Washington D.C. any inside tips??

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Also was thinking of doing an evening time guided tour of the monuments.

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We really enjoyed that.

I’d also definitely plan a half a day at Arlington.

We just went in Sept for a wedding. Didn't have much time but did do the White House and Arlington. Highlight was Arlington. My great uncle is buried right in front of unknown soldier tomb so we went to see him. The changing of the guard is a must!!! Stand on right hand side and you can watch the entire entrance etc.

Arlington National Cemetery is a must. Of all the museums, I enjoyed the National Air and Space Museum the most.

We did DC last Thanksgiving (me, wife and three kids ages 10-6) and really enjoyed it. All the museums were great with National Air and Space, Natural History and Gallery of Art being our favorites. Hit all the memorials you can.

For food, Old Ebbits gets some flack, but, if you've never been you should definitely go.

Out of the entire fantastic trip though, the trip to Mount Vernon was our favorite. When we went it was only by bus tour (half day) , but, if weather is OK they have a boat tour. I'd try for the boat tour, but, the bus tour (we did Gray Line I believe) is fine as well. You make a stop on Old Alexandria and the church there (Christ Church) has a ton of history associated with it.

Great city with some great sites and food, enjoy!!

suppose it's time I copy and paste my usual food places

or steakhouses I'd recommend any of the following

Joe's Seafood and Steak
Oceans Prime
Capital Grille

For small plates I've found these to be fantastic spots

Zaytinya(Greek-ish)
The Source(asian)
Proof('merican)
Doi Moi(southeast asian)
Estadio(spanish)
Jaleo(spanish)

If you're a whiskey fan, especially scotch you MUST go to Jack Rose. The food there is fantastic as well.

For an amazing dining/drink experience check one of the several michelin restaurants

Minibar(**)
Blue Duck Tavern(*)
Komi(*)

Minibar is great and is def a once every few years type of dining experience

*skip Old Ebbitts. Yes it gets flak because people who visit and stop in after seeing the white house love it but you're not getting anything interesting or that you can't really get at any other restaurant. It's like going to NYC and hitting up Sbarro's for pizza. Just don't

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One thing to prepare for is a crap load of walking.

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But temps are mild in March (so long as no winter storms are moving through) so it should make for pleasant walks. I’ve been to DC many times. March and October are my favorite months to visit.

Be sure to check out the museum at the National Archives. The museum entrance faces the Mall on Constitution between the Natural History Museum and the National Gallery of Art (research entrance is on the opposite side on Penn Ave).

Unless things have changed, the Archives museum is typically less crowded that some of the other tourist attractions, and to see the originals of the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights, is very moving.

Agree that a visit to the Archives is very moving. To see the exact documents, and to see the Constitution’s 3/5 compromise written out in words, and seeing the signatures on the Declaration of Independence....worth waiting in line.

Food in the Mall museums is pretty much school-kid friendly yuk. Exceptions are the National Museum of the American Indian, which has better, more diverse choices that focus on foods native to the Americas (think buffalo fry bread tacos, turkey chili w/cornbread, and so on).....the National Gallery of Art has a basement-level cafe w/a buffet of nice salads & roasted meats, blessedly free of school groups. The underground passageway between the two buildings has an espresso & gelato spot, and the Sculpture Garden facing the mall between the two buildings has a nice garden cafe, very pleasant in nice weather.