It feels like most students across the nation make it to DC for some class trip. But I wasn’t a part of these students! This summer I had the opportunity to work out of the Washington Metropolitan Area (WMA) and was able to explore a little bit of what the area has to offer. I lived in this area without a car and was still able to make it to a lot of different places and see some super cool things. I was no stranger to walking, became buddies with the silver line metro and ended up having a really good time. Here are some of my top attractions!
The Jefferson Memorial
My good friend told me that this was a sight that I COULD NOT MISS. And I made it out there during my last weekend in DC. I loved walking around the tidal basin and relaxing on the steps of the memorial. I ended up chatting on those steps for almost an hour and a half, enjoying the view and my evening in DC. I found the architecture inside the memorial (and all over DC) to be so beautiful.
Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
This museum is located in Virginia, right outside of DC. It has all kinds of aviation artifacts ranging from commercial airplanes to military jets. Though I don’t know much about aircrafts, seeing the massive structures accompanied with little blurbs about their history was a fun pastime for me on a Friday afternoon.
Virginia Renaissance Faire
I had never beene to a Renaissance Faire before, but my two friends wanted to make the 2 hour drive over to Spotsylvania County and experience this old timey festival. Though I know very little about Renaissance culture, I loved the elaborate outfits that everyone showed up in, the live jousting show, intricate art pieces handmade by the vendors, and so much more. Pictured to the right is me petting one of the horses from the jousting show!
National Museum of American History – Julia Child Exhibit
I walked into this museum thinking that it was the Museum of Natural History. Though I was confused for a bit I found myself in a food exhibit, and specifically loved learning about Julia Child. Julia Child originally worked for the Office of Strategic Service (OSS) but later shifted to becoming a chef that brought French cooking to the average American household. This museum has an exhibit that has recreated Julia Child’s kitchen with all of her original cooking tools. I loved looking at the overall food exhibit as well and learning about the progression of food culture in America.
