A Monumental Birthday in Washington, D.C.

"Wear comfortable shoes," she warned.

Proud over packer that I am, I tucked four pairs of ballets flats and my favorite riding boots into my kelly green suitcase.  These were, in fact, my comfortable shoes.  Two days later, I texted the same friend who'd issued the warning and replied, "I needed you to specify sneakers."

That wasn't the only tip that would've proven useful in Washington, D.C.  As a DC first timer, I wish I'd known beforehand that the National Mall was long. Miles long.  Looking back, I expected at least one of my Mid-Atlantic friends to forewarn me and suggest that I book a hop-on hop-off bus or trolley tour for sightseeing.  Sure, I invested in a metro card, but with limited metro access near the Mall, it provided only temporary relief for a solo girl wandering DC's streets.

Prior to my trip, I had naive aspirations of visiting all of the memorials and monuments located along the Mall in one day.  With five days to spend, I planned on maximizing my visit to the fullest. Besides, everything looked so close on tv.  It may have sounded good in theory, but it was preposterous in reality.  Not once did I consider that I'd spend hours just taking in Abraham Lincoln's majesty.

What DC lacked in metro access, it made up for during meal time.  Each day, on the brink of despair from tired achy feet, I always seemed to happen upon a cool restaurant and wound up stopping in for a bite to eat.  Refusing to break my culinary travel habits, I managed to try seven new restaurants during my visit. In a perfect world, I'd devour a lobster roll from Luke's Lobster and a blueberry cheesecake pop tart from Ted's Bulletin every single day.

With so many free attractions in the city, it's only natural to want to experience as many as possible. The art enthusiast in me had dreamed of touring several of the Smithsonian museums. Once I discovered that the Smithsonian was actually comprised of 19 museums and galleries, I deferred my dream and immersed myself wholeheartedly into Smithsonian Castle and the National Museum of African Art.

 
Ashamed that I'd visited Spain's capital before my own nation's, adding insult to injury was the fact that I couldn't get a handle on DC.  I felt like a stumbling, fumbling tourist.  In a split second, the city would transition from a seemingly tame political playground to a very vibrant Chinatown.  Never before had I encountered a city with such contrasts.

Just when I'd cast all labels aside, my mind drifted back to the day I arrived.  My first impression of Washington, DC was that it was like walking through the pages of a U.S. History textbook.  Overwhelmingly rich in culture and history. But, that can be said of most major cities.  DC isn't just historic...it's monumental.  

Would I recommend DC for solo travelers?  Certainly.  Just as I started feel resentment for being forced to go the distance, I grew to like it. Next visit, I'll forgo fashion and settle for function with my sneakers in tow.  With a waterfront beckoning to be explored and an absurd amount of museums to roam, a solo traveler would have not one second to ponder being alone.