Saturday September 3, 2016 – We told you in Part 1 about the Big Bus Patriot tour we took to see Washington, DC. There are other bus services but this one worked out well so I’d recommend it. These are the stops the Patriot Tour makes where you can Hop on and Hop off at any of these stops.
1 Union Station – Outside Union Station, 50 Massachusetts Ave
2 US Capitol & Botanical Garden – 1st St. NW off Maryland Ave SW by Garfield Memorial
3 American Indian Museum – On Maryland Ave. SW corner of Independence Ave. SW
4 Air & Space Museum – On Independence Ave. & 6th St. SW
5 Smithsonian Castle – On Independence Ave. SW corner of 12th St.
6 Washington Monument West – On Raoul Wallenburg Pl. between Jefferson & Independence Ave.
7 Bureau of Engraving & Holocaust Museum – On Raoul Wallenburg Pl. off Maine Ave. (Across from Holocaust Museum)
8 Jefferson Memorial – On East Basin Drive SW behind the Jefferson Memorial
9 FDR and MLK Memorial – On West Basin Drive SW between FDR and MLK memorials.
10 Lincoln Memorial South & Korean War Memorial – On Daniel French Dr. SW
11 Lincoln Memorial North & Vietnam War Memorial – On Constitution Ave. corner of 22nd St.
12 WWII Memorial – On Constitution Ave. corner of 18th St.
13 Washington Monument East – On Jefferson Dr. SW corner of 14th St.
14 American History Museum – On Constitution Ave. NW off 14th St.
15 Natural History Museum – On Constitution Ave. off 11th St.
16 Newseum – On 6th St. NW corner of Pennsylvania Ave NW (Outside The Source by Wolfgang Puck)
17 Portrait Gallery and Spy Museum- On F St. NW corner of 9th Street across Spy Museum
18 City Center – On 10th NW St. between H St. and G Place. Next to Grand Hyatt
19 Ford’s Theatre & Madame Tussauds – On 10th St. NW corner of F St. NW (outside Madame Tussauds)
20 White House – On Pennsylvania Ave. NW corner of 15th St. NW (Outside Willard Hotel)
21 National Archives and National Art Gallery – On Pennsylvania Ave. NW corner of 7th St. NW
22 Liaison and Hyatt Hotels – On New Jersey Ave. (Outside Liaison Hotel across for Hyatt Regency)
We bought our tickets on-line and parked near City Center, Stop 18 in a parking garage and walked to the Stop 18 pick up stop. You can start your tour at any of the stops. We chose 18 because it was the most northern stop along the way and we were driving into DC from the north. The stops bolded in the list are the ones we chose to get off and either see up close or explore. The ride on the Big Bus allowed us to see a lot of the city without leaving the bus.
If I could identify a building I’ve included it in the photos below.
We first got off the bus at Stop 20, the White House. They let you off at the U. S. Treasury building which you walk around till the White House comes into view!
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 
THE WHITE HOUSE – These first photos below of the White House are of the north lawn which is the president’s front yard. It has many old trees and other plantings, some of which date back nearly the full two hundred years of the White House’s existence. It felt odd walking across a pedestrians only street, crossing a small sidewalk and being right there at the White House fence. I took the first picture because it said Madison (some people don’t know how to spell Madisyn’s name!!) but then I saw it also said 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue which is the White House’s address so it’s even cooler now!
THE OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE GRASS CUTTER!! I was very surprised at how high they had allowed the grass to get. Also the second photo below shows that much of the lawn is weeds. Not quite what I expected. 
LOOK!! ROY WAS HOLDING UP THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT
THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE WHITE HOUSE – The south side where the President’s helicopter arrives and takes off from. Official events are held on this side and it is considered the back yard of the White House. 
A BIG BUS TOUR STOP – the red dot designates the red loop which is what the Patriot Tour takes.
LOOK, LOUISIANA AVENUE IN WASHINGTON, DC
ONE OF THE SMITHSONIAN MUSEUMS
UNION STATION
THE US CAPITOL
WASHINGTON MONUMENT
BUREAU OF ENGRAVING AND IMAGING – Where our money is printed
THOMAS JEFFERSON MEMORIAL
LOOKING AT WASHINGTON FROM ACROSS THE POTOMAC RIVER
OUR FAVORITE STOP OF ALL – THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL
This was our favorite stop mostly because Madisyn, our granddaughter, called us on Skype as we were walking up to the Memorial. From this distance you could not see Lincoln inside. We asked Madisyn if she could tell where we were and she knew right away it was the Lincoln Memorial. She stayed on the phone skyping with us the whole time we were touring the memorial and we loved seeing it with her! Any time Roy is holding up his phone he’s indicating that she’s there with us! Technology is so great and helpful to us staying connected with our family while we are on the road!
LOOK AT SWEET MADISYN SKYPING WITH US!! 
THE BEAUTIFUL BORDER ABOVE THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS
THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS WHICH PRES. ABRAHAM LINCOLN GAVE AT THE GETTYSBURG BATTLEFIELD WHICH WE RECENTLY TOURED!
LOOKING AT THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT FROM THE STEPS OF THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL
Somehow this always makes me think of the scene taped here in Forest Gump!
These were taken as we were leaving the Lincoln Memorial. I think we just didn’t want to leave, it was so awesome!
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY
THE EVER WONDERFUL INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE BUILDING 
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
ARCHIVES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
NEWSEUM – an interactive museum of news and journalism
JUST A LOCAL STREET DIRECTIONAL SIGN!
We totally enjoyed our time in Washington, DC! We stopped at Golden Corral for dinner on the way home. I was not feeling well near the end of the tour and thought dinner would help. Some downtime really helped the health issues that went on for over a week. Finally things are back under control and we’ve been able to get out and see more. We are currently in Myrtle Beach, SC, survived Tropical Storm Hermine that came through there and are enjoying the beautiful sunshine and cooler temperatures right now!
If you missed the other to parts of our visit to Washington DC here they are:
Ya’ll come back now ya’ hear!
Click on the links below to go there!
Wacky Wonderful Wednesdays published on Wednesdays
Some Things I Learned About Dementia published randomly
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