The Perfect Weekend: Washington, D.C.
By Ryley Hartt
In the first chapter of Dan Brown’s latest thriller The Lost Symbol, the author writes: “Even from the air, Washington, D.C., exuded an almost mystical power. Langdon loved this city, and as the jet touched down, he felt a rising excitement about what lay ahead.” While it may be that the nation’s capital gets a lot more coverage in conspiracy novels and on the front page than it does in the travel section, in the spring – and summer, at least until the mercury starts boiling – Washington, D.C. offers one of the most beautiful, accessible and action-packed weekend getaways your clients are likely to find just about anywhere. Though the two-week cherry blossom blooming period has already come and gone, there are plenty of things left to see and do in the District.
Arrival
Reagan National Airport (DCA) has its own stop on the Washington, DC Metrorail, which is connected to the concourse level of terminals B and C. Metrorail fare cards may be purchased at machines located at all entrances to the Airport Metrorail station. Dulles International (IAD) lies about 30 miles west of the city and can sometimes accommodate cheaper flights, even factoring in the $60 cab ride to the center of town.
Check In
Flower petals aren’t the only things dropping in the weeks and months following the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Hotel room rates are also taking a dive and discounts can be found now through September, like 30 percent off 3-night stays at St. Gregory Hotel and Suites, located on M Street, just a few blocks from Georgetown, Embassy Row, The National Mall’s Monuments and Museums, the White House, Kennedy Center and Dupont Circle. The official tourism website for Washington D.C. keeps an updated listing of special hotel packages at http://reservations.washington.org with rates starting as low as $99.
Explore (For Free)
The fact that there is so much to do for free in Washington, D.C. is a major selling point for clients, and a minor headache for travel agents–though it shouldn’t be. Three companies–Tourmobile, Open Top Sightseeing and Old Town Trolley–offer pretty comprehensive bus tours for between $25-35 per adult but then almost everything, from the National Mall and retail shopping on M Street to the United States Botanic Garden (www.usbg.gov) and National Zoo (http://nationalzoo.si.edu), can be reached on foot or by Metro. All of the museums downtown are free with the exception of the International Spy Museum (www.spymuseum.org) and the 250,000 square foot Newseum (www.newseum.org), whose incredible, interactive collection including, among other things, eight 12-foot sections of the Berlin Wall, is well worth the $20 ticket.
In daylight, taking to the water in a rented kayak (Jack’s Boathouse, www.jacksboathouse.com) or paddle boat (Tidal Basin Paddle Boats, www.tidalbasinpeddleboats.com) gives an unbeatable perspective of the monuments and landmarks from the Tidal Basin. Though it’s tempting to try and get to all of the monuments during the day, it’s best to save some for just before dinner when they are all lit up. Bike and Roll (bikethesites.com), located in downtown D.C. and in Old Town, Alexandria, offer “Sites@Nite” bike tours for $45. City Segway Tours (citysegwaytours.com) also offers electric Segway tours in the evenings for $70 through the end of October. If your clients are looking for a cheaper alternative to these guided tours, suggest renting a bike or jogging the Mount Vernon Trail and Rock Creek Park. You might also check out www.culturaltourismdc.org for information on neighborhood heritage trails and WalkingTown DC, an organized weekend with 125 free walking and bike tours led by volunteer guides that cover all eight wards and attract up to 4,000 bi-annually. The schedule for the Spring Edition on Saturday and Sunday, May 22 – 23 has just been released.
D.C. After Dark
Washington, D.C. has so many restaurants, bars and live music venues that it’s easy to go out for a drink or catch a show without stepping on somebody’s toes, but picking favorites is a different story. Adams Morgan is lined with dimly-lit hookah bars, restaurants serving anything from Ethiopian to Latin American to late-night jumbo pizza slices. U Street and Dupont Circle are also great neighborhoods to uncover the perfect spot for dinner and drinks before catching a show at the Black Cat or the 9:30 Club, and if you stay out late enough you’re bound to end up waiting in line for a chili half-smoke at Ben’s Chili Bowl. Chinatown is also packed with fine restaurants and bars which can get pretty lively, especially when the Capitals or the Wizards are playing at the Verizon Center. Clients can also catch a baseball game at Washington’s newest national monument, Nationals Park, or watch the four-time Major League Soccer Cup champions DC United take the field at RFK Stadium. For a quieter nighttime activity, visitors can head to Old Town Alexandria for the Ghost and Graveyard tour (www.alexcolonialtours.com), where they will be led through Alexandria’s historic district by a guide in 18th century garb and hear all the legends and spooky ghost stories before being left alone in the cemetary to fend for themselves. Whatever it is that they plan to do at night, this is a city that knows how to let it all out on the weekends and then tuck their shirts back in for work on Monday. Sunday brunch is a crucial step in this process and one that is taken quite seriously. For the best in town, try Busboys and Poets near U Street or Belga Cafe in Capitol Hill.