These underground tours take advantage of places that most tourists miss but yet are some of the best of the best and usually away from the madding crowds. Most places are extremely economical or are free (just a few are not but are so good that mixing a little elegance in with the cheap makes spending the extra seem so, so easy).
Where to Stay
The Swann House near Dupont Circle, a B&B $200 (a B&B)
http://swannhouse.com/
Marriott Washington Wardman Park $220 http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/WASDT
Henley Park Hotel $200 http://www.henleypark.com/
\/ Hotels for around $100 near or on metro or free shuttle to metro \/
Americana Hotel Crystal City 1400 Jefferson Davis Hwy, Arlington, VA 22207 –
near metro http://www.travelpost.com/hotels/Americana_Hotel_Crystal_City/h74589
Inn of Rosslyn 1601 Arlington Blvd Arlington, VA, 22209-3002 http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g30242-d120599-r3240932-Inn_Of_Rosslyn-Arlington_Virginia.html
Crystal City Motel, Arlington 901 S Clark St Arlington, VA 22202
Phone: 703-416-1900 http://travel.yahoo.com/p-hotel-386051-crystal_city_motel-i;_ylt=AgXYWWlwgKCLXwFm8oAUOVYJ8b8F
Hotel Harrington - 436 11th Street, N.W. (corner of 11th & E Streets, N.W.) Washington, DC 20004-4389
http://www.hotel-harrington.com/
Comfort Inn at the Pentagon, Arlington - free shuttle to metro
2480 S Glebe rd, Bldg 2 Arlington, VA 22206
http://travel.yahoo.com/p-hotel-363778-pentagon_hotels-i
Night Life
Salsa Dancing http://www.salsapower.com/cities/us/washdc.htm#DC
Top Rated Night Spot's from best to ?
http://dc.about.com/od/nightclubs/Nightclubs_in_the_Washington_DC_Area.htm Find by category (jazz, rock-n-roll, etc.) by area of city - http://washington.dc.nightguide.com/ & http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/North_America/United_States_of_America/Washington_DC/Nightlife-Washington_DC-TG-C-1.html
Six Walks
(1) NW of City - Take metro to Bethesda Station and rent a bike at Big Wheel Bikes,6917 Arlington Rd # B, Bethesda, MD (301) 652-0192
This is a funky area with restaurants featuring McCormick & Schmick's http://www.mccormickandschmicks.com/index.cfm?fuseactionfiltered=content.display&pageid=96&id=47 (other places are cheaper and maybe better - there are tons of restaurants here). Now journey down the Capital Crescent Trail (CCT) to Fletcher's Boat House - http://www.fletchersboathouse.com/
Continue on into Georgetown on the C&O Canal Trail http://www.nps.gov/choh and take the 45 min boat ride Capital River Cruise 45 min boat ride at Georgetown - http://www.capitolrivercruises.com/tours.html
Eat outdoors at the Sequoia after boat ride- http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/7/105696/restaurant/DC/Georgetown/Sequoia-Washington
Go across Key Bridge http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Scott_Key_Bridge_(Washington,_D.C.) onto the GW Parkway bike trail to Theodore Roosevelt Island - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Roosevelt_Island . Now go back on the GW Parkway bike trail to a bike ramp over the George Washington Pkwy and follow N. Lynn Street to Mead Dr (going down river – SE) to the Iwo Jima War Memorial http://www.aviewoncities.com/washington/iwojimamemorial.htm and the Arlington, Netherlands Carillon for an enjoyable carillon concert - http://www.naperville-carillon.org/index.php?id=833. Continue on the bike trail in front of Arlington National Cemetery to the Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove - http://www.nps.gov/lyba/index.htm. Cross over the wooden bridge and find an audio of Ladybird. Press the button, it’s a hoot. Now bike back to Arlington Cemetery Metro and take the bike on the metro (it’s allowed) back to Bethesda Metro Station.
