Trip to Washington DC, tips? Things not to miss?

[molested_cow]

Back in 2004 i did use a tripod at Lincoln memorial on the steps and around when it got dark and I was not pestered by any one. I didn't even know I wasn't supposed to use it.

If you are going there on the weekend, I recommend you to do the worst thing, which is to drive to the mall area and try to find street parking. It's free on weekends, but may take you a good 30~45min to find a spot. However once you find one, you are all set! You can leave your tripod in the car for most of the day and come back for it when it gets dark.

 

[Village Idiot]

I had some of the best calamari in the states while in DC. I wish I could remember which street it was on, but needless to say it was a sorta restaraunt row in one of the neighboods, not touristy. I mean this in the kindest, gentlest way and it was described to me by a local, but the restaraunt was in the gay section of town. Perhaps The_Traveler or ancha930 can pinpoint the area closer, but the aromas wafting through the air as we traversed the street was absolutely delicious. Choosing a venue was difficult, but I think any one of them would have satisfied our appetite.

DuPont Circle or Logan Circle?

I'm pretty sure it was Dupont Circle.

Figures that I have to go straight through the heart of Gaypont Circle to get to my favorite bar. The Brickskellar is right on the outside but they're in the Guiness Book of World Records for having the largest selection of beer in one place, so you guys sympathize, right?

 

[The_Traveler]

Do a search on hotels bethesda md
Very nice area, lots of shops, restaurants, directly on metro and close to stops.
much,much,much better than off the Beltway in College Park.

American Inn is moderate cost

 

[Village Idiot]

Do a search on hotels bethesda md
Very nice area, lots of shops, restaurants, directly on metro and close to stops.
much,much,much better than off the Beltway in College Park.

American Inn is moderate cost

I always hop onto the Twinbrook station down there when I'm headed into DC. Convenient and there's always a ton of restaurants to hit up if I want to snag something for the way back.

This place showed as $99 a night and it's right across the street from the Metro station. There's 3 others right across around there too.

The Legacy Hotel

 

[DaveO]

The Embassy Inn on 16th St is only $ 79/ nt. I don't know anything about it, but it is only 10 blocks from the White House. I have stayed at a Holiday Inn or Howard Johnson near Dupont Circle which is about the same distance and it was very nice. Don't remember the price. If you search for a map of hotels in DC you will find a lot of others.

DaveO

 

[c.cloudwalker]

Frankly, just go walk around town, visit the museums, etc. and forget photography. There is nothing there that has not been shot a few million times before. Unless, that is, you want to shoot the reality of the town. In which case you would head out to where the tourists sure don't go.... lol.

Everything in DC is about hype, nothing else. Including the Brickskeller. How many beers can you try in one sitting?

In the time you are going to be there you will not see much as it is, so, just enjoy the history, forget the postcard shots you will miss.



25 years in DC speaking.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

I disagree. There are things there that have not been shot a million times before.

 

[c.cloudwalker]

Like what?

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Like this:

Or this:

Or this:

 

[c.cloudwalker]

And you think those are going to be found by someone on a photo tour?

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Depends on the person, don't it?


You told the OP to walk around and forget about photography.

I disagreed with THAT.

 

[c.cloudwalker]

Of course it does.

So let me ask it another way: can the OP find those on a tour?

From his/her post, I sure don't think so.

 

[kundalini]

Of course it does.

So let me ask it another way: can the OP find those on a tour?

From his/her post, I sure don't think so.

Depends on the photographer. Of course they can, if that is a chosen venture. for them

Seems like you're full of negative tonight cloud.

 

[flea77]

Of course it does.

So let me ask it another way: can the OP find those on a tour?

From his/her post, I sure don't think so.

I am going to be blunt and completely honest... One of my jobs is photography, and one of my hobbies is photography, therefor I want to see DC through the viewfinder. I tend to pay a lot more attention to details and notice shapes and colors more when I am setting up shots. I would miss the same things if it were not for the camera. And to put a point on it, I am going FOR the photography, mainly architectural, the history bores me. Take my cameras away and I have absolutely no reason to want to go.

The reasoning for the tour is simple. I get to see a lot of places, all the transportation is taken care of, and since it is a photo tour, I don't have to worry they will walk away as I am setting up a shot or get annoyed having to wait on me. Am I there for the postcard shots? Somewhat, just because they have been done a thousand times does not mean I don't want to do them too. But I am also there to get my angles, my crops, my vision of the same thing other people have captured.

I sincerely believe I could do the same thing on my own, with a couple of problems. 1) I would never be able to get to that many places in that amount of time since I have never been before. 2) I doubt very seriously any security will have a problem with me lugging around a camera in Union Station or somewhere else I have heard of problems with photographers if I am with an established tour group. 3) I have exactly two days to get in all that I can. Day one is all tours, day two is exploring on my own.

Now if you have a better solution to cover more ground for the same or less money in the same or less time and be assured of getting to the prime photo locations, I am all ears.

Allan

 

[Bynx]

I couldnt imagine going to DC without a camera and only coming home with a foggy recollection.