Lincoln Memorial: Temporary Ramp replaces Elevator

Date of Visit: October 6, 2024

I would not normally make a post when we visited without Mik, but one of the reasons he did not visit the Lincoln Memorial with us this day was that we saw the alert on the website saying elevator was out and it did not mention there was still a way to go up to the top. We were not surprised that the elevator was not operating as Dad had mentioned there was renovations going on, but it was odd that the website says nothing about the renovations and instead says the elevator is out since December due to an electrical issue.

When we got to the Lincoln Memorial, we discovered that they had a temporary on the south side that takes you up to the top.

It certainly is not ideal for those with some mobility issues as it is a lot of back and forth, but for us it was helpful as even though we did not have Mik, we did have a stroller this visit. The ramp is also well done with it being ADA slope with resting spots and even benches at each turn. It is kind of an eyesore, but personally I would be all for it becoming permanent so you can have the choice of avoiding the wait for the elevator.

Previous Visit Posts

• 2011
• 2015

Destination Info:
Lincoln Memorial National Memorial
Lincoln Memorial Circle
Washington, DC 20037

Washington Monument: Improved Experience w/ Periscope

Date of Visit: October 5, 2024

This particular trip to D.C. is partially focused on doing D.C. things with family that this is their first D.C. trip. Going to the top of Washington Monument was what I choose as our first thing to do. Mik remembered our visit in 2014 and not being able to see anything, so he originally was not going to go with.

Rereading about the process back in 2014 versus today's experience, we discovered that it has not changed much overall, but it has changed in a few key ways that really makes it much better experience. First off, you go through the security building the same as everyone else instead of the exit, which was how it worked previously. More importantly at the end you just go out the exit same as everyone else and not the odd locked gate experience we had on our 2014 visit.

Most important discovery was that they do in fact still have the periscope (or assistive device as Dad insists on calling it and it is probably officially called). Not sure if they would have offered it to us if we had not asked as in 2014 it wasn't and we thought they stopped offering it, but the first time we visited in 2006, they did offer it to Mik without us knowing about it. I feel like they would not have offered it, though, as it was after we were all looking out the window that I reminded Dad to see if they had one. As soon as Dad asked the ranger if they had an assistive device for someone in a wheelchair to use, the ranger knew exactly what we wanted, though, so they are at least trained to provide when asked.

Overall Mik still felt it was not worth going to the top of the Washington Monument again as even with the periscope he might as well have just seen pictures of the view. However, he does think the museum level and seeing the special stones as you go down are still a worthwhile experience at least once, especially now that the entrance and exit is same for everyone.

Destination Info:
Washington Monument
2 15th St. NW
Washington, DC

U.S. Botanic Garden: Seasons Greenings 2022

Date of Visit: December 20, 2022

This year the Seasons Greenings exhibit had the best format for the trains and the buildings, but it disappointed us with the actual layout of the trains and theme.

We really enjoyed the trains remained outside. However, it was more of a compact design and seemed to have less trains or at least they were mostly longer loops so it was awhile between seeing a train in each area. The main disappointment, though, is that it was the same farming theme as last year with nothing new for the theming and actually seemed to be less.

We also didn't like that the path around the trains was all off the regular paths. While they did have a mat path that made it easy to roll on, the mat did not fix the issue of it not being level, so I had to be careful where we stopped because Mik felt like he would tip over sideways at parts.

We really enjoyed the DC landmark buildings being back inside in the Conservatory. Made it much easier to see them than the windows last year.

Mik's favorite was Union Station, which we're not sure if we've seen before or not.

Before heading back to the hotel, we attempted to check out the Capitol Christmas tree as Dad told us they had finally fixed the issue of not being able to roll up to it by adding a path. However, we were unable to get on to the path because the barricades weren't open wide enough for the wheelchair.

Destination Info:
United States Botanic Garden
100 Maryland Avenue SW
Washington, DC 20001

U.S. Botanic Garden Holiday Train Display 2021: Farming Around the World

Date of Visit: November 30, 2021

Last year we missed our tradition of visiting the holiday train display. Even though we had moved, we had hoped to visit DC during the holiday season and also continue the tradition of seeing Charles Esten at The Birchmere. Charles Esten did play a show, but we did not really miss the trains as they did not do it last year. This year we were able to do both again, although we thought we might again miss the trains as it was not announced until a few weeks before Thanksgiving.

It was different this year as only the outdoor gardens are open, but the train display part being outside is somewhat better. It was easier to go around and see the trains and buildings. The trees of the garden also add to the scenery. Because it is outside and it's winter, though, Mik was cold and ready to go after a few minutes (we had already spent over an hour outside walking there and at the new Dwight D. Eisenhower memorial) and I would not have even been able to spend much time looking around if Dad had not gotten distracted talking to his co-worker who was working that day.

