Our hotel, the Hilton Garden Inn, was an excellent value, just two blocks from the While House and five blocks from the Mall. While it lacks the amenities of a 5-star property, it was comfortable and we enjoyed cocktails in the bar after a long day of touring.
The Newseum was outstanding. We enjoyed the exhibits of newspapers and other news events from the past. The 9/11 exhibit, which featured an antenna from the North Tower of the World Trade Center, was especially moving.
We enjoyed a visit to Ford's Theatre. Its museum had been revamped since our last visit with a number of new exhibits. The Peterson House across the street no longer exhibits the pillow with Lincoln's blood stains, something my dad loved seeing on our visit in the 1970s.
Ben's Chili Bowl was a great experience. The best hot dogs ever in a crazy, down-home environment. No wonder people line up for them.
The Library of Congress was something we'd never done before. The building is beautiful and worth a visit on its on. There were several exhibits good exhibits, including Gershwin's piano.
The Botanical Gardens next to the Capitol were not as beautiful as our visit in April a few years ago, but the flowers were still gorgeous.
The Smithsonian is always wonderful, however, we noticed a real change in the types of exhibits being offered. Rather than displaying artifacts, the shift is now to telling the story. Are we becoming so stupid that we no longer understand the meaning of the displays?
The American Indian Museum, the newest on the Mall, was a real letdown. The exhibits look more like a tradeshow than the Smithsonian-quality artifacts that we expected.
The revamped Museum of American History was outstanding. We especially enjoyed seeing Edith and Archie Bunker's chairs, Julia Child's kitchen and the first ladies' dresses. Seeing a section of the Berlin Wall was also moving for us baby boomers.
The National Aquarium was also interesting. Although not as big or as elegant as many of the country's new aquariums, it was worth a short visit.
Overall, Washington is a great town to visit, but don't go in the summer. The heat is killer, even if you're from Texas.
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