Things to see while in Washington DC area for 4 days

[Iggy]

Thank you everyone for this great information. It has helped me and I'm sure it will help many others who visit our Nations Capital.

I just checked the Metro Station at the end of Green line which is about 1/2 mile from Cherry Hill RV Park.

I will also check out the parking at the Metro Center and using the hop on hop off trolley.

I will have to see the Get Smart Spy Museum for sure. lol
I always did like him but tuned in to see Agent 99 - Barbara Feldon.
I guess I'm giving up my age telling you this.


Iggy

[Teetime]

I'd add an exclamation point to everyone who recommended Metro! We camped at Gettysburg a couple years ago and drove to the Shady Grove Metro Station, which is at the end of the line, and enjoyed not having to deal with traffic or parking. The Metro will take you almost everywhere within a short walk.

On thing I would add, is plan to visit as much as you can during the week, especially the Smithsonian sites. If you go on a weekend, plan on lots of buses full of school kids or tourists, and verrrrry long lines.

[Iggy]

Originally Posted by Teetime

I'd add an exclamation point to everyone who recommended Metro! We camped at Gettysburg a couple years ago and drove to the Shady Grove Metro Station, which is at the end of the line, and enjoyed not having to deal with traffic or parking. The Metro will take you almost everywhere within a short walk.

On thing I would add, is plan to visit as much as you can during the week, especially the Smithsonian sites. If you go on a weekend, plan on lots of buses full of school kids or tourists, and verrrrry long lines.

Thanks TeeTime.
I have thought o f that and that's why we will be there Tuesday thru Saturday morning.
I may have to look deeper and plan what to see each day instead of waiting until September.
I think it will all depends if I get tickets for the White House and Achieves.
Also being a retired USAF disable (service connected) vet I now know that helps in a few places
Thanks

[HATCHET19]

The Vietnam veterans memorial.

[FlippinUid]

You could spend 3 months at the Smithsonian Museums and still want to go back. Yeah, probably do a 1 day Graybus tour, but other than that, just go to the Smithsonian museums on the mall. They Graybus should get you to Arlington Cemetery, and other highlights, but the museums are awesome.

[bobjeanmax]

We also enjoyed a hop on hop off double decker tour bus. The National Cathedral is amazing.

[Quail]

If you would like some fresh air and a very nice look at nature and a little history visit the C&O canal in Falls Church.

[flhf150]

We are camping at Cherryhill over Memorial Day weekend and staying the rest of the week. Riding with Rolling Thunder into DC. Was going to ride into DC to see the sites, but after reading the posts about traffic(Harleys overheat easy), we'll probably take the Metro. Most likely will ride to Mount Vernon.

[MLdoc]

Since you mentioned that the National Air and Space Museum was on your list, I would strongly suggest making the drive out to the Udvar-Hazy Center at Dulles. It’s the other half of NASM and contains a ton of aircraft (in the neighborhood of 180 IIRC) along with other artifacts. You can spend a full day there easily. Admission is free of course, but there is a parking fee.

[Mistye]

Originally Posted by Iggy

As many may know already I'm planning a long east coast RV trip and will be in the DC area for 4 nights (Sept 17-21) at the Cherry Hill RV Park which I have been told is a great spot north and West of DC.

The questions I have is should I consider a local Grey Bus Tour for most other general spots like the White House, Arlington, Lincoln Memorial, Etc?
I also know the RV park has its own tours at night.

I do want to see the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum for sure and I know I can do that on my own.
I pull a small car and can get into any small space so that's not an issue.

So if you have visited the DC area what did you see and liked and how did you get there?

I'm sure many will find your information interesting and worthwhile.

Thank you in advance and I will be talking notes.

We stayed at Cherry Hill also. We used the bus to the Metro which was a little time consuming but easy. There is so much to see and never enough time. Some of our standout favorites was the trip to Arlington, watching the changing of the guards at the tomb of the unknown soldier, the White House tour and the night tour of the War Memorials was hauntingly beautiful!

[tomrob1161]

Iggy,

I guess we were lucky. We visited DC in the mid 70's. We got there early in the morning, tried to find a parking place at the Washington Monument. There were none. A fellow came up to our truck, a pickup with Michigan license plates, and a shell on the back, and ask if we were tourists? We said yes. He said there were no parking places available at the Washington Monument, but we could have his space if we wanted him to give us a tour of Washington. We ask how much, he said how many. It was my wife and I and our 3 kids, he said $23.00.
He pulled his car out of his parking space, we pulled into it. We put our lunches and drinks in his truck, along with several other families stuff. and he took us on a wonderful tour of Washington. The White House, Congress, several Smithsonian buildings, the Lincoln Memorial, etc. We got back to the Washington Monument at 9:00 PM. We didn't have to worry about parking or directions. Evidently he had several families that he was guiding around the city.

I'm sure there is nothing today like the experience we had over 40 years ago.

Good luck and enjoy yourselves on your trip this summer. Hope to see you in Gulf Shores, Al during the National Shrimp Festival.

