insider's guide to DC?

[mg2ride]

When years back with the kids and enjoyed dinner in China Town very much.

[ron l edmiston]

-- my last trip to CR & jonathan was our afternoon guide to DC..
been there many times, but JG guide service the best.., period..
he knows the subway system like he knows where his fly zipper is..
the washinton monument, lincoln memorial, reflection pond, the white house, capital building, ww2 memorial and i am sure we walked to the best pizza joint around --- just ouside of buffalo ny..
seriously, if/when you go --- mt vernon, arlington cemetary, scottish rite cathedral, ford theater, smithsonian & make friends with your local congress person for vip tickets into the white house.. don't forget jefferson memorial too..

the viet nam wall is/was my "omega..," names ingraved of/for my decision failures..

but a must, & if you are a vet or have a vet with you.., to the line head --- "The Holocaust Museum.."
war is war.., but the inhumane treatment of/for humans by living being's from hell is/was un-imaginable..
what we saw will always tear my heart apart from within.., but all should see to pledge yourself never to happen again..

ronnie with respect for all in sight and a memory with jonathan for a righteous DC outing..

[Jonathan]

Pizza Paradiso is good, really good. That's where I took Ronnie above. If it's incredible pizza you seek, Two Amys is better. At Amy's skip the beer and ask for the fizzy red wine. DavidS knows Amys.

[Too Tall]

2amys is real good.
Food truck scene in DC around Farragut Square. Boom.

[ron l edmiston]

-- when tammy, ashley & ronnie made our last visit.., echoing josh --- a couple of the best steamed hot dogs with kraut, bottled water & a frozen malt, right center plate for the noon meal.. ahhh thumbs-up for "ptomaine truck/s.."
then ---
just keep on truck'n.., the best family bargain go'n..

love'n our DC with a smile..,

ronnie

[rwsaunders]

Plenty of great suggestions. If you can make it out to Dulles, the National Air and Space Museum is worthy of your time.

https://airandspace.si.edu

[jmgorman]

Hirshhorn and Portrait Gallery/American Art museum are some of the best the Smithsonian has doing right now. Freer does have a really interesting reinstallation of their peacock room going right now, too, so worth stopping in (plus they're going to be closed for ages beginning this fall). All the suggestions so far have been great. If you like Indian food, the Rasika in the West End (near foggy bottom) is very nearly as good as it's older sister downtown - both are some of the best you'll find in the US. If you're tooling around Georgetown, the Dumbarton house and gardens are great as is a stroll through the Oak Hill cemetery in back. If you're hungry down near the tidal basin, go to the fish market just on the other side of the highway - I'm told that's as close to old Washington as you can find any more. Sunday brunch at the Howard theatre is great, too.

If you can ride a 53, I have a sscx you can use for the duration.

[sine]

Since the metro is so good, staying in Crystal City or around another metro stop can be as close as anything in the near center of DC.

My wife has become an expert at pooping out of those grates you see on D.C. sidewalks.

I recommend everyone who rides the D.C. metro to bring at least one flashlight and read escape instructions-twice. Also, don't expect any help from metro employees if you need to run through the tunnel. The captains left the ship well ahead of you.

[ZenNMotion]

Bens Chili bowl near the U street metro for local "cuisine"
Any number of the seafood restaurants near the waterfront metro for MD style crabs- don't forget the Old Bay spice and maybe take an extra shirt- newbies are messy with crabs.
My favorite art is the Freer gallery on the mall- 2000 year old Chinese screens blow my mind
Friday night free jazz concert in the sculpture garden on the Mall starting at 5pm
The Newseum isn't free but excellent- history of journalism and media
The spy musem- also not free but lots of cool espionage stories and james bond gadgets
The National Geographic Museum- again (sorry) not part of the Smithsonian museaums so not free but great
While at the Air and Space, get tickets for one of the Imax theater shows- its a good opportunity to rest your tired feet and the film on flight is breathtaking.
The Shakespeare Theater- there are two locations within a block of each other, the new one is currently playing a parody of Harry Potter stories that is supposed to be hilarious, and the old one (Harmon) is playing a classic Moliere. The company is one of the best in the world, I'm not a theater buff but I frequent DCs Shakespeare.
Similarly, check out the offerings at the Wolftrap.org outdoor concert venue- you can get public transportation to attend
Also, check out what's on offer at the Kennedy Center, walking distance or a free shuttle ride from Foggy Bottom where you're staying. Friday evening concerts on the Millenium Stage of the Center are free.
Mount Vernon, George Washington's farm is a nice easy destination ride from DC- 13 miles each way along the river on a flat MUP path- though it's crowded on the weekends it would be a pleasant ride on a weekday, and you can stop off in old town Alexandria on the way out or back to walk around a bit and get a nice lunch.
Torpedo Factory in Alexandria- you can get there by bike or metro, the Factory is now housing for a large number of artist studios and galleries, some very cool art there and I am not really an arty person.

