While on assignment in Washington, D.C., I was asked to do a walking tour.  Being a AAA inspector, I've done many- from walking and Segway tours to bus and Duck tours (an amphibious craft).  When I was asked to do this one my expectations were not very high. 

First of all it was a free tour. What can you expect for free now-a-days? Secondly, the website said to meet at a street corner at a particular time and look for a person in a blue shirt.  This sounded kind of shady, but it’s my job so I did what the website instructed me to do. ... Read More

I’m walking around Washington D.C's National Mall. The sky is slate gray and the air feels penetratingly chilly. Nature’s fall foliage display is over; mostly brown grass and practically bare trees signify that winter is imminent. (Yes, branches bereft of leaves have a stark beauty, but they’re still bare.) Puddles of muddy water splotch the gravel walkways. Am I going to spend the afternoon wandering around the Washington Monument or jogging up the steps of the Lincoln Memorial while shivering? Heck, no—I’m heading straight for the exotic indoor displays of greenery at the United States Botanic Garden.

This conservatory has always been a great place to relax, and it’s usually not very crowded. Usually. But when holiday season is starting to rev up you really can’t expect to have any of The Mall’s tourist attractions to yourself. ... Read More

Ever heard about an upcoming out-of-town special event and said to yourself, “I wish I could be there, but it probably won’t work out”? And then just let it go?

But then there’s also that saying about only regretting the things you don’t do.  So, when my teenager expressed a interest in attending The Comedy Central-sponsored Rally To Restore Sanity in Washington D.C., I decided to ‘go for it’. So here’s how we found ourselves, this past Saturday, on the National Mall along with over 200,000 other attendees.... Read More

The ability to zip from one attraction to another on a set of high-tech wheels—in other words, on a Segway—is an intriguing prospect for any busy, bunion-cursed travel writer. While I’d seen one of the eco-friendly personal transportation devices before, I’d never ridden one.

So, when I stumbled across a brochure for City Segway Tours while planning a trip to Washington, D.C., I was all over the sightseeing company’s guided 3-hour excursion. Then, about a day after my reservation had been confirmed, it dawned on me: I’d actually have to steer one of those things.... Read More

   
Washington is a great city when it comes to independent bookstores. Oh sure, I enjoy wandering around Borders just like everyone else, but most Borders stores are basically the same. If I can find something with more idiosyncratic character, I’m there. Here’s two I like - one an old favorite and one a new discovery.

The new discovery, Politics and Prose at 5015 Connecticut Avenue, has actually been around since the mid-1980s, and I really don’t know how it slipped under my radar when I lived in northern Virginia.... Read More

 
If you’ve ever lived in or near Washington, you know that feeling—a sense that in some small way you’re a part of our nation’s history. There’s something about the presence of all those imposing government buildings and grand monuments that makes it seem like you’re closer to the “action,” so to speak. I lived in northern Virginia for 26 years before relocating to Florida, and I return every Christmas to see my mom. I always schedule a day in Washington so I can revisit a favorite museum, park or neighborhood, and on the eve of a new decade I thought it would... Read More

 On our first morning in our nation’s capital, I quickly figured out that there was no monument or museum that was better (to a couple of Florida kids) than a big slope of fresh snow.

The ‘Blizzard of 09’ had hit over the last couple days, dumping over 16 inches of perfect powder on Washington. Getting here had been a challenge, but they were ready to play and the traditional planned itinerary went out the window to make time for snow.

I was really glad I chose the Omni Shoreham for our... Read More

I don’t know if I have ever been so glad to hand my car keys to a hotel valet parking guy as I was a few hours ago here in Washington D.C.

The attendant at the Omni Shoreham was friendly and upbeat for a guy who had probably been stuck there since the “Blizzard of ‘09” (as the local media is calling it) started Friday night. When I began planning this road trip to D.C. from Florida a couple months ago, one of the big questions the kids (Lindsey, 14 and Dane, 9) asked hopefully was “Will there be... Read More

     You can’t beat the Smithsonian museums in Washington for sheer sightseeing pleasure. Where else can you find such a concentrated assemblage of history, art and human endeavor? And they’re all so conveniently located around The Mall. Plus they’re free. This is a no-brainer, folks; when you’re in the Nation’s Capital, you spend an afternoon at the museums.

And that’s just what I did when I was in town recently visiting family. On this trip my destination was the National Museum of American History, which reopened in November 2008... Read More

Question: In April I'll be driving to Florida again for the 4th year in a row.  I have always used the CAA Trip Tik and they have always sent me down the I-95, which has always been fine, with the exception of a few slowdowns around the Washington DC leg of the trip.  While reading a few other blogs about this drive, some people have mentioned the I-84 west onto the I-81 south then the I-26 east back to the I95.  Using your click and drag option on your map, this adds about 3 hours to the trip that is usually given using just the I-95.  I have driven in 3 hours worth of congestion on the I-95 near Washington, so... Read More