One might make the perfect last minute stocking suffer.

• The most expensive inauguration package I found was the Omni Shoreham Hotel’s staggering $440,000 Commander-in-Chief package. Located near the near the National Zoo, it includes a $44,000 jewelry shopping extravaganza, and a private in-room dinner with a performance by well-known political satirist, Mark Russell.  Get to and from Washington, DC on the hotel-provided private jet and, just like the Obama’s, select a puppy of your choice as a memento of your trip. After the inauguration, play the diplomat and get whisked off for a 5-day first-class trip to St. Petersburg, Russia.
• Try the 14-room suite at the Mandarin Oriental overlooking the city and the National Mall for a paltry $200,000. It includes a chauffeur-driven Maserati.
• The ritzy Ritz Carlton Washington in Georgetown has a $150,000 package that includes private jet travel, personal butler and massage therapist and tickets to an inaugural ball.  Leave for home with a full set of Louis Vuitton luggage as well.
• The Georgetown Ritz Carlton offers a $99,000 package that includes first-class travel and a stay at the Ritz in the Grand Cayman Islands, as after all that pampering, I guess people need to relax a bit.
• The lovely Fairmont Hotel in the West End on M Street offers not so fat cats a lower priced  package in an exclusive suite. For $10,000, it comes with a chauffeured Rolls-Royce and two Secret Service-like body guards.  I wonder if they will talk into their wrists and give the guests special code names.

Many of the presidential inauguration hotel packages include other perks, such as lots of Dom Perignon and Beluga caviar, spa treatments, high-end shopping trips, tickets to the inaugural balls, limo service, designer clothing and jewelry, butler service, special dinners, designer luggage set and more….but only if you act fast and have a Fat Cat’s budget. 
_________________________________________________

Post from: The DC Traveler

It’s hard to believe that when Laura and Raymond Saba, owners of the Embassy Circle Guest House, first purchased the 106-year old property in 2003, the building was at risk of collapsing.

The tired mansion had suffered fire damage and had been empty and abandon for close to twenty years.

Fast forward after an extensive 3½ year and costly “labor of love” renovation project that concluded in 2007, when the couple proudly opened their second bed & breakfast inn, the other being the Woodley Park Guest House.

The Embassy Circle definitely gives its guests the feeling that they are staying at the home of good friends, as you are made to feel welcomed and as part of the family. Within minutes of arriving, I had met several of the guests, most visiting from overseas.

The public areas include a comfortable living room and formal dining room, where it seems most of the conversation happens.

Located in the Kalorama District of DC’s Embassy Row neighborhood, it close to several embassies, including Greece, Guatemala, Armenia, Cyprus, and Kenya, and just a short walk to the Woodrow Wilson House and the Textile Museum.

The property looks like many of the turn-of-the-century Embassy Row mansions that were converted into an embassy, but inside it’s a warm and cozy place, perfect for that home-away-from-home feeling.

Rooms – The eleven uncharacteristically large guest rooms, each with private baths, are classically appointed without any of the tacky “period” reproduction decorating so common in many older or historic B&Bs.

Each guest room has either one or two queen or king sized wood-framed beds, white chenille bedspreads, calming colors, and colorful Persian area rugs over blonde hardwood floors. A phone with private line and voicemail, both hard-wired and wireless Internet access (included), a private bath with a large shower plus marble vanities, and lots of closet space add to the amenities.  What’s also nice, is that there are no televisions or radios in the rooms.

CLICK READ MORE BELOW

The easiest way to describe the furnishings would be to say — clean and simple, but very classic and comfortable.

The inn is also sparkling clean and meticulously maintained, so you won’t find a cobweb or dust bunny anywhere.

The rooms are warm and should make you feel wanting to curl up in comfortable chair with a good book, or relax while slowly starting your morning in bed with the Washington Post.  But it’s more fun to join in on the morning conversation around the dinging room table.  The morning group I stayed included a foreign diplomat, a couple foreign Ph.D students, and a charming opera fan visiting DC for her periodic opera fix.  The conversations ranged from global politics and business, to arts and entertainment.

