OT: Visitor's Locker Room (Ticket talk, Restaurants, Fantasy Questions, etc)

[NoVaCapsFan]

Hi again everyone,

Travelling to Washington next sunday, as earlier mentioned we settled for Oldtown in Alexandria.
Now give me your best visits in the area and in DC - we have 8 days.

You've given me some but I could always use more =)

Also, hows the weather in the area during the 2nd half of march? Just lookin at the forecast looks mostly cloyd and around 16-17 degrees celcius if that's somewhat correct.

Thanks

Welcome to DC and the DMV. Lots to do when not doing hockey.
1. Go to the National Zoo. It’s free.
2. Smithsonian museums are free too. I am partial to Natural History but YMMV. (Holocaust Museum and African-American History for a serious couple of hours if you are so inclined).
3. Drink beer outside and have a slice at Atlas Brewing / Andy’s Pizza near Nats Park. best pizza south of NYC.
4. If you want to splurge n one meal before a gam, Centrolina at City Center is a fine fine place.

 

[Empty Goal Net]

Welcome to DC and the DMV. Lots to do when not doing hockey.
1. Go to the National Zoo. It’s free.
2. Smithsonian museums are free too. I am partial to Natural History but YMMV. (Holocaust Museum and African-American History for a serious couple of hours if you are so inclined).
3. Drink beer outside and have a slice at Atlas Brewing / Andy’s Pizza near Nats Park. best pizza south of NYC.
4. If you want to splurge n one meal before a gam, Centrolina at City Center is a fine fine place.

A few more:
5. Cherry Blossom time is fast approaching. (The original trees were gifts from Japan in 1912.) Peak bloom is predicted sometime betw 23 Mar and 4 Apr. (See Blossoms) Many trees are around the Tidal Basin near the Jefferson Memorial and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. This area gets very crowded but it's spectacular. A bit of a walk from Smithsonian Metro stop but worth it. You'll also find batches of cherry trees in other parts of the city and region, can probably do a search to get some other locations.
6. Mount Vernon, George Washington's home, is a few miles south of Alexandria. Worth a visit if you're into that slice/type of history/era.
7. The Caps practice at MedStar (I think that's the current name) in Arlington. Schedule here: Practice Schedule Accessible via Metro.

 

[vippe]

Thanks for all suggestions, been adding them to my travel doc

About Cherry Blossom seasons, looks like we're in right before peak - but is it still a pretty sight like around the 20th or so? we're leaving for back home on the 23rd

 

[Empty Goal Net]

Thanks for all suggestions, been adding them to my travel doc

About Cherry Blossom seasons, looks like we're in right before peak - but is it still a pretty sight like around the 20th or so? we're leaving for back home on the 23rd

Still nice to see even if it's before peak. The exact timing depends on temperatures between now and then. Also, any heavy rains after the blossoms get close to peak can lessen their intensity. The local news stations will cover it and I'm sure you can find updates online.

 

[Random schmoe]

March in DC can have a wide range of temperatures and weather. I'd expect most days for highs to be between 10 and 21 Celcius. Looking at extended forecasts now, which I won't trust too much, most daytime high temperatures are 13 - 18, with overnight lows 5 - 10. Coming from Sweden, I assume you have no problem with a little chill at night. There could be heavy thunderstorms at times during the days too.

A lot of good suggestions above. I don't remember what else has been suggested over the past few months, but if it hasn't been said, I'll say now:

If you have time, don't mind finding transportation out to the west (close to the airport you're likely to be using), and enjoy military and space history, the Udvar Hazy Air and Space Museum is for my money the best museum in the area. Admission is free. Contains space shuttles, a lot of fighter jets, SR-71 Blackbird, more.

If the weather is extra nice in the week you're here, it's possible the blossoms bloom early. They've been known to do that. They still may be pretty, but not 'peak' pretty.

The Caps play 4 games before you arrive this week. It's not impossible Ovie is within a hat trick of the record while you're here.

 

[Random schmoe]

Oh, and I just realized you'll be here on St. Patrick's Day, which is a pretty big celebration in Alexandria.

You might find it interesting to look through Visit Alexandria | Hotels, Events & Things To Do. And, specifically, Alexandria Events | Concerts, Parades & Holiday Festivals. The second link has a bunch of events happening in Alexandria while you're here, and includes some Cherry Blossom related activity.

 

[Random schmoe]

Ironically, getting information into this thread to help vippe out was my biggest concern with the site going kersplat.

Last thing I discovered, option for something to do - Disturbed, Three Days Grace, and Sevendust are playing Capital One Arena next week. In case you like that kind of music. Disturbed | Capital One Arena

 

[Random schmoe]

Out of curiosity, anyone heard from @vippe? I assume they made it to the area OK and have found some things to do.

 

[vippe]

Doubt anyone heard from me! (but you might have seen me since we were winners in one those lucky-row shenanigans in the Wings game lol) I could not access this website from my cellphone the last few months, so I didnt even know the site had a big bang going on =)

I'm back in mainland Sweden after 8 days of Alexandria/Washington

First off, thanks to everyone that took some time to chip on on my questions - much appreciated.
I didnt have time for it every suggestion but we made it to some of them and found our way to other things aswell.

The hockey - obviously the highlight of the trip and with 3 wins in 3 games I cant really complain. Caps are rolling and it was great fun to see the excitement in the arena when Ovechkin scored as well.

The Wings game we were in the 200 section and against the Flyers and Panthers in the 400. Pleasantly surprised how good we still saw the ice even high up on the 400 at the Panthers game. Also great that it took no more than a couple of minutes from entering the arena to our spots in all 3 games - now I dont have much experience from north american hockey rinks but between Capital One Arena and Madison Square this one was easier to navigate =) I also spent way too much money on both merch and beer - but hey, I was only there for a week so dont judge me.

Some highlights outside of hockey the highlights for me was Aslin Brewery, damn that was sweet. A bit messy to get there but well worth the trip. Great beer, cool merch and fantastic personel

Other Half was great to - And once again, a not so plesant walk from the closest metro but the locale was fantastic even if the neighbourhood was a bit rough. Spent a whole evening there.

The natural history and air and space musem's were amazing as well - probably could've spent a few more hours there if time was on our side.

Oldtown was a nice stay, walking along the waterfront, drinking beer at Murphys on on St Paddys day, drinking a lot of tasty coffee and with the weather being nice we explored quite a bit and even got a bit of a tan.

If there's any complaint to be made about the trip.. I felt it was a bit expensive at times. Not sure if that's a DC area thing or the US in general these days?

I havnt been sleeping for 28 or so hours no so this was just a quick summary of the week and I probably missed stuff to say. It was a blast! Thanks everyone.