Spying in D.C.

We loved our visit to D.C. and the restaurants of Chinatown were excellent. We had a lot of fun shopping and going to the International Spy Museum. It brought back a lot of memories from old TV shows like the "Man from Uncle", "Get Smart", and "The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.". Many of the videos of these old shows are available in the gift shop.

Quick Tips:

If possible, visit the spy museum on a weekday as it is less crowded.
Taxi fees can change from AM to PM, weekday or weekend. It seemed we paid less to go farther.
Just because you stay in the hotel does not mean you have a parking place there.

Best Way To Get Around:

The metro is a great way to get everywhere in DC. Taxis are easily accessible. A lot of places are within walking distance, depending on where you are staying. Cars are great, but parking can be a real problem.

Elegant furnishings and many amenities were part of our experience. The lobby looks like you are going into a Broadway theater and the staff is very professional. There is an indoor pool and shopping all at your fingertips. This is a first class hotel.

This is a beautiful hotel with a great location next to the National Theater, great shopping and blocks from the White House. It is across the street from the Ronald Reagan Trade Center and our room had a view of the Washington Monument from the window.

This was our fourth visit to the Capitol City Brewery. We went with another couple and had a great time.

It was crowded and noisy and fun on a Friday evening. The wait was only minutes and the service was fast and friendly. The bar area was hopping.

The portions are very large. I wasn't very hungry and ordered two side items. When they came, it was a whole plate full of each and I had to have help.

This place consistently serves good food, has fast friendly service and is crowded whether it's lunch or dinner. I plan to return whenever I'm in DC.

I had lunch and dinner at Legal Seafood and enjoyed both tremendously. The atmosphere is relaxed and the location is near the MCI Center, Chinatown, and in walking distance to the Spy Museum and other DC attractions and businesses.

The food is delicious whether having a hamburger with coleslaw at lunch or rainbow trout at dinner. The seaweed salad was excellent and something not many restaurants offer.

The menu is extensive and the desserts are delicious, but I seldom have room. The service was very attentive. I plan to return whenever possible.

A friend took us here as he had read that it was one of the top 10 restaurants in the country. We got there around 10pm on a Friday evening. We had called ahead for a reservation.

It was beautiful and the atmosphere was relaxing. The waiters were excellent.

You ordered your entree and then the sides were ordered separately for the whole table. So if one person wanted asparagus and one mushrooms, you would end up with asparagus for three.

Several politicians were there dining. It was a wonderful experience and the food was delicious.

You go in and you are all briefed. You obtain your spy identity and familiarize yourself with your cover story. You proceed into another room and are tested to see if your cover holds up or you have alerted others to the fact that you are a spy.

There are many actual spy artifacts from old time to the most up-to-date. You can test your skill in breaking codes or sitting at a computer finding missiles and planes that are hidden. You can listen to earphones picking up soundwaves and other people's conversations going on in the building. Many old spy TV shows are displayed, which is fun for the nostalgic, like "Get Smart" and "Man from U.N.C.L.E." There is a room dedicated to female spies like Mata Hare and Belle Boyd from Civil War fame.

It was a wonderful museum, but, like most DC museums, it is hard to take it all in in one visit.

This is a beautiful cathedral with its intricate moldings and gargoyles. The inside pillars are gigantic and the building is truly awe inspiring. There are many different levels and chapels to visit and each is unique. There is a gift shop on the lower level and has many interesting things on sale, like videos of old movies like The Trouble With Angels starring Hayley Mills to Boys Town with Spencer Tracey.

Helen Keller is entombed here and a rock from the moon is even incorporated into the decor. There are many interesting facts to be learned and tour guides are available to enlighten you. The grounds are well kept.

If you like visiting the old cathedrals of Europe, you should make the National Cathedral a stop right here in the United States.