[ SUNDAY TRAVEL ]
3 DAYS IN...
DENNIS CALLAN / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-BULLETIN
The U.S. Capitol is always a primary attraction. Tickets are hard to come by and are best arranged in advance through Hawaii's congressional delegation.
Capital attraction
By Dennis Callan
Special to the Star-BulletinDAY 1
Capitol Building, Library of Congress, American History Museum, major monuments, such as the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, Arlington Cemetery , Pentagon Mall
DAY 2
Smithsonian Castle, Air and Space Museum, National Gallery, Downtown, Natural History Museum, Dupont Circle
DAY 3
Holocaust Museum, Bureau of Engraving and Printing, more museums, Georgetown
Take a patriotic trip to dizzying D.C. and see an array of free sightsIt's the biggest free show in the world! Nowhere else on the planet can you find so much high-quality vacation value for so little money.
Museums and monuments are lined up from one end of Washington to the other, and you don't have to pay a dime to enter most of them.
This is a gift from our government, and from James Smithson, the English benefactor who donated a small fortune back in 1836 to establish what has become the Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest museum complex.
It all adds up to a great entertaining and educational holiday.
The museums, from the Air and Space Museum to the National Museum of Art, appeal to all ages and varied interests, making this a perfect family destination. Perhaps most appealing are the monuments to our great leaders, such as Jefferson, Lincoln and the man who gave this city its name.
After great national debate, George Washington selected this location to become the nation's capital in 1790, not only because it was near his home in Mt. Vernon, 16 miles away, but it was a compromise in uniting the economic interests of the North, led by Alexander Hamilton, and the South, represented by Thomas Jefferson.
Southern states would accept a national bank proposed by the North in return for moving the capital from Philadelphia to its present site.
The area on the Potomac had been swampland but was transformed by Pierre L'Enfant into a magnificent city, with broad avenues slicing angles through a rectangular street grid that still functions today.
In honor of our nation's first president, the city was named Washington in 1791, the urban center of the 100-square mile Territory of Columbia, later renamed the District of Columbia and reduced in size in the 19th century.
In 1800 the government officially opened for business in Washington.
Over the last two centuries, this city has evolved into the largest collection of neoclassical buildings in America, with pillars, domes, statues, monuments and plazas that resemble a modern version of ancient Greece and Rome. It is truly a monumental world capital.
Capitol Building, Library of Congress, American History Museum, Major monuments, Arlington Cemetery, Pentagon Mall
The U.S. Capitol is one of the most important buildings in the country, but visiting can be a challenge. The best strategy is to contact your representative in Congress months ahead and request tickets. Otherwise, you have to line up before 8:15 a.m. at the Guide Service kiosk and wait. Only one ticket is distributed per person, good for entry at a specific time. During the tour you can only walk through as part of a group due to strict new security measures. But it's still worthwhile.
Capitol tours begin in the Rotunda, the vast hall with the huge dome towering almost 200 feet. This chamber is the scene of ceremonies such as funerals, receptions and celebrations. Paintings in the dome tell the story of our nation.
The murals were painted by Constantino Brumidi, who immigrated from Italy in 1852. His work enhances many corridors and rooms, but the masterpiece is "The Apotheosis of Washington" high in the dome. Encircling the Rotunda is his final work, a 300-foot-long mural depicting 400 years of our history. Paintings by other artists tell more of our nation's story.
The next room is Statuary Hall, containing 38 statues representing different states, including an exact copy of the King Kamehameha statue that stands in downtown Honolulu.
The Old Senate Chamber was restored for the bicentennial to its original grandeur. Chambers used by Congress are not open to the public unless a session is going on, but even then you need a special ticket provided by a member of Congress.
Behind the Capitol is the Library of Congress, with the largest collection of books in the world. There are 105 million items that would take 14,000 years to read. It is named after Thomas Jefferson, who helped get the library started. The domed ceiling is 160 feet high. A 12-minute film is shown in the visitor center, and a tour is offered daily at 3:30 p.m.
The Supreme Court is next door, housed in what looks like an ancient Greek temple. If the court is in session, there are two lines -- one for those who want to hear an hourlong argument, and one for those content to listen for three minutes.
>> Union Station: Walk three blocks to another grand building. This is a transportation hub for Amtrak trains, the Metro, buses and the Tourmobile. It also houses a mall with 125 shops and a food court.
