12 Hours in Washington D.C.

Show Stroly map

i. 8 pm: End the day with a show at the Kennedy Center (www.kennedy-center.org/index.cfm), a performing arts complex along the Potomac River with eight venues offering cultural events, art exhibits as well as concerts, theater, opera and ballet.

Show Stroly map

h. 6 pm: After freshening up, sit down for an elegant Italian dinner at Fiola (www.fioladc.com) along the Georgetown waterfront. The lobster ravioli and the Colors of the Garden salad make a sumptuous pairing.

Show Stroly map

g. 4 pm: Hail a cab to trendy Georgetown and some of Washington’s best shopping, particularly the Georgetown Park mall (www.shopsatgeorgetownpark.com). Music lovers, be sure to browse through Canal Square’s Hill & Dale (hillanddalerecords.com), a record store offering new and old titles in pop, rock, jazz, folk, country, blues, and other genres, as well as engaging conversations with the proprietors.

Show Stroly map

f. 3 pm: Get some fresh air and exercise by exploring the National Mall, beginning with the World War II Memorial, then walk to the poignant Vietnam War Memorial with the names of more than 50,000 Americans etched in a radiant wall made with stone from Bangalore, India. Finish at the Lincoln Memorial, an awe-inspiring statute of the 16th President surrounded by some of his best-known quotations. http://www.nps.gov/nacc/index.htm

Show Stroly map

e. 1:30 pm: It’s time to return to the 21st Century at one of Washington’s newest and most fascinating attractions. The Newseum (www.newseum.org) is a museum devoted to the news media with countless interactive exhibits. Try your hand at reporting and shooting a video, as well as testing your knowledge of current events at the fast-paced NewsMania game.

Show Stroly map

d. Noon: Just a few blocks away is the Old Ebbitt Grill (www.ebbitt.com) established in 1856 as a saloon and boarding house. Guests have included several White House occupants, and today, it is an engaging and enchanting eatery. Be sure to indulge in two specialties: crab and artichoke dip and oysters.

Show Stroly map

c. 10 am: Walk 15 minutes to be one of the day’s first visitors to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History (www.americanhistory.si.edu) offering an intriguing glimpse into this nation’s cultural, political and social history. Highlights include a fragment of Plymouth Rock, Dorothy’s glittering ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, and the First Ladies exhibit.

Show Stroly map

b. 8:45 am: Take a 10-minute cab ride to one of the most prestigious addresses in the world – 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue – for a free, self-guided tour of the White House (www.whitehouse.gov). Admire the East, Green, Blue, Red, and State Dining rooms and imagine John Kennedy delivering a toast in your honour. Non-U.S. residents need to submit requests through their embassies several weeks in advance; be sure to bring your passport for identification.

Show Stroly map

a. 8 am: Stroll through Eastern market (www.easternmarket-dc.org), established in 1873 and located near Capitol Hill to savor fresh bagels, croissants, scones, cheeses, fruit and vegetables while examining the wares of more than 100 exhibitors of handmade crafts, jewelry, and antiques.