My husband had always wanted to see the Friday Evening Parade, so we reserved tickets for the two…read moreof us and his father to see the presentation. I didn't really know much about the 8th and I traditions, so the experience was a really beautiful look into the discipline and pageantry of the Marine Corps. We parked at the recommended lot ($15) and took the huge MC bus to the drop off point. (I seriously have no idea how they navigate that bus through the tiny streets, but it was a very comfortable ride.) At the gate, you can scan your QR code on the emailed tickets, or they can look up the name for your party on their digital list. There was plenty of stadium seating, and they made sure everyone knew where they could get water or locate the bathrooms. They also have a small outdoor gift shop and offer veteran discounts. Before the presentation started, some members of the band came out to visit with the audience and answer questions. The actual parade was amazing. The precision and form of each group was flawless, and the music was specially organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of America. The Silent Drill Platoon was the shining star of the parade. The coordination of the routine was perfection, and the difficulty of their movements was stunning to see. The members of this platoon were masters of the craft, and it was truly an honor to see them perform in person. If you've never seen the parade before, I so highly recommend it!

Great DC and local attraction rich in history and current military appreciation goodness. Plus who…read morewouldn't find Chesty the English Bulldog and Barracks' mascot adorable (can a Marine be adorable? Maybe not.). The Silent Drill Team, two bands, and amazing drill by Marine Barracks Washington is incredibly impressive. Definitely bring water for a summer evening performance. The bleachers are cushioned but a second cushion is recommended. Gates close at 8pm and the parade starts 45 minutes later. That's a lot of sitting...but worth it! Definitely a must see!

***this review is about the cafeteria only***…read more The cafeteria is like Market-to-Market. It has hot food station, cold salad station, hot sandwich station, baked potato station, cold cut sandwich station, sushi station, coffee, tea, and all the bottled drinks (except wine) you can think of. You would think 17,000 people work in that building. Well...sort of... So I enter with my fed-id-badge (quite handy when there's hordes of giggly pre-teen tourist kids with vouchers swarming the food court at the Ronald Reagan building), walk up to the hot sandwich station, and order a "grilled cheese on heavily buttered white bread". The shamwhich prep lady looks at me, rolls her eyes twice, and says "white?" Um, yes. Thanks. White. Then she proceeds to take the brush, dip it in oil, smear that oil onto the grill, and lay my bread into it. Ugh. At that point, I rolled MY eyes twice. After a while, the spatula weilding, meat patty flipping, cooktop scraping shamwhich cook lays approximately a whole cheesehead's worth of American cheese slices onto my bread. Thank God. So the sandwich was warm and cheesy. But it wasn't buttery eventhough it HAD been on the grill. That's why I'm giving it two stars. I have been searching the lunchtime food purveyeors worldwide to find the quantity of cheese + the buttery, grillish-ness of the bread in the same sandwich. This one gets five stars for the cheese. Take away three stars for the lack of butter and there you have it. Two stars.

This is a beautiful facility. There are some historical corners that are amazing (if you're into…read morethat type of thing). There is a good library on the bottom floor that houses the actual (not a replica) hat and desk that belonged to former Commerce Secretary and President Herbert C. Hoover. The library also has beautifully hand-painted ceilings.

This is a low-key memorial that is dedicated to the brave men and women of law enforcement who have…read moremade the ultimate sacrifice. There is metered street parking within a reasonable walking distance. It is right across the street from the Law Enforcement Museum and the DC Court of Appeals. On the other side of the memorial, you will find the Building Museum. The memorial was designed by architect Davis Buckley and dedicated on October 15, 1991. It sits on three acres of federal park land. It has a water feature. However, it was dry during my visit. I looked like they were doing some maintenance on it. The Memorial also features two curving limestone walls along its perimeter, each over 300 feet long, with the names of more than 24,000 officers who died in the line of duty etched on them. The walls are a part of the memorial, along with a line of trees, called "pathways of remembrance". You will find a pathway on each side of the memorial, and each entrance is marked by a powerful statuary grouping of an adult lion protecting its cubs. The sculptures are the work of Raymond Kaskey. They symbolize the protective role of law enforcement officers and convey the strength, courage, and valor that are hallmarks of those who serve and protect. The people being honored date back to the first known death in 1786. The memorial is ever-changing. New names of fallen officers are added to it each spring, in conjunction with National Police Week. I did not see much seating at the memorial, but this place is not a park. It is meant to honor. It does have a peaceful effect, even with the Metro elevator right in the middle. This is not a destination spot, but it is definitely worth a visit if you are in the area.

I visited a lot of law enforcement museums, and this is the best one I have ever been so far. This…read moreis not a free museum, but it worth the money you spent. They offers law enforcement and student discount tickets. Security and staff were very friendly. My favorite were the use of force demonstration and driving stimulator that visitors can experiences how police officers handle certain situations. There was an instructor, who had 30+ years experience coaching us throughout the experience. I enjoyed that a lot. I will come back again if I happened to be in town.

