Visiting
places is fun, more so when you are at the capital city of U.S.A. I was invited
by Google Inc. to attend the prestigious Ada Camp D.C held in Washington in
July 2012. My three day trip was tightly packed, with two days spent at the
conference venue and just one day left for sightseeing. There is so much to see
at Washington D.C that it is near impossible to see them all in just one day.
However, I managed to make the maximum out of my visit, and here are some tips
for those who are planning to go to the U.S for sightseeing.
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| An airplane flying over the Potomac River, Washington D.C |
Getting prepared:
- If you have running shoes, pack them up! The city is seriously obsessed with running! So, join the insanity and do the sightseeing while jogging past your favourite tourist spots! If you are not a big fan of jogging, you could consider taking a bike tour or a bus tour.
- Camera is a must. Stop at the 19 foot long Lincoln Memorial, the sparkling Hope Diamond at Smithsonian Natural History Museum and the spiky Washington Monument to click a few snaps. I bet those pictures would be your most prized possessions once you reach back home!
- Get a map of the city. Maps are available for free at tourist spots and most restaurants.
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| In front of the Washington monument |
Good morning!
Step back in time at one of the old fashioned restaurants in Dupont
circle to have a scrumptious breakfast. Get a taxi and head to the Lincoln
memorial by sunrise. It feels great to watch the Washington monument bathed in
gold just after sunrise. Then move to the Potomac River and have a paddle boat
ride to view the capital’s best monuments on the banks of the river.
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| At the Lincoln Memorial |
Good afternoon!
The latest food trend in D.C is to follow the city’s food trucks. The
trucks offer everything from muffins to sandwiches, so make sure that you enjoy
some of the America’s indigenous delicacies. Then march ahead to the
Smithsonian group of museums which showcase a wide variety of artifacts,
exhibits and videos. The Air and Space museum and the Natural History museum
are especially child friendly, so do not forget to take your kids there!
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| The specimen of the stuffed African Elephant at Smithsonian Natural History Museum |
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| Exhibits at the Smithsonian Museum |
Good evening!
It is evening and you haven’t yet finished strolling through the
museums! Now it is time to go to the White House. Though getting an entry pass
is hard, one could always get near the gates and pose for a picture near one of
its gates. There are plenty of gift shops around, so do not forget to buy stuff
for your relatives back home from here!
Good night!
The best place to hang out at night is one of the disco clubs or outdoor
movie houses. Pamper your taste buds by eating a caramelized black cod or
steamed fish with picklebacks for dinner!
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| Wikimania evening party in the Library of Congress, D.C |
If time permits:
Go to the U.S botanical and zoological gardens. I missed this part, and
I can’t yet forgive myself for missing it. This is the best place for kids to
appreciate various ecosystems and diversity of the earth.
The locals are extremely friendly. The city has signboards and maps at
every nook and corner, so there are no chances for you getting lost. If you are
planning to do some heavy shopping, stroll over to Georgetown, where you’ll get
plenty of souvenirs.
I couldn’t believe that the day ended so quickly! I had a very memorable
time at D.C that I felt like not going back home!
PS: Thanks to Dr. Jayakrishnan for pointing out one of the obvious errors in this article. :)