A Budget-friendly Trip in America?

Isn’t it hilarious to describe the USA as a budget-friendly destination? Price level is relatively high in most of the states in America, but I was convinced after having an affordable two-week trip in its capital, Washington D.C.

Art. Since the majority of funds is from federal appropriations, most of the museums under Smithsonian Institution are free of admission fee, in hopes of knowledge enlightenment and diffusion. Only a minority are privately owned.

For example, the National Gallery of Art, which was built in 1937. It was divided into 2 part: the East Building with a pre-modern art collection, such as “self-portrait of Van Gogh”; and the West Building with a modern art collection, such as “The Tragedy” and “Look Mickey”.

My favorite one is the National Portrait Gallery. As a storyteller, the gallery exhibited portraits of people who have shaped American history, development and culture. Enjoy taking selfies with most of the US Presidents.

“Electronic Superhighway: Continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii”, created by Nam June Paik, is one of the interactive installation art. It exhibits the landscape or symbol of each state with television, showcasing how virtual reality shapes the way we conceive the world.

The portrait of “David N. Martin” impressed me most. Louis Briel literally broke through the drawing frame and captured the spirit of the businessman, who developed his company rapidly into one of the nation’s largest ones.

I have encountered the temporary exhibition as well, which was the “Black Out: Silhouettes Then and Now”. For example, Kumi Yamashita casted a face shadow with a fews alphabets and numbers. This paper-cutting profile is such a masterpiece of light and shadow.

Music. It is another element in the to-do-list. The Sculpture Garden provided regular jazz performances. It is just located near the National Gallery of Art. Grab a beer and get rid of the hustle-and-bustle moment.

Every Monday, vibrant shows also take place at the Millennium Stage in the Kennedy Center. The band composed a new song, with five random words from the audience. What a platform for musicians to release their talents, and for music lovers to enjoy performance.

Sports. Baseball is one of the four major sports in the US, followed by basketball, ice hockey and American football. Visitors can enjoy an attractive price, less than USD 10 per person, if you reserve the ticket in advance.

It was held in Nationals Park, where the Nationals beat Baltimore 9-7 at the moment. The seventh-inning stretch, a long-standing tradition, took place between the halves of the seventh inning of the game. The cheering totally lifted up the game atmosphere.

Some said, tourists in particular, America has no culture. False and biased. On the contrary, American culture is already immersed in our everyday life. Price level may be high, but one can still fully savor the joy and fun once you have discovered a budget-friendly way.