United Airlines Flights from Albuquerque (ABQ) to Washington (IAD)
Orbitz is pleased to offer airline tickets on United Airlines, which operates a daily non-stop flight from Albuquerque (ABQ) to Washington (IAD) regularly scheduled to depart at 8:05am and arrive at 1:38pm. Usually an Airbus A319 is flown for this route. Generally, a movie is offered on this route. The average travel time from Albuquerque, NM to Washington, DC is 3 hours and 33 minutes.
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During your Washington vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
Washington National Cathedral
Pierre L'Enfant's 1791 plan for the capital city included "a great church for national purposes," but possibly because of early America's fear of mingling church and state, more than a century elapsed before the foundation for Washington National Cathedral was laid. Its actual name is the Cathedral Church of St. Peter and St. Paul. The church is Episcopal, but it has no local congregation and seeks to serve the entire nation as a house of prayer for all people. It has been the setting for every kind of religious observance, from Jewish to Serbian Orthodox.A church of this magnitude -- it's the sixth largest cathedral in the world, and the second largest in the U.S. -- took a long time to build. Its principal (but not original) architect, Philip Hubert Frohman, worked on the project from 1921 until his death in 1972. The foundation stone was laid in 1907 using the mallet with which George Washington set the Capitol cornerstone. Construction was interrupted by both world wars and by periods of financial difficulty. The cathedral was completed with the placement of the final stone on the west front towers on September 29, 1990, 83 years (to the day) after it was begun.English Gothic in style (with several distinctly 20th-century innovations, such as a stained-glass window commemorating the flight of Apollo 11 and containing a piece of moon rock), the cathedral is built in the shape of a cross, complete with flying buttresses and 110 gargoyles. It is, along with the Capitol and the Washington Monument, one of the dominant structures on the Washington skyline. Its 57-acre landscaped grounds have two lovely gardens (the lawn is ideal for picnicking), four schools, a greenhouse, and two gift shops.Over the years the cathedral has seen much history. Services to celebrate the end of World Wars I and II were held here. It was the scene of President Wilson's funeral (he and his wife are buried here), as well as President Eisenhower's. Helen Keller and her companion, Anne Sullivan, were buried in the cathedral at her request. And during the Iranian crisis, a round-the-clock prayer vigil was held in the Holy Spirit Chapel throughout the hostages' captivity. When they were released, the hostages came to a service here. President Bush's National Prayer and Remembrance service on September 14, 2001, following the cataclysm of September 11, was held here.The best way to explore the cathedral is to take a 30- to 45-minute guided tour; they leave continually from the west end of the nave. You can also walk through on your own, using a self-guiding brochure available in several languages. Call about group and special-interest tours, both of which require reservations and fees (tel. 202/537-5700). Allow additional time to tour the grounds or "close" and to visit the Observation Gallery, where 70 windows provide panoramic views. Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon tours are followed by a high tea in the Observation Gallery for $22 per person; reservations required. Call tel. 202/537-8993.The cathedral hosts numerous events: organ recitals; choir performances; an annual flower mart; calligraphy workshops; jazz, folk, and classical concerts; and the playing of the 53-bell carillon. Check the cathedral's website for schedules.
