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United States
The statue of the famous raising of the flag on Mt Suribachi, Iwo Jima, is walking distance from Arlington Cemetery and Rosslyn Metro. Go on Saturday and speak to Marine veteran Gordon F Ward, who fought and was injured on Iwo Jima, and now volunteers his time on Saturdays to speak to tourists and school groups about Marine history. There is also a great view back down the National Mall, with the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and Capitol Building all in a line.
Arlington VA, near the George Washington Memorial Parkway.
It is a National Park, and adjunct to the Kennedy Center (similar to Prince Albert Hall). It is a 'no frills' (sit on the grass - and bring a blanket and your picnic dinner) park, which has various artists (Janice Ian, Joan Baez, The Kingston Trio, others) on offer during the summer months. Conveniently located to The Wolf Trap Motel (in Vienna, Va - the subject of another posting), as well as other motels in the area.
The national parks are a great deal - as are the museums. Unlike Europe - most do not charge an admission fee.. or at most it's nominal. A good deal for 'over 62'ers' is a 'golden age passport'. For a 'one time' fee of $10, it grants lifetime admission to all national park facilities for free to citizens and legal residents - along with companions, friends, etc. Now you can't beat that in europe!
Near Vienna, Va - go out 'route 7 or Dulles Access Road - take Wolf Trap exit. Also accessable thru Vienna via local streets - ask locals for directions.
A wonderful cafe and restaurant serving a whole variety of different foods. The guacamole and fajitas are particularly good. There is also a small book store.
1517 Conneticut Avenue, NW
Washington DC;
Metro: Dupont Circle (take the Q Street exit);
www.kramers.com
DC institution that may very well serve the best chili dog in the USA. No frills burger place catering to a new wave of residents in area formerly know as "Black Broadway" where Duke Ellington was born and got his start as a musician. Now being crowded out by upscale coffee shops and restaurants.
1213 U Street NW; www.benschilibowl.com/
A 19th-century canal and towpath that runs west from Rock Creek between M St and the Potomac River, and parallels the river 185 miles to the mountain town of Cumberland, Maryland.
Four locks lift the water level through Georgetown; a "living history" canal boat drawn by two mules carries passengers between spring and autumn through a lock or two for about a mile upstream, then back. A lot of folks just watch the locking operation and walk along the towpath.
It's a wonderful and pastoral contrast to the shopping and nightlife of Georgetown, itself an 18th-century town that was absorbed into Washington DC.
The boat is found between Thomas Jefferson Place and 30th St NW; www.nps.gov/choh/
Go to Union Station food court for lots of interesting choices. Local businessfolk and politicos eat here, too, so you're in for some juicy eavesdropping. When on the Mall, eat in the basement cafeteria of the National Gallery.
Union Station, National Mall
I spent a wonderful afternoon just walking around the parks looking at all the different memorials - from the better known president memorials (Lincoln/Jefferson) to memorials commemorating wars (the Korean War Memorial is breathtaking) and a very cuddly looking statue of Einstein. It's a great way to spend an afternoon. All are very close together and it's all free.
Until the Metrorail services are extended to serve Dulles airport, the most immediate and sensible option for those travelling to the city is an authorised Washington Flyer Taxicab costing around $50.
Its best to walk but if the heat is overpowering, there are old-fashioned trolley buses roaming around the city that will take you around the monuments and into Georgetown.
Stretches from one end of the city to the other, widening as you travel northwards. It is full of forest paths, streams, woods and meadows. Deer roam through the undergrowth and the occasional coyote has been spotted.
Upper Northwest; Tel: 1-202 895 6070; Open: Park dawn-dusk daily, Nature Center & Planetarium 9am-5pm Wed-Sun (closed some holidays); www.nps.gov/rocr/
Get some political memorabilia like a Kennedy badge or a Nixon poster from the 1960s, or a Clinton-Gore sticker from 1992. There’s a shop that sells the stuff in Union Station, which is worth a few hours in itself.
All the T-shirts claiming the wearer is from the FBI or CIA or on a witness protection scheme.
A lovely inner city park with imposing horseback statue of Andrew Jackson, and an excellent view of the White House north side. It's worth (for the lefties among us!) talking to Concepcion or Thomas, who maintain a 24/7 peace vigil opposite the White House and have been there non-stop since 1981.
Between the White House and H Street, by the Hay-Adams Hotel.
A great little jazz club named after a congressional resolution passed in 1987. $10 cover but it's BYO with a $3 corkage charge and plenty of space to hang out. And being on 14th street, if it's not your cup of tea there are plenty of other places to hang out like Bar Pilar, BlackCat and others.
1610 Fourteenth Street NW Wash, DC 20009;
tel: 202 667 3700;
metro: Green line – U Street Cardozo Station; Red Line - Dupont Circle Station;
www.hr57.org
It's a cheap, no frills motel in an out of the way location. There are plenty of 'mom and pop' motels in the USA, which offer a 'non fancy' but adequate room for $15-25 (£8 to 15) a night. They are often not 'right downtown', but are in safe, somewhat secluded locations - often near low priced shopping and such. Often local people use them.
I'd recommend: "How to retire on practically nothing" (Loompanics press) for guidance. A place that the author of that book recommends is the 'College Inn' in South Carolina. Its rooms go for $15 to 20 a night as i recall. There are plenty of bargains in the states. One has only to look for them. There are also cheap eating places in Vienna.
www.viennawolftrapmotel.com
The nearest metro station is in Dunn Loring (on the orange line). Metrobusses connect with Vienna. Or - if you have a car, consider driving to the metro station in Dunn Loring and parking in the Metro garage (on the street if you get there early enough).
Hotels in the District of Columbia tend to be very expensive, typically over $200/night. You can do much better just across the Potomac in Arlington, Virginia, near the metro stations of Rosslyn and Courthouse. From there you can either take the metro back into DC or walk over the Key Bridge into Georgetown, where you can pick up an even numbered 30s bus or the metro to go further on your way.
www.arlingtonvahotels.worldweb.com/index.html;
www.arlingtonva.us
The headquarters of the society of descendents of American revolutionary
war officers. Named after the Roman general, this massive house from the days of the robber barons holds a collection of 18th-century war items as well as a library. The 40-minute tour by an eccentric group of docents gives you a good idea of what life was like in old Washington.
Massachusetts Ave near the Dupont Circle metro station
Go on a tour with the Atlantic Kayak Company to see the nation's monuments from the Potomac River or head north on the Potomac and see wildlife not expected in a capital city. The instructors are great and you see DC from a view not frequented by many!
The coolest place in DC. A city that is dominated by the University focused area of Georgetown, or the politico hangouts of downtown, this place stands out amongst the crowd. Located just south of Dupont Circle, the club is run by the DJs Thievery Corporation, and they can often be found spinning the decks of their own club.
The drinks are good, the crowd beautiful but friendly, but its the music people come here for. Only downside is getting in. My advice ... Go early!
1212 18th St NW,
Washington, DC
20036-2536
One of the lesser-known Smithsonian museums, containing American crafts and decorative arts from the 19th century to the present. Much smaller and less crowded that the main Smithsonian museums on the National Mall, the Renwick is on Pennsylvania Avenue, not far from the White House. It also has one of the classiest gift shops going.
americanart.si.edu/renwick/index.cfm Nearest Metro stations Farragut North (Red Line) and Farragut West (Blue and Orange Lines)
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