My mom and I have always loved fireworks. Every chance there is to see a firework show, you bet we are going to try to get there. So we have seen our fair share of spectacular Fourth of July firework shows, in various parts of the country. But this year we had a plan to head down to the Nation's Capital for Independence Day.
We spent four days traveling, three days in D.C., and one in Pennsylvania visiting family. I left from work immediately on July 1 and headed straight for Lowell, MA. I got about three hours of sleep before we were up again to hit the road. The drive would take us about eight hours, but due to a few small stops and traffic entering the city, it took us about nine hours to get to our hotel in D.C.. As soon as we were settled, we headed right back out to explore the city.
I had been to D.C. two times prior with family, but there is so much to do that you can always find a new museum or monument to see. Plus I had only been three and eight years old during my first trips, so our tourist stops were more child-friendly. This time we could delve into some of the heavier museums.
Day 1 - National Portrait Gallery, American Art, Museum Monuments at Night
Our first stop was to the National Portrait Gallery and the American Art Museum, which are conveniently located in the same building! It is a part of the Smithsonian Museums and so admission is free. The Portrait Gallery is known for being the home to all the portraits of the American Presidents, as well as portraits of other important politicians, musicians, athletes, and even movie stars. The hallways of the gallery were an art form in themselves, with beautiful architecture all around. Separating the two sides of the museum was a gorgeous patio and garden with a glass ceiling, which let in the most beautiful natural light.
The other side of the museum was the American Art Musem which, as its name suggests, had art inspired from the latest century, including political and social events. My favorite art work was a a neon-lit outline of the United States of America, with small TVs in each state. Each TV was displaying a video on a loop of something relating to the state. The piece, entitled "The Electronic Superhighway" created by Nam June Paik in 1995, pays homage to life on the road, which was extremely encouraged when she arrived in America. The monitors are outlined in neon, similar to the neon lights of motel signs that greeted travelers on the road. According to the artist, the images on each TV screen are short clips to reference "images seen from a passing car," giving us the idea that the media provides us with the information we use to leave home in discover. Some of the clips playing on the screens include clips from The Wizard of Oz, South Pacific, the I Have a Dream Speech, and other tourist clips.
After spending an hour or two in this museum we decided to take the short walk to visit Ford's Theater, the place where President Lincoln was shot and killed. HOWEVER, we realized this was one of the museums that required a ticket and of course they were all sold out for the day. So if you are traveling to D.C. make sure you look into what you need to book in advance before you travel. We decided to head back to the Portrait Gallery for another hour before we went back to our hotel.
We grabbed dinner at Wiseguy Pizza, which offers pizza by the slice, and celebrated our first day in D.C. with a cup of gelato for dessert. A perfect way to cool off before we headed back out into the heat to explore a few monuments. After dinner we hopped back on the Metro towards the National Mall to tour some of the monuments and see them lit up at night.
A few tips about the Washington D.C. Metro:
- Unlike other big cities, the Metro closes around 11:30 PM, so make sure you don't miss the last train if you are touring at night (I learned this the hard way)
- The price of a ride changes depending on where you are going, and what time you are traveling
- You have to use your card to enter and EXIT the Metro, and you must pay each time
- If you are only going to be traveling for a weekend, the Metro offers two and three day unlimited passes and this is the BEST way to go! This way you don't have to worry about adding money. This is what my mom and I did, and it was the best choice
Once we arrived at the Smithsonian metro stop at the Mall, we took the long walk down to a few monuments. Our goal was to see the World War II Memorial, which was new since mom and I had been to D.C. last. Side Note: Due to Trump's "Salute to America" much of the National Mall had restricted entry for the three days we were there, which made traveling around a little difficult.
The sky was threatening but it also looked like the storm might pass, so we took our chances. We got our photo at the Massachusetts stone, and not even three minutes later the skies opened up. A flash flood had struck and we had no where to go! We tried to take cover under one part of the memorial's structure, but it was completely open and partially made of metal so we decided it probably wasn't the safest place in a lightening storm. We struggled to call a taxi (at this point it was every man for himself) but finally found ourself back safely at our hotel.
We took long showers and waited for the rain to pass. I was determined to head back out, and luckily the Mall wasn't far from our hotel, so once the rain ended I was able to get a cab to head to the Lincoln Memorial.