This was the world's largest train station when it opened in 1907. It was modeled after the ancient Roman Baths of Diocletian, interpreted in the neoclassical Beaux-Arts style by the Chicago architect Daniel Burnham.
DENNIS CALLAN / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-BULLETIN
The Korean War Veterans Memorial consists of 19 bronze statues of soldiers on patrol, a moving tribute to those warriors.
The station, renovated in the late 1980s, hosts 23.5 million visitors annually.
>> Tourmobile route: A good way to get around is on the Tourmobile. A $15.50 ticket is good for unlimited reboarding from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the summer, or 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. the rest of the year.
It is worthwhile, even though you only need it for four of the 25 stops on the route -- Union Station, the Jefferson and FDR memorials, and Arlington National Cemetery. Other destinations can be reached on foot. This 90-minute circuit, narrated by the driver, serves as a panoramic tour.
>> National Museum of American History: This museum offers a clue as to why the Smithsonian is called "the nation's attic." One can view the mementos of our country, ranging from the flag that inspired "The Star Spangled Banner" to "Happy Days" character Fonzie's leather jacket.
The museum brochure says the "collections document our national heritage in technology, industrial development, military history, transportation, textiles, costume, domestic life, sport, the arts and community life. Ancient coins, racing cars, inaugural gowns of America's first ladies, musical instruments, weaponry, farm machinery, the lap desk Thomas Jefferson used while drafting the Declaration of Independence, and much more form a vast and fascinating mosaic of American life."
The museum does a masterful job of displaying items. The Smithsonian pioneered the concept of creating historic environments you walk right into, making it seem like you're strolling along an 1890s street.
There are also plenty of glass cases, plus interactive exhibits for "hands on" learning about history and science. You can also see the red slippers from "The Wizard of Oz," Henry Ford's Model T, Thomas Edison's light bulb, and many more of the 17 million items.
>> Jefferson Memorial: Catch the Tourmobile in front of the museum to go to the Jefferson Memorial. This homage to our third president is shaped like the Pantheon, an ancient Roman temple to the gods, in tribute to his interest in classical architecture and philosophy.
A bronze statue of Jefferson stands 19 feet tall in the atrium's center, surrounded by some of his writings, including excerpts from the Declaration of Independence.
Jefferson was an important Founding Father and one of the most well rounded, as an architect, inventor, archaeologist, founder of the University of Virginia, secretary of state, scientist, farmer, educator, naturalist, ambassador and explorer.
The memorial's dignity is enhanced by its setting, overlooking the Tidal Basin, with the White House and Washington Monument in the distance, and surrounded by cherry blossom trees. The lower level has a multimedia exhibit focusing on Jefferson's achievements.
Take the Tourmobile to the first of the next three memorials, then walk to the others.
>> FDR Memorial: Washington's newest major memorial, dedicated in 1997, is an outdoor gallery of pink granite stone walls, ponds and waterfalls arranged in four plazas representing Franklin Delano Roosevelt's four terms in office, and of his service as secretary of the Navy. A great man who created the New Deal for social justice, leading us out of the Depression and through World War II, Roosevelt insisted there be no memorial for him. An engraved boulder near the archives was the only FDR reminder until this memorial, covering eight acres, was built.
An exhibit features photos, memorabilia and news clippings from Roosevelt's era. As you stroll from one outdoor room to the next, the 12-foot-high walls block out distractions. Many of his famous words are carved in stone, and numerous bronze statues, including the new addition of FDR in his wheelchair, make this history come alive.
To reach the Lincoln Memorial, walk the half-mile along the Tidal Basin, through the park that leads to the moving Korean War Veterans Memorial. Nineteen bronze statues of soldiers on patrol create a tense depiction of the battle.
>> Lincoln Memorial: Stirring words from the Gettysburg Address remind us of the vision of this leader. The 36 columns represent the 36 states standing together at the time of his death. Daniel Chester French's brooding statue of the Great Emancipator is one of America's great icons. This site, which resembles the Greek Parthenon, has been the setting for numerous rallies, including Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech.
>> Vietnam Veterans Memorial: Controversial when it was dedicated in 1982, this black marble memorial, engraved with the names of 60,000 Americans who died in the Vietnam War, symbolizes the tragedy of that divisive chapter in our past. The minimalism of Maya Lin's revolutionary design focuses attention on the war's issues. Despite some initial opposition to its stark design, this has become one of the most moving monuments.
