Washington DC travel help

[Crusoe]

I'll be there for a couple of days in March for a meeting. Never been before and will have about half a day free before my flight back. Any must-see that can reasonably be done in that time?

And how long should I allow for travelling from the centre of town to Dulles in a Friday rush hour?

[caja-dglh]

Washington DC travel help

Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. You might even be able to try and make it out to the one at the airport (Udvar-Hazy).

All the same I would probably recommend walking the Mall, the Smithsonian of your choice and then going to see that Lincoln is actually really, really big.

[ursus arctos]

Washington DC travel help

I'd suggest picking one (or at most two) of the Smithsonian Museums (incl the National Gallery) based on personal interest. They are all on the Mall, so travel isn't going to be a problem.

They are in the process of extending the Metro to Dulles, but unfortunately have yet to finish that. I would allow at least an hour for a cab; it is normally about 35 minutes, but traffic will be an issue.

[Crusoe]

Washington DC travel help

Thanks all. Looks like I'll be staying centrally (Pennsylvania Avenue) so maybe something close to there.

[caja-dglh]

Washington DC travel help

As ursus notes - pick the Smithsonian of your choice. The correct one is the Air and Space museum.

You can easily get around that one (casually looking at things) in about 90 minutes. If you take in any of the interactive / IMAX things it would take considerably longer.

[ursus arctos]

Washington DC travel help

Pennsylvania Avenue is long (running all the way to Georgetown, with a break for the White House), but it hits the Mall right by the National Gallery.

[Crusoe]

Washington DC travel help

I think I'm just off to the north west of the White House. Tbh my knowledge of Washington DC geography is based solely on playing Fallout 3 so, you know, if there are no super mutants I'm lost.

[Ginger Yellow]

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I recommend the Newseum, solely for the archive of historical newspapers/pamphlets on the top floor. The rest of the thing is a bit naff, but if you're at all interested in the history of journalism, that collection is amazing.

[NHH]

Washington DC travel help

I loved the National Building Musuem an awful lot.

[ursus arctos]

Washington DC travel help

The White House is Number 3 on that map. Sounds like your hotel is off the top edge towards the left.

You can walk to the Mall (c. 35 minutes, which would also allow you to at least get some sense of the memorials if you went down 17th Street) or take the Metro from Farragut West (just off the map) to Smithsonian.

dglh is right in that if you have any interest in Air and Space, that is likely the right museum to pick (though they are all great in their own way, and I happen to be a big fan of some of the less well known ones, including the Museum of the American Indian and the African Art Museum).

[Crusoe]

Washington DC travel help

Air & Space does appeal, definitely. Thanks again all.

[Ginger Yellow]

Washington DC travel help

Yeah, if you just do one, do Air & Space. Though I would say that as a space nut.

[ursus arctos]

Washington DC travel help

One thing to keep in mind is that they won't let you take your luggage into the museums (Air & Space actually has a metal detector).

That may mean a return trip to the hotel if you are trying to do it on departure day, though there isn't really a way to avoid that (and at least they can help you get a cab to Dulles).

[Anton Gramscescu]

Washington DC travel help

Air and Space is pretty cool. However, if art is at all your thing, try the Freer/Sackler gallery (Asian Art), my fave.

I found the newseum to be relentlessly American. And not in a good way, the way the rock'n'roll hall of fame is.

[WOM]

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I like that, of the many attractions available, pretty much all of us would just end up at the Air & Space.

My daughter was there last year and was impressed with Ford's Theatre. She was less impressed with the guide who, instead of using he/him or 'Booth', said 'John Wilkes Booth' about 500 times.

[WOM]

Washington DC travel help

Anton Gramscescu wrote: I found the newseum to be relentlessly American. And not in a good way, the way the rock'n'roll hall of fame is.

The Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame is excellent, it should be noted. Although it's not in D.C....

[caja-dglh]

Washington DC travel help

You visited in 2013 to see the inductees I would bet.

[WOM]

Washington DC travel help

Believe it or not, no. But we are thinking of taking the kids down next summer.

[Bizarre Löw Triangle]

Washington DC travel help

Top tip - don't go to Maryland Soccerplex on the bus.

A walk around the Monument Park is quite a nice thing to do IMO.

[Ginger Yellow]

Washington DC travel help

Anton Gramscescu wrote:

I found the newseum to be relentlessly American. And not in a good way, the way the rock'n'roll hall of fame is.

Oh,yeah, the main museum is not good. It's weirdly fixated on how specific stories were covered, rather than the history/process of journalism itself, which is what you'd expect from a museum about the news. I mean, if I wanted to see how the fall of the Berlin Wall was covered I'd watch I Love 1989. But, like I say, the publicly accessible archive is superb.

[Bizarre Löw Triangle]

Washington DC travel help

ursus arctos wrote: The White House is Number 3 on that map. Sounds like your hotel is off the top edge towards the left.

You can walk to the Mall (c. 35 minutes, which would also allow you to at least get some sense of the memorials if you went down 17th Street) or take the Metro from Farragut West (just off the map) to Smithsonian.

dglh is right in that if you have any interest in Air and Space, that is likely the right museum to pick (though they are all great in their own way, and I happen to be a big fan of some of the less well known ones, including the Museum of the American Indian and the African Art Museum).

I liked the Museum Of Asian Art though it did seem full of (very nice) Whistler paintings, which seemed slightly off.

[matt j]

Washington DC travel help

Echo the obvious points about going to the mall during your stay. Bonus points given for walking the mall at night (museums will be closed), which is quite nice (if not too cold). Korean Memorial, FDR, Lincoln, and quite a few others are pretty spectacular at night.

There are various cloakrooms at some of the museums where you can leave your bag. (http://www.si.edu/Visit/Security) If you just have a backpack, you can carry that with you (but will have to get it searched).

Also check the schedule of events at the National Gallery and the Smithsonian during your stay. There are loads of free things going on (usually), and it allows you to poke around sections of museums that would normally be closed after 6pm or so.

Foodwise, if you are down at the mall, you could (should) eat at the American Indian Museum, which has by far the best food of the museums. There are also quite a few good restaurants not too far away as well (though for Ethiopian Food you probably have to taxi it).

By the by, the Air and Space on the mall is pretty cool, but the exhibitions are generally 'old'. It is in desperate need of an overhaul.

I really like the American History Museum. If you like pop culture stuff, that's usually a fun stop.

[ursus arctos]

Washington DC travel help

DC had an inch of snow yesterday, which of course meant a couple of hundred traffic accidents.



There is a blizzard expected this weekend, and the District is reacting with its usual restraint

[Incandenza]

Washington DC travel help

Reading about 30 inches of snow expected. One tweet described it as "mind-boggling," which will be amusing to people in the Northeast, but I suppose that DC is not used to snow like that. I remember similar horrible traffic and accidents after Atlanta got snow a few years back.

[ursus arctos]

Washington DC travel help

12 to 18 inches is MUCH more likely, though that would be equally paralyzing for DC, given residents' complete inability to drive in snow.