Washington City and Travel Guide
Visiting Washington is a good experienceA visit to the nation’s capital is such a fulfilling experience in itself. It does not only boast of majestic architecture but it exudes such power being the seat of the nation. A grand tour of the Capitol Building with all the types of rooms and the Washington Monument can be done during the day then wind it up by listening to the soothing performance of the National Symphony Orchestra in the evening.
Attractions in WashingtonBut this is not only what Washington boasts of. There are a lot of other attractions surrounding the nation’s capital such as the Lincoln’s Memorial, the Star-Spangled Banner, the influences of Jacqueline Kennedy on the arts of Washington, and a gathering of different European cultures and tastes in the Eastern Market. Don’t forget to visit the Botanical Gardens, the different museums, Library of Congress, and the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Like spy movies? Have a tour of the Pentagon and the FBI Headquarters and savor the experience.
US Capitol BuildingLooking at an overview of the whole DC area, you would see that the US Capitol Building is in the center of four divisions or quadrants. Take note that the streets that run from north to south are numbered while those traveling from east to west start with single letters, then double syllable names, then triple names of streets farthest the Capitol Building. The names of the US states are the diagonal avenues. There are four letters that are excluded in the street names: J, X, Y, and Z.
Weather in WashingtonWeather in Washington consists fully of the four seasons. Warm weather starts in April to October. Winters are rather short, with the amount of rainfall exceeding the amount of snowfall.
Parking places in WashingtonYou cannot park your car anywhere on the street during rush hours and certain times during the weekend, as indicated by the street signs. In case your vehicle gets towed on a Friday afternoon, you will only be able to get it the following Monday. They also do not give free parking for those vehicles with out-of-state handicapped tags who are parked in front of meters. Washington has one of highest sales tax at 5.75%. Hotel taxes total to 14.5% and taxes for food and beverage reaches up to 10%. Embassies in WashingtonConsidered a very friendly city for the physically challenged tourists, Washington offers scooter and wheelchair rentals daily or as long as it is needed during your visit. The Metro System also has facilities to accommodate elderly and physically disabled visitors. They even have group tours specially designed for the senior citizens. Most embassies give tours of their places by appointment. You just need to inquire with your respective embassy. Washington also offers multilingual services to assist people who are having a hard time understanding each other due to the differences in language.
Restaurants and dining in WashingtonWhen dining out, tips usually amount to 15 – 20% of the bill, depending on the service received. Taxi drivers expect a tip of about 15% of the fare and hotel staff especially the porters, doormen, and skycaps are given $1 for each bag carried.
100 volts in AmericaElectricity voltage is at 110 volts. Most American appliances follow this type of voltage. European and Asian countries follow the 220 voltage and so need a transformer to be able to use the appliances that they brought along with them for their trip. |
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