# Need help planning a Washington DC trip, sites to see? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 7, 2010, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-planning-a-washington-dc-trip-sites-to-see/552895 "2010-09-07T06:47:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2010, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-planning-a-washington-dc-trip-sites-to-see/552895/21 "2010-09-09T14:43:46Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > It’s not “only three blocks” it’s half a mile. And most tourists can walk the length of the Mall, or at least from the Capitol to the Washington Monument, which is 1.2 miles. The zoo website says three blocks, and I’ve walked it myself many times…it’s about three city blocks. Even if your half a mile is correct, the cathedral is still _another_ half mile. What most tourists _can_ walk is not the same as what most would consider to be “walking distance” from a Metro stop to a destination, and you know it. If walking to the cathedral were an easy prospect, don’t you think the website would include mention of it? It provides directions from three different stops, and only talks about walking from one of them (Tenleytown, a 1.5-mile walk). The place is definitely worth seeing, but I think implying that it can easily be walked from Metro – or that it’s just as easy/not much harder than walking to the zoo – is misleading. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2010, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-planning-a-washington-dc-trip-sites-to-see/552895/22 "2010-09-09T14:56:14Z")
> [@Misnomer](#): > > What most tourists _can_ walk is not the same as what most would consider to be “walking distance” from a Metro stop to a destination, and you know it. If walking to the cathedral were an easy prospect, don’t you think the website would include mention of it? It provides directions from three different stops, and only talks about walking from one of them (Tenleytown, a 1.5-mile walk). The place is definitely worth seeing, but I think implying that it can easily be walked from Metro – or that it’s just as easy/not much harder than walking to the zoo – is misleading. Look at the map; it’s _not that far_, straight up the conveniently named “Cathedral Ave.” I walk farther than that to work every day. It’s a nice neighborhood, it’s not fucking Anacostia. And since when is 1 mile and change outside of “walking distance?” I visited Boston last fall, saw the whole city, never got in a car once. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2010, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-planning-a-washington-dc-trip-sites-to-see/552895/23 "2010-09-09T15:12:02Z")
In fact, I’d venture that most people are willing to walk significantly farther than they normally would when on vacation. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2010, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-planning-a-washington-dc-trip-sites-to-see/552895/24 "2010-09-09T15:16:34Z")
If you were visiting me I would take you to the mall first - that would occupy at least a day depending upon what you like and you would be very tired of walking by the end. The capital building is very cool but I haven’t been inside since 9/11. Looks like long lines outside to me. For the second day I would suggest walking around the outside of White house, the Washington monument, Lincoln memorial and doing the various war memorials if that is your thing. It’s all close together. Go over to Eastern market for lunch via Metro or a longish walk from the Capital. Other sites I drive people by are embassy row, the cathedral, FDR memorial, Georgetown, Dupont circle (because it’s always in the movies). The weather will be great in October, if not raining. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2010, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-planning-a-washington-dc-trip-sites-to-see/552895/25 "2010-09-09T16:22:23Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Look at the map; it’s _not that far_, straight up the conveniently named “Cathedral Ave.” I walk farther than that to work every day. It’s a nice neighborhood, it’s not fucking Anacostia. And since when is 1 mile and change outside of “walking distance?” I visited Boston last fall, saw the whole city, never got in a car once. Once again, you’re missing my point…vehemently, apparently, since you feel the need to swear. The question is not how far you walk every day/in Boston, whether a tourist would be willing to stroll the length of the Mall, whether people walk more on vacation than they do at home, or what part of the city we’re talking about. The question is not even whether 1.1 miles is a walkable distance, because that is going to vary widely by person. The question is whether the National Cathedral can reasonably be considered to be within walking distance of the Woodley Park station _in general_, for the _average_ tourist, and I don’t understand how you can assert that it is. The cathedral’s own website does not assert that it is, and directs visitors to take a bus from that Metro station. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2010, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-planning-a-washington-dc-trip-sites-to-see/552895/26 "2010-09-09T16:26:41Z")
Just visit the Lincoln Memorial first. If you see it last, it’s the only thing you’ll remember from your trip. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2010, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-planning-a-washington-dc-trip-sites-to-see/552895/27 "2010-09-09T16:46:25Z")
> [@Misnomer](#): > > Once again, you’re missing my point…vehemently, apparently, since you feel the need to swear. > > The question is not how far you walk every day/in Boston, whether a tourist would be willing to stroll the length of the Mall, whether people walk more on vacation than they do at home, or what part of the city we’re talking about. The question is not even whether 1.1 miles is a walkable distance, because that is going to vary widely by person. The question is whether the National Cathedral can reasonably be considered to be within walking distance of the Woodley Park station _in general_, for the _average_ tourist, and I don’t understand how you can assert that it is. The cathedral’s own website does not assert that it is, and directs visitors to take a bus from that Metro station. I haven’t missed your point; I just think you’re wrong. You brought up all that other stuff; I was just responding to them. And your main evidence appears to be “The website says you can’t walk, so clearly it’s impossible.” ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2010, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-planning-a-washington-dc-trip-sites-to-see/552895/28 "2010-09-09T16:54:56Z")
There’s a separate Washington Monument tour where they take you down the stairs of the monument. It’s only open certain times of the year (summer too hot), and I think you have to schedule it a couple of weeks in advance. Similarly, there used to be a separate tour behind the Lincoln Memorial where you could look at the intersting seepage formations. But when I was there two years ago, they told me that they had quite doing that tour many years ago. One reason is that apparently it’s pretty nasty (mucky, that is). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-planning-a-washington-dc-trip-sites-to-see/552895.md?page=1)