Washington Trip in 2 weeks

[Harms88]

So the wife and I will be in DC between March 27-April 2 and here's our current historical sites list of when we are visiting them if anyone wants to meet up and be our tour guides to a few out of the stuff, we'd be glad to have the local knowledge! I'm only going to list the historical stuff since this is a history buff website!

Thursday 28th -

- Mt Vernon
- Arlington Cemetery
- Old Town Alexandria

Friday 29th -

- Lincoln Memorial
- Jefferson Memorial
- WW2 & Vietnam Memorials
- Smithsonian Museums - Air & Space, American History, Natural History

Saturday 30th - (Baltimore)

- Babe Ruth House
- North Point Battlefield (maybe, depends on time)
- Fort McHenry
- B&O Museum
- Baltimore Ships

Sunday 31st

- Lincoln's Cottage
- Fords Theatre and Peterson House
- International Spy Museum
- Fort Stevens & Battlegroubd Cemetery (depending on time)
- African American Civil war Museum (depending on time)
- The Chinese restaurant at the Surrat Boarding House

Monday 1st (Winchester)

- Patsy Cline House
- Kernstown Battlefield (if they allow, it's offseason but I emailed them asking about it)
- Balls Bluff (as a stop heading out)
- Stonewall Jackson HQ (depending on time/wife approval)
- Third Winchester Battlefield
- Cedar Creek
- Manassas Battlefield (possibly, depending on time and if I want to tackle that traffic heading back)

Thoughts, impressions and so forth are welcome!

 

[121st PA Vols]

I don't have input for your exciting and ambitious (!) itinerary except to say if things change that you are literally just down the road from Antietam and Gettysburg.
* Winchester, DC and Baltimore are roughly 1:45 from Sharpsburg (Antietam)
* Winchester and DC are 1:45 from Gburg and just over an hour from Balt.

 

[major bill]

If you are in to firearms, you might want to add the NRA Firearms Museum. It is well done.

 

[bdtex]

Monday 1st (Winchester)

- Patsy Cline House
- Kernstown Battlefield (if they allow, it's offseason but I emailed them asking about it)
- Balls Bluff (as a stop heading out)
- Stonewall Jackson HQ (depending on time/wife approval)
- Third Winchester Battlefield
- Cedar Creek
- Manassas Battlefield (possibly, depending on time and if I want to tackle that traffic heading back)

Thoughts, impressions and so forth are welcome!

I'm thinking you are not gonna have time for all those sites. I've been to the Stonewall Jackson HQ and Third Winchester and Cedar Creek battlefields. That's easily a whole day itinerary right there.

 

[SJU]

It's a great list but I agree with bdtex on the Winchester itinerary. You'd really need two days to fit all that in.

 

[Harms88]

I don't have input for your exciting and ambitious (!) itinerary except to say if things change that you are literally just down the road from Antietam and Gettysburg.
* Winchester, DC and Baltimore are roughly 1:45 from Sharpsburg (Antietam)
* Winchester and DC are 1:45 from Gburg and just over an hour from Balt.

It's a bit ambitious, basically anything battlefield related is a time permitting item. Helps that me and the wife tend to speed through museums!

Gettysburg would have happened if we had an additional day. Winchester is happening as it's the first day that the Patsy Cline house is open and the wife really wants to go. Since the vacation is a birthday present to her, what she wants goes!

If you are in to firearms, you might want to add the NRA Firearms Museum. It is well done.

That would definitely be fun!

I'm thinking you are not gonna have time for all those sites. I've been to the Stonewall Jackson HQ and Third Winchester and Cedar Creek battlefields. That's easily a whole day itinerary right there.

Yep, some of the stuff I just don't think are going to happen due to time. The wife thinks we're going to get more done, but even getting out by 10 is pushing it for her.

 

[Harms88]

It's a great list but I agree with bdtex on the Winchester itinerary. You'd really need two days to fit all that in.

If we did hit both Third Winchester and Cedar Creek, it'll most likely be stopping at the highlights and that's it. Most likely though, if I have to choose between them, definitely Cedar Creek would be what I'd go to. Having a wife whose not as eager about military history as me does help speed things up a lot!

 

[SJU]

If we did hit both Third Winchester and Cedar Creek, it'll most likely be stopping at the highlights and that's it. Most likely though, if I have to choose between them, definitely Cedar Creek would be what I'd go to. Having a wife whose not as eager about military history as me does help speed things up a lot!

I know that feeling. I'm still paying for dragging her off to battlefields years ago.!

 

[bdtex]

I know that feeling. I'm still paying for dragging her off to battlefields years ago.!

Third Winchester is a pretty good hike too.

 

[Woods-walker]

So the wife and I will be in DC between March 27-April 2 and here's our current historical sites list of when we are visiting them if anyone wants to meet up and be our tour guides to a few out of the stuff, we'd be glad to have the local knowledge! I'm only going to list the historical stuff since this is a history buff website!

