Travel plans in mid-Atl region, any suggestions?

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///M-Spec

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My family is planning on a car trip to DC in mid-July, so we can.. heh.. take advantage of the scorching heat and wilting humidity. We'll be passing through Savannah, GA and Charleston, NC on our way up from Florida.

Any members in that area want to recommened something good to see and do? I'm all ears.


M
 
Well, DC is full of places to visit, so I don't gather you need recommendations there, but I'll make a few anyway. You'll be about 2 hours south of our house, depending on where you are in DC.

Definitely in the Mall and see the Capitol Hill area - the Capitol at one end, the Washington Monument at the other, and the Smithsonian and a bunch of good art museaums in between. I have not yet gone to the Holocaust Museum but I've heard it's very moving.

Definitely hit Air & Space, and possibly the new expansion area at Dulles, which has a lot of bigger aircraft in it.

It's a little farther north (40 minutes) than DC, but the National Aquarium in Baltimore's Inner Harbor is a fun trip, too.

Don't forget to take your picture near the Giant Peach at the NC/SC border. And you can stop by the BMW plant in Spartansburg, which is as I recall right off the highway.
 
Thanks Duke, my wife is sure to love the Smithsonian, though she'd care less about the Air & Space Museum :lol:

I originally wanted to pick up my new car at Spartanburg, but wifey talked me out of it ("What would the baby and I do all day while you turned laps at the test course?" "Um.... watch?" "NO.")

What's the deal with the giant peach? Semi-fun tourist trap?


M
 
The Smithsonian is actually broken up into a number of buildings: Centennial Hall, which houses a collection of industrial equipment, household goods, and other items from the 1876 Centennial celebration. There is also the Natural History Museum, which has about 3,000 dusty stuffed animals (I mean taxidermy, not Beanie Babies), giant insects on pins, an anthropological history of mankind, and the really interesting part: gems and minerals display. There are other parts as well.

The National Gallery of Art (East Wing by I M Pei houses the modern collection, classical West Wing houses the older stuff) has a lot of good stuff on display.

Air & Space is actually interesting to non-propellorheads, even, so if you've never seen it, give it a try. It's not hideously crowded during the weekdays. See the iMaxx movie To Fly if you can.

The Giant Peach is just a water tower by I-90 (or whatever the main highway os down there), shaped like a peach (complete with stem and leaf) and painted appropriately, sitting on God's Own golf tee. If I can find a picture from our run home with the ACR, I'll scan it.
 
Duke makes some excellent suggestions. I used to live in DC and I've hit all those places hes mentioned. Definately hit up the Gems and Minerals display. Baltimore Aquarium is really cool too. The Washington Monument was just recently refurbished and looking in tip top form. Take a look and see what's going on over at the Kennedy Center if you want to see a play, and there are many other plays and shows always going on it seems. There is also a comedy Imporv Theatre. Been there a bunch of times and always had a great time. Make reservations as the place is always packed.
If the family want's to hit a amusement park, Kings Dominion is just south of DC off of I-95, and there is also a 6 Flags amusment park in the area too.

If you get a chance, there are some excellent places to eat there in DC. My favorite is the Red Sage. Casual, or formal dining that serves food of the southwestern flare. It's on 14th and F street. (I used to work there.)
Ruth's Chris Steak house is there too. Great steaks. If you're a big beer lover, hit up the Brickskeller. Their beer menu has over 500 different kinds of beers.

Try to ride the Metro whenever you can. Downtown DC traffic is some of the worst in the country so be careful.
Also, just be very careful in general there. Especially after the sun goes down.
Don't ventrue North, South or East of the Capitol building as you may regret it.

In the northern Virginia area there is a lot of civil war sites and battlegrounds if that tickles your fancy.
A really nice area to go to is Great Falls, Virginia. It's just a scenic park that the Potomac river flows through. Some really spectacular river rapids and waterfalls there.
Also the Shenendoah (sp?) Valley is about an hour and a half drive from DC taking I-66. Beautifull out there. You can visit Harpers Ferry or the Luray Caverns too if you decide you want to venture out that way.

What else would you like to do while you're there?
 
Thanks guys for the detailed responses. 👍 I forgot to mention that my sister lives in DC and will play tour guide the whole time. I was really looking for recs on Savannah and Charleston, but glad to hear anything. I'm a planning freak, so I love to get details squared away whenever possible.

I'm looking forward to checking your dinner recommendations, Boom. My wife and I love good food!

Smithsonian is a sure thing, probably National Art gallery too. My wife wants to see the White House, and is actually trying to get us on a tour.

Don't know if we're have time to get into VA. But I recall it is beautiful country from a former trip long ago.

I'm trying to focus on historical stuff, good food and shopping and places that are family friendly and close-by to our hotel --the kid goes down for a nap every 3 hours.

What do you guys think about mass transit with a toddler? Should we even try driving?


Don't ventrue North, South or East of the Capitol building as you may regret it.

This I find very funny, even though its probably very true.


M
 
The Metro is great for anywhere around central DC. Buy passes for like $5/day and you can ride anywhere. There are lots of trains so you shouldn't have any problem with a kid in an umbrella stroller or pack, but those U-haul sized carriages will pose a problem.
 
well, your obviously taking the Blue Ridge Parkway, right? I mean, i guess that's a no brainer, but i just wanted to make sure.
 
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