Robin Pianosi
Latest Reviews
Independence National Historical Park
Amazing interpretation, the Rangers and guides absolutely know their stuff, and are incredibly passionate. The tour is so worth it! We had Leone for the hall (her interpretation was so thoughtful and informative) and Zach for the Senate (his tour was approachable, funny, and he answered every question with seemingly encyclopedic knowledge).
A must see, for Americans and non-Americans.
Was sort of busy, even mid-day Monday, so I can't imagine how busy it is on weekends.
Also, the museum is free to visit, but the tour costs $1 (yes, one ☺️) and has to be reserved through the website).
A must see, for Americans and non-Americans.
Was sort of busy, even mid-day Monday, so I can't imagine how busy it is on weekends.
Also, the museum is free to visit, but the tour costs $1 (yes, one ☺️) and has to be reserved through the website).
Arlington National Cemetery
We spent basically a whole day here (around 5 hours) so I have a lot of thoughts and advice!!
First of all, you need around 2 hours to do it justice. The tram tour (the hop on, hop off bus) is around 35 minutes, but if you want to get off to do the stops you'll need 2 hours at least.
Second of all, the park has soooo many water stations! It's amazing! Take your reusable water bottle, you won't regret it. The place is huge and it's a hot city, so you'll be glad you have a bottle with you. However, no food options, so pack a snack.
Third, the tour costs around $20 (around $10 if you're with the military) and it's completely worth it. We went around 4 (yes, four) times. Not all tour guides are equally good though, so if you find yourself having trouble hearing someone, hop off, and hop back on the next tram. Some of them are really, really excellent (we really enjoyed the tours from Lisa and Russell, they were great interpreters).
Fourth, you'll want to be aware of the rules. A lot of the staff at the park is lovely, but it's obvious that human and visitor management is a challenge. There was plenty of scolding of tourists (for running, for eating snacks on the tram, for standing in the whole place while waiting for the bus, etc etc). While they are clear about the rules, you can tell they're very fed up with guests and it led to some tense feelings. However, if you just follow the rules (which they're very clear about) you should be fine.
Finally, if you're looking to see the changing of the guard (at the tomb of the unknown soldier) it happens once every half hour, and lasts around 8 minutes.
First of all, you need around 2 hours to do it justice. The tram tour (the hop on, hop off bus) is around 35 minutes, but if you want to get off to do the stops you'll need 2 hours at least.
Second of all, the park has soooo many water stations! It's amazing! Take your reusable water bottle, you won't regret it. The place is huge and it's a hot city, so you'll be glad you have a bottle with you. However, no food options, so pack a snack.
Third, the tour costs around $20 (around $10 if you're with the military) and it's completely worth it. We went around 4 (yes, four) times. Not all tour guides are equally good though, so if you find yourself having trouble hearing someone, hop off, and hop back on the next tram. Some of them are really, really excellent (we really enjoyed the tours from Lisa and Russell, they were great interpreters).
Fourth, you'll want to be aware of the rules. A lot of the staff at the park is lovely, but it's obvious that human and visitor management is a challenge. There was plenty of scolding of tourists (for running, for eating snacks on the tram, for standing in the whole place while waiting for the bus, etc etc). While they are clear about the rules, you can tell they're very fed up with guests and it led to some tense feelings. However, if you just follow the rules (which they're very clear about) you should be fine.
Finally, if you're looking to see the changing of the guard (at the tomb of the unknown soldier) it happens once every half hour, and lasts around 8 minutes.
Faidley's Seafood
Delicious!!! Pretty pricey given the amount of food, but the crab lump was delicious. Fun vibes.
Have to stand while you eat, but it's such an exciting place one hardly minds! But good to keep in mind for accessibility.
Have to stand while you eat, but it's such an exciting place one hardly minds! But good to keep in mind for accessibility.
Smithsonian National Zoological Park
Absolutely UNBELIEVABLE that this place is free. Truly incredible, I've gone back twice. A MUST SEE in Washington. Possibly my favourite thing I did in a whole month in the city!
Advice:
-Bring a refillable water bottle, there are lots of fill stations
-Pack snacks. There are lots of places to eat, some with moderate prices, but you'll want to spend a whole day there.
-Arrive early. Lots of animals take little breaks after lunch, taking naps or going inside where you can't see them.
-Go on a weekday, if you possibly can. Weekends are bananas busy.
-The elephants (Pachyderm plaza) and the orangutans (Great Ape House) are not to be missed. Definitely try and stop at those buildings!
-The Small Mammal House is also surprisingly great, with a huge amount of creatures and lots of variety.
-There are some benches, but not huge amounts, so if accessibility is a concern, just be aware of that. It's all very accessible, but if you need lots of rest stops, make sure you take advantage of them when they come along.
-There are no hippos, no giraffes, no rhinos, and no pandas (as of Dec 7, 2023). If those are your dream animals, make sure to manage expectations!
Advice:
-Bring a refillable water bottle, there are lots of fill stations
-Pack snacks. There are lots of places to eat, some with moderate prices, but you'll want to spend a whole day there.
-Arrive early. Lots of animals take little breaks after lunch, taking naps or going inside where you can't see them.
-Go on a weekday, if you possibly can. Weekends are bananas busy.
-The elephants (Pachyderm plaza) and the orangutans (Great Ape House) are not to be missed. Definitely try and stop at those buildings!
-The Small Mammal House is also surprisingly great, with a huge amount of creatures and lots of variety.
-There are some benches, but not huge amounts, so if accessibility is a concern, just be aware of that. It's all very accessible, but if you need lots of rest stops, make sure you take advantage of them when they come along.
-There are no hippos, no giraffes, no rhinos, and no pandas (as of Dec 7, 2023). If those are your dream animals, make sure to manage expectations!
Brookside Gardens
Stunning, free admission, and just so utterly peaceful. After a few weeks in Washington, one can feel really city-ed out, and these stunning, peaceful gardens are all about mindfulness and sensory experiences. The smells, scenes, and sounds are so restorative and soothing, and we saw so much wildlife! And the gardens are amazingly maintained.
We spent about an hour and a half, but would have spent longer if our schedule had allowed! Recommend at least 2 hours to really soak it all in.
Andrew gave us some excellent garden and DC area recommendations, and was lovely to chat with. We will certainly be back at least once, if not more. Definitely worth the drive from downtown.
We spent about an hour and a half, but would have spent longer if our schedule had allowed! Recommend at least 2 hours to really soak it all in.
Andrew gave us some excellent garden and DC area recommendations, and was lovely to chat with. We will certainly be back at least once, if not more. Definitely worth the drive from downtown.