Thursday 28th -

- Mt Vernon
- Arlington Cemetery
- Old Town Alexandria

Friday 29th -

- Lincoln Memorial
- Jefferson Memorial
- WW2 & Vietnam Memorials
- Smithsonian Museums - Air & Space, American History, Natural History

Saturday 30th - (Baltimore)

- Babe Ruth House
- North Point Battlefield (maybe, depends on time)
- Fort McHenry
- B&O Museum
- Baltimore Ships

Sunday 31st

- Lincoln's Cottage
- Fords Theatre and Peterson House
- International Spy Museum
- Fort Stevens & Battlegroubd Cemetery (depending on time)
- African American Civil war Museum (depending on time)
- The Chinese restaurant at the Surrat Boarding House

Monday 1st (Winchester)

- Patsy Cline House
- Kernstown Battlefield (if they allow, it's offseason but I emailed them asking about it)
- Balls Bluff (as a stop heading out)
- Stonewall Jackson HQ (depending on time/wife approval)
- Third Winchester Battlefield
- Cedar Creek
- Manassas Battlefield (possibly, depending on time and if I want to tackle that traffic heading back)

Thoughts, impressions and so forth are welcome!

Be especially alert in DC. Crime is rampant - especially mugging and car jacking . I refuse to go there personally.
The Air and Space Museum is well worth the trip. It's in Virginia now out near Dulles International Airport.
@bdtex is correct - you need to cut your expectations. I think your schedule for the 28th is doable if you get an early start and depending on your hotel location. It's generally a relatively easy drive from Arlington cemetery to Mt Vernon and Old Town is better the two, but it's also easy to let time slip by at Arlington. The 29th is doable if you do a drive by of Lincoln and Jefferson and hit one Smithsonian. The air and space is a good hour from the Lincoln and Jefferson and at least 5 hours on a no stop rush through the museum. I would opt for the two memorials, Ford's and one of the Smithsonian's downtown. Or Jefferson, Lincoln, WWII and a Vietnam. Parking will probably be an issue around all of the above.
Can't be of much help with Baltimore except it depends on your starting point and time.
I would drop the Chinese Restaurant and Ft Stevens and the AA CW museum for time. The Spy Museum is in Virginia but nearly a straight shot down Constitution Ave. But you're gonna need at least 3-4 hours for that.
You'll need to cut your Monday schedule significantly too.
I think you should seriously consider dropping Baltimore unless there's a really must see or really want a see, on you list there. The USMC museum at Quantico is is about 30 mi south of DC and you can easily spend a very pleasant day there. It's one of the best museums in the DC area!!
Good luck with the traffic- it's horrible!

 

[Harms88]

Be especially alert in DC. Crime is rampant - especially mugging and car jacking . I refuse to go there personally.
The Air and Space Museum is well worth the trip. It's in Virginia now out near Dulles International Airport.
@bdtex is correct - you need to cut your expectations. I think your schedule for the 28th is doable if you get an early start and depending on your hotel location. It's generally a relatively easy drive from Arlington cemetery to Mt Vernon and Old Town is better the two, but it's also easy to let time slip by at Arlington. The 29th is doable if you do a drive by of Lincoln and Jefferson and hit one Smithsonian. The air and space is a good hour from the Lincoln and Jefferson and at least 5 hours on a no stop rush through the museum. I would opt for the two memorials, Ford's and one of the Smithsonian's downtown. Or Jefferson, Lincoln, WWII and a Vietnam. Parking will probably be an issue around all of the above.
Can't be of much help with Baltimore except it depends on your starting point and time.
I would drop the Chinese Restaurant and Ft Stevens and the AA CW museum for time. The Spy Museum is in Virginia but nearly a straight shot down Constitution Ave. But you're gonna need at least 3-4 hours for that.
You'll need to cut your Monday schedule significantly too.
I think you should seriously consider dropping Baltimore unless there's a really must see or really want a see, on you list there. The USMC museum at Quantico is is about 30 mi south of DC and you can easily spend a very pleasant day there. It's one of the best museums in the DC area!!
Good luck with the traffic- it's horrible!

So all the battlefields are expendable, as is Fort Stevens, Babe Ruth and the African American CW museum. The reason why we're hitting Baltimore and Winchester is the vacation is for the wife and she really wants to go there to see stuff. So yeah, there not hills I'll die on.

I've already buried Monocacy, Antietam and Gettysburg because there's no way we could make it happen.

 

[bdtex]

The reason why we're hitting Baltimore and Winchester is the vacation is for the wife and she really wants to go there to see stuff.

Consider this too in Winchester, time permitting:

Shenandoah Valley Civil War Museum — Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District

www.shenandoahatwar.org

 

[Harms88]

Consider this too in Winchester, time permitting:

Shenandoah Valley Civil War Museum — Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District

www.shenandoahatwar.org

Looks pretty interesting.

 

[Harms88]

Has anyone done the Bond exhibit in the International Spy Museum and do you think it was worth the cost? Interested in it but the cost is a little much.

