Get excited. You're going to visit the nation's capital and you've got your itinerary all lined up: a tour of the Capitol, dining at the hot restaurants in the Penn Quarter, a bus tour of the memorials by moonlight, viewing American cultural artifacts at the National Museum of American History. Sounds like a plan, right? Now let's get real: A plan without proper preparation is just a wish list.
What kind of weather can you expect? What kind of clothes should you bring? When you visit the Capitol, do you want to drop by your representatives' offices? If the answer is yes, you'd better make sure Congress is going to be in session during your stay. Do you hope to visit the White House? (Then you'd better contact your congressperson or senator right away to get the admittance process going.) If you're driving here, do you know how expensive parking rates are? If you're flying, do you know which of the three airports is most convenient for you? Do you know the best way to get into the city from the airport? Which hot restaurants do you want to try? (Whichever, better make your reservations now.) Has the National Museum of American History reopened after its renovation (it's been closed for renovation since the fall of 2006)? Are any other sites closed that you'd hoped to visit?
You catch my drift. Something wonderful this way lies, but the wonderfulness of the experience increases exponentially according to how well you organize yourself in advance. So look over the following pages, create a to-do list, and start crossing off items as you go. And, last but not least: Get excited!
