Thanks a lot for the videos Rob! My wife and I spent a week in Washington DC 3 weeks ago and we found watching your videos super handy before we got there. I have some additional tips to some who are planning to visit Washington DC in the future: 1) Use the Circulator bus and Metro train but it's better to get individual SmartTrip cards. The Circulator buses are awesome! If you are on a budget, this is much better than hop on - hop off tours. Sometimes you'll get lucky to have a driver doing the announcements. Most of the buses are new and all electric with wifi and USB ports to charge your electronics. And to top it all ... just for a dollar! 2) There's a mall with lots of fast food outlets like Church's Chicken, Panda Express, Five Guys and even Pho which is just a station train ride from The Castle (Smithsonian Visitor Centre) station and that is the L' Enfant Plaza which is the name of the station itself. 3) Its better to land at the Dulles Airport as most flights are cheaper. Then take an UBER ride from there. depending on where you're staying but in downtown our cost was app. $50 one way. 4) There's a lot of places/museums to visit but choose the ones that are really interesting for you and most likely free. Don't miss the free tour of the US Capitol. Visit the White House Visitor Center if you are not from the states to get a booking with a congressman. Don't miss the Smithsonian Zoo to see live Panda's and the study centre. Best of all, The American Museum of Natural History. 5) Visit The Lincoln Memorial day and night with the Circulator and take a picture of the Washington Monument across. Super cool!
I dont mean to be so off topic but does anyone know a tool to log back into an instagram account? I somehow lost the account password. I appreciate any tips you can give me!
@Liam Edison thanks so much for your reply. I got to the site through google and im in the hacking process now. Looks like it's gonna take quite some time so I will reply here later with my results.
Oh hey it's me! Sunrise is definitely a wonderful time to shoot... getting up early is a struggle but it's worth it :) That's awesome that the zoo is open that early (I didn't know that). I'll definitely have to go sometime before the crowds arrive! Great tips.
Some other things I like to do in the area. I live in Frederick MD, which is a 30 min drive from DC, so I generally go there on the weekend (outside covid) - Brookside Gardens, which is off the Glenmont Metro opens at sunrise (It's in MoCo, MD). Gorgeous flower gardens. - Hit a bike trail in the NE. I usually go to Bethesda and take the Capital Crescent Trail into the city. Parking is free on the weekends and you can also get a capital bikeshare there as well, takes you to the national mall via georgetown. If you time it right, you can hit the Smithsonian when it opens. Having your own bike to go through the mall will make travelling easy. You can take the bike on the metro (weekends and off-peak weekdays) back to the Bethesda station. - Similarily, you can go over to Alexandria via the Mount Vernon trail, which is another great place to bike. - Also worth noting, the Smithsonian castle opens much earlier (8:30 last I checked). It's not that interesting of a place, but is useful to know if you are out and need to use the restroom. - I don't believe the Sculpture Gardens close, which is useful for killing time. There's also some nice small gardens around.
I’ll be arriving there on Wednesday next week and I’ll be there 5 days. I naturally get up at 3am. I’m an amateur photographer and I’m hoping to get some sunrise photos. I’m probably gonna be too late to take some blossom photos but I’m really looking forward taking lots of photos. Haven’t been to DC in almost 30 years
I just moved to MD..15 minutes from DC and need to learn about buses and trains. I only go into DC when my daughter’s family plans weekend outings there..I’ve spied some nice restaurants and want to go to All of the Smithsonian museums!! LoL
Do you have some ideas of what to do with luggage while touring. We need to check out and travel to another location end of day. We'll be going back to Baltimore on the Marc at end of day.
Depends on the Starbucks. Some are open late (like the one in Dupont Circle that closes at 11 most nights) but the ones in office districts close earlier. Starbucks also has a crazy number of locations downtown, so for stores in close proximity, they might close one at 6pm since there's another nearby open later and there's not enough business to keep both open late.
Thanks a lot for the videos Rob! My wife and I spent a week in Washington DC 3 weeks ago and we found watching your videos super handy before we got there. I have some additional tips to some who are planning to visit Washington DC in the future:
1) Use the Circulator bus and Metro train but it's better to get individual SmartTrip cards. The Circulator buses are awesome! If you are on a budget, this is much better than hop on - hop off tours. Sometimes you'll get lucky to have a driver doing the announcements. Most of the buses are new and all electric with wifi and USB ports to charge your electronics. And to top it all ... just for a dollar!
2) There's a mall with lots of fast food outlets like Church's Chicken, Panda Express, Five Guys and even Pho which is just a station train ride from The Castle (Smithsonian Visitor Centre) station and that is the L' Enfant Plaza which is the name of the station itself.
3) Its better to land at the Dulles Airport as most flights are cheaper. Then take an UBER ride from there. depending on where you're staying but in downtown our cost was app. $50 one way.
