I am flying there for some WAN training in late Aug (the 26th). Does anyone have any knowledge as far as sights to see, places to go, places to eat, places to avoid, etc... I will not have great amounts of time but I want to take in as much scenery as possible. I did manage to burn a week of vacation and will have the weekend prior to Labor day to spend there (31st, 1st and 2nd)as well as nights and some time on the 3rd of Sept).I have not been in the DC area since '85. I think I will be flying into Reagan at this time. I am taking my wife with me.

Thanks for any input.

twins

1. Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
[url]http://www.nasm.si.edu/[/url]

2. Smithsonian National Museum of American History
[url]http://americanhistory.si.edu/[/url]

3. US Holocaust Memorial Museum
[url]http://www.ushmm.org/[/url]

Stay away from SouthEast DC.

Edited to add:  Use the Metro (subway).  It's clean, safe and will take you where you want to go.

Don't forget the NRA Firearms museum and the Spy museum. (just open up).

Place to hang out....Georgetown NW.
Adams Morgan.

At night, avoid downtown. Avoid going into MD.

Except if you want to go to the US Navy or Marine Corp museums at the Washington Navy Yard, which is in South East DC. You'd have to take a cab though, since the Metro didn't have a stop nearby last I knew. It's about 15 minutes from Crystal City, but its all highway (Rte 195, I think).

Don't forget the Vietnam and Korean memorials (both near the Lincoln Monument).

Yes.  I work in Crystal City.  Here is the web site:  [url]http://www.crystalcity.com/[/url].  The site includes a detailed color map.

Crystal City is actually a series of high rise office buildings, shops, restaurants & delis, hotels and apartments in Northern Virginia just over the border with Washington DC, extending north and south along Hwy 1.  The entire length of the City includes a rabbit warren of underground shops and stores.  Crystal City is directly adjacent to Ronald Reagan National Airport, so I recommend you fly in here.  It's a $5 cab ride to your local hotel or office here, or you can jump on the Metro Blue or Yellow line north for one stop for $1.10.

Getting here from Dulles airport or Baltimore Washington will be a long and tortuous drive, depending on the time of day.

The northern end of Crystal City is about 1/2 mile from the Pentagon (We heard and felt the plane crash into the Pentagon.).

There is a large, modern, up-scale, indoor shopping center one Metro stop away at Pentagon City.

The Washington Metro is one of the finest subway systems in the world.  Crystal City is served by one station.  The Metro can take you wherever you want to go in the immediate area, including downtown DC to the National Capital area.  Metro has a web site too.

Tons to do and see here.  A bit of advice...do not walk around DC after dark alone...or even in small groups of 2-3.  It can be a combat zone.

Rush hour in the DC area here can be a bit daunting, so allow yourself pleny of time if you're driving.

Good Luck!

Thanks for the suggestions. I appreciate it.