Tiny Trip to Washington D.C.

No cross-country road trip would be complete without visiting our nation’s capital and exploring some of the most iconic landmarks and attractions that D.C. has to offer.

On this leg of our trip, we were fortunate enough to have a friend of Kandace’s kindly offer to let us park Olive on her property while we were there. After nearly 6 months on the road staying in a cozy home for a few nights was certainly a welcome retreat.

With only 3 days to explore, we packed in as many sights as we possibly could. So much to see, so little time.  Fortunately, we made it to most of the major landmarks, which made for an amazing sight-seeing tour of the area.   Our only regret was missing out on the museums which we will make a point to see on our next visit.  Either way, it was great to check D.C. off the bucket list.

Here are our major highlights while we explored D.C.:

Union Station:

The station is a beautiful historic building that serves as a transportation hub for the city. The station features stunning architecture and hosts a variety of restaurants and shops. We didn’t take the train but did park in the lot for the day as it’s walking distance to most of the major sightseeing attractions.  The main lobby is very picturesque, which was an added photo op bonus as we walked through.

The White House:

For our tour of The White House, we submitted an online request to a representative from California several weeks in advance of our visit. The tour is free, but tickets are limited, so it’s best to request with as much advance notice as possible. The official website recommends submitting your request 3 months in advance and no less than 3 weeks before your visit. To find the correct request form for your state, you can do a simple internet search such as “White House tour request, (and your state i.e.) California”.

HERE is a request form for California residents. The tours are self-guided, however there are workers in each room that are happy to answer any questions you may have.  For me, the tour was interesting and cool to see, but overall, it was a little underwhelming.  I think I was expecting something much larger, like the US Capitol building – now THAT was an impressive building to see!

For more information on visiting the White House, click HERE

The US Capitol:

Now this building is a beautiful work of masterful engineering and was one of our favorite tours while in D.C.  Not only is it an impressive work of art inside and out, it’s also the meeting place of the U.S. Congress and where the legislative branch of the government meets to discuss and pass laws.  The rotunda is mind blowing and the art displayed in the room is equally impressive. Similar to the White House visit, we had to request a tour for the US Capitol several weeks in advance. When we arrived, went to the check in widow, presented our passes and we were instructed to meet our guide near the entrance to the rotunda.  The tour was fantastic, and we highly recommend this one if you are in D.C.  Interested in booking a tour? Click HERE for the web link.  Here are some of our favorite pictures from the tour:

US Supreme Court Building:

Although we didn’t visit the inside, the US Supreme Court building is cool site to see and is easy to get to as it’s right across the street from the US Capitol.

The Lincoln Memorial:

Another must-see attraction in D.C.! The Lincoln Memorial was built to honor the 16th President of the United States, and his contributions to the nation. The massive statue of Lincoln is surrounded by 36 columns representing the states in the Union at the time of his presidency. Looking east, from the memorial is the reflection pool which offers a spectacular photo op of the Washington Monument. There are several other sites to visit in the vicinity all within walking distance such as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, and the WWII Memorial.

The Washington Monument:

This monument is a towering obelisk that stands in the National Mall and is a symbol of America’s first President, George Washington. Visitors can take an elevator to the top of the monument and enjoy breathtaking views of the city, or you can just take hundreds of pictures of the monument from every conceivable angle and distance like we did .  If you are just strolling by, it’s likely that the elevator rides to the top will be fully booked – we learned the hard way.  The elevator rides are free to walk up visitors (get there early to score a ticket before they sell out) or you can secure one in advance online for a $1 processing fee.  HERE is the link if you are interested.

Arlington National Cemetery:

This massive cemetery is a place of remembrance for the men and women who served in the U.S. Armed Forces. The cemetery is the final resting place of many notable figures, including John F. Kennedy and his family, as well as my great uncle Charles Tomlinson (Justin’s mom’s uncle) who died in the Korean war in 1950 at the age of 21.  After downloading the app to locate his grave, we rode in a shuttle to the section where he is buried, found his tombstone, and paid our respects.

US Air Force Memorial:

The United States Air Force Memorial is a spectacular sight and is an easy pit stop while exploring around D.C. and Arlington VA.  As you walk over from the parking lot, you will see three massive stainless steel spires soaring 402 feet into the sky emulating the trails of three jets in flight.  The Memorial honors the service and heritage of the men and women of the United States Air Force and its heritage organizations.  The Memorial is free to the public and is located in Arlington, Virginia, adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery.

The Exorcist Steps:

As a kid growing up in the 80’s, I was convinced I was either going to drown in quicksand or get possessed by the devil as my ultimate demise.  Since there were no quicksand swamps in Hayward, I was pretty sure that the devil himself was coming for me after I watched The Exorcist for the first time!  (No doubt growing up Catholic had something to do with this unrealistic fear). At the age of 8 or maybe it was 9 I did what any kid would do – I slept with the light on for a week to ward off all the evil spirits lurking outside my room.  Everyone knows those spirits can only get you in the dark, right?  LOL – pretty silly, but that movie scared the crap out of me back then.   After all these years, I finally got to face my fears head-on and we visited “The Exorcist Steps” in Washington D.C. which can be found at 36^th Street and Prospect Street near Georgetown University.  Pretty cool to see the steps that were in the original movie,….. and what did we do right after?  – we went to our friend’s house where we were staying, made some popcorn and watched The Exorcist – with the light on of course

😉

We had a fantastic time exploring D.C. and look forward to returning soon for more urban adventures.

Cheers,

 

-Tiny Trailer Trips Crew