Forth Stop: The District, The American Rome, The Federal City
Dubbed many names since 1790, this Dutiful Dedication to American's Determination for Democracy stands tall! Not only is nations capital Demonstrative of our Daring past - you'll be surprised at the other Dazzling Destinations Washington D.C. has to offer!
1) Tours and Sightseeing
I'd first like to get one thing across - I love tours. I live for them when I travel. Once, my mom scheduled a 9 hour tour for my family, and I can honestly say it was 9 hours perfectly spent. That being said, going to a place as rich in history as Washington D.C. and not taking a tour of all the monuments you can is on par with visiting Penn State and not getting Berkey Creamery ice cream. It's unheard of, you'll be missing out, and you'd leave without getting the full experience. Luckily, D.C. has no shortage of tours, ranging from monuments to the most famous house in the United States (and everything in between)!
During my brief time in D.C., I saw a ridiculous amount of Segway tours. And I don't mean one or two people moseying along and seeing the sights; I mean 15 to 20 tired and sweaty tourists, barreling towards you while they try to keep up with their tour guide holding the purple umbrella. It's horrifying. Even so, I was jealous of how easily they were able to glide along, seeing all the monuments in record time. These 1 to 2 or 2 to 3 hour tours are a perfect way to see the sights, while still having time to explore the city on your own. However, if you are more conservative tourist, you can take regular bike tours which still take you to the same sights. Both of these tours, along with the walking tours, take you along the National Mall (which encompasses the area from U.S. Capitol Building to the Lincoln Memorial).
Along the way, you will see the Washington Monument, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the World War II Memorial, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial and the new Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. Gliding or walking, seeing these sights are a must do on your D.C. list!
2) Smithsonian Institute
Separate from normal tours that I talked about above, tours in the Smithsonian Institute are a whole new breed of museum adventure. Comprised of 19 museums and one zoo, this massive archive of some of the nation's most important artifacts, along with exhibiting new modern pieces of art! You can take an emotional spin through the "PostSecret: The Power of a Postcard" exhibit, or follow the bold path of Western settlers in the "Dark Fields of the Republic: Alexander Gardner Photographs 1859-1872" collection.Each museum hosts its own specialty, so no matter what you love, there is a whole museum dedicated to it right around the corner!
If you are more interested in the planets and stars, the Einstein Planetarium in the National Air and Space Museum is the perfect place for you. Being the only full-dome digital theater in the DC area has its expectations to live up to, and this massive dome not only can map out the actual star patterns, it also plays five additional shows, from following Elmo as he explores the night sky, to uncovering the hidden mysteries of the universe. It takes 'a night under the stars' to a whole new level.
Have you ever pictured what it would be like to be in a cloud? To be surrounded by fluffiness and warmth and brightness? And when you realized that clouds were (unfortunately) just what fog is, were you sad? Well, this festival will diminish all of your pain, because during these awe-inspiring weeks, you will finally experience what you always imagined a cloud would feel like! The blooming period of the cherry trees, (when 20 percent of the blossoms are open before the petals and leaves fall) can last up to 14 days. The peak bloom date is the day when 70 percent of the trees surrounding the Tidal Basin have opened their buds, creating an unforgettable sea of pink and white, hence the cloud-like feeling. This year, that magical time will range will be between April 11th and April 14th. Since their gifting in 1912, these trees honor both the American and Japanese cultures. They represent a close bond forged between the United States and Japan that began with Tokyo Mayor Yukio Ozaki, and they will continue to bring unity and joy to all who celebrate this festival.
Along with the appreciation of the beauty of the trees is the accompanying events that last 3 weeks; Pink Tie Party(a fundraiser featuring cocktails, cuisine, live music and dancing), the Opening Ceremony (traditional and contemporary performances from American and Japanese artists), the Blossom Kite Festival, the Southwest Waterfront Fireworks Festival, the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade and finally the Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival. There are plenty of reasons to get lost in this dizzying array of beauty, so why not stop by?
Dubbed many names since 1790, this Dutiful Dedication to American's Determination for Democracy stands tall! Not only is nations capital Demonstrative of our Daring past - you'll be surprised at the other Dazzling Destinations Washington D.C. has to offer!
1) Tours and Sightseeing
I'd first like to get one thing across - I love tours. I live for them when I travel. Once, my mom scheduled a 9 hour tour for my family, and I can honestly say it was 9 hours perfectly spent. That being said, going to a place as rich in history as Washington D.C. and not taking a tour of all the monuments you can is on par with visiting Penn State and not getting Berkey Creamery ice cream. It's unheard of, you'll be missing out, and you'd leave without getting the full experience. Luckily, D.C. has no shortage of tours, ranging from monuments to the most famous house in the United States (and everything in between)!
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Along the way, you will see the Washington Monument, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the World War II Memorial, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial and the new Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. Gliding or walking, seeing these sights are a must do on your D.C. list!
2) Smithsonian Institute
Separate from normal tours that I talked about above, tours in the Smithsonian Institute are a whole new breed of museum adventure. Comprised of 19 museums and one zoo, this massive archive of some of the nation's most important artifacts, along with exhibiting new modern pieces of art! You can take an emotional spin through the "PostSecret: The Power of a Postcard" exhibit, or follow the bold path of Western settlers in the "Dark Fields of the Republic: Alexander Gardner Photographs 1859-1872" collection.Each museum hosts its own specialty, so no matter what you love, there is a whole museum dedicated to it right around the corner!
3) National Cherry Blossom Festival
Have you ever pictured what it would be like to be in a cloud? To be surrounded by fluffiness and warmth and brightness? And when you realized that clouds were (unfortunately) just what fog is, were you sad? Well, this festival will diminish all of your pain, because during these awe-inspiring weeks, you will finally experience what you always imagined a cloud would feel like! The blooming period of the cherry trees, (when 20 percent of the blossoms are open before the petals and leaves fall) can last up to 14 days. The peak bloom date is the day when 70 percent of the trees surrounding the Tidal Basin have opened their buds, creating an unforgettable sea of pink and white, hence the cloud-like feeling. This year, that magical time will range will be between April 11th and April 14th. Since their gifting in 1912, these trees honor both the American and Japanese cultures. They represent a close bond forged between the United States and Japan that began with Tokyo Mayor Yukio Ozaki, and they will continue to bring unity and joy to all who celebrate this festival.Along with the appreciation of the beauty of the trees is the accompanying events that last 3 weeks; Pink Tie Party(a fundraiser featuring cocktails, cuisine, live music and dancing), the Opening Ceremony (traditional and contemporary performances from American and Japanese artists), the Blossom Kite Festival, the Southwest Waterfront Fireworks Festival, the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade and finally the Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival. There are plenty of reasons to get lost in this dizzying array of beauty, so why not stop by?
Excellent job with this post! I have been to D.C. once, and one of my roommates is actually from there, so it was interesting to hear about all the wonders of the area. Especially the cherry blossoms, the photos provided a wonderful visual aid and made me wish I could be there right now
ReplyDeleteExcellent job with this post! I have been to D.C. once, and one of my roommates is actually from there, so it was interesting to hear about all the wonders of the area. Especially the cherry blossoms, the photos provided a wonderful visual aid and made me wish I could be there right now
ReplyDeleteWashington D.C. is honestly one of my favorite cities to visit. There are so many places to go and many of them are free of admission (free is good!). One of these days, I will have to go visit the National Cherry Blossom Festival. I never knew that they did so much with it!
ReplyDeleteThis is a really nice post! The alliterative introduction is a great hook, and the rest of the post is descriptive and accompanied by beautiful pictures that help to bring out the imagery.
ReplyDelete