Visiting USA

[KrazyHorse]

I'm going to be designing an exhibit for the Air&Space museum this summer.

[ColdWizard]

When my sister was here visiting me, some of the monuments and museums were closed for renovation, so you should probably check before you go just in case. The American Art museum is still closed iirc, for example, while the Washington Monument has been reopened since.

[Winston]

Great advice Pekka, thanks. I'm a bit unorganized on New York yet, I'll get back to you once I have more of a structure on what I expect to see. But Empire Stae Building, United Nations, Manhattan in general, I'd like to see a play on Broadway, take a tour of the harbor, visit Ground Zero, some of the museums which I haven't checked in much detail yet. I'll get back to it!

Originally posted by Pekka
If you want to spice up your trip, look suspicious in the airport when you fly in.

[Winston]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
I'm going to be designing an exhibit for the Air&Space museum this summer.

Ooh!

Baltimore, eh. Well let's see when I have my time table ready. If you're up for it and it's practical for you, I guess I could shop for some body armour to bring along.

Yes ColdWizard, I plan on having checked out most of the things that are major sights for me in advance, there's always something under remodelling it seems. I've experienced this most everywhere I've been on holiday. Are you in D.C. too?

[DinoDoc]

/me curses the fact he lives near no major Tourist Traps

[Pekka]

Winston, right, right.. so normal stuff basically. Well.. those are not a problem, they are all easy to find etc. But you can definitely waste a lot of time if you like go to the first place, walk there, like 30 blocks can be a long way to walk if you do it to the wrong direction. Fortunately it's not easy to do that in NY, get lost like that, but I'm saying, you can visit few of those places and see the time just flew by when you were walking your ass off and didn't do it smart. I guess there's nothing else to it but common sense, so use that a lot, because you'd rather be there to check out the place than walking to the wrong direction and spend an hour tracking back. It's a big city. So if two spots are close to each other, you might want to check them the same time rather than different days. Because theres' no point going to see Chinatown first, and then back to somewhere else, and then back to right next to Chinatown, because all it does is make your day a lot shorter. It's still amazingly easy in there to find everything so just.. common sense will multiply times 100 in here, you need to use it or regret not using it.

ALSO if you want to see a play on Broadway, you better start looking for them tickets EARLY on. They might be a bit popular, if there's a particular play you want to see. I bet you can do it easily from the internet though.

All I'ms aying is, even those things you just mentioned, just few things, it'll take you more than one day to cover them properly. And if you start running around like a crazy person, you see none of them at all . The distances are not from hell, but.. all I'm saying is don't make schedules that are too tight. In NY of all places it'll bite back. YOu want to have time if you need to have time and feel relaxed, think about it, running and sweating in city that will guarantee you 40C with your luck, people ALL OVER, freaking millions of people, adn you realize you are not even close to the place yet and you're running late.. it'll just kill your joy man.. common sense, have enough time, have fun, relax and check those brodway plays early on.

[Winston]

DinoDoc, that is too bad. You are in Mississippi?

[DinoDoc]

Oxford, MS.

[Winston]

Pekka, again, sound advice there. Once I get to planning in more detail, I have to remember to try to think on a different scale than what I'm used to. I've been to Chicago, which is much the same in terms of planning being required ahead of time if one wants to get a good experience.

I just listed some items I've thought of, more things will pop up and I'll keep ya'll posted. Of course I'd also like to take in the atmosphere of a big city, that's an attraction in itself for a guy like me. So I will be wandering "aimlessly" some of the time, but even then, it's good to have some sense of what to seek out. Central Park is an example, I'd like to go there, but I have to have a rough idea of what parts I want to see, or I'll probably just pass out from exhaustion.

[Pekka]

yeah right I'm definitely not saying don't wander but be like a german soldier, go zee acht som nicht zei tung.. you know.. just saying, that figure out the things you absolutely want to see, and do that, and reserve enough time to it, and then just.. wander around . And enjoy..... warning against tight schedules.

Of course these are always common sense things, but in there it's even more important. That's why I said them.

[Winston]

Originally posted by DinoDoc
Oxford, MS.

/me looks at map

That's close to Memphis, that's a place I'd like to see one day.

Also, the deep Southern states by themselves are worth travelling to I think. I could well be coming back someday and hunt you down.

I think the only places in the U.S. I'll probably never want to go to are Orlando and L.A.

[DanS]

I think you can "hit the highlights" on Philadelphia. A day or so is sufficient, IMO.

I've concentrated mostly on must-see's for Washington so far, and they include Capitol, the monuments and memorials, National Air & Space Museum, National Gallery of Art, Arlington cemetary, Natural History Museum, the National Cathedral, Georgetown quarter. I want to drive out and see the Pentagon building, maybe go as far as Fredericksburg. At least see some of the surrounding area on one or two day trips.

The capitol grounds and the Washington Monument grounds are currently being rennovated. I'm not sure if you can get easily into the capitol building right now.

Most of what there is to see in Washington involves a lot of walking and short metrorail trips. Not much planning is required hereabouts. The National Mall could fill 2 or 3 days and nights. See the museums during the day, since that's when they're open. Walk around to the monuments mostly in the evening, since that's when the heat is bearable. This has been a very cool Spring, so that may not be a big deal this year, on the other hand.

Spend the time at the Air & Space. The new Air & Space annex is at Dulles Airport, so you may be able to do that as you arrive in town. Spend some time at the modern art museums, if that is your thing. The art museums for the older stuff probably will not impress you. They are strong on impressionist painters, but not much else. The American History Museum may interest you. The Natural History Museum may interest you. The Spy Museum gets good reviews for a fun change of pace and is slightly off the Mall.

Re capitol hill, even if you can't get into the capitol building and grounds, there's some worthwhile stuff there otherwise. Swing by Union Station train station to get a sense of the golden age of passenger rail in the US, if you don't hit it otherwise in your itinerary (I recommend taking the train from Washington to Philadelphia and then to NYC -- even though it's expensive and not very high speed, the train runs at least once an hour during the day). The Library of Congress is also interesting architecture from the time. Look at the Supreme Court, etc.

See Arlington Cemetary during the day, since it is only open during the day (see the changing of the guard). The Pentagon is right over the river and it has a metrorail stop. No car trip is required. Georgetown is an interesting neighborhood you might want to see at least part during the day. See Old Town Alexandria in Virginia too (early evening). That has some character.

You might think about Annapolis for one of your day trips outside Washington.

If you like to eat at nice restaurants, there's lots to say on that subject too.

[Winston]

Good suggestions and advice DanS, thanks! It is overwhelming to try and even get an overview of what is located along the National Mall. And it's enjoyable as well for me, the expectation is building by the hour!

I'm "avoiding" the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in late June/early July on purpose. While it might be interesting to see, my main interest is in the sights of Washington, particularly the Mall, without any special events, so to speak.

I had noticed the Spy Museum being mentioned favourably, that could well go into the itinerary. And the American History Museum I'll have to look into. I don't even know if that's the same as the newly opened Native American Indian Museum (unsure of the exact name).

You make many good points, and it's really appreciated, I'll be sure to check into them.

[DanS]

I wouldn't overplan a Washington trip. Other cities might require it, but Washington doesn't. You would probably be perfectly OK just landing here and starting to walk around and seeing what strikes your fancy. Very few places require admission, so you can "graze", so to speak.

[Pekka]

Only US cities that neads overhead planning are NY and LA.

The rest you can just attack straight up.