Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

The Smithsonian has the National Air and Space Museum on the National Mall in downtown DC, but their collection of historic aircraft is much-much to large for that space, and getting something huge into downtown DC is impossible.  A few year's ago they opened a second aircraft museum at Dulles Airport, I know that is half way to West Virginia from DC, but it is an absolutely amazing museum.  Parking is about $20, but the museum, like all Smithsonian Museums, is free.  If you love aircraft, it is worth the trip. In 3-4 years, when the Metro opens to Dulles, you will be able to take the train out and a shuttle bus from the airport to the museum.

The picture above features an SR-71 Blackbird in the foreground, and yes that is a flown Space-Shuttle in the back.  On display are hundreds of military, civilian and private aircraft.  There is a Concord, the Boeing 707 prototype, the Enola Gay.  It is hard to perceive the scale and size of the space, until you stop and think about the size of the aircraft parked quite comfortably in the space.

(This is the first new travel post created since I was hospitalized in May, I am so glad I learned how to create ahead and schedule. It is wonderful to be back feeling well enough to create new travel posts.  Because of the trouble I was having walking, I had started crossing travel ideas off the list as things I would never do. I back adding to the list, the doctors assure me I will be fit to travel by August - there is a Zeppelin flight in my future and I am confident I am going to be well enough to take the trip.)