Ok, I've never been and know nothing about the area and will be visiting via automobile in September.
I'd like to ditch the car and do some sightseeing before I have to work.
How is the metro out there?
Can I stay at an inexpensive hotel in the burbs and use the metro to get in the city easily?
What are the better places to stay - good areas?
What architectural gems should I check out?
Restaurant & bar suggestions also welcomed.
Misc. advise is also appreciated.
dc is a great place to find your own niche.
the subway and bus services should be able to take you everywhere you need to go. (sometimes they are a bit slow, though). i don't know much about the DC burbs...except that i think there are some DP-Z developments around there somewhere...which doesn't help you much...
but if i were going back (i was there for about a month),
i would hang out in:
alexandria
adam's morgan
georgetown
...all three of these have some great bars/restaurants/shops/sites, etc. georgetown may be the oldest part of the city, but the nitelife seems a bit frat-like to me. long story short, you shouldn't have a problem finding a place to hang out at nite or to shop if you feel like it...there are probably some hotel deals around those places, too.
architecturally, all the tourists spots are actually pretty cool. on the mall there is the hirshorn (awesome collection and breuer design), the holocaust museum, the national gallery (also a great collection), and all the other museums. some of them are a bit kitsch-y, but still fun. i haven't seen the wwII memorial, but the native american museum was under construction when i was there and seemed interesting. the vietnam memorial is a must see/expeience...i also enjoyed the museum/memorial of women's suffrage.
just being on (and around) the mall is cool just to think about what l'enfent and his cronies had to go through to plan a nation's capital. i'm probably rambling now, but standing on the mall and considering an urban framework that allowed (for example) for MLK jr. to make such a powerful and valuable impression on history is something i won't forget...
oh yeah, and if you like the rock music, you could track down the dischord house and see where history was made almost 25 years ago.
You should hit up Dupont Circle and Adam's Morgan for good food. In Dupont I highly recommend Teaism, which serves a host of pan-asian fare. The Chai shake and Green Tea shakes are awesome if it's a hot day. If you're looking for cheap food, Wrap Works, despite the cheesy name, has pretty good wraps and salads. If you don't mind waiting, Pizzeria Paradiso is great too. Put your name in and then wander down to The Brickskeller, which beer-lovers tend to go crazy for.
If you've never had it before, you should try Ethiopian food. For some reason DC has a lot of Ethiopian restaurants and the food is pretty good. There used to be (may still be?) one at the end of Georgetown and should be one in Adam's Morgan also. Adam's Morgan is probably your best bet for going out if you're not into the frat scene in Gtown.
The best sushi restaurant's in DC have always been owned by this dude named Kaz. I prefer the more adventurous Kaz which is in Foggy Bottom, but Sushi Ko gets good marks too.
Weave's museum recommendations are great. I would add the NBM: Despite being a weird building, the National Building Museum's carpeted interior is interesting in that "what were they thinking" kind of way and there's a show up currently with a sample of Litracon. I used to like wandering by the embassies up Mass Ave., as many of them seem interesting despite having to look from the gate. However, this probably works better in winter when the vegetation has died back a little.
As for the suburbs, I lived one year in DC and one at the Courthouse stop in Arlington. Life in Arlington was great and things were picking up when I left. I hear that there are a number of good restaurants and bars around now... My vote goes to JavaShack for best coffee house in metro DC.
I would agree with all of the above and add the following: you can stay try looking for Hotels on/near a metro line...areas to avoid: anything to the right of the city (http://www.wmata.com/) see map. If you have never been here and you don;t mind walking alot, then take the blue line to Capitol south and walk all the way to Arlington cemetery. If not a $20 alternative is to go to Union Station (good building to visit) and take the tourmobile (http://www.tourmobile.com) it sounds cheesy but it saves time, and you get the full-on tourist experience.
The courthouse/clarendon area has been transforming the past few years. Quite a bit has been built lately, although it's a bit yuppie...CratenBarrel, Container Store...you get the point. There are a few places worth visiting tough. Iota has some good live music, and there is always pho75 (vietnamese noodle joint) kind of dumpy looking but excellent food.
G-town/Foggy Bottom are not really my taste (worked in G-town for 4 years), but if you're into "Like my god, you know, like sororities and like fraternities...it's like the place to hang like out"
Dupont has some pretty good places to hang out in...specially if you'r into dj's/clubs. 18th street lounge, Five, Sesto senso, Red (great Wed. nite DnB) Dupont also is also home to a good portion Dc's gay pop.
Adam's Morgan is close by and has it's share of good bars, and night clubs, although it has a more gritty/loud feeling than Dupont's laid chill feeling. In NE (you have to drive there, specially at night) there is Nation (night club) although to be honest, after the rave act it took a dive.
