A very good museum to go to, but you have to have a strong stomach. The pictures and documents about what happened there are unbelievable. The items that they have from the Holocaust are alarming. I felt very uneasy going there but it was a great experience in which everyone should have.

Washington,DC is my favorite place in the world, and I imagine- as a tourist- it's as close to heaven as one can get if one spends one's day- to-day life thinking up anagrams and mentally fitting tetris pieces into tree lines. Obviously there's the Smithsonian Museums, which you can spend weeks in and not get bored- there's too much good stuff to say, so I'll just leave it at that. Travel off the beaten path a little and head to the Folger Theatre which houses a huge collection of Shakespeare Archives, and one of the best professional Shakespeare repertory theatres in the country (the theatre itself is modeled after 'The Globe'), plus they have these really cool $3 rings in the gift shop. As far as food goes, if there's a sign in the window that hints that there are edible things inside- these edible things will be good. I'm a big fan of the bagels, and they don't get any better than in the northeast. And the politics! I love politics, and the loveliest thing about the city is you feel smarter just being there. A few hours will turn you into Arianna Huffington. You can stay a day here and leave satisfied, or years and not run out of things to do. I hold it on a pedestal, so I am biased, but it's a great rest even for those who are simply tired of the Boston-New York debate and looking for something diversion-ess to do.

Although it's a hike to get to this small, domed memorial in DC's southwest neighborhood, it's worth the trek. (Notice I say on foot--parking is not an option. Trust me.) It's pretty simple; The edifice has a beautiful statue of Thomas Jefferson surrounded by engravings of his most famous quotes about democracy. As an American, I found this a powerful place. The monument gives a visceral sense of the principles upon which the Unites States was founded. Especially beautiful in spring during cherry blossom season.

This was so much fun!! For only $35 you get a guided 3-hour, 8-mile tour of all the major sites in D.C. while on a bike. This includes rental of a very nice 21-speed bike, a helmet and water. Although you don't get enough time to get up close and personal with the monuments, you do learn a lot of trivia and history while getting some exercise. I would recommend this if you don't have too much time or as a preview or way of deciding what you want to spend more time on. Go the their web-site at www.bikethesites.com for reservations.

If you happen to be in DC during the 1st Friday of the month and are interested in art, be sure to head over to Dupont Circle. Each month about 20-25 private galleries open their doors to the public and host free receptions. They last approximately from 6-8 PM and provide free wine and hors d'oeuvres but the small galleries become pretty busy as the evening rolls on so don't come too late! There is so much to see!

Try to get a chance to see the Vietnam & Korean War Memorials at night. They are not as crowded as in the daytime and the emotional effect seems to be more powerful. The lighting at night creates an eerie mood, which I believe is more effective than merely seeing it in the middle of the day surrounded by hundreds of tourists.

This is probably one of the less-successful undertakings of the Smithsonian Institution, a group that seems to be better suited to indoor activities. The zoo is somewhat out-of-the-way in the Woodley Park area, and seems to be a lot of effort for not a lot of entertainment. The campus is big, and requires a lot of walking. There never seems to be that many animals around, no matter what the season. Plus, the pandas have recently died, and that section of the zoo is more sad than anything else. The primate section is nice, though.

The Washington National Zoo is one of my favourites. When you visit, make sure to check out the rainforest exhibit. There are these miniature monkeys who run around inside and come close enough to be held. (although you probably shouldn't) Make sure to take a kid or lover, and your camera.

The Vietnam War Memorial is pretty simple, but it provides a humbling and symbolic reminder of the impact of war, with the names of all the US soldiers who died during the conflict (around 60,000, I think).

I took a tour at the White House and was very disappointed. I mean, it was kind of interesting to see it up close after seeing only on television. But it´s not THAT nice inside. All you get to see is the official reception rooms, and that´s just not that exciting... So it´s enough to just walk around it...