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Travel

Wish you were here? Follow the All Blacks to Washington DC

3 minutes to read
The Reflecting Pool in Washington DC is just a minute's walk from The Lincoln Memorial. Photo / Getty

The Reflecting Pool in Washington DC is just a minute's walk from The Lincoln Memorial. Photo / Getty

NZ Herald
By: Anna Sarjeant

We like to imagine that right about now, the All Blacks, having played the USA Eagles in a Saturday night showdown at Washington DC's FedExField Stadium are gearing up to explore the city's premier sights. We wouldn't say no to joining them.

Monumental makeovers

Only a mad person would visit Washington DC and not pay a visit to the White House, Washington Monument and US Capitol Building. Forrest Gump fans might like to follow in Jenny's footsteps and visit Reflecting Pool (although we advise against wading through it fully dressed) and one minute further you'll find Lincoln Memorial. Built to honour the 16th US president Abraham Lincoln, complete with a 5.8m-tall statue of Abe himself. Current renovations are due for completion prior to the memorial's 2022 centennial. A fantastic reason to visit next year, should the pandemic permit.

Built to honour the 16th U.S. president, Abraham Lincoln, the Lincoln Memorial renovations are due for completion prior to the memorial's 2022 centennial. Photo / 123rf
Built to honour the 16th U.S. president, Abraham Lincoln, the Lincoln Memorial renovations are due for completion prior to the memorial's 2022 centennial. Photo / 123rf

Global flavours

If you like your food served with a little extra crackerjack, U Street is a vibrant DC neighbourhood jostling with eclectic shops, live music venues and global cuisine. For decades, U Street throbbed with African-American cultures and there's still an upbeat spirit that is as infectious as it is constant. When you're there next (optimistically speaking), try traditional Trinidad flavours, Cuban cafe-bars, Mexican beer gardens, a pocket of eateries dubbed "Little Ethiopia" and the acclaimed Ben's Chili Bowl. An historic landmark unto itself, the city's best chilli-based comfort food has been served here for over 62 years, with the likes of Barack Obama and Anthony Bourdain placing an order.

Famous in these parts, the city's best chilli-based comfort food has been served at Ben's Chili Bowl for over 62 years. Photo / Supplied
Famous in these parts, the city's best chilli-based comfort food has been served at Ben's Chili Bowl for over 62 years. Photo / Supplied

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Innovative museums

The International Spy Museum is a must, but failing an actual mission, you can covertly tap into the exhibits remotely from here:

. Planet Word made its debut appearance in 2020; a fully interactive museum that highlights the importance and power of language via talking trees, word walls and karaoke. It's also the world's first voice-activated museum and in a word, it's cool.

The White House, Washington Monument and U.S. Capitol Building are just some of the must-see landmarks in Washington DC. Photo / 123rf
The White House, Washington Monument and U.S. Capitol Building are just some of the must-see landmarks in Washington DC. Photo / 123rf

Rooms with views

Kimpton Banneker Hotel is the kind of boutique accommodation where you're sure to feel a pinch in your wallet, but with its rooftop bar and open-air deck overlooking the White House, it may also evoke a "pinch me am I dreaming" moment. If your dreams are equally big but the budget is smaller, Holiday Inn Express Washington DC Downtown opened just this month, boasting every mod con imaginable and top floor views of the US Capitol Building. No pressure 2022, but we'd like to stay here soon.