Food & Conversation – Breakfast included fresh-squeezed orange juice and coffee paired with yogurt, a fresh fruit salad, fresh-baked scones and pastries and more.

Owners Laura and Raymond fueled the evening and morning conversations by not only knowing each guest’s name and place of origin, but had some interesting tidbit to relate about each guest, which only furthered the conversations.  You can tell, they truly enjoy meeting new people.

The evening I was there, one guest, who had been staying for more than a week, was having a birthday, so out came a some yummy plates of tapas and a flourless chocolate cake for everyone to enjoy.  Wine and nuts are typically offered every night around 6:30, unless there’s a “reason” for something more special.

Room Rates & Reservations – $175.00 – $280.00 depending on season and room selection, excluding Inauguration Week.  Reservations are available online or by phone.

Location – The inn is located in a safe neighborhood, close to the Metro subway, just a couple stops from the National Mall, and within walking distance to many excellent restaurants.  If you want to avoid the Mall or downtown, and get a feel for the real DC, the Embassy Circle is ideal.

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Dupont Circle – Red line, then a ½-mile walk.

Parking -  Free street parking is available, but watch the 2-hour limit spaces before 8:00 p.m.

Overall Impression – I strongly recommend the inn for travelers that want something more than just a standard room in a big impersonal hotel and wish to enjoy true hospitality.

Embassy Circle Guest House
2224 R Street, NW
Washington, DC 20008 (map it)
202-232-7744  or 1-877-232-7744

Images – Courtesy of Embassy Circle Guest House – stock photos by Jumping Rocks Photography, sitting area and photo of the Sabas from personal collection – ©2008, Jon Rochetti _________________________________________________

Post from: The DC Traveler

If you are planning on attending the inauguration from out of town, start your planning now.  In fact, start planning two weeks ago, because most, if not all of the 95,000 area hotel rooms are already booked.  And expect to look hard for alternatives.  An estimated million and a half people are currently expected to attend what may be one of the largest events, and the largest inauguration, on the Mall National in Washington DC’s history.

The last inauguration, in 2005, drew 300,000 for President Bush’s second inauguration. President Lyndon Johnson’s inauguration drew the largest inauguration crowd, around 1 million people watched the ceremony at the Capital. 

After checking over 450 area hotels, none were accepting online reservations.  Some hotels were already sold out, others had multi-day (4 or 5 nights) stays required, while others required calls directly to the hotel.  A travel representative mentioned area hotels, normally in the under $200 range, had increased hotel room prices to double or more for the inauguration. 

I also checked for available hotel rooms in the Baltimore area and found nothing available.  But I did find a few rooms available in Richmond, Virginia, about 100 miles from Washington, DC. some rooms were still under $125 and even a Days Inn offered a room for just $60.  But I suspect these rates will soon jump as well.

Here’s ten ways to try to find an alternative place to stay for the inauguration:

1. Call around to hotels not generally frequented by tourists, such as conference centers in in the suburbs.
2. Check out temporary housing on home, condo and time share vacation rentals sites, but beware, prices for inauguration week have skyrocketed.
3. Look for ads in the Washington Post and Examiner.com housing section (print and online) for short term rentals for inauguration week.
4. Check Craigslist (temporary housing section) in Washington, DC and the surrounding suburbs for people renting homes or rooms during inauguration week.  I found several hundred ads, ranging from someone’s basement bedroom in the suburbs, to a beautifully furnished 3-bedroom high-rise condo just blocks from the National Mall for $12,000 for the week. Make sure to look for convenient Metro access and parking.
5. Check DC Message Boards for rooms available for the inauguration.
6. Rent a motor home for a few days. If none are available in DC, look in the surrounding areas and drive it to DC for the inauguration.
7. Search out that long lost school friend who lives in Washington, DC on Classmates.com
8. Get on the phone and search out some of the smaller suburban motels, that may not have websites.
9. Find friends who are going to the inauguration and try to crash with them, on the sofa, a roll-away, or on the floor.
10. Make an offer to stay in The DC Traveler’s guest room…all bids will be entertained. Plus, an Inauguration Continental Breakfast is included!!