The mall has plenty to offer, but recent events have caused many of the popular attractions to be temporarily closed for "security upgrades" (vietnam Mem, wash. monument) you can't go up the steps in the capitol, can't walk around the lincoln mem., many of the streets/sidewalks around the "Casa Blanca" are "off limits" no tours of the FBI, Pentagon...you get the point! go Bush!
If you can, try to visit Old Town Alexandria (yellow line to King street) and just walk around. If you get a chance pop into VA tech's WAAC (1001 prince street) and go across the street to Misha's Coffee Roaster for the best coffee in town (sorry javashack)...
Walking up/down embassy row (massachusets Ave) is pretty interesting, and my favorite building in dc is there. KPF's "institute of international economics" small but just right. Check out the Finish embassy, the national cathedral, cathedral @ Catholic University...I could go on for a while.
If you are into sushi try sushi taro (http://www.sushitaro.com/) in East Dupont...email me if you have specific questions
Don't know much about hotels...sorry
Oh...and I forgot.
Don't miss (how can you) the piece of Sh!t WWII memorial (no offense to the vets., purely a design comment) and how it butchers the "Mall"
Just a thought...
check out the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery ... it's easy to miss since it's mostly underground and hidden behind the Castle ... it has a truly fabulous collection of asian art ... the japanese ceramics displayed on the lowest level will blow our mind
can anyone recommend good hostels or bed'n'breakfasts in dc? i just booked a flight for a long weekend trip in march. supercheap fares and the boyfriend has never been there. we like to do hostels to cut costs, but even the HI hostels can be hit or miss (we had an awful one in SF but a great one in canada and arizona). anyway, just looking to see if anyone can make a suggestion either way.
I'm going to be at a hotel in Alexandria, VA this Friday night. Flying out of DCA Sat morning. Is there good nightlife to be had in Old Town area? Been to DC several times but never Alexandria. Is it worth checking out, or should I take the metro across the river?
i only know alexandria as being shopping oriented...not sure about nightlife. if you go into town, i really like matchbox near/in chinatown - good mini burgers and a great space.
I'm actually going down tomorrow to move my brother and his girlfriend into their new apartment in Arlington. I don't know much about outside of DC, but Adams Morgan is pretty cool in the north part of town.
wrecking ball, that matchbox is a cool place! i went there for dinner and to hang out last year when i was in town for the solar decathlon
Yeah, Old Town is pretty cool. They might already have the holiday lights up on King Street. Don't let the first few blocks near Metro discourage you. It's best to walk the entire length of King Street to the water, for the full experience. There are many bars and restaurants along the way.
Hmm, might have to check out that matchbox place. I do have an early flight out of DCA so didn't want to get too crazy. Thought if I could walk to places it'd be easier, although I'm not afraid of the metro or a taxi ride into the district.
Done plenty of partying in Adams Morgan, Georgetown, etc. on previous trips. Would like to find something new if possible.
Matchbox is near the Gallery Place / Chinatown Metro stop. You can take the Yellow Line to DCA in less than 30 minutes.
RFD (Regional Food and Drink) is also in the area - sister to Brickskeller, which means that they have almost every beer imaginable. Fado's is also a good Irish bar.
As an architect, you might find the "Disney"like atmosphere of Chinatown to be a little over the top, but the restaurants are worth it.
Alexandria has a pretty decent nightlife. There are some good bars like O'connels, Murpheys, the Flying Fish, and Union Street. It's definitely not as happening as Georgetown, Clarendon, or Adams Morgan but it's definitely a good time.
Yes Matchbox is an outstanding place. Been there several times in the past three months. My favorite place is Amsterdam Fellafel in AM. I also like Chinatown Express in Chinatown and I just tried that place wok n' roll which was also pretty decent. You definitely have a good choice of restaurants here.
Arlington was sweet. My brother's place is a few blocks from Ballston Common, so we went to a few places in Ballston and Clarendon. It was awesome down there
Perhaps you were exposed to the nuance between Clarendon Boulevard (new school) and Wilson Boulevard (old school) - that neighborhood was just named one of the Best Streets in America.
Washington DC
Ok, I've never been and know nothing about the area and will be visiting via automobile in September.
I'd like to ditch the car and do some sightseeing before I have to work.
How is the metro out there?
Can I stay at an inexpensive hotel in the burbs and use the metro to get in the city easily?
What are the better places to stay - good areas?
What architectural gems should I check out?
Restaurant & bar suggestions also welcomed.
Misc. advise is also appreciated.
