Text/Picture Yangcheng Evening News reporter Liu Xingtong
The entire U.S. capital region includes Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. As the capital and political center of the United States, Washington, D.C. is quiet, solemn, and ancient, less impetuous and noisy than many of America's big cities. Walking on the street, there is no sense of complexity, crowding and strangeness that belongs to the "capital" in the imagination, on the contrary, even if it is the first time to come here, it is easy to quickly integrate into the street and feel a deep calmness and ease. The surrounding states of Maryland and Virginia are like two modern suburbs with different personalities, with endless art, cultural history, and American countryside and wine experiences to explore.
A
Washington, D.C. —
A comfortable city without "capital" and "baggage"
1. Rambling Characteristic Museum
People who have never been to Washington, D.C., will more or less mistakenly think that this is a "city that belongs entirely to politics", after all, from the White House, the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument to the US Capitol, the Supreme Court, the Federal Reserve... There are too many federal government agencies and landmarks clustered in the city, but anyone who knows anything about American history has to think first of all about its political attributes. In fact, however, your guess will be completely "defeated" by the strong affinity and convenience of travel here – for tourists, the most valuable thing is that most of the attractions here are free and close to each other, and you can measure them repeatedly by bicycle or on foot.
Washington, D.C. has world-class and highly dense museums, art galleries, world-famous monuments, the White House, and Capitol Hill. For independent travelers, the National Mall is where the daily itinerary begins, and almost all the must-see attractions are concentrated in this area, with the Capitol building heading west through the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial, which is the center of the tour.
Around the National Mall, there are also many museums and art galleries, many of which are unique, such as the National Air and Space Museum, the National Gallery of Art, the National Portrait Gallery, the African American Historical and Cultural Museum, the National Museum of Natural History, etc.
2. Segway city exploration
Washington, D.C., is the leader in the list of green cities in the United States, because there are so many attractions around the National Mall, walking distance from each other, and the area is unusually wide, can accommodate pedestrians and bicycles at the same time, for tourists, the most perfect way to visit is to hike or ride, stop and go. And for a more special perspective, there is also a cool Segway.
The Segway electric balance car is ideal for Washington, D.C., with wide roads and advanced and standardized transportation planning. With just a few minutes of simple practice in the open space, even children can easily master driving skills. Standing on the wheel of the Segway, the person is a long way higher, advancing smoothly like a camera, walking brick by brick, every street corner, every building, just like a movie picture, frame by frame, there is a magical vision similar to "entering history".
The classic Segway tour will depart from Washington Square, passing the Capitol, the White House, the Lincoln Memorial, the Smithsonian Museum Complex, Pennsylvania Avenue... Stop with the coaches at any time and listen to a related historical story.
B
Maryland -
The best place for literary and artistic youth
1. Internet celebrity neighborhood + organic coffee factory tour
It's only a short subway ride from Washington, D.C., to Maryland. Because accommodation is much cheaper than in D.C., many visitors to Washington, D.C. will choose to stay in Maryland and take the subway to the Capital District. Of course, Maryland itself is also full of charm.
As the "state of the old front", the city is named after the reputation won by the warriors of the Maryland front in the American Revolutionary War, which has the sensibility of an international metropolis, but also has a cultural and artistic atmosphere and outdoor leisure fun, especially suitable for a little freshness with a little literary feeling.
Bethesda's Trendy Quarter is a must-see for food and influencers, offering a wonderful shopping and food experience, with shops, restaurants, cafes and a spot for influencers: Wing Wall. Feel free to walk up to a street corner or restaurant or café, and you'll see local young people in groups, whispering in the afternoon sun or taking random photos, as if walking into the filming scene of a fashion magazine cover.
Mayorga Organics Organic Coffee Factory offers a tour for the average visitor, where every batch of coffee roasted here can be traced back to the original farm where the beans were grown, and the coffee factory has no stock concept and only roasts the freshest coffee according to the order demand. Visitors can walk into the roasting workshop and taste different flavors of fresh hand-ground coffee in the tasting room.
2. Music center + large private museum
Maryland is the first state in the nation to develop a statewide arts and entertainment district, and its Montgomery County has attracted artists, arts organizations, and creative agencies from around the world through incentives, to artist galleries and theaters throughout the city.
The Strammore Music Center is regarded as a local mecca for artistic performance. Performances by famous symphony orchestras are held regularly, and outdoor music festivals are held irregularly on the central lawn.
