I’m coming to the states for the first time next month (DC – Baltimore) and I’m already planning to go to court to see a criminal trial with a jury and to a protestant church (I’m going to be very respectful). Any other similar ideas?
Edit: forgot to mention that I’m a law student, that’s why I want to see court
50 comments
Might be more difficult in the Baltimore area, but I’d find a shooting range with rentals and lessons. Take a short class to understand how those of us (most of us) who respect the nature of firearms treat guns and firearm safety. Bring your passport, it isn’t uncommon for them to ask for some form of ID.
Since you’re going to be in and near DC and Baltimore I’d strongly suggest visiting as many museums as you can. The Smithsonian is world class, and the National Aquarium in Baltimore was in the movie *Ted*.
I dunno how much fun either of those things will be but whatever
> I’m already planning to go to court to see a criminal trial with a jury
Prepare to be extremely bored. It’s not like crime shows at all.
Eat at the counter in a diner and see if you can strike up a conversation with someone.
Hit up some restaurants, go to a bar or club, try a shooting range, check out some shopping malls or markets, go to a sports event, visit museums/monuments/parks, go golfing or bowling.
Rent a car and go for a long drive on the interstate highways for five hours only to realize that you’re not even out of the state you started in yet.
Get stuck in traffic on I-95 and I-495, and you’ll understand why some people are so angry and stressed.
Do a mainstream Protestant church, an evangelical one, and especially in Baltimore go to Catholic mass at the Cathedral. You will get a really good flavor of American religion that way.
Just remember at Catholic mass don’t go up and take communion (the bread and wine). Although I see your flair is Poland so you might already be well acquainted with us Catholics. I’d still try out a mainline Protestant church and an evangelical one. They can be *very* different.
See if there are any local spring festivals. Those are usually a good mix of people from the area and can be interesting.
Also I would be very disappointed if you didn’t go to the museums and monuments in DC which is easy to get to from Baltimore.
Eat s’mores over a fire.
The trial especially is going to be incredibly boring and I would not recommend wasting much of your vacation on that. Go to a baseball or football game (depending on the season you’re in town). Go see some live comedy and/or music. Eat at local restaurants. Check out any festivals/street fairs/farmers markets that are happening.
Go to a high school or college athletic event. If you can hit a college basketball game that would be perfect.
College sports are huge in the US but not elsewhere. March is when they’ll be going through their season-ending tournaments. Crowds will be big and excited. You sometimes need to buy tickets in advance, but may be able to at the box office at the arena.
Some schools near Baltimore with basketball teams: Coppin State University, Morgan State University, University of Maryland-Baltimore County, Towson University. A little further out is the University of Maryland, in College Park near Washington DC…they’re easily the most prominent area team and play in a huge arena.
Court isn’t interesting. Like most people here, even, have a gross misunderstanding of how the judicial system works (myself included, but know that it’s not anything like any tv show or movie)
See if you can get an invitation to a backyard barbecue. That’s a bit of Americana! If you can’t definitely do check out restaurants. The area is known for its seafood – get some crab cakes in Baltimore (check out Baltimore’s Lexington or other covered markets – get Berger cookies.). Maybe go bowling?
Youth sporting events are a nice microcosm. But for sure have a “nephew” or something if anyone asks. Random dude with no kids on the team is gonna draw the wrong attention.
Camping trips are great for this sort of thing, too.
And if you’re in Baltimore, go check out Fort McHenry. 1. It’s the battle that inspired our National Anthem 2. We Fn LOVE monuments! Forts, statues, walls. It’s a short history compared to other countries but we’ve memorialized the living shit out of it. But ask the docents if you have questions. Most people love going to these places but have ZERO idea of the history behind them.
Prepare for random people to smile and say hello, maybe also start conversation. Also be prepared for people to call you by your first name.
I’d … uh … skip the jury trial. It’s way more boring than TV shows would have you believe.
Since you’re visiting Baltimore, it’s a little bit of a shame about your timing since you just missed crab season. You can still get crab cakes though, which I’d definitely count as a “must taste.”
