Washington DC

So. Much. History.

Lincoln Memorial

I can't even begin to explain how amazing Washington D.C. is.  For the history nerd like myself, 3 days was not nearly long enough time to see everything I wanted to.  Do your research before hand and lay out a loose itinerary to follow.  All of the major landmarks are near to each other so it makes more sense to see them in order as you walk down the street as opposed to zig-zagging your way through the city.  The public transportation system was extremely easy to follow so save yourself some money and find a hotel outside of the city.  


Lincoln Memorial

President Lincoln

This Memorial was so much larger than I had ever anticipated.  Books don't do it justice.  The stairway up to President Lincoln's statue were enormous.  Take a moment to stand inside and look back over the Mall.  This is an amazing view of the city.  Park Service staff are on hand to answer any questions you may have about the Lincoln Memorial.  Don't worry; everyone else there is a tourist so no question is a dumb question.


White House

Backyard at the White House

Plan to take some time to walk around the perimeter of the White House.  It is an amazingly built building.  Imagine all of the Presidents who have lived there over the years.  Besides the White House, the lawn is beautiful.  There are amazing trees, flowers and landscaping to look at and admire.  Tours inside the White House are offered.  Get there early as tickets sell out quickly.




Washington Monument

View of Washington
Monument from Lincoln
Memorial

To me, the Washington Monument seemed to be at the center of all the action.  From here, you could walk north to the White House, west to the Lincoln Memorial, east to the Supreme Court and south to the Potomac River.  To stand in the middle of such an amazing city filled with such important history was a bit breathtaking.  Take a moment to stand and look around and take it all in.  There are very few spots in the world like it.


Gallaudet University

Gallaudet University

As a student of American Sign Language Studies I HAD to visit the famous Gallaudet University.  It was just a short train ride outside of the city.  This is a very prestigious University for Deaf individuals and those fluent in ASL.  Walking around the campus we saw several monuments of historical figures in the Deaf history such as Thomas Gallaudet and Laurent Clerc.  This was a very special part of the trip for me.