Top Places to See in Washington, D.C.

A great list of things to do when you visit Washington, D.C.

  1. Visit the Capitol Building
  2. Look at the Washington Monument
  3. Tour The White House
  4. Visit the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
  5. Explore flight at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
  6. Visit the National Museum of the American Indian
  7. Check out the National Building Museum and learn about architecture and construction
  8. The first ever espionage museum is the Spy Museum
  9. Catch a concert, opera, or symphony at the Kennedy Center
  10. Don’t miss the National Zoo (free) which has over 2,000 animals including pandas
  11. Tour Mount Vernon where George Washington lived and see beautiful views of the Potomac
  12. Take a tour of the U.S. Supreme Court
  13. Visit the Lincoln Memorial and see the Reflecting Pool
  14. Relax in Constitution Gardens (the National Mall)
  15. Don’t miss seeing The Wall, which is The Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial
  16. Visit the Library of Congress which contains 145 million items including The Gutenberg and Mainz Bibles
  17. See the National WWII Memorial which opened in 2004
  18. Go check out the Thomas Jefferson Memorial
  19. Visit the Interactive Museum of News: The Newseum
  20. Tour the place where Lincoln was assassinated, Ford’s Theatre
  21. See a concert, some hockey, or basketball at the Verizon Center
  22. Visit the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
  23. If you like gardens, don’t miss the United States Botanic Garden
  24. Visit the Smithsonian American History Museum
  25. Explore your world at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum
  26. Check out the Smithsonian Castle, the first building of the Smithsonian (with information about all museums)
  27. Tour the National Museum of African Art
  28. View fine paintings and art at the National Gallery of Art
  29. Visit the Korean War Veterans Memorial (southeast of the Lincoln Memorial)
  30. Go walking in Georgetown, the capital’s historic waterfront
  31. The Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park is a waterway with a long history during the Civil War
  32. Great Falls Park has beautiful views (15 miles from the capital)
  33. Just across the Potamic is Old Town Alexandria, VA
  34. The National Archives displays the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence
  35. Visit the Washington DC National Cathedral
  36. See the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
  37. Visit Arlington National Cemetery (America’s largest burial ground, J.F.K.’s memorial, and Tomb of The Unknown)
  38. The National Aquarium is the nation’s oldest aquarium
  39. Learn all about the postal service at the National Postal Museum
  40. Check out The National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.
  41. Make an appointment to see the Department of State Visitor Center and National Museum of American Diplomacy
  42. Cool down by visiting one of the Smithsonian’s three IMAX theaters!
  43. If you are looking for an outdoor hike, check out the Theodore Roosevelt Island (88.5-acre park on the Potamic)
  44. Learn about African American’s role in the U.S. Civil War at the African American Civil War Memorial and Museum
  45. See the World War I memorial at District of Columbia War Memorial
  46. See the George Mason Memorial (he was a founding father)
  47. See the Iwo Jima Memorial near Arlington National Cemetary (see photos)
  48. Relax along the Potamic River in a beautiful setting at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove
  49. Visit the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial (near FDR Memorial)
  50. Honor fallen officers at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial
  51. Don’t miss the new National Pentagon 9/11 Memorial
  52. See the United States Air Force Memorial near the Pentagon (on the grounds of Fort Myer)
  53. Visit the The Naval Heritage Center and the U.S. Navy Memorial (right next to each other) to learn about the U.S. Navy’s history
  54. Check out the National Geographic Museum and their many events

Things to do  in Washington, D.C.

There is so much to do in Washington, D.C. that you could spend weeks here, and not spend a dime except for meals, car, and lodging. Don’t believe me? It may surprise you to learn that The Smithsonian is absolutely free, along with The White House tour, the U.S. Capital, the U.S. Supreme Court Building, and most national monuments.

Getting around: You’re going to do a lot of walking, but you can minimize by planning ahead. Use the Metro routes to get around the city quickly, and then walk from there. You can also consider renting a vehicle, or sign up for Zipcar (available in D.C., and not an endorsement).

Things to Do in Washington, D.C.