of its two airports: Dulles International Airport and Reagan National Airport.
Home of the White House and Capitol, Washington DC is the capital of the US. The city is home to the bestcollection of museums and galleries in the country and lies adjacent to beautiful states like Maryland and Virginia. Home to the Washington Wizards, visitors can enjoy the American sports scene here as well. Getting to Washington DC is via either of its two airports: Dulles International Airport and Reagan National Airport.
Flights to Washington DC
Washington DC is served by two airports: Dulles International Airport and Reagan National Airport. There two other regional airports that can easily be reached from Washington DC and these are Baltimore-Washington and Philadelphia international airports. Dulles International Airport can be reached via shuttle bus from the city centre or by taxi, which takes roughly 30 minutes in good traffic conditions.
Washington DC is served by two airports: Dulles International Airport and Reagan National Airport. There two other regional airports that can easily be reached from Washington DC and these are Baltimore-Washington and Philadelphia international airports. Dulles International Airport can be reached via shuttle bus from the city centre or by taxi, which takes roughly 30 minutes in good traffic conditions.
Reagan National Airport is connected to the Washington DC metro system and can easily be reached. Amtrak services the Baltimore-Washington International Airport. Although Amtrak goes to Philadelphia, it does not go directly to the airport. From the train station in Philadelphia, visitors will have to take a taxi or shuttle bus to the airport. If you are looking for a cheap flight to Washington try Expedia.
The central part of Washington DC is compact and easy to explore on foot. The city is also well served by a metro underground system. The metro is easy to use, with many convenient stops. There are day and weekly cards for visitors, depending on your needs. The metro is well-lit, patrolled and safe at day and night. Metered yellow taxis are also abundant, safe and relatively inexpensive.
Washington
Sightseeing in Washington DC
No visit to Washington DC would be complete with a visit to the famous White House, the residence of the President of the United States. The outside of the building can be easily viewed from a fenced area, while guided tours inside the White House are also available. For security reasons, tours are strictly controlled so make sure you find out when tours are available and get there early.
No visit to Washington DC would be complete with a visit to the famous White House, the residence of the President of the United States. The outside of the building can be easily viewed from a fenced area, while guided tours inside the White House are also available. For security reasons, tours are strictly controlled so make sure you find out when tours are available and get there early.
There are many museums and galleries to visit in Washington DC. The largest and most famous is the Smithsonian Museum. Visitors can spend days looking at the exhibits here, which range from historical to technical. Other good museums include the National Mint and Holocaust Museum.
Fun by night – eating drinking and partying
Washington DC is a political city, but it is also a vibrant student city. The city has three universities: Georgetown, George Washington and American, as well as a campus of Johns Hopkins. This means that during term time, there is a lot of partying going on.
Washington DC is a political city, but it is also a vibrant student city. The city has three universities: Georgetown, George Washington and American, as well as a campus of Johns Hopkins. This means that during term time, there is a lot of partying going on.
For the hip, young scene, head to the many wine bars and pubs in Georgetown or Adams Morgan. In Georgetown, The Tombs is the Georgetown University bar. Here you can feel what it is like to be back in school again. Capital City Brewery is also a favourite among the young, a microbrewery with great food. Adams Morgan has an eclectic mix of bars and restaurants. In Washington DC, you will find great ethnic food, such as Lebanese, Ethiopian, Thai and Indian cuisine.
Fun by day - shopping and activities
Washington DC itself doesn’t have any huge shopping malls. There is one small shopping mall in Georgetown; otherwise most locals prefer to shop in Virginia. Despite the lack of mega-malls, strolling around Georgetown there are plenty of small shops to enjoy. Everything from antiques to thrift shops and chain stores are present. Head to the Georgetown University book shop if you want to buy any university memorabilia.
Washington DC itself doesn’t have any huge shopping malls. There is one small shopping mall in Georgetown; otherwise most locals prefer to shop in Virginia. Despite the lack of mega-malls, strolling around Georgetown there are plenty of small shops to enjoy. Everything from antiques to thrift shops and chain stores are present. Head to the Georgetown University book shop if you want to buy any university memorabilia.
