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Wednesday, April 16, 2008
A capital tour in our nation’s capital
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Because we worked on Capitol Hill, friends often seek our advice when it comes to making the most of a trip to Washington, DC. In the past few weeks, we have had three such inquiries. DC, it seems, is on a lot of our friends’ minds at the moment. When’s the best time to go? Where to stay? How to get tickets to major attractions?
Each season has its upsides -colorful autumn leaves against the white marble buildings; the Capitol blanketed by winter snow; spring cherry blossoms along the Tidal Basin; fireworks lighting up the Mall on July 4th. And each season has its downsides - crowds; heat; humidity; piles of dirty snow blocking limited parking spaces.
But I have to say that my favorite time to visit DC is right now - election season. I know… it’s always election season in Washington, but the city seems more alive and exciting during a presidential election year - even if the candidates themselves are off in North Carolina, Indiana or Pennsylvania.
With that said, here are a few tips for planning a trip to DC.
Contact your Senators and Representative as soon as you know your trip dates to set up Capitol tours, White House tour tickets, Washington Monument tix, and House and Senate gallery passes. Offices get a limited number of these tickets to hand out on a first-come basis, so the earlier you call, the better. Try to get gallery passes on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, which are the busier legislative days.
Ask the constituent services staffer about a Capitol Dome tour. These are rare, because you must have a Member of Congress take you personally, but it’s always worth asking about. A tour takes you up many, many stairs to the breathtaking (and vertigo-inducing) top of the Capitol Dome - inside and out.
Many of the best sites in DC are free and require no tickets of any kind — including most in the neighborhood of the Mall like the Smithsonian museums, the Lincoln, Jefferson, and the war memorials. You can walk or pay to ride one of the tour trolleys.
Eat a casual dinner atop the Washington Hotel terrace for great views of the city.
Take a drive through the “rest of DC”, and see where the Vice President lives, Embassy Row, the National Cathedral, the National Zoo and many smaller memorials and cool neighborhoods.
Don’t sleep in the District. Hotel prices can be much higher there. Find a hotel in Virginia or Maryland near a Metro station. We stay just across the Potomac in Crystal City, Va. The Metro is a good way to navigate the city, and it beats finding a parking space.
What are your tips for taking in our nation’s capital? Do you have a favorite place to stay? A favorite thing to see? How far do you stray from the District itself when you visit, and how long do you feel you need to fully explore the area?
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