Visiting your area......

[6shooter]

I will be spending a week in the your area the 2nd week of August.My itinerary is as follows:

two days in Bethesda/DC
one day in Baltimore
one day in Philly (any good places to dine/park near the new ballpark?)
one day in Freehold NJ
one day in Harrisburg Pa
one day in Wilkes/Barre Pa.

I will be taking my wife on this trip, and need some recommendations as far as things to do and places to dine etc. I only have one contact to make in each city, so we will have lots of time to take in the sights.

We have never been to the area before, so all suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Mark

[JamesSpot]

Baltimore:
O's in town vs. Texas @ Camden Yards 6-9 August. After a day game, lots of shopping, restaurants, and classic bars for an evening in the Inner Harbor. Good walkaround areas downtown, but don't stray too far from there as a tourist at night. Also, USS CONSTELLATION (sister ship of Old Ironsides in Boston), ESPN Zone, Science Museum, the National Aquarium, and Fort McHenry (the one that took the hits while the Star Spangled Banner was written by a prisoner on one of the shooters). There is superb Italian food in Baltimore's ethnic neighborhoods and crabs are in season now for a Maryland crab cake specialty. Drive down I-97 to Annapolis to see the historic district, MD State Capitol, and the U.S. Naval Academy.
DC:
Free Smithsonian Museums on the Mall open at 10:00 daily (Natural History has a great upscale Friday night dinner with live jazz, Air & Space, National History and the newly opened Udvar-Hazzy Air & Space Annex by Dulles Airport <$12 for parking>), Holocaust Memorial and Museum, Capitol (eat in House Members dining room which is open to the public for lunch on a Monday or Friday, you need to make a connection with your Senator's Office for the Senator's Dining Room), White House, FBI tour, Jefferson, Lincoln, Washington, and War Memorials, International Spy Museum, MCI Center, Treasury, Library of Congress, Warner Theater, Supreme Court, Georgetown, Dupont Circle for nightlife (f you can enjoy an eclectic 20-30's crowd), Old Town Alexandria, Arlington Cemetary, etc...
Take the metro during the work day. A $6 card lets each person ride all day after 9:30 am. Good drives include the Rock Creek and George Washington Parkways. The Beltway, I-66, and I-95 are miserable from 7-9 and 4-7 on workdays.
Food: Next to New York and San Francisco, I think it is the best "international" city for food in the US. While other cities have regional specialities (think NC barbecue, Texas chili, Mexican food in San Diego, etc.), DC is excellent for Asian and European. If you got the bucks, "The Inn at Little Washington" is one of the best restaurants in the WORLD. Galileo's for Italian food in Georgetown, Blackie's for beef on M Street, and Zapata's for a tappa bar/restaurant by the MCI Center are personal favorites. Bethesda has lots of good restaurants, too.

Pentagon City and Tyson's Corner are the high end shopping malls.
Potomac Mills to the south off I-95 and Arundel Mills by BWI airport are the BIG outlet malls.

I'll let others comment on the northern cities for your business trip. You could be busy for a full month in DC!

[Edgeman]

I recommend you visit the Mall and go through as many Smithsonian Museums, art galleries, and monuments as possible. You really need a couple weeks to see all of the sights (White House and Capitol tours, etc.), but you can really get a taste of DC in a couple days. There are plenty of places for good nightlife, but I prefer "Old Town" Alexandria around the end of King Street. If you are staying in Bethesda, someone else can give recommendations for dining in that area. I've only been through that part of the city.

In Baltimore, I recommend you visit the "Inner Harbor" near Camden Yards. Catch a game if the Os are in town. Nice park! I've been told the Cleveland Indian's park is similar to Baltimore. (Fairly new stadium, styled after the "old timey" ball parks)

Have fun!

Cheers!
John
85 M635CSi
88 M3

[Bill Rowe]

What do you and your wife enjoy doing, publically? I'm in the D.C. Metro area. Two of my favorate museums are Air and Space, and the East Wing of the National Gallery of Art. Air and Space can hold my attention for days. Currently there is an excellent exhibit on the Maya. The National Parks on either side of the Potomic, G&O Canal and Great Falls are interesting for the techniology and natural history. If you are birders, Great Falls is probably the better one, and you should consider going to Huntley Medows in Alexandria.

[BMWPower3]

dont expect much because its a dump. I live close by. You are better off just going 20 miles north to Scranton. You can visit steam town.Mark
1990 325i, Zinnoberrot on Black 96k
AIM: Markman5551

[6shooter]

My wife is a teacher,and I enjoy all facets of history, so the museums will be high on our list. I appreciate all of your responses.

Anybody in Philly??

[N. Mau, 93 740i]

Philadelphia is known for its steak and cheese sandwichs. One can ask at the hotel where best known deli's are.

Also the in middle of town there is the Liberty Bell and Ben Franklin's house and other places sponsored by the US Park Service so these places do not charge to visit.

Near the convention center there is a block of Armish type eating places which are good for Lunch and breakfast.

[jimarnett]

It's been a while (okay, *decades*), but I still remember the big museum there being wonderful.

I think it is called the Franklin Institute.

Jim
(Now in the Balto/DC area :-)