Alexandria War of 1812 Bicentennial Signature Event at Waterfront Park

Date of Visit: August 31, 2014

The Alexandria War of 1812 Bicentennial Signature Event commemorated the surrender of Alexandria in 1814. It does seem kind of funny to "celebrate" the surrender, but they did save the much more historic city of Alexandria from having a similar fate as the relatively new city of Washington, D.C. that had just been burned by the British (and some intentionally by the Americans).

Today was like the first hot and humid day this summer, so we did not stay long. However, we did enjoy the booths and collecting some brochures for things we want to see as we further explore our new hometown. Mik also picked out a new book to read and add to his military history collection.

The event was held at the Waterfront Park. Most of the activities were in the grass area, which is raised up from the path that goes around the park. We found a way on to it through the tree area by the shipbuilder's statue; but Mik was glad he chose to use his manual chair today, as this route was mostly blocked by the kids activity tables and it was just easier to go down the curb when we were leaving.

Destination Info:

Waterfront Park
1A Prince Street
Alexandria, VA

President John Fitzgerald Kennedy Gravesite at Arlington National Cemetery

Date of Visit: March 24, 2012

It was a rainy day, so we took Mik's manual wheelchair.  We planned to go all the way up to Arlington House (the actual National Park), but we only got as far as the President John Fitzgerald Kennedy Gravesite before the rain began to really come down and it got to be too hard to keep pushing Mik up the steepness.  This would have been much better with the power chair if only it had not been raining.

The cemetery's website notes on accessibility only mention that you can get a pass to drive your vehicle to the sites by showing your handicap placard at the visitor center.  They do have a tour bus option that you can pay for to take you to the main places, but not sure if they are easily wheelchair accessible because I did not want to pay the $8.75 per person even if it was.

To get up to the JFK gravesite there is handicap ramp up to the right.  Once you get to the top there is another smaller ramped path up to the eternal flame.  There did not seem to be access to the area of the memorial with steps up to it at top of first ramp and before the stepped way up to the eternal flame.  However, it really started to rain when we got up here, so did not even go and see that part myself.


Overall the ramps to the gravesite and eternal flame are fine.  At least grade wise they are good.  The only problem was that as we came down the narrower one from the eternal flame it is not quite even with the main path.  Mik's front wheels do rather stink on his manual chair compared to past ones, so even this minor unevenness meant trouble.  Normally I can tilt the chair back and the little wheels off the ground, but due to the backpack and going down an incline there I had to turn the wheelchair around to get over the stupid little bump.  On a good weather day I probably would not have mattered, but when it was rainy and slippery it seemed like a big thing.

Even though we did not get up to the Tomb of the Unknown or Arlington House, it was worth just going to the Eternal Flame.  This was Mik's first time here and he was pretty impressed seeing a flame as we got up to the gravesite and it was raining.  Of course, at the time he only knew we were seeing JFK's grave or I did not tell him it was called the Eternal Flame.

Destination Info:
President John Fitzgerald Kennedy Gravesite
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington, Virginia

Arlington National Cemetery Visitor Center

Date of Visit: March 24, 2012

Our goal for the day was to see various things at Arlington National Cemetery.  Because of the rain, we took Mik in his manual wheelchair.  Because of the hills and the rain, we did not see quite as much as we planned, but we did at least get some National Park Passport Stamps, which was a top priority for us.

We started with a stop at the Arlington National Cemetery Visitor Center.  There are ramps up and automatic doors to enter on the far end.  Inside we grabbed a map to help guide us to the other places we wanted to go.  Mainly, though, we just headed to the bookstore.

At the bookstore we got four stamps for our National Park Passports.  The stamps were for George Washington Memorial Parkway, Marine Corps War Memorial/Netherlands Carillon, Arlington House - Robert E. Lee Memorial, and Arlington National Cemetery.

Destination Info:
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington, Virginia

Hyatt Regency Crystal City Wheelchair Shuttle Bus

Date of Visit: March 18, 2011

We varied from the tried and efficient DC Metro and ended up attempting the shuttle bus on this visit to DC.  I used to live in Crystal City, so taking the Metro from Washington Reagan Airport one stop to Crystal City is something we have done before.  Mik's new wheelchair does not allow for pushing him and having any bag on the back, though, so going on the Metro with luggage did not seem as easy.  Not to mention the front wheels are so hard to tip up for the boarding and unloading (they also get stuck easier than old chair, hence have to tilt them up for bumps the old chair's front wheels would have gone over) and do not need any extra weight on it to make it harder.

Anyways, the Hyatt said they had a wheelchair accessible shuttle.  We just had to call and request it when we arrived.  Well, the shuttle definitely does have a lift, but it was not a good experience at all.  First, off the lift ramp flap did not come down all the way and the driver was telling us to go on oblivious to it not being already down all the way.  I noticed, though, and he pushed it down.

Once on board we were standing just inside of the lift and he was ready to go.  Then he reconsidered and had a passenger move to actually lift up the seat that makes room for the chair to be behind the driver.  Then off we went.  No tie downs or anything.  And this was a shuttle bus that actually had buckles on the regular seats.  The ride is not even a mile, but there are a lot of stops and turns in that short distance.  Mik hates buses and was freaked out the whole time.  Usually he just overreacts, but this time he had a reason to fear, as even though I was holding his chair down at one turn his right wheel actually left the ground.

From now on, we are sticking to the Metro or maybe a taxi for the airport.  Sure, there are no tie downs on the Metro, but the ride is smooth enough to not be a problem.  Only problem we ever run into is elevators being down, but this trip there are very few throughout the system that are out and the one that ended up being where we wanted to get on was only two blocks from the next station.

Photos by Kjersti
Text by Kjersti with Mik's wheelchair accessibility input

Destination Info:
Hyatt Regency Crystal City
2799 Jefferson Davis Highway
Arlington, VA 22202