Weekend in Washington D.C.

There are so many things to do in Washington, D.C., that you can't possibly visit them all in a weekend, and it's really hard to choose. Amazingly, many of the activities are free. We absolutely loved the National Geographic Museum, The International Spy Museum, The Air and Space Museum, and the zoo. We also had a few fabulous meals, as the city offers a plethora of great restaurants.

Quick Tips:

I would highly recommend doing some research before going to Washington, D.C. to identify the activities you'd most like to do. We did not find a lot of publicized discounts, but many of the activities in the city are free.

Best Way To Get Around:

The subway is very convenient and makes it easy to get from one activity to another. I would say that's the best way to get around the city because driving is a very frustrating experience with all the traffic. If you can coordinate some of the sightseeing and activities so that they're located in the same part of the city, walking is a nice option too, especially during the spring, when the cherry blossoms are in bloom - it's a beautiful place to walk.

We were lucky to be seated at this restaurant without reservations because it was absolutely packed on the Friday night we ate there. We had looked through a local restaurant listing from the hotel we were staying at and just chose Bangkok Joe's because it sounded interesting. We were more than pleasantly surprised. It was definitely the highlight of our eating experiences in Washington.

The restaurant is brightly decorated in reds and golds, with many ethnic sculptures and art pieces. It's a comfortable place but has a very busy, cosmopolitan feel to it. The food is fantastic, both in taste and presentation. We actually just ordered several appetizers instead of individual entrees so that we could get a taste of many different things, and we were glad we did because there were too many appetizing items on the menu to choose just one. Their dumplings are out of this world, but everything was delicious.

I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who enjoys Asian food. In fact, we enjoyed it so much, we plan to go back the next time we visit Washington D.C.

When we were told that we should plan to spend a minimum of 2 to 3 hours in this museum, I was surprised because I had a hard time believing there could be that much to see and do in such a place. But ,after 2-1/2 hours, we found that we could have easily spent another hour or two. Upon entering the museum, each person assumes a secret identity and is subsequently tested to see if they can maintain their cover. It's a really neat introduction into the concept of spying. Then there is one room after another filled with gadgets, tools, weapons, vehicles, and other devices used by spies. There are videos and written information explaining everything you ever wanted to know about how spies do their jobs.

I really enjoyed learning about surveillance and listening devices. The interactive exhibits were interesting too - my kids spent a great deal of time trying to decipher codes. They also very much enjoyed the rooms geared toward spies in the world of entertainment. There were so many photos and memorabilia from Austin Powers, Get Smart, James Bond, and many, many others. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone with small children - we saw many families leaving relatively quickly because of children who were not old enough to appreciate this museum. But other than that, I would highly recommend this museum to anyone who likes mystery and espionage. It really was fascinating - well worth the money and the time.