Such an awesome and modern building with a very cool sculpture in the middle. Was making some DC…read morePower Plays aka meetings with Chiefs of Staff and General Counsel of U.S. Senators (mine in Oklahoma) in this ultra cool and modern building, and "Felt the Bern" (visiting Senator Bernie Sanders and asking his staffers what committees he works on - from memory, Health, Education, Labor, Veterans' Affairs, Energy & Natural Resources), visited the offices of the two Senators from my home state of Cali (Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff) and dropped off my card with Senator Thom Tillis, who chairs the Subcommittee on IP. Many young staffers work here so that was very inspiring to see!

I was unaware that this was the third office building in use for the Senate. Started construction…read morein the 1970s and finished in 1982, this building was named for Michigan senator Philip A. Hart. Like the House, the Senate buildings are all connected. With Hart, it is immediately connected to Dirksen. This building was mostly constructed due to the fact that the senate staff exploded when it was agreed upon that each member would be able to hire staff for a committee they were assigned to. The building is beautiful and it feels open. Natural light pours in over the statue in the atrium. With the contemporary style in here, it doesn't feel so institutional. Signage is ample to direct you where you need to go. One thing to check out in here is the designs that could have been the capitol building.

--Location/Parking-- Located on the southern edge of the…read moreNational Mall. I recommend parking in one spot of the National Mall and walking throughout. I didn't see any local parking spots. --Ambience-- Outdoor memorial where you can see the sculpture and read the inscriptions on the wall. I believe there is an outdoor restroom nearby. Great to complete your stamp collection --Service/Staff-- The gift shop next to it has the last remaining stamp you need for the National Mall tour area. This is a must to stopping place that is sometimes overlooked because of its proximity to the Mall which is off the beaten path. --Products-- The gift shop has the usual items you see at the various tourist attractions throughout the National Mall. This was no exception. What makes it unique is the hidden stamp you can only collect at this spot which many travelers miss. --Overall-- For history buff and stamp collectors this is one of the hidden gems you must trek for 30+ minutes to reach even if you park close to the National Mall. I recommend an umbrella on those sunny days

The Eisenhower Memorial is one of The National Mall's newly erected memorials. It seems The Mall is…read morerunning out of space for new memorials and the location of the Eisenhower memorial seems to be in somewhat of an odd place in the Southwest quadrant of Independence Avenue, across the street from the Air & Space Museum and adjacent to the U.S. Department of Education federal building. Like many other memorials on The Mall that feature presidents or American leaders, this memorial has a fine depiction of the 34th president's leadership through imagery in some of his famous quotes and life-size sculptures. The memorial occupies a lot of land, however, much of it is landscaping, making the visit a quick walk-through. The landscaping is beautiful during the early spring when the grass is lush and green. Many tourists who visit the area pass by en route to the Air & Space Museum, the Holiday Inn hotel nearby, the Museum of the Bible on 4th Street, or the many food trucks situated along Independence Avenue. The location has an epic shot of the Capitol Building to the west. The good thing about the location is the memorial has restrooms on site (and perhaps one of the cleanest on The Mall), is in walking distance to the Capitol Building, 4th Street along The Mall which is less busy with tourists, and multiple Metro stations. Overall, a great memorial to visit, but if you have a tight itinerary I recommend lowering it on your list of priorities if you have other must-see museums or memorials on your list.

This is the Grand daddy of them ALL! The original "OG" of the National Wildlife Refuge. This is…read morewhere Teddy Roosevelt established this now over 500 NWRs. It's considered a research center but is an NWR in the passport book. There are educational classes for children and adults. A gift shop, clean restrooms, an EV charging station and a float of art work of photography and drawings. Our Two Entrances: South Tract,also known as the Dan Ashe Division, hosts 5 miles of walking trails and two scenic lakes. It is also the site of The Visitor Center is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. - closed on federal holidays.  The grounds are open sunrise to sunset every day.  Fishing and hunting is available seasonally.  North Tract offers 25 miles of trail for walking, biking, and horseback riding. With less visitation than South Tract, North Tract offers a quiet atmosphere for those seeking solitude. The grounds and Visitor Information Station are open from Thursdays through Sundays from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.  In addition, extended hours will be offered on the third Thursday of every month. Third Thursday hours will be the following: April 18 - 8:00 am to sunset.  May 16, June 20, and July 18 - 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. August 15 and September 19 - 8:00 am to sunset. The grounds and Visitor Information Station and are closed for federal holidays and occasionally for scheduled hunts.

Very cool visitor center with beautiful displays about different species to include Gray Wolves…read more Whooping Cranes etc. There is also a viewing area of lakes from the visitor center near the displays with clear viewing of wildlife. Very friendly staff with a gift shop, nice restrooms and information on area. The refuge has hiking trails which provide different opportunities to see wildlife from waterfowl to birds. Definitely will be back !!!

I didn't know this office almost 2 years. I often go to the neighbor USO tho. The staffs are so…read moresweet and many events for caregivers. Google and Waze take you to a different 6th street and you might end up wondering at the corner of a big parking lot. So do not use them and drive between USO and the hospital. The landmark is the play ground attached to the building. Parking lot: Tiny! Many people park on a street.

Very helpful. When the ID office on base was closed due to training, I managed to find this one to…read moreget everything taken care of thanks to a gentleman nearby.

Great little base with a few key moment tied to history, including Abraham Lincoln and several…read moreother presidents. Home of national defense university, and the national war college.

Nice base. Interesting history. NDU has an INCREDIBLE library! Unfortunately, it is not close to…read morea Metro station stop.