The Capitol
The Capitol is as majestic up close at it is from afar. For 135 years it sheltered not only both houses of Congress, but also the Supreme Court and, for 97 years, the Library of Congress as well. When you tour the Capitol, you'll learn about America's history as you admire the place in which it unfolded. Classical architecture, interior embellishments, and hundreds of paintings, sculptures, and other artworks are integral elements of the Capitol.On the massive bronze doors leading to the Rotunda are portrayals of events in the life of Columbus. The Rotunda -- a huge 96-foot-wide circular hall capped by a 180-foot-high dome -- is the hub of the Capitol. The dome was completed, at Lincoln's direction, while the Civil War was being fought. Ten presidents have lain in state here, with former President Ronald Reagan being the most recent; when Kennedy's casket was displayed, the line of mourners stretched 40 blocks. On the walls are eight immense oil paintings of events in American history, such as the presentation of the Declaration of Independence and the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown. In the dome is an allegorical fresco masterpiece by Constantino Brumidi, Apotheosis of Washington, a symbolic portrayal of George Washington surrounded by Roman gods and goddesses watching over the progress of the nation. Brumidi was known as the "Michelangelo of the Capitol" for the many works he created throughout the building. (Take another look at the dome and find the woman directly below Washington; the triumphant Armed Freedom figure is said to be modeled after Lola Germon, a beautiful young actress with whom the 60-year-old Brumidi had a child.) Beneath the dome is a trompe l'oeil frieze depicting important events in American history. Also in the Rotunda is the sculpture of suffragists Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and Lucretia Mott. For a long time, the monument had been relegated to the Crypt, one level directly below the Rotunda. Women's groups successfully lobbied for its more prominent position in the Rotunda.The National Statuary Hall was originally the chamber of the House of Representatives. In 1864, it became Statuary Hall, and the states were invited to send two statues each of native sons and daughters to the hall. There are 97 statues in all, since three states, Nevada, New Mexico, and North Dakota, have sent only one. Many of the statues honor individuals who played important roles in American history, such as Henry Clay, Ethan Allen, Daniel Webster, and seven women, including Jeannette Rankin, the first woman to serve in Congress.You will not see them on your tour, but the south and north wings of the Capitol hold the House and Senate chambers, respectively. The House of Representatives chamber is the largest legislative chamber in the world, and the setting for the president's annual State of the Union addresses. (See information further along about watching Senate and House activity.) The Capitol also houses the Old Supreme Court Chamber, which has been restored to its mid-19th-century appearance. The Old Supreme Court Chamber is where Chief Justice John Marshall established the foundations of American constitutional law. Allow at least an hour for touring, longer if you plan to attend a session of Congress. Remember to allow time for waiting in line.At this time, self-guided tours and "VIP" tours (tours reserved in advance by individuals through their congressional offices) have been suspended, for the foreseeable future. The only way now to tour the Capitol Building is in groups of 40. A Capitol Guide Service guide conducts each tour, which is free and lasts about 30 minutes.You have two options: If you are part of an organized bunch, say a school class on a field trip, you may arrange a tour in advance, putting together groups of no more than 40 each, by contacting your congressional office at least 1 month ahead, and following the procedures that office outlines for you. If you are on your own, or with family or friends, you will want to get to the Capitol early, by 7:30am, to stand in line for one of a limited number of timed tickets the Capitol distributes daily, starting at 9am. Head to the ticket kiosk at the southwest corner of the Capitol grounds, near the intersection of 1st Street and Independence Avenue SW, across 1st Street from the U.S. Botanic Gardens. It's a first-come, first-served system, with only one ticket given to each person, and each person, including children of any age, must have a ticket. The good news is that once you receive your ticket, you are free to go somewhere nearby to get a bite to eat, or to sightsee, while you wait for your turn to tour the Capitol. The bad news is that all of you, even 1-year-old baby Louie, have to rise early and get to the Capitol by about 7:30am and then stand in line for another hour or more to be sure of touring the Capitol that day. Still, I think this is an improvement over the old touring procedure, which required all of you to stay in the queue until you entered the Capitol -- if you left the line, you lost your place. Definitely call the recorded information line (tel. 202/225-6827) on the morning of your visit to confirm exactly where and how to obtain your ticket.Now, if you wish to visit either or both the House and Senate galleries, you follow a different procedure. The Senate Gallery is open to visitors only when it is in session, while the House Gallery is open to visitors whether or not it is in session. Try to visit when both the Senate and House are in session [STSTST]. Either way, in session or not, you must have a pass to visit each gallery. (Children under 6 are not allowed in the Senate gallery.) Once obtained, the passes are good through the remainder of