Tips for Taking a Walking Tour in Washington, D.C

One of the best places in the United States to take a walking tour is in our nation's capital, Washington D.C. Yes, they offer a variety of guided walking tours as well as guided motorized tours, but the best way to see the city is by doing it yourself. Personally, I guided my mother and niece on a walking tour of Washington D.C in 2001, right before the 9/11 attacks, and really enjoyed it.

However, before you show up in Washington you need to be prepared. I would suggest either purchasing a book or several books that tell you about the sites of the city. If you are a member of a travel organization, such as AAA, then I would suggest paying them a visit beforehand to help hammer out your accommodations as well as your potential itinerary. I suggest a travel organization or club such as AAA, because chances are they have at least one travel agent or associate that has been to Washington before. Word of mouth could be the best advice you ever receive.

So, besides getting the heads-up from a travel club I want to pass along some of my own information and ideas, just incase you don't get the chance to go to a travel agency or elsewhere. First of all, think of where you want to sleep. If you are doing this on a budget, then be aware that most of the hotels around Washington D.C are priced significantly higher than the hotels in Virginia. I stayed at the Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites in Alexandria, Virginia. The room was very spacious and the hotel had many amenities such as a large indoor pool as well as an outdoor pool, exercise facility, laundry valet, bar, guest laundry area, golf, sauna, room service with great food, tennis, a restaurant, and the best thing of all: a free shuttle that takes you to the metro rail or Ronald Reagan International Airport.

Easy access to the metro rail system is key to your adventure. Yes, you have to pay to ride the metro, but you can buy a pass that will last you for your entire stay and save you money. Once you have your accommodations and are aware that the metro will be your friend, you are half way to a great self-guided trip.

Now I will focus on some key places to visit while in and around Washington. I would suggest either printing a map of the area from the internet, ask for one from AAA, or purchase one. This way you know where you want to go and can schedule things more efficiently. After all, you don't want to back-track while on your tour because this can get tiresome as well as tedious. Tiresome? Yes, there is a lot of walking involved if you don't opt to take the bus or a small guided tour, so try to map out your tour ahead of time to save not only time but energy as well.

If you want to tour the White House, you have to have a group of ten or more and your request must be submitted beforehand to your member of Congress and it must be at least six-months in advance. Since most people won't be in a group of ten or more, let's focus on some other really great sites that you can tour alone. Here is a sample itinerary for touring:

-Visit the US Capital, but make sure you arrive early. Tickets are given out on a first-come, first-serve basis and they start handing out the tickets at 9 A.M. They give free guided 45-minute tours Monday through Saturday from 9 A.M until 4:30 P.M.

The area around the Capital is pretty interesting by itself. The Library of Congress and the US Supreme Court are close by and within close walking distance. So after you finish your tour of the Capital and walk the grounds outside to see the landscaping, you may want to go visit the Supreme Court and Library of Congress.

-For lunch, there are tons of great little eateries along the streets near the Capital. Just keep in mind that if it is a week day, they may be crowded do to the working crowd. You may also want to visit Union Station, if time permits. They have a variety of food, as well as very unique architecture and shops.

-After lunch, you are within walking distance to the Smithsonian buildings as well as the National Museum of Art. I enjoyed the many buildings of the Smithsonian and spent most of my time there. Keep in mind that they take a while to tour and they do eventually close for the day. There will be no way to visit all of their sites, so you will want to end the day here and maybe pick up the rest the following morning, bright and early.

-Pick up the remaining buildings of the Smithsonian on your second day, early in the morning. Once you are finished, you can jump on the metro station near the Smithsonian and head to other locations. Remember, the metro rail is your friend so use it.

-Visit the Washington Monument. The monument is anchored in between the Capital and the White House. You can also find the Reflection Pond there as well.

-At the other end of the Reflection Pond, you can also visit the Lincoln Memorial. Be prepared to be awed as well as out of breath from the climb to the top. It is breath-taking to sit at the top of the steps and look out over the national mall and reflection pond.

-While near the Lincoln Memorial, be sure to visit the various memorial walls. You can visit the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and the National WWII Memorial. All are quite spectacular to visit and the statues lining some of the memorials and along the pathways are exquisite and make for great photo ops.

-Depending on your preference, you can also visit the Thomas Jefferson memorial and Franklin Delano Roosevelt memorial as well. I actually missed these two sites because I spent a majority of my time visiting the memorial walls and the Smithsonian buildings.

-Another great spot to visit while in Washington is China Town. They have very interesting and delicious eateries, as well as many very unique and cheap shops. It is very interesting to see the architecture of the buildings, as well as see what the shops hang in the windows (such as ducks and chickens).

-Don't forget to spend a partial day at Arlington National Cemetery. They have certain tours available and you can also tour the facilities on your own. This is where you can witness the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Arlington National is located on the Metro, so it is easily accessible as well.

-The FBI building is a little out of the way, but you may have some interest in visiting it as well.

There are so many buildings to visit in Washington, D.C you cannot possibly visit them all in one shot, unless you are there for a week and have done some very precise planning. Also, keep in mind that since 9/11 security will be more strict and there will be certain items that you cannot carry into various buildings.

Your best bet is to 1)Plan ahead, 2)Come equipped with maps and advise, and 3)Most importantly: The metro rail is your friend and you should use it as often as needed to get to all sights on your list.

I hope these tips help you in your travels and I hope you have an equally exciting and memorable time as I had in our Nation's Capital.