Vibha Volunteer Conference 2006
GROWTH

Interactive Maps of Washington DC:

http://map.mapnetwork.com/destination/dc/district/

Transportation in the City:

The best way to commute in the Washington DC city is to use the underground Metro system.

Visitors can plan their trips in advance by visiting:

http://www.wmata.com/metrorail/systemmap.cfm

Visiting Museums/Monuments/Neighborhoods/Shopping:

DC can .The frequently visited National Mall is home to the following museums:

·         African Art Museum

·         Air and Space Museum and Udvar-Hazy Center

·         American Art Museum and its Renwick Gallery

·         American History Museum

·         American Indian Museum

·         Anacostia Museum 

·         Arts and Industries Building

·         Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum

·         Freer and Sackler Galleries 

·         Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden 

·         National Zoo

·         Natural History Museum

·         Portrait Gallery

·         Postal Museum

·         Smithsonian Institution Building, the Castle (visitor information)

All the museums are free to the public, accessible by Metro. Please note visitor hours before you decide to visit.

http://www.si.edu/

The Monuments around the District are viewable for free from a distance, but if you wish to spend more time admiring the details, you will have to plan in advance to book tickets, or guided tours.

Some popular neighborhoods in the district are the Georgetown, the Waterfront, Adams Morgan, Chinatown, Dupont Circle.

Your shopping buzz can be fulfilled by visiting some of the biggest and busiest malls in the country:

·         Tysons Corner and Tysons Galleria: www.shoptysons.com/ www.tysonsgalleria.com/

·         GeorgeTown Shops as well as open air Street shops/restaurants: www.shopsatgeorgetownpark.com/

Some Fun Ideas:

1. Segway Tour of the popular Monuments: http://www.citysegwaytours.com/washington/segway-tour/washington-dc-segway-nigh.shtml
    
2. Monuments by Night:

http://www.viator.com/tours/Washington-DC/3265MBMWDC/Monuments-by-Moonlight

3. Visit Tai-shan

We DC-ites love our Panda. Tai-shan viewing tickets disappear fast since the cub is on loan to the District from China for exactly two years. A small number of tickets for same-day viewing are available daily at the Zoo, beginning at 8 a.m., at the Panda Information Booth. http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/GiantPandas/cubtickets/

4. Check out Embassy Row

DC is home to the Embassies and Consulates. If you are an architecture buff, this is walkable  guide to the Embassies on Massachusetts Avenue’s Embassy Row  http://www.embassy.org/embassy_row/mass.html

For a guided tour check out: http://www.tourdc.com/EMBASSY1.htm

Visitors Guide:

WashingtonPost’s Visitor Guide: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2006/02/03/LI2006020302219.html

Official Washington Tourism Guide: http://www.washington.org/ExistingWCTCForms/around_search.cfm

Cultural Activities Guide: http://www.culturaltourismdc.org/index.htm

Tips for Visitors:

·         The Nation’s capital was designed by Pierre L’Enfant a French architect. The District is broken into 4 zones: NorthWest, NorthEast, SouthWest and SouthEast. All streets will be distinguished into zones. Most streets in the NW zone where popular tourist destinations are located are numbered horizontally and alphabetized vertically. The diagonally intersecting streets are named after the states.

·         Sometimes travel by cab and Metro will cost almost the same.

·         Remember to check timings for Metro, Museums and Attractions you plan to visit.

·         The District is surrounded by the states of Virginia and Maryland. Some suburbs are accessible by Metro. Other locations will require other means of transportations. Please check with local volunteers if you wish to travel to these locations.