Touring the memorials, monuments and parks of Washington, D.C., is a wonderful experience, and almost all attractions are free. However, you should create a plan of attack that allows time for an unrushed visit. The city contains too many sights to see all in one day.
Instead, consider touring D.C. over at least two days, visiting the National Mall and Arlington, Virginia, which are separated by the Potomac River. Although you can drive between them, highways and local traffic patterns make it difficult. Less driving means less stress, and downtown D.C. is quite pedestrian friendly.
Below are suggestions on how to visit rarely seen structures that you probably never heard about. These, plus a few tips will help you make the most of your monument-hunting time.
== Getting Around ==
Drivers should park outside the city and take public transportation in. Even on good days, the traffic in D.C. can make you feel like you're starring in a remake of "Road Rage." However, if you are adventurous and drive into the city, take a detailed street map (showing one-way streets), lots of change for meters, and plenty of patience. Parking is available, but it fills up quickly, especially on weekends.
If you shuttle in from other cities, the Metro (rail) is your best option from the downtown hubs of Regan National Airport or Union Station, as well as any hotel. The Metro map looks much like a handful of colored spokes without a wheel, and any outlying Maryland or Virginia stations will have parking.
TIP: Washington, D.C., frequently hosts a number of large events, so if you want a normal day with no strain on public transportation, avoid major holidays, plus festivals, marathons, or any given inauguration. Visit the Washington, D.C., Event Guide (http://washington.dc.eventguide.com/annual_events_ov erview.html) for more information.
== National Mall ==
You will probably not see a larger collection of marble domes, statues, and columns in one place (outside of Europe) than at the memorialized images dotting Washington, D.C.'s National Mall. Perhaps you've already seen "big boys" like the Lincoln or Jefferson Memorials, or maybe you just want to avoid the crowds. Fair enough. Here are some ideas for visiting monuments and parks only a few blocks from the Mall.
In the words of comedian Jeff Dunham, the Washington Monument "looks nothing like the guy." If you want to see an actual statue of George, there are two places you can go:
- The Capitol Building rotunda (east end of The Mall)
- Washington Circle (about seven blocks northwest of the White House)
There are fewer cars and crowds in the area between the Capitol, Union Station, and the White House, along Pennsylvania Avenue and E Street NW. This triangle hosts five Metro stations and a plethora of monuments, including:
- Christopher Columbus Memorial Fountain
- Ford's Theater National Historic Site ($12 for tour tickets)
- National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial
- U.S. Botanic Garden
- Ulysses S. Grant Memorial
== Tidal Basin ==
The Tidal Basin is south of the Mall, and yes, it is possible to walk all the way around the basin. This area offers plenty of photo ops, plus the following attractions:
- First Air Mail Flight
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
- George Mason Memorial
- Japanese Pagoda
- John Paul Jones Memorial
== Arlington, Virginia ==
While the Mall is a great place to visit, the other side of the Potomac is not to be scoffed at. You could easily spend an entire day touring the following sights:
- Arlington National Cemetery (Tomb of the Unknowns, Space Shuttle Challenger Memorial, J.F.K.'s grave, Robert E. Lee Memorial, Women in Military Services for America Memorial)
- Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove (only accessible via footbridge)
- Theodore Roosevelt Memorial (on T.R. Island, also only accessible via footbridge)
- U.S. Marine Corps War (Iwo Jima) Memorial
TIP: Arlington is just as pedestrian-friendly as the Mall, but parking there is not recommended. Use the Arlington Cemetery (Blue) or Rosslyn (Blue/Orange) Metro stations.
== Hotels ==
The Holiday Inn Capitol
550 C Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20024
L'Enfant Plaza Metro Station (Blue/Orange & Green/Yellow)
The Holiday Inn's average daily rate for a standard room is $146 with tax. They offer all the regular hotel amenities, plus a rooftop swimming pool and a location close to the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum and Museum of Natural History.
Henley Park Hotel
926 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20001
Mouth Vernon Square-7th Street-Convention Center Metro (Green/Yellow)
Henley Park's average daily rate for a standard room is $335 with tax. Their web-only special offers 10% off certain rates, and they boast an excellent business location, near the D.C. Convention Center and Chinatown.
== Restaurants ==
Georgia Brown's Restaurant
950 15th Street, NW (between I and K Streets)
Washington, D.C. 20005
McPherson Square Metro Station (Blue/Orange)
Georgia Brown's delivers traditional Southern cuisine in a simple setting, amid the cosmopolitan bustle of D.C. Featuring such delicacies as deviled eggs, Carolina gumbo, and Southern fried chicken, most items can be enjoyed for approximately $8 to $28 per person. Georgia Brown's is a stone's throw from the front steps of the White House. Reservations are recommended.
Ristorante Tosca
1112 F Street, NW (between 11th and 12th Streets)
Washington, D.C. 20004
Metro Center (Red/Blue/Orange)
Tosca dining includes an optional $35 pre-theater menu, some of the freshest ingredients, and the best northern Italian cooking. This experience can be yours for about $9 to $42 per person. This multiple-award winning restaurant is located near many of Washington's prominent theaters. Reservations are recommended.
== Summary ==
A great trip touring Washington's monuments means more than just an interest in American history. It means walking shoes, a good map, and possibly an affinity for white marble. Once you know where you're going and what you want to see, relax during your tour, and take in the hidden gems of the city that commemorate the great deeds and people of the United States.