I went to take your kids to work day with my mom and they had drawings for different trips and other prizes. I won a trip to Washington DC, and my sister wont a trip to Mall of America in Minapollis<<(spell check??). Anyway Has anyone ever been to DC I know there is a lot of Government stuff to see but has anyone ever been there and done something really cool they thought was really interesting I will be taking 2 freinds. By the way the plane tickets are first class tickets completly payed for.
I'm Going to Washington DC
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Dude...
you will freak out at the smithsonian museum of natural resources.
you will freak out at the smithsonian museum of natural resources.
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Dc
The National Air & Space Museum on the Mall is a must see.
The National Air & Space Museum on the Mall is a must see.
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DC trip..
I went into DC from Baltimore, came in on a train and the huge train station (UNION STATION) blew me away. I guess I'm just a country boy! There are several tour busses that you can ride. Get on one of these early, it'll hit the highlights for you and you can go back to what interests you. You'll love it! :brew:
Have a great trip, Fletch
I was there about 10 yrs ago. The smithsonian is impressive, it's spread out all over the place, kinda like going to disney world. You can't possibly see it all so do some homework before you go and decide which museums you are interested in ahead of time. NightTrain is right, natural resources is popular, so is the aviation museum.NightTrain said:you will freak out at the smithsonian museum of natural resources.
I went into DC from Baltimore, came in on a train and the huge train station (UNION STATION) blew me away. I guess I'm just a country boy! There are several tour busses that you can ride. Get on one of these early, it'll hit the highlights for you and you can go back to what interests you. You'll love it! :brew:
Have a great trip, Fletch
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Been to DC several times, make sure you pay a visit to the Vietnam Memorial its truly humbling. Also try to make time to visit the National cemetary in Arlington. The changing of the guards of the unknown soldier is really neat.
The museums are in my opinion more interesting than most of the other sites, but its all worth seeing.
Congrats on winning the trip and kudos to your mothers employer for supporting something like this!
The museums are in my opinion more interesting than most of the other sites, but its all worth seeing.
Congrats on winning the trip and kudos to your mothers employer for supporting something like this!
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Didn't say when you are going (dates)...
but, if Congress will still be in session, call/write your Congressman and Senator to get passes into the Senate/House gallery. You MUST plan ahead for this! Also, get them (Congressman/Senate) to get the SPECIAL WHITE HOUSE PASS to tour the White House (if you wait in line for the general public pass, you will waste a LOT of time...get the priviledged pass and don't wait in line!). These passes are very limited and can only be obtained from your represenative, so start asking NOW!
Do NOT get a rent car in DC! The traffic is worst than Houston and there are NO PARKING SPACES in the summer. Make sure you ride the METRO subway..its clean and safe! Neat way to get around town.
I used to go to DC about 4 times a year on business for over 20 years. All the places others suggested are right on! Smithsonian is great. THe National Zoo is over-rated, IMHO. Very good seafood restaurants along Water Street.
Caution: Do be very careful after dark on the streets of DC. It has a very high crime rate with lots of muggings. Being in crowds is OK but avoid dark streets.
Enjoy!
but, if Congress will still be in session, call/write your Congressman and Senator to get passes into the Senate/House gallery. You MUST plan ahead for this! Also, get them (Congressman/Senate) to get the SPECIAL WHITE HOUSE PASS to tour the White House (if you wait in line for the general public pass, you will waste a LOT of time...get the priviledged pass and don't wait in line!). These passes are very limited and can only be obtained from your represenative, so start asking NOW!
Do NOT get a rent car in DC! The traffic is worst than Houston and there are NO PARKING SPACES in the summer. Make sure you ride the METRO subway..its clean and safe! Neat way to get around town.
I used to go to DC about 4 times a year on business for over 20 years. All the places others suggested are right on! Smithsonian is great. THe National Zoo is over-rated, IMHO. Very good seafood restaurants along Water Street.
Caution: Do be very careful after dark on the streets of DC. It has a very high crime rate with lots of muggings. Being in crowds is OK but avoid dark streets.
Enjoy!
And you could possibly take a trip to Annapolis where the Naval Academy is. Nice town, nice harbor.
Mall of America is OK. It has a roller coaster and water ride inside the mall if I remember correctly. The only thing I didnt like was there about 20 Sunglass Huts, 50 Victoria Secrets, etc. It is so big, they had to do multiple stores of the same company. LOL
Mall of America is OK. It has a roller coaster and water ride inside the mall if I remember correctly. The only thing I didnt like was there about 20 Sunglass Huts, 50 Victoria Secrets, etc. It is so big, they had to do multiple stores of the same company. LOL
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I've been 3 times - and never seen the same thing twice. How long will you be there? Don't spen all your time in the Smithsonian Museums...it's very easy to do.
Smithsonian Museums of Natural History, Air & Space, American History
National Cemetary in Arlington
National Zoo
Vietnam & WWII Memorials
Ford's Theatre and boarding house (Where Lincoln was shot and then died across the street)
Jefferson Memorial
Washington's Plantation (Monticello?) in Virginia
Lincoln Memorial
Smithsonian Museums of Natural History, Air & Space, American History
National Cemetary in Arlington
National Zoo
Vietnam & WWII Memorials
Ford's Theatre and boarding house (Where Lincoln was shot and then died across the street)
Jefferson Memorial
Washington's Plantation (Monticello?) in Virginia
Lincoln Memorial
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I stayed at a hotel on Dupont Circle on one of my trips there.
Me to, then I checked out the next day. Stayed on Embassy Row my first time there. I thought DC was one weird place until someone let me know what was going on around that part of town. LOL Fuzios however had an awesome pork and pasta dish with habanero sauce.
I spent 2 months for work, pre 9/11, in the Emabassy Suites on 22nd street. Had an awesome time in that city. Wife and I basically had a free vacation all expenses paid. Georgetown was cool. I wonder if they still do the whitehouse tour. That would be a good thing to check out brewjr. If you go with a city tour, they take of the schedule and tickets. I would suggest to hire a tour bus company. It was pretty good. Just make sure to carry around a snack and water although they do take you to the "food court" at the wall memorial.
I spent 2 months for work, pre 9/11, in the Emabassy Suites on 22nd street. Had an awesome time in that city. Wife and I basically had a free vacation all expenses paid. Georgetown was cool. I wonder if they still do the whitehouse tour. That would be a good thing to check out brewjr. If you go with a city tour, they take of the schedule and tickets. I would suggest to hire a tour bus company. It was pretty good. Just make sure to carry around a snack and water although they do take you to the "food court" at the wall memorial.
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Hey Brewboy, if you make it to the war memorials, say some prayers for me. My mom told me that the Korean memorial at night was just awesome....Drew
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The Smithsonian is great, but do plan it out before you just start walking to buildings. I almost never got to the parts I wanted to see! I was there three days and maybe saw half of it. I agree with others here, use the Metro. It is very clean and easy to get to any part of the city you want to see. The Metro itself is pretty cool. It is the deepest subway in North Ameica and the escalator at the Bethesda station is down right scary - one single escalator ride over 300 feet to the surface (and steeeeep) One hell of a flight of stairs to fall down - I was leaning back and hanging on all the way down! (seein as I was from southwest Missouri and this was my first trip out of the state - never seen one of those big cities before)
Have fun! Andy
Have fun! Andy
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