Vacation

[icepixie]

So! I think my parents and I have decided to go to Washington, DC, in the second week of June. (Since we're driving, we're going to stop here along the way, too.*)

I plan to spend as much time as humanly possible in the Smithsonian buildings, but what else should we do? Myself, I like museums/history museums, interesting architecture, and flowers. Presumably the National Mall provides all of these things in abundance (maybe not the flowers), but will we miss interesting things by limiting ourselves to that area?

I also have the lifelong inlander's natural response to journeying within fifty miles of an ocean, namely, OOOOH A BEACH I MUST LOOK AT IT! I am assuming this is feasible as a day-trip sort of thing, since we'll have a car, but am not entirely certain. Suggestions?

* We are not foolish enough to try and drive around DC. The plan is to stay at a hotel in a VA suburb on the Metro's blue line, as it goes directly to the stop labeled "Smithsonian," and take the Metro into the city in the morning and back out in the evenings.

Comments

[gamesiplay.livejournal.com]

Delmarva beaches are kinda not so great, honestly, but your best bets if you want to day-trip to the coast from DC: Sandy Point State Park (which I think is closest to the city) or Ocean City in Maryland, Bethany or Rehobeth Beach in Delaware, and Virginia Beach in Virginia. There are also Chincoteague and Assateague Islands, if you're into that stuff. :)

Most of the best / most accessible (and free!) tourist-y stuff is around the National Mall, yeah. If you ever want to just wander around a pretty neighborhood with good people watching and food, Dupont Circle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dupont_Circle,_Washington,_D.C.).

[icepixie]

Delmarva beaches are kinda not so great, honestly

Keep in mind that with the exception of a few days down on the Gulf in Alabama several years ago, all my beach experience has been in the UK, where half the beaches are not so much "beach" as "some gravel and some water, in those few places where the whole thing isn't bound by a retaining wall." I have low, low standards. ;)

We were thinking about Chincoteague/Assateague (PONIES!!), but they're a bit far for a day trip. They would make more sense if we went there from DC, then went back to I-81 via the Norfolk area, but I took one look at that 20 mile-long Bay Bridge/Tunnel thing about had a heart attack, so that's out of the question.

I am all about free touristy stuff. Dupont Circle does look nifty, though. (As does the--not free, sadly--International Spy Museum!)

[nickless.livejournal.com]

I second the Virginia Beach suggestion.

And the you'll-do-fine-sticking-around-the-Mall idea, too. I strongly suggest going at night - it's less crowded and very pretty. If you wander around a bit on the other side of the street (White House side), you'll run into some other interesting stuff, too. We liked finding the old port gates (?) and such. But, I wouldn't recommend wandering TOO far off the main path, particularly at night... :)

Georgetown was pretty cool, if you can get there (I didn't pay much attention to where/how far things were, honestly). The zoo is great and free, too.

[nickless.livejournal.com]

Oooh, and I was going to mention the embassy area 'cause it was cool, but I had no idea where it actually was. Then I clicked on the Dupont Circle link and hey, there it is! :) Very nifty.

[icepixie]

*makes notes*

[icepixie]

Mmmm, but at night, the Smithsonian museums are closed. (Well, they shut between 5:30 and 7:30, it looks like.) I like the idea of wandering along the Mall at all times of day, though. Yay exploring!

Oooh, the Zoo. I'd forgotten about the zoo.

[nickless.livejournal.com]

Depending on how long you'll be there, Dad says driving down to the Mall at night is fine because there's WAY less traffic. We parked right across the street from the WWII Memorial last summer, and it's not because that was our only option.

It's kind of a long drive to VA Beach, but if you wind up going there on your way back home or something, Colonial Williamsburg is on the way from DC to VA Beach. The two are definitely too much for a day trip, though.

Bay Bridge/Tunnel EVIL, but that's from the POV of one person who hates bridges traveling with someone who's deathly afraid of tunnels.

And I think (ironically) there's a listening section on the Tests from Hell about the spy museum. It sounds pretty spiffy, if it's the same one.