D.C. In A Day – Come With Us!

Washington D.C. is an amazing destination. And we knew we couldn’t do it justice in our short visit. But we decided our best chance to cram in as much as possible would be to take a guided tour. That decision turned out to be the best decision we could have made!

We booked our eight- and one-half hour D.C. tour through an online company called Viator. The tour is called Best of DC Plus US Capitol and National Archives Reserved Entry. ($129 per person turned out to be well worth it.)

Early that morning we met our awesome guide, Nick, at the base of Neptune Fountain. 

Nick welcomed us warmly, and he laid out the overview of our marathon tour. He then gave each of us a sticker to wear to identify us as part of his group.

He made it very clear that we were on HIS time schedule…not ours! Then he assured us he wouldn’t hesitate to leave us behind if we didn’t stick with him. And he meant it.

Our group of 30 tourists came from all across America, plus many other countries as well. After Nick gathered us into a group we headed across the street. But first he pointed out the building behind us. It was the U.S. Supreme Court building! 

We made our way across the street.

The U.S. Capitol

I quickly realized we would be entering the capitol through a lower level. No drinks or food were allowed inside unless medically necessary, but empty water bottles were allowed, but they could be refilled inside after going through the mandatory metal detectors.

Now please keep your eyes on the young lady with the backpack ahead of me in our group. (She would test Nick’s patience all day!)

This young woman took me right back to my days as a travel agent and group leader.  I have escorted groups in many locations around the world…and there was ALWAYS someone in my group who would test my skills as a guide. Like the woman who forgot her cane in almost every location we visited in New Orleans. Or the gentleman who would get sidetracked in every gift shop or bookstore in Greece and Italy. And the Alaska traveler who was ALWAYS the last one back on the motor coach. (80 folks in that group!) Or the elderly couple who ignored my request that all my group members take only cruise-sponsored tours in Columbia. (Thank God the taxi driver they hailed in Cartagena was a good man who brought them back to the ship safely!)

I always felt like a mother hen trying to gather her chicks! But THIS day it was my turn to sit back and watch how Nick handled his flock of thirty tourists.  I must say I did enjoy being a tourist instead of the guide that day in D.C.  (Maybe I should write a blog post about some of MY tour guiding adventures.)

Those Hallowed Halls…

My first impression of the interior of the Capitol was one of sadness, as I recalled the January 6th events that defiled that precious building.

Nick quickly led us to the base of the Statue of Freedom where he asked us all to wait while he went to the front of the long tourist line to grab our tickets for the film we would be watching.

(Another perk of booking that tour. No waiting in those lines.)

After handing out our tickets, Nick had one ticket left in his hand. Of course, that’s when he realized we were missing someone in the group. So that’s when he realized the young woman from Paris was missing. For the FIRST time. Yes, Dear Readers. Both Nick and I had quickly identified “the prodigal tourist” of our D.C. group.

Meet Hope-Our Capitol Guide

After watching the beautiful film in the theater, Nick handed us over to Hope. She was one of the many guides who lead groups through the Capitol every day. She was informative and friendly from the moment we met her.

Hope quickly passed out these amazing headphones to each member of our group.

Those devices allowed us to clearly hear her voice instead of the many other guides who were also leading tours that morning.

There is so much to see in the National Statuary Hall. Including the gorgeous ceiling! I almost fell over backwards as I strained to look straight up!

Each beautiful statue is donated to honor persons notable in each state’s history. The entire collection consists of 100 statues donated by all 50 states. Periodically each state removes and replaces the current ones with a new offering from their state.

I got a quick glimpse of the current Iowa statue on display. It’s Norman Borlaug, an American agronomist. Born in Cresco, Iowa in 1914, he led worldwide initiatives that increased agricultural production, termed the Green Revolution. The caption on the statue says it all. “The Man Who Saved A Billion Lives.” 

School’s Out In August

We glimpsed none of the Senators or Congress members during our time in Washington D.C. since they all take the month of August off. (Great work if you can get it!) But I did snap a quick picture of the door to the House Chamber as Nick began to lead us back out of the Capitol.

It was a GORGEOUS day in D.C. That blue sky and unusually lower than usual humidity made our long day even better!

Nick gathered his flock (this time we were ALL accounted for!) and we began our long walk down the hill to our luxury motorcoach that was waiting for us. I marveled at the size of the Capitol. It is much wider than I expected, since the office wings on either end are rarely shown in photos or on TV. And the expansive grounds are beautifully landscaped.

