Tag Archives: Best Things to Do in DC

March 13, 2023 · 10:00 am

DC Scavenger: Discover the Tidal Basin with These Fun Clues!

Spring is just around the corner, and here in DC, that means the beautiful cherry trees that have come to symbolize our nation’s capital are about to be in full bloom! There’s no better time to wander around the Tidal Basin and experience the blossoms’ stunning glory at its peak.

In this third guest blog post of her DC Scavenger series, local author JoAnn Hill takes us on an active pursuit throughout the Tidal Basin. This highly visited area is mostly known for its majestic memorials, including the Jefferson Memorial, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, and FDR Memorial. Each year, it also famously hosts the world-renowned Cherry Blossom Festival, a springtime staple and cherished celebration of beauty and nature. Along your scavenger hunt adventure, explore the Tidal Basin’s most cherished sites while surrounded by the abundant bursts of pink and white blossoms.

JoAnn Hill is the author of Secret Washington, DC: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure and DC Scavenger, which goes beyond the typical guidebook; it’s an interactive treasure map spanning 17 distinct neighborhoods throughout the District. If you think you know everything there is to know about DC ― even the most weird, wonderful, and obscure parts of it ― get ready to embark on an adventurous discovery of DC’s most treasured gems.

Below are four of 15 clues featured in the Tidal Basin chapter of DC Scavenger. (Note that the photos show the general location, not the answer to the clue!) Check out JoAnn’s book to solve and discover even more clues and sites around the Tidal Basin and throughout the entire city!

Tidal Basin Clue #1
First memorial here’s for Tommy J
Three’s the magic number, please don’t stray
In his left hand, this declared us free,
Nineteen feet tall, the third prez stands strongly.

Tidal Basin Clue #2
Follow the path to this Japanese gift
Assembling it was a heavy lift.
It came in five crates, no clues to its shape
Near FDR, a fixture of this landscape.

Tidal Basin Clue #3
The First Lady next to this UN seal
Her husband laid down the promised New Deal
Including a First Lady is quite unique
She was smart and bold, opposite of meek.

Tidal Basin Clue #4
Stroll over to this memorial king,
There are four to solve, so do your thing!
Greatest civil rights leader of the land
Look for this scroll for the clue at hand.

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JoAnnHill, author of DC Scavenger and Secret Washington, DC: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure, has affectionately called Washington, DC, home for over 20 years. She has written extensively about DC living, its food, and her world travels on her blog dcglobejotters.org and other mediums and publications. Through her writing and research, she shares stories and tips that inspire the insatiably curious traveler. When she’s not writing and exploring, you will find her teaching yoga, barre, and group fitness classes, indulging in DC’s culinary and theater scenes, and spending as much time outside as possible being active. JoAnn is the co-founder of Capitol Teachers, a full-service tutoring company servicing the greater DC area. She lives in Washington, DC, with her husband Thalamus and dog Jackson.

Mind Tricks & More Fun at the Museum of Illusions

When the Museum of Illusions opened at CityCenter DC back in December, I thought it was just a quick pop-up, a temporary experience that would only be here through the holiday season, so I didn’t make it a huge priority to go. I’ve since learned that it’s here indefinitely, so when my friend Jen from Kid Up and Go asked me to join her on a visit recently, I was excited to check it out.

Who’s big, who’s little?

The museum calls itself an “edutainment destination” and fittingly so. The many installations and exhibits throughout the multi-room space trick and test the mind in ways that are fun and illuminating. Not only are the illusions cool to see and interact with, they play with perspective, sometimes require problem solving, and spark curiosity about how they work. And you can learn all about them from signs with explanations and staff who are on hand to answer any questions.

Moving pictures?

Everything in the museum is interactive in some way, whether you’re staring at pictures to watch them “move,” standing within an exhibit to feel its effects, solving some kind of puzzle, or placing yourself just so to create an illusional scene. There are purely visual exhibits, elements that require hands-on activity, whole immersive rooms, and fun optical illusion photo ops. The images in this post offer a glimpse, but there are so many more!

Just hangin’ in the Metro

It’s completely engaging, and you can explore it all as slowly or quickly as you like, though the museum’s website says visits last about 45-60 minutes. We spent about an hour in the museum, and that was enough time to check out everything there.

A kaleidoscope of… me 😃

Unlike many DC museums, there is an admission fee for ages 5 and up to visit the Museum of Illusions. But if you’re looking for something unique and fun to do, this mind-bending experience is a good bet.

Wonder what they’re holding 😉

Museum of Illusions
Where: 927 H Street NW | CityCenter DC
When: Sun–Thurs, 10am – 8pm | Fri & Sat, 10am – 9pm
Admission: $23.50/13+, $18.95/age 5-12, free/4 & under

Puzzles…to try and to buy

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Filed under 2023, DC, Museums

Tagged as Best Things to Do in DC, CityCenter DC, DC Family Activities, DC Museums, DC with kids, Family fun in DC, Fun Things to do with Kids in the Washington DC Area, Kid Friendly DC, Museum of Illusions, Off the Beaten Path Museums in DC

November 30, 2022 · 11:55 am

DC Scavenger: Discover Capitol Hill Through These Fun Clues!

