Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

shifuimam · 04:11 PM

Any tips on good things to check out? I've been twice before; boyfriend's been once. It's not that I don't want to see the Constitution up close and personal...I just want to do something less...mundane. We're only going to be there for about a day and a half, so whatever it is has to be short and close by.

nonhuman · Jul 8, 2009, 03:58 PM

The national zoo's pretty awesome...

finboy · Jul 8, 2009, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by nonhuman

The national zoo's pretty awesome...

Probably a lot of people at the zoo in the summer time.

The Air & Space Museum is very cool too. I haven't been to the new Dulles annex yet, but I saw it on TV and it's wonderful. There will be lots of people here, too, either one.

Paco500 · Jul 8, 2009, 04:28 PM

The Air and Space museum annex is great, but it's also about 25 miles outside of DC.

Some of the best lesser known places in DC are the Albert Einstein statue (on constitution across from the Viet Nam memorial) and the National Cathedral. The National Zoo is good if you are into crowds, unbearable heat and amazing animals in sub-standard borderline-cruel conditions.

If you go to the Einstein Statue, stand on the North Star and speak straight at the statue- a cool undocumented feature.

The FDR memorial is pretty cool as well.

ghporter · Jul 8, 2009, 04:36 PM

Anything Smithsonian. I've been twice and both times something's cropped up to keep me from going to any museums. Darn it! But there are a LOT of them, right smack IN DC. I'd also go to the Air and Space museum AND the annex, but for me it would be very much worth it.

Atheist · Jul 8, 2009, 04:59 PM

You can't go wrong by starting at the Lincoln Memorial and heading east all the way to the Capitol. Also, just across the river (west) from the Lincoln Memorial is Arlington Cemetery. The Spy Museum is pretty cool. It's near Chinatown. Also in Chinatown is the National Portrait Gallery. It recently reopened after years of renovation. I was there a few months back. I would recommend it as well. I hear the Newseum is awesome. Some friends of mine just went and said the 9/11 exhibit is very powerful (bring plenty of tissues). Personally I love the feeling of solitude you get at the Jefferson Memorial. If you like planes, I would strongly suggest the Air and Space Museum annex at Dulles Airport. If you won't have your own car, you may be able to take the Washington Flyer service from National Airport for a reasonable price.

I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself. DC is a great town... I miss it a lot.

shifuimam · Jul 9, 2009, 08:00 AM

Well, I think we may end up looking at rentals instead of going anywhere particularly cool. We'll see.

nonhuman · Jul 9, 2009, 08:37 AM

Oh, the Spy Museum is really cool. We went a couple years ago, and will probably have to go again in the near future.

As several people have mentioned the Udvar-Hazy Annex to the Air and Space Museum is incredibly cool. They've got the Space Shuttle Enterprise there, an SR-71, and even two planes that have carried family members of mine! It's a ways out there, and you need to pay for parking (though admission is free), but it's worth it.

design219 · Jul 9, 2009, 09:19 AM

I agree with the above recommendations, but I would add, if you haven't on previous trips, visit the vietnam vets memorial. I checked it out a few years back just because I was interested in the design. I didn't expect to be moved by it, it's just a monument, like so many others... but I was... strongly.

I can't put my finger on it. The wash of names, the emotion of the people viewing, the artifacts left there, the contemporary design, the recess into the ground. It's a very powerful experience. IMO.

dav · Jul 9, 2009, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by nonhuman

As several people have mentioned the Udvar-Hazy Annex to the Air and Space Museum is incredibly cool. They've got the Space Shuttle Enterprise there, an SR-71, and even two planes that have carried family members of mine! It's a ways out there, and you need to pay for parking (though admission is free), but it's worth it.

the Enola Gay is there as well -- eerie and fascinating.

turtle777 · Jul 9, 2009, 09:44 AM

Go and slap Barry. Maybe it'll help.

-t

SpaceMonkey · Jul 9, 2009, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by turtle777

Go and slap Barry. Maybe it'll help.

-t

I think Marion Barry would be a better choice.

nonhuman · Jul 9, 2009, 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by dav

the Enola Gay is there as well -- eerie and fascinating.

Yeah, that's one of the two... A technologically awesome yet otherwise disturbing bit of family history...

BadKosh · Jul 9, 2009, 11:28 AM

You'll HATE the traffic. The Humidity, and the heat are no fun either. Smithsonian's on day 1 as well as the National Archive, and the Air & Space annex at Dulles Airport on day 2.

BadKosh · Jul 9, 2009, 11:30 AM

Eat anyplace but DC. Go to Rosslyn VA, or Crystal City. Perhaps Alexandria's "Old Towne" section.

James L · Jul 9, 2009, 12:16 PM

In 2004 we took a bus from the Air and Space Museum on the National Mall out to the annex at the airport. You got tickets right inside the National Mall Air and Space Museum... didn't have to rent a car or pay for parking.