You can still request inauguration tickets, but it’s probably too late to make the cut. Visit your Congressional Representative’s website at http://www.house.gov/.

Image – Wikipedia – public domain
_________________________________________________

Post from: The DC Traveler

If all you need is a safe and comfortable bed, and you’re on a student’s budget or have limited funds to pay for accommodations, why not try a hostel?

Most Washington, DC hostels offer dormitory-style rooms, with 4 to 10 beds per room, utilizing 2 or 3-level bunk beds. Private rooms use a similar layout, but may have only 2 or 4 twin beds, and generally cost more.

I checked the prices at six of the more popular Washington, DC hostels for a Friday night stay several weeks in advance and found rates ranging from $22.00 to $45.00; about 15% of the typical DC hotel rate.

Virtually all hostels offer a 24-hour front desk service, with no curfew or lock-out times. Most also have required quite hours overnight, as well as strict drug-free, smoke-free and alcohol-free policies. You will also be required to present a valid credit card and a government issued ID at check in.

Rooms usually include A/C and heat, in-room locker facilities, linens and towels. Some will offer a basic breakfast – such as coffee, tea, toast & jam.

Amenities may include shared baths, common room with TV and Internet access or PC stations, self-service kitchen or BBQ facilities, (you clean up afterwards), coin-op laundry facilities or laundry service, luggage storage for larger items, iron & ironing boards and hair dryers. some have big screen TVs, free DVD movie collections, bike rentals, fee-based auto or bicycle parking and more.  So make sure you check the amenities list, before you book.

Some hostels also offer food and/or beverage service.

Here’s a list of the more popular hostels, ranging from just a few blocks from the Capitol Building, to several miles from the National Mall or in the heart of Adams-Morgan.  All prices quoted were for a single bed in a shared dorm-style room.

• City Hostel
  2411 Benning Road, NE
  Sample cost – $29.00 for a bed in a 6 or 9 bed dorm
• William Penn House 
  515 East Capitol Street, SE
  Sample cost – $45 for a bed in a 4-bed same-sex dorm, $40 in a 10-bed room, included breakfast
• Hilltop Hostel
  300 Carroll Street, NW
  Sample cost – $22.00 for a 6 bed mixed dorm
• Washington International Student Center
  2451 18th Street, NW
  Sample cost – $29.00 for a 6 or 9 person mixed dorm, included A/C and security locker.
• Alexandria Guest House
  1700 Sherwood Hall Lane, Alexandria 22306 VA
  Sample cost – $29.00 for a 6 or 9 person mixed dorm – Reservations required – no walk-ins. Includes breakfast.
• Hostelling International
  1009 11th Street, NW

Sample cost – $29.00 for a 10 bed dorm, $33 for a 4 bed

A couple hostel booking sites include HostelWorld and Hostels.com, but check the same hotel at multiple booking sites, as the prices I found ranged by as much as $10 per night. 

Image – bunk beds, 

___________________________________________________

Post from: The DC Traveler

Can you find a “green” hotel to stay at? And even if the hotel claims to be green, are they really all that green?  Or are their claims simply a PR team spinning out eco-friendly press releases on glossy recycled paper?

Most major hotel chains have developed policies or are developing goals that help build sustainability into their business plan, to reduce waste, energy and water use, as well as a commitment to build more environmentally-friendly properties.  But finding a green hotel in Washington, DC is not always possible.

So here’s ten tips for doing your part to help save the planet. 

