Trip to Washington, DC

9/21/25

We left the Big Lynn Lodge in Little Switzerland at 6:30 am. We drove 7 hours to the Hyatt Regency Dulles in McNair, VA. We had a very nice room for the week. After settling in, we walked to the Innovation Center Metro Station (about a 10-minute walk from the hotel). When we got there, we looked at the map and fare kiosk to get information, and a nice metro kiosk worker came over to ask us if we needed any help. He was very nice and gave us lots of great information about getting the Senior SmarTrip card. Then we returned to the hotel and watched movies, and rested.

9/22/25

We got up early and used the SmarTrip app on our phones, which showed we had money on a card we used previously. So, we tried to use that money to take us to the Herndon station so we could get a senior SmarTrip card to pay half-price fares, but the man said it had to be added to our Apple Wallet. So, we tried that, but my phone kept saying we had no internet. Finally, the nice man called the Herndon Station and told them that we were on our way, and he let us through the gate. When we got to Herndon, the man was waiting for us and let us out of the station, and told us where to go to get the senior SmarTrip card. Once we filled out the application,we got our cards and returned to the station to add money to the cards.

Then we headed to Ballston to see if our favorite bagel shop was there, but it wasn’t, so we ended up going to Union Station and found Bulldog Bagels there. After we had breakfast, we went to the Postal Museum. We got some free postcards there. At lunchtime, we had lunch in Chinatown. Our favorite Chinese restaurant is no longer there (it has been 16 years, so…). After lunch, we spent the afternoon at the National Portrait Gallery. For dinner, we went back to Ballston and ate at the Potbelly Deli. We returned to our hotel around 7 pm, and we were exhausted. I had walked over 20,000 steps and up 19 flights! In the evening, we watched TV and I knit.

9/23/25

Another wonderful day in DC. We had breakfast at IHOP (Ballston-MU metro station). Then we went to the National Botanical Garden, which is probably my favorite place to go. At noon, we went to the Supreme Court for our 12:30 reservation for a lecture. Then we toured the Supreme Court Building and the exhibits. We had lunch at the cafe there. We spent the rest of the day at the Library of Congress. Now I want to watch the movie National Treasure again! It was interesting that knitting needles were not allowed at both places. In the evening, we watched TV and I knit.

9/24/25

We left early and went to Union Station to get a bagel at the Bullfrog Bagel for breakfast. We were smart and brought our own water and soda this time. Then we walked to the Library of Congress, where we got our research library card. While we were there, I asked the lady making our card if she thought my book would be there, and she looked it up. There it was, and I could even request it if I wanted it! She said her two daughters were teachers, and she would get them a copy from Amazon! Then we walked to Lindsey Graham’s office at the Russell Building. We were there early (9:30) and the intern, Emily, said it would just be the 3 of us, and she took us on a tour of the Russell Building and the Capitol. Then we even sat in the Capitol Gallery. After that, we walked to the other end of the mall to the American History Museum. First, we had lunch (it was expensive and awful). Then we explored 2 floors of the museum before deciding we were tired and ready to return to the hotel. In the evening, we watched TV and I knit.

 

9/25/2025

Another fun day in DC! We ate breakfast at IHOP. They had a value meal of eggs, bacon, and French toast for only $6. Then we went to the National Air and Space Museum. Don was a little disappointed in it because it didn’t have as many exhibits as in the past. We couldn’t understand why they had race cars and motorcycles featured in some of the exhibits, and there were a lot of exhibits featuring Russia and Great Britain’s aircraft. Next, we went to the National Gallery of Art and we enjoyed seeing artwork from some of our favorite artists (Monet, Renoir, Rodin). Last, we went to the National Archives and saw the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution in their entirety. On the way back to the hotel, we stopped for dinner at IHOP because they had an $8.99 special (burger, fries, and a soda), and it was delicious! In the evening, we watched TV, and I knit.

9/26/2025

We had breakfast at IHOP again and then took the metro to McPherson Square. From there, we walked to the White House and got pictures of it from the south side (closest to the Washington Monument). Then we walked to the Washington Monument and took pictures there. Next, we walked to the Museum of Natural History and had to wait for about ten minutes until it opened. We enjoyed the museum, and I liked seeing the Hope Diamond. After that, we went to the Hard Rock Cafe so I could buy a guitar bottle opener/magnet. Then we went to the American History Museum so I could see the First Ladies exhibit and the Ruby Slippers from The Wizard of Oz. By then, we were pooped and ready to eat dinner, so we stopped at IHOP again for dinner before heading back to the hotel.

Interesting story: We saw a Secret Service Uniform from when Nixon was President. Nixon saw security in Europe and wanted his security to look like that, so he paid $500 for 32 uniforms to be made. After he left office, these uniforms were sent to a warehouse in the mid-1970s, where they sat for a few years. Eventually, they were bought by the Meriden-Cleghorn High School Band in Iowa for $10 a uniform from the United States General Service Administration in 1980.

9/27/2025

We drove to IHOP for breakfast, which was an adventure. We both ordered the $6 French Toast Combo Value Meal, but when we got the bill, the waiter charged us $12.99 for a Build Your Own French Toast Combo. When I told the waiter the check was wrong, he had to get the manager, who started sticking up for the waiter. When we told him to get the menu, and I showed him what I ordered, plus I also pointed to it for the waiter to see, as well as reading the name of the special. Then the manager said Okay and fixed our bill. When we got back to the hotel, we went to the Innovation Center Metro Station to get bus 983 to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center (Air and Space Museum) at Dulles Airport at 10:15 ($1.10 each way). We spent about 3 hours there and really enjoyed it. It seems like a lot of stuff from the other museum had been moved here. On the way back to the metro station, the bus stopped across the street from our hotel to pick up people, and we were able to get off the bus. Then we drove to Starbucks so I could get my birthday drink. We also picked up a Subway BMT to take back to the hotel.

Things I Learned:

1. If you are old enough to get the Senior SmarTrip card, it is worth it. Fares are half price on the WMATA.
2. IHOP at the Ballston Metro had a great breakfast and dinner (weekday special).
3. The Supreme Court Building had a cafe with good food.
4. I wouldn’t eat anything at the American History Museum Cafe.
5. You need timed tickets to go up the Washington Monument and the Bureau of Printing and Engraving, but they were sold out.
6. I would recommend people go to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center at Dulles instead of the one on the mall. It was much better!

Original photos by Pat Hensley