The Monumental Core of
Washington, D.C. is so rich in sights that visitors may be tempted to
look no farther. But many delights lie within easy reach of the city
center. The Michigan Avenue NE area near North Capitol Street is home to
the stunning Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate
Conception; the U Street NW corridor is a historic town center for the
African-American community; Bethesda is filled with every kind of
restaurant; the Southwest waterfront is busy with commercial fishing
activity; while Old Town Alexandria has a beautifully restored downtown
area and fine galleries.
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Like a medieval
cathedral, National Cathedral is surrounded by some of the most
prestigious prep schools in the city. St. Albans’ alumni include Al
Gore, Jesse Jackson, Jr., and broadcast journalist Brit Hume. The
all-girls National Cathedral School is alma mater to a number of
Rockefellers and Roosevelts. Sidwell Friends School, just up Wisconsin
Avenue, educated Chelsea Clinton, the Nixon daughters, and Nancy Davis
Reagan.
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SightsWashington National Cathedral This noble hand-crafted church is so faultless that the cathedral seems to have belonged on its elevated site forever .
Washington National Cathedral
Arlington Cemetery A
visit to this solemn burial ground brings conflicting emotions – pride
in the determination of defenders of freedom, pleasure in the presence
of its great beauty, but dismay at the loss of so many lives marked by
the arrays of headstones . Mount Vernon Without
a doubt the finest current view of George Washington the man, and of
the agrarian plantation life that was an important stream leading to the
revolutionary break with Great Britain .
Mount Vernon
Old Town Alexandria This
lovely old city center, across the Potomac just beneath the capital,
retains the charm and hospitality of its illustrious past while giving
visitors all modern conveniences, including a metro station (King Street
on the yellow and blue lines). Alexandria is noted for its historical
and archeological museums, Gadsby’s Tavern,
the evocative system of Civil War forts and defenses at Fort Ward, and
its captivating residential architecture, civilized shops, and
restaurants.
Lee-Fendall House Museum, Old Alexandria
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception This
mammoth basilica, dedicated in 1959, incorporates more than 60 chapels
and oratories that retell the diverse history of the Roman Catholic
Church in the United States. Conceived in the grand style – it is the
largest Roman Catholic church in the western hemisphere – the building
combines Byzantine and Romanesque features, creating an intensely
decorative but substantial effect. The interior is simply overwhelming
in its grandeur, whatever your faith. There is also a cafeteria on the
site, which is convenient because there are few nearby restaurants.
Altar, Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
U Street, NW For
much of the 20th century, U Street, NW was the main street of this
bustling and prosperous African-American neighborhood. Opened as a movie
theater in 1922, the Lincoln Theater
has now been refurbished and presents performances of every kind. Next
door is the famous Ben’s Chili Bowl, turning out great simple food for
capacity crowds. The legendary jazz musician Duke Ellington
played his first paid performance at True Reformer Hall at the junction
of 12th and U Street, NW. The poignant sculpture and plaza of the African-American Civil War Memorial commemorates African-Americans who served in the Civil War.
Duke Ellington Mural, U Street
Southwest Waterfront This
is a wonderful place for strolling, summer and winter. The diversity of
Washington is on parade, the sailboats, yachts, and houseboats are
picturesque, and the seafood – both cooked and raw – at the Southwest
Fish Wharf is a showcase of what’s best in eastern waters. The Fish
Wharf is the current raucous embodiment of colorful markets that have
flourished here continuously since about 1790. It is famed for its
crabs, oysters, and clams, and also specializes in river fish not widely
available elsewhere, such as perch and bass. Bethesda, Maryland Locally,
Bethesda is best known for its enormous quantity and range of
restaurants, most of them clustered into a lively downtown area that
still retains the atmosphere of a traditional town center. The high-end
employment offered by Bethesda’s world-renowned biotechnology industry,
however, has also generated a spirited music, performance, and arts
scene catering to its cultured and wealthy residents. The city is
especially strong on public art. Its streets and parks spotlight
distinguished contemporary works in every style, by way of sculpture and
stunning painted murals.
Bethesda
Mural, Bethesda Avenue
Great Falls About
15 miles (24 km) north of Washington, D.C., the Potomac is rent by
magnificent waterfalls over the crags and sluices of the eroded river
bed. In the state of Virginia, Great Falls Park is reached from Old
Dominion Drive (Route 738). It provides spectacular overlooks above the
river, fine hiking trails, and the ruins of a small 19th-century town.
On the Maryland side, the Great Falls area is part of the C&O Canal.
The Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center offers canal rides, hiking, and
ranger-led tours and remarkable river views from the overlook on
Olmstead Island. Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center11710 MacArthur Blvd Open dawn–dusk daily
National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center This
new display and restoration center for some of the museum’s magnificent
collection of historic aviation and space artifacts opened in December 2003 near Dulles International Airport. Two giant
hangars with accompanying support buildings provide over 760,000 sq ft
(70,611 sq m) of much needed extra display space.
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