Days Inn Pentagon

Sure Arlington has a lot of history, touristy sites, restaurants, and nightlife, but I prefer Washington DC. Washington DC, the Capital City of the US, is a diverse city of monuments, historic sites, and government buildings, along with good nightlife, nice restaurants, and a variety of outdoor activities.

During my visits, I always loved to see the major memorials, such as the Vietnam War Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, and the new World War II Memorial. I also enjoy the diverse neighborhoods such as Chinatown, Foggy Bottom, Georgetown, Adams Morgan, DuPont Circle, and across the river, Arlington and Alexandria, Virginia. Now that I live here in the city I am trying to find all of the good hole-in-the-wall restaurants and off-the-beaten-path attractions throughout the city that are overlooked by visitors who are here for just a short time.

Best touristy things to do in Washington DC: visit the numerous monuments and memorials on the mall, see the dozens of museums of the Smithsonian Institution, maybe shop in Georgetown, see the famous government buildings like the White House and Capitol, and maybe check out a few other historic sites like Ford's Theater. Many visitors will also want to see some of the nearby areas like Arlington National Cemetery, Old Town Alexandria, and Mount Vernon.

My favorite not-so-touristy things to do in Washington DC: shop at Eastern Market and the Maine Avenue Fish Market, wander the historic streets and parks of Capitol Hill, eat in Chinatown or Barracks Row, go out for the nightlife at Adams Morgan, enjoy an afternoon at Rock Creek Park, hike or bike the C&O Canal, check out the view from the Old Post Office Tower, visit the Shakespeare Theater, and see some of the non-touristy monuments like the National Law Enforcement Monument and the Navy Memorial.

In November of 2008 I brought an Afghan friend to the Mall for a quick afternoon visit that was cut short buy the cold wind and blowing snow flurries. He was amazed at the size of the Washington Monument and impressed by the White House and Capitol Building. I was a little surprised that he had never heard of Lincoln, but then again they have been dealing with other problems in Afghanistan since well before he was born. I was glad to hear him say, upon his first glimpse of the National Mall, "Wow, for the first time I really feel like I am in America." Makes you proud to be an American.