Even if you are staying at a green hotel, try to:

1. Park your car or skip the rental car counter and take public transportation. Washington DC’s Metro subway system can get you to most tourist destinations, quickly and efficiently. 
2. To avoid cabs, check if the hotel has a courtesy van to and from the airport, Union station or the nearest Metro station. If you must take a cab to and from the airport, try to share with at least one other rider.
3. Reuse towels, by hanging them up to dry.  Most housekeeping staffs understand that a towel on the floor gets changed, hanging towels signals you’ll reuse it.
4. Request that sheets are not changed every day during your stay. 
5. Walk or rent a bike versus taking a cab.  DC is a great walking and biking city in most seasons, even the summer. And even though it can get really hot and sticky, you can still save some gasoline and reduce your personal carbon footprint. Plus, the extra exercise is always good for you.
6. Recycle glass and plastic bottles and aluminum cans. Even if your room doesn’t have a recycle bin, take your recyclables to the hotel’s restaurant and ask them to toss them in their back-of-house recycle bins.
7. When you leave your room, turn off all electrical devices, including the lights, TV, radio and the AC/heating unit.
8. Recycle your daily newspaper or leave it in the lobby for others to read. If you are not planning on reading a paper during your stay, ask that one not be delivered to your room each morning.
9. Select paperless check-in and check-out, and save a few pieces of paper.
10. Report any dripping faucets to the hotel’s maintenance staff.

Bonus Tip – Don’t throw out your plastic water bottle, refill it, versus buying a new one every time.  Close to 88% of all plastic water bottles are not recycled and end up in landfills. That’s over 26,000,000,000 (26 billion) each year.

Here’s just a couple of Washington, DC hotels that claim to be a bit greener than others:

• The historic Willard InterContinental Hotel, which I recently reviewed, is powered by 100% wind energy.  It’s energy supply comes from renewable wind energy credits, making it the first U.S. urban luxury hotel to be fully supported in a sustainable manner.
• The Hyatt Regency Washington, has been Green Seal certified. Green Seal reviews and certifies hotels on their efforts to recycle, conserve energy, reduce fresh water resources, replace hazardous substances with alternatives, and have an environmentally friendly purchasing process.
• Residence Inn at 333 E Street, SW, boasts 50% of its electricity comes from renewable sources. For extended stays, they change linens twice weekly, replace towels only upon request and have a guest recycling station on the 2nd floor. Guests can also rent a hybrid “Flex car” on an hourly basis. They also have eliminated all Styrofoam from their food service.

And for all kinds of green travel ideas, check out Traveling the Green Way, an informative green-focused travel blog from b5media. 

Images – We recycle sign, bottle,

_________________________________________________

Post from: The DC Traveler

I had the opportunity to tour and spend the night at the Pentagon City Ritz Carlton Hotel in suburban Arlington in mid-February. 

Attached to the Pentagon City Mall, the hotel is ideal for up-scale vacationers, business travelers and couples looking for a romantic get-away. Or anyone looking for a near-by hotel while hoping to avoid downtown DC hotels. 

Rooms – The 366 recently renovated guest rooms are very warm, comfortable and inviting. The king sized beds provide goose down featherbeds and comforters along with extra fluffy pillows.  The addition of high-count Egyptian cotton linens can make it rather tough to get out of bed. 

My standard room included a nice high-def television, both wired and wireless high-speed Internet access ($9.95 per day), terrycloth bathrobes, plush towels, nice bathroom amenities, a well stocked mini-bar, an in-room safe and complementary coffee and tea.  Making yourself feel pampered is easy at the Ritz Carlton.

One special amenity that I actually fell in love with, one that I haven’t seen in a hotel before, was the television. Not actually the television, but a Ritz Carlton promotional video that was playing quietly in the background on the television when I first opened the door. 

It showed a series of rotating still images of some of the worlds most beautiful places, (beaches, sunsets, mountains, etc.), played along with some very relaxing Zen-like background music. 

