Athens, GA
01/10/02
I went to Washington D.C. for a few days just before Christmas. Despite the anthrax warnings and the terrorism scare I spent some of my best hosteling days there. Let's start from the beginning.
A tip for getting a cheaper ticket: fly early morning. Around 6 am is the best time, because the crowds are thin and the planes are not that full. I even was awarded a seat in business class because there were only 8 people on board!
When I arrived at Dulles Int'l in Washington, I hopped on the Washington Flyer ($8.00 one-way) which took me to the nearest Metro station. If you could avoid flying to Dulles, that would be a wise deicision as it's about 20 miles outside D.C. The best is Reagan National because it has a Metro Station and it's just minutes from most monuments and hotels in downtown.
The D.C. Metro system is one of the best in the world. No they're not paying me to write this, it's the truth. It's the most convenient means of transportation in the city. If you're staying for more than couple of days, it's always good to get the Unlimited Pass (for 7, 14, 21 days) which saves you money, and also the hassle of buying fare cards every morning. If you choose to stay just for couple of days, however, your best bet is the one day unlimited pass ($5.00). The Metro basically takes you everywhere, but if you would like to take a bus, the transfer from the Metro is only $0.25 and is valid on most routes. Be careful with those fare card machines in the Metro, though, ask somebody for assistance before you buy your first pass.
Okay, enough about the Metro. Now, I am biased, I know, but the best part of D.C. is Georgetown. The small colonial town which was consumed by the growing national capital, still retains its charm and feel of colonial times. Its cobble-stoned streets are lined with pretty houses, and along the main ones there are all kinds of little shops and restaurants. You could wander there or take a tour of Georgetown University - one of the best private colleges in the nation. It was founded by Jesuits in colonial times. The library overlooks the Potomac River, and you can get a great view of D.C.'s downtown (the Washington memorial, the famous Watergate complex) and Arlington, Virginia.
Let me say something about D.C. itself. The national mall is the place between the U.S. congress and the Lincoln Memorial. No, it's not a place to do your shopping, it's where some of the best museums in the nation are located. Of particular interest to me were the National Air and Space museum and the Holocaust Museum. There's also the National Museum of Art and many others. You could also marvel at the Washington monument or take a look at the place where the Civil Rights March of 1960 took place - in front of the Lincoln memorial. You could stand where MLK Jr. stood when he gave his most famous speech.
Another area that I liked was around Dupont Circle, north of downtown (on the red line of the Metro). There are a lot of cafes, small shops, and the most wonderful thing for me was the fact that there were people everywhere, despite the low temperatures.
Washington D.C. is one of the greatest cities I've been to. It captivates you with its small town atmosphere, and the fact that you see a lot of people everywhere (unlike where I come from, the U.S. Southeast). If you're thinking about going there, don't hesitate, we only have one life and D.C. is a must see destination on every traveler's list!
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