DENNIS CALLAN / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-BULLETIN
Take an elevator to the top of the 555-foot Washington Monument for a panoramic view of the city from its highest point.
>> Arlington National Cemetery: A visit across the Potomac River to the cemetery is an appropriate follow-up to the cluster of war-related memorials. The Tourmobile and Metro both stop here.
This is the final resting place for 250,000 American men and women, including the Kennedys, the Unknown Soldier, Gen. John Pershing and this writer's parents. It covers a vast area, but you can walk to JFK's eternal flame and back in 30 minutes.
>> Fashion Centre: The Pentagon City shopping mall features 160 stores in a four-level enclosed atrium.
Smithsonian Castle, Air and Space Museum, National Gallery, Downtown, Natural History Museum, Dupont Circle
>> Smithsonian Institution: The Smithsonian is the largest museum complex in the world, with a dozen museums on or near the National Mall and 140 million items in its collection. The Smithsonian Museums are all open daily.
The Smithsonian Castle is an information center, with a 30-minute orientation video. The Castle housed the entire museum collection when the Smithsonian was established in 1846. This sandstone building was designed to look like a Norman fortress with Gothic and Byzantine features.
>> Air & Space Museum: This is the most visited museum in the world. Star attractions are the Wright brothers' plane, the Apollo 11 command module, the Lunar Lander and Lindberg's Spirit of St. Louis.
The museum also operates a center for research into the history, science and technology of aviation and space flight. The museum has thousands of artifacts covering the Space Age, with rockets, satellites, astronaut suits and a piece of the moon you can touch.
>> National Gallery of Art: See a world-renowned collection of American and European paintings, sculptures and graphics. Not part of the Smithsonian, this magnificent museum was founded by Andrew Mellon. The government and private contributions now support it, so admission is free.
The museum is divided into two buildings: The original, designed by John Russell Pope and opened in 1940, holds the main European works, from the Middle Ages to the present; the modern collection is housed in the East Wing, opened in 1978 and designed by I.M. Pei.
After New York's Metropolitan, this is America's most important art museum, with a collection that covers all the notable areas of Western art, including the portrait of Ginevra de' Benci, the only Leonardo da Vinci in the Western Hemisphere. It also includes many fine Impressionists, Italian Renaissance and Dutch Masters, Gothic, and 20th-century artists represented by some 3,000 paintings and 2,000 statues.
The East Building has a vast atrium with a huge Calder mobile and Miró tapestry, and galleries with works by Picasso, Matisse, Jackson Pollack, Kandinsky, Georgia O'Keeffe and many others. A cafeteria in the lower level connects the buildings. On Sundays, from October through June, there are free chamber music concerts inside the West Building.
You might stroll through the new National Sculpture Garden next door to look at 17 major statues. In the winter you can skate on the outdoor ice rink.
The National Archives is adjacent but is closed for renovation, so you cannot see the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights or Constitution.
Across Pennsylvania Avenue you will spot the Navy Memorial, a large fountain in front of a semicircular complex.
>> National Museum of Natural History: This museum has the largest exhibition in the world of anthropological, biological and geological exhibits relating to North America, and many displays about the far-flung corners of the planet. Dinosaurs, diamonds, bugs, fossils, American Indians, diorama displays of mammals, meteorites, birds and Hawaiian artifacts are on display.
DENNIS CALLAN / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-BULLETIN
The National Air and Space Museum will take you on a thrilling trip through the history of aviation, then to the planets and beyond.
>> Federal Triangle: Behind the Natural History Museum is a group of government office buildings that comprise the Federal Triangle. The Old Post Office is here. It was scheduled for demolition in 1971, but citizens saved it. It has been renovated to include a huge food court and a 315-foot tower that offers great views. Ride the elevator to the top for a dizzying experience. The massive Romanesque-style structure opened in 1899 as headquarters for the U.S. Postal Service.
Walk three blocks to the White House, and take a picture of the classic front view from the Ellipse. Due to security measures, public tours of the building have been canceled. The White House Visitor Center is open, however, and it has some interesting exhibits about the president's home.
>> Downtown: Walk along G Street to 12th Street to Hecht, the largest free-standing downtown department store built in America in 50 years.
