Washington, DC is to the United States what the Coliseum, the Parthenon and Via Condotti are to Rome, Italy. Just like Rome where visitors are seeking to be uplifted by couture fashion, beautiful art, architecture and holy shrines, visitors to DC are looking to catch a glimpse of American history and to edify themselves with the grandeur of US politics. But if you are going to visit the city of the newly famed $700 billion Wall Street bailout here are ten tips to make your trip less that of a tourist and more like that of a Washington Insider.
- If you want to visit the White House, plan ahead by contacting your congressional representative three months prior to your trip.
- Do stop in at Georgetown Cupcakes for a cake that rivals New York City’s famed Magnolia Bakery.
- The best time to visit the museums is early morning before school buses and tourists arrive or late afternoon when most people are scrambling to get home or get ready for dinner.
- Don’t rent a car. The metro can take you where ever you want to go and if you want to go somewhere that isn’t metro accessible, you can go to zipcar.com and rent a car for just the amount of time that you need it.
- Don’t miss out on the opportunity to see a ballet, opera or theatrical performance at the Kennedy Center.
- Go to a local Potbelly’s for some sandwiches to go and eat them at the US Botanical Gardens outdoor courtyard where there are tables, chairs and umbrellas to make you feel like you are in the middle of your own personal paradise.
- Eat some gelato at the National Gallery of Art’s food court. It is the closest thing to that which you would get in Italy.
- Take time out from sightseeing and go see a movie at the historic Uptown.
- Have a burger at Five Guys—the best burger joint in the city.
- Bring your running shoes and jog around and through the monuments and memorials.