(2) Drive to the National Cathedral - http://www.cathedral.org/cathedral
Then on to Dumbarton Oaks http://www.doaks.org where Lover Lane lurks behind Dumbarton Oaks - http://www.restonpaths.com/LoversLane/index.htm
Eat at the Lebanese Taverna http://www.lebanesetaverna.com/restaurants/dc
or visit Dupont Circle area and eat at Cafe Dupont 1500 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036
http://www.opentable.com/cafe-dupont?rid=2435. Drive on to the Crypt Church of Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, lower church which has a mosaic ceiling that is unbelievable - http://www.nationalshrine.com/site/pp.asp?c=etITK6OTG&b=107987
(3) Inner city NW from west to east. 10 a.m. -park along Constitution Ave (nearest Metro Station is Farragut West – walk west to left on 21st and down past Gen Jose San Martin Statue Park Constitution). First visit the Albert Einstein Memorial - http://www.nasm.si.edu/visit/theaters/planetarium
Walk across the street to the National Vietnam Veterans Memorial - http://www.vietvet.org/thewall.htm and then on to the Signers of the Declaration of Independence Memorial on the small island in the lake of Constitution Gardens -
http://dcmemorials.com/index_indiv0001300.htm
Walk up 17th street going past the Old Executive Office Building http://www.flickr.com/photos/dionh/6463090 and the White House to the Ansel Adams Collection at the Wilderness Society 900 17th St., NW- http://wilderness.org/anseladams
(Jazz at the Corcoran is free of charge every first and third Wednesday of the month - http://www.corcoran.org/programs/dspProgramSearch.asp?Event_type_ID=3). Eat lunch at the Bread Line 1751 Pennsylvania Ave., NW http://www.breadline.com/
Walk back to car on Constitution Ave or short hop back to Farragut West Metro Station.
(4) The Mall - 10 am - drive to Air and Space Museum and go south down 6th Street SE looking for parking. If no luck go to Parking Management Inc, 300 7th St SW, 202-554-0698 or get off at the Federal Center SW Metro Station. First visit the Einstein Planetarium first show at 10:30 a.m. at the National Air and Space Museum http://www.nasm.si.edu/visit/theaters/planetarium
then on to the National Museum of the American Indian. Go directly to the top floor and see the 20 min film http://www.roadtripamerica.com/places/National-Museum-of-the-American-Indian.htm . Have a snack at the Mitsitam Café featuring native inspired food - http://www.nmai.si.edu/subpage.cfm?subpage=visitor&second=dc&third=mitsitam
or get it to go and take it over to Bartholdi Park http://www.usbg.gov/gardens/barthodli-park.cfm and enjoy on one of the outdoor benches. Then visit the U.S. Botanic Garden http://www.usbg.gov/ Walk past the Capital on 1st St NW (Reflecting Pool will be on your left) and visit the Summer House Spring for a cool spring drink - http://www.aoc.gov/cc/grounds/art_arch/summer_house.cfm Eat a late (open till 2 pm) lunch at the Department of Labor Cafeteria - 300 Constitution Ave http://www.igougo.com/dining-reviews-b141540-Washington_D.C.-Department_of_Labor_Cafeteria.html Be sure to go out on the porch and eat. When it's hot sit under the porch and look out on one of the Capital fountains. When it's not so hot go over to the corner of the roof and sit looking at the Capital and Mall – best restaurant view in town. After lunch up Pennsylvania Ave to the National Gallery of Art East Wing. Walking past the ceiling mobile http://www.greatbuildings.com/cgi-bin/gbi.cgi/East_Wing_National_Gallery.html/cid_2472171.gbi and down the steps to the tunnel past the waterfall view thru the glass window to the main building main building and head straight up stairs to see the Claude Monet French Paintings collection (the best in the Gallery) http://www.nga.gov/collection/gallery/gg85/gg85-main1.html Walk over to the History Museum and head straight for the second floor and the Hope Diamond - http://mineralsciences.si.edu/hope.htm
While there check out what is playing at the IMAX http://www.si.edu/imax/#johnson Go next door to the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden Pavilion Café, site outside and have a late afternoon drink or snack (open till 4) and view the fountain and interesting sculptures - http://www.nga.gov/feature/sculpturegarden/general/index.shtm Walk on up Pennsylvania Ave to the Old Post Office, in Washington D.C and go up the elevator in the bell tower to a great outdoor city view - http://www.tourofdc.org/tours/OldPostOffice Eat dinner outdoors on the sidewalk at Harry's (Hotel Harrington) -a pleasant gathering place for drinks and food. http://harryssaloon.com/about_harriet_s.html
Take the metro back to you car (Federal Triangle to Federal Center SW)