the Congress. To obtain visitor passes in advance, contact your representative for a House gallery pass, or your senator for a Senate gallery pass; District of Columbia and Puerto Rico residents should contact their delegate to Congress. If you don't receive visitor passes in the mail, they're obtainable at your senator's office on the Constitution Avenue, or north side, of the building or your representative's or delegate's office on the Independence Avenue, or south side, of the building. (Visitors who are not citizens can obtain a gallery pass by presenting a passport at the Senate or House appointments desk, located on the first floor of the Capitol.) Call the Capitol switchboard at tel. 202/224-3121 to contact the office of your senator or congressperson. Your congressional office will issue you a pass. You'll know the House and/or the Senate is in session if you see flags flying over their respective wings of the Capitol (House: south side, Senate: north side), or you can check the weekday "Today in Congress" column in the Washington Post for details on times of the House and Senate sessions and committee hearings. This column also tells you which sessions are open to the public. Or you can access the Capitol's webpage, www.aoc.gov. Vastly improved in the past year, the website provides lots of good information about the history, art, and construction of the Capitol building; an in-depth education on the legislative process; and schedules of bill debates in the House and Senate, committee markups and meetings, and lots of other good stuff. The aoc.gov (aoc stands for "architect of the capitol") page has links to the individual Senate, www.senate.gov, and House, www.house.gov, pages, or you can go directly to those sites, to connect to your senate or house representative's page.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is possibly the most poignant sight in Washington: two long, black-granite walls in the shape of a V, each inscribed with the names of the men and women who gave their lives, or remain missing, in the longest war in American history. Even if no one close to you died in Vietnam, it's wrenching to watch visitors grimly studying the directories to find out where their loved ones are listed, or rubbing pencil on paper held against a name etched into the wall. The walls list close to 60,000 people, many of whom died very young.Because of the raging conflict over U.S. involvement in the war, Vietnam veterans had received almost no recognition of their service before the memorial was conceived by Vietnam veteran Jan Scruggs. The nonprofit Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund raised $7 million and secured a 2-acre site in tranquil Constitution Gardens to erect a memorial that would make no political statement about the war and would harmonize with neighboring memorials. By separating the issue of the wartime service of individuals from the issue of U.S. policy in Vietnam, the VVMF hoped to begin a process of national reconciliation.Yale senior Maya Lin's design was chosen in a national competition open to all citizens over 18 years of age. The two walls are angled at 125° to point to the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. The wall's mirrorlike surface reflects surrounding trees, lawns, and monuments. The names are inscribed in chronological order, documenting an epoch in American history as a series of individual sacrifices from the date of the first casualty in 1959. The National Park Service continues to add names over the years, of those Vietnam veterans who die eventually of injuries sustained during the war.The wall was erected in 1982. In 1984, a lifesize sculpture of three Vietnam soldiers by Frederick Hart was installed at the entrance plaza. Near the statue, a flag flies from a 60-foot staff. Another sculpture, the Vietnam Veterans Women's Memorial, which depicts three servicewomen tending a wounded soldier, was installed on Veterans Day 1993. You should allow about 20 to 30 minutes here.The park rangers at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial are very knowledgeable and are usually milling about -- be sure to seek them out if you have any questions. Limited parking is available along Constitution Avenue.
The Hotel George
The Hotel George is one of Washington's hippest places to stay. With its facade of stainless steel, limestone, and glass; a lobby done in a sleek white, splashed with red, blue, and black furnishings; posters throughout the hotel depicting a modern-day George Washington, sans wig; and clientele tending toward celebs (everyone from Enrique Iglesias to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger), the George is in every way a capital establishment. The oversize guest rooms sport a minimalist look, all creamy white and modern. Fluffy vanilla-colored comforters rest on oversize beds; slabs of granite top the desks and bathroom counters; and nature sounds (of the ocean, forest, and wind) emanate from the stereo CD/clock radios. A speaker in the spacious, mirrored, marble bathroom broadcasts TV sounds from the other room; other amenities include cordless phones, umbrellas, and spa robes. All rooms have free high-speed Internet access; eighth-floor rooms also have fax machines, at no extra cost. The hotel has three one-bedroom suites.Contributing to the hotel's hipness is the presence of its restaurant, Bistro Bis, which serves (duh) French bistro food to hungry lobbyists and those they are lobbying. See chapter 6 for a full review.Facilities: Restaurant (French bistro); small 24-hr. fitness center with steam rooms; cigar-friendly billiards room; 24-hr. concierge; business services; room service (7am-11pm); same-day laundry/dry cleaning; VCR rentals; 4 rooms for those w/limited mobility.
