MADGranny

When you are visiting Charlotte, NC an easy access road to the uptown area where many of the museums and attractions are is Fourth Street. You can get off the Interstate 277 and travel either direction, but as you travel West the street becomes a one way street traveling West. Driving West, and you will come to N. Tryon Street. Go either way and you will find places of interest and small places for a nice meal. Keep going west and you will come to a fork in the road. Stay to your right and you will be on the Trade-Fourth Connector Street where you can get back on the highway at Interstate 77.

Randolph Road is a great little day trip when visiting Charlotte, NC. Take Fourth Street southeast towards the Presbyterian Hospital. Once you are past there you will be on Randolph Road. Follow this wide city street and signs along the way directing you to the Potters Market. This was my favorite stop with all the current artwork. I enjoyed the ceramic sculptures and hand thrown bowls and pots. Get back on Randolph and continue going southeast. You might want to stop at the Cotswold Village if you want to buy some gifts to take back home or just want to grab a bite to eat. There are several nice places to stop near there.

Ballantyne Commons Parkway is a gentle drive that curves to connect the southern section of Charlotte and its many communities, stores and golf courses with the I-485 bypass. It follows the bypass, allowing the traveler to get on and off the interstate in convenient locations. Ballantyne Commons Parkway is a divided street with multiple lanes going each direction. During rush hour it can become crowded at the interchanges, but for the most part this is an easy road to take in and out of the neighborhoods.

North Davidson Street runs past old textile buildings in an area of North Charlotte that has undergone a major revitalization. Like streets in similar neighborhoods of major historical cities across the nation, this street has gone from a major industrial hub to a seedy rundown slum, to an upscale art district. Look for trendy shops and galleries housed in historic buildings. You can find great places to eat and enjoy live entertainment shows within minutes of each other. I felt safe there during the day and early evening, but less so after 9 PM. After hours, the street is less attractive and homeless residents can be seen in the area. It reminded me of the SoHo area of Manhatten, NY.

The Billy Graham Parkway is a beautiful tree-lined, multi-lane road that runs between Interstates 85 and 77. It is easy to travel on except during rush hour. You may also wan to avoid it on the day before and after NASCAR racing days, as it connects to the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport. One of the best places to stop on this stretch of road is the Billy Graham Library. Look for signs. It is located just off the Billy Graham Parkway on Westmont Drive.

Christenbury Parkway is great for fun seekers. To the west of I-85 you will find that it winds gently past one of North Carolina’s best shopping malls, Concord Mills. This is not just another shopping center. It is brightly decorated and includes lots of places to grab a bite to eat or spend the day there while the rest of your family plays golf or views world-class auto racing. Near the far western end of the Parkway is Highland Hills Golf Course. If you go East from I-85, Christenbury Parkway becomes Speedway Blvd. It goes past a private golf club before it dead ends into the Lowes Speedway, home to Nascar Racing.

North Tryon Street begins right in the middle of the tourist area of Charlotte and runs all the way to the Lowes Speedway, although it does change names out that way. The uptown area of the street is where you will want to get out of the car and walk around. There is parking on the street and in public parking lots. There are several places for stopping to eat a meal and grabbing a souvenir. Look for the Discovery Place. It is a great science museum with lots of hands on activities for young and old visitors. You could spend a whole day in there, but I you are in a hurry allow at least a couple of hours because it is worth seeing. Just up the way a block and across the street is the Mint Museum of arts and crafts. There are permanent displays of art from around the world. Be sure to see the pottery display.

Many people are intimidated by the street design of Washington DC. There are streets that intersect at odd angles, many one-way streets that end abruptly, and circles that are packed with lanes of bumper-to-bumper traffic. One street that I have found that gets away from all of that and seems more like any street in urban America is Seventh Street. It is a two way street that travels past many of the key intersections for museums and monuments. Seventh Street goes all the way from Interstate 395 to Washington Convention Center where it changes into Georgia Avenue and continues into the suburbs of Washington DC. Seventh Avenue offers an easy way to reach many of the nicer yet affordable hotels. Near the Convention Center is an area known as China Town. Look for the ornate artwork spanning the side streets. There you will find many places to eat. Chinese food is certainly available there, but so is cuisine from other parts of the world. There are nice salad and pizza spots in this area too.

West Basin Drive loops around and becomes East Basin Drive as it surrounds the Tidal Basin in a one-way street. Get there from Ohio Drive. The great thing about this street is that you can see the famous Cherry Trees from the comfort of your car as you drive slowly around the circle.
Two of my favorite presidential memorials are located in this area. You can usually find parking near both of them. The Thomas Jefferson Memorial is a well-known landmark with its domed pillars. Inside the ceiling is engraved with his inspiring words. Not far from here is the newest presidential memorial, that of Franklin D. Roosevelt. This one is very different from others in the area. It is made up of a set of sculptures representing the major events of his presidency. The park setting is expansive and beautiful in all seasons of the year. The view of Washington D.C. from that vantage point is especially nice at sunset.

