It takes some planning to include cities in a road-trip of the USA, so lots of traveler’s skirt around them instead. But you don’t have to, let me fill you in on how to include DC.
Washington DC is on a lot of bucket lists, and for good reason, it’s an amazing city, with iconic sights and historic museums and neighborhoods it would be a great shame to skip it.
I’ll let you in on the secret of how to include DC on an RV road-trip, it’s called Cherry Hill Park a holiday park that sets the standard, it’s not just the closest RV park to DC, it has great amenities including a cafe and grocery store and something that’s an amazing bonus – a Concierge! to help you with sightseeing in the capital, especially the things that you can benefit from having pre-booking.
Cherry Hill Park is actually in Maryland but only 27km (17miles) from the Icons of DC, it has its own shuttle bus, from the park, but at US$29 a head that option is quite expensive when its a short uber ride to College Park Metro Station. That’s on the green line and only 25mins into the National Mall, the Metro starts early and runs till 11.30pm, if you stay out late for the night in DC and have to cab it back it will cost you between US$80-100.
HINT: Having said all of that you can leave your vehicle for a few nights and stay in a hotel in the center of DC, have a look at Yotel for it’s great location, easy walk to The Capital and Union Station, and it’s terrific prices.
Public transport around DC
Union Station is the hub for all public transport into and around DC. Get yourself a Smartrip Card at College Park Station in Maryland so you can use both the Metro and the Circulator bus, you can buy a 1 or 3 day pass.
There are very reasonable ways to get around once there:
- Walk – it’s nice and flat and all of what you want to see is walkable, you will want to walk the National Mall in particular, at least one way.
- Bike and scooter share options are available, you will see their docking stations around the popular areas, a credit card will activate them, there are 143km’s of bike lanes.
- Taxi’s – DC isn’t that big so if you won’t find it an expensive option.
- Metro and Circulator bus as above.
Before you get to DC
Do your research on which sights, museums and galleries are most important to you otherwise you will be overwhelmed by the choices. You won’t be able to do everything unless you are moving to DC!
The Mall – Above is the route of the Circulator bus and shows you where all the Metro stations are. For context, it’s about 5km’s from 1. Union Station to 9. Lincoln Memorial. Everyone is going to walk The National Mall, so pack a lunch and spend your first morning wandering all the memorials, you can hop on and off The Circulator Bus.
You will be able to see, above, the Jefferson Memorial and all the other memorials – Franklin D Roosevelt, Martin Luther King Jnr, Korean War Veterans, Lincoln, Vietnam, WWII, the Washington Monument obelisk, and of course The Whitehouse.
My tip – 1. It’s always good to do the Hop on Hop off bus tour in any city, the commentary is always so informative and it orientates you to go back and give more attention to what you’re most interested in. In DC (pick it up at Union Station) do the tour and hop off at Arlington Cemetery, over the bridge into Virginia (also blue Metro line) the Circulator bus doesn’t go there, when you have orientated yourself you can go back to each of the monuments. I do consider it to be quite expensive though.
2. If the line to go up the Washington Obelisk is too long you can go up the clock tower of the Old Post Office Building for an equally good view of the capital, without the crowds.
Capital Hill – It’s all about the US Capital Building, Library of Congress, Supreme Court, and the Botanical Gardens. But there is also the Eastern Market, and a lot of stately 19th century homes in the area. The guided tour of the Capital Building should be on your ‘MUST DO’ list, go online and book your entry time so you don’t have to wait around for too long, It’s free and takes about an hour. The museum inside the building is very informative so allow an extra hour to include it. There is also a tour of the gardens available if that’s your thing.
My Tip – if you are in DC in the summer US Marine Barracks has a parade on Friday nights, get there by 7.30 pm to ensure a seat.
The Smithsonian’s – The 17 free Smithsonian museums in DC are one of the biggest drawcards of the capital. The National Air & Space, and National Museum of African American History and Culture are more popular than others and you need to book an entry slot, this ensures that they are not over crowded. I also went to the Natural History , National Museum of American History, National Museum of the American Indian, National Gallery of Art Gallery. There is also relatively new fun Spy Museum that’s not part of the Smithsonian, but it’s interactive a quite a treat, I loved it.
The Neighborhoods of DC
Georgetown – Is where it all started. Take a step back in time to small old stone houses and the larger stately homes of the era and you are just breathing in the past. The best thing I did on my most recent trip to DC was a Georgetown Walking Tour. Full disclosure – I love a walking tours, particularly when history or food are involved (the secret is to do good ones!) and there are only a few places more important in US history than Georgetown Washington DC. My group consisted of 10 other walking tour lovers and our guide who knew everything there is to know about the history and architecture of the area, it went for 3 short hours and we where all very sad when it finished. When you have finished exploring the area head down to the Potomac water front where you’ll find restaurants and the Kennedy Center (everything performing arts and a tribute to the legacy of JFK).
My Tip – There are water taxi services from the water front that are a terrific inexpensive way to do a river cruise, there is even commentary, they will take you to the Navy Yards, another place to eat and the National Museum of the US Navy.
U Street Area – As you would expect the birthplace of Duke Ellington is a great night time spot for Jazz Club’s and Ethiopian Restaurants, by day see the quirky street Murals, and the touching African American Civil War Memorial. It’s another good place for a walking tour, here I did the Black Broadway Food Tour which started at the iconic Ben’s Chili Bowl and took in Dukem one of U Streets famous Ethiopian Restaurants as well as the history of the area and pastry and ice cream.
My Tip – U Street has the largest Ethiopian population outside Ethiopia, so guess where you should be trying Ethiopian food for the first time?
Dupont Circle – Head here via Metro Red line for The American Revolution Institute, as well as the National Geographic Museum and President Wilson’s House. If you lose your passport this is also where you will find all the embassies.
My Tip – make sure you have lunch at Kramers Book Store and Restaurant, it’s an institution, and have a beer in the 1921 Garden Bar of Henrich House, Christian Henrich was Washington DC’s pioneering brewer.
This just scratches the surface of what there is to do in Washington DC, depending on your interests you may lean more heavily towards museums or the Smithsonian institutes. For everything Washington DC see – washington.org
Photo credit – Washington.org, circulator bus and personal photos by Shelley
