Washington D.C.

There is a lot to see while touring the fort. There are many buildings you can see, there are dormitories, offices, kitchens, underground armories and different storage areas. The fort sits on a lot of acreage, so you can get in a really good walk through the fort and all around the outside. There are still tons of cannons and other weaponry that was used in the forts defense. If you plan to be there during lunch time, I suggest bringing a picnic. There are tables and benches under shade trees all along the waters edge, a perfect place to relax and enjoy a meal. You can also watch a short movie at the visitors center, that provides a brief history of the fort before going out on your own.

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting D.C. to be so beautiful. The architecture and the landscaping really surprised me. There are so many stunning buildings, many of which are very old, at least by American standards. The photo above to the far left is The Smithsonian Castle, the middle photo is the old Postal Service building which now houses a Waldorf Astoria. The picture to right is a technology museum.

I was really surprised by the bold colors in many of the rooms. I was expecting it to be quite reserved, so I really enjoyed that surprise. Each room is lovely with all the small details. I really enjoyed looking at all the paintings and portraits they had on display. Of course, you’re limited on where you can go. I would love to see the Oval Office, but that’s a no go. It felt really special being there, and I was really grateful we got to see it.

My favorite place inside the capitol was the Rotunda. The artwork and craftsmanship is amazing. Many artists worked to get it to the state it is in today. You could spend an hour in the Rotunda alone. It’s filled with so many works of art.

On the tour you get to see most of the interior, which has been painstakingly preserved. I loved the green dining room. The desk pictured above is an original, the one that Washington would sit at and do work from. The grounds are enormous. You could spend hours exploring the woods, farms, pastures and wharf. You can also visit the tomb of George & Martha Washington. Washington was an innovator, and never stopped trying to improve his home and grounds. There is a fantastic museum inside the visitors center. I learned so much about our first president. When he inherited his fathers estate at the age of eleven, he also inherited 10 slaves. He would go on to purchase more slaves throughout his life. When he died in 1799, he owned 123 slaves. In his will he ordered that all of his slaves be freed upon the death of his wife. Martha Washington saw that the slaves were freed prior to her death. George Washington died in the upstairs bedroom he shared with Martha. 

I had mixed feelings about visiting The Arlington National Cemetery. As a retired member of the United States Air Force, I felt like it was my duty to pay my respects to all the people who sacrificed their lives for my freedom. I knew that it would sad, a place that would remind me of all the losses our country has faced. There are so many places to visit in this 639 acre park. It seems that the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the burial spot of John F. Kennedy were the places that many wanted to visit while we were there. I recommend attending the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Even though I felt a great sense of loss during this visit, I also really appreciated how peaceful and beautiful everything was. It is just a ten minute drive from the White House.

On our last day of vacation we headed up to the top of The Washington Monument. This is absolutely a place that you must reserve your tickets ahead of time. There is so much fascinating information about this place. It took a very long time to build, construction was halted during the Civil War, and people from all over the world donated stones to help construct it, etc., etc. Unfortunately the day we went, it was so hazy due to the wildfires. Usually on a clear day you can see 30 miles in every direction. The photo above is what the view is like on a clear day.