That's all I got, but I'll leave you with a quote, and since you're coming out from BC to visit DC, maybe a warning to prepare you for your trip from dear Robin Williams (sniff) about Canada: "I love Canada, you are a big country. You are the kindest country in the world. You are like a really nice apartment over a meth lab."

[ZenNMotion]

Mmm. Farragut Square food trucks. The Ethiopian sisters in the orange truck are the best.

[ZenNMotion]

Mmm. Farragut Square food trucks. The Ethiopian sisters in the orange truck are the best.

Damn I ran out of time to edit this.

Food near the Mall museums is a challenge- the museum cafeterias are too expensive and the food sucks. However, walk a few blocks to Farragut square between the Farragut West and Farragut North metros- Like TooTall said, food trucks. Good food cheap.

Also, visitors can eat at the Congressional cafeteria located in the Longworth Building near the Capitol Building. There's lots of variety to choose- sandwiches or hot meal, it's inexpensive. Definitely not easy to find, visitors are allowed but not encouraged to eat there. You need ID to get into the building and possibly a thorough bag search. This is where lobbyists and congressional staff grab a bite to eat when they're not busy doing nothing or hatching nefarious plans to do nothing.

Near the opposite (West) end of the Mall, visitors can also eat at the US Dept of Agriculture cafeteria housed in the huge USDA building around 1400 Independence Ave. You need ID to enter and the hours are limited to mid-day starting from 11am- 2 (maybe 3?) pm. Lots of choices, fairly cheap. You'll need to ask one of the many guards around the many entrances how to get to the cafeteria, it's not marked.

[deano]

Not local, but avid visitor. Have braved the line, or made a reservation well in advance to eat lunch at 3PM at Founding Farmer's just a few blocks down Penn. from where you'll be. Wow. Well worth it.

We have also come back to Eastern Market for a gigantor breakfast at Ted's Bulletin. Get one of their homemade poptarts to take to the monument with your six pack. You can eat it for breakfast when you wake up.

Also (and take with salt as I'm into Baroque and Renaissance stuff): the National Gallery has to be one of the best/world-classiest art museums I've been in. For me it takes the cake over the Getty, the Art Institute of Chicago, etc. I haven't yet been to the Louvre, but the only one I've liked better than the NG is Uffizi in Florence.

[xjoex]

Former local, one of my favorite places is the Einstein memorial at 2101 Constitution is cool.

-Joe

[Too Tall]

Former local, one of my favorite places is the Einstein memorial at 2101 Constitution is cool.

-Joe

Ahhh Joel is starting to reveal the hidden treasures ;)
I have a seafood resturant that is in the same configuration since I was a small child but you will have to email me for the details.

[hmai18]

Aaaand I'm home. Thanks for all of the excellent recommendations. I ended up spending way too much time in the museums and not enough time exploring other parts of the city, but c'est la vie. Free museums are awesome.

Highlight of the trip was probably seeing the cross in Arlington commemorating the Canadian armed forces who have served alongside yours in various conflicts.

I was disappointed that bald eagles didn't swoop down out of the sky and land on nearby things on a more regular basis while I was walking around. Because 'Murica.

[ZenNMotion]

Aaaand I'm home. Thanks for all of the excellent recommendations. I ended up spending way too much time in the museums and not enough time exploring other parts of the city, but c'est la vie. Free museums are awesome.

Highlight of the trip was probably seeing the cross in Arlington commemorating the Canadian armed forces who have served alongside yours in various conflicts.

I was disappointed that bald eagles didn't swoop down out of the sky and land on nearby things on a more regular basis while I was walking around. Because 'Murica.

We killed off most of the eagles but no worries, we have the drones now.