Mesmerized by it, I kept the loop playing in the background the entire time I was in my room.  It made the room even more soothing and peaceful. (I actually regret not checking the hotel’s gift shop for a DVD copy, as it would make a great sleep aid.)

MORE –>

Fitness Center & Spa – The Ritz’s Fitness Center is another of the hotel’s highlights, and frankly the best I’ve seen in a hotel.

Marble walled locker rooms, with adjoining sauna and steam rooms, keyed wood-faced lockers and an attentive staff, gets a workout off on the right foot.  The multiple treadmills, stationary and recumbent bicycles, weight training and elliptical trainers, racks of free weights, and other machines easily compete with the type of equipment normally reserved for high-end health clubs and more exclusive country clubs.

The heated multi-lane lap pool was perfect for a quick swim, followed by a long soak in the large Jacuzzi.  I visited the Fitness Center twice during my stay and there was never more than one or two people using it at any time, making it feel like it was my very own private health club. 

The Fitness Center also offers several types of professional massages by appointment.

Dining – Sadly, the hotel’s main restaurant, The Grill Restaurant, was under renovations during my stay, but should be open now. During my stay, a temporary restaurant and bar was located in the Diplomat Room. Even a “temporary” dining room was still very elegant, hosting afternoon tea when I visited.

The dinner menu includes items such as Chilean sea bass, venison, beef tenderloin, duck and roasted lobster.

On Sundays, the Ritz’s brunch ($58.00) was voted the best brunch in Washington, DC three years in a row (2003-05).

Finding other great dining alternatives in the area is easy. A host of area dining options, from casual to fine, include some great ethnic foods such as Lebanese, Asian, and Tapas, as well as several steak houses, all within easy walking distance.

Special Events – If you are planning a special event such as a wedding, the Ritz’s china room lets guests select from their many styles of china and linens offered for banquets. The hotel also boasts an in-house floral boutique.

Location – The hotel’s location is ideal for travelers – just 5 minutes from Reagan National Airport, and less than 10 minutes by car to the Mall and Arlington Cemetery. There’s even a Metro subway station you can walk to without ever leaving the complex. 

Plus, if you want to do a bit of shopping, the Ritz is attached to the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City shopping mall, with Macy’s and Nordstrom department stores as its main anchors. Yet while in the hotel, you would never know the building was attached to a busy mall.

Overall Impression – I was probably biased walking in, as I hosted a couple large business events at the Ritz in Laguna Beach, California years ago, and still have fond memories of the food, service and experience.  The Pentagon City Ritz Carlton Hotel was not an exception. The hotel  lives for its guests pleasure and comfort, by maintaining the Ritz’s philosophy — providing exceptional service.

Pentagon City Ritz Carlton Hotel 
1250 South Hayes Street
Arlington, VA 22202 (map it)

Rates – $219 to over $3,000 for the Presidential Suite.

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Pentagon City, Blue, Orange and Red lines.

Parking – Valet at $29 per day.

Images – All photos from personal collection -© 2008 – Jon Rochetti 

________________________________________________

Post from: The DC Traveler

Within about a 3½ hour drive from Washington, DC, are close to a dozen ski resorts. All offer traditional skiing and snowboarding, others include snowmobiling, snow-tubing and ice skating options. For relaxation and to comfort tired bodies, spa services and night clubs are available at a couple. And at Massanutten, non-skiers can enjoy the 85-degree water park. 

Lift tickets prices listed are for adult weekend full-day tickets during prime times/days. Discounts may be available for off-peak days and times.

A recent check shows that all have at least a 30-inch base.

Virginia 

• Bryce Mountain in Basye. Drive time – 2 hours.  Lift tickets – $52 – $62.
• Massanutten Resorts in Harrisonburg. Drive time – 2 hours. Lift tickets on weekends are $64 and $70. Massanutten also offers an indoor WaterPark with 250 feet of slides.  Snow tubing also available.
• Wintergreen in Wintergreen, VA. Drive time – 3 hours.  Lift tickets – $64. Also has a large snow tubing park.