 

[JerryD]

So the wife and I will be in DC between March 27-April 2 and here's our current historical sites list of when we are visiting them if anyone wants to meet up and be our tour guides to a few out of the stuff, we'd be glad to have the local knowledge! I'm only going to list the historical stuff since this is a history buff website!

Thursday 28th -

- Mt Vernon
- Arlington Cemetery
- Old Town Alexandria

Friday 29th -

- Lincoln Memorial
- Jefferson Memorial
- WW2 & Vietnam Memorials
- Smithsonian Museums - Air & Space, American History, Natural History

Saturday 30th - (Baltimore)

- Babe Ruth House
- North Point Battlefield (maybe, depends on time)
- Fort McHenry
- B&O Museum
- Baltimore Ships

Sunday 31st

- Lincoln's Cottage
- Fords Theatre and Peterson House
- International Spy Museum
- Fort Stevens & Battlegroubd Cemetery (depending on time)
- African American Civil war Museum (depending on time)
- The Chinese restaurant at the Surrat Boarding House

Monday 1st (Winchester)

- Patsy Cline House
- Kernstown Battlefield (if they allow, it's offseason but I emailed them asking about it)
- Balls Bluff (as a stop heading out)
- Stonewall Jackson HQ (depending on time/wife approval)
- Third Winchester Battlefield
- Cedar Creek
- Manassas Battlefield (possibly, depending on time and if I want to tackle that traffic heading back)

Thoughts, impressions and so forth are welcome!

looks like a great itinerary. The only slight quibble I'd have is that Manassas would be a priority over Third Winchester, not because one site is more attractive or fun than the other, but just based on the relative importance of the battles. But that is purely a matter of preference.

 

[Harms88]

looks like a great itinerary. The only slight quibble I'd have is that Manassas would be a priority over Third Winchester, not because one site is more attractive or fun than the other, but just based on the relative importance of the battles. But that is purely a matter of preference.

I definitely list Manassas higher than Third Winchester. Main issue is time and traffic. I've read that you are going to at least be 2 1/2 hours on the road going taking that route from DC to Winchester and visa versa.

 

[JerryD]

If we did hit both Third Winchester and Cedar Creek, it'll most likely be stopping at the highlights and that's it. Most likely though, if I have to choose between them, definitely Cedar Creek would be what I'd go to. Having a wife whose not as eager about military history as me does help speed things up a lot!

I know that feeling! When we were in London I was planning on a full day at the Tower of London. After about an hour the wife made clear that it was time to move on. Luckily, I anticipated this and saved seeing the Crown Jewels for when she said this.

 

[JerryD]

I definitely list Manassas higher than Third Winchester. Main issue is time and traffic. I've read that you are going to at least be 2 1/2 hours on the road going taking that route from DC to Winchester and visa versa.

That is true, and completely understand. But I'd still do it, grab dinner in Manassas, and wait for traffic to subside.

 

[JerryD]

Be especially alert in DC. Crime is rampant - especially mugging and car jacking . I refuse to go there personally.
The Air and Space Museum is well worth the trip. It's in Virginia now out near Dulles International Airport.
@bdtex is correct - you need to cut your expectations. I think your schedule for the 28th is doable if you get an early start and depending on your hotel location. It's generally a relatively easy drive from Arlington cemetery to Mt Vernon and Old Town is better the two, but it's also easy to let time slip by at Arlington. The 29th is doable if you do a drive by of Lincoln and Jefferson and hit one Smithsonian. The air and space is a good hour from the Lincoln and Jefferson and at least 5 hours on a no stop rush through the museum. I would opt for the two memorials, Ford's and one of the Smithsonian's downtown. Or Jefferson, Lincoln, WWII and a Vietnam. Parking will probably be an issue around all of the above.
Can't be of much help with Baltimore except it depends on your starting point and time.
I would drop the Chinese Restaurant and Ft Stevens and the AA CW museum for time. The Spy Museum is in Virginia but nearly a straight shot down Constitution Ave. But you're gonna need at least 3-4 hours for that.
You'll need to cut your Monday schedule significantly too.
I think you should seriously consider dropping Baltimore unless there's a really must see or really want a see, on you list there. The USMC museum at Quantico is is about 30 mi south of DC and you can easily spend a very pleasant day there. It's one of the best museums in the DC area!!
Good luck with the traffic- it's horrible!

Crime in DC is not that bad. I go into DC all the time and have never had problem.

Air and Space is NOT near Dulles. That is the annex. Air and Space is on the Mall at the base of Capitol Hill.

 

[Woods-walker]

Crime in DC is not that bad. I go into DC all the time and have never had problem.

Air and Space is NOT near Dulles. That is the annex. Air and Space is on the Mall at the base of Capitol Hill.

When did they move it back to the Mall? I was there two years ago and there wasn't much at the museum on the mall.
We'll need to agree to disagree on the crime in DC. I was robbed once and an attempted mugging once and a car stolen once. All at different times. So maybe I just had bad luck