I have often picked up visitors at Union Station on Massachusetts Ave. and have taken then on a nice drive into downtown Washington D.C. past many old buildings that offer unique charm to the city. The usual shops and places to eat line the street until you get north of Dupont Circle. At that point you start to see many foreign embassies on each side of the street and there is a variety of architectural styles. The multicultural nature of the homes in these areas is not evident because the buildings are historical ones rather than cultural ones. You will also see homes of former presidents in this area. If you keep traveling northwest you will come to the National Cathedral. It is well worth stopping for a free tour of the building. The many stained glass windows of the building are amazing. Take a trip upstairs to the viewing rooms for a great overview of the DC area. This street can get very congested during rush hour and on the weekends. The best time to travel on Massachusetts Ave. is between 11AM and 3PM on weekdays.

Rock Creek Parkway is a great winding street that connects the city of Washington D.C. with the suburbs. The parkway follows the creek through wooded park like settings in an easy drive. With the exception of heavy traffic periods during rush hour, this is a peaceful drive. It is one of my favorite ways to get from Northern Virginia to the National Zoo and the Washington National Cathedral. Neither of these is located on the Rock Creek Parkway, but they are not far from it. This drive is usually far less congested and does not involve the many traffic circles offered by the other main streets going the same way.

Tucked away on Tenth Street is the famous Ford Theater. It is still a working theater that offers a few productions a year. "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens is performed every December. The street is a mixture of office buildings, storefronts, souvenir shops and historic sites. The Ford Theater has a small museum featuring items found on John Wilkes Booth when he was finally tracked down and shot dead after assassinating President Abraham Lincoln. The box where Lincoln was shot remains, as it was that night. Across the street are the hotel building and the room where Lincoln was carried and later died after that fatal shot to his head. Just down the street from there is a large store where you can buy a variety of Washington DC souvenirs at a reasonable price.

Independence Avenue is one of my favorite streets in Washington D.C. I usually start at the Library of Congress. A stop there is always fun. Looking down over the empty library book viewing area is funny to me. All those books, and I am a book lover, yet there is no one bothering to read them. I usually take another gaze at the Guttenberg Bible that is on display there under glass. Then they have a variety of traveling displays that are really entertaining. The last one I saw was on Bob Hope.

Take Independence Avenue west toward the Smithsonian museums. I like the Aero Space one the best. There are some really interesting displays and everything is authentic – no replicas in there. Independence Avenue runs between museums that back up onto the grassy Mall and many institutional looking buildings of government like the Departments of Agriculture, Education, Energy, and Health and Human Services. I usually visit my sister-in-law who works with the FFA, also on Independence Avenue.

Washington DC is a very busy place to visit. There are very few places in the city where you can park and stroll along tree lined curbs and hear the birds singing. Ohio Drive is one of those places. Whenever I take relatives to visit the Lincoln Memorial, I drop them off near the Korean War Memorial and tell them to visit the sites in this area and I’ll pick them up in an hour. This gives me the chance to head over to Ohio Drive where I can usually find a parking place. I can sit there in my car and listen to stress free music and watch the geese and ducks flying over the river. Springtime is Cherry Blossom season and the fragrance of the flowering trees adds to the experience. The best part is that it’s so easy to get back over to the Lincoln Memorial to pick everyone up and then head back out of town toward my home in Virginia. The “rest” stop on Ohio Drive helps me prepare for the traffic I will battle on I-95 as I head south.

Begin at the corner of First Street and Constitution Avenue. You might be lucky to find parking here on a nearby side street, but if not you can take a ride on the Metro, getting off at Capitol South stop and walking North on First street to Constitution. Here you will see the Supreme Court Buildings.

Walk West on Constitution Avenue toward the large domed building you will recognize as the US Capitol Building. On each side of the domed section are the Senate and House of Representatives. If you want to visit this building you can arrive early and get free tickets. If you want to visit the Senate or Congress while they are in session, you need to visit your representative’s office and obtain free passes. Access to either side of the building will include a line at the security checks. You will be limited on the items allowed inside both chambers.

Follow the street down past Union Station Plaza that is a beautiful park area with lots of flowers, trees and shrubs surrounded by green lawns and sidewalks going every which way. It is easy to get lost in Union Plaza area if you are not careful to follow the walks. I have become frustrated quite a few times trying to get from Union Station to the Capitol Building because I was looking down as I walked. Once you get past this maze of sidewalks you should be facing the West.

