Not your Fathers DC
While helping at the annual Multiple Sclerosis Walk I had to drive some volunteers from one point to another. The rout took us between the National Capital Building and the National Mall. The Washington Monument was to the left and we could see the Smithsonian Castle, cluster of large museums, and a fantastic expanse of lawn, our nation’s front yard. One passenger, originally from Florida, asked if this ever gets old. Everyone answered “no”.
Most of us visit DC as children on a school trip and never return. What a waste. There is so much to do, so much to see, so much to encounter that you can not experience it all if you stayed for years. Art, music, history, beauty, fine foods, plays, a rib cook-off on Pennsylvania Ave., environmentally conscious home exhibit on the Mall, Cherry Blossom trees over 1,400 years old, bicycle trails, canoeing on the Potomac, night life, major league sports, romantic settings, and so much more. I have sat with local Browns Backers in a local bar watching their football team, paddle boated in front of the Jefferson Memorial, attended a Greek Orthodox Church festival, prayed where the Pope had visited, sat in the hotel lobby President Grant relaxed in, stood in the same place where Martin Luther King gave his “I have a dream” speech from, and walked the stairs used in the Exorcist. And, of course, the Wall.
You would be surprised at how many people travel to DC for their honeymoon. Many of the hotels cater to this and are not very expensive. Some of the restaurants are perfect for a romantic interlude and at night, under the stars and understated lighting, there are few more beautiful cities.
With the abundance of museums, mostly free, and historic locations, Washington is the best place in the world to get in touch with your patriotism and love of America and freedom. On your own or with your family DC has a way to just make you proud.
While Washington itself is not a day trip there are many events worthy of a full day and I will attempt to bring them to you. But for your own entertainment, try a week. You can drive, fly, take a bus, or ride a train into the city then leave the travel to the tour busses and Metro. The Metro is not a typical subway. It is very clean, efficient, well mapped, inexpensive, and commuters are always willing to help you find your way.
