Destination Review: Washington Dc
Now that the Election is over, all eyes are on Barack Obama as he prepares to move into one of the most famous homes in the world. But what else has Washington got to offer apart from the White House?
I visited Washington a few years ago when I was in the US with my partner. We rented a car and drove down from New York. My first thought when I arrived in Washington was that it almost looked fake - it was extremely clean and tidy compared to the other places we had visited, almost like someone had done a spring clean just before we arrived, like they were trying to make a good impression.
And that they did. I was pleasantly surprised by Washington - we hadn't planned to visit the USA capital but had heard good reports from other travellers we had met and decided to stop off for photo ops if nothing else.
There are lots of things to see and do in Washington. The National Mall is 3km stretch of land home to some of the most recognisable landmarks in the world, from The Capitol Building which serves as the seat of government for the US Congress, to the Washington Monument (a Presidential Memorial to the 1st US president George Washington) and the Lincoln Memorial statue.
In between, there are numerous museums to visit including the National Museum of American History, National Air and Space Museum and the National Museum of Natural History. You could spend a number of days along the Mall, there are so many attractions here.
Don't miss the Lincoln Memorial - a 20ft sculpture of the assassinated president Abraham Lincoln. It was on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial that Martin Luther King gave his famous ‘I Have A Dream' speech in 1963 - very symbolic after the election of the country's first black president.
Close by, there are various war memorials including the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial and the National World War II Memorial. You will notice a sombre mood when you visit these sites, which is not at all surprising.
Of course, you couldn't possibly visit Washington and not see the White House. There were lots of people standing around the parameter, using their zoom functions to get a good shot. I imagine it will be even busier from 21 January when Obama moves in!
We also visited Arlington Cemetery which is a short drive from the centre of Washington and a military cemetery. Another sombre trip, we saw the grave of JFK which is marked with an eternal flame and the Tomb of the Unknowns, which houses the bodies of soldiers who were never identified.
One of the most intriguing things I've ever seen is the guard in front of the Tomb of the Unknowns. The Tomb has been guarded continuously - 24 hours per day, 7 days per week - since 1937. It is considered one of the highest honours for a guard and involves a meticulous ritual of taking 21 steps in front of the Tomb, facing the Tomb for 21 seconds, waiting for 21 seconds and repeating the process until the end of the shift. The Changing of the Guard happens every 30 minutes in summer and is also fascinating to watch.
Overall, I really enjoyed my visit to Washington. I love when a destination surprises you and is better than what you expected. Obama will certainly not be bored in his new city if he ever has a day off! You could easily spend a few days in Washington and having a rental car gives you a chance to get outside the city.
Just make sure you bring your camera and fully charged batteries - there are more photo opportunities than you could shake a stick at!
Related Tags: travel, car hire, car rental, car leasing, washington dc, peugeot leasing, driveaway holidays, driving in washington dc
Car Guru writes for DriveAway Holidays, DriveAway Holidays New Zealand and DriveAway Holidays Blog
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