You will pass several government buildings and museums as you travel down this street. The National Gallery of Art buildings will be on your left and the National Archives will be on your right. Both of these buildings are worth visiting if you have at least an hour to spend there. I have spent many hours in the Archives building looking at rare historical artifacts. There is an interactive section in this building that offers visitors the chance to look up personal records of US servicemen.

Keep traveling on Constitution Avenue and you will come to the famous Smithsonian Museums of Natural History and American History. The Natural History Museum is a great place to explore wildlife, world cultures, and geology. Look for the famous Hope Diamond, fossils of dinosaurs, and ancient artifacts. Many life-sized reconstructions of animals that lived long ago will make you think of early cultures of the world. One of my favorite discoveries at this museum is one of the famous and strange statues found on Easter Island. Standing next to it gives you an entirely different perspective than seeing it on television or in books. The American History Museum has been closed for remodeling, but is open now for visitors. There are so many different areas of interest in this museum that I would suggest setting aside at least four hours to visit. If you park on the street you will be limited to the amount of time you can park in one spot. I suggest that you park near these museums so you can move your car easily in case you want to extend your visit there. There are places to buy fast food and sit down meals in both museums. You can also find street vendors along the sidewalks nearby. I usually take a sack lunch and sit outside the buildings on sunny days. Watching people from all parts of the world walking up and down the street among the groups of school children from all parts of the USA can make your lunch break interesting.

Beyond this point, you will come to the Ellipse and beyond that the White House to your right and the Washington Monument to your left. Keep going and you will see several government buildings on the right and the famous Mall on your left. Do not expect to go shopping in this Mall. The first time I visited I was told to meet someone in the Mall area and I was actually looking for a shopping mall. I felt silly when I discovered that the Mall is an open area where there are many different events and planned demonstrations throughout the year. Look for the Vietnam War Memorial and the Korean War Memorial at the far end of the Mall near the Lincoln Memorial. All memorials and monuments can be visited free of charge, but you must arrive early in the day to get a pass for the Washington Monument. It is worth visiting as it gives you a bird’s eye view of Washington DC from the cross section view of the White House, Capitol, and Lincoln Memorial.

If you have walked from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial and you are feeling too tired to walk back, you can catch a cab for a ride back to your car. If you choose to walk both ways, you will find that Constitution Avenue is patrolled by DC Police and they keep the street as safe as any city street in America. An evening stroll will give you a different view of things in Washington DC, as the monuments and memorials are lit up and the traffic has subsided by the time the sun goes down. There is a quiet calm that settles on the area and the walk can be pleasant in the warmer months.

Begin at the corner of First Street and Constitution Avenue. You might be lucky to find parking here on a nearby side street, but if not you can take a ride on the Metro, getting off at Capitol South stop and walking North on First street to Constitution. Here you will see the Supreme Court Buildings.

Walk West on Constitution Avenue toward the large domed building you will recognize as the US Capitol Building. On each side of the domed section are the Senate and House of Representatives. If you want to visit this building you can arrive early and get free tickets. If you want to visit the Senate or Congress while they are in session, you need to visit your representative’s office and obtain free passes. Access to either side of the building will include a line at the security checks. You will be limited on the items allowed inside both chambers.

Follow the street down past Union Station Plaza that is a beautiful park area with lots of flowers, trees and shrubs surrounded by green lawns and sidewalks going every which way. It is easy to get lost in Union Plaza area if you are not careful to follow the walks. I have become frustrated quite a few times trying to get from Union Station to the Capitol Building because I was looking down as I walked. Once you get past this maze of sidewalks you should be facing the West.

You will pass several government buildings and museums as you travel down this street. The National Gallery of Art buildings will be on your left and the National Archives will be on your right. Both of these buildings are worth visiting if you have at least an hour to spend there. I have spent many hours in the Archives building looking at rare historical artifacts. There is an interactive section in this building that offers visitors the chance to look up personal records of US servicemen.

Keep traveling on Constitution Avenue and you will come to the famous Smithsonian Museums of Natural History and American History. The Natural History Museum is a great place to explore wildlife, world cultures, and geology. Look for the famous Hope Diamond, fossils of dinosaurs, and ancient artifacts. Many life-sized reconstructions of animals that lived long ago will make you think of early cultures of the world. One of my favorite discoveries at this museum is one of the famous and strange statues found on Easter Island. Standing next to it gives you an entirely different perspective than seeing it on television or in books. The American History Museum has been closed for remodeling, but is open now for visitors. There are so many different areas of interest in this museum that I would suggest setting aside at least four hours to visit. If you park on the street you will be limited to the amount of time you can park in one spot. I suggest that you park near these museums so you can move your car easily in case you want to extend your visit there. There are places to buy fast food and sit down meals in both museums. You can also find street vendors along the sidewalks nearby. I usually take a sack lunch and sit outside the buildings on sunny days. Watching people from all parts of the world walking up and down the street among the groups of school children from all parts of the USA can make your lunch break interesting.