It was a LONG walk, but luckily it was all downhill for us. But I could only imagine making that trek UP the hill. And that’s when we passed this beautiful spot on the Capitol lawn.

A Secret Oasis…

Our guide Nick didn’t mention this graceful structure as we hurried down the hill. But I did my homework when I began to write this article. It’s the Summerhouse, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, and built in 1881. Currently closed to the public, it appeared it’s being used as a storage area for the time being. But in the past, it was known as an oasis for those who were weary from their climb UP that steep hill. It’s a place to rest and to sip water, fresh from the fountain. The stone benches inside provide a place for up to twenty-two hot and tired folks to stop and catch their breath. And history says it has one of the best views of the Capitol. 

Off We Go!

As I’ve said before, this full day tour of D.C. is not for the faint of heart or the weak of knees! We walked for miles. And I climbed more steps than I have in years! (Thanks to my two new bionic knees.) 

When we reached our luxury motorcoach we were greeted by our friendly driver, and Nick was quick to point out the huge ice chest filled with bottled water. There was plenty to keep all of us hydrated all day.

Our D.C. drive took us past many landmarks and familiar buildings. Here is the E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse.

This architectural beauty has been in the news too… 

It’s the Willard Hotel located down the street from the White House.

The People’s House

And speaking of The White House…here it is! And that protester’s tent? 

That is The White House Peace Vigil. It’s an anti-nuclear weapons peace vigil started by William Thomas in 1981. It is thought to be the longest running uninterrupted anti-war protest in U. S. history.

My next surprise? The White House is NOT off by itself! There are souvenir shops and trinkets being sold right down the street! It is much more of a carnival atmosphere nearby than I expected.

After our brief glimpse of that famous home, it was back to the bus and off again. Our next stop?

The World War II Memorial

The beautiful and touching WWII Circle Of Remembrance, located on the National Mall.

From that vantage point in D.C. there are so many meaningful vistas in view. Like the Washington Monument. Plus, there is the Capitol in the distance.

In the other direction you’ll see The Lincoln Memorial. Our guide, Nick, warned us NOT to try to walk there from here since we would be visiting it later in the day, and our tight schedule wouldn’t allow that walk.

Such a beautiful day we picked! And before long it was time to climb back on the bus to head off once again.

Where Oh Where?

As we all clambered back onto the bus, Nick counted noses. And guess what?

Our Parisian princess was missing once again! Nick quickly jumped off the bus and scanned the area. She was nowhere to be found. So…WE LEFT! (Bravo, Nick!!) He had made it perfectly clear that his schedule was written in stone. So off we went to the Jefferson Memorial…without her!

The Jefferson Memorial

I wasn’t kidding when I said this tour was NOT for anyone with mobility issues. Such a gorgeous building. But look at all of those stairs!!! And yes, some of the monuments do have hidden elevators, but some are under construction at various times. So it’s extremely important to ask questions when booking appropriate tours if you have mobility issues.

So much history…and the inscriptions on the walls were profound. I read them all.

Shortly after Nick deposited the rest of us at the monument, he sent our bus and driver back to find our wayward tourist, which he did.  It was a lesson for ANYONE else that day who might have had ideas about challenging Nick’s time schedule! (But in our French tourist’s defense, her grasp of English might have caused her tardiness, and Nick made sure to keep her in sight at all times for the rest of the day.)

Georgetown Waterfront – Lunch and a Cruise

After all those monument steps it was time for a quick lunch on the waterfront. We had enough time to sit down and relax for 45 minutes before we boarded a nearby boat for our Potomac River cruise. That’s the beautiful John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Building across the water in the photo below.

We snagged an ourtdoor table where we ordered a burger and fries to share. Nick advised us to ask for our check as soon as we placed our order to ensure that we would be finished with our transaction in time to board the vessel for our 1pm cruise departure. (Great advice!)

The short cruise was a beautiful way to see the buildings from a different perspective.

Here’s the Lincoln Memorial…

The Arlington Memorial Bridge…one of the many bridges we sailed under that day.

Plus a view of The Washington Monument.

I’m adding a closer view of The Kennedy Center too…

And I couldn’t pass up a photo of the infamous Watergate Hotel.