The Glenstone Museum is a huge and chic museum that blends art, architecture and the surrounding landscape, a place where people can meditate quietly. The 30,000-square-foot private museum is currently one of the largest private museums in the world, open to visitors free of charge and features a collection of post-World War II and contemporary art, including paintings, sculptures, works on paper, photography, installations and multimedia art. The special feature of the museum is that the exhibition is presented in the interior of the building and in the outdoor sculpture park, winding and changing scenery, bringing a magical and unique visual experience.
C
Virginia --
The life of the village where the wine is fragrant
1. Chief punch point - Vernon Hills
Virginia, located less than an hour's drive from Washington, D.C., is another experience not to be missed in the U.S. capital.
The most famous attraction here is mount Vernon, the former residence of the first president of the United States, President George Washington. In the minds of Americans, Mount Vernon is the most historic "holy place" and the most popular celebrity home in the United States. Located in Fairfax County, northern Virginia, with beautiful scenery behind the green hills, President George Washington and his wife have lived here for more than 40 years, and the manor has expanded from the original 6 rooms to 21 rooms, covering an area from 2,000 acres to 8,000 acres.
2. The hometown of fine wine - Lauden County
In addition to celebrity homes, Virginia attracts visitors with a strong sense of leisure, and is a delicious and natural country resort.
Red wine, peanuts, oysters and ham are all famous, and visiting the winery is a must-see.
Nestled among the Blue Ridge Mountains and Short Hill, Sunset Mountain Winery produces award-winning Virginia wines with spectacular mountain and sunset views, as well as live bands on weekends. The tasting room here is special, located in a 140-year-old barn.
Murlarkey, a distillery specializing in artisanal whiskies, produces gluten-free vodka, gluten-free gin and other craft whiskies, and its 100% pure potato Divine Clarity vodka has won an international gold medal award.
Located in the historic city of Leesburg, Lauden County is just a dozen minutes' drive from Washington, D.C., virginia's famous wine country, producing wines that are world-renowned. There are more than 40 wineries and 10 wineries in the county, as well as many historical monuments from the American Civil War.
3. Beachside leisure place - Alexandria
Located near the Potomac River, the city of Alexandria has a rich history and well-preserved 18th and 19th century architecture, and is a waterfront city that was named the best value travel destination in the United States in 2018 and the best small city in the United States in 2018 by Money Magazine.
It's a great pleasure to explore the small town on foot – Old Town Alexandria is a national historic district built in 1749 with more than 200 independent restaurants and boutiques, as well as intimate historical museums and waterfront attractions. There is also a quaint pharmacist's museum in the city, displaying a large number of herbal plants, hand-blown glass and medical equipment.
4, seasonal recommendation - farm flower picking DIY
Burnside Farms Gardens in Knoxville is a seasonal farm that offers the experience of picking and making your own bouquets with your own hands. Spring is the budding season for tulips and daffodils, and from mid-July to August, a large "sunflower night" is staged. By mid-September, the open autumn market continues until Halloween.
【Travel Tips】
Transportation: Departing from the Pearl River Delta, the best flight plan is cathay Pacific's direct flight from Hong Kong to Washington Dulles International Airport launched last year, which operates four times a week, providing authentic "Hong Kong-style taste" such as ginger and onion lobster soup rice, fish egg and fish fillet soup rice noodles, sausage chicken ball rice, etc. in business class, and business class can also order roasted duck soup soup powder, Hong Kong-style desserts, etc.
In addition, Air China and United airlines have direct flights from Beijing to Washington.
At present, through the official website of Cathay Pacific Airlines, you can also order the "Haitian One Pass", including the seven piers in the Pearl River Delta (Shenzhen Shekou Cruise Home Port, Shenzhen Airport Terminal, Dongguan Humen Hong Kong and Macao Ferry Terminal, Guangzhou Lianhuashan Port, Guangzhou Nansha Port, Zhuhai Jiuzhou Port and Zhongshan Port) to Hong Kong International Airport round-trip tickets, by hanging luggage directly at the pier, going through the exit procedures, the fastest 30 minutes can be directly connected to the Hong Kong International Airport waiting, you can save HK$120 Hong Kong International Airport security tax and queuing tax refund and other processes.
Internet: It is recommended to use global roaming wifi to surf the Internet in the United States.