Celebrate Black History Month with Us

February is Black History Month and if you’re planning a trip to Washington, there are plenty of ways to celebrate. Some are special events while others are available all year long.

The National Archives is celebrating Black History month with special programs and document displays including a special display of the Emancipation Proclamation and a conversation with Henry Louis Gates.

Navy Memorial will be offering events highlighting African-American sailors through history, including the crew of the E.S. Newman, the only all-black lifesaving crew in American History; and screenings of “The Odyssey of Captain Healy.”

Visit the house of Frederick Douglass, now a National Park and historic site, to celebrate his birthday on February 14th.

No trip to Washington is complete without visiting U Street, NW. Once known as Black Broadway hosting the likes of Cab Calloway, Pearl Bailey and Sarah Vaughn; U Street fell on hard times and is now experiencing a revival. You can find Duke Ellington’s birthplace in Shaw. Head to 13th & U Streets and follow the African American Heritage Trail – a self-guided walking tour of the area. Be sure to stop in some of the restaurants and shops including Ben’s Chili Bowl.

Near the same U Street Metro Station, you’ll find the African American Civil War Memorial – a celebration of the black soldiers that fought for freedom in the war.

If you need any suggestions for other activities, please visit the concierge. Unfortunately we can’t get you an invitation to the President’s concert with John Legend and Jennifer Hudson, but you can watch it on PBS or listen on NPR.

Bike Summit

On March 9 – 11, Washington DC will be welcoming the 10th annual National Bike Summit. The Summit has grown from 100 participants to over 1,000 in that time – reflecting the growing interest in bicycling whether for health, commuting or recreation.

If you’re attending the Bike Summit and planning on bringing your bike, here’s a bicycle map of Washington, DC. (Also available as a PDF download.) You’ll need a copy of Washington’s Bicycle Parking Guidelines as well (PDF).   If you’re staying at the Hamilton Crowne Plaza, you’re welcome to keep your bike in your room with you.

There are a variety of places to rent bikes around town.  Bike and Roll DC also offers guided bicycle tours of Washington.  DC also offers SmartBike – a bike sharing program that allows you to ride a bike and return it at any SmartBike station in the city.

If you’re staying through the weekend,the National Mall has some great bike paths. Later in the season, there are free Park Ranger led bike tours on the National Mall every Saturday and Sunday.

If you’re arriving by train, be sure to check out the new Bikestation right outside Union Station.

If you need any additional information planning your trip, our concierge would be happy to help or leave us a comment.

Keep Your Resolutions in 2010

If you’re like most people, one of your New Year’s resolutions was to be more active or get back in shape this year. And this weekend’s Health & Fitness Expo is a great way to keep you on track. Held at the Washington Convention Center, the Expo offers the opportunity to get your blood pressure and cholesterol checked, healthy cooking demonstrations, as well as try a variety of new activities including Bollywood dancing from local studio Dhoonya Dance.

And when you’re done walking around the exhibit floor, take a healthy walk over to 14K Restaurant and enjoy one of our heart-healthy entrees or salads and keep your resolution.

Better than the Real World

Have you been watching the new installment of the Real World on MTV? The house where the cast lived during their time in DC was just a short walk up Connecticut Avenue, and Human Rights Campaign (where Mike worked) is just around the corner from us. If you’re intrigued by the sights of DC, or want to know more about the reality, we’d be happy to show you around.

You can find all the places the Real World crew went in Georgetown, Dupont Circle, plus all the sights like the Smithsonian, the National Zoo, and the White House. Plus there are plenty of great bars and restaurants in the area that are off-limits to camera crews that you won’t see on the show.

We also offer a special I Love Nightlife package that means you can sleep late, enjoy breakfast and a late checkout which will give you a chance to experience any of the clubs in our neighborhood including Lima, Tattoo Bar, and the Black Cat.

Enjoy watching the rest of the Real World DC season and we hope to see you soon.

Holidays in Washington

If you’re lucky enough to be spending some time in Washington DC over the holiday season, here are a few of our favorite things to do:

The National Christmas Tree, The National Menorah and The Pageant of Peace on the Ellipse, just south of the White House, complete with free nightly musical performances, Santa’s Workshop, a large-scale model train, and trees decorated by every state and territory.

Carol sing-a-long at the National Gallery of Art on December 12 & 13 and 19 & 20 at 1:30 and 2:30 in the West Building Rotunda. Guest choirs lead the caroling.

Millenium Stage at the Kennedy Center offers free daily performances at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts including Merry TubaChristmas on December 14th.

Candlelight Tours of Mount Vernon are the only time of the year when the estate is open in the evening. Be greeted by Mrs. Washington and enjoy a candlelit tour, hot cider and ginger cookies while you tour the mansion.

New Year’s Eve celebrations

If you attend any performance at the Kennedy Center on New Year’s Eve, you can stay for the party with waltzing and swing dancing in the Grand Foyer complete with a balloon drop at midnight.

If you’d prefer a party, the Hamilton will be hosting a Monte Carlo night. And you won’t want to be driving after those festivities, so reserve a room and stay with us.

Terra Cotta Warriors in Washington

When archeologists excavated the tomb of the first emperor of a unified China, they found thousands of life size clay figures – soldiers, archers, generals – even musicians and acrobats. Were they meant to guard the emperor’s rest or accompany him to next life? Come decide for yourself as the Terra Cotta warriors make their final stop in the United States at the National Geographic Museum at 17th & M Streets NW (Metro Farragut North) – a short walk from the Hamilton Crowne Plaza.

