johnkennett

We are in DC for just one day, arriving at 1030 and leaving the next morning at 0830.

We want to visit the White House (not open for tours rights?) and Capitol Building, and of course the Lincoln Memorial. What else could we manage to fit in to the day (Tuesday 10July). Would doing the Smithsonian and Holocaust Musuem be too much? Also, with two people, what would be the cheapest way to get around? Taxi, subway or rental car?

Quaker325

For a lot of these questions, the answer is "it depends." If it is your first visit to DC, then I'd say you're on the right track. The Holocaust Museum is very good. The Smithsonian actually consists of several different spread out museums (several art museums, Air & Space, Natural History, American History, which is unfortunately closed until 2008). I would say that after walking by the White House, Capitol, visiting the Lincoln Memorial, and doing the Holocaust Museum, you might have an hour or so to see a highlight of another museum.

As for getting around, it depends on how much walking you can/want to do, keeping in mind that it will likely be brutally hot and humid. I definitely wouldn't try to mess around with a rental car around the Mall in tourist season. There is actually a bus that seems pretty useful (although I've never taken it) called Circulator (www.dccirculator.com) that costs $1 and runs a loop around the Mall. That will get you closer to some of the sites than Metro stations will. That, combined with the subway and possibly a cab ride at the end of the day should suit you.

dcpatti

There are many museums in the Smithsonian family so I would pick the one that you most want to see OR do the Holocaust Museum. Personally I think the Holocaust Museum is more "important" and not to be missed. Plan that as your last event for the day and allow plenty of time as lines can be long. It has to be the last event, though, because it is pretty emotional and can be draining; you will not enjoy another museum afterwards!

Also consider the Monuments by Moonlight tour (google it). DC is a very beautiful city at night, and you will get to see lots of the sights and attractions during a time that you might otherwise be idle, or lingering after dinner. Don't be worried about safety on this tour; you are in the open-air bus almost all the time, and the monument grounds are in general very safe after dark!

Ditto the previous post about not messing with a rental car. You will spend more time trying to find somewhere to park it, than actually visiting the museums! If your hotel is downtown, cab fare will be $10 or thereabouts to the monument grounds and majority of the museums. The Circulator bus is a good idea if you want to catch dinner at Union Station or one of the neighborhood restaurants on Capitol Hill, or if you want to get into Georgetown, and while the service is quite good, the route does not make it very convenient. Subway is very safe but talk to the hotel concierge or info desk at the museum regarding routes. Transferring trains off-peak hours can be annoying and slow, with waits of up to 20 minutes between trains; a couple extra blocks of walking, especially in the downtown area, can put you at a station on the line that goes back to the hotel (or wherever you want to go).

I'd definitely recommend making your way up to U Street for Ethiopian food. We have the largest Ethiopian community outside of Ethiopia itself, and I have never managed to get good Ethiopian outside of DC. Not even NY or LA! There are many very good Ethiopian restaurants within a 4-block walk of the U Street-Cardozo metro; my favorite is Dukem at 10th and U because they have a dinner show. Enjoy your meal whilst watching traditional Ethiopian dance and music. It is not the prettiest cuisine but very tasty, fun to eat (no utensils) and very affordable.

GoingAway

these threads may give you ideas, although they did a lot of walking -- there are also two DC for a weekend threads just below this one you might want to read.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=604679
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=610470

sonoftheheartland

I second or otherwise can't improve on all the earlier postings, only to emphasize that the day may very well be hot and very humid. If you plan on walking any length (see below) and are sticking to monuments and museums along the mall and no indoor luncheon places, then wear shorts and loose fitting tops and good sandals or running shoes, plus a brimmed hat and sunblock and water.

The length of the Mall from the Capitol to Lincoln Monument and Vietnam Memorial (and Einstein statue -- really cute!) is about two miles or longer. Museums and monuments are congregated on both sides of the mall, but the two mile or so walk can be pretty daunting midday in "swampy" summer weather.

Be advised most of the museums have some sort of restaurant self-contained, often in the basements, so that is an option midday if you get hungry. And lots of authentic souvenirs, posters, etc. Tourist garb as above completely acceptable in these places.

Don't know whether the Holocaust Museum still requires "advance booking" (probably not). Besides the other museums listed here, another nice indoor respite during midday is Botanic Gardens, just to the south and west of the Capitol Bldg and quite close to the original Air & Space Museum.

