Five things to do in Washington, D.C., beyond the obvious
12:00 AM CDT on Sunday, July 4, 2010
By JOSH NOEL Chicago Tribune Josh Noel, Chicago Tribune
WASHINGTON, D.C. – You already know the museums, the monuments and the mall. Here are five things to do next time you visit D.C. that will offer a new perspective.
1Adams Morgan – This neighborhood in central D.C., just a couple of miles north of the National Mall, is abuzz with international flavor. Whether you want French, Himalayan, Latin or Ethiopian food, it's here.
Contact: www.adamsmorgannow.com
2National Museum of Health and Medicine – Established during the Civil War as a museum for "specimens of morbid anatomy ... together with projectiles and foreign bodies removed," today's collection includes the bullet that killed Abraham Lincoln . At the district's northern end, at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, it is far from the usual roster of sights.
Contact: www.nmhm.washingtondc.museum
3 National Museum of the American Indian cafeteria – With a mind-bending menu that spans the lower 48 – because what Plains Indians ate and eat is different from what Indians of the Northwest ate and eat – it's as much a cultural journey as any exhibit.
Contact: www.nmai.si.edu
4 Mount Vernon Trail – On this lovely, looping ride, you will pedal your bike past Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (watch the planes land), Alexandria (walk the historic streets and grab a bite to eat) and wind up at Mount Vernon (see where the first president lived). Just save energy to pedal back.
Contact: www.nps.gov/gwmp
5Rock Creek Park – One of the nation's largest urban parks and a gem. Options include hiking and biking, a planetarium, ranger-led programs and golf. In much of Rock Creek, especially patches along the river or at the bottom of a plunging ravine, you would have no idea you are in a major metropolitan center, let alone a few miles from the White House.
Contact: www.nps.gov/rocr/index.htm
Josh Noel,
Chicago Tribune