Although they were setting up the stage for the "Salute to America," tourists were still welcome to visit the Lincoln, which was beautifully lit inside its stone chapel. I had been to the monument before, and have seen it in movies, but in person the memorial is breathtaking. Lincoln, sitting in his stone chair, is a massive structure whose stare is set perfectly on the Washington Monument through the pillars of his home. It really felt as though Lincoln had his eyes on all the activity happening in the Mall.
Every monument was illuminated and could be seen for miles away, but it truly amazes me how much history, both past and present, lives on the National Mall. A two-mile strip connects the Lincoln Memorial to the Capitol Building; the White House to the Smithsonians; The Washington Monument to the Supreme Court. Our country is governed and controlled in a two-mile strip and when you think of it like that, it truly is incredible and inspiring to be there.
Day 2 - Newseum, American History Museum, Scootering Around, Washington Nationals Game, Fireworks
The next morning was our museum day, and we had two in mind. The first was the Newseum, a modern museum dedicated to journalism, free expression, the Constitution, and the evolution of communication. Since I currently work for a television news station, I was really intrigued to learn more about the history of journalism throughout the years.
One of the most unique features of the Newseum is that out on the sidewalk, is a glass case that spans the entire length of the building. Inside the case are the day's front pages from a newspaper in every U.S. State, as well as every country in the world. It is so interesting to compare the headlines and see what is happening across the globe.
The museum features fifteen galleries and fifteen movie theaters, including an outdoor gallery, where you have a beautiful view of the U.S. Capitol. One of my favorite galleries in the museum was the 9/11 gallery. The walls are plastered with the front pages of hundreds of papers around the globe, on the day after the horrific attack. It also pays tribute to Bill Biggart, the only journalist to die in the attack. He was taking photographs up until the towers fell. His camera was able to be recovered and the images are on display at this gallery. There is also a very powerful movie about the reporters covering the tragedy that day. The footage included reporters recording stand-ups who happened to capture the towers falling and those covering the search for missing family members. The film was a must watch if you are this museum.
Other galleries include the history of journalism from selling slaves, through covering wars, and even mockumentary news programs, such as The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. There is a memorial for journalists who have died while covering stories in the United States and abroad, a history of how journalism played a role in the civil rights movement, a part of the Berlin Wall, and even an interactive newsroom where you can record your own stand-up and be on the news!
We spent about three hours in this museum, since it was one I was really interested in, and then we headed back to the National Mall to check out the Smithsonian. The best part about the Smithsonian Museums is that they are absolutely free! However most museums close at 5 PM, so plan accordingly. The American History Museum and the Air & Space Museum are the most popular, and we found ourself at the American History Museum for the rest of our afternoon.
The three floored museum features galleries dedicated to our nation's presidents, first ladies, and the American flag. The Smithsonian is home to many original artifacts from our nation's history, including the original flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to write the Star Spangled Banner. There is also an exhibit dedicated to the beautiful dresses of the first ladies. There are exhibits dedicated to money, music, and pop culture. One of the original pairs of the ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in the Wizard of Oz, is featured in this museum.
After a few hours in this museum, I decided I wanted to see a few more mounemts in the Mall that we hadn't seen the day before. But this time, I wasn't going to walk around. One of the unique things about Washington D.C. is that there are electric scooters littered everywhere around the city. But these scooters can be rented out by anyone! Each scooter brand has it's own phone app, some are even sponsored by Uber and Lyft, and you just pay by the minute. They are inexpensive, I paid about $20 for an hour of scootering, and it allows you to get from place to place so much quicker along the Mall. My favorite scooter brand was Bird, since it did not have any speed restrictions in areas of heavy foot traffic. You can even lock your scooter so you can walk around and don't have to worry about someone grabbing it!
There are other ways of getting around the mall as well, including rent-by-the-minute bikes and even segway tours! With my scooter I was able to see a few more iconic landmarks including the White House, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, the Constitutional Gardens, and the Korean War Memorial.
I also made sure to stop and get my National Park Passport stamped. This has been a fun tradition when traveling in my family, and it is a great way to see where you have been! It's great for kids and adults alike. After an hour of scootering, I met mom back near the Metro Stop and we headed back to our hotel.
