Going to Washington - what to see, what to buy?
Discussion
Chaps,
Quickie.
Mrs zcacogp and I are off to Washington to see an old friend there, on Sunday, for a week.
Two questions.
1. What is there to see and do in Washington? More to the point, there is lots to see and do there, what should be top of my list? Smithsonian seems to be the one that everyone mentions ...
2. The US is reputed to be much cheaper than the UK for many things - like what? Clothes? Shoes? Other things? (Much as I would love to bring a 100-gallon bowser of petrol back - $0.35/litre - I don't think BA would allow this ... ) I need a new suit at the moment - would it be cheaper buying out there, and if so, where in Washington would be a good place to buy? (Has to be 3-piece.) What else should I leave suitcase space for?
Thanks for your help ...
Oli.
Quickie.
Mrs zcacogp and I are off to Washington to see an old friend there, on Sunday, for a week.
Two questions.
1. What is there to see and do in Washington? More to the point, there is lots to see and do there, what should be top of my list? Smithsonian seems to be the one that everyone mentions ...
2. The US is reputed to be much cheaper than the UK for many things - like what? Clothes? Shoes? Other things? (Much as I would love to bring a 100-gallon bowser of petrol back - $0.35/litre - I don't think BA would allow this ... ) I need a new suit at the moment - would it be cheaper buying out there, and if so, where in Washington would be a good place to buy? (Has to be 3-piece.) What else should I leave suitcase space for?
Thanks for your help ...
Oli.
Vietnam Memorial at night , second only to Culloden as the eeriest place I have ever visited .
You can check the book to see if any amongst the 55,000 dead bear your name .
The Iwo Jima memorial which is located nearby is also something to see .
>> Edited by NHyde on Wednesday 1st March 23:51
You can check the book to see if any amongst the 55,000 dead bear your name .
The Iwo Jima memorial which is located nearby is also something to see .
>> Edited by NHyde on Wednesday 1st March 23:51
National Air & Space Museum www.nasm.si.edu/museum/ is well worth a visit 
catso said:
National Air & Space Museum www.nasm.si.edu/museum/ is well worth a visit
I concur. An excellent museum. When you walk in the door, please touch the top of the plinth! Why? Because it has a piece of moon rock stuck to it!
NASM was awesome - get a Metro pass and travel about. Start at the Lincoln Memorial and walk your way down (I assume WW2 memorial is finished now - was under construction when I was there) towards Capitol Hill.
Also - note that the Pentagon is not a tourist attraction. Made that mistake before whilst trying to enter the building, shortly after 9/11!!!!
Also - note that the Pentagon is not a tourist attraction. Made that mistake before whilst trying to enter the building, shortly after 9/11!!!!
There is a lot to see and do in Washington DC. The Smithsonian can account for several days, whole days mind you, and it's free.
Unfortunately not much else is. If you don't already have a hotel I'd suggest the State Plaza, an older but well kept property with kitchens in most rooms, or the Residence Inn on Du Pont, for the same reason. There are many good restaurants but they tend to be pricy.
Ride the metro rather than rent a car. DC is a car-hostile place. If you can fly into Reagan National, you can take the Metro starting at the airport.
If you like German food at all visit the Cafe Mozart at least once!
Really it's not a shopping mecca. DC proper is a high-tax place and this bleeds over into the price of everything.
Offhand I don't know where you could get a deal on a suit in DC. If you wanted to take a trip and buy a suit to recoup part of your expenses, I'd send you to Kiev, Ukraine to buy a Voronin suit - get a $400 quality suit for about $250.
I can contact a friend in DC and ask if you are really interested in bargains, he's lived there forever and would know.
If you wanted to go to Kiev, I have friends and in-laws I can put you in touch with there as well.
Unfortunately not much else is. If you don't already have a hotel I'd suggest the State Plaza, an older but well kept property with kitchens in most rooms, or the Residence Inn on Du Pont, for the same reason. There are many good restaurants but they tend to be pricy.
Ride the metro rather than rent a car. DC is a car-hostile place. If you can fly into Reagan National, you can take the Metro starting at the airport.
If you like German food at all visit the Cafe Mozart at least once!
Really it's not a shopping mecca. DC proper is a high-tax place and this bleeds over into the price of everything.
Offhand I don't know where you could get a deal on a suit in DC. If you wanted to take a trip and buy a suit to recoup part of your expenses, I'd send you to Kiev, Ukraine to buy a Voronin suit - get a $400 quality suit for about $250.
I can contact a friend in DC and ask if you are really interested in bargains, he's lived there forever and would know.
If you wanted to go to Kiev, I have friends and in-laws I can put you in touch with there as well.
I went last year and loved the Lincoln memorial. It's also worth taking a short walk to the Jefferson memorial as it is empty and it's quite surreal looking at the difference between the two. You can also go and see Arlington and JFK's grave which is a little strange, but worth an hour of your time.... (All free too)
Georgetown was quite good too for food.
T-J-K
The National Air and Space Museum is one of the greatest and most popular museums in the world. It contains many original and truly historic aircraft and spacecraft -
Lindberg's "Spirit of St Louis"
The actual Apollo 11 Command Module
John Glenn's Mercury space capsule
Chuck Yeager's Bell X-1 "Glamorous Glennis"
You can easily spend an entire day there.
