1st TIMERS TO WASH DC / NYC...NEED GUIDANCE

[megr1125]

We are shocked that none of the Maryland folks posting here, knowing that the OP loves good food, have not advised an overnite/one day stop in Baltimore to check out all there is to offer. Inner Harbor, crab cakes, Fells Point, water taxi, Little Italy (great food), ESPN Zone, and much, much more. And, maybe even sail out of Baltimore on a cruise instead of NY?

Howard, how have you been doing? Any news on a Grandeur CL anytime soon?

Rick and Deirdra

 

 

so you wanna tell me where to get GOOD crabcakes...and if you say phillips i may hurt you....THAT place is overrated and touristy....i like g&m out by the airport, and we went to this place timbuktu over by arundel mills......but we are open to suggestions...and we love bawl-mer

[megr1125]

We were in DC on a land vacation a few years ago, and that is one regret, we never saw the monuments lit up. Did anyone mention the trams that you can buy tickets to that gives you a guided tour? Or any of the big hotels offer bus tours that take you all over the place, including that night time tour.

 

There are so many things to see it IS overwhelming. We had tickets to get into the White House, so that was a big time saver. But truthfully, the White House was sort of a let down. It wasn't as grand as I envisioned.

 

These were my favorites:

Lincoln Memorial; Vietnam Wall, National Archives, Arlington National Cemetery, tour of the Capitol.

 

you're right..the WH is neat, but not that exciting...and there were WAY too many people there.....

[ERTHDOG]

OBOY, lets add baltimore to the trip as well:D :eek:

 

it sounds so great,that it might take a month to really enjoy all we want to do/see;)

 

looking at cruises,i think one of the itinereries had baltimore in it,but i cant remember(research overload)

 

we love RCCL so far,but are broadening our search possibly for this vacation,because we want what will fit our ideas and desires:)

 

thank you all, and i am still listening

 

dave

[greatam]

For a REALLY special night (and you did say it was your anniversary), stay at the Hay-Adams in one of the White House view rooms and do the "Monuments By Night Tour". ABSOLUTELY SPECTACULAR!!!!

 

I have traveled around the world for business, stayed in a whole lot of 4 and 5* hotels and the night at the Hay-Adams with the tour is still one of the "special memories". NOT CHEAP. But you can spend the night, enjoy the ambiance, tour and all the goodies they give you (I left with about a 6 month supply of shampoo, conditioner, soap and stationary) and move to a cheaper hotel the next day. The memories will be with you forever.

As the ad says "as close as you will get to staying in the White House". And the rooftop restaurant is DIRECTLY adjacent to the place all the newsfeed showing the White House broadcast from.

 

And the Korean War Memorial, which looks kind of dull and boring in the daytime is unbelievable at night. The statues REALLY look like they are coming out of rice paddies, mountains or the jungle. It was a shock to see such reality at night.

 

http://www.hayadams.com/washington-dc-packages.php

[Bookish Angel]

has delicious Brazilian food. Cafe Citron on Connecticut Ave. in D. C. has great Latin American dishes.

 

Baltimore's Little Italy is definitely worth a trip as is the city of Baltimore in general. Great folks in a great town and their art museum is wonderful. If you like quirky stuff/outsider art, check out Baltimore's American Dime Museum and the American Visionary Art Museum.

[megr1125]

For a REALLY special night (and you did say it was your anniversary), stay at the Hay-Adams in one of the White House view rooms and do the "Monuments By Night Tour". ABSOLUTELY SPECTACULAR!!!!

 

I have traveled around the world for business, stayed in a whole lot of 4 and 5* hotels and the night at the Hay-Adams with the tour is still one of the "special memories". NOT CHEAP. But you can spend the night, enjoy the ambiance, tour and all the goodies they give you (I left with about a 6 month supply of shampoo, conditioner, soap and stationary) and move to a cheaper hotel the next day. The memories will be with you forever.

