Formally the District of Columbia, Washington, D.C. is the capital of the United States, located on the North Bank of the Potomac River and is surrounded by the states of Virginia to the Southwest and Maryland to the other borders.
Fourth of July Activities In Washington, D.C.
Washington D.C. is one of the most quintessential American cities there is. There are so many things to do in DC that it’s easy to get lost in all the American history. Renowned DC attractions like the Lincoln Memorial, the White House, and the U.S. Capitol building pull in a majority of tourists, but there’s so much more to do and see! Arguably the best time to visit the Capitol is on the most American day of them all: the 4th of July. Just being in the city for the amazing patriotism that is showcased is enough to make anyone feel like a real American, but Washington D.C. pulls out all of the stops to make our Nation’s birthday one to remember for you and yours. Some 4th of July events are as follows:
Washington D.C.’s Independence Day Parade beginning at 11:45 a.m. proceeds from Constitution Avenue and 7th to 17th street.
4th of July at the National Archives beginning at 10 a.m. and going to 9 p.m.
Smithsonian Folklife Festival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (July 4th).
White House Visitor Center Family Events between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. at the White House Visitor Center.
Concert on the Washington Monument Grounds kicks off at 6 p.m. with the U.S. Army Concert Band right in the shadow of the Washington Monument.
The famous A Capitol Fourth Concert that goes from 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. (admittance begins at 3 p.m.) on the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol.
Of course there’s so much else to do in the city that will be boosted up by the fact that it’s the 4th of July. There’s dozens of D.C. museums that it’s easy to fill your days to the brim of red, white, and blue. Over a 150 museums like The Smithsonian National Museum(s), the Newseum, and the National Museum of Crime and Punishment are all ready to let you see history up close and personal.
Amongst the most popular sites, including The Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial, there’s a large amount of activities and/or tours to engage in. This includes Ford’s Theatre Tour, Ghost Tours, Lincoln Assassination Tour, and Old Town Alexandria Tour; all of which are walking tours. Before, during or after, you may also want to check out places like The Capital Visitor Center, Whitehouse Visitor Center, or The U.S. Capital Building; all of which are highly popular amongst tourists. You will then need somewhere to stay and Washington DC vacation rentals can assist you with this.
All of these attractions are amazing but nothing compares to listening to “Stars and Stripes Forever” while the sky lights up over the city with hundreds of fireworks throughout the night. Independence Day is an amazing time to celebrate America, but with all these amazing events there’s no place better to do so then the Nation’s Capitol.
Wishing You a Happy, Safe Holiday and Festive Season
TravelTipsPlus.com would like to take the time to wish everyone, the world over, a very happy and safe holiday season. We understand there are differing celebrations depending where you are in the world and where your cultural background lie. Your location can also vary the length of holiday season you experience.
We are particulary thinking of our friends in Europe and on the east coast of America that have been hit by harsh winter conditions during the past week and making it almost impossible for them to get to their travel destinations.
Photo by Joanna Young
Here in Australia we are about to celebrate our festive season and summer holidays. The school children will enjoy a good 5-6 week break and many families take the opportunity to have a summer holiday. Many flock to the popular beaches or large river systems that offer swimming, relaxing and many water activities.
Photo by Squirmelia
So, images of Christmas trees covered in snow and foggy windows donned with decorations are quite foreign here in Australia. No matter where you are this Holiday Season of 2009, enjoy it with your families, stay safe and all the best for a healthy, prosperous 2010.
Please leave a comment telling of your where abouts and what your Holiday Season plans are.
Canberra is the political capital of Australia and located in the Australian Capital Territory. It was a purpose built city by US architects Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahoney Griffin. They were announced the winners of a competition to design the national capital during 1912. Canberra is well planned and demonstrates modern orderliness.
Some of the great sites to visit in Canberra include the grass topped Parliament House on Capital Hill, War Memorial, National Gallery of Australia, Lake Burley Griffin, National Botanic Garden, Old Parliament House, National Film & Sound Archive and the Australian Institute of Sport. If you have access to wheels there’s also some great places to visit just out of Canberra.
A terrific time to visit Canberra is during September and October – early Spring. For a period of 4 weeks, Canberra becomes Australia’s drawcard to celebrate the arrival of Spring with the Floriade Festival.
Rio de Janeiro or better known as simply Rio, can be found on the east coast of the largest country of South America, Brazil. Its setting would have to be one of the most spectacular in the world and the locals refer to it as ‘cidade maravilhosa’ (marvellous city). The city is home to beautiful white beaches, the most well known being Ipanema beach, rainforests and towering mountains making it a most luring travel destination.
One of the most recognisable features of Rio is the image of the towering statue of ‘Christ the Redeemer’ sitting some 710 metres high upon the Corcovado peak and offering fabulous views over the city and surrounds.
Rio is also the home of one of largest and most colourful festivals, the Carnaval. The festivities span five days with it culminating in a parade of floats, dancers, drummers and generally, a huge crowd that adds to the party atmosphere.
This handy paperback book of Rio de Janeiro (City Guide) has been suggested by a reader that it works well in conjunction with the local taxi’s to get around rather than the bus network.
The Traveler IQ challenge ranks geographic knowledge of cities such as: Punta Cana, Willemstad or Columbia by comparing results against 5,473,834 other travelers.
Formally the District of Columbia, Washington, D.C. is the capital of the United States, located on the North Bank of the Potomac River and is surrounded by the states of Virginia to the Southwest and Maryland to the other borders.
Of course there’s so much else to do in the city that will be boosted up by the fact that it’s the 4th of July. There’s dozens of D.C. museums that it’s easy to fill your days to the brim of red, white, and blue. Over a 150 museums like The Smithsonian National Museum(s), the Newseum, and the National Museum of Crime and Punishment are all ready to let you see history up close and personal.
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