Washington, DC
Washington, the capital of United States, is a great place to visit. It is very different from the rest of the US. Anyway - you can expect really good time having a choice of many great hotels, museums, theaters.
I have spent almost two months living near Bowie, MD and working in Greenbelt. Every weekend however I was spending in the Washington, DC. I was simply taking a bike, going to the Greenbelt station and with metro - to the city center. And I have to say Washington made a very great impression on me. Great Smithsonian museums (absolutely free!), great theaters, Kennedy Center for Performing Arts... A lot should be recommended.
Finding a good hotel
Washington is an extremelly expensive place. In fact I did not have to use any of the hotels
but had a room rented close to Greenbelt. From what I had seen I can tell you - if you can afford it, there is a number of great hotels and I would recommend some in Georgetown. However living in the strict center is not crucial and you can easily find a hotel (less expensive) somewhere else.
If you can afford there also vacation rentals offers. As far as I've found out one can rent a small flat for around $100 - $200 per night depending on the location and conditions. Of course it has some benefits and is often more economical if more than two persons travel.
Must-see places in Washington?
For a selection (personal) of places worth seeing - please see the photo gallery. Right now I can say you _must_ see: Smithsonian Museums (National Air And Space Museum, National Art Gallery, Natural History, American History), Capitol, The White House, Georgetown, Old Post Building, National Mall, China Town and many many others. For me as an European the visit to Washington was very amusing.
How to get to Washington DC?
When coming from abroad you will most likely arrive at Washington Dulles International Airport or Baltimore Washington International Airport. For local connections there is Ronald Reagan National Airport. There are a number of internatinal flights - you should consult your agent.
Flights from Europe are more expensive in summer. I had my ticket (two-way) for around 500$ from Europe.