Beyond this point, you will come to the Ellipse and beyond that the White House to your right and the Washington Monument to your left. Keep going and you will see several government buildings on the right and the famous Mall on your left. Do not expect to go shopping in this Mall. The first time I visited I was told to meet someone in the Mall area and I was actually looking for a shopping mall. I felt silly when I discovered that the Mall is an open area where there are many different events and planned demonstrations throughout the year. Look for the Vietnam War Memorial and the Korean War Memorial at the far end of the Mall near the Lincoln Memorial. All memorials and monuments can be visited free of charge, but you must arrive early in the day to get a pass for the Washington Monument. It is worth visiting as it gives you a bird’s eye view of Washington DC from the cross section view of the White House, Capitol, and Lincoln Memorial.

If you have walked from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial and you are feeling too tired to walk back, you can catch a cab for a ride back to your car. If you choose to walk both ways, you will find that Constitution Avenue is patrolled by DC Police and they keep the street as safe as any city street in America. An evening stroll will give you a different view of things in Washington DC, as the monuments and memorials are lit up and the traffic has subsided by the time the sun goes down. There is a quiet calm that settles on the area and the walk can be pleasant in the warmer months.

A trip to Washington DC would never be complete without trip down Pennsylvania Avenue. The President and Vice President of the United States make this trip on Inauguration Day usually on foot. This is a great way for tourists to visit this street. In fact, because of the “post 9/11” safety precautions it is very difficult to see many of the historical sites if you travel down Pennsylvania Avenue in a car.
Start your trip just West of the Capitol Building where Pennsylvania Avenue begins near the Capitol Reflecting Pool. Here you will be able to get a great photograph of the pool with the statue of President Grant and the Capitol behind it. There is a grassy park area between the statue and the Capitol. During the month of December a large pine tree is decorated for the season. Before you leave that area, you may want to stop by the Botanic Gardens. You can see it from the Reflecting Pool. There is also handicap parking in this area. The Capitol and DC Police check this area regularly, so you can feel safe leaving your car parked here.
Continue West on Pennsylvania Avenue toward the White House. The first large buildings you pass will be of the National Gallery of Art. A visit to both buildings will take between 1 to 3 hours depending on how long you linger in front of the artwork. At this point in your journey it is easy to get lost because this is the intersection of Constitution and Pennsylvania Avenues. Be sure to stay to the right and you will remain on the same street.
Another place to stop if you have the time is the National Archives Building. There you will find the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence. You will not be able to take flash photographs of these documents as they are preserved behind glass and well guarded. There are many other things of interest on permanent display in this building and manyother things are rotated in the exhibit halls, so it is always worth a visit if you have at least an hour to spend there.
The park areas flanking Pennsylvania Avenue are filled with flowers, trees and are well-manicured lawns. It is very crowded in the Spring with people coming to see the famous Cherry Trees. Just past Thirteenth Street is Freedom Park. Take a short walk through the park where you will see lots of Cherry Trees, statues and squirrels. On the opposite end of the park ,Pennsylvania Avenue continues on to where the street is blocked to cars, but not to foot traffic. At this point Pennsylvania Avenue is split between North and South. Pennsylvania Avenue South turns into Executive Street at this point. It is here you will see the White House on the North side of the street and the Ellipse on the South side. During the month of December both areas are decorated for the season with festive trees.
The entrance to the White House is near Pennsylvania Avenue North where it becomes Alexander Hamilton Place. If you want to tour the White House, you must obtain free tickets through your Congressmen or Senators. Do this well in advance of the date you plan to visit. You will be given a time to tour the White House and need to arrive in advance of the time on your tickets to allow for security checks.
This ten-block walk along Pennsylvania Avenue will take about fifteen minutes to walk at a normal pace, but there are so many things to stop to see it may take much longer than that. The time of your visit to Pennsylvania Avenue will dictate what you will be able to do while you are there. Most of the public buildings are open from 10AM till 6PM and several of the museums in the area are open even later. Most of the museums are open seven days a week and are free of charge. There is free parking along the side streets, but this is limited to two hours at a time and the police monitor this regularly. Handicapped parking is not limited except for times where there is no parking allowed because of rush hour traffic. Plan to tour this area between 10 AM and 3PM if you want to park on the streets.