Our final adventure for the day was meeting our cousin for the Washington Nationals Baseball game! I had never been to another professional baseball stadium besides Fenway Park, and figured this would be a fun activity to end our night! Plus there would be post game fireworks, so how could you go wrong? The stadium is very modern, and includes escalators which was a huge plus since we were up in the nosebleeds. The highlight of the game was seeing the "Racing Presidents" which are plus-size mascots of the four presidents on Mount Rushmore. It was pretty hilarious to see our founding fathers in mascot form.
Day 3 - More Scootering, the Capitol, Fourth of July on the National Mall
On the morning of the fourth of July our goal was to try and see a few more monuments on the outer edge of the Mall: the Jefferson Memorial and the Martin Luther King Jr. Monument. But this year's Fourth of July celebration was different than in year's past. President Trump would be making a speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, and thus most of the streets surrounding this area were completely blocked off all day long. So we ended up finding a seat on the National Mall, yet again, and enjoyed some people watching.
The parade line-up was taking place on the Mall and we could see floats, balloons, and bands preparing to march down the streets of the capital for the annual event. There were plenty of Make America Great Again hats in circulation and there was even a truck decorated with MAGA slogans parked in front of the Smithsonian American History Museum, drawing many supporters to take pictures, get Trump merchandise, and to sign a petition to build the wall. I only saw a few anti-Trump signs throughout the day, but I think most of the protesters, inluding the Baby Trump Balloon, were located inside the fenced area on the Mall.
I found an electric scooter and claimed it for the next hour, while mom found a shady seat on a bench where she could rest from the heat and do some people-watching. I was able to scooter all around the Mall and up to the U.S. Capitol, which was preparing for the Capitol Fourth Concert.
After a few hours at the Mall in the morning, mom and I headed back to our hotel to rest and freshen up. We were heading to our cousin's house to visit and have a Fourth of July BBQ for dinner. We watched the Washington Nationals baseball game on TV while waiting for dinner and visited with family we hadn't seen in years!
Trump's "Salute to America" speech began at 6:30 PM, but we really had no interest in listening to the speech, so we decided we would wait to head to the Mall around 7 PM to grab a seat for the fireworks. A few Google searches provided us with the information that you could show up at 8:30 PM and still find a great seat on the Mall, and we found this information checked out.
We had brought a blanket and a small chair, and were easily able to maneuver the Metro station which spit us out right in front of the Smithsonians. I was surprised that there wasn't any security monitoring the flow of people or checking bags. We were easily able to secure a seat on the grass behind the Washington Monument so we could get a great view!
However, those who wanted seats to witness "Salute to America" definitely needed to arrive earlier in the day. The gated area had limited seating, and many people began arriving at 10 AM when the gates opened to get seats closer to the Lincoln Memorial. It was inside these gates that Trump protesters and supporters alike gathered for demonstrations. We did not venture into this area, although I wish I did to see the shenanigans going on inside.
The area of the National Mall behind the Washington Monument was completely open to the public with no security checks. When we arrived at 7 PM the first two grassy areas were filled with people, but the third grassy area was completely empty. It eventually filled up, and late arrivals simply stood in the walkways.
From where we were sitting, we couldn't see or hear Trump's speech, but we were able to witness the four flyovers that were a part of the event. The Blue Angels even flew back over the Mall at the end of the "Salute to America" and wowed everyone in the crowd with their formation.
We had heard that Trump had decided to move the fireworks to over the Potomac River, and tried to find a seat that would provide a great view. The first half of the fireworks show did shoot off directly behind the Lincoln Memorial, in keeping with tradition. The fireworks were mesmerizing as they illuminated the Washington Monument, and we are in awe of the patterns. There were even fireworks that spelled out USA up in the sky!
But the humid weather proved to be a problem for the firework show. The air was still and there was no wind to push the smoke out of the way. The first half of the firework show was slightly hindered by smoke, but still visible. However the second the fireworks moved to above the Potomac, you couldn't see anything. I felt like we were in a war zone. You could hear the booms of the fireworks, which sounded like cannons, but all that was visible was colored smoke. It made for a unique experience, but it was not exactly what we were hoping for.
Despite the disappointment over the second half of the fireworks, it was overall an amazing experience. I would highly recommend adding "Seeing the Fourth of July Fireworks on the National Mall" to your bucket list! And make sure to get a seat behind a memorial for the ultimate view.
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