Pennsylvania

• Ski Liberty in Carroll Valley, is the closest ski resort to DC with a 1½ hour drive time.  Lift tickets – $59. Check out their up-to-the-minute cameras.
• Ski Roundtop in Lewisberry. Drive time – 2¼ hours.  Lift tickets – $58.
• Whitetail Mountain, Mercersburg. Drive time – under 2 hours.  Lift tickets – $59. It’s 900+ foot vertical drop is one of the steepest of the resorts within 2½ hours. Live cam photos here.
• Blue Knob Ski Resort in Claysburg. Drive time – 2¼ hours.  Lift tickets – $58. Check out or compete in their Big Air Contest on Saturday, Feb. 23rd.

Maryland

• Wisp Ski Resort in McHenry.  Wisp is the area’s only resort in Maryland. Drive time – 3 hours.  Lift tickets – $57. For snowboarders, it offers a 400-foot half pipe.

West Virginia

• Canaan Valley in Davis. Drive time – 3¾ hours.  Lift tickets – $53 – $61.  If you are not into skiing or boarding, try snowshoeing over the 30 km of trails.
• Timberline Four Seasons also in Davis. Drive time – 3¾ hours.  Lift tickets – $57.

One last resort, Snowshoe Mountain in Snowshoe, WV offers probably the most serious skiing in the area, with its 1,500-foot vertical drop on its expert runs.  It’s also the furthest from DC, at 5 hours.  Lift tickets – $70.  Accommodations include from single rooms to 5-bedroom single family homes.  and on March 9-10, visit for their 8th annual Mountaintop Beach Party, but bring your thermals.

Images – Flickr 
______________________________________________

Post from: The DC Traveler

Thomas Jefferson was the first president to take the oath in Washington. And Andrew Jackson the first to use the steps of the Capitol Building for the ceremony.

Following the inauguration parade, higher level campaign workers, movers & shakers, fund raisers, fat-cat politicos, Hollywood types, and deep-pocket supporters of the winning candidate, get to attend one of formal inauguration balls that evening.

Tickets for these balls are hard to come by.  But tickets often come up for sale through ticket brokers as the event date comes closer.

But even harder to find, is a hotel room anywhere around the White House for the few days leading up to January 20th. With tens of thousands of people visiting Washington, DC to celebrate their candidate’s victory, hotel rooms go fast.

Already, many downtown DC hotels are “sold out”.  I checked two of the major hotels chains and of the ten properties closest to the White House (within 5 miles), all ten were sold out for the 19th, 20th and  21st.  And we’re still nine months from the election!!

So if witnessing the inauguration on a big screen TV with thousands on the National Mall or if attending one of the fancy inauguration balls is on your “must do” list, make your hotel reservations now. 

Here’s a partial list of the larger balls in Washington, DC for that evening(schedule and location subject to change).

• Constitution Ball at the Washington Hilton for AR, CT, GA, IN, ME, MN, MS, MT, NV, NM, OK, OR, PR, VI, WI WV and the Pacific Territories.
• Freedom Ball at Union Station for AK, AL, IL, KS, LA, MI and the Diplomatic Corps
• Commander in Chief Ball for Military Personnel Only at the National Building Museum

At the DC Convention Center:

• Independence Ball for CO, DE, DC, HI, ID, IA, MD, MA, MO, NE, NH, RI, SC, VT, VA and WA
• Texas Wyoming Ball for TX and WY
• Liberty Ball for FL
• Democracy Ball for AZ, CA, KY, NC, ND, SD, TN and UT
• Patriot Ball for OH
• Stars & Stripes Ball for NY, NJ and PA

________________________________________________

Technorati Tags: Washington DC, DC, Washington, travel, Washington DC travel, vacation, b5 media, tourist information, local attractions, The DC Traveler, DC travel information, site seeing, DC attractions, Presidential inauguration, inauguration balls, DC hotels, Washington hotels

Post from: The DC Traveler

This sparkling chrome and glass high-rise community was built on acreage comprising of mostly former industrial properties and railroad rights-of-ways. It now houses some of DC’s more desirable commercial properties, hotels, high-rise apartments and retail space.  

