Posted: 6/20/2007 3:31:49 AM EDT
| I leave for D.C. tomorrow for a conference and will only really have one day to explore. Friday I have a Capital tour scheduled for 10am and then that evening, we are going to the Marine Silent Drill performance. It's the in-between-time that I want to fill. Any real, doable suggestions? I will have to rely up on cabs or the metro. I really would love to see the pandas at the National Zoo, but other than that, I have no idea where to start. Suggestions?? |
|
If i were you i'd just head right on over to the national mall after your capitol tour and check out the museams they are all free and at the west end of the mall (where the capital is) there is the American Indian Museaum and the air and space on on side and the National Art Gallery on the other any one of which you can easily spend an afternoon at. ps if you need anything ou can call me at my work place which is abut 4 blocks from the air and space. i'll im you with my phone number. |
This is what makes ARFCOM fricking awesome!  |
|
There are several neat things to see on the Mall, including beaucoup museums. The Air and Space Museum is neat. The Museum of Natural History may interest you as well. Sadly, the American History Museum, which has a fantastic exhibition about the American military, is currently closed for renovation. The Museum of the American Indian recently opened, but I have not been there yet, so I can't comment. The World War II monument is very impressive as is the Korean War monument. The statues of soldiers at the Korean War Monument look eerily lifelike, especially on days with snow on the ground. There is the National Aquarium located in the Department of Commerce building. I hear this is a little disappointing if you have been to any of the nicer, larger aquariums around the country (Baltimore, Georgia Aquarium). If you are interested in going just a tad bit out of the way, the Spy Museum is within walking distance from the Mall. Art lover? There is about a half dozen art galleries scattered around the Mall that comprise the National Gallery. |
A fellow AFRCOMmer (jmboom) gave me and my buddy a 'personalized' tour of the capital, including a few areas that the public can't go into. ARFCOM is a truly great community! Marian, from the capital, there are a TON of things within walking distance. From there to the Lincoln Memorial (at the end of the mall) is maybe 2 miles. You probably won't have a lot of time to see much, tho. |
|
I work right on the mall also. Let me tell you, there are some DUMB people visiting this place. I had NO idea how many people would come up to me and say "hey, where is this mall? Does it have restaurants in it? How about bathrooms?" Keep in mind, I am usually sitting on a bench eating my lunch ON THE MALL when asked this. They usually pull out there maps of DC & say, it has to be close - it's huge on the map. Then there are the people that look around the mall & ask me which building is the Smithsonian. Spring break was the best - a bunch of college age girls stopping people b/c they had driven up to DC for a day of shopping at the NATIONAL MALL. One said they thought it was like the one in Minnesota?! Ugh... 
|
I went there years ago. I've seen better aquariums in high end fish stores. Hit the monuments. If you're hitting the museums you basically need to dedicate a day to each one to do them justice. |