(5) From the Union Station Metro Station (or park in the Union Station Garage behind the station) take the famous “Ceiling Fans” tour - look up (National Postal Museum lobby / Library of Congress / Union Station Grand Hall), you will see some of the most impressive ceilings ever. First go over to the lobby of the National Postal Museum - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Postal_Museum then walk down North Capital Street to Louisiana Ave, turn right and go a half block down to the National Japanese American Memorial http://njamf.com/ Continue walking by crossing Louisiana Av and thru the Capital grounds (cross Delaware Ave) and along "C" Street NE to the Senate Office Building (Hart Building) and into the atrium to see the sculpture "Mountains and Clouds by Alexander Calder," http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/art/artifact/Sculpture_25_00007.htm
Eat lunch at the Dirksen Senate Office Building South Buffet Room or regular cafeteria http://www.himss.org/policy/d/advday08/hilldiningareas.pdf (be sure to get the famous Everett Dirksen Bean Soup). Walk down 1st Street NE and turn left at the spectacular Neptune Fountain http://www.allposters.com/-sp/Neptune-Fountain-Library-of-Congress-Washington-DC_i875084_.htm?AID=856633845 to the Library of Congress (Thomas Jefferson Building) which faces the Capital http://www.loc.gov/jefftour/firstfloor.html . Now go back 1st Street to Union Station and sit at one of the bars in the Grand Hall. Sit so you can look up, you ceiling fans - http://www.flickr.com/photos/heikogerstung/2115020118
(6) The Twenty-nine Fountains Walk Up Pennsylvania Ave "The Avenue of the Presidents"
http://www.visitwashingtondconline.com/pennsylvania_avenue.htm The tour begins at Union Station (get off at the Union Station Metro Station or park in the Union Station Garage behind the station) Note – easy access toilet facilities are marked (Toilet). Fountains are numbered 1-30.
[1] Union Station, 40 Massachusetts Avenue, NE. Architect Daniel Burnham used classical Roman architecture to create the vestibule which is considered one of the finest examples of the Beaux Arts style of architecture. On either side of the kiosk in the Main Hall are free standing marble fountains, each weighing about 10 tons. (Toilet) http://www.unionstationdc.com/
[2] Step outside the central doors to the Christopher Columbus Memorial Fountain http://dcmemorials.com/index_indiv0000030.htm
[3] Walk across Louisiana Ave and across D Street to the Senate Garage Fountain – the display fountain in the park between the Capitol and Union Station is located over the Senate underground garage. The fountain, a hexagonal granite monolith with high jets of water spouting from its center, is surrounded by six smaller jets on a lower level. Lion-head spouts on the faces of the hexagon project streams of water into a large circular basin with a scalloped stone rim, over which the water spills into a larger oval basin. The night time lighting display is comprised of 114 underwater light fixtures with red, green, blue, and clear lenses controlled by a computer running a program that repeats every 20 minutes which looks brilliant at night. http://www.aoc.gov/cc/grounds/art_arch/sen_fount.cfm
[4] Walk back across Louisiana Ave to the National Japanese American Memorial and Fountain on Louisiana Ave - This Memorial honors the loyalty and courage of Japanese Americans during World War II. A pair of golden cranes struggle upward seeking release from the barbed wire that coils around them. A fountain and plantings of cherry trees create a peaceful border to the monument - http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlyfaye/2746641765
[5] Walk back across Louisiana Av to the Robert A Taft Memorial and Carillon with surrounding pools and small trickling fountains at Louisiana Avenue and Constitution Avenues. The carillon bells ring every quarter hour. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_A._Taft_Memorial
[6] Walk across Constitution Ave to the west grounds between the mall and the U.S. Capital where you will find the Summer House Spring Fountain designed by American landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. It is an open-air brick building with three arches that open into the hexagonal structure enclosing a fountain and twenty-two brick chairs. A fourth wall holds a small window that looks onto an artificial grotto with water trickling down a natural stone wall. Built between 1879 and 1881, the Summer House was intended to answer complaints that visitors to the Capitol had no place to sit, drink, and water their horses. http://www.aoc.gov/cc/grounds/art_arch/summer_house.cfm
[7] Walk down the hill towards the Mall to the Peace Monument and Fountain. The 44-foot-high monument stands in the circle to the NW of the Capitol at Pennsylvania Avenue and First Street, N.W. At the corners of the monument, four marble globes are supported by massive brackets. The fountain below, with a jet on each side, empties into a quatrefoil-shaped basin. http://www.aoc.gov/cc/grounds/art_arch/peace_1.cfm
[8] Walk back up the hill to the west face of the U.S. Capital between the massive steps leading to the upper terrace and view the lower west Terrace fountain – see Arc-9213 @ http://www.scholarsresource.com/browse/work/2144577411
