After spending time at the National Gallery, we checked in to our hotel located in Arlington, Virginia.
The view from our 14th floor balcony was beautiful.
With the top of the Washington Monument off in the distance.
We planned to head out to a local place for dinner but after checking the hotel restaurant on the 17th floor, we decided to give it a try. There was a lovely view from our table.
John guessed right that the buildings across the Potomac River was the campus of Georgetown University.
The sun was low in the sky making for a beautiful view of the boats on the river.
Trip Planning Tips
Here are a few things that made this trip flow well.
We have visited Washington DC many times through the years as our kids were growing up. Yet, there are still so many sites and attractions we have not seen. With the internet, planning is easier than ever. I find, preparing a detailed itinerary makes the trip better. Of course, changes occur and a plan may need to be adjusted or revised, but having a clear idea how you want to spend your time makes the most of the experience. We packed a lot into our three day get-away and I think the pre-planning went far in making this a great trip.
Most places of interest have websites that provide much information as to what you will find, directions, admission fees and other important facts to help you plan. Reviewing these sites will give you an overview and help you become familiar with what you will see.
I also like to see what other folks that have visited have to say. Their thoughts and opinions can be valuable in helping you decide if you want to visit and suggestions as to what to see and what to skip.TripAdvisor has great forums that I have come to appreciate.
Whenever possible, purchase tickets to avoid spending time in lines. This includes transportation passes and tickets as well.
Planning each day
When planning each day, give consideration to the amount of time and endurance you have. Try not to pack so much in a day that you feel worn out to continue the following day. Plan for less strenuous periods of time to slow down and enjoy a leisurely pace. Try to get an idea of the amount of time suggested for each place on your itinerary. Some sites give a time to allot for visiting.
If you have a smartphone, you will love the google maps. I take the time to enter on my calendar, each place I plan to visit, with addresses, phone numbers, times and other notes that I may need to remember. When I am on the way to each destination, I click on the address and the maps pops up giving me directions from where I am to where I want to go. This is much appreciated as I have a poor sense of direction!
I make a detailed itinerary word document for each day of our trip using guesstimate times for each site/attraction, especially if packing a lot into a visit. I like to get an idea of what eating establishments are nearby and even look over the menu for pricing and what we might like to order. Now, so many places provide nutrition and calorie information on their websites, I can have a fair idea what I will order even before I arrive.
Getting around in a big city like Washington DC requires a good understanding of transportation options. We arrived by car and got around by walking, metro lines and trolley. There are many options with varying fees and times, so knowing in advance is very helpful. John found driving in DC to be frustrating so minimizing car transportation is a good idea as well as eliminating hard-to-find parking and fees.
Great suggestions. I'll use those for our travels in the future. I love the views from your hotel. I'm ready to get out and see our country!
~Adrienne~
I hope you get to see Old Town Alexandria…very charming…very, very OLD buildings on the Potomac River…worth the short trip to get there!
What an amazing view from that restaurant. Those are great tips. Sounds like you're the right person to travel with 🙂
I appreciated your trip tips. It is amazing how much easier it is to plan now with the internet. We actually are looking forward to a trip to the capital so I will have to look back at this as a good resource! Happy 4th weekend!