By Laura McAlister

With  a little planning and attention to detail, almost anyone can enjoy Washington, D.C., with the ease of a seasoned politician. That’s what we found on a recent weekend trip to the Capital City.

There’s an abundance of memorials and museums in Washington, D.C., open to all, but we wanted to get beyond the crowds. We wanted the insider’s tour, and we wanted to dine and stay among the Washington in-the-know.

Thanks to a few friends with connections to Alabama senators, we were able to get not only a private Capitol tour, but also a tour of the White House’s West Wing. Here’s where planning and attention to detail come in handy.
A private Capitol tour includes the Rotunda, the Whisper Room and Senate and House rooms. I’d love to tell you more, but due to missing our flight in Atlanta we missed that tour.

All was not lost, though. We still dined at some of D.C.’s most storied places and enjoyed some good sightseeing along the way.

Our first stop after leaving the Ronald Regan National Airport was our hotel—the infamous Mayflower (made even more infamous recently thanks to a former New York governor). Our room was a little small but still comfortable, and the opulence of the lobby and the possibility of seeing some of the Washington elite while sipping on cocktails in the Town and Country Lounge was worth it. We were also just blocks away from the White House and countless other monuments and memorials.

Before calling it a night we walked to the Washington Monument, the White House, the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial, the Korean Memorial and the World War II Memorial, one I particularly wanted to see. However, it was a little disappointing since the large fountain in the center was drained. Since it was at dusk the crowds were small. We found early morning or evening the best time to beat the crowds.

We decided Saturday morning to take the Metro to Arlington National Cemetery. It’s a quick, direct trip. Although the Metro is little confusing to a Birmingham native who knows little of public transit, the staff was surprisingly helpful with ticket purchases and guiding us to our destination.

Arlington was a trip worth taking, especially on a beautiful March day when the city’s famous cherry trees were just beginning to blossom.

In less than two hours we visited both the grave of President John F. Kennedy and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The changing of the guard was particularly fascinating. This time of year you have double the opportunity to see this ceremony since it happens every half hour as opposed to every hour in the winter months.

After a morning of sightseeing we were famished and decided to have lunch at Washington, D.C.’s oldest saloon, Old Ebbitt Grill. Presidents Grant, Cleveland, Harding and Theodore Roosevelt were all known to frequent Old Ebbitt, and it is still a popular meeting spot for political insiders, journalists and celebrities. The food, especially the crab cakes, isn’t bad either. Our taking an early lunch was a good decision. When leaving, we notice a large crowd waiting to be seated.

Time was not on our side when it came to touring the Smithsonian. After lunch, we decided to visit the Museum of Natural History. It was well worth it, but very crowded. We gave our feet a break and headed to the IMAX theater to watch a 3-D movie on dinosaurs. No warning was given, but we agreed this one wasn’t appropriate for small children. There were a lot of sobbing children during the show.

After the movie we made our way to the Hope Diamond and other precious gems exhibit. This was fascinating but would have been more enjoyable if it were not for the crowds.

Our final tour of the day was supposed to be the West Wing. However, that didn’t fare much better than the private Capitol tour.

Before leaving our hotel to meet our sponsor at the White House, we reviewed our directions. Arrive 15 minutes early, please not earlier or later. No purses, no bags, no pens, no tobacco, no umbrellas. The list went on and on. Maybe that’s what caused us to overlook the gate where we were supposed to be meeting our sponsor. By the time we realized we were at the wrong gate, it took a good 15 minutes to get to the right one. By then our sponsor had given up on us.

Since the West Wing tour didn’t work out we headed to the restaurant. The New York Times has called the Capital Grille “the place to see and be seen.”
If you’re lucky enough to find a spot at the bar, get ready for some great service. We were greeted by Pat, the bartender, with a firm handshake. Although 100 or more were packed in the bar, he called us by name, as he did everyone.

To drink I suggest the Stoli Doli, the restaurant’s signature cocktail. Just be careful. It’s pure vodka but tastes like sweet pineapple juice. And for dinner, it’s steak, of course.

Sunday morning we attended services at the National Cathedral, and then went to Georgetown where we had brunch at Sequoia. President Clinton was known to frequent this restaurant while in office, but he wasn’t present this particular Sunday. That was just fine, because the food was delicious and the view of the Potomac was wonderful.

So we missed our private tours of the West Wing and Capitol building, we still got a pretty good insider tour on our own