Getting Things Rolling
So, decided last minute, really, to just head down to Washington for the weekend. Didn’t do a ton of planning, just figured I’d drive down. Threw some clothes in a bag Friday after work, filled up the tank, and hit the road. Traffic wasn’t too bad, surprisingly. Rolled into the area later that evening. Found the hotel I’d booked online, checked in. Pretty standard place, nothing fancy, just needed a spot to crash.
Saturday Exploring
Got up reasonably early on Saturday. Grabbed some coffee and a quick bite at a little place near the hotel. Then, I headed straight for the National Mall. Figured I’d start there, you know? Just walked. A lot.
Started down near the Lincoln Memorial. Climbed the steps, looked around. Pretty impressive, gotta say. Then walked along the reflecting pool towards the Washington Monument. Didn’t go up it, just admired it from the ground. Lots of people out, families, tourists, everyone milling about.
- Saw the World War II Memorial.
- Walked past the Reflecting Pool again.
- Spent a good chunk of the day just wandering that main stretch.
Feet were starting to feel it by the afternoon. Grabbed lunch from one of those food trucks. Just a sandwich, nothing special, but hit the spot. Afterwards, I aimed for the Smithsonian area. Decided on the National Museum of Natural History. Went inside, looked at the dinosaurs, the Hope Diamond, all that stuff. Spent a couple of hours in there. By late afternoon, I was pretty beat. Headed back towards the hotel area. Found a simple diner for dinner and called it a night fairly early. Walking that much takes it out of you.
Sunday – More Sights and Heading Home
Sunday morning, checked out of the hotel after another quick breakfast. Left my bag in the car. Decided to see the White House area. Couldn’t get too close, obviously, but walked around Lafayette Square, took a few pictures from a distance. Then, I drove over towards the Capitol Building. Parked nearby and walked around the grounds a bit. It’s a huge building, very striking.
Didn’t have a ton of time left, wanted to beat the worst of the traffic going home. Considered another museum, maybe Air and Space, but figured I’d save it for another trip. Just did one last walk around the eastern end of the Mall near the Capitol.
Around lunchtime, I decided it was time to hit the road. Grabbed a quick coffee for the drive back. The drive itself was fine, listened to some music, just cruised along. Got home Sunday evening. Unpacked the car, glad to be back but it was a decent weekend. Saw the main stuff, walked miles, and got a feel for the city. Pretty straightforward trip, really.
