1. Goal(s): What are you trying to achieve? Of course your communications goals will be dependent on the nature of your organization (e.g., non-profit fundraiser versus professional association, etc.), and whether the focus of your communications plan is based on organization-wide or campaign/issue-specific goals.
Plan Your Visit. Smithsonian Gardens are located around museums throughout the National Mall in Washington, DC. They are open year-round, seven days a week, with something to see in every season! The Enid A. Haupt Garden is the only gated garden and opens daily from dawn to dusk. A walk around all of the gardens, at a leisurely pace, takes about 3 hours.
Then from there, it's an easy walk to the Washington Monument, which is easy to use as a landmark. The Washingon Monument is halfway between the Lincoln Memorial and the US Capitol. The Smithsonian museums are between the Wash Monument and the US Capital. Frankly, the easiest thing to do is hop on the Metro (subway) at DCA and take it into DC and get off at the Smithsonian station. That would bring you out in the heart of everything and you would save yourself about 2 miles of hoofing it.