[Eb28107]

I quickly scanned all of the replies, and see no mention of the Teddy Roosevelt Memorial, located on an island in the middle of the Potomac River. Each of our family visits to DC require a visit to this remote, but very noteworthy site. Many people, including tour bus drivers, do not know that it exists. Parking is somewhat limited, but the island, trails, woods and memorial are an outstanding recognition of the man! ...and like most of the sites in DC, its Free!
Lots of other great ideas posted here, but please check out this memorial.

[ColonelRick]

Originally Posted by Iggy

Wow thanks for the information moff. All good!
I just sent an email requesting a tour of the White House from my State Senator. We will see what happens. I think this far ahead we may get an answer being we are so far away from DC. I also mention I was USAF retired and Vietnam vet for good measure.
Yes, I have been told about Cherry Hill Park for many years and setting up reservations 8-9 months in advance locked me in.
Thanks

Retired Canadian Army with time in Quantico with USMC. I’ve stayed at Cherry Hill - nice. Definitely park st the Metro instead of driving into town. So much to see - as you are USAF, I would prioritize the Dulles part of the aviation museum. Not as big as Wright Patterson (second visit there last summer) but impressive. The Newseum beside the Canadian Embassy is great. They have big pieces of The Berlin Wall, working TV studio, etc. The international Spy Museum has a vast collection of intel memorabilia. The Holocaust Memorial Museum is probably the best of its kind in the world, as a veteran you can order your free tickets in advance, no waiting. The National Geographic Museum is s hidden gem. Enjoy!

[Dieselhp]

We are heading to Cherry Hill in mid April.
We have a MDT can anyone tell me if there is room to park it at the local Metro station to the park?
It is about 10’ feet high.
Thanks!

[CampingGator]

I’ve been to DC many times over the years. Things changed a lot after 9-11. You now need tickets to get into the White House. Apply ASAP with your congressman or senator. They require your SSN and other identifying information. They run background checks on you. Also, get tickets for inside the galleries at the Capital. Get one for the senate and one for the house. There may or may not be debates going on the day you visit, but it’s very interesting if there are. Your bags will be checked and you will be searched like at the airport, so don’t take in pocket knives or anything similar.

It’s good that you are going when kids are in school. Try to never visit in the late spring because every school in the nation and some in Canada take trips there. It is literally a mass of kids! You can’t see much of anything and nothing leisurely.

Plan to break down the areas geographically and see them that way. Visit the memorials in one day because they are almost all at the west end near the Patomic River. Visit the Holocaust museum and the mint the same day, as they are next to each other. You can order your Holocaust tickets on line. If you don’t have them, you cannot see much of the exhibit.

Travel light because you will be doing a lot of walking. Wear comfortable clothes. Drink plenty of fluids. You can purchase lunch at many of the museums or food trucks. There are more food trucks on the weekend, I believe.

Visit the Daughters of the American Revolution if you want to do any genealogy research. Have dinner at Ebbits Grill. Their crab cakes are the best I’ve ever had! Take an evening trolly tour from the Railway station. Worth every penny! They let you off to visit three stops, all memorials.

The metro is the best bet for getting around. There are stops near the capital and at the other end of the mall. Plan to hit the high lites of each of the museums and don’t waste your time on something you are not interested in. You have limited time, so just move on to the next exhibit so you will see things that speak to you. The American History museum is a must. They have the inaugural gowns of many of the First Ladies.

Lastly, enjoy your trip!

[nomad297]

Originally Posted by Eb28107

I quickly scanned all of the replies, and see no mention of the Teddy Roosevelt Memorial, located on an island in the middle of the Potomac River. Each of our family visits to DC require a visit to this remote, but very noteworthy site. Many people, including tour bus drivers, do not know that it exists. Parking is somewhat limited, but the island, trails, woods and memorial are an outstanding recognition of the man! ...and like most of the sites in DC, its Free!
Lots of other great ideas posted here, but please check out this memorial.

The best way to do this is with a rented bicycle.

Bruce

[Iwritecode]

Originally Posted by Mistye

watching the changing of the guards at the tomb of the unknown soldier

I wondered if someone would mention this.

We happened to catch it completely by chance. We were on one of the buses and they dropped us off and told us that if we hurried we could catch it. Didn't really know anything about it or what to expect.

We got to watch the entire ceremony and it was really cool. The soldiers are so precise in their movements it's almost robotic.

[mcomer]

We stayed at Cherry Hill, its a nice place and close to shopping. Take the metro to town. We took our bikes on it, they don't charge extra to do so. We walked the plaza the first day then took the bikes, only way to go. metro take you to arlington. The aero/space smithsonian that has the sr71 is by the airport not by the capital and we didn't get to do that one but did the others . Holocaust museum is something to plan for. Have fun.

Mike

[Theo]

The Air & Space Museum in DC is rather small when you compare it to the Smithsonian's Udvar-Hazy Air & Space museum next to Dulles Airport. Below are just a few of the aircraft:

[CrystalDX3]

When you arrive they run short orientation classes where you get good info on the travel options and can buy your smart card for the Metro. Very helpful and can get specific questions answered that you may have. We did take the evening monuments tour and felt it was well worth the cost.