Yes, our river cruise was a wonderful way to cool off and to enjoy that glorious D.C. day! But soon it was time to head back to our motorcoach for our next stop.

Our Fallen Heros…

The Vietnam War Memorial. Our first stop at the site was the Women’s Memorial. A poignant tribute to the women who serve our country.

The Vietnam War Memorial

Then it was a short walk to the wall itself. Tragically, almost every American on our tour had at least one name they wished to find on that wall of heros.

Nick was a great resource in that task. He used a website on his smartphone to quickly find every name we all asked him to locate.

My brother lost a high school friend, and Nick quickly led us to the panel where the name was found. 

So many deaths…such a tragic loss of lives. Like all wars…

We paid our respects to all of those fallen heroes.

Then it was back on the bus and off to the Lincoln Memorial. That iconic statue is truly worth a visit. And many more stairs to climb.

Four Score And Seven Years…

Just leave it to Peepaw to wish he had a dustcloth in his pocket. (He noticed Abe’s shoe really needed a good dusting!)

Trust me when I tell you our afternoon of walking was far from over. It was time to head to our guide Nick’s favorite historical site.

A Cool Oasis On A D.C. Summer Afternoon…

As we began our stroll through the beautiful tree-filled park we could quickly see why Nick loves that place. Here is a glimpse of the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park.

What a beautiful, cool oasis in the heat of a D.C. summer afternoon! This photo is one of my favorites. Two generations…a penny for both of their thoughts at that moment…

I would have loved to have spent more time there, reading all of the thoughtful and profound quotes, written on the granite blocks scattered among the trees. (That same thought crossed my mind many times throughout that day, but we made the most of every moment we were given.)

All of those thought-provoking sculptures touched my heart as well. Like these desperate and discouraged Americans waiting patiently in a bread line…

I had to wonder how Americans today would react under these same tragic circumstances. Would we each be willing to suffer for the common good of all? Something to ponder…

“I Have A Dream”…

Too soon it was time to leave. We were heading for the Martin Luther King Memorial. 

Instead of getting back on the bus, we actually WALKED to it. At least a half mile or more. But it was a beautiful walk around the National Mall’s Tidal Basin to the imposing statue. I can only imagine how gorgeous that stroll would be in the springtime since cherry trees line the shore. The scent of those cherry blossoms must be magical!

Unfortunately, by this time that afternoon I had depleted my phone battery as well as the extra charger I had packed in my purse! So I had to grab Peepaw’s phone to take this ONE photo to share with all of you. And look who I accidently caught in this photo? Our young French tourist…and Peepaw! (She had learned her lesson…and she stayed close to our group for the rest of our tour.)

Soon it was back to the bus to grab another bottle of ice-cold water to quench our thirst before our one last stop on the tour.

It was a good thing the National Archives was our last stop since ALL of my batteries were dead! Actually, no photos are allowed in the building anyway, so that wasn’t an issue after all.

The National Archives – No Photos Please!

Our bus stopped directly outside the front doors. But our special D.C. tour included entrance to the Archives through a private side door. So that’s where Nick disbanded the tour and “turned us loose!” He had been an amazing font of information and guidance all day.  He thanked us all for coming as he ushered us in the door and through metal detectors.

He warned us one last time that photos weren’t allowed to be taken anywhere in the building. But I couldn’t count the number of times I reached for my battery dead phone, simply from habit, while inside that building! Who wouldn’t like a photo of the Declaration of Independence, The Emancipation Proclamation, or the Magna Carta??

Archive guards watched our every move as they ushered us into multiple dimly lit, cold rooms to view these fragile treasures. (The lighting and temperature are controlled to protect those precious documents from deterioration.)

No lines are created in those rooms. We simply stepped up to whatever area housed the document we wanted to view. Of course, there was a crush near all of the documents we hold dear, but the gatherings moved rather quickly, and we got glimpses of the parchment papers we had hope to see.

What A Day!

Yes, Dear Readers. By the time we had made our way to check off all of the documents on our bucket list, we were more than ready to call it a day. It had been a precious whirlwind of history!

We quickly hailed an Uber outside the front door of the building, and we headed back to our wonderful hotel to rest and regroup.

What an incredible day. And thanks for reliving it with me just now.

Yes…our too-short D.C. stay had more than met our expectations. And our next incredible road trip destination was already waiting for us.

Just you wait and see!