Things to do in Washington, DC

[gargamel]

c.t.ner covered most of what I was going to say (especially Ben's Chili Bowl - the food is slightly overrated if you're sober, but it's still an institution), but you should also check out Willard's BBQ in Chantilly. It's not far from where you'll be staying, so it should make for a good, cheap dinner some night.

Also, if you do go to Arlington, I'd hit El Pollo Rico for amazing Peruvian chicken and/or Thai Square for some of the best Thai food in North America. It looks like food poisoning waiting to happen from the outside, but it's not bad on the inside and the food is delicious. The som tum and any of the noodle dishes are particularly good.

[tripin_billie]

c.t.ner has a great list.

One little tidbit I would add is that you can sign up pretty much the day-of for tours of the Capitol. These tours are ok, but they are really limited and you are with a group.

The better way of seeing the Capitol is to go to one of the House or Senate office buildings (to the south - House, and north - Senate) and pop into any of the Congressional offices and ask for a gallery pass. Doesn't matter if you are not from their district, it is just a secretary at the front of the office handing them out.

Once you have a pass, you can actually see more of the Capitol and go watch either the House or the Senate in action. However, you need a separate pass for each... This leads me to my final tidbit on the topic.

Try going to office of D.C.'s delegate, Eleanor Holmes Norton. I believe her office has both the House and Senate passes because DC has no representative or senator. Her office is in the Rayburn House Office Building.


Another tip I have is to go up to the bar on the top of the W Hotel. They have a patio that has views of the entire mall - nice place to go.

Also. another free thing in DC is at the Kennedy Center. They have daily free performances at the Millennium Stage. More info at: http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/millennium/

Unfortunately, I am under impressed with the food in DC, so I can't really suggest anything special. People go to Hamilton's and things like that, but I find them over priced and mediocre. Food trucks are actually a pretty good option in DC.

I can't really say much about NOVA or Maryland, I try to stay out of the burbs as much as humanly possible... bridge and tunnel people, ugh...

[tripin_billie]

One other thing, for those who visit in the summer:

The National Arboretum is a hidden gem. You'll need a car to access it, but if you go, you won't be disappointed. Some of the nicest Japanese gardens I've ever seen and just a wonderful amount of gardens, fields, and city views. Another free hidden gem in the city.

[_Q_]

I don't have much to add to this, other than to say Washington DC might possibly be my favorite city in the US. Went there a few summers ago and absolutely loved every minute of it. My advice is take the subway everywhere and just do whatever looks good to you.

Enjoy your trip.

[CaptainCrunch]

I should have booked an extra day or two.

Damn

[DownhillGoat]

Caps game?

[CaptainCrunch]

Not paying money to the NHL this year.

[c.t.ner]

Originally Posted by gargamel

Also, if you do go to Arlington, I'd hit El Pollo Rico for amazing Peruvian chicken and/or Thai Square for some of the best Thai food in North America. It looks like food poisoning waiting to happen from the outside, but it's not bad on the inside and the food is delicious. The som tum and any of the noodle dishes are particularly good.

+2 to El Pollo Rico. (it's out of the way in Claredon) But yeah, one of the best places in the District, my wife's school was there. Anthony Bourdoin's No Reserveation did a spot there.

[c.t.ner]

Originally Posted by nfotiu

... I'm not sure what you mean about standing on the left, am I doing something wrong! I do find figuring out the metro fares to be insanely complicated. I missed the $1 each way surcharge for paper tickets, and it cost be an hour of standing back in line after a Nats game.

Yeah, one of my favorite past times in DC is watching Tourists on Metro escalators and getting yelled at for standing on the left side of the Escalator. I've heard about the same idea in some cities, but for whatever reason the unwritten rule of standing on the Right and walking on the Left for escalators is just one of those things that people in the city absolutely lose their minds over.

[Daradon]

Apparently Washington D.C. has the highest rate of cocaine on it's currency in America, (probably from politicians snorting it off hookers derrieres,) so... there's always that. Good party city!

[Mtt48]

One thing is make sure you bring shoes that are really good and comfortable for walking. All of the museums and interesting sights are very long walking distances from each other. I have never walked so much in my life as when I was in DC.

[killer_carlson]

How about walk around with a pro oil sands sign?

[CaptainCrunch]

I wonder if Darryl Hannah is still at the protests. I'd like to make her squeek like a mermaid