Washington, D.C. is infuriating! No, not the politics ... well, that too ... but the vast scope of the place. Truth be told, it would take several weeks of devoted gawking to take in all of the famous monuments, museums, and governmental institutions here. And you’d still miss a couple. And a new monument or two would be erected while you were checking off your list, forcing you to start again at the beginning. But isn’t that just the way it always goes in D.C.? So much to be accomplished here in too little time, with the ground shifting every minute. Resign yourself to the fact that you won’t be able to see it all, and simply enjoy the following history - (and politics)-rich itinerary:
7 a.m. - 8 a.m.: Though it may seem odd to have breakfast in a Tavern, is where Capitol Hill insiders go for their power breakfasts. Keep your ears open and you may hear discussions about the latest lobbying scandals, the fate of important bills or juicy gossip about the foibles of your congressperson. You’ll want to keep your mouth open too, the better to inhale the hearty, simple but well-prepared breakfast standards that the friendly folks here dish out daily.
8 a.m. - noon: Head to the as early in the day as possible, to snag a coveted (and often scarce) ticket for a tour. Beyond its law-making function, the capital has transformed into a museum of sorts over the years, and on the tour you’ll see the grandly patriotic murals that adorn its walls; the statues of great Americans (perhaps put here in the hopes that gazing upon Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln, Ethan Allen and others every day will help keep our legislators minds on patriotism and off pork); and the historic rooms of the building itself, including the Old Supreme Court Chamber. That latter space has been returned to the look it had in the 19th century when John Marshall, John Jay and others held the gavel. What the tour doesn’t cover are the galleries of the House and Senate, so you’ll want to scurry over to the once you get your tour ticket (it’ll be closer to the ticket kiosk than the Senate office buildings) to get gallery passes allowing you to hear the debate in both the House and Senate (you’ll need one pass for each). Flags will be flying over the Senate Wing and the House Wing when those two bodies are in session; glance up to see if you’re in luck, or pick up a copy of the Washington Post which lists session dates and times. If Congress is not in session, combine your tour of the Capitol with a visit to the nearby . Again, it’s much more interesting to visit when arguments are being heard, but displays on the court’s history and importance should keep you occupied even if the court is not in session.
Morning Alternative
Soar above all the politicking with a visit to the . Exhilarating is the word that best describes this Smithsonian Institution dedicated to the history of flight, both inside and outside of our ozone layer. Overwhelming might be another good word for it, as you could literally spend a week touring this densely packed museum and not see all its wonders. So choose carefully: are you more interested in space exploration? Then make your way to the Skylab Orbital Station, the Albert Einstein Planetarium and the Explore the Universe gallery. If engineering’s more your thing, take a gander at the How thing Fly Exhibit which explores wind tunnels, issues of propulsion and aerodynamics.
Noon - 1 p.m.: It’s hard to swallow (sometimes literally), but true: there are no great or even very good restaurants on the Mall. Since you’ll be sightseeing here and have a limited amount of time to get everything in, bite the bullet, er the hot dog, and simply head to either the nearest cafeteria in the building you’re visiting (ask a guard for directions), or out onto the mall to buy your lunch from one of the food vendors there.
1 p.m. - 5 p.m.: Stroll the mall, the nation’s extremely formal and impressive “back yard”. A logical route might start at the relatively new , (which is not on the mall proper but nearby), after which you’ll hit the , the , Maya Lin’s celebrated and the controversial (many critics think this new memorial is old-fashioned and just plain ugly; decide for yourself). Next will be the , but don’t spend the time to ascend to the top (you get a better Mall view from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial). If you’re not too pooped—this will be a long walk, finish your hike at the Jefferson Memorial. Rangers are on duty at each, and give periodic talks; if you miss the formal tours, you can usually coral one of these friendly, extremely knowledgeable fellows to toss a few facts your way.
Afternoon Alternative
Pay your respects at , the nation’s most important cemetery and a quick half-day trip from Washington, D.C. John F. Kennedy’s eternal flame is here, as is the Tomb of the Unkown soldier which is patrolled by an honor guard (a ceremonial changing of the guard takes place every hour from October to March and every half hour from April to September). In addition, you’ll find the graves of a number of famous generals, presidents, Supreme Court justices, and others. Notable sights include Arlington House, the Greek Revival Mansion that Confederate General Robert E. Lee called home until the Civil War; and the fairly new (1997) Women in Military Service for America Memorial.
6 p.m. - 7:45 p.m.: Make a reservation (far in advance) at , D.C.’s premiere see and be seen scene. Helmed by Eric Ziebold, formerly Chef de Cuisine at the famed French Laundry (considered the best restaurant in America), it’s a bold, adventurous, ultra-gourmet eating experience where you’re likely to be challenged by such dishes as liver “sashimi” and olive oil “custard”. Don’t worry, it’s all delicious, including the more standard fare on the tasting menu.
