Any "tourist" advice, for a trip to DC?

[skinsmarydu]

I never get enough of the Smithsonian. 

[Dan T.]

You can come to town early and go to the Dolphins/Commanders game Hahahahahahaha, just kidding. 

[PleaseBlitz]

20 minutes ago, TheGreatBuzz said:

 

 

The Mpire Gentlemen's Club

(202) 808-8300

 

https://g.co/kgs/1DUsWF

 

 

This is 75 yards from my office. 

[TradeTheBeal!]

44 minutes ago, TheGreatBuzz said:

 

 

The Mpire Gentlemen's Club

(202) 808-8300

 

https://g.co/kgs/1DUsWF

 

 

https://cloakroomdc.com/

24 minutes ago, PleaseBlitz said:

This is 75 yards from my office. 

That’s almost 2 Heinicke Hail Marys.

[PeterMP]

As somebody that has never lived in DC and only visits a tourist, I'd suggest waiting until spring if you can.  The Metro is good for getting into the city if you are staying outside, but it isn't very good for actually getting around the city in terms of seeing the touristy things.  The Metro stops are too far apart and some of the touristy things are pretty far from the touristy things.  Every time I've been there it has either turned into a lot of walking or sitting in traffic.

 

It isn't like the NYC subway or even the Boston T.

 

But when it is nice out the walks aren't bad, and sometimes you see something that you didn't know that you might be interested in that looks interesting.  And (in my experience) it isn't a situation where you're likely to walk to blocks from a touristy area and end up somewhere not good.  I've never had the issue in DC where we were walking from one thing to another and it became like, I'm not sure it is safe for us to be here.

 

And when it is cold or really hot, doing that walking is miserable.  DC is a nice city to visit when it is nice outside.

[China]

You could always visit (or even stay in - it may be out of your budget) The O Street Mansion

[PleaseBlitz]

55 minutes ago, TradeTheBeal! said:

https://cloakroomdc.com/

That’s almost 2 Heinicke Hail Marys.

 

Camelot is right next to Mpire.  I'm not sure I'm allowed back to Camelot, there was....an incident.  That was like 20 years ago though. 

[Jabbyrwock]

31 minutes ago, PeterMP said:

some of the touristy things are pretty far from the touristy things.

 

[ixcuincle]

2 hours ago, PeterMP said:

As somebody that has never lived in DC and only visits a tourist, I'd suggest waiting until spring if you can.  The Metro is good for getting into the city if you are staying outside, but it isn't very good for actually getting around the city in terms of seeing the touristy things.  The Metro stops are too far apart and some of the touristy things are pretty far from the touristy things.  Every time I've been there it has either turned into a lot of walking or sitting in traffic.

 

It isn't like the NYC subway or even the Boston T.

 

But when it is nice out the walks aren't bad, and sometimes you see something that you didn't know that you might be interested in that looks interesting.  And (in my experience) it isn't a situation where you're likely to walk to blocks from a touristy area and end up somewhere not good.  I've never had the issue in DC where we were walking from one thing to another and it became like, I'm not sure it is safe for us to be here.

 

And when it is cold or really hot, doing that walking is miserable.  DC is a nice city to visit when it is nice outside.

it depends. all the touristy smithsonian things are right by several metro stops. Obviously doesn't cover everything (can't recall if you can get to the National Cathedral by metro, probably could try) but other than georgetown, sure you could go around the city using the metro and walking.

[PeterMP]

13 minutes ago, ixcuincle said:

it depends. all the touristy smithsonian things are right by several metro stops. Obviously doesn't cover everything (can't recall if you can get to the National Cathedral by metro, probably could try) but other than georgetown, sure you could go around the city using the metro and walking.

 

https://hiltondcnationalmall.com/travel/metro-stations/#:~:text=Foggy Bottom Metro Info&text=Located on the campus of,still nearly a mile away).

 

Having only visited as tourist, I was wondered if I was missing something, but I don't think so.

 

https://hiltondcnationalmall.com/travel/metro-stations/#:~:text=Foggy Bottom Metro Info&text=Located on the campus of,still nearly a mile away).

 

For example:

 

"Located on the campus of George Washington University, Foggy Bottom Station is the closest to the Lincoln Memorial, and other attractions on the west end of the National Mall (though it is still nearly a mile away). If you are planning to catch a show at the Kennedy Center, this station provides a free shuttle."

 

So you've got nearly a mile there, you walk around and do the things in the area, and then nearly a mile back.  Then you want to go see something else and it is likely nearly another mile to and from the metro to whatever you wanted to see.  The stops in the NYC subway or the Boston T just seem much closer together in the tourist areas to me.

Edited November 30, 2023 by PeterMP

[China]

The Mall itself is large.  Just walking from one end (The Capitol) to the other (The Lincoln Memorial) is 2.5 miles.  And in the other direction from one end (The White House) to the other (The Jefferson Memorial) is 1.7 miles.  There are not Metro stops convenient to all those points and it is infeasible for them to have done so.  Prepare to walk or get an Uber.  

 

A couple of weeks ago when I was in NYC, despite all the convenient subway stops, and using the subway, I still walked 9 miles in a day.  

 

If you're in a major city doing touristy things and can't handle some walking than be prepared to get a cab or Uber.  There are buses as well, the 30 buses (30, 32, 34, 36) will run east-west along the Mall, and eventually go through Georgetown and up past the Cathedral to Tenleytown.

 

Edited November 30, 2023 by China

[TradeTheBeal!]

Certainly, part of the charm of the Mall/Lincoln Monument is the fact that there isn’t a HUGE ****ING COMMUTER TRAIN RUNNING DIRECTLY THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF IT.

