Washington DC is a great place to visit. I was only there for a day but I was able to see so much in such a short time. I would recommend starting at one of the many information booths that are located around The Mall, they have plenty of maps and great advice as to what you can see and do.
One way to get around the city is by bicycle. DC has the same system that many major cities around the world now have where you can sightsee by renting a bike for as long as you want. It was really easy to do and once I got my bike I just had to make some minor adjustments to the seat and I was off. DC is fairly flat and there are plenty of sidewalks so riding your bike isn’t a problem.
The bike racks look the same all over the city and they are all over the place. As I was riding around I had to have seen at least 6 or 7 different stations and I only went from The Mall to The White House.
I liked that the prices were clearly written out and it is easy to see how much you will be spending.
I printed my receipt which I’m glad I did because if you have any problems at all you have proof that you purchased your time. There is a code you need in order to take your bike and you can print the code or have it displayed on the screen. I didn’t see my receipt so I called the 800 that was on the bike rack. The call was almost immediately answered and my problem was solved. The receipt had printed out, it just didn’t drop because it had gotten stuck. I had to open the plastic door and reach up and pull it out. Apparently this is common so if you don’t see your code printed out, just open the door and see if it got stuck.
I rode around for a couple of hours and thoroughly enjoyed my ride and I wondered why I don’t visit DC more often. There is so much history in this city and so much to see and do, I think I could stay here for a couple of weeks and never run out of things to see.
This is the Washington Monument. They are starting to fix the damage caused by the last earthquake.
This is the entrance to the World War II Memorial. You can walk around most of the memorials and see all of the sayings and sculptures around all of the memorials.
Another view of The Washington Monument with the Reflecting Pool in front of it.
The Lincoln Memorial. I couldn’t get any close because there are a bunch of steps leading to it and I was on the bike so I had to photograph it from afar.
