# Seeking Washington, DC sightseeiing suggestioins **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 10, 2011, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeking-washington-dc-sightseeiing-suggestioins/585007 "2011-06-10T18:31:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeking-washington-dc-sightseeiing-suggestioins/585007/21 "2011-06-16T12:02:43Z")
I agree that with the short time you have, you should stick to the Mall. For lunch the American Indian museum has a great cafe, but it is packed on weekends. If it is too crowded, try the cafe between the National Galleries East and West, it is underground between the two. ---
**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:** [June 16, 2011, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeking-washington-dc-sightseeiing-suggestioins/585007/22 "2011-06-16T14:53:36Z")
> [@Sycorax](#): > > If you have some curiosity about President Lincoln and the U.S. civil war, I’d recommend Ford’s Theater as well as the boarding house opposite the theater to which Lincoln was taken after Booth’s fatal shot. And it’s only 2 blocks from your hotel. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeking-washington-dc-sightseeiing-suggestioins/585007/23 "2011-06-16T15:04:44Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > For lunch the American Indian museum has a great cafe. Second that. Probably the best museum cafeteria in the world (small praise, I know, but it really is great food.) ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeking-washington-dc-sightseeiing-suggestioins/585007/24 "2011-06-16T22:41:19Z")
Can anyone answer this question quickly? We’re coming to Washing too, and also only for three days; we have the options of changing at Newark (from London) and getting a plane to Washington National, or flying direct to Dulles. The direct flight is £22 more. Is it that much more expensive and difficult to get into the city from Dulles that it’d be worth changing planes rather than changing to a taxi/bus? ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeking-washington-dc-sightseeiing-suggestioins/585007/25 "2011-06-16T22:46:03Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > Can anyone answer this question quickly? We’re coming to Washing too, and also only for three days; we have the options of changing at Newark (from London) and getting a plane to Washington National, or flying direct to Dulles. The direct flight is £22 more. > > Is it that much more expensive and difficult to get into the city from Dulles that it’d be worth changing planes rather than changing to a taxi/bus? Well, there are cabs, so it won’t be so difficult. But a cab from Dulles to DC proper is [about $55](http://www.visitingdc.com/airport/dulles-airport-taxi.htm). Depending on the time of day it could take up to an hour. So you’ll pay twice - once for the flight and again for the cab. Washington National is right on the Metro line. If it were my call, it would depend whether or not I checked luggage. I am much more willing to change if I only have carryon. If I only had carryon I would definitely choose National. With checked luggage its a very close call. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeking-washington-dc-sightseeiing-suggestioins/585007/26 "2011-06-16T23:10:47Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > Well, there are cabs, so it won’t be so difficult. But a cab from Dulles to DC proper is [about $55](http://www.visitingdc.com/airport/dulles-airport-taxi.htm). Depending on the time of day it could take up to an hour. So you’ll pay twice - once for the flight and again for the cab. Washington National is right on the Metro line. > > If it were my call, it would depend whether or not I checked luggage. I am much more willing to change if I only have carryon. If I only had carryon I would definitely choose National. With checked luggage its a very close call. That’s what I was leaning towards - thanks. We’ll be travelling without checked luggage for all but possibly the trip home. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeking-washington-dc-sightseeiing-suggestioins/585007/27 "2011-06-16T23:52:18Z")
For Saturday night… Get tickets to [Shear Madness](http://www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/index.cfm?fuseaction=showEvent&event=THMAD) at the Theater Lab of the Kennedy Center. Not only do you get a hilarious play but during intermission you get the best nighttime view of the city available from the upper deck of the KC. It’s worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeking-washington-dc-sightseeiing-suggestioins/585007/28 "2011-06-17T00:29:46Z")
> [@Sycorax](#): > > If you have some curiosity about President Lincoln and the U.S. civil war, I’d recommend Ford’s Theater as well as the boarding house opposite the theater to which Lincoln was taken after Booth’s fatal shot. I’m a D. C. native and I regret that I never visited these sites. Ford’s theater maintains President Lincoln’s box in the decor of the period, and in which he was assassinated. I enjoyed Ford’s Theater, including the museum stuff under the theater. The boarding house across the street was disappointing to me - virtually nothing is original..and it’s tiny. You can get a feel for the setup, it’s free, and it’s just across the street. But if you’re trying to cram a lot of stuff into a short time, skip the boarding house. -D/a ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeking-washington-dc-sightseeiing-suggestioins/585007/29 "2011-06-17T01:07:20Z")
As usual _the Family Circus_ has LOTS of ideas for a DC trip [Family Circus 1](http://img849.imageshack.us/img849/2271/36790331.jpg) [Family Circus 2](http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/2629/18143566.jpg) [Family Circus 3](http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/3165/38655381.jpg) [Family Circus 4](http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/6717/61415759.jpg) [Family Circus 5](http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/7508/96555869.jpg) [Family Circus 6](http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/5547/20452093.jpg) [Family Circus 7](http://img806.imageshack.us/img806/6223/20586259.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeking-washington-dc-sightseeiing-suggestioins/585007/30 "2011-06-17T03:54:20Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Second that. Probably the best museum cafeteria in the world (small praise, I know, but it really is great food.) Which is surprising, because the museum itself is reall underwhelming. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeking-washington-dc-sightseeiing-suggestioins/585007/31 "2011-06-17T08:20:40Z")
Actually, just in case any was bored enough to respond, ignore my question about airports - due to strange flight times, we’re going to get the train down from New York instead. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeking-washington-dc-sightseeiing-suggestioins/585007/32 "2011-06-17T13:33:30Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > Actually, just in case any was bored enough to respond, ignore my question about airports - due to strange flight times, we’re going to get the train down from New York instead. There is conencting service (included in the price of an Amtrak ticket) between the airport and the Amtrak train station in Newark. It’s a monorail! You don’t actually have to go to NYC unless you want to (Newark is the first stop after leaving NYC). The station code is EWR, if you are using [Amtrak.com](http://Amtrak.com) to book your tickets. It’s an easy ride down to DC and by far the most convenient way to enter the city. At DC’s Union Station, you can connect up with DC Metro and regional light rail (MARC serving Maryland and VRE serving Virginia). There’s an abundance of cabs. You can look outside the front door and see some iconic views of the capitol building. There is also quite a lot of shops and restaurants if you are feeling the need for some food before continuing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seeking-washington-dc-sightseeiing-suggestioins/585007.md?page=1)