Washington DC (trip this summer)

[Koronin]

We are going to be in DC in June for my husband's brother-in-law's father's burial at Arlington Cemetery. The hotel I am planning on booking a room at has a free shuttle that takes guests to and from the metro, which we are planning on using. Our plans are get their Thursday night, burial Friday, sightseeing Saturday and Sunday, leave to come home on Monday. Plan for Saturday and Sunday is to go downtown. Spend most of one day at the Smithsonian and the other day seeing the memorials. Check out on Monday morning to go Dulles to the new Air and Space museum and then come home. Does anyone have anything we need to definitely see. I have no intention of driving the car once get to the hotel until we leave and plan to use their public transportation for the entire weekend.

[indysteel]

If you like art, the Phillips Collection and the Corcoran Museum are wonderful, as is the National Gallery. As depressing as it undoubtedly is, the Holocaust Museum is well worth visiting IMO. I realize it may not be something you'd want to see on a vacation though.

I took a nighttime tour of the monuments once that was quite nice. I think it leaves from Union Station (which itself is quite fun).

I like walking around some of the neighborhoods, e.g. the area around DuPont Circle and Georgetown.

[ny biker]

There are lots of Smithsonians. What interests you? American History, Natural Science, Air and Space, American Indian, various art museums...?

www.si.edu

Make sure you have comfortable shoes for walking.

There is a hop on/hop off tourist bus that starts at Arlington Cemetary and goes around the mall/monument area. It might go to Union Station, too.

But you'll want comfortable shoes, anyway.

[Possegal]

I did the hop on/off bus with cousins that came to visit me a couple years ago, first time I'd done that with company and it was a great idea. Should have done it earlier. I'd recommend that to get more sites in less time. I always take the visitors to the mall at night to see the wall/Lincoln/Korea at night. Totally a must do as far as I'm concerned.

[tulip]

Rent a bike and ride down the Mount Vernon Trail (but not at rush hour) or just see the monuments by bike.

Explore neighborhoods. Visit the monuments at night.

Enjoy your trip! I enjoyed living in DC for as long as I did. Even though I'm only 100 miles away, I hardly ever get there any more. I miss it.

[ny biker]

http://www.bikethesites.com/

Bike the Sites rentals and tours.

[Koronin]

We're definitely going to visit the Air and Space museum. (I've been to that one a couple of times, but my husband has never been in DC before). Have been debating which other of the Smithsonian museums to go to. I love the National History one. One I want to see is the Post Office one.

The tourist bus sounds like a great idea. Thank you.

Renting bikes to see the monuments might not be a bad idea at all. We can't take our bikes because we're driving my car and do not have a bike rack for it. We have a bike rack for our pick up. The car (Monte Carlo) gets better gas milage.

I indent on wearing my best pair of walking shoes the entire time we're there.

Thank you all for the ideas.