The Inside Scoop by our Local Expert
The Washington National Opera is found in the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, located 1.5 miles west of central D.C., on the bank of the Potomac River. The Opera performs in the Kennedy Center Opera House, which seats 2,200 people, on many nights of the year. Combined with the other performances in the Kennedy Center, 2,000 are shown every year. The center is most easily accessed by Metro, the nearest station being the Foggy Bottom station on the blue and orange lines. From there the Kennedy Center Shuttle is a free ride to the center from 9:45 a.m. to 12:00 midnight Mondasy through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight Saturday, and 12:00 noon to 12:00 midnight Sunday, every 15 minutes. Also, parking is available at the Kennedy Center's garage, but is limited. Nearby attractions include memorials to Abraham Lincoln, Vietnam Veterans, Albert Einstein, and more. Also, Capitol City Bike Tours is close by, with tours of D.C. offered via comfortable three-speed beach cruisers. Or Theodore Roosevelt Island contains miles of trails and a memorial plaza with quotes from President Roosevelt to explore. And of course there are many museums comprising the Smithsonian nearby and spread throughout Washington D.C., including the museums of Natural History, Air and Space, American History, and many more. Access to all of these attractions is easiest through the Metro system, or limited parking is available on some streets, and parking garages are found in many locations.