[ixcuincle]

43 minutes ago, PeterMP said:

 

https://hiltondcnationalmall.com/travel/metro-stations/#:~:text=Foggy Bottom Metro Info&text=Located on the campus of,still nearly a mile away).

 

Having only visited as tourist, I was wondered if I was missing something, but I don't think so.

 

https://hiltondcnationalmall.com/travel/metro-stations/#:~:text=Foggy Bottom Metro Info&text=Located on the campus of,still nearly a mile away).

 

For example:

 

"Located on the campus of George Washington University, Foggy Bottom Station is the closest to the Lincoln Memorial, and other attractions on the west end of the National Mall (though it is still nearly a mile away). If you are planning to catch a show at the Kennedy Center, this station provides a free shuttle."

 

So you've got nearly a mile there, you walk around and do the things in the area, and then nearly a mile back.  Then you want to go see something else and it is likely nearly another mile to and from the metro to whatever you wanted to see.  The stops in the NYC subway or the Boston T just seem much closer together in the tourist areas to me.

nice to provide example. yes, the lincoln memorial and jefferson and the vietnam veterans memorial are further from the metro

[PokerPacker]

Prop your feet up on the A.C. heater and let it blow on your junk.

[MrSilverMaC]

I visited D.C for the first time in May.

 

I stayed in McLean for 4 days, lyft’d and Uber’d the whole time.

 

i feel like I could have saw a ton more if I’d used those goofy electric scooters.

 

i walked 19 miles (according to my phone) when I visited the mall.

[PleaseBlitz]

The escooters are extremely convenient, but they don’t work on the Mall. They will literally turn off once you pass a certain point. 

[PeterMP]

Okay, it isn't hard.  You dig a hole, you build a tunnel, and you run the train under ground.  That's how most of the metro is in DC already.  Nobody goes to Times Square and notices the subways and there are multiple subway lines running underneath of there.

 

In NYC, the most efficient way to see the city is to do some walking.  But if it is a cold and miserable day where its 29 degrees or cold and wet (33 and raining) or 95 degrees, you haven't seen NYC in decades, and you come to me and say you want to see the city but you want to limit your time outside, I can kill day in NYC doing touristy things including a nice dinner and lunch or a touristy lunch and dinner and we'll have to walk less than 6 city blocks outside all day.  The subway comes in directly below the natural history museum.  You don't even need to go outside to into the natural history museum.  You walk out the front door of the natural history museum, and there's the Central Park.  The subway comes in directly into Times Square.  You go up the stairs and you see where the ball drops.  The subway comes in directly below the Rockefeller Center.  You go up the stairs and your in Rockefeller Center, and you can do the things that are there to do.  You walk out the right door, and you're in the plaza with the Christmas Tree.  Subways pretty much run directly into the Freedom Towers.

 

Somebody referred to the Metro in DC as a commuter train.  I think that's the difference.  The NYC subway line is made for people that live and work in NYC to get around efficiently.  The DC metro is designed to get commuters from outside of the city to reasonably close to where they want to be in the city that it is reasonable for people to use it on a regular basis.  The NYC equivalent to the Metro are things like the PATH trains and the Long Island Rail Road.  And then DC doesn't really have anything equivalent to the NYC subway system.  It isn't made to get them from their apartment in one part of the city to their friends in another part of the city.

 

If Larry's ex doesn't really like museums, I don't think she's going to be happy walking around DC if it is a cold and rainy day to visit museums and the other monuments.

 

@Larry Some one else brought Udvar-Hazy.  If your ex doesn't care what you do and you get a bad weather day, if possible I'd suggest having a car relatively accessible and heading out there, especially if you are interested in space stuff.  

Edited November 30, 2023 by PeterMP

[Dan T.]

17 hours ago, PeterMP said:

As somebody that has never lived in DC and only visits a tourist, I'd suggest waiting until spring if you can.  The Metro is good for getting into the city if you are staying outside, but it isn't very good for actually getting around the city in terms of seeing the touristy things. 

 

And when it is cold or really hot, doing that walking is miserable.  DC is a nice city to visit when it is nice outside.

 

Ideally, spring is the best time to visit, other than the crowds. 

 

But as for Metro/walking. and the fact he's coming in December, that's why I recommended a hop-on hop-off bus or trolley.  Touristy, but you can get all around the Mall area on your own schedule for one flat fee and learn something as well from the narration.

[PleaseBlitz]

If you want to do thing other than touristy things, here are some ideas:

 

• Spend a day eating and drinking and shopping at Union Market, then go get a fatty steak at St. Anselm;
• Walk up and down 14th Street between Logan Circle and U street, stop into the many fantastic bars and restaurants;
• I guess you could do the same on M. St in Georgetown, but it is more crowded, more touristy, more expensive and less accessible;
• Do this thing:  artechouse.com/location/dc/
• The Mpire Gentlemen's Club;
• Check the calendars for Capital One Arena and the Kennedy Center.  I think Nats park is doing a big walkthrough Xmas installation again this year (Enchant or something similar);
• Hike Rock Creek Park, https://www.nps.gov/rocr/planyourvisit/hiking.htm.

[EmirOfShmo]

As far as Metro & walking: you can combine the subway & some of the bus services (i.e., Metrobus, SW Shuttle, etc.) to get from point a to b (i.e., take the subway to L'Enfant Plaza, up the stairs to catch the free SW Shuttle to the Wharf).

 

Get in the Christmas spirit at Ford's Theater "A Christmas Carol" - went last year & it was awesome.

 

https://fords.org/performance/a-christmas-carol-2023/