What to do in Baltimore and Washington, DC?
 

If you had 2-3 days in Washington, DC and 1-2 days in Baltimore, what would you do? My intentions are to sightsee (museums and historical sites) and eat.

Thanks!

Can I suggest you try doing a search. Google, among others come to mind. There are multiple museums and sights to see in DC and Baltimore. After you've done some research, come back with questions so that folks can guide you to best suit your interests and budget.

not much else to do in most cities i have been in. you could play slot machines, you could make arrangements to talk to your representative/senator or his staff if you are so inclined.

For Washington DC, I would suggested visiting the Museums and Memorials at the National Mall: http://dcjourney.com/outdoors/nat-mall. If you have more time, you can stop by the National Zoo.
For Baltimore, I would recommend the National Aquarium at Baltimore.

U.S. Capitol and White House are here

what do you like? Art museums? The Walters in Baltimore, the National Gallery and the Reynolds Center/national portrait gallery in DC are all superb and free.

Beer? Max's in Fells Point in Baltimore has 100 brews on tap; Churchkey in DC has 50.

Baseball? Camden yards in Baltimore is great.

Historic sites? Try Arlington Cemetery, Georgetown (yes, they're there if you get off M street), Capitol Hill, all in DC. Baltimore? Don't know where to begin. It is loaded.

If you have a car, civil war battlefields are all over.

Where to stay? depends on your pocketbook, how you come and what you want to see.

The Baltimore Museum of Art is another free museum in Baltimore. Max's is in Fells Point,a historic bar district nad it gots about 140 taps, the largest number of taps on the east coast.

Baltimore has edgar allen poe's house and grave, Fort Mchenry, to start...

Max's only has 100 taps, sadly. Was just there last Saturday. Still the most in the mid-atlantic and an excellent selection. Fell's Point has some good restaurants too, although my favorite in Baltimore, Brewer's Art, is located elsewhere.

Some things you might want to see require advance ticketing. Plan before you get here.

I think you should spend some time in Annapolis. We are between Baltimore and D.C. Lots of intact pre-Revolutionary War architecture. Great restaurants, nice views -- you get the picture. :)

+1 for Brewer's Art.

If we're staying on the Baltimore theme, Birds of a Feather for whisky.

LP Steamers for crab.

If you start visiting the Smithsonians even 14 days wouldn't be enough :D

If you go to the National Portrait Gallery, have lunch at Jaleo. I recommend the calamari and a glass of cava.

If in that area I prefer Proof, Zaytinia, or Graffiato. If you want Spanish inspired food I prefer Estadio to Jaleo, though Estadio is not too convenient for the Portrait Gallery (one of my favorite museums, BTW).

When in Baltimore, don't miss Fort McHenry. You said you want history ^

And while you're down in that part of town, the American Visionary Arts Museum (and Mr. Rain's Fun House, the restaurant at the museum).

Perhaps the one site in American history most underrated in its importance to the future of the United States. The key to the War of 1812 and our continued freedom from England. Without a victory here, there might not be a USA. Where the Star Spangled Banner was composed. Don't miss it. ^

P.S. And I am not a "history buff".

If you at all athletic, I highly recommend renting a bike (Not one of the crappy red bikes...) and riding the C&O Towpath out for a ways. It's fairly flat and graveled, and provides some great views of the Potomac, particularly if you take the easy 20ish mile ride out to the falls. Cycling around the Mall at night is also quite scenic, and there are fewer tourists wandering about.

DC is a surprisingly good biking city, despite the crap drivers and utter lack of parking.

the newsium in DC is worth a visit.

Since Annapolis is nearby, does anyone have any tips/suggestions for that city?

annapolis? Naval Academy - walking the grounds and visiting the museum is a pleasant 1/2 day. Explore the streets between the capitol building and the harbor. Follow your eyes...

lunch? Chick and Ruth's Delly. 165 Main Street.

Baltimore? I'd pick the Baltimore museum of art over the Walters. Maybe it's because I really like the impressionism gallery there. What about the aquarium, and walking around the shops along the inner harbor? Do you like checking out some interesting neighborhoods? Charles Village, Broadway near Fells Point, Charles St. south of downtown, etc.

DC? The list is endless. Go see the monuments, and the museums. Google to see what the Smithsonian museums are. They are all free, as is the zoo. In addition to the Smithsonians, the Holocaust museum and National Gallery of Art are also free, and both very worth it. The Newseum and Spy Museum are not free. Some people walk along the horizontal axis of the Mall and forget to head south. Make sure to leave some time to go South, to the TJ and FDR memorials. Also, the MLK Jr memorial is very new and worth checking out. It's between Lincoln and FDR.

I'm joining this thread as a freeloader :)

Thing is: We (Mrs. Bruce and I) will be travelling around the east coast in mid september. We'll have two and a half days in DC, one day in Baltimore, and one day in Philadelphia. Oh, and we'll be travelling by train.

Now, the question about DC and Baltimore has already been asked, so let me add my own question:

Is there anything (which is easily reached by train) on the road between DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia and NYC that you'd consider to be a must-see? Mrs. Bruce desperatly wants to visit Priceton, but don't ask me why..

Nothing that you will actually pass along the way, Lancaster is nice but it is a bit west of Philly you can actually take a train there though. In terms of Princeton, you can take a train to the campus via NJT. It is a connector train called the 'dinky' that runs from Princeton Junction to Princeton.

Nothing on the way. Lancaster is way out of the way.

Guided tour of historic Annapolis -- http://www.annapolis.org/index.asp?pageid=42

Wednesday night sailboat races -- http://www.race.annapolisyc.org/DesktopDefault.aspx

Dinner at Carrol's Creek or Harry Browne's

Annapolis is home of the Naval Academy. Most of the time it's open and you're free to walk about. No need to wait for a tour. Well worth the time, perhaps the best site in Annapolis. You can have great bay views too.

The Lincoln and FDR Memorials are particularly dramatic at night.

i thought the W&OD trail was paved, and ran all the way from the potomac to purcelleville, including bridges over i66 and i95.

the mt vernon trail runs beside the potomac from dc (va) to mt vernon. the trail does go through streets in alexandria(i think). there is a spur over the wilson bridge with great views of dc . do not continue into ft washington. there is no bike trail.

these guys maintain a list:http://bikewashington.org/trails/index.htm

Ben's chili bowl is a must in DC.

biking in DC? You can take bikes on metro at certain times. check the metro website for details. It's a great way to extend your trips.

The WOD is fully paved, but the C&O is all hardpack and/or gravel. Insofar as the MV, it does have a break in Old Town, but it is moderately well signed. The MV is a nightmare to ride on weekends, due to extremely heavy traffic.

The WO&D is fully paved, but does have a lot of intersections. The C&O is excellent, although 1) you don't want a road bike if you can help it - much better suited to a cross or at least wider tires; 2) the pedestrians for a mile or two aound Great Falls can be a hazard (granted, some of the clueless bikers can be too!). Be prepared to go slow, and just expect them to step in front of you at the last minute.

Also, while I would hope that it goes without saying, the C&O requires that you wear a bike helmet and that you have & use a bike bell to warn pedestrians of your approach (National Park rules, they have rangers riding the trail and you will get a citation). On the WO&D, it's more customary to say "On your left" instead of the bell, but I do both. And of course, when you stop pull your bike off the trail. (Yes, girl who stopped your bike perpedicular on the trail to chat while I was jogging, I'm talking to YOU - I saw three near pile ups! :D)