The DC Traveler

If you have already toured the inside of the US Capitol Building, perhaps, now that the weather is starting to get a bit more bearable, it’s the perfect time to take an outside walking tour of the most recognizable landmarks in Washington, DC.
George Washington laid the Capitol’s cornerstone in 1793 and since it opened in 1800, it’s been the center of American power and government. 

The building needed to be partially rebuild after the British burned parts of Washington, DC in 1814.  In the 1850s, the Capitol building was expanded, with the massive dome top statue, Freedom being …read more

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Cross under the Lion Arch and listen for the Vietnamese pop music coming out of the shops, as you enter what’s called by many locals, “the heart and soul of DC’s Vietnamese-American community”.
The Eden Center is DC’s Vietnamese-centric shopping mall and community gathering place.  Located in suburban Falls Church, Virginia, about 20 minutes from downtown Washington, DC, it seems to caters almost exclusively to the Vietnamese community.
Close to 30 Vietnamese restaurants and phở soup shops, along with another 17 bakeries, delis and cafes, with not a Burger Kings or Subway in site, draw many people to come Eden Center for …read more

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It’s the classic Victorian love story scene — a couple lounging in a rowboat, on a lazy summer afternoon in the middle of the lake, while he woos her with poetry by Byron or Keats.
And you too can add a bit of romance to your life and surprise your loved one with an afternoon or sunset rental of a rowboat at Burke Lake Park, in Fairfax Station, Virginia. All you need is a book of your favorite poet’s work.  Mother Nature can proved a romantic sunset.

In the late 1950s, Fairfax County Park Authority decided to create a public fishing lake. …read more

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National Memorial Park is one of the more interesting and newer cemeteries in the Washington, DC area. And it’s worth visiting. 
The parks many acres of mostly open a rolling hills, in nearby Falls Church, Virginia are tranquil and relaxing. And with all the sculptures, if you aren’t paying attention, you might think you were transported to the National Gallery of Art sculpture garden or the Hirshorne sculpture garden.
There are numerous benches where you can sit and reflect, and I assume no one would mind if you brought a blanket to relax on the grass.
I recently took a …read more

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Lafayette Park, directly north of the White House, was originally part of a larger “President’s Park,” which makes up much of the grounds surrounding the White House. It was until 1804, originally part of the White House grounds, but when President Thomas Jefferson ordered that Pennsylvania Avenue be connected between 15th and 17th Streets, the plot of land was cut off from White House grounds.
Twenty years later, the 7-acre President’s Park was renamed Lafayette Park, after the French General who participated in the Revolutionary War.  He was one of the six foreigners that were ever granted Honorary Citizenship of the …read more

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One of my favorite spots in Washington, DC has always been the Library of Congress.  However, I had not visited in several years.
Luckily, I was recently invited to a press conference hosted by Dr. James Billington, the Librarian of Congress, where the new Library of Congress Experience was being debuted.
The library’s new visitor experience located in the stunning Thomas Jefferson Building, take visitors on a tour of some of the library’s most treasured pieces, including a rough draft of the Declaration of Independence, the Gutenberg Bible, and Thomas Jefferson’s original book collection. 
Besides the collections, there’s the building itself, which should …read more

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From this….

To this…

With all the rain that we have had recently, Great Falls literally disappeared.
Visiting now will give you a rare perspective on the falls, that you only see after massive rain storms.
Here’s a quick clip of the falls from Tuesday afternoon (May 13, 2008)
 
Great Falls Park
9200 Old Dominion Drive at Georgetown Pike (Route 193)
McLean, VA 22102 (map it)
Days and Hours – Open daily, 7:00 a.m. until sunset.
Entrance Fee- $5.00 per vehicle, individual passes (on foot, horseback, bicycle or motorcycle) – $3.00, annual pass – $20.00
Nearest Metro subway station– West Falls Church or Dunn Loring – Orange line. Then a …read more

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You know it’s Springtime when the cherry blossoms in Washington, DC start to bloom.  And while they are not an official DC monument, the cherry trees in full blossom are one of Washington, DC’s most prized and loved attractions.

The 2-week festival begins Saturday, March 29th and runs until Sunday, April 13th, with peak viewing some time during that two weeks.  But I recommend that, if possible, you get  down to the National Mall early (the first weekend) to view the blossoms.  Historically, DC’s spring rains and wind can often put an abrupt and early end to the show.
Historically, the average …read more

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Enjoy a five-mile-long, mildly strenuous guided hike, through the moonlit gardens, woods and meadows during a Full Moon Hike at the National Arboretum in Washington, DC.
These tours, led by Arboretum specialists, are offered only a couple days a month, at 8:00 p.m., when the moon is full.
But reserve your walk quickly, as the limited slots fill very quickly.

Two of each three April and May hikes are sold out, but all three days in June are available (as of the time of this writing).  Check the Arboretum’s online schedule for current availability of walks scheduled at other times or …read more

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Happy President’s Day from Washington, DC. With the primary in full swing, I thought I might review the roots of the first presidential election and the Learning Center at the home of George Washington.
In both the first and second election for President (1789 and 1792) after the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, General George Washington received only 69 votes. But at that time, it was a landslide.
Since there was no popular vote for president by citizens at the time, only members of the elected electoral college cast votes, making Washington the only president to win 100 percent of …read more

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