Continue along 10th Street to Ford's Theater, where Lincoln was shot, and the Petersen House across the street where he died. Both are operated by the National Park Service and are free. You can enter the theater auditorium if a matinee is not in progress. The Petersen House has been preserved as it was on the day Lincoln died.
>> Dupont Circle: Enter the Metro Center station for a train to Dupont Circle. This is the final destination for your second day. Emerging from the station, walk along Massachusetts Avenue, passing the Blaine Mansion, built in 1881 with an odd mix of Gothic, Victorian and Renaissance styles.
Continue to Q Street, and stop at the Anderson House for a look at how the upper crust lived in the early 20th century. This mansion has an opulent interior that houses Revolutionary artifacts and decorative arts from Asia. Admission is free. Then go across the street to the private art museum.
>> Phillips Collection: America's first museum of modern art has an exquisite collection of European and American paintings from the Impressionists through the 1950s. Among the many fine works is Renoir's "Luncheon of the Boating Party." There are also changing exhibits and frequent lectures. Free classical concerts are offered at 5 p.m. Sunday from September through May.
"Embassy Row" continues for a mile, passing embassies and beautiful homes. This neighborhood features rows of 19th-century townhouses that demonstrate how urban housing can be efficient and attractive. You'll notice many examples of Beaux Arts, Gothic, Romanesque and Queen Anne homes.
Stroll to the S Street and Connecticut Avenue intersection to tour Dupont Circle, passing restaurants, cafes, boutiques, newsstands and galleries.
The small park in the center is a place to people-watch. The central fountain was designed by Daniel Chester French.
Washington's night life includes theatrical productions and all genres of music. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a major venue, with several auditoriums offering ballet, symphony and opera.
Entertainment is also available in playhouses such as Ford's Theater or the Arena Stage, as well as jazz and comedy haunts around town.
DENNIS CALLAN / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-BULLETIN
Public tours of the White House have been canceled for security reasons, but you can still take a photo from the Ellipse and see the exhibits on view at the White House Visitor Center.
Holocaust Museum, Bureau of Engraving and Printing, more museums, Georgetown
>> Money Factory: If you want to see where all America's paper money is printed -- more than $450 million a day -- visit the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.
Security is tight and there are no free samples, but the tour is still fun. You can see a $1 million stack of $10 bills, or see how much your height is worth in $100 bills.
Admission is free, but this is one of the toughest tickets in town. Visitors must present a photo ID at the ticket booth for same-day tickets. The booth opens at 8 a.m. Lines form early and tickets go quickly.
>> Holocaust Memorial Museum: This museum tells the story of the extermination of 6 million Jews by the Nazis. It opens at 10 a.m., but be there by 9:30 to be assured of getting in. Ride the elevator to the top where the self-guided exhibit begins, then walk down through three levels of chronological displays. Take a look at the Wall of Remembrance on the lower level, featuring more than 3,000 tiles painted by American schoolchildren in memory of Holocaust victims. There is also a movie and video presentations.
>> Washington Monument: This was the world's tallest structure at 555 feet when completed in 1885, and it's still the world's highest free-standing masonry structure. Ancient Egyptian obelisks inspired the shape. The big attraction is the elevator ride to the top for a panoramic view from the city's highest point.
>> Final afternoon: If you are interested in Asian art, walk across the Mall to the Freer and Sackler Galleries. Make sure you find the Freer's "Peacock Room" and absorb the design created by James McNeill Whistler. Other highlights include Japanese screens, Hindu and Buddhist sculptures, Chinese porcelain, bronzes and jades, some 4,000 years old, and Islamic art. The underground Sackler Gallery is connected to the Freer by a tunnel and continues the Asian theme, with works from ancient times to the present.
Nearby on the Mall you come to the Arts and Industries Building, which houses changing exhibits from other Smithsonian Museums as well as its own collection of Victorian-era machinery. It was the site of James Garfield's inaugural ball.
Finally, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Gallery houses the Smithsonian's collection of modern and contemporary art. Located next to the Air and Space Museum, it has 52 works by Thomas Eakins, 47 by Matisse, 21 by Rodin, 22 by Degas and 47 by Picasso, with a fascinating sculpture garden across the street.
DENNIS CALLAN / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-BULLETIN
A spectacular view of the Mall from the top of the Washington Monument, the world's highest free-standing masonry structure, with a shape inspired by ancient Egyptian obelisks.