4) There's a lot of places/museums to visit but choose the ones that are really interesting for you and most likely free. Don't miss the free tour of the US Capitol. Visit the White House Visitor Center if you are not from the states to get a booking with a congressman. Don't miss the Smithsonian Zoo to see live Panda's and the study centre. Best of all, The American Museum of Natural History.
5) Visit The Lincoln Memorial day and night with the Circulator and take a picture of the Washington Monument across. Super cool!
Jun Villarico WoW, thanks!!
thanks
I love waking up early on vacation so I can do more things during the day!
Same.
I dont mean to be so off topic but does anyone know a tool to log back into an instagram account?
I somehow lost the account password. I appreciate any tips you can give me!
@Zyaire Harlem Instablaster :)
@Liam Edison thanks so much for your reply. I got to the site through google and im in the hacking process now.
Looks like it's gonna take quite some time so I will reply here later with my results.
@Liam Edison It worked and I finally got access to my account again. Im so happy:D
Thank you so much you really help me out !
Oh hey it's me! Sunrise is definitely a wonderful time to shoot... getting up early is a struggle but it's worth it :)
That's awesome that the zoo is open that early (I didn't know that). I'll definitely have to go sometime before the crowds arrive! Great tips.
If you're not a morning person, coffee is definitely necessary for a morning photo safari.
Some other things I like to do in the area. I live in Frederick MD, which is a 30 min drive from DC, so I generally go there on the weekend (outside covid)
- Brookside Gardens, which is off the Glenmont Metro opens at sunrise (It's in MoCo, MD). Gorgeous flower gardens.
- Hit a bike trail in the NE. I usually go to Bethesda and take the Capital Crescent Trail into the city. Parking is free on the weekends and you can also get a capital bikeshare there as well, takes you to the national mall via georgetown. If you time it right, you can hit the Smithsonian when it opens. Having your own bike to go through the mall will make travelling easy. You can take the bike on the metro (weekends and off-peak weekdays) back to the Bethesda station.
- Similarily, you can go over to Alexandria via the Mount Vernon trail, which is another great place to bike.
- Also worth noting, the Smithsonian castle opens much earlier (8:30 last I checked). It's not that interesting of a place, but is useful to know if you are out and need to use the restroom.
- I don't believe the Sculpture Gardens close, which is useful for killing time. There's also some nice small gardens around.
I’m glad you talked about diners because those places have the best food! I’m moving to DC soon and wanted to find where some good diners were!
Nice! Enjoy.
I’ll be arriving there on Wednesday next week and I’ll be there 5 days. I naturally get up at 3am. I’m an amateur photographer and I’m hoping to get some sunrise photos. I’m probably gonna be too late to take some blossom photos but I’m really looking forward taking lots of photos. Haven’t been to DC in almost 30 years
Thanks for the videos. I'll be visiting DC in March for a medical conference. I'll have to check some of these places out.
Excellent!
Thanks Rob these videos r so helpful I have a school trip in 22 days and I hope I will impress my peers have a day
Have fun!
always helpful
Love these videos real helpful since me and my girlfriend are going to d.c September 7
Have fun!
“The Diner” is also great! It’s in Adams Morgan in NorthWest dc.
Definitely. Good pick!
Leaving tonight and will be there by 7am! Can't wait!
Have fun!
Amazing! this is the video that I was looking to visit other places in DC during my visit there, Thanks
Have fun
Thank for this tips Rob, much appreciated.
Happy to help.
Can’t wait to comeback!
When's your next trip planned?
I'm usually up at 6 on vacation and bumble around for breakfast
When I was in dc I planned the day so I could be there to take pictures of the sunrise
I just moved to MD..15 minutes from DC and need to learn about buses and trains. I only go into DC when my daughter’s family plans weekend outings there..I’ve spied some nice restaurants and want to go to All of the Smithsonian museums!! LoL
If you live nearby, might as well take advantage.
Since my mom and my cousin has to leave for work at 8:00AM I am an early riser and I eat Breakfast at Tysons corner
Breakfast is always a good morning thing to do.
We are thinking about catching Amtrak from nc to dc and would be there at 7am
That's an early train.
sadly i do get up by 6 my family not so much lol
Do you have some ideas of what to do with luggage while touring. We need to check out and travel to another location end of day. We'll be going back to Baltimore on the Marc at end of day.
Your hotel can hold your luggage after check-out until it's time for you to leave.
What was that coffee place we stopped at?
Pret A Manger
Jog around national mall .
It threw us off that even Starbucks, which is open in other places very late closed at 6 or 7
Depends on the Starbucks. Some are open late (like the one in Dupont Circle that closes at 11 most nights) but the ones in office districts close earlier. Starbucks also has a crazy number of locations downtown, so for stores in close proximity, they might close one at 6pm since there's another nearby open later and there's not enough business to keep both open late.
You forgot David's Tent. It's a pretty special thing to worship early in the morning...
Shaun Wilson: What/where is David s Tent, please.
I like to wake up at 6 30