The window displays were disappointing as they were hard to see. Also, hard to compare to how they normally are laid out inside similar to their locations on the National Mall. Dad and I did go back the next day around 4pm to see the lighted displays and they look much better that way.

Lastly, of course, we managed to get a traditional Christmas photo with the Capitol model.

Destination Info:
United States Botanic Garden
100 Maryland Avenue SW
Washington, DC 20001

International Spy Museum

Date of Visit: March 9, 2020

Visiting the International Spy Museum has been on our list to do since it moved to its new location  in our quadrant. All these years living here, we never visited the old location because I always thought we had done it sort of recently one of the years we visited DC when Mom went for a work trip. Turns out that Mik doesn't remember going, but Dad and I do so I guess we went a lot longer ago than I thought (probably 2006 when I was at American University and they visited for Rodeo Weekend).

The day we went ended up being one of the first good weather days of spring and one of the last chances for us to go do something in DC for awhile since everything shutdown by the next week and my trip to look at options for us to move to a new state seems to have turned into I've moved.

Getting to the museum can be difficult/confusing, especially in a wheelchair, the way it is located in L'Enfant Plaza. Their website appears to have good detailed directions for the metro exit, although not sure how well they work out since we walked from home and even if we used metro these directions require escalators. They do have a good suggestion that if you need to use the elevator to exit the station that you can then take the free Southwest Shuttle, which stops near that exit of L'Enfant Plaza and the museum.

The way that was the shortest for us to walk there was to end up coming from the south near The Wharf, which meant going up a big hill. I had been this way before on my own and knew there was a reason I needed to remember if I ever took Mik this way. I thought it was just about it being steep, but it was actually that you have to remember to cross over to the middle when you get to the top as the sidewalk on the side is not really meant for walking and thus we had to back up to get back to the crosswalk when we realized it was too narrow to go that way.

The museum visit starts with everyone taking elevators up to the 5th floor. They direct wheelchairs straight ahead instead of entering the queue for the elevator. I guess it makes sense compared to having to wind through the queue, but really it feels unnecessary to end up then skipping to the front of the line when the elevators are part of the normal museum experience.

You exit the elevators into the Briefing Center. Here you get your cover, which you can then use at various kiosks throughout the museum to have a spy experience. In theory, this sounded interesting, but we ended up skipping almost all of them because Mik didn't have the patience to wait 15 minutes for a screen to open up to use at most of the spots.

After a Briefing Film, you enter the exhibits. The first area had some interesting displays that showed videos featuring stories about some spies in history. This ended up being one of our favorite parts of the museum.

Mik, in particular, enjoyed the area in the back that had a film called "Agents & Handlers," which had a nice bench style seating with an area for him to roll up next to nicely.

The one interactive thing we were able to do without waiting too long for a turn was the Decision Room. This was an interesting reenactment of analyzing intel to find a terrorist leader.

There was some interesting things in the Covert Action area. Mik tried out the Spy Catcher, which was a button that you pushed to "catch" the people trying to discreetly crawl in the ducts above.

We both also ended up with the same thing when we spun the Covert Action Wheel of Fortune.

After the Covert Action area, the exhibits continue by going down to the 4th floor. The elevator is well-labelled for whether you're headed to the rest of the exhibits or using it for when you're done to get back to the first level.

We found the George Washington and American Revolution exhibit area interesting except Mik was disappointed that the area around George was unlevel and he couldn't really get to the interactive "Find the Formula" part.

Our favorite part of the whole museum was the Cold War Berlin area. It really reminded me of the Warsaw Rising Museum and the sewer part, which after I went to last year with grandpa mostly using a wheelchair is finally on Mik's list of things he wants to do.

Overall we enjoyed the International Spy Museum. However, it was annoying that we couldn't experience the interactive Undercover Mission part without waiting at least 10 minutes in each area and it was definitely a light crowd day, so I can't imagine how it works out as worthwhile for anyone when they actually have groups and such in there. Glad we finally got there, but certainly if we're going to pay for a museum we'd rather go to the National Building Museum (we actually pay to be members even though we end up going once a year at most...) or even the Museum of the Bible (not necessarily worth going again, but certainly worth visiting once).

Destination Info:
International Spy Museum
700 L'Enfant Plaza SW
Washington, DC 20024

Disney on Ice: Celebrate Memories at Capital One Arena

Date of Visit: February 15, 2020

Mik and I decided to check out Disney on Ice when a few weeks ago we noticed tickets were only about $25 each. We weren't entirely sure how much we'd enjoy it, but figured it was at least something different to do when this time of year we tend to not feel like going places and even if the weather was bad at least the metro station was right there, which since it was in the 30s we did end up appreciating.

