Wednesday, March 08, 2006

Although George Washington never lived in Washington, D.C., he certainly influenced the spirit of the city. CRSHotels says that, like our first President, they cannot tell a lie when they recommend D.C. for an excellent family vacation. CRSHotels will also make a reservation for your family in a D.C. hotel that is well situated for sightseeing.

Washington, D.C. represents the best of the USA. Designed in 1790 to be the seat of the United States government, D.C. contains history, art, culture and science museums; memorials to our best and brightest, and lots of fun things to do. This is definitely the place to begin showing the USA to your pre-teenage children and CRSHotels will be there to help you find a place to stay.
You probably are already aware of the major attractions in D.C. such as the White House, U.S. Capital and the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. Washington is also a city of memorials and monuments. You do not want to miss the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall. It is located on the National Mall along with the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument and the National World War II Memorial. Here are some other D.C. treasures that you will want to visit:

• Georgetown is a unique part of D.C. This little plot of land on the Potomac has evolved from a dirt patch to a key part of the nation's capital.  Originally a self reliant African-American community, it is now a hip enclave for the affluent and politically connected. Brownstones and embassies line the narrow streets housing many of Washington's most influential residents. For a different view of Georgetown, you might want to take a tour of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal where visitors can enjoy a 70-minute ride in a mule-drawn canal boat replica operated by Park Rangers dressed in period costumes.

• The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum offers an incredible experience. The layout and displays are designed to encourage visitors to think about the moral and spiritual questions raised by the events of the Holocaust as well as their own responsibilities as citizens of a democracy. A trip to this museum is essential for our young people as they enter middle school and high school. It will make their studies of world history more relevant.
• The Ford's Theater is the location of the tragic assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. The theater is more than a tourist attraction. It has a fascinating museum that will turn textbook history into a feeling that you were actually there when the horrible event took place. Lincoln's love of theater is still living today as Ford's has returned to being a live, working theatre.
• The newest and one of the best museums in D.C. is the National Museum of the American Indian. This institution of living cultures is dedicated to advancing knowledge and understanding of the life, languages, literature, history and arts of the Native peoples of the Western Hemisphere. Located on the National Mall, this state-of-the-art facility is a very popular cultural destination for the American Indians themselves.
• If your stomach and your feet demand that you take a break from sightseeing, head over to Union Station. With over 25 million yearly visitors, it is the most visited site in all of D.C. First of all, the building is magnificent. At the time it was built in 1907, it covered more ground than any other building in the United States and was the largest train station in the world. It has played host to 17 Presidents and countless foreign dignitaries. Today it is a retail destination with over 130 unique shops and restaurants.

If you are heading to DC, you may want to contact your local Congressperson or Senator. If given enough notice, they can frequently get you tickets to tour the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Library of Congress, the Supreme Court, the U.S. Capitol Building and the White House. If they are as friendly as Senator Bill Nelson of Florida, you might even get to have coffee with the Senator and his staff. Just think how inspirational that would be to a young person.
One of the secret surprises about Washington, D.C. is the Metro. The Washington Area Metropolitan Transit Authority operates the 2nd largest rail transit system in the U.S. This means that you should not even think of driving a car around this busy city with its limited parking. Do like everyone else does; take the Metro. It is safe, clean, reliable and fun too!

CRSHotels says that it is very easy to enjoy Washington D.C. In order to teach our children the strength of America, it is important to look at our past. Washington, D.C. offers an opportunity to do both. When you want to learn your American history ABCs, they begin with D.C., USA and CRSHotels.

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