United Airlines, Washington DC and Worldchoice hosted a travel agent fam trip to Washington DC with Carol Anne O’Neil (World Choice Ireland), Aoife Gregg (United Airlines Ireland), Joanne Keogh (Tully’s Travel), Catherine Nolan (Centre Travel), Shane Coburn (Donabate Travel), David Dent (Tropical Sky), Elaine Massey (Killiney Travel) and Michelle McDonagh (Travalue.ie by Navan Travel).
Destination DC Itinerary
The group departed Dublin on the 12.15pm United Airlines flight to Dulles Airport in Washington which landed at 3.20pm. Guests checked into AKA White House which offers high-end, luxury hotel and residences in Washington. There are also flexible office suites for business if required. The property has panoramic views, spacious terraces and fully-equipped kitchens and forms a great base to explore or work from the city.
Bird’s Eye View of the White House & Washington Monument
The group were treated to cocktails and light bites at VUE Rooftop in the Hotel Washington with a bird’s
eye view of the White House and Washington Monument
The group headed off for a bicycle tour – the Monuments and Memorials bicycle tour was with Unlimited Biking. Remember, these are electric bikes taking the hard work out of the sunny morning cycle. You can rent bikes or book sightseeing tours. There are even tandem bikes.
Lunch was at The Grill which serves brunch, lunch, dinner and has a happy hour (for three hours) during the week. You can reserve online and enjoy a light snack, filled sandwiches or steaks from petit filet mignon to Bone-In Tomakawk.
Afterwards, the group headed to Nationals Park for a slice of Americana – a Washington Nationals baseball game.
The group visited Yards Park, situated on what was formerly the Navy Yard Annex used to build ships for WWI and WWII. It was redeveloped and is now a destination venue with vibrant interactive water features, home to large festivals and smaller events for all ages including movies on the pitch, family book reading, farm market and more. The group popped into the delightful Ice Cream Jubilee in Navy Yard to cool down in the sizzling sunshine.
Evening cocktails were enjoyed in Blagden Alley. These alleys were once home to stables, workshops and working-class dwellings for immigrants and African Americans. The alleys have remained have now been designated a historic district and have now become some of the hot spots for bars, restaurants, mural art and some retail therapy in the city.
Smithsonian National Museums
The group visited the National Museum of African American History & Culture, the newest edition of the Smithsonian collection. It is open daily from 10am to 5.30pm. Remember, Washington, DC is packed with free museums, including this one as well as the National Museum of Natural History and the National Air and Space Museum, the National Portrait Gallery and the National Gallery of Art and many more. Also, many are located along Constitution Avenue meaning navigating DC is very easy.
Lunch was in Supra, described as “A Georgian Feast”. The name “supra” is a celebratory feast with lots of food and wine and toasts, so for flavourful bites to celebrate your stay in DC, try the mouthwatering platters here. The restaurant offers lunch, brunch and dinner with a happy hour menu, beer & cocktails.
Retail Therapy in Washington DC
The final afternoon was free time to soak up more culture in the museums or indulge in some shopping with an abundance of choice:
- Try CityCenterDC for luxury shops
- M Street NW in Georgetown beside Foggy Bottom for boutique-lined streets
- The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City for all manners of shops with all the big labels such as Nordstrom, Macy’s, Apple, Armani, Boss, Coach. It is home to over 140+ stores, restaurants and The Ritz Carlton Hotel
- Finally, for souvenirs and visitor information, check out the Washington Welcome Center.
USA Guided Tours, which offers themed tours on luxury buses around Washington DC, provided the transfer to Washington Dulles International Airport and it was time to end the whistlestop tour.
Destination DC is a Must-See
Washington DC is a must-see destination. There are so many monuments and museums but so much more. Whether a long weekend or twinned with another Stateside destination, it will not disappoint.