As the ad says "as close as you will get to staying in the White House". And the rooftop restaurant is DIRECTLY adjacent to the place all the newsfeed showing the White House broadcast from.

 

And the Korean War Memorial, which looks kind of dull and boring in the daytime is unbelievable at night. The statues REALLY look like they are coming out of rice paddies, mountains or the jungle. It was a shock to see such reality at night.

 

http://www.hayadams.com/washington-dc-packages.php

 

greatam......is there a bar on the roof too???? IIRC my cousin's husband popped the question up there....i am pretty sure she said the hay adams...and it was very romantic.

[megr1125]

has delicious Brazilian food. Cafe Citron on Connecticut Ave. in D. C. has great Latin American dishes.

 

Baltimore's Little Italy is definitely worth a trip as is the city of Baltimore in general. Great folks in a great town and their art museum is wonderful. If you like quirky stuff/outsider art, check out Baltimore's American Dime Museum and the American Visionary Art Museum.

 

 

Oh yeah...and then there is Vaccaros' bakery.....good thing is, they have a stand on the food court level of union staion in DC!

 

funny thing about litle italy....one sunday i walked over to go to church...walking back, all the smells coming from the homes...everyone was probably making their "gravy" for dinner...and some of the little ladies were carrying big tin cans of olive oil that must have weighed 10 pounds.....

 

IIRC some of the italian restaurants offer free car service too!!

[ERTHDOG]

hehe:D i must stop checking this thread when i'm hungry. my stomach is growling right now.

 

the monuments at night package does sound great,but you are right about NOT CHEAP:eek:

 

oh well,you only live once

 

dave

[greatam]

the monuments at night package does sound great,but you are right about NOT CHEAP:eek:

 

oh well,you only live once

 

dave

 

You are right-you only live once. And the Monuments at night package, although not cheap, is a good value. Even on the bus tours at night, the price was about $50.00pp. So for a private car and driver, champagne, caviar, DH had Miller Light, two or three kinds of cheese/crackers, a couple of apples and some other fruit all in a nice basket, I thought it was a pretty good deal and our guide was most accommodating. We could go anyplace we wanted but we could not cross state lines (I wanted to go to Arlington at night).

 

The breakfast included is a full service breakfast, cooked to order, with lots of extras. We sat and watched the President, First Lady and ALL the Secret Service go to church across the street. The Secret Service had been in an out of the hotel all morning.

 

Standing in the French balcony, we were not only DIRECTLY facing the White House, but we could see all the network newspeople on the roof next door for the 6:00PM news.

 

And laying in bed, propped up on LOTS of pillow and looking DIRECTLY out at the White House all lit up at night was really special.

 

The Hay-Adams is walking distance to almost everything you would want to see. Go out and walk a little bit, then go back and take a break. Go back out. We spent the entire first afternoon doing just that, then went on our tour at night. Got up early the next morning and after breakfast, went sightseeing again. When it was check out time (2:00PM, IIRC), we checked out and they kept all our luggage until we were ready to leave.

 

It truly was worth the money. And a VERY special memory.

 

Here's a picture taken by the room steward from the french balcony in our room and a picture when we were leaving the hotel. Had to make the Rush Limbaugh website in Gitmo Gear. Enjoy!!!

[ERTHDOG]

yeah,when you break it down, it isnt a bad price.

 

thank you for sharing,i am gonna add this to the distinct possibilities:)

 

dave

[megr1125]

dave....you are gonna need a couple weeks BEFORE the cruise,......

[ERTHDOG]

ya know meg,i hear what you're saying...but getting 2 weeks off in a row is the best my boss is gonna do,so i get to figure out how much i can fit into 14 days total:(

 

it will be tough,but somebodys gotta do it:D

 

as of now,i think a 5 night cruise and few days in each city is how i am leaning,but we shall see!

 

whichever way,this will be a load of fun:)

 

dave

[megr1125]

those darn bosses...well look at it this way.....you will not get to it all so you will have to come back