| On The Cheap Travel |
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| Sample Budget Itinerary for Washington DC Rise early from your hostel bed ($22 - $32) and eat breakfast ($1.65). Pack your camera, street map and Metro guide in a small daypack. Leave your Swiss Army knife behind. All the museums and government buildings have security checkpoints. Buy your Metro pass ($6.50) or DC Circulator pass ($3). Head down to the Mall and stand in line for free tickets to the U. S. Capitol (closed on Sundays). You will need to get in line at least an hour before the ticket office opens (currently 9:00 A. M.), especially if you are traveling in spring or summer. Once you have your timed tickets in hand, plan the rest of your day around your Capitol tour. (Free) Stop by the National Archives (Constitution Ave. and 7th St.) and pay your respects to the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. (Free) Walk to Chinatown for lunch (Metro: Gallery Place-Chinatown). Here you can find a variety of affordable Asian, European and American food. ($6 - $10) After lunch, trek back to the Mall and explore. At the far end of the Mall, climb the Lincoln Memorial's enormous steps. Turn and face the Capitol and imagine Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr's impressive voice ringing out over the crowd. Wander toward the Jefferson Memorial. Halfway there, check out the site of the new memorial to Dr. King, which is under construction at the northeast end of the Tidal Basin. (Free) If time permits, head over to Arlington National Cemetery. Visit the Tomb of the Unknowns, President John F. Kennedy's gravesite and the memorial to the Challenger astronauts. (Metro: Arlington Cemetery) (Free) For dinner, consider the Penn Quarter area near Ford's Theater. This is one of the District's newest hot spots. Several museums in the Quarter are open late at least one day per week, including the International Spy Museum and the National Portrait Gallery, to accommodate evening visitors. (Dinner $10 -$15; museum $0 - $16) If you're looking for nightlife, try the Dupont Circle neighborhood (Metro: Dupont Circle), Adams- Morgan (same Metro stop, or Woodley Park-Zoo), or Georgetown (Metro: Foggy Bottom-GWU). (Cost varies by location.) Splurge on a taxi ($6 - $10) and head home to your hostel. Wind down in the TV lounge, compare notes with fellow travelers, and prepare for another great day in Washington. Total Cost: $55- $95 <<Washington DC Home Packing Light>> |