House of travel USA Brochure 2017 | Page 48

Washington, D.C.
A perfect day in Washington, D.C.
M onuments, memorials, museums, impressive government buildings
and home of the President of the USA, Washington, D.C. is full of iconic
landmarks and steeped in history and culture. The city is really easy to get
around because it’s flat and easy to navigate with its streets laid out in a grid
system, but if your feet need a rest there is a clean and safe Metro system.
A great way to get a good fix of the famous sites is to take a leisurely stroll
from the Lincoln Memorial and reflection pool, past the Martin Luther
King Jr. Memorial and around the edge of the tidal basin. This will have
you meandering through the FDR Roosevelt Memorial to the impressive
Jefferson Memorial, if you are here in the spring the cherry blossoms are
gorgeous. From here it is a 15 minute walk to the Washington Monument
and the National Mall which is lined with Smithsonian Institute Museums.
These incredible museums are free to enter – with 15 in total it would
be virtually impossible to see them all in one visit, so it pays to do some
research. Some of the most popular are the Air and Space Museum,
the Natural History Museum, the American History Museum and the
National Museum of African American History & Culture, which opened in
September 2016.
Just near the National Mall is the Newseum – this is an incredible museum
that portrays historical events through the media. There are newspaper
stories, TV footage and interactive areas covering significant historical
events such as the Berlin Wall, 9/11 and the Vietnam War.
By now you’ll have worked up an appetite, so head for Dupont Circle where
there are plenty of bistros, bars and boutiques and some great people
watching.
Our favourite places to stay:
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Washington Plaza
Omni Shoreham
The Mayflower Hotel
Our favourite things to see and do
White House – No visit to D.C. is complete without getting a selfie outside
the White House.
Vietnam Veteran Memorial – Next to the Lincoln Memorial, this is
a simple, but moving memorial contains more than 58,000 names of
Americans that died in the Vietnam War.
Bike Tour – The National Mall area is quite large, so a bike tour is a great
way to get to the main monuments and memorials. The biking is easy as
it is all flat, and you will get some great insights from your guide. There is
also an evening tour where the crowds are less dense, the summer weather
is cooler and the views of illuminated monuments are magnificent.
Cherry Blossoms – They generally bloom between mid March and mid
April and are absolutely gorgeous. The Cherry Blossom Festival will run
from 20 March-16 April 2017 and has lots of events during this time.
Hop on Hop Off Tours – This is a great way to get your bearings and to
learn about the city with a guided tour. You can stay on the bus or trolley
for the full circuit or get on and off at the designated stops.
14 th Street & U Street – U Street used to be famous for its incredible jazz
scene, and there are still some great jazz bars. From here if you walk down
14 th St towards Logan Circle you’ll be spoilt for dinner choices as this is a
vibrant area with loads of eateries.
Martin Luther King Jr Memorial – This powerful memorial opened in
October 2011 to recognise the history-making civil rights leader and serves
as a lasting tribute to the freedom, opportunity and justice for which he
stood.
Arlington Cemetery – This is the final resting place of more than
400,000 fallen heroes from Iraq, Afghanistan and veterans from WW1,
WWII, Korea, Vietnam, the Cold War and America’s Civil War. Established
in 1864, the cemetery is still fully operational today, conducting an average
of 27 funerals each day.
Georgetown – This idyllic, tree lined suburb is one of the city’s most
upmarket. There are plenty of beautiful mansions, high-end shops,
riverfront restaurants and the picturesque Georgetown University.
Washington Monument – Built to honour George Washington, the 169
metre marble obelisk towers over the city and there are some pretty
amazing views. You do need tickets, you can either queue up on the day
on a first-come, first-served basis, or book online in advance.
©Sean Pavone
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