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Top 10 Sights in Washington DC

With so much to see and do in Washington DC, it's nearly impossible to fit everything into just one visit. These are the museums, monuments, tours, and activities you'll want to prioritize.

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Washington, DC Travel Spotlight10

Washington, DC Travel Blog

Historic Christmas at Mount Vernon

Wednesday December 1, 2010

Did you know that George Washington bought a camel to entertain his guests for Christmas one year? That's one of the interesting facts you'll learn if you visit Mount Vernon anytime between now and Jan. 6, 2011.

The historic home of George Washington recently kicked off its Christmas season and it's definitely worth a visit this year.

The Alexandria, Va., landmark, just outside of Washington, D.C., is decked with 12 Christmas trees, a gingerbread replica of the Mount Vernon home, historical chocolate-making demonstrations and 18th century dancing.

The home, named by AAA as one of the "12 Places to Catch the Holiday Spirit" in 2009, will be in holiday mode until Jan. 6. Visitors will have access to special mansion tours, including the rarely-open third floor of the mansion. You'll learn how the Washingtons celebrated Christmas and see Aladdin the camel in honor the real camel Washington bought for 18 shillings in 1787. He'll be hanging out with the Thanksgiving turkey pardoned by President Obama this year.

Visitors can also get a taste of an 18th century-style chocolate drink and hear stories about what Christmas was like at Mount Vernon during Washington's time.

The programs are included in the general admission tickets to the home, which is $15 for adults, $7 for children ages 6 to 11 and free for children under age 5. The home is open every day from 9 AM to 4 PM. Parking is free and the home is not accessible by Metro.

Barton Boarding House to Become Museum

Sunday November 14, 2010

The Washington area is full of Civil War history. And visitors will now be able to visit a place where Clara Barton, a war nurse during the Civil War, helped families find missing soldiers.

Barton's boarding house, at 437 Seventh St., NW, was a place where she not only lived but also ran her "missing in action" office to help find soldiers who fought in the Civil War.

The office was discovered several years ago but government and museum officials are just now organizing the more than 2,000 artifacts found in the building. Considered one of the only boarding houses left in Washington, the building had been used to house a shoe store at one point on the bottom floor.

The U.S. General Services Administration, which owns the building, and officials from the National Museum of Civil War Medicine in Frederick, Md., who are organizing the opening of the Barton house, found several items that will be on display, including a sign that hung on the outside of the building advertising Barton's office, newspapers from the 1860s, a Civil War bayonet and some bunting from President Lincoln's funeral.

Details on when the museum will be ready for the public are still being worked out between the government and museum officials but stay tuned for updates.

Convention Center Hotel to Open in 2014

Sunday November 14, 2010

By 2014, Marriott is opening its Marquis Hotel, a $520 million, four-star hotel at Ninth Street and Massachusetts Avenue, next to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Many of you business travelers come for conferences and trade shows at the convention center and have to schlep a couple of blocks to your hotel after the day's activities are over.

The Marriott Marquis Hotel will have 1,175 rooms, 46 suites, 100,000 square feet of meeting and assembly space, a grand lobby and five separate retail and restaurants outlets on the ground floor.

The look of the hotel will also have some historical elements to it, incorporating the historic Samuel Gompers AFL-CIO healdquarters, known as the "Plumbers Building." And to top it all off, the hotel will be one of the largest hotels in the country to have one of the highest "green building" certifications from the U.S. Green Building Council.

I can't wait to see it!

Arena Stage Lifts Curtain In October

Wednesday September 29, 2010

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Who says you can't catch great live theatre in Washington? While many tourists flock to cities like New York and Las Vegas to catch the shows, they're missing out on the theatre scene in Washington.

And what better way to experience Washington's live productions than to check out the city's new Arena Stage, a live theatre space that's been around for years but was completely rebuilt in a $135 million arts center at 1101 6th St., SW.

The space is now called Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater and will officially open in October. The first show will be "Oklahoma!" and it will go until Dec. 26. Tickets are around $80 and can be purchased through Arena Stage's website. If nothing else, the building is an impressive piece of Washington architecture that was designed by Bing Thom.

The city is also home to other great performance venues like the Kennedy Center, Warner Theatre, National Theatre and Ford's Theatre.

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