Daytrips
Arlington lies just across the Potomac River and features the Pentagon and the Arlington National Cemetery. The former is all but off-limits to tourists while the latter has the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and Kennedy’s grave, among the thousands of fallen, named soldiers.
Arlington lies just across the Potomac River and features the Pentagon and the Arlington National Cemetery. The former is all but off-limits to tourists while the latter has the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and Kennedy’s grave, among the thousands of fallen, named soldiers.
Nearby Georgetown is an historic town and a suburb of greater Washington DC. The area makes a good daytrip from the norm and features many historic buildings and attractions as well as a lively nightlife. Bethesda, in Maryland, is another up-and-coming suburb to explore.
There are also several Atlantic Ocean beach resorts within reach of Washington that make for an interesting daytrip, especially if you have kids. Ocean City in Maryland and Rehoboth in Delaware are both nice towns. Chesapeake Bay resorts are farther south and require longer than a daytrip.
Harper’s Ferry is another feasible daytrip. It is an historic civil war town lying at altitude at the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers and has good picnicking.
Must-see attractions
The White House is one of America’s major icons and a must-see for every tourist. It was built in 1800 and has been home to every US president apart from George Washington. You can see the former Executive Mansion on a guided tour but will only get to see a handful of the rooms.
The White House is one of America’s major icons and a must-see for every tourist. It was built in 1800 and has been home to every US president apart from George Washington. You can see the former Executive Mansion on a guided tour but will only get to see a handful of the rooms.
Capitol Hill is the epicentre and main sight of purpose-built Washington DC. Wide avenues converge on Capitol Hill from all directions. It is topped off by a huge iron dome and has the famous reflective pools outside. Tours through the halls and chambers are superb.
From Capitol Hill is a large park all the way to another major icon, the Washington Monument. This solitary 544-foot spike is the highest structure in the city and has a viewing deck. A reflection pool leads from here to the Lincoln Memorial, while the Vietnam Memorial is also nearby and features the names of the 58,202 American casualties.
The Jefferson Memorial and FDR memorial are also worthy of exploration and lie nearby, while the Library of Congress has the largest collection of books, maps, and photographs in the world.
Best time to go
Washington DC has a mild climate and enjoys hot summers from June to August. It is also surprisingly humid here due to its low-lying nature amid flood plains and marshes and is therefore best seen in the autumn when it is a little cooler. Winters have fresh days in Washington DC and are good for fewer tourists and cheaper hotels.
Washington DC has a mild climate and enjoys hot summers from June to August. It is also surprisingly humid here due to its low-lying nature amid flood plains and marshes and is therefore best seen in the autumn when it is a little cooler. Winters have fresh days in Washington DC and are good for fewer tourists and cheaper hotels.
Rainy day suggestions
The Smithsonian Institution is one of the highlights of Washington DC and is a must even when it’s not raining. It is a huge collection of museums which mostly line the central mall. The National Air & Space Museum is the most popular museum and is usually thus always busy.
The National Archives building is another rainy day must-see. It guards America’s most precious documents and is a bombproof, fireproof building with loads of guards. Movable, sealed glass vaults are lifted into the exhibition halls and retired below for safety’s sake at night. The US Constitution and Declaration of Independence are both here among many other crucial documents.
The Smithsonian Institution is one of the highlights of Washington DC and is a must even when it’s not raining. It is a huge collection of museums which mostly line the central mall. The National Air & Space Museum is the most popular museum and is usually thus always busy.
The National Archives building is another rainy day must-see. It guards America’s most precious documents and is a bombproof, fireproof building with loads of guards. Movable, sealed glass vaults are lifted into the exhibition halls and retired below for safety’s sake at night. The US Constitution and Declaration of Independence are both here among many other crucial documents.
0 nhận xét:
Đăng nhận xét