Tell me about Washington?

[minimacka]

I agree Washington is such a nice place to visit, we are going again this year for 6 nights, we did the spy museum last time and its such good fun. We have done the Capital building but I have just sent off my application for the White House and FBI building tour fingers crossed we get in it would make my day. The zoo to see the pandas is also on my do see list, the National archives is a lovely building and can be accessed from the Capital building. The Lincoln memorial is such a iconic building, this time its on my list to see it at night time.

Hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
MM

[sparklegirl]

Originally Posted by YorkshireT

I prefer Washington to NYC by some margin. I love it there if you like museums etc. Must do Capitol building, book online months in advance. Make sure you go to space museum up near the airport as well as the one on the mall. The Enola Gay and Space shuttle are at the one near the airport.
Some good restaurants. Founding Farmers is pretty cool.

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I love the space museum at the airport. The Space Shuttle is the coolest exhibit I think I may have ever seen. I was totally in awe of it.

Founding Farmers is on my list for this year but I was looking at Farmer Fishers Bakers in Georgetown for Sunday Brunch which is their sister restaurant. Have you been there?

[georgemac]

We are finishing our road trip with 5 nights in Washington.
Have a car, so staying out at Tyson's Corner at the Hyatt - which is bridge linked to the Metro, and when coming into centre will just use the Metro.
Our tour of the U.S. Capitol is confirmed, and waiting to hear about White House Tour.
I will be visiting the Air and Space Museum at the airport, taking car that day, and probably dropping my wife off at nearest mall, or she will do the Mall at the hotel.

So mainly sightseeing and shopping on our list.

[scottish mama]

Loved it. Spent 3 days there after NY and just loved it. Smithsonian museums, National Mall, war memorial, Arlington cemetery. We were non-stop and still missed things, so definitely want to go back soon.

[Flowertot]

So have applied for Capitol building and pentagon but can’t find out how to look into booking a tour of the Whitehouse if we are from the uk? Anyone help?
Thanks everyone for your suggestions getting my plan together

[cornishfrogboy]

Love Washington and much prefer it to NY. Highlights for us were..

1. The Mall area in general, all walkable, no crowds, iconic monuments and all museums we visited were free. Capitol, Whitehouse, Washington and Lincoln memorials.. all visible at the same time.

2. Smithsonian Airspace. To see the first powered aircraft, the first through the sound barrier, the first Mach 2, the fastest ever, the Apollo 11 capsule and Lindberghs Spirit of St Louis in one place was astonishing.. then you have Amelia Earhart Northrop, The Rutan Voyager and all the rest!

3. American history museum with the Star spangled banner.

4. The Declaration of Independence in the National Archive.

5. Natural history museum where there is a whole, huge room of exhibits that you can research and in some cases, touch.

6. Arlington cemetery.

Oh yes, number 1 of all, The Hazy Airspace Centre at Dulles International Airport. Ebola Gay, A shuttle, Concorde etc etc etc

[f1girly]

Originally Posted by Flowertot

So have applied for Capitol building and pentagon but can’t find out how to look into booking a tour of the Whitehouse if we are from the uk? Anyone help?
Thanks everyone for your suggestions getting my plan together

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Flowertot, on advice from members I applied through Congresswoman Norton in DC.

She is the only person in power who obviously appreciates that non-US residents would like to have access to the possibility of a White House tour. Use this link to fill in your details. Good luck. We applied in Jan 2018 for late July dates and just heard a few days ago that we'd got a tour.

norton.house.gov/services/tours-and-tickets

[YorkshireT]

Originally Posted by sparklegirl

I love the space museum at the airport. The Space Shuttle is the coolest exhibit I think I may have ever seen. I was totally in awe of it.

Founding Farmers is on my list for this year but I was looking at Farmer Fishers Bakers in Georgetown for Sunday Brunch which is their sister restaurant. Have you been there?

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Not been to that one Sparklegirl, if you go, let us know what it was like.
I was in awe of the Enola Gay at the space museum (as well as space shuttle), seeing the aircraft that dropped the first nuclear bomb is quite poignant. I also liked the capsule that brought Neil Armstrong et al back in the space museum on the Mall.

[YorkshireT]

Originally Posted by cornishfrogboy

Love Washington and much prefer it to NY. Highlights for us were..

1. The Mall area in general, all walkable, no crowds, iconic monuments and all museums we visited were free. Capitol, Whitehouse, Washington and Lincoln memorials.. all visible at the same time.

2. Smithsonian Airspace. To see the first powered aircraft, the first through the sound barrier, the first Mach 2, the fastest ever, the Apollo 11 capsule and Lindberghs Spirit of St Louis in one place was astonishing.. then you have Amelia Earhart Northrop, The Rutan Voyager and all the rest!

3. American history museum with the Star spangled banner.

4. The Declaration of Independence in the National Archive.

5. Natural history museum where there is a whole, huge room of exhibits that you can research and in some cases, touch.

6. Arlington cemetery.

Oh yes, number 1 of all, The Hazy Airspace Centre at Dulles International Airport. Ebola Gay, A shuttle, Concorde etc etc etc

See more...

All of this.
Loved how there were few crowds and no scammers, trying to get your cash in DC unlike NYC. Very relaxed city to visit, love it.

[Team Jeans]

We went in April. So much to do/see. We applied to congress and got on the White House Tour, you can do same for Pentagon and Capitol. We loved waking the National Mall, Arlington Cemetery. Very walkable city.