Thanks.
dc is a great place to find your own niche.
the subway and bus services should be able to take you everywhere you need to go. (sometimes they are a bit slow, though). i don't know much about the DC burbs...except that i think there are some DP-Z developments around there somewhere...which doesn't help you much...
but if i were going back (i was there for about a month),
i would hang out in:
alexandria
adam's morgan
georgetown
...all three of these have some great bars/restaurants/shops/sites, etc. georgetown may be the oldest part of the city, but the nitelife seems a bit frat-like to me. long story short, you shouldn't have a problem finding a place to hang out at nite or to shop if you feel like it...there are probably some hotel deals around those places, too.
architecturally, all the tourists spots are actually pretty cool. on the mall there is the hirshorn (awesome collection and breuer design), the holocaust museum, the national gallery (also a great collection), and all the other museums. some of them are a bit kitsch-y, but still fun. i haven't seen the wwII memorial, but the native american museum was under construction when i was there and seemed interesting. the vietnam memorial is a must see/expeience...i also enjoyed the museum/memorial of women's suffrage.
just being on (and around) the mall is cool just to think about what l'enfent and his cronies had to go through to plan a nation's capital. i'm probably rambling now, but standing on the mall and considering an urban framework that allowed (for example) for MLK jr. to make such a powerful and valuable impression on history is something i won't forget...
oh yeah, and if you like the rock music, you could track down the dischord house and see where history was made almost 25 years ago.
have a great trip...
You should hit up Dupont Circle and Adam's Morgan for good food. In Dupont I highly recommend Teaism, which serves a host of pan-asian fare. The Chai shake and Green Tea shakes are awesome if it's a hot day. If you're looking for cheap food, Wrap Works, despite the cheesy name, has pretty good wraps and salads. If you don't mind waiting, Pizzeria Paradiso is great too. Put your name in and then wander down to The Brickskeller, which beer-lovers tend to go crazy for.
If you've never had it before, you should try Ethiopian food. For some reason DC has a lot of Ethiopian restaurants and the food is pretty good. There used to be (may still be?) one at the end of Georgetown and should be one in Adam's Morgan also. Adam's Morgan is probably your best bet for going out if you're not into the frat scene in Gtown.
The best sushi restaurant's in DC have always been owned by this dude named Kaz. I prefer the more adventurous Kaz which is in Foggy Bottom, but Sushi Ko gets good marks too.
Weave's museum recommendations are great. I would add the NBM: Despite being a weird building, the National Building Museum's carpeted interior is interesting in that "what were they thinking" kind of way and there's a show up currently with a sample of Litracon. I used to like wandering by the embassies up Mass Ave., as many of them seem interesting despite having to look from the gate. However, this probably works better in winter when the vegetation has died back a little.
As for the suburbs, I lived one year in DC and one at the Courthouse stop in Arlington. Life in Arlington was great and things were picking up when I left. I hear that there are a number of good restaurants and bars around now... My vote goes to JavaShack for best coffee house in metro DC.
I would agree with all of the above and add the following: you can stay try looking for Hotels on/near a metro line...areas to avoid: anything to the right of the city (http://www.wmata.com/) see map. If you have never been here and you don;t mind walking alot, then take the blue line to Capitol south and walk all the way to Arlington cemetery. If not a $20 alternative is to go to Union Station (good building to visit) and take the tourmobile (http://www.tourmobile.com) it sounds cheesy but it saves time, and you get the full-on tourist experience.
The courthouse/clarendon area has been transforming the past few years. Quite a bit has been built lately, although it's a bit yuppie...CratenBarrel, Container Store...you get the point. There are a few places worth visiting tough. Iota has some good live music, and there is always pho75 (vietnamese noodle joint) kind of dumpy looking but excellent food.
G-town/Foggy Bottom are not really my taste (worked in G-town for 4 years), but if you're into "Like my god, you know, like sororities and like fraternities...it's like the place to hang like out"
Dupont has some pretty good places to hang out in...specially if you'r into dj's/clubs. 18th street lounge, Five, Sesto senso, Red (great Wed. nite DnB) Dupont also is also home to a good portion Dc's gay pop.
Adam's Morgan is close by and has it's share of good bars, and night clubs, although it has a more gritty/loud feeling than Dupont's laid chill feeling. In NE (you have to drive there, specially at night) there is Nation (night club) although to be honest, after the rave act it took a dive.
The mall has plenty to offer, but recent events have caused many of the popular attractions to be temporarily closed for "security upgrades" (vietnam Mem, wash. monument) you can't go up the steps in the capitol, can't walk around the lincoln mem., many of the streets/sidewalks around the "Casa Blanca" are "off limits" no tours of the FBI, Pentagon...you get the point! go Bush!
If you can, try to visit Old Town Alexandria (yellow line to King street) and just walk around. If you get a chance pop into VA tech's WAAC (1001 prince street) and go across the street to Misha's Coffee Roaster for the best coffee in town (sorry javashack)...
