Last week we went to see Washington, DC. Since we will no doubt go again in a few years, I will write down some pointers for myself for next time:
- Get a good map. It should show not only the chief attractions, but also train and bus lines, parking and which way the one-way streets go. Some streets can no longer be reached by car, like part of the street around the Lincoln Memorial. This should be shown on the map too.
- Count on seeing only two places a day: one in the morning and one in the afternoon. By five in the afternoon everyone will be too tired for a third place and will only want to sit down and eat. Most places are closed by six in any case.Two places a day does not sound like much, but that is is what winds up happening.
- Settle on which places to see months before you go. This will give you time to learn about them online and off and reserve tickets (recommended).
- Reserve tickets when you can.
- Go when the weather is warm. Because of all the security added since 9/11, you will often find yourself waiting in line outside.
- Learn the trains and buses. Parking is a pain in the neck. It would be best to park your car in the morning and just leave it, but without taking buses or the underground trains, your party will become too tired out from walking — and what if it rains?The other way to do it is to find parking near each attraction.
- Bring food. Food in the city is costly.
- Many places are free and open nearly every day.
- If your wife lets you come to the front of a line in a museum, quietly refuse. To do otherwise will make either you or her look like an ass.
- It is hard to get close to many places by car. That is part of the security added since 9/11.
- Interstate highway 66 goes right into downtown Washington, right on to Constitution Avenue.
- There is an Old Country Buffet in Fairfax at 236 and Pickett off exit 57 of I-66. There are other places to eat further down I-66.
- Rough Guides are much more readable than other guides, so they are good for learning about places you might want to see. But on the ground they are often missing important details, the maps especially. For example, their map made it seem that you could drive right up to the Lincoln Memorial. Before 9/11, perhaps that was true, but no longer. I found this out the hard way!The Rough Guide on Washington says next to nothing on parking! Many of its telephone numbers are wrong.
Now that I have some experience with Washington, I will look through the other maps and guides to see how they compare.
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