Holiday in DC

This is our 2nd trip to Washington DC during a holiday season. December is one of the better times of year to visit, with shorter lines for all of the attractions and good rates at area hotels. We traveled with our good friends, the Sebestas, and both stayed in the Capitol Hill area about a block from Union Station and a few blocks to the National Mall (Monuments and Museums). We stayed at the Holiday Inn on the Hill, which is undergoing a renovation (scheduled to be completed in May of 08), and was a deal at $93. They stayed at the Hotel George for a rate of $140. Their room was very spacious and offered typical Kimpton amenities such as a complimentary wine reception in the evening and L'Occitane bath products.

Day One: We took the Old Town Trolley Tour to Mt. Vernon ($30 per adult). It departs from Union Station and lasts around 5 hrs. We enjoyed the scenic ride through Alexandria to our destination. Mt. Vernon is a definite must see. It is a beautiful estate with gardens and stables. Although it appears daunting, the line for the Mansion tour moves quickly. It is amazing to walk in the footsteps of our 1st President, to see the room where he entertained friends and the study where he pondered the future of our nation. Interesting fact: Washington was 6'2", very tall for a man in those days.

Upon our return from Mt. Vernon, we toured the International Spy Museum ($18 per adult). We all assumed our secret identities and practiced our spy skills as we we wound our way through the history of espionage.

We were exhausted after our adventure, so we headed a few blocks to the District Chophouse for amazing steaks and martinis.

Day Two: Took the Metro to the National Zoo (free admission). This is one of my favorite zoos because the exhibits allow visitors an up close view of the animals. The baby panda put on quite a show of acrobatics in his tree. He is a ham and loved the applause he received. We also viewed the elephant weigh-in which made us all feel better about the extra lbs we put on during the holiday.

We took a cab to Georgetown for shopping and dinner. Dinner tonight was at Martin's Tavern (an old hangout for DC politicians). The oyster stew was delicious.

Day Three: We started off at the National Archives (free admission) to view the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Interesting facts: Only 5 people know where the documents are removed to and stored at night. The mural on the left side of the Document Room contains a cloud that resembles the profile of Lincoln.

Next we toured the Dinosaur exhibit and viewed the Hope Diamond at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum (free admission).

We then ventured next door to the National Gallery of Art. The museum has a large collection including Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Monet, Degas and Renoir to name just a few. This museum is one that people with young kiddos might want to skip as the guards are very strict about how children are carried through and behave in the exhibit.

We ended the day with a fantastic dinner at Bistro Bis at the Hotel George. The mushroom risotto I had was outstanding and the warm beignets with chocolate dipping sauce was the perfect ending. Our server/mixologist was great and made us all feel at home.

Day Four: We walked by the Capitol on our way to the Library Congress. Having recently seen National Treasure 2, I was anxious to get a view of the reading room where part of the movie was staged. The Library may be one of the best kept secrets, as the lines to get in were nonexistent. The architectural design of the interior of this building is breathtaking. Join one of the free tours to learn what each of the design elements mean. Interesting fact: No items can be checked out from this library. To use the reading room for onsite research, you must apply for an identification card.

We next headed over to the Air and Space Museum (free admission and a favorite with the kiddos). We saw all aspects of manned flight from the Wright Brothers plane to rocket ships. If you need a snack, check out the onsite McDonalds/Boston Market. We also viewed the American History exhibit here which includes everything from Lincoln's hat and Washington's uniform to the puffy shirt from Seinfeld and Prince's guitar.

Unbelievably, we fit in an old fashioned carriage ride through the Capitol Hill area (reserve at the Hyatt on New Jersey Ave).

For New Year's Eve, we headed to dinner at Morton's. We were pleased to see it was mostly families with kids, since we had 2 of the younger set in our party as well. You can't go wrong with Morton's lump crab, steaks or chocolate cake. Yum!

All good things must end, but we will return because where else can you find a clean, cosmopolitan, architecturally and historically interesting city where almost all of the attractions are free.