I love to travel. Whether it is a road trip, an exotic or far away destination, a weekend getaway or a 1-2 week vacation. I love the thrill of packing my bags, hoping on a plane or in the car and going places. Right now the country is at a standstill due to the COVID-19 (Cornona Virus) and I am wondering when I will be able to safely take another journey. I truly suffer from wanderlust (a strong desire to travel) and typically like to travel whenever possible. Since I am grounded for now, I decided to do a post on my last traveling adventure to the DMV last month. This was a quick weekend trip. The DMV is an acronym that combines the states Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia,as they are in close proximity. So when traveling to one of those states you are likely to enter into the other states as well. I thoroughly enjoy visiting the East Coast, as there are tons of things to do both recreational and educational.
DMV March 2020
During this trip I stayed at the luxury MGM National Harbor Resort. The hotel is located in Oxin Hill, MD right outside of DC. This is a beautiful hotel that houses a casino, many restaurants and multiple shopping opportunities. There is also a venue for live entertainment. I enjoyed the many amenities of the hotel and had a great time.
I spent the first day of the trip primarily inside the hotel taking advantage of the dining, shopping and entertainment. The second day of the trip I ventured out into the surrounding areas. A few of the highlights include a stop at National Harbor, MD which I absolutely love. I love to be in or around water and this is a perfect place to enjoy the scenery and the large Ferris Wheel. There are also some nice restaurants here. I had a really nice lunch prior to taking in the sights.
I was also able to visit the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in DC, which is a multiple story museum which houses displays that demonstrate and page homage to many areas in which African Americans have contributed to this country. Displays cover areas including music, sports, the medial field and education among others. I highly recommend this as a stop if you are ever in the area.
I was also able to squeeze in a stop at the Fredrick Douglass National Historic Sight. There is a visitors’ center on the grounds where they show a short movie of Fredrick Douglass’ life. The film seems to have been made quite awhile ago and looks rather outdated, but I guess it serves the purpose. Maybe at some point that will look into updating it to a more modern version. There is a gift store there, family photos and other artifacts to view. The home that Fredrick lived in is on the grounds. I was only able to view the outside, as reservations are required for a tour inside the home.
Wilma Rudolph-Olympic Track and Field Champion and also an Alumni of Tennessee State University which is my Alma Mater
Muhammad Ali-Boxing Champion and Activist
Jesse Owens-Olympic Track and field Champion who was the most successful athlete in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. This was especially important due to Hitler’s racist myth of Aryan Supremacy.
Michael Jackson-Award winning singer and entertainer who set world records and broke color barriers with his innovative music and music videos
Homer G Phillips Hospital which was the only hospital for African Americans in my hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, from 1937 until 1979, when the city still had segregated facilities.