Mik has been to several basketball games and a concert at Capital One Arena and we've still always find it confusing to figure out the elevator situation. This time, though, we used the F Street entrance and the ticket taker actually suggested we go up the elevators right there instead of entering on the main concourse level. That ended up working out well except they call buttons don't seem to light up and operate as expected, which was extremely frustrating at the end of the event that as it took forever with the call button not staying lit and it seems you have to hold it until an elevator comes.

We ended up with tickets in the exact same section (416) we sat in a few years ago for the Carrie Underwood concert. Just like the concert, they block the seating in front of the wheelchair section and the ushers were proactive at keeping people from blocking the view. They also have fixed the issue of people coming through the wheelchair section to exit as there is now a barrier so that those coming down the steps can't enter the wheelchair row.

Overall we liked the side view of the ice from this section. However, it did make it difficult to impossible to see the screen above the ice to the right as the parts of the sets from above blocked it from our angle. For the most part we were too bust watching the performers on the ice anyways, but Mik did feel like he was missing part of the experience at times.

Mik's favorite was the aerial acrobatics done by Ariel.

I thought the Tangled aerials were more interesting.

Of course, my favorite part was the Sorcerer's Apprentice.

Mik enjoyed the Frozen part while I felt that this part was too long and boring as we've seen Frozen performed in other ways so many times such as on Disney Cruises and the sing along at Hollywood Studios.

The Moana pyrotechnics was another highlight for us.

Overall we really enjoyed Disney on Ice: Celebrate Memories  and would very likely go if we noticed Disney on Ice in another variation in our area again. We would maybe try to sit lower, but not sure we'd want to pay more to see it when we still really enjoyed it from the cheap seats.

Destination Info:
Disney on Ice : Celebrate Memories
Capital One Arena
601 F St
Washington, DC 20004

Enchant: The Great Search at Nationals Park

Date of Visit: December 12, 2019

You'd think we'd know to go all the way to the left to enter Nationals Park considering we go to at least one game a year, but they didn't have the normal signage and they didn't send Mik that way until after checking Mik's bag and Dad's stuff and finding that Mik couldn't fit through the metal detector (most standard wheelchairs probably fit, but Mik's is just a bit too wide). In order to not have to check the stuff again, Mom and I stayed inside security and met them over there where there is room to go behind the security table to enter.

When we entered they did tell us where to go for the elevator for access to the maze, but they didn't say anything about VIP access. Good thing Dad had remembered the VIP part included food and I vaguely recalled that it was in the club. I don't know if the lack of direction was because we ended up coming in from the regular entry after Mik didn't fit through the metal detector for the VIP entry or what, but it is kind of odd there was limited signage to point you where to go and the only obvious thing was the maze. I guess if you don't do VIP then it is obvious to do the maze and then the way it exits brings you through the market and by Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Mik's favorite part of the evening was definitely the buffet.

I loved the soft pretzels and honey mustard.

The best part was the churros and spiced chocolate fudge for dessert. Mik also enjoyed the cookies.

While we couldn't access the maze from the VIP access route as you have to take the steps down to the field, going out the door was a great place to view the maze as a whole.

Signage in general wasn't great for finding the different parts of the event, but it was clear for the maze including the ADA access, which is via an elevator and a hallway same as is used for access the field level seats.

Once out on the field, the lack of signage again was a problem. The ADA entrance ended up being near what turned out to be the exit. When we asked the guy at the exit if it was the entrance, he said you can enter this way and we had to specifically ask what's the normal way to enter to find out to keep going and it's right around the corner.

Entering from the exit really wouldn't matter as you just wander in the maze as you want, but you do need to go in the main entrance to get the postcard to scratch off the nine reindeer as you find them.

By each of the reindeer, there are tables with coins you can use to scratch off the reindeer. This includes low tables, which were probably designed with kids in mind, but also makes the coins accessible to use.

The main fun was finding the reindeer, but we also enjoyed the different lighted sculptures.

Mom pretended she was wearing this diamond.

There was also an area with a raised platform that we're not entirely sure the purpose was, but maybe it was lighting up to the beat of music. Both ends were ramped, although the one side was rather steep and, of course, that's the side we used...

The lighted tunnel was fun to walk under, but Mik did not like when we used the side exits to go towards some of the reindeer.

The side exits were still plenty tall enough for him to roll under and only Dad had to duck, but Mik felt like it was barely taller than him.

Why, yes, we did find them all!

Mik and Dad liked that the ADA access back to the elevator was very easy to find when you exit the maze.

Mik had been hesitant to go to, especially with the cold weather, but overall it was a very fun family outing to celebrate Christmas early together. It did end up being cold, but he really enjoyed the buffet inside where it was warm and we also warmed up by going in the Team Store before walking home.

Destination Info:
Enchant: The Great Search
Nationals Park
1500 S Capitol St SE
Washington, DC 20003