In DC, a potentially fun activity would be visiting the “off the beaten trail” monuments like the James Buchanan memorial on Meridian Hill. It’s also worthwhile to visit the Udvar-Hazy Center in the DC suburbs — you can see an actual used “this thing has brought people to space” space shuttle among many other exhibits.
A more cultural thing to do in DC would be to check out the nightlife in the U Street corridor. There are some top-notch live music venues, and really amazing food. The restaurant “Ben’s Chili Bowl” is kind of the iconic place there, but there are many other excellent options. Also plenty of dance clubs, if that’s your thing.
Do what every foreign visitor does when they come to America.
Shoot all the guns.
Go to a major league sports game. Buy cheap tickets way up top. Wear visiting team’s jersey. Make sure you cheer loudly for visiting team. You will now get a good taste of local culture. Have fun.
Im sorry, this post is killing me. Why were those the two things you have already planned?
I respect that you haven’t just gone with the obvious in DC and do a bunch of tours to learn the history of our country.
That being said, I will try to give you a serious answer.
1) go to a COSCO and learn how many of our families like to shop. Also go to a Walmart, for a similar reason
2) go eat at a Waffle House. Despite the menu items, you gotta go at like midnight (order the All star combo)
Im trying to think of more mundane American experiences
Go to the Udvar-Hazy Center attachment of Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. Go to Arlington National Cemetery. Get chased by an angry Canada Goose. Go to a gun range. Go to the Great Falls national park and hike the whole billy goat trail. Get some good crab cakes and BBQ. Try every flavor of chips you can find. Eat some locally made chocolate. Get some good coffee and bagels.
> planning to go to court to see a criminal trial with a jury
Did you watch *The Wire* or something for this idea?
Is there any particular reason you wanted to watch a criminal trial?
Why are you going to church?
Somehow I fear it’s because you’ve gotten some weird idea from the media
Go to a sports game of some type. Great people watching and some people dress up.
I recommend doing a bunch of tours in DC and in Baltimore. In Baltimore, you have Fort McHenry, where Francis Scott Key was inspired to write what now is our National Anthem. Just outside of Baltimore is the National Cryptological Museum at the NSA. Interesting if you are into that kind of thing. In DC you have all the Smithsonian Museums, which are free. The one you may be most interested in is the American History Museum. Also, I recommend checking out the US Capitol building and go on one of the many free guided tours. The Supreme Court is across the street and may be worth checking out as well.
Go to a shooting range. It might be a bit expensive, but I bet you’ll have fun.
In DC, go to Arlington and watch the changing of the Guard. That is very “Americana”.
You can go and sit above the Senate/ House of Representatives while they’re in session and watch. You’d just need to show someone in the Capital your passport to get authorization to go in
See if you can catch a college baseball game, it’s the closest thing you’ll get to professional baseball since the season doesn’t start until almost April
Arlington National Cemetery. Try to catch the Changing of The Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. (and stay quiet while watching it!)
Visit a gun range and do some shooting, drink some bourbon, rent a full size pickup truck and find a place to put it in 4 wheel drive for a little.
If you’re going to be open during the day on Sunday March 5th there’s an XFL football game between the [St Louis Battlehawks](https://images.actionnetwork.com/blog/2020/03/GettyImages-1204231010-1.jpg) and the [DC Defenders](https://www.pennlive.com/resizer/uQwjCuANMFyy9k5vZNqeEMwzPt4=/1280×0/smart/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-advancelocal.s3.amazonaws.com/public/DJTEDHYGORBZRKBEPRYF6ESHGY.jpg) at 3:00pm at
[Audi Field](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audi_Field) in DC.
IMHO; In the stadium at a gridiron football game is about as American as it gets.
EDIT; I found 2 different times listed for the kickoff (start). One says 3:00pm while another listing says 1:00pm. Good to get that straight before planning, or leaving for the game. ¯\_( ͡❛ ͜ʖ ͡❛)_/¯
Pentecostal church – African American
Chinese restaurant near the White House south lawn – forgot the name but was really good (walking distance)
Visit the giant Lincoln statue on the mall
Dupont circle
Visit some of the public libraries. They’re free and open to the public, you won’t be able to check out a book from the library but you can peruse. Especially if the library is hosting some kind of educational or cultural event.
You could hit up Fells Point at night!
