First time to Washington D.C., help me out...

[CelisHorn]

My wife has a conference so I'll spend a week up there with her. The first 3.5 days she'll be in the conference and i'll be on my own. Wife has been there before, but in HS.

What do I need to see, where do I need to eat? Is the metro easy to learn to use?

 

[JohnnyYuma]

Metro is piece of cake. I'd start at Arlington Cemetary then walk across the bridge and work my way up one side of the mall and down the other. If you stop to see everything there it will fill up several days. Air Museum is must. Not sure if they still do White House tours. If they do you need to get there very early to get in line. It's worth it. FBI tour was fun. Near the mall. Almost everything is walking distance from the mall.

 

[CelisHorn]

Thanks, in order to get a white house tour you have to have a group of ten or more so I may be sol.

 

[MAROON]

Spy Museum

 

[l00p]

Scratch the walk up and down the mall one side to another. Hit up the Cemetary, the Lincoln and trek to the Jefferson. Pick yourself up some snacks and juice at a store somewhere for a break at the water at the Jeff.

Dedicate an entire day, all day to the Smithsonians. Heck, you could even dedicate two days and not be close to fulfilling all you wish to see.

But Dupont Circle and other areas are nice to shop in and check things out. Just know that as a single man in Dupont, many will be checking you out as well.

 

[Eating Club]

1. Expect to walk ALOT so wear comfortable shoes.

2. Don't drive into town. Take the subway. It's cheap, clean, safe, and reliable.

3. Fun neighborhoods to walk around and eat/drink (so many great choices) - Dupont Circle, Adams Morgan, Georgetown, Old Town Alexandria, Capitol Hill/Eastern Market, Cleveland Park, U Street

4. Go up the Old Post Office Pavilion instead of the Wash Monument.

5. Get tickets from your Congressman in advance for the White House/Capitol tours.

 

[MirrOlure]

Personally, I thought the "in depth tour of the Capitol Building was a waste of time. It is kind of cool to walk up the steps, enjoy the view, and even poke your head in and hang out in the rotunda area and main halls. However, once you strat going through the upper level hallways, etc., it begins to srike you as a really cheesy building, with crappy looking frescos on the ceiling, cherubs everywhere, ornate but crappy looking molding everywhere.....like they tried to mimick Middle Ages Europe or something.

One thing not mentioned that is sort of off the beaten path, that you might want to check out is the Peterson House Museum --- the house where Lincoln died. It is very close to the Spy Museum (get tickets in advance to the Spy Museum, BTW). They've got some really cool artifacts from the Lincoln assasination in the Peterson House Museum.

 

[CelisHorn]

I appreciate the help. We've already contacted congressman to get whitehouse tour. I plan on the spy museum, smithsonian, whitehouse, etc. I'll probably do a lot of the walking and looking stuff near the whitehouse and capital when I'm by myself and save museum stuff for my wife and I. Although, my wife said she didn't want to go to the spy museum. Is this something she doesn't think she would enjoy but probably would?

We're staying at the Gaylord for the first few days and then near the Dupont Circle the second part. Any cant miss restaurant recs? No seafood please.

 

[l00p]

If the Ginger Cove Cafe is still open, go. Jimmie and Sharon Banks always have great restaurants...while they stay open. I know them well and if you are going to go, zap me a pm beforehand.

I still cannot get over U Street/Cardoza being a safe place to walk around. It was barely getting that way when I left. then again I walked around everywhere and lived in an extremely dangerous area that is now supposedly safe or moreso. I just cannot fathom it but I believe y'all when you say it is.

Is Las Cruces Restaurant still open on U street? That place was good for New Mexican food. The owner was a friend as well.

If you like Persian/Iranian food, esp. kabob, try Moby Dick when in Georgetown. Above average but convenient to Georgetown as it is just below M Street, over by the canal. It was a favorite haunt of mine. Then again my roomate was Persian so we ate a lot of kabob.

 

[Eating Club]

In reply to:

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[l00p]

I always found it to be awesome to hang out but it was always sketchy. If I were not with the people I was with I would not have been there as much. Def. not alone at night too long. Granted it was nowhere near as dangerous as my neighborhood but not Dumbarton either.

 

[Tex Pete]

Man, no seafood in the D.C. area? The crab cakes up there are allsome!

I really like this Irish pub:
The Dubliner
Their Irish Stew is outstanding!

The Air and Space Museum and its other location by Dulles are always can't miss stops for me. I also enjoy renting a car and driving over to Annapolis. It is a beautiful town. Guess it just depends on what interests you.

I can assure you that it's hard not to have fun (and eat good food) in D.C.

 

[austintexas]

Do you like italian? I can't recommend al Tiramisu enough. 20th and P, NW. The only italian restaurant in D.C. officially recognized by the italian government. Whatever that means, but it's a great, quaint little place. Celebrities, etc. Get a reservation. You wont' regret it.
The Link
Tell Luigi (owner) I said what's up.