Where to pee in D.C.: a guide for Inauguration Day

by Jamie Rhein on

You’ve been there. You’re in the middle of a day of site-seeing and you have to go. As in, RIGHT NOW! Unfortunately, you’re hard pressed to find a public restroom. With the crowds expected to gather in Washington, D.C. for Inauguration Day, finding a toilet when nature calls could be a problem.

Thinking ahead, Jennifer Lynn has come up with an insiders guide for where to pee in D.C. Her down-loadable brochure is called “Where To Pee in DC: The Insider’s Guide on Where to Go” and is for sale on E-Bay.

Jaunted did a write up of this useful gem and highlighted a few of Lynn’s suggestions.

For example, head to the east wing of the National Gallery of Art. The advantage of Lynn’s method, I think, is not only will you find relief, you’ll find culture as well. Although, you might be in a hurry when you pass by some of the artwork on your way to the john, take time to browse on your way out.

Here’s the link to the down-loadable book. It costs $2.50. If you are going to D.C. for the Inauguration, this might be the best money you’ve spent. According to the statistics, there is one toilet for every 6,849 people.

Renovated National Aquarium offers an inexpensive option

by Jamie Rhein on

Gas prices aren’t the only expense of a vacation that pinch the finances. Admission fees can be a real downer. If one is traveling with young children, huge, expensive museums can be overwhelming.

These are two reasons why the National Aquarium in Washington, D.C. sounds appealing to me.

At $5 for adults, and $2.50 for children, the admission is not even close to the $18.75 amount for adults to the Newport Aquarium in Newport, Kentucky. The Newport Aquarium, the last one I visited, is quite impressive, but sometimes I’d rather opt for a simpler venue for less money.

Last year, when we went to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, much of our time was spent finding a bathroom and each other. Due to time constraints, we hurried through sections where I wanted to linger. When mixing children with large museums, it’s often necessary to leave out entire exhibits in order to not have a kid meltdown halfway through.

With a smaller museum, like the National Aquarium that claims you can see the whole thing in 45 minutes, you don’t have to pick and chose among options. At the end of an hour you can end up at the gift shop satisfied and have time and energy left to take in something else close by. I’d head to the outdoor sculpture garden at the National Gallery of Art for starters.

Along with the aquarium’s renovations that include new signage, carpeting and exhibits is a new theme–“America’s Aquatic Treasures.” Look for alligators, eels, sea horses, a baby loggerhead turtle and more. [see Washington Post article]

If you can make here on August 9, it’s Shark Day. There are several activities geared towards kids and talks adults would enjoy.