The exhibit runs November 19th through March 31, 2010. Daily 10 am – 6 pm. (Wednesdays extended evening hours until 9 pm.) Timed entry tickets are available in advance ($12 adults, $6 children, $10 seniors, students & military) and online purchase is recommended to ensure your preferred date and time. Audio tours are also available to enhance the experience. Free film screenings of The Real Dragon Emperor takes you inside the tomb and excavation of the first emperor of China

If you’d like to continue the Chinese theme of your day, you can enjoy a meal in one of the restaurants in Chinatown (Metro: Chinatown / Gallery Place) before heading to the National Zoo to visit Washington, DC’s most famous residents – Mei Xiang, Tian Tian, and Tai Shan – our giant pandas (Metro: Woodley Park / National Zoo).

White House Farmer’s Market

Last Thursday we took a walk up the block to 810 Vermont Avenue (between H and I Streets) to visit the new farmer’s market by the White House.  We found a host of local vendors selling

Produce at the market

the most tempting fresh and organic produce, local wool, flowers, gelato, baked goods (definitely try the cookies), locally made cheese, and milk. You’ll also find cooking demonstrations – in case you don’t know what to do with brussel sprouts still on the stem.

It’s a great place to put together a quick snack or a picnic for a walk over to Lafayette Park by the White House.

You might notice a lot of photographers at the market as well. Mrs. Obama has been spotted at the market. (Unfortunately during our visit, she was traveling.)

Right now, the White House Farmer’s Market is scheduled to run every Thursday afternoon from 3 – 7 p.m. through the end of October. Stay tuned – we’ll let you know if they extend it or renew it in the spring.

Follow the Lost Symbol

If you’re reading Dan Brown’s latest thriller Lost Symbol, you’re probably curious to trace Harvard Professor’s Robert Langdon’s route through Washington, DC.  Many of the locations in the book are easily reached from the Hamilton Crowne Plaza (and one is just steps away).

You can visit the new US Capitol Visitor’s Center, Statuary Hall and the Rotunda by taking the Metro. Explore the grandeur of the Library of Congress Reading Room. (Note: The Library of Congress stacks are closed to the general public.) There are free daily guided tours of the Library explaining the art & architecture and the highlights of the collection.   (Metro: Capitol South)

See the treasures housed at the Smithsonian Museums. Be sure to stop at the Castle first for a map and a tour. Don’t forget to stop and get your timed tickets for a trip to the top of the Washington Monument. (Metro: Smithsonian)

Visit Freedom Plaza and see the Washington DC street plan (Metro: Federal Triangle) before you head down to Alexandria to see the George Washington National Masonic Memorial. (Metro: King Street)

Take a short walk up 16th Street to the House of the Temple (weekday tours are available 10 am – 4 pm) where you can also explore the lovely residences of Embassy Row and Kalorama.  A little farther north, you will find Washington National Cathedral. (Metro: Tenleytown)  Check the calendar for tour times including the gargoyle tour.

Walk the four blocks to the White House, explore Franklin Square and see the Almas Shriner’s Temple next door to us.

Then when you’re done sightseeing and codebreaking, enjoy a drink and a snack on the patio of 14K where you can monitor all the action in the city at night.

Fun Fall Festivals in Washington DC

Are you planning a trip to Washington DC this month? There are some great fall festivals happening in September. And if you’re staying at the Hamilton Crowne Plaza, you’ll be right downtown with easy access to these events:

The Kennedy Center Open House Arts Festival is Saturday, September 12th and includes street performances, behind the scenes tours, and a children’s book festival with opportunities to meet the authors and illustrators. (Metro: Foggy Bottom. Free Shuttle Buses to the Kennedy Center)

Then head across the Potomac to Rosslyn for the Rosslyn Jazz Festival and enjoy free jazz in Gateway Park. Holly Cole is headlining the festival this year. Other acts include Spanish Harlem Orchestra and Lafayette Gilchrist.  (Metro: Rosslyn)

Or if you’re feeling more artistic, head  to Penn Quarter for Arts on Foot kicking off the fall arts season with an outdoor art festival plus cultural activities, cooking demonstrations, entertainment and a neighborhood showcase. (Metro: Gallery Place / Chinatown)

The 9th Annual Library of Congress Book Festival will be held on the National Mall on September 26th.  Authors are grouped into Pavilions by genre (Children, Mysteries & Thrillers, Fiction & Fantasy, History & Biography etc.) to read from their latest works and many authors will also be available for signings. Authors include Judy Blume, John Irving, John Grisham, Jodi Picoult, Sue Monk Kidd, Azar Nafisi and many more. See a complete list of authors. (Metro: Smithsonian)

If you feel like escaping the City (and the 21st Century), visit the Maryland Renaissance Festival in Crownsville, Maryland. Running every Saturday and Sunday through October 25th, the Renaissance Festival is a well known tradition in the area. This year, Henry VIII has just lost his 5th wife – Katherine Howard and is looking to wed. The festivities are taking place in Revel Grove. Grab a turkey leg, watch a joust, and enjoy the show.

For more information about any of these activities or for directions from the hotel, just ask the concierge or any of the front desk staff.

We’re multi-lingual

When you go to the Hamilton Crowne Plaza’s web site, you’ll notice we’ve added several flags in the upper left corner of the page.

If you click  on the individual flags, you’ll find  Chinese, German, French and Spanish language information about the hotel. And you can always click on the British flag to return to the English version.

The pages also connect directly to the Crowne Plaza’s multi-lingual booking engine.

Let us know what you think. And we’ll be adding more languages soon.

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