The others may correct me on current times, but the other vehicle alternatives used to be the open air trolley or tourmobile (if both are still operating) which normally charge one price for Mall (and another price for the Mount Vernon extension), and allow passengers to get off and on at numerous tourist destinations around the mall and slightly beyond.

TMAYER

I thought that the trip report at the end of the second link by Jet City Woman was a particularly impressive one-day trip that saw just about all the highlights.

Weather / Heat will be the wildcard. Also, there are a few things (like Washington Monument and I believe the Holocaust Museum) where you can pay a small fee in advance to get tickets - if you only have a day spend the money and reserve the tickets in advance or you will spend all day in lines.

Also - if you can fly into DCA vs. IAD I would try to do that, especially with a short trip it will save you several hours.

If you have any questions on specifics feel free to post.

johnkennett

We are flying into DCA, but the agent pur us on a flight out of BWI! I have emailed to have that changed to a DCA flight too. I suppose I can prebook tickets to these things in advance online, and then just pickup the tickets by showing the credit card I used to pay at a special pick-up window?

As we will be doing MoMa and the Natural History Museum in NY, we may skip the Smithsonian (we want ed the American History Building most anyway!) and just do the Holocaust Museum.

Thanks for the Ethiopian food tip! It will be nice to try something a little different.

We ditch the car idea, and use public transport + cabs. I read the other reports, though they weren't there in the heat of summer, which is the main reason I was wondering about our plan. We did a huge amount of walking in Shanghai a couple of summers ago- yuck....too humid for walking.

TMAYER

If you have time, try the Archives - it has the Consitution, Declaration of Independence, Emancipation Proclamation, etc. It also has a few less notable exhibits that are quite interesting.

Only problem is it tends to have long lines during the day. I seem to recall, however, that last summer it had special evening hours during the summer and was open until 9pm. I went one evening around 8:00 or 8:30 and it was empty.

lawchild

You need to reserve a ticket ahead of time for the Holocaust Museum. I think it only costs a dollar to do it online.

syzygy8

The American History museum currently has an exhibition going on now in a spot at the Air and Space museum. It's a "Best Of" exhibition so people can see items while the museum is being renovated. See more of what's on display here.

gilpin

With only a single day to spend, I'd certainly skip the Holocaust Museum (not only is it emotionally disturbing, it isn't especially related to Washington D.C. and could have been built in any major city.)

I'd choose the Air and Space Musuem, The National Gallery, and the National Archives (which is impressive but not time consuming). If you still have time on the Mall the Hirschhorn and Freer used to be great too.

All of the usual monuments are interesting, but my personal favorite (and the major monument least visited) is the Jefferson Memorial.

GoingAway

Your choice of museums are of course your own, but I am confused by your justification for the choice about the holocaust museum. Sure, any museum can be built anywhere and with the exception of the archives, each actually has little direct relevance to DC, any of the other ones you list as a preference could also be anywhere else. A museum on the holocaust like the one in DC actually isn't anywhere else in the US, this is THE museum to see on the topic so if it's of interest to the OP it certainly should not be avoided. On the topic of it being disturbing - well, sorry to break the news but that means it's effective as the entire event was disturbing (and that similar events are still going on in the world at any level, very sad).

As far as the Jefferson memorial goes, that is not recommended unless they have a car and are willing to leave one person with it while the others either go see it or they blow a lot of time finding a parking space and walking back. It is in a fairly remote location as related to the other monuments, and with the additional security precautions these days it is not easy to park anywhere nearby.

gilpin

The Air and Space Museum is directly related to events which are particularly American (e.g. the Wright Brothers' plane and the Apollo spacecraft) rather than primarily to events which happened on another continent.I never said it was to be avoided. I said that if I had only one day in DC, I would choose to avoid it. I state it is disturbing but you are "sorry to break the news"? Give me a break!

Gordman

Washington DC is definitely a good option for spending quality time. I am not very much familiar whit places but know DC area is crowded whit touristic spots and interesting destinations. It's not just about national symbols like White House or Capitol Building, it's about the spirit of a powerful city.

biggestbopper

IMHO, the White House is open for tours (which are well worth it). You MUST get advance tickets through your Congressional Representative who can also arrange a special tour of the Capitol for you. This is also very worthwhile and will enable you to avoid a long, hot wait in the rotten D.C. Summer weather. If at all possible, avoid the public, no reservation, tours.