B + B Take on Washington DC: A Travel Blog
Hello, and welcome to my first travel blog! This blog is about my baecation. If you are wondering what a baecation is, Urban Dictionary defines it as “A vacation with bae”. Now, if you are wondering what a bae is, it is a younging’s term for a significant other. If you have not yet figured out what “B + B” means, it is short for Briana and Brendan. Yes, you all are finally going to be hearing from my boyfriend Brendan as we talk our trip to Washington DC. So sit back, relax, and let B+B tell you all about why DC makes for an amazing baecation destination. Also, I may refer to Washington DC as just DC
View of the Mall: December 2018
How and Why We Chose Washington DC.
Instead of trying to figure out the perfect Christmas gift, Brendan and I made the decision to go on a trip for Christmas, but why Washington? Well, my process for choosing DC was relatively simple. My criteria were as follows:
Needs to be somewhere we can fly
Needs to be in the Southeast
It has to be super festive for Christmas
It cannot be somewhere I have never been before
It cannot break the bank
So after filtering through NOLA, Santa Fe, Nashville, and Greenville, my boyfriend finally convinced me that Disney was too expensive for three days. Sooo… I pretty much let him decide. But once again, why Washington DC?
Brendan: I choose DC because Orlando was a little pricey for three days and I thought DC would be the perfect place where you and I could see a lot in a short amount of time. I mean we could have gone to New York or San Fran but I really enjoyed DC the first time and was convinced it would make the best spot for Baecation 2.
So after the choice was made, I immediately went into research mode. Here are some fun facts about Washington DC courtesy of https://washington.org/dc-information/washington-dc-facts.
Washington DC Fun Facts
Official Language: English
Weather: During our trip low 40s to mid 60s
Population: 681170 people
# of visitors a year: 22 million
Types of Transportation:
There are three airports that service the DC area:
Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA)
Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)
Public Transportation
DC has a bus and train system called the Metrorail & Metrobus (Which we rode a few times)
Types of Taxes
Sales: 6%
Hotel: 14.95%
Restaurant: 10% ( I have never heard of a restaurant tax)
# of Hotels:
# of Restaurants
Biggest of fun facts: 70% of the land in Washington DC is controlled the National Park Service
With a destination chosen and facts in tow, it was time to book our flights, hotels, and to plan where to go. We split these task accordingly based off of our strengths. This meant Brendan booked the flights and hotel, and I planned where to go and what to see. I created a google map for us to use while we were there. You can check it out here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1PJRVIHWJnRr37zEux_yPcF4izO2YgJw3&usp=sharing
So… How was our trip? Amazing to say the least.
The Trip:
Where To Stay: We stayed at the Grand Hyatt. It has by far been the nicest hotel I have stayed at. On top of a smooth check in and tidy room, the hotel was connected to both a Starbucks and a Metrorail station. Our hotel experience was 10/10.
What To Do: Since it was my first time in DC, I wanted to see everything and we pretty much did. But to not overwhelm you with DC madness, I will simplify it to our top places
Me: Hey babe, what were your favorite places in DC?
Brendan: You…and probably the Capitol Rotunda.
*I asked the question again*
Brendan: Space Museum
The Capitol Building
The tiny home tour he is referring to is an exhibit at the National Building Museum called The Open House.
If you wanna know more, Architectural Digest did a really nice article you can find here: https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/national-building-museum-exhibition-open-house-versatile-housing-solutions
As for me, I loved ….
The National Botanical Garden
The National Portrait Gallery
The National Gallery of Art
What To Eat: We needed a lot of fuel for all of the walking. Here are the places we stopped for a bite to eat.
Me: What were your favorite meals and where are they from?
Brendan: I am going to have to say the Italian sandwich from the West Wing Café.
As for me, I loved the Chinese riblets from Farmers & Distillers
Dinner in DC: December 2018.
I may have been a bit tipsy at the time of this photo
And that was our trip. But I couldn’t quite leave it at just that so I used this as an excuse to do some more in-depth post baecation discussion with my boyfriend.
Post Baecation Discussion
Me: What was the best moment of the entire trip for you?
Brendan: The best moment of the trip was randomly deciding to stand in line for the Capitol building. After getting in, Briana overheard a lady giving out Capitol tour tickets for the last tour of the day and quickly sniped them. The Capitol Rotunda is truly beautiful and amazing.
I am extremely persistent and incredibly nosey. This is when that worked in my favor
Me: What are two interesting things about DC that the average person doesn't know?
Brendan:
There is a tomb directly under the US Capitol.
Washington DC is missing “J” Street. It is said that J was left out because D.C. designer Pierre L’Enfant hated the nation’s first chief justice John Jay.
Me: Now that you've been there twice when you think of DC, what's the first image that comes into your head?
Brendan: The first image that comes to mind is the Washington moment on the Mall. Only because it is the first thing you see from the plane when flying into Ronald Reagan Airport.
Washington Monument: December 2018
Me: How was this different from your first trip?
Brendan: Last time I went with my roommates and we focused more on science, moments, and bars. This time with you I think we spent more time looking at art, flowers, and random parts of the city. This was great because it was like seeing DC for the first time but from a new perspective.
That’s the difference between traveling with engineers and a creative. lol. I’ll show you the world like Aladdin.
Me: What was the hardest or most frustrating part of the trip?
Brendan: The most frustrating part for me was when we left the zoo that night to find the nearest Metro station. I was really frustrated that the GPS kept taking us down these sketchy side alleys and put us in the wrong location as it was beginning to rain.
Zoolights: December 2018
Me: What did you learn about yourself?
Brendan: I learned that maybe public transit is not that bad. Maybe it’s just Marta
Me: What did you learn about me on this trip?
Brendan: That for Briana every moment is a picture-perfect moment. Briana is willing to stand in traffic, jump on top of benches, and is willing to sacrifice my safety at a moment’s notices to get the shot.
Maybe Before Climbing on a Bench: December 2018. Screenshot of Snapchat from Brendan
Me: Now that you've been to DC, what are two other places you'd like to go?
Brendan: I would say somewhere in Europe (like Germany or Spain) and Machu Picchu, Peru.
Awesome! So that was DC! It was some of the best bonding I have had with my boyfriend since we started dating. On top of the bonding, the trip was inexpensive! Most museums are free when the government is open. This trip was honestly the best gift we could’ve ever given each other. So if you are thinking of a quick trip with lots of fun grab a suitcase, buy a coat, and book your flight! I must emphasize this though, WAIT UNTIL THE GOVERNMENT OPENS. Thanks for reading! Until next time!
Special Thanks to The Blog Abroad for the travel blog inspiration.
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