Walking up/down embassy row (massachusets Ave) is pretty interesting, and my favorite building in dc is there. KPF's "institute of international economics" small but just right. Check out the Finish embassy, the national cathedral, cathedral @ Catholic University...I could go on for a while.
If you are into sushi try sushi taro (http://www.sushitaro.com/) in East Dupont...email me if you have specific questions
Don't know much about hotels...sorry
Oh...and I forgot.
Don't miss (how can you) the piece of Sh!t WWII memorial (no offense to the vets., purely a design comment) and how it butchers the "Mall"
Just a thought...
J3 - You sound like a fellow WAAC grad!
I emailed you mum...and the answer is yes.
yeah, how could i forget misha's....definately the best coffee in town...
and the reason i was in dc was a WAAC-sponsered design symposium w/ some euros and some americans...
and yes, the national building museum is worth the trip...
a good day trip might be annapolis...if you have the time.
Definitely the Finnish Embassy by Heikkinen and Komonen.
I will be in Washington for a few days after christmas - for the first time in US! - what else do you suggest to see - ie architecture - ?
thanks
check out the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery ... it's easy to miss since it's mostly underground and hidden behind the Castle ... it has a truly fabulous collection of asian art ... the japanese ceramics displayed on the lowest level will blow our mind
can anyone recommend good hostels or bed'n'breakfasts in dc? i just booked a flight for a long weekend trip in march. supercheap fares and the boyfriend has never been there. we like to do hostels to cut costs, but even the HI hostels can be hit or miss (we had an awful one in SF but a great one in canada and arizona). anyway, just looking to see if anyone can make a suggestion either way.
**bump**
I'm going to be at a hotel in Alexandria, VA this Friday night. Flying out of DCA Sat morning. Is there good nightlife to be had in Old Town area? Been to DC several times but never Alexandria. Is it worth checking out, or should I take the metro across the river?
i only know alexandria as being shopping oriented...not sure about nightlife. if you go into town, i really like matchbox near/in chinatown - good mini burgers and a great space.
I'm actually going down tomorrow to move my brother and his girlfriend into their new apartment in Arlington. I don't know much about outside of DC, but Adams Morgan is pretty cool in the north part of town.
wrecking ball, that matchbox is a cool place! i went there for dinner and to hang out last year when i was in town for the solar decathlon
Yeah, Old Town is pretty cool. They might already have the holiday lights up on King Street. Don't let the first few blocks near Metro discourage you. It's best to walk the entire length of King Street to the water, for the full experience. There are many bars and restaurants along the way.
dude if you're moving them into arlington, go out there. Ballston & Calrendon (both within Arlington) are bumping on the weekend.
Alexandria isn't really a nightlife area, unless you want to go to an old man's bar or sit at the bar in a a restaurant.
Hmm, might have to check out that matchbox place. I do have an early flight out of DCA so didn't want to get too crazy. Thought if I could walk to places it'd be easier, although I'm not afraid of the metro or a taxi ride into the district.
Done plenty of partying in Adams Morgan, Georgetown, etc. on previous trips. Would like to find something new if possible.
Matchbox is near the Gallery Place / Chinatown Metro stop. You can take the Yellow Line to DCA in less than 30 minutes.
RFD (Regional Food and Drink) is also in the area - sister to Brickskeller, which means that they have almost every beer imaginable. Fado's is also a good Irish bar.
As an architect, you might find the "Disney"like atmosphere of Chinatown to be a little over the top, but the restaurants are worth it.
Alexandria has a pretty decent nightlife. There are some good bars like O'connels, Murpheys, the Flying Fish, and Union Street. It's definitely not as happening as Georgetown, Clarendon, or Adams Morgan but it's definitely a good time.
Yes Matchbox is an outstanding place. Been there several times in the past three months. My favorite place is Amsterdam Fellafel in AM. I also like Chinatown Express in Chinatown and I just tried that place wok n' roll which was also pretty decent. You definitely have a good choice of restaurants here.
Arlington was sweet. My brother's place is a few blocks from Ballston Common, so we went to a few places in Ballston and Clarendon. It was awesome down there
Perhaps you were exposed to the nuance between Clarendon Boulevard (new school) and Wilson Boulevard (old school) - that neighborhood was just named one of the Best Streets in America.
Indeed I was exposed to it....I loved that area! Such a juxtaposition between the old and new, it was great
uh, has ballston changed that much?
i used to drive down there to drop off my dad when i needed the car in high school, and it was kinda dull
it was my first time there, so i'm not sure how much it's changed. It wasn't exactly dull, but it didn't seem like the hottest spot around haha
I love Washington DC. It is a great city, and there are so many things to see and do. One needs time to explore the city.
This Saturday, several embassies that rarely open their doors will be open to the public for free. check it out!
http://www.culturaltourismdc.org/calendar2532/calendar_show.htm?doc_id=76354
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