One of my favorite place in Baltimore!
Annapolis may also be worth a trip. An hour from DC and has excellent seafood. Can also tour the Naval Academy!
Do yourself a favor and catch a show at The Ottobar in Bmore
Sports. Go see sports
People love sports everywhere, but what sports and how fans get involved is what’s fascinating.
In DC, there is always a professional sports team playing.
In spring and summer, it baseball: the Washington Nationals (the Nats). The baseball vibe is chill. And Nats Park (the stadium) is a great place to spend a summer evening. Not a bad seat in the place. Lots of politicians and their staffers show up there and do their “drug deals.”
In fall, see the American football team, the Washington Commanders. They play in Maryland, but not from DC and easy to get to. Football games are long and expensive, but it is a heck of a show.
In winter and spring, the ice hockey team is the Capitals and the basketball team is the Wizards. They play at the same venue in Chinatown. High energy games to watch!
Baltimore has American football and baseball. It is often a little cheaper that Washington.
Whatever you see, budget for food and drinks, in the arena/stadium and in the bars around them.
You’ll love it!
Since you’re a law student, see if you can go to a local bar (attorney association) CLE or networking event in the city you’ll be in.
Just tune into the Murdaugh Trial and stream it for free on YouTube. There’s still going to be at least a week left, if not more. It’s more interesting than your typical trial that you’ll find by just randomly walking into a courthouse. They’re calling it the Trial of the Century. We’re 2 weeks into the trial right now.
If you get the chance, take a look at one of the dockets where people are doing their criminal pleadings. It’s a pretty amazing (and terrifying) part of the process. Plea bargaining done in 45 seconds. Like a cattle call. Not the “justice” system I had pictured.
Go to a Texas Roadhouse or similar typical chain restaurant.
You could possibly arrange with a local school district to observe a day in a public school.
While you’re in DC please visit the Smithsotians! They’re free and so interesting!
Rent a gun and go shooting at a range.
I don’t see it specifically mentioned, so go see a baseball game. Major league may be still in training by the time you get here, but try to at least go to a college game. In my opinion, college ball is more fun that MLB anyway.
American vernacular uses A TON of baseball idioms. Even people who don’t know the game know what most of the idioms mean.
If you want to impress someone on your American immersion, use a baseball idiom. [Here’s a list to get started](https://www.ilac.com/10-common-english-baseball-idioms/)
Which Court are you going to? I am from the Baltimore area.
If you want a jury trial in Maryland, you have to go to one of the Circuit Courts (for example, the Circuit Court for Montgomery County in Rockville or the Circuit Court for Baltimore County in Towson.) There is a circuit court for every one of Maryland’s 23 counties and for the City of Baltimore, which is an independant jurisdiction. Jury trials often start on certain days of the week depending on the way the county schedules, and each jurisdiction has their own system, so you might want to call the Court in advance or look up their docket on the court’s website prior to going, especially if you wish to see an entire trial. Most criminal trials are public proceedings, so there is no restriction on watching them.
The changing of the guard at Arlington National cemetery.
Museums would be great and local history places. The US is so varied by regions. The beliefs, religious practices and social conventions can be vast. For example, in New Orleans you could experience a deep Cajun culture with its own language and food, in rural Texas you will see open carry guns and a strong belief in ‘rights of me’ where as in metro Texas you will see art, multicultural festivals, and a strong belief in ‘rights of everyone’. Whichever region you are in, definitely experience the cuisine. From ‘all-American’ hot dog to street tacos to Gumbo, and desserts ranging from Peach cobbler to Beignets, definitely definitely take advantage of mom and pop food options!
When in March will you be here? If it’s towards the end you may want to check out the Cherry Blossom Festival.
When are you gonna be here? If you like basketball go see the University of Maryland play. They’re pretty good right now and usually have really good crowds
As a Jewish American I do think it’s a litttleeeeee bit misguided that you want to come to a country literally founded on freedom of religion and then go to a church. Yes there are many Americans who equate the two, but I think they’re misguided as well. It’s not part of the culture for so many of us.
If you wanted to go to the National Cathedral and check it out that’s one thing, attending a service would be another. Tbh you guys have way better and older churches in Europe anyway.