Willard Inter-Continental Washington
If you're lucky enough to stay here, you'll be a stone's throw from the White House and the Smithsonian museums, in the heart of downtown near plenty of excellent restaurants, down the block from the National Theatre, and down the avenue from the Capitol. The Willard is definitely the classiest hotel in this neighborhood, among the best in the city, and also, naturally, one of the most expensive. Heads of state favor the Willard (the hotel offers one floor as "Secret Service-cleared"), as do visitors from other countries and movie directors (who like to shoot scenes in the famously ornate lobby and restaurant).A renovation completed in late 2000 spruced up the guest rooms' handsome, if staid, decor, which is heavy on reproduction Federal- and Edwardian-style furnishings. The rooms with the best views are the oval suites overlooking Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capitol and the rooms fronting Pennsylvania Avenue. Rooms facing the courtyard are the quietest. Best of all is the "Jenny Lind" suite, perched in the curve of the 12th floor's southeast corner; its round bull's-eye window captures glimpses of the Washington Monument.The Willard's designation as a National Historic Landmark in 1974 and magnificent restoration in the 1980s helped revitalize Pennsylvania Avenue and this part of town. Stop in at the Round Robin Bar for a mint julep (introduced here), and listen to bartender and manager Jim Hewes spin tales about the history of the 1901 Willard and its predecessor, the City Hotel, built on this site in 1815.Always inquire about off-season and weekend packages, when rates are sometimes halved and come with one of several complimentary options, sometimes an upgrade to a suite, valet parking, or a second room at half price.Facilities: Restaurant (Modern French-American); cafe; bar; modest-size but state-of-the-art fitness center; children's programs; concierge; business center; 24-hr. room service; babysitting; same-day laundry/dry cleaning; currency exchange; airline/train ticketing.
Grand Hyatt Washington
Until the D.C. Convention Center's on-site hotel, with its 1,000-plus rooms, opens in 2007, the Grand Hyatt is the largest hotel near the convention center.The Grand Hyatt has a lot of other things going on besides its room count of 900. The vast lobby is in an atrium 12 stories high and enclosed by a glass, mansard-style roof. A baby grand piano floats on its own island in the 7,000-square-foot "lagoon"; waterfalls, catwalks, 22-foot-high trees, and an array of bars and restaurants on the periphery will keep you permanently entertained. Should you get bored, head to the nearby nightspots and restaurants, or hop on the Metro, to which the Hyatt has direct access. The hotel lies between Capitol Hill and the White House, 2 blocks from the MCI Center, and about 3 blocks from the new D.C. Convention Center, at 801 Mount Vernon Place NW.Guest rooms and corridors underwent a complete renovation in 2003. Features include new showerheads and light-colored marble in the bathrooms and a fresh contemporary look of dark, hardwood furniture and hues of blue and gold in the guest rooms, and updated carpeting everywhere. Nearly half of the rooms offer high-speed Internet access, for a rate of $9.95 per 24 hours. Among the potpourri of special plans and packages available is one for business travelers: Pay an extra $20 and you stay in an eighth- or ninth-floor room equipped with a large desk, fax machine, computer hookup, and coffeemaker; have access to printers and other office supplies on the floor; and are entitled to complimentary continental breakfast and access to the health club. Always ask about seasonal and special offers, and check the website for the best deals.Facilities: 4 restaurants (Italian/Asian, Continental, deli); 3 bars; health club with whirlpool, lap pool, steam and sauna rooms, aerobics, and spa services (hotel guests pay $11 for club use); concierge; courtesy car available on a first-come, first-served basis to nearby destinations; business center; room service (6am-1am); in-room and health-club massage; same-day dry cleaning; concierge-level rooms; 24 rooms for those w/limited mobility, some with roll-in showers.
