Capital connection
Bostonians will love visiting Washington, D.C., in fall
It’s easy to see how fans of Boston can also love Washington, D.C. Both cities are steeped in history. Both have familiar lore as well as stories yet to be discovered.
In fact, Bostonians visiting our nation's capital may find familiar spots around many corners. From historic sites and museum exhibits that hark back to the Hub, to restaurants proudly serving New England fare, to bars and restaurants that become Patriots fan central on game day, D.C. has an arms-wide-open welcome for Bostonians.
Autumn is a perfect time for a quick zip down to Washington, D.C. The crowds are thinner, and in the crisper but still warm air, you can walk a long way without being overheated.
Getting to Washington, D.C., is a snap. With plenty of airlines running direct shuttles, decent prices can be found. For train lovers, Amtrak is a multiplehour adventure but a lovely and relaxing one that takes you right into the city. And driving, of course, is an option (drivers in the know ignore GPS and, instead of the George Washington Bridge, take the Tappan Zee. Looks longer — saves time!).
For Patriots fans, there's no better D.C. spot on Sunday than the Proper 21 bar and restaurant. The manager, who hails from Greater Boston, pulls out all the stops, with decorations, game day specials (trust me on the truffle tots — they're way more “football Sunday” hearty than they sound), raffles and surprises. In the bar section of the lovely, openair spot, every big screen TV (there are many) is tuned to the Pats game. The seats are filled with wicked awesome fans. Learn more at proper21.com.
For an amazing insider look at life in Camelot, visit the Newseum to take in the special exhibit “Creating Camelot: The Kennedy Photography of Jacques Lowe.” The exhibit, which runs through early January, is remarkable, with an incredible back story.
The exhibit showcases more than 70 intimate and iconic images of President John F. Kennedy, first lady Jacqueline Kennedy and their children, Caroline and John, taken by Kennedy's personal photographer, Jacques Lowe.
Lowe's photographs of
the Kennedys helped create the legend of the Kennedy presidency known as Camelot. His extraordinary access to Kennedy’s private and public life allowed him to capture events that others could not. Lowe’s photos document Kennedy’s rise to power, from his 1958 Senate re-election campaign to the White House, along with intimate scenes of the Kennedys at home. The exhibit also explores how Lowe’s images were used in the news media.
The original negatives of nearly all of the 70 images displayed in “Creating Camelot” were lost forever in the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Lowe, who died in May 2001, had stored his negatives of more than 40,000 Kennedy photos in a World Trade Center bank vault.
The only existing images from the lost negatives were on Lowe’s contact sheets and prints, which fortunately had been stored in another New York City facility. The Newseum, working closely with the Lowe estate, digitally restored the images to museum quality for the exhibit. The restoration work creates a comprehensive digital archive of Lowe’s Kennedy photographs and enables the Newseum to exhibit the photos at a resolution and size at which they have never before been seen. Learn more at newseum.org.
There are, of course, plenty of Boston-area names on the famed Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, and you can salute our state at the beautiful World War II Memorial. And in the National Portrait Gallery (one of the best free museums in the area that never seems to get crowded), there are countless Boston-based folks to learn about.
Bostonians used to finding the beauty behind the grandeur in their historic city will appreciate this tip: When visiting the Lincoln Memorial, walk to the top of the steps and then, after taking in the amazing scene of Lincoln in his chair (and his words writ large), walk around the outside of the upper level to the back of the monument. There you’ll find a nice spot to sit and a breathtaking view of D.C. from both sides — all along the monuments and then, the other way, across the Arlington Memorial Bridge to Arlington National Cemetery. It’s an amazing view and worth some reflective time.
Arlington National Cemetery is a must visit for Bostonians. There you can see, of course, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and President Kennedy’s grave and eternal flame, but also the simple, moving resting place of Sens. Robert and Ted Kennedy. The entire cemetery is steeped in history and honor; it’s worth spending hours there. On a nice day, the cemetery is an easy and lovely walk from the Lincoln Memorial over the bridge, which has a walking path. (Trolley tours of the cemetery are available for those who need to limit walking.)
Washington, D.C., is a great getaway in the fall. Patriots fans, Bostonians or those who love history will find their fill of fun there.