8 p.m. - 10 p.m. or 11 p.m.: Hightail it to the theater. Washington, D.C. has had a love affair with live performances since, well, long before Lincoln’s death made the Ford’s Theater a landmark of infamy. Quirky, off-beat and often highly intellectual, the smaller theaters of Washington in particular are setting a national standard. When you arrive, find out what’s on at either , Arena Stage or the .
11 p.m. - on: Washington no longer rolls up the sidewalks when the clock strikes midnight. You can bar hop or dance the night away in dozens of joints across town. Hottest right now is an aviation-themed club called the (the cocktail waitresses dress like stewardesses), which gets a beautiful people crowd who come for the first-rate DJ’s and ... well, each other. Dress up: the bouncers here take their jobs seriously and the place is quite small.
Pauline Frommer is the creator of the new Pauline Frommer guides in bookstores now.
Tunnicliffs, 222 7th Street, SE, phone 202/544-5680.
You’ll pick up your tickets for a free tour of the Capitol at the ticket kiosk on southwest corner of the Capitol grounds, near the intersection of 1st Street and Independence Avenue SW. Tickets are free. Tours begin at 9:30 and leave every half hour until 3:30. Tour tickets are given out beginning at 9am, but the line often starts much earlier than that (as early as 7:30 am during the Cherry Blossom Festival). Security is tight, so be sure to go to www.aoc.gov/ to find out what you can and can’t bring with you on the tour.
To find out the address of your Representative, go to www.house.gov/. Visitors who are not citizens should go to the Senate or House appointments desk, located on the first floor of the Capitol. There you’ll be asked to show your passport before being presented with a gallery pass, so be sure to bring it along. There’s no admission charge.
The Supreme Court of the United States, One 1st St. NE between E. Capitol St. and Maryland Ave. NE, phone 202/479-3000; www.supremecourtus.gov/. Admission is free and the Court is open to visitors Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
National Air and Space Museum is on Independence Ave. SW, between 4th and 7th sts., on the south side of the Mall, with entrances on Jefferson Dr. or Independence Ave, phone 202/357-2700; www.nasm.si.edu/. Open daily from 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., admission is free.
Though you can visit the any time, Rangers are only on duty from 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m., daily. It’s located on West Basin Drive, alongside the Tidal Basin in West Potomac Park, across Independence Avenue SW from the Mall. Admission is free, go to www.nps.gov/frde for more information.
Korean War Veterans Memorial is also free to view and has Rangers on duty from Korean War Veterans Memorial 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m. daily. It’s located southeast of the Lincoln Memorial, on the Independence Avenue SW side of the Mall. Go to www.nps.gov/kowa to learn more.
The Lincoln Memorial also has a Ranger on duty daily from 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m. It’s located on the western end of the Mall, at 23rd St. NW, between Constitution and Independence aves. Its web address is www.nps.gov/linc.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial has the same hours as the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the FDR Memorial and Lincoln Memorial (see above) and is located northeast of the Lincoln Memorial, east of Henry Bacon Dr. between 21st and 22nd sts. NW, on the Constitution Avenue NW side of the Mall. Its web address is www.nps.gov/vive.
Keeping the same hours as the other memorials, the National World War II Memorial is located at 17th Street and Consitution Ave NW, www.wwiimemorial.com/.
The Washington Monument is open daily from 9 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.. The last elevators depart 15 min. before closing. It’s located directly south of the White House, on 15th St., between Madison Dr. and Constitution Ave. NW, phone 202/426-6841; www.nps.gov/wash. Free admission.
To get to Arlington National Cemetery, take the Metro to the Arlington National Cemetery stop. It’s open from 8am to 7pm from April through September, closing at 5pm the rest of the year. There is no entrance fee, but visitors are asked to behave in a respectful manner as there may be funerals taking place when you visit.
CityZen, 1330 Maryland Ave. SW at 12th Street, phone 202/787-6868; www.cityzen.com/. Closed Sundays.
Wooly Mammoth Theater Company, 641 D Street NW, phone 202/393-3939; www.woolymammoth.net
Arena Stage, 1101 Sixth St. SW, phone 202/488-3300; www.arena-stage.org/
Studio Theatre, 1501 15th St. NW, phone 202/332-3300;www.studiotheatre.org/.
Fly Lounge, 1802 Jefferson Place NW, phone 202/828-4433
Pauline Frommer is the creator of the new Pauline Frommer guides in bookstores now.