I’ll be spending about 5 days in both NYC (for Christmas) and Washington DC (for New Year’s) and have been to neither before.
I know there’ll be a ton to do (been reading the guidebooks), but I don’t know how the holiday season will impact crowds at certain attractions/museums, or if there are other smaller, off-the-beaten path items that may be advisable given the time of the year (not to mention the likely weather).
I don’t need to see everything this time around (I’ll be back), but I certainly could use some helpful hints or inside scoops (ie. stuff not mentioned on “official” web sites) from my fellow Dopers that might make the whole thing easier and more fun.
Okay, AG, here’s an earlier thread that’s chock-a-block full of my NYC vacation suggestions which other Dopers have found helpful. As a native, I tend to send visitors off the beaten path, so I’ve given you some ideas that you won’t find in all the guide books. Of course there are some other boffo suggestions from other posters in the thread, too.
We used to go to Washington DC for New Year’s almost every year, so I’ll answer that part. Most of the tours of Governmental buildings like the White House or the Capitol are shut down on New Year’s itself, and many of them are closed the whole week before. But the Smithsonian is open every day except Christmas, so it’s not a total loss. Note that the National Gallery, which looks like part of the Smithsonian, isn’t, and is closed on January 1. Just don’t assume anything is open without checking. Parking conditions depend completely on whether the government employees are working that day. But it’s good if you can stay in a hotel close to the Mall, since you can walk to most interesting things, and you don’t have to deal with the parking issue.
Anyways, here’s the things I always thought were the best:
The Monuments at night. It can be very, very cold, but it’s also very peaceful. The new FDR monument especially, since it’s out of the way, and no one knows it’s there.
Botanic Garden. Right on the mall between the Smithsonian and the Capitol. You walk in the door and you go from crappy DC weather to a rain forest. No one knows it’s there and it’s free! (Crap! I went to find out the official name of the thing and found it’s closed for renovations. Maybe next trip. )
Kennedy Center on NYE. If you go to any of the shows at the Center on NYE, you can stay until the clock turns. Very elegant setting, and just a really nice way to spend the night.
American Museum (Smithsonian). Check out all the Christmas trees in particular.
I always thought the Sackler Gallery and the African Art Museum at the Smithsonian were cool. The whole museums are underground in back of the old Smithsonian building, and it’s just a very neat space. Usually not crowded since people don’t even know they’re there.
This thread will do better in IMHO. I’ll move it there for you.
When in NY, do things early, before the tourist crowds get too big. This especially applies to museums and things like the windows along 5th and Madison.
NYC–things you must do while you’re here:
1.) The World Trade Center. Yes, it’s a tourist trap. It’s also an AMAZING view. The best timing is to get there shortly before sunset, so that you can see the city in daylight, watch the sun go down, and then see it all in the dark–the lights are quite cool.
2.)If you’re a theater person, pick up tickets at the tkts booth either in Times Square or in the World Trade Center. 1/2 price tickets on most shows. The line is nearly non-existent at WTC. Day of performance only, and big and/or Disney shows aren’t going to be there, but Les Mis always is, Miss Saigon always was, many of the other B’way productions and most of the off-b’way.
3.) See Strawberry Fields in Central Park. It’s right across the street from the Dakota, which is where John Lennon lived (and I believe Yoko still lives there).
4.) Wander. Seriously, some of my best days in the city have been spent doing nothing in particular, but ducking into little shops, restaurants, etc. You never know what you’ll stumble on.
In both NYC and DC, $5 gets you a pass that’s good all day on the subway system for unlimited rides. And in both cities, the subway’s pretty much THE way to get around to whatever you’d want to see. Mind you, DC Metro is new and clean while the New York subway is old and dirty; as a friend of mine once said, the former feels like Flash Gordon while the latter seems more like Bladerunner. But they’re both safe (NY’s pre-1990s reputation aside) & frequent.
Grand Central Terminal in NYC and Union Station in DC are beautiful buildings and must-sees. I’m not just saying that because I’m a train buff. Both are considered impressive architectural masterpieces, and both are open long hours seven days a week. (If you take a train between NYC and DC, remember that Grand Central is NOT where the Amtrak trains stop; that’s dumpy Penn Station, aka the basement of Madison Square Garden.)
To get the best bird’s-eye view of DC, DON’T bother with the insane line and long wait at the Washington Monument. Vacation time is precious. Instead, go to the Old Post Office and take the elevators to the tower. The line is nearly non-existent and the tower observation deck is almost the same height as the Monument, with no other tall structures nearby to block the view.
1a) The all-day pass on the Washington Metro is great, but you can’t use it before 9:30am. That’s so commuters (like me) don’t kill tourists on our way into work.
Metro parking lots are free on the weekends and federal holidays. The Metro shuts at midnight during the week, and 2am on the weekends. Most Metro parking lots require you to pick up a bus transfer at a station other than the one you parked at; in other words, grab one from the station you leave downtown from on your way back to the car.
In NYC, try to find time to wander around Central Park, even if it’s cold. In the daylight, of course. I spent a week there for Senior Week, but the best day was when I got lost in the Park. Try to find the Merry Go Round and the Alice in Wonderland clock. Also, the Strawberry Fields thing beautiful. There are also some cliff-rock type things by the Essex House, past the skating rink, at the northern tip of the park, that are fun to climb on. If you peek out at 5th Avenue, you can hit FAO and some cool shops.
DC - Anything around the National Mall is cool. The Air & Space Museum is hands-down my favorite. I don’t remember if anyone mentioned this, but the Smithsonian museums are all free admission. I go to DC once in a while just for the A&S Museum - it’s incredible - make sure you get a picture when you first enter, with all the glass lit up.
I’d also suggest the Lincoln Monument. That place is so beautiful, it’s almost holy. Looking out at the Reflection Pool is nice too. When I was there, a group of high school students broke out in a gospel version of “We Shall Overcome” and all of us in there cried like babies. It’s very powerful.
The Vietnam memorial is beautiful too.
Finally, try to find a schedule of concerts for the Capitol Building. I don’t know if they do it in winter, but in the summer, they have free Navy band concerts. You can sit on the front steps of the Capitol, look out over the entire Mall, and listen to some pretty cool music. If there are no concerts, it’s nice to watch the sunset from the steps of the Capitol too.
And if you realy don’t want to be mistaken for a tourist, please note that the “National Mall” is not actually a Mall, but a huge plot of grass with walkways that extends from the Capital Building to the Lincoln Memorial.
One more thing - wear walking shoes, because parking is a bitch.
But the Smithsonian is open every day except Christmas, so it’s not a total loss. Note that the National Gallery, which looks like part of the Smithsonian, isn’t, and is closed on January 1. Just don’t assume anything is open without checking. Parking conditions depend completely on whether the government employees are working that day. But it’s good if you can stay in a hotel close to the Mall, since you can walk to most interesting things, and you don’t have to deal with the parking issue.