It's July, which is awesome because our wedding anniversary is coming up! And this time Sak and I are planning on spending #2 in supreme otaku style - at a convention!
Specifically,
Otakon, the second largest anime convention in the US! It's in Baltimore, so not only do we get to go to a new convention, but it'll also be our first time on the East Coast!
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| Baltimore Convention Center (source) |
I'm really excited, but a bit worried about the super hot weather that's been going on over there - conventions tend to get a bit..stinky! Haha!
Anyway, hopefully we will have energy left after a weekend of convention, since we'll be visiting DC after! My cousin and her husband have been kind enough to let us crash at their place while we're there. I'm looking forward to museums! and the zoo (I hear there are pandas)! and Sak wants to do a tandem bike ride by the Potomac river! Okay, heat + bike ride, I'm not so sure about. A tandem bike means I don't have to pedal, right?
We didn't sign up early enough in advance for the White House tour, so we'll have to see it through the fence. Ah well. There is more than enough national history to satiate us in all the *free* Smithsonian museums.
Anyway, other than museums, monuments and the zoo, we don't have anything specific planned. (We'll be good and stop by to visit BIL too, I promise.) Do you have any tips? Where to eat, quirky things to see, shops we should check out? Marie's tips for our Oregon trip last year were SO helpful, I figured I'd ask again this time! There's really no better source of travel info than the people that really know/live in the area!
Have a wonderful time! I haven't been to Baltimore/Washington, D.C. since college, but I really enjoyed walking around Georgetown while I was there.
ReplyDeleteHave a great trip!!! I've never been out there, I'm sure it'll be a blast!! (Heat and all!)
ReplyDeletehooray for an east coast trip! hopefully there won't be another heat wave swinging through at the same time you're there. in terms of museums, i highly recommend the newseum. it's not cheap by any means (about $23 per person), but they did a really nice job with it. capitol hill is a cute neighborhood to walk around--pretty rowhouses and a bunch of restaurants on 8th street. i recommend the homemade pop tart at ted's bulletin. there's a popular farmers market on saturdays, although i don't think east coast farmers markets compare to those in california (but it still might be fun to browse!).
ReplyDeletei haven't lived in dc proper for a very long time so unfortunately i don't have more to tell you, but i hope you guys have a wonderful time!
You guys should tandem bike down to visit meeeee! We're only 4 hours south if you can bike the speed limit :)
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, hope you guys have fun! We've still never made it up to DC.
the air and space museum is pretty sweet!
ReplyDeleteyou can use the BikeShare system in DC! they're currently studying bikeshare in your home county (http://www.tamcmonterey.org/programs/bikeped/bike_sharing.html) but they already have a system in DC that i've heard is pretty good (http://www.capitalbikeshare.com/).
ReplyDeleteIn terms of food places, ones that I've heard good things about are Medium Rare (http://www.mediumrarerestaurant.com/) which has AYCE Steak + Frites + Salad for like $20, and 2Amys Pizza (http://www.2amyspizza.com/). Spike from Top Chef also has a burger place - http://www.goodstuffeatery.com/.
Do you have any time to travel up to NY? You can take a Bolt Bus or the like for cheap!
Yay! Some of my favorites by city:
ReplyDeleteBaltimore
Reggie's American Bistro (close walk to inner harbor): http://www.regisamericanbistro.com/ get the tater tot app!
Sabatino's (Little Italy): http://www.sabatinos.com/ (House dressing is amazing parmigiana and I always order the fettuccine alfredo)
Camden Yards (beautiful stadium and historic)
The Walters Gallery: Lovely and not overwhelming
DC
Old Ebbitt Grill (http://www.ebbitt.com/main/home.cfm?Section=Main&Category=About_the_Ebbitt)- you might even see some politicos!
Newseum (I second this suggestion) - most well done museum in Washington
Spy Museum - I looooove this museuum (I was also a hardcore Alias fan . . . )
Arlington National Cemetery - haunting, inspiring, deep (Kim just did a recap on her blog about her recent visit)
National Gallery of Art - Could be overwhelming, so maybe choose one section of particular interest
It's easy to get museumed out in DC, but a good walk on the mall will clear your head! Enjoy!