Visiting Washington D.C. for the first time

The National Archives should be a must, plus it's a quick thing to do and right between the White House and the Capitol. On the other side of Pennsylvania Ave. is a small desk-sized monument to FDR (not the newer memorial). It has a funny story behind it. FDR said to an aide that at some point he supposed someone might want to make a monument to commemorate his terms in office. He said it shouldn't be bigger than the Oval Office desk.
Ford's Theater is pretty cool as well. My biggest advice is leave time to discover your hidden gem in the city. Walk the tidal basin on your way to the Jefferson Memorial. DC is one of those cities that even people who haven't been there know well because of news and so many movies being set there.

 

Dear fromthebluegrass: Call your Congressperson's office, say you're visiting DC, and ask if you can see him/her for a second, have a photo taken, etc. They might say yes, and even if they say no, they might get you on a Capitol tour.

 

If you are a history nerd, you would be pretty remissed to not hit C'Ville.

 

What's the hotel bar/restaurant that has the balcony overlooking the White House? If it's warm enough, grab a drink there and watch the Secret Service snipers patrol the roof.

Dan's Cafe in Adams Morgan is one of my favorite dive bars in the nation.

 

Agree on the National Archives. You don't need to spend a lot of time but you need to see the Bill of Rights and Constitution.

Arlington is great as well.

Plan the afternoon at the Lincoln, FDR, Viet Nam, etc. memorials.

Personally, I think it's easier to take the subway around the city and the bus to Arlington. I wouldn't want to mess with driving and parking all day.

 

In front of the Archives is a beautiful outdoor sculpture garden, its free and modern and post modern art. It's right near the National Gallery and the East Buolding of the National Gallery.
In front of the Hirshhorn is another sculpture garden, almost directly across the Mall. There's a nice Rodin, The Burghers of Calais.

I love the Natural History Museum and think its much better than the one on Cnetral Park West in NYC.
The Library of Congress is beautiful.

Best places to grab lunch at the Mall is the Natural History Museum, it's Bar Mitzvah Style eating, stations rather than cafeteria style, and the underground tunnel between the National Gallery and the East Building. If you're interested in a real quiet moment for a coffee and some pastry or a light bite, there is The Garden Café in the West Building (National Gallery) next to the Ground Floor galleries. Do not eat at the Air and Space Museum, it's crap.

You'l defintiley want to hit Georgetown. M Street and Wisconsin Ave is the heart of Georgetown. It's not as funky as it was, but plenty of shops, bars and restaurants.

 

the w hotel has the bar overlooking the white house. tell them kornheiser sent you, i'm sure that will go over well. and another vote for ben's as well as ray's hellburger in arlington.

 

Ray's Hell Burger is vastly overrated. Not worth the ridiculous price. Not even close. I make better burgers at my house.

 

Has anyone been to the Capitol since they built that vast new Visitors Center? I used to like the informality of just walking around; now it sounds like it's highly regimented.

 

I disagree and I didn't think it was that expensive (haven't been in awhile, admittedly). Not sure I'd wait on a long line to get in, but I don't think it's a terrible option.

I also recommend the Archives, but the last few times I've been by there, there have been ridiculously long lines to get in.

As for the bar at the W, it's very hard to get into. The theme of this post is lines, apparently, but if you want to go, be prepared to wait to get in and for snooty treatment. It's not like it used to be when it was the Hotel Washington. Much, much more of a scene.

 

You must visit the Korean Memorial at night. It is absolutely haunting. I think it's the only way to really experience it. And the Library of Congress reading room. Not at night. You would get arrested. But it is spectacular.