JoAnn Hill, local author of Secret Washington, DC: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure recently released her second book, DC Scavenger, which goes beyond the typical guidebook; it’s an interactive treasure map spanning 17 distinct neighborhoods throughout our nation’s capital. If you think you know everything there is to know about DC — even the most weird, wonderful, and obscure parts of it — get ready to embark on an adventurous discovery of DC’s most cherished gems.

JoAnn’s second post of this DC Scavenger series takes us to the charming neighborhood of Capitol Hill. As DC’s largest historic residential neighborhood, Capitol Hill is a community-centered area often characterized by its 19th-century rowhomes, convivial public market and food hall, and powerful government. From the National Historic Landmark Congressional Cemetery to the US Supreme Court to Lincoln Park, many members of Congress, government workers, journalists, and their families call this quaint neighborhood home. Residents and tourists are drawn here by its large urban parks, historical sites, and iconic congressional buildings.

Below are four of 27 clues featured in the Capitol Hill chapter of DC Scavenger. Check out JoAnn’s book to solve and discover more clues and sites around the Capitol Hill neighborhood and throughout the entire city — it would make for a great holiday gift, too! Even more, you can see JoAnn at several upcoming book events around the city, including East City Bookshop on Saturday, December 3; Shop Made in DC at the Wharf on Sunday, December 4 and December 18; and Steadfast Supply in Navy Yard on Saturday, December 17.

Capitol Hill Clue #1
Vendor to vendor, stall to stall,
A neighborhood gem, here you’ll find it all.
Take time to smell and taste what’s here,
A lively space for food, drink, and cheer

Capitol Hill Clue #2
Sugar and spice and everything nice,
Julia Child fans, these wares will entice.
Crack, sizzle, bubble, stir, and pop.
Find the flame at this Nats-loving shop.

Capitol Hill Clue #3
Splish-splash, Roman God was taking a bath;
Choose to read and you’ll be spared his wrath.
Bronzed out and surrounded by his court,
Library’s water source never comes up short.

Capitol Hill Clue #4
She taught those important ABCs,
A teacher who gave opportunities.
This tribute to her, here at Lincoln Park,
We honor her for her long-lasting mark.

* * *

JoAnn Hill, author of Secret Washington, DC: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure, has affectionately called Washington, DC, home for over 20 years. She has written extensively about DC living, its food, and her world travels on her blog dcglobejotters.org and other mediums and publications. Through her writing and research, she shares hidden histories, off-the-beaten-path locales, and lesser-known stories that inspire the insatiably curious explorer. Her next book, DC Scavenger, will be released later this year. She lives in DC with her husband Thalamus and dog Jackson and is the co-founder of Capitol Teachers, a tutoring company servicing the greater DC area.

DC Scavenger: Hunt for “Hidden” Treasures on the National Mall!

JoAnn Hill, local author of Secret Washington, DC: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure recently released her second book, DC Scavenger, a resource to help explore the city that goes beyond the typical guidebook. It’s an interactive treasure map spanning 17 distinct neighborhoods throughout Washington, DC. You can explore nearly 350 of DC’s most cherished wonders by deciphering clever clues and examining ambiguous photos across the District’s four quadrants. Throughout your pursuit, you’ll encounter world-renowned monuments and their lesser-known counterparts, innovative artworks promoting activism and celebrating diversity, overlooked historical markers, convivial markets and eateries, and architectural oddities.

Get a preview of the book in this DC Scavenger series on KFDC, where JoAnn will share a few clues for different neighborhoods, this first blog post taking us to the National Mall, undoubtedly one of the first areas that comes to mind when many think of the nation’s capital. The landscaped strip spanning from the US Capitol to the iconic Lincoln Memorial is a national treasure trove chock-full of monuments, memorials, museums, and art installations that help make up the fabric of the capital city and country. It’s been estimated that more than 24 million people visit the National Mall each year. That’s more visitors than the Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Grand Canyon national parks combined!

Below are four of 23 clues featured in the National Mall chapter of DC Scavenger — a great source and start for a fun family outing! Check out JoAnn’s book to solve and discover even more clues and sites around the National Mall and throughout the entire city. (PS: Think holidays…the book would make an excellent gift for tweens, teens, and adults!)

National Mall Clue #1
The House that Roy built may trip you out,
Looks to be moving, may cause you to doubt,
Black edges and colors of yellow and red,
This optical illusion may mess with your head.

* * *

National Mall Clue #2
Garden named for a gal, a nice reprieve,
Ripley, believe it, you won’t want to leave.
Amble on through, this fountain’s at its core,
Revel in the flowers and plants galore.

* * *

National Mall Clue #3
A more recent addition to the Mall,
Tribute to Black life, history, and all.
Learn of stories, culture, present and past,
Museum so huge, walk slowly, not fast.

* * *

National Mall Clue #4
A rare tribute here to the women’s role,
Risking their lives when the war took a toll,
We honor these women who gave their all,
Find this touching statue near the famed wall.

Now go start hunting!

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