The first building to be erected in the early 1960s, the Crystal House at 1900 South Eads Street, set the standard for naming buildings in the area, using the word “crystal” in its name, and eventually the area became known as Crystal City.

The area boasts an underground network of corridors and walkways that allows residents who work nearby to never have to brave the elements to and from their daily commutes.  They can also shop and dine in their underground city.

With retail, dining and housing all in one convenient community, it’s an unique place to live, shop, work and play.

Over a dozen full-service major-chain hotels, including a Marriott, Hyatt Regency, Sheraton serve the area. And with over 5,300 rooms in Crystal City, it attracts business travelers and tourists alike, being only 10 minutes or a short Metro subway ride to downtown DC and the National Mall. Some great discounted room rates are often available at some of the hotels, notably on weekends and during holidays when occupancy by business travelers is low.  Staying in Crystal City is definitely an alternative to a DC hotel.

Finding a great meal is also easy, from fast food to fine dining. A few of the area’s favorites, especially for steak-loving carnivores are:

• Jaleo (tapas) – 2250, A Crystal Drive
• Morton’s Steakhouse (steaks) – 1631 Crystal Square Arcade, Suite 54
• Ruth’s Chris Steak House - (steaks) 2231 Crystal Drive
• McCormick & Schmick’s (seafood) – 2010-B Crystal Drive
• Ted’s Montana Grill (check out a bison filet or bison burger) – 2200 Crystal Drive, Suite A

The besides the local shopping, the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City mall (1100 South Hayes St.) is just one short subway stop away on the Metro’s Blue and Yellow lines.  The mall hosts anchors such as Macy’s and Nordstrom, as well as Armani Exchange, Coach, BCBG, Cole Haan and a Ritz-Carlton hotel as well as several great restaurants within a block of the mall. 

__________________________________________________

Post from: The DC Traveler

Working mostly in military hospitals, aboard ships and with evacuation squadrons, these brave women provided care, comfort, and a warm human touch to soldiers who were wounded in action. About ten percent of them were air traffic controllers, communications specialists, intelligence officers, or clerks working for all the branches of the armed services.

The first American medical specialists arrived in Vietnam in 1950, and in 1956, the first three Army Nurse Corps (ANC) nurses landed in Saigon to train South Vietnamese nurses. 

Virtually all the U.S. nurses were volunteers and most were in their early 20s when they arrived in the Republic of Vietnam. Sadly, when they returned home, many faced the same hostile treatment as many returning combat soldiers.

Dedicated the same year as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall, the  Vietnam Women’s Memorial is a tribute to women who serviced during the Vietnam War. 

During the war, hundreds of these unarmed Army nurses were under fire, and were decorated for bravery and distinguished service. The names of eight women such women are inscribed in the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall.

The sculpture of two nurses caring for a wounded GI was designed by Glenna M. Goodacre, who also designed the Sacagawea dollar coin that entered entered circulation in 2000 and replaced the Susan B. Anthony dollar coin.

Vietnam Woman’s Memorial
On the National Mall and part of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Between Constitution Ave. and the Reflecting Pool, between 21st and 22nd St., NW.
Washington, DC (map it)

Dates and Times – open daily, 24-hours. National Park Rangers are on duty to answer questions from 9:30 a.m. until 11:30 p.m. daily.

Tickets – Admission is free.

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Foggy Bottom – Blue or Yellow line, then a 3/4 mile walk.

Parking – Metered street parking is available within a couple block of the memorial, but is at times limited, especially on weekends.

_____________________________________________

Post from: The DC Traveler