Alligator farm in St Augustine Florida

While some vacations I take specifically to relax, others I take because there is no better way to learn than to immerse yourself in a new place.  Well, maybe there’s a better way, but I doubt there’s a more enjoyable one.  These are the trips I take to places like Washington, DC and St. Augustine, and they include hours of sightseeing and copious note taking.

On these sightseeing adventures, which I most enjoy taking with my two kids, I use a few simple strategies for getting the most out of my visit.

How To Get The Most From A Sightseeing Trip

Start with a quick guided tour of the city. Whether you tour the city by horse-drawn carriage or trolley, these guided excursions are great for getting a good overview of the area.  You’ll usually get a broad idea of the areas culture, hear about which attractions are most popular with tourists and locals, and get a general sense of what will be most interesting for you to explore in more depth during the rest of your visit.

Use the historical society as a resource. Many of the places on historical registries will offer free or very inexpensive tours.  At first glance these might seem boring and you’ll almost certainly find less people milling about, but you’ll also get a good idea of how the place you’re visiting came to be.

Check out the national and state parks. Government parks aren’t limited to camping and school field trips.  Often the area’s most important natural resources will be protected within a national or state park and a visit will give you the opportunity to learn about things like local industry, agriculture and ecosystems.

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According to Phil winter is ending soon. I'll believe it when I see it.

Phil has some pretty sweet digs in Punxsutawney, PA, but I’m not sure he’s earned it. A groundhog telling the weather seems about as likely as running into Ned Ryerson EVERY DAY. Bing!

This photo is an entry for Wordless Wednesday and as such I can’t say more. I’d like to, but I can’t.

Am I right, or am I right?

Photo by Eddie-S via Flickr

Celebrate Italian culture in Washington DC during La Dolce DC

If you’re headed to Washington, DC this spring or summer, prepare to get more than an American Civics lesson.  In fact, you may want to brush up on your Italian before you head to our nation’s capital.  From the beginning of March through the end of July, the city will be celebrating the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy and its own Italian connections with La Dolce DC, a citywide Italian festival.

What Italian culture can you expect to find in Washington, DC?

• The National Gallery of Art will feature  the exhibition Venice: Canaletto and His Rivals (Feb 20-May 30).
• The Phillips Collection will host the exhibition Philip Guston, Roma (Feb12-May 15).
• Washington National Opera will perform “Madama Butterfly” (Feb 26-March 19) and “Don Pasquale” (May 13-27), two of the final productions to be mounted by the company under General Director Plácido Domingo.
• The Embassy of Italy will host a trade and design show at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center highlighting collections from Italian designers in April.
• The National Geographic Museum will feature The Etruscans: An Ancient Culture Revealed, a look at the culture that dominated the Italian peninsula centuries before the rise of the Roman Republic (June 10-Sept 25).

Organizers of the event are encouraging visitors to take note of the many Italian influences that can be seen in the city’s restaurants and architecture.  The Fairmont Washington, D.C. is saluting La Dolce D.C. with the Roman Holiday Package, which includes an overnight stay for two, a three-course Italian dinner for two in Juniper, two tickets to The Phillips Collection and a DVD of Roman Holiday starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck.

A comprehensive website listing many of the area attractions with Italian and Italian-American connections is available at ladolcedc.org.

Photo courtesy of Destination DC