Washington D.C.

[ibryant]

I'll be in Washington D.C. on business November 11th through the 16th, and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions of things to do and/or see while I'm there. I've been before, so I've been to Smithsonian, White House, etc...really I'm looking more for less-well-known places (i.e., restaurants, bars, neighborhoods, markets, events, etc.) that would be good/fun. I'll have the weekend to exclusively play around in D.C., and my brother is flying in for the weekend too...so really, anything that anyone could recommend for two guys out on the town (just not dance clubs, I'm not a fan). I don't know if we have any D.C. experts on the forum, but I thought it might be worth a try.

[aceplace]

Ibryant,

Have you tried the Spy museum in downtown DC?

[bshiker]

I happen to live in DC (well actually Arlington).

There is a lot to do in DC. I will just cover a couple of categories. If you have any specific questions, let me know.

The following are my suggestions for museums:

1. Based on your interest in this board, I think you should probably go to the National Building Museum. It is very interesting and has a great gift shop (huge selection of books on cities and architecture).
2. If you are interested in art (I am assuming you have gone to the national gallery), the Corcoran and the Phillips both have world class collections.
3. For pure amusement, the spy museum is fun, but the waits can be very long.
4. The AIA maintains a small museum if you like architure.
5. Plus there are many more samll museums (women and the fine arts, woodrow wilson, smaller art museums, beads, religions, design, etc).

Fun resteraunts, bars, activities, etc:

1. Check the Washington Post's web page for any weekend activities. DC has many more weekend festivals, special events, etc than similar sized cities. I'm not sure whats coming up, but its worth a look.

2. As for resteraunts, the key question here is price range. DC has some very cool resteraunts, but many of them are expensive (blame expense accounts). Its ethnic cuisine is a little limited, but it does have a few stand outs here and there. The east end of downtown (called old downtown, Penn Quarter, MCI Center or China Town) is currently undergoing a massive cahnge (over 2,000 condos and apartments will open in the next 2 years) and has some very cool new resteraunts. In that neighborhood, there are a couple of very good tapas resteraunts and the highend resteraunt at the spy museum is great. Plus you have some stanrd steak resteraunts and brew pubs and many others. For the best mix of price ranges and diversity, Adams Morgan would be my recomendation. Has both cheap and high end with some good ethinc food (ethopian, Brazilian, thai, middle eastern, etc). You can also look in Dupont Circle and U Street corridor. I would avoid Georgetown.

3. If you are interested in chekcing out the neighborhoods, I would recomend adams morgan, U street, 14 street/Logan cricle, Dupont circle and old downtown. Georgetown can be fun, but it is overun by suburbanites on the weekend. However, if the weather is good, getting a drink on the water at the Washington Harbor complex is a great way to spend some time on an afternoon.

4. If you are intereste din walking tours, there are some intereing tours out there (including ghost tours).

Im not sure I helped. I know I rmabled a bit. Despite its image, DC is a very fun town. Lots of good resteraunts and bars and lots of unique things. If you have a particular interest I would be glad to give you more direction.

[ibryant]

Thanks for the great suggestions guys! bshiker, if I can think of any specific question as it gets closer, I might take you up on some more direction and suggestions. I'll definitely have to check out the National Building Museum.

Also, I agree with you 100%...from the limited time I've spent in DC, I just loved it! So much to do and see, and a world-class transit system. I would love to see Dallas have a system like that eventually, but I guess it all comes down to density...we'll see.

[JaeTex]

I'm no expert, but I imagine in DC the world-class transit system is a product of both its density and to a small extent a massive gov't subsidy either in construction, operations, or both.

[aceplace]

Jaetex,

Yes, to both. Central DC has many government buildings and few, if any, parking lots. The people who make policy for the Federal Government have to ride the subway system to get to their jobs and have a self interest im paying for the system.

[ibryant]

If only we could force the powers that be in Dallas to ride the train!

[JaeTex]

Even better if we could force the rest of the country to subsidize DART more. My point was that the DC metro probably receives more of MY tax dollars than does DART, so that I'm paying for the system. I suspect the whole thing is both directly subsidized by the feds as well as indirectly by the number of people the feds hire and offices in a dense space.

This might be where the thread takes a right turn and someone rails against big government, etc. but it won't be me today...I just don't have the energy.

[aceplace]

JaeTex,

Houston feels even worse... they get no Federal money, thanks to Mr Tom Delay. Fortunately, DeLay can no longer delay rail in Houston.

[bshiker]

While the DC metro received substantial federal money, I think you are ignoring a couple of interesting facts. First, when the metro was laid out in the late 70's (and just recetly completed its initial build out), DC actively chose to take the money from the federal governemtn for the metro as opposed to for interstates. Originally, as with most other american cities, there were supposed to be interestates going into the heart of the district, forming a loop and cutting all the way through, but DC activists got those plans killed and instead got transit. So the net money is not higher than other places (it may in fact be lower). Second, Metro rail is the second most profitable rail system in the US (judged by % of cost covered by riders). It is somewhere in the 80% range. Of course, the bus system and prartransit are highly unproftable.

Another interesting note. DC is in the process of putting together a light rail system. A small test bed sysstem (of a couple of miles) will be open in about a year. Thesystem will be just in DC proper to increase mobility.

[aceplace]

bshiker,

Thanks for the info. I didn't know that the transit money was in lieu of highway funds.

Do you know where in DC the LRV line will be?

[bshiker]

The initial line is being build along an existing right of way along the far bank of the anacostia river.

The eaxact location and the ultimate feasability is still somewhat in dispute. However, the most popular suggestions seem to be a line that runs across town from at least the convestion center to Georgetwon along K. That line would proabalt go to the capital. Anotehr line might run up 16th street and down to tthe anacostia river. I think they have in mind three lines total.

Metro is also looking to expand itself. If we get federal funding (which is a big if) they will build a new line as a spur off the orange line that runs to Dulles.

The maryland suburbs are also looking at sone systme (whether bus rapid transit or light rail) to connect some of its suburbs.