Further down the Mall is the newly reopened U.S. Botanic Garden, a greenhouse covering 40,000 square feet.
There is one major goal left: Georgetown. This is one of America's oldest neighborhoods, first settled as a tobacco port more than 300 years ago, and officially chartered in 1751. Much of the original Colonial atmosphere survives. An architectural feast unfolds as you stroll the brick sidewalks. Entering on M Street you will pass the Old Stone House, built in 1765 and now a museum of colonial life.
Walk along the banks of the historic Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. This is the only tow-path canal left from America's 4,000-mile system, and is well maintained by the National Park Service. You could also take a mule-drawn boat tour, escorted by costumed guides.
Georgetown's charming homes include Georgian mansions, Federal and Classical Revival houses, and late Victorian Queen Anne and Romanesque townhouses.
Wisconsin and M streets are jumping with trendy shops and dining possibilities. Georgetown is both a historic area and a shopaholic's dream. This variety makes a visit to Georgetown a rewarding part of your Washington experience.
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Following is a list of places to stay, visit and dine while in the nation's capital: IF YOU GO
>> DC Visitor Information Center: 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, The Ronald Reagan International Trade Center. Open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays to Fridays, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. Call 202-328-4748.
>> Holocaust Museum: At 14th Street and Raoul Wallenberg Place SW, south of Independence Avenue. Open 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily.
>> Library of Congress: Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays; free.
>> Lincoln Memorial: West end of Mall. Open 8 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. daily. Call 202-426-6841.
>> Smithsonian Institution: Museums open 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., except the Air and Space Museum, which opens at 9 a.m. from May 24 through Sept. 2.
>> Vietnam Memorial: Near Lincoln Memorial between Constitution Avenue NW and the Reflecting Pool. Open 8 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. daily. Call 202-426-6841.
>> Washington Monument: Open 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. daily. Free same-day tickets are distributed from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at a kiosk on the monument grounds at 15th Street and Madison Drive, first come, first served. Call 202-426-6841. Reservations can be made at 800-967-2283 or online at reservations.nps.gov for $1.50 per ticket.
RESTAURANTS
>> Au Pied du Cochon, 1335 Wisconsin Ave., Georgetown; 202-333-5440
>> BeDuCi, 2100 P St. NW, Dupont Circle; 202-223-3824
>> I Ricchi, 1220 19th St., Foggy Bottom; 202-835-0459
>> Jaleo, 480 7th St. NW; Downtown; 202-628-7949
>> Inn at Little Washington, Middle and Main streets, Washington, Va.; 540-675-3800
>> Obelisk, 2029 P. St. NW, Dupont Circle; 202-872-1180
>> Paolo's, 1303 Wisconsin Ave., Georgetown; 202-333-7353
>> Pesce, 2016 P St., Dupont Circle; 202-466-FISH (3474)
HOTELS
>> Canterbury Hotel, 1733 N St. NW; 393-3000, 800-424-2950
>> Comfort Inn, 500 H St. NW; 289-5959, 800-228-5150
>> Holiday Inn Capitol (my favorite), 550 C St. SW; 202-479-4000
>> J.W. Marriott, 1331 Pennsylvania Ave.; 800-228-9290
>> Radisson Barcelo Hotel, 2121 P St. NW; 202-293-3100
>> The Bellvue Hotel, 15 E St. NW; 202-638-0900, 800-327-6667
WEB SITES
GENERAL
>> www.dcvisit.com
>> www.eg.washingtonpost.com
>> www.washington.orgATTRACTIONS
>> Bureau of Engraving and Printing: www.moneyfactory.com
>> Georgetown: www.georgetowndc.com
>> Library of Congress: www.loc.gov
>> National Gallery of Art: www.nga.gov
>> National Holocaust Memorial Museum: www.ushmm.org
>> National Park Service: www.nps.gov/wash
>> Smithsonian Institution: www.smithsonian.org
>> Supreme Court: www.supremecourtus.gov
>> Tourmobile: www.tourmobile.com
>> U.S. Capitol Building: www.aoc.gov
Dennis Callan is president of the Hawaii Geographic Society and produces the "World Traveler" television series, shown at 8 p.m. Mondays on 'Olelo, channel 52. He frequently leads tours through Europe, and writes "Three Days in ..." the first Sunday of each month, explaining how to get the most out of three days in the world's great places. View the companion TV episode this week.