If you do cross the river to Arlington Cemetry, as well as JFK's grave (which is a very moving memorial as well as a grave) there are also some other famous individuals buried there, including a number of Presidents and astronauts.
Lindberg's "Spirit of St Louis"
The actual Apollo 11 Command Module
John Glenn's Mercury space capsule
Chuck Yeager's Bell X-1 "Glamorous Glennis"
You can easily spend an entire day there.
If you do cross the river to Arlington Cemetry, as well as JFK's grave (which is a very moving memorial as well as a grave) there are also some other famous individuals buried there, including a number of Presidents and astronauts.
Shopping - tysons corner should do the job although there's pentagon city mall too which is fairly good (a block away from the pentagon funnily enough). If you've got a car, a trip to springfield mall is well worth it. CD's and most electrical goods are generally cheaper, although not memory cards n stuff. Clothes are ludicrously cheap compared to the UK.
To visit - obviously there's the smithsonian then you got the white house, trip up washington monument, numerous parks, wall memorials, arlington cemetery is definately a must. If you've got a car then a trip to see a football/baseball game is definately worth it for the slightly "different" approach at a US sporting ground. I seem to remember washingtons clubs are quite a way out of the city though.
To visit - obviously there's the smithsonian then you got the white house, trip up washington monument, numerous parks, wall memorials, arlington cemetery is definately a must. If you've got a car then a trip to see a football/baseball game is definately worth it for the slightly "different" approach at a US sporting ground. I seem to remember washingtons clubs are quite a way out of the city though.
Dude -
Can't wait to see you Sunday. We'll get you fixed up on the shopping. Don't worry. I'm working on a specially designed, sealed fuel transport device in the shape of a suitcase. Maybe two. Yee-hah. Let me know if they've really intrigued you with Lucky Charms. I'll get you some. See you soon.
Spiderman
Can't wait to see you Sunday. We'll get you fixed up on the shopping. Don't worry. I'm working on a specially designed, sealed fuel transport device in the shape of a suitcase. Maybe two. Yee-hah. Let me know if they've really intrigued you with Lucky Charms. I'll get you some. See you soon.
Spiderman
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am genuinely delighted to introduce a very dear friend of mine to Pistonheads - Tom Doyle. A true pistonhead of the most genuine type with an incurable mania for all things Volkswagen/Audi, although he has his weaknesses as well. A truly top gent, I hope he becomes a regular on these forums; they will be greatly enhanced by is presence.
You will find his inaugural post below. I recommend him to you all.
Oli.
I am genuinely delighted to introduce a very dear friend of mine to Pistonheads - Tom Doyle. A true pistonhead of the most genuine type with an incurable mania for all things Volkswagen/Audi, although he has his weaknesses as well. A truly top gent, I hope he becomes a regular on these forums; they will be greatly enhanced by is presence.
You will find his inaugural post below. I recommend him to you all.
Oli.
sirquattro said:
Dude -
Can't wait to see you Sunday. We'll get you fixed up on the shopping. Don't worry. I'm working on a specially designed, sealed fuel transport device in the shape of a suitcase. Maybe two. Yee-hah. Let me know if they've really intrigued you with Lucky Charms. I'll get you some. See you soon.
Spiderman
DC.....
My Favourite place in the USA, I spent a couple of weeks there and have seldom felt so at home.
Stayed in Georgetown and the bars and restaraunts are great for the evenings.
For daytime entertainment, in no particular order
Arlington cemetary (if there's a military funeral happening during your visit then the tour is slightly different, very moving to see though)
The Tomb of the unknown soldier (guarded 24-7 and also a very moving place)
Museuem of American History (I could have spent all week here, a fantastic place)
Vietnam war memorial
Lincoln memorial
Washington Monument
Supreme court (the tour is absolutely fascinating)
The FBI tour (if it's open again, call them first to check)
The white house (again if it's open)
The spy shop on Connecticut Avenue (amazing place, sells all kind of concealed surveilance gear)
Can't remember what else I did, but I'll have a look over the weekend for you.
As mentioned earlier by the way, don't bother with a car, the metro takes you everywhere you need to go and it's cheap, clean and safe.
If you're flying into Dulles then don't pay for a cab to the city, there's a shuttle bus that costs about $8 and takes you to the metro station.
My Favourite place in the USA, I spent a couple of weeks there and have seldom felt so at home.
Stayed in Georgetown and the bars and restaraunts are great for the evenings.
For daytime entertainment, in no particular order
Arlington cemetary (if there's a military funeral happening during your visit then the tour is slightly different, very moving to see though)
The Tomb of the unknown soldier (guarded 24-7 and also a very moving place)
Museuem of American History (I could have spent all week here, a fantastic place)
Vietnam war memorial
Lincoln memorial
Washington Monument
Supreme court (the tour is absolutely fascinating)
The FBI tour (if it's open again, call them first to check)
The white house (again if it's open)
The spy shop on Connecticut Avenue (amazing place, sells all kind of concealed surveilance gear)
Can't remember what else I did, but I'll have a look over the weekend for you.
As mentioned earlier by the way, don't bother with a car, the metro takes you everywhere you need to go and it's cheap, clean and safe.
If you're flying into Dulles then don't pay for a cab to the city, there's a shuttle bus that costs about $8 and takes you to the metro station.
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