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City Guide - Washington, DC - Excursions | ||
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Excursions For a Half Day Arlington National Cemetery: Just across the Memorial Bridge from the Lincoln Memorial is America's largest national cemetery. Over 175,000 US soldiers, who fought in wars from the American Revolution onwards, are buried here, together with President John F Kennedy and the world champion boxer Joe Louis. Arlington (tel: (703) 697 4967; website: www.mdw.army.mil) is open every day 0800-1700 (until 1900 in the summer) and admission is free. The nearest Metro station is Arlington Cemetery. Tourmobile Sightseeing Trams (tel: (202 554 5100 or (888) 868 7707, toll free USA and Canada only) operates a narrated tour of the cemetery daily 0830-1830 (0830-1630 October to March) starting at the Arlington Cemetery Visitors Center and costing US$4.75. Pentagon: The headquarters of the US military and so at the heart of national and international security, the huge Pentagon complex is the world's largest office building (333,000 sq metres/3.7 million sq feet), with around 27km (17 miles) of corridors. Located in Arlington, Virginia, the Pentagon (tel: (703) 695 1776; fax: (703) 614 1642; website: www.defenselink.mil/pubs/pentagon) runs free 90-minute tours every 30 minutes 0900-1500 Monday-Friday (photo ID is required). The nearest Metro station is Pentagon. For a Whole Day George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate and Garden: Located in Virginia around 26km (16 miles) from the city, the delightful home of George and Martha Washington covers 200 hectares (500 acres) and includes his mansion, tomb, Slave Memorial, gardens and restaurants. The estate and gardens (tel: (703) 780 2000; fax: (703) 799 8609; website: www.mountvernon.org) are open 0800-1700 April-August, 0900-1700 in March, September and October and 0900-1600 November-February, with an entrance fee of US$9 (concessions available). A pleasant way to travel is to take the Spirit Cruise Line (tel: (202) 554 8013), which leaves Pier 4 at Sixth and Water Streets, SW, at 0900 for the 90-minute journey and returns from Mount Vernon at 1300. The fare of US$28 includes admission to the estate and gardens. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania: Around 90 minutes from Washington is the attractive town of Gettysburg, site of the Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln at Cemetery Ridge. In a two-minute speech to dedicate the new cemetery to the dead of the Civil War, he reminded the nation of the true purpose of the sacrifice the people had made. It is also the site of the largest battle ever fought on American soil when, in July 1863, the Union Army under General George C Meade defeated the Confederate forces under General Robert E Lee. There are numerous places of interest in the town, including many houses that featured significantly in the fighting, now open to the public. Information can be obtained from the Gettysburg Convention and Visitors Bureau, 35 Carlisle Street (tel: (717) 334 6274; fax: (717) 334 1166; e-mail: gcvb@gettysburg.com; website: www.gettysburg.com). The tour bus company Gray Line of Washington (tel: (202) 289 1995) runs tours to Gettyburg lasting ten hours. |