[9] Walk around the south side of the US Capital, up the hill, and cross 1st Street SE to the corner of the Library of Congress (Jefferson Building) to see the King Neptune Fountain. It looks brilliant lit up at night. This lavishly ornamental fountain, created by sculptor Roland Hinton Perry, represents a scene in the court of Neptune, the Roman god of the sea. The muscular and majestic Neptune, with his long flowing beard, is seated on a bank of rocks. The figure is of colossal size, and, if standing, it would be about twelve feet in height. Around Neptune are figures of Triton, sea nymphs, sea horses, sea monsters, gigantic frogs, and huge turtles. Roland Hinton Perry 's name and the date he completed the work are inscribed to the right of Neptune, at the fountain's water level. http://www.dcmemorials.com/index_indiv0000192.htm
[10] Continue up 1st Street going north to the main entrance of the Supreme Court Building to an oval plaza with fountains, flagpoles and benches (Toilet) - http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/9ecb/500/4/?o=1&i=5
[11] Walk back down 1st Street going south and right turn down Independence Ave (going west). As you pass by the Rayburn House Office Building look back up the hill to see two large fountains frame the end of the building on the upper terrace (http://www.aoc.gov/cc/cobs/rhob.cfm).
[12] Continue down Independence Ave crossing 1st Street NE to the U.S. Botanic Gardens. The Palm House, center structure of the gardens, features orchids of every color, size, species, and shape, around two water fountains that reflect the sunlight coming from the glass ceiling (Toilet) - http://www.flickr.com/photos/sftrajan/1388831313
and http://www.gpoaccess.gov/serialset/cdocuments/sd109-19/pdf/sec1.pdf .
[13] Walk around behind the Botanic Gardens via Capital Street South one block to Bartholdi Park. The Park was created in 1932 and named for Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, the sculptor of the historic fountain located at its center. The fountain was designed symmetrically in three identical sections. The triangular base with turtles and large shells rises to a pedestal from which three identical youthful sea nymphs hold up a large basin. Bartholdi created the fountain for the 1876 International Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia, and his design for the three nymphs was also used for his design of the Statue of Liberty. http://www.usbg.gov/gardens/barthodli-park.cfm
[14 & 15] Walk west on Independence Ave to the National Museum of the American Indian. An outdoor waterfall fountain flows toward the building, pooling just outside. Then walk around to the side of the building to the fountain on Jefferson Dr (Museum north wall). The walls of the museum gracefully flow into an extensive fountain along this side of the building. (Toilet) http://hurstassociates.blogspot.com/2009/01/article-going-to-meet-its-public.html
Note: This is an excellent place to get a snack or meal and sit out by one of the two fountains. The Mitsitam Café features food inspired from different areas of Native Americans such as pumpkin, wild rice, tacos, maize, and squash based dishes.
[16] Walk up 4th Street going north to the National Gallery of Art East Wing. Walk past the waterfall fountains to your left and into the East Wing. These fountains shoot upward, sending a cascade of water down the slanted embankment. Go down the steps to the tunnel leading to the main building of the National Gallery of Art. You will go past the semi-underground fountain/waterfall that you saw above ground. It cascades down a fluted wall opposite a glass window in an underground dining area. http://www.kestan.com/travel/dc/natgal_e/index.htm
[17] Continue along the length of the National Gallery of Art main building to the main corridor to see the Mercury fountain before exiting onto Constitution Ave. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Nationalgalleryofart.jpg)
Note: Go up the stairs to the second floor to restrooms (Toilet) and a quick walk down the hall to see the Claude Monet French Paintings collection http://www.nga.gov/collection/gallery/gg85/gg85-main1.html (the best in the Gallery)
[18] Walk across Constitution Ave to the Andrew Mellon Fountain. Mellon served for eleven years as Secretary of the Treasury and was, for a while, Ambassador to Great Britain. http://www.dcmemorials.com/index_indiv0000330.htm
[19] Walk across Pennsylvania Ave to the Canadian Embassy fountain (Toilet). The water slides down a circular wall at the front corner. The building was designed to complement both the East Wing and main building, National, Gallery of Art.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Canadian_embassy_in_US1.jpg
[20] Next to the Canadian Embassy is John Marshall Park. The park offers a beautiful setting with an open vista from C Street down to Pennsylvania Avenue. Two frog fountain/ponds are next to a statue of John Marshall (5th and 6th photo @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/crepuscolo79).
