Photo from The DC Traveler

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, with the economy in the doldrums, you should consider a staycation–one where you stay in the U.S. and spend your vacation dollars at home. A perfect city to visit is Washington, DC. Most of the tourist spots are free. It doesn’t get better than free. And it’s wonderful on the Fourth of July.

I haven’t been to Washington in the last decade, but as I recall the only thing that was pricey was the hotel. So, I opted to stay in Virginia, eat dinners in Virginia, but hop over to Washington during the day to visit the monuments, museums, and other tourist spots. And if you like zoos, plan to spend an entire day at the National Zoo. I loved it.

Following are a few Washington experiences shared on the web by folks who have visited more recently. First go to Shoutouts About Sites Worth a Visit

I’m not kidding. There’s something for everyone. There’s even a Spy Museum. Here’s what Erin from Mom’s Resource Blog shared about this interesting museum.

… go to the International Spy Museum. In a city full of spies, or so claims this private museum, this is a intriuging look at national and international espionage and spying.  CIA.  KGB.  The Cold War.  Domestic terrorists.  Who makes a good spy?  A great liar.  Someone who can convincingly change his or her appearance,  adapt a new way of acting and behaving, and stay in character at all times. And is ruthless too.  As technology advances, the tools of the trade get smaller: pens that are deadly weapons, eyeglasses that can record and magnify, and now micro-sized listening devices and cameras that can be placed nearly invisibly almost anywhere.  After you leave this museum, expect to walk around paranoid for at least several hours.  Somehow you feel that everyone walking on the streets is now a spy and that your hotel room is bugged too.

And I would be remiss if I didn’t pass on this honest and heartfelt glimpse of Washington to you from Liisa’s New Blahhg

The Lincoln is what you’d expect — grand, thoughtful, still full of the voice of Martin Luther King, Jr., a challenge to all to be our best.

The VVM Wall is forever powerful. Those names go on forever, overwhelming your brain with their sadness. This memorial manages to be respectful to the soldiers who fought in Viet Nam while showing how pointless the entire endeavor was. Next to the Wall are two groups of statues: a tribute to soldiers called The Three Servicemen, and a tribute to women who served in Viet Nam. Both are moving in their own way.

World War II Monument is, frankly, boring. A giant plaza with waterfalls and cement wreaths, it screams “We Won!” I didn’t get a sense of the war, the soldiers, or anything.

The best part of the Jefferson Memorial is the little museum underneath. We ended up being more interested in the statue of George Mason that sits about 1/4 mile away.

How do you build a memorial to FDR? You take 40 years and half a dozen artists, and you make it HUGE. This isn’t a memorial, it’s an installation. I forgot to take photos while we were there (for an hour!), but I’m not even sure you could capture it in photos. The entire installation is divided into 4 sections, one for each term he served. The first focuses on the Depression, with statues of men in bread lines and starving farmers that could have come right out of Dorothea Lange‘s photos. The second section covers the New Deal, with all its components, organizations and work, work, work. The third section focuses on the decision to go to war, and poses the question, “How do you fight fascism if you hate war?” The last section covers FDR’s passing and the legacy he left behind, including some of Eleanor’s work. Some memorials hit you over the head with their message; this piece is meant to be explored, decoded, deciphered. A true work of art. Shanti and I both loved it and felt its relevance for today.

We saved the best for last, though: the Korean War Memorial at night. The KWM is comprised of a group of soldiers moving in formation from trees into the open. Along their right is a granite wall etched with photos of those who served. At night, the soldiers are lit from the ground and appear as ghosts from the past, destined to make the same maneuvers over and over. This is a moving tribute to the people who served. No comments on the war or on war in general, just a tribute to those who went.

The Capitol is worth a visit.