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| Home > City Guide - Washington, DC - Excursions | ||
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Excursions For a Half Day Arlington National Cemetery: Just across the Memorial Bridge from the Lincoln Memorial is America’s largest national cemetery. Over 260,000 US soldiers, who fought in wars from the American Revolution onwards, are buried here, together with President John F Kennedy and the world champion boxer, Joe Louis. Arlington Cemetery (tel: (703) 697 4967; website: www.arlingtoncemetery.org) is open every day 0800-1700 (until 1900 April-September) and admission is free. The nearest Metro station is Arlington National Cemetery. Tourmobile Sightseeing Trams (tel: (202) 554 5100; website: www.tourmobile.com) operates a narrated tour of the cemetery, daily 0830-1830 (0930-1630 October-March), starting at the Arlington Cemetery Visitors Center and costing US$5.25. For a Whole Day George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate and Garden: Located in Virginia, approximately 26km (16 miles) from the city, the delightful home of George and Martha Washington covers 200 hectares (500 acres) and includes his mansion, tomb, Slave Memorial, gardens and restaurants. The estate and gardens (tel: (703) 780 2000 or (800) 429 1520; website: www.mountvernon.org) are open 0800-1700 April-August, 0900-1700 in March, September and October and 0900-1600 November-February, with an entrance fee of US$9 (concessions available). The Fairfax Connector (tel: (202) 637 7000) bus 101 departs Huntingdon Metro station and costs US$0.50 for the trip to Mount Vernon (journey time – 20 minutes). A pleasant way for visitors to travel to Mount Vernon is to take the Spirit Cruise Line (tel: (202) 554 8000; website: www.spiritcruises.com), which leaves Pier 4 at Sixth Street and Water Street, SW, at 0900, for the 90-minute journey and returns from Mount Vernon at 1300. The fare of US$30 (concessions available) includes admission to the estate and gardens. Gray Line of Washington (tel: (202) 289 1995 or (800) 862 1400, toll free in the USA and Canada; website: www.graylinedc.com) also operates tours, which cost US$28 and include Alexandria. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania: Approximately 130km (81 miles) north of Washington, Abraham Lincoln made a two-minute speech to dedicate the new cemetery to the Civil War dead. His famous Gettysburg Address at Cemetery Ridge reminded the nation of the true purpose of the sacrifice the people had made. Gettysburg is also the site of the largest battle ever fought on American soil, when the Union Army under General George C Meade defeated the Confederate forces under General Robert E Lee, in July 1863. There are numerous places of interest in the town, including houses that featured significantly in the fighting, now open to the public. The Gettysburg Convention and Visitors Bureau, 35 Carlisle Street (tel: (717) 334 6274; fax: (717) 334 1166; e-mail: gcvb@gettysburg.com; website: www.gettysburg.com), provides further information. The tour bus company, Gray Line of Washington (tel: (202) 289 1995 or (800) 862 1400, toll free in the USA and Canada; website: www.graylinedc.com), runs ten-hour tours to Gettysburg, costing US$68. Gettysburg is situated along the I-15, which connects to the I-270 from Washington (journey time – approximately 90 minutes). |
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