[21] Step out into C Street and look east at the Department of Labor Building with a large gushing fountain in front, two blocks away (3rd and C St NW) http://www.dol.gov/dol/aboutdol/visit.htm
[22] Go back to Constitution Ave and walk west toward 14th Street to the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden Pavilion Café (hours Monday–Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m; Sunday, 11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.) (Toilet) Sit outside and have a late afternoon drink or snack and view the Fountains & Wading Pool, National Sculpture Garden. http://www.nga.gov/feature/sculpturegarden/general/index.shtm and http://www.pbase.com/steveyaphotos/image/62308745
[23] Cross and walk up Pennsylvania Ave (going towards the White House) to the Temperance Fountain - Pennsylvania Avenue and Seventh Street. It contains four inscriptions around its temple-like roof: faith, hope, love and temperance. The crane represents drinking water over imbibing in alcohol. There is an ugly fish under its roof that can be interpreted as Leviathan, the god of chaos. When God created the earth, he put order into the world. The ordered world is called cosmos, and is the direct opposite of chaos, or disorder. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temperance_Fountain
[24] Cross 7th Street to the U.S. Navy Memorial and Naval Heritage Center Pennsylvania Ave. NW & 7th St. NW This open park-like memorial to the U. S. Navy and naval officers features fountains, waterfalls, and sculptured walls dedicated to the U. S. Navy and foreign navies. At the center is a 100-foot granite map of the world. http://www.visitingdc.com/washington-dc/navy-memorial-washington-dc.htm
[25] Walk past the J. Edgar Hoover Building at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue, headquarters for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). In the inner atrium there is a roaring fountain that can be viewed (if it is working) from Pennsylvania Ave but not accessible by the public because secret agents leisurely eat lunch there. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Edgar_Hoover_Building
Cross over and continue up Pennsylvania Ave (going towards the White House) to the Old Post Office and go up the elevator in the bell tower to a great outdoor city view of the fountains visited and those ahead. Times are from Easter to Labor Day, 7:30 AM - 11:00 PM daily (last tour 10:45 PM) and September to March, 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM (last tour 5:45 PM) (Toilet) - http://www.tourofdc.org/tours/OldPostOffice
[26] Walk across 12th Street and through the Federal Triangle Metro Stop to the Ronald Reagan Building to visit the Oscar S. Straus Memorial Fountain, located on the Woodrow Wilson Plaza, just west of the plaza's 13th Street axis. The fountain has two bronze sculptured groups set on granite pedestals. The fountain is flanked on the left (as one faces the Ronald Reagan Building) by a reclining female figure dressed in classical robes with her hands clasped in prayer. To the right of the fountain is a partially draped male figure. The child next to him holds a purse, key, and hammer, symbolizing capital and labor. http://dcmemorials.com/index_indiv0000644.htm
[27] Walk up 14th Street (going north) to Freedom Plaza Fountain. The plaza is at the corner of 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW. The fountain is at the western end of the plaza.
http://flickr.com/photos/-jon-/43257051/in/set-918272
[28] Walk across 14th Street to Pershing Park, a small park located at 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW. It is across the street from Freedom Plaza and the Willard Intercontinental Hotel. It features a fountain waterfall and pool which turns into an ice rink in the winter, and a small memorial to John J. Pershing, the General of the Armies in World War I. (photo 16-18 @ http://www.kestan.com/dcstock/parks/index.htm).
[29] Walk across E Street to the Willard Intercontinental Hotel terrace (next to the Hotel Washington) with a fountain at the outside entrance to the shops area. Wind through the shops up stairs to the back side of the hotel (F Street). Walk down the main hall from F Street to a little café on the left for a scrumptious dessert and drink. (Toilet)
http://www.washingtonlife.com/2010/07/27/the-dish-al-fresco-frenzy
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