“What are some ‘must sees’ in DC?” This question gets asked a lot, but there is no satisfying answer to give because DC has so many top-tier attractions, it’s simply not feasible to narrow the list to just a few. The response locals usually give is: “Well, what are you interested in?”
HISTORY ·
Smithsonian
Museum of American History ·
Smithsonian
Museum of the American Indian ·
Smithsonian
Museum of African American History ·
U.S.
Holocaust Museum ·
Presidential
monuments & memorials (FDR, Lincoln, Jefferson, Washington,
Eisenhower, etc.) ·
Ford’s
Theater ·
DAR
(Daughters of the American Revolution) Museum ·
Congressional
Cemetery |
POLITICAL ·
White
House ·
People’s
House ·
Capital
Building ·
Supreme
Court ·
Embassy
Row ·
MLK
Monument |
GOVERNMENT
BUILDINGS OPEN TO VISITORS (tour may be required) ·
Bureau
of Printing & Engraving ·
Library
of Congress ·
National
Archives ·
Dept
of the Interior Museum ·
DEA
Museum & Visitor’s Center ·
Treasury
Department ·
State
Department |
QUIRKY MUSEUMS
& ATTRACTIONS ·
International
Spy Museum ·
Museum
on O Street ·
Planet
Word ·
National
Postal Museum ·
National
Building Museum ·
Union Station ·
Anderson
House/Institute of the Society of the Cincinnati ·
Textile
Museum @ GWU ·
Museum
of Illusions ·
Chinatown ·
Exorcist
stairs ·
Titanic
Memorial |
MILITARY ·
Pentagon
(+911 Memorial) ·
Arlington
Cemetery ·
Military
monuments (WW2, WW1, Vietnam, Korean, Iwo Jima, Navy, Military Women, etc.) ·
Clara
Barton’s Missing Soldiers Office Museum ·
National
Museum of the U.S. Navy ·
U.S.
Marine Corps Museum ·
Evening
Parade @ Marine Corps Barracks ·
U.S.
Air Force Memorial |
ESPIONAGE ·
International
Spy Museum ·
FBI
Experience ·
Spies
of Washington Walking Tour ·
National
Cryptologic Museum @ NSA |
SCIENCE ·
Smithsonian
Museum of Natural History Museum ·
Air
& Space Museum (+ planetarium) ·
Udvar-Hazy
Center ·
Albert
Einstein Memorial ·
National
Museum of Health and Medicine ·
National
Geographic Museum ·
Mary
W. Jackson NASA Headquarters |
NATURE &
ANIMALS ·
National
Zoo ·
Rock
Creek Park ·
C&O
Canal towpath ·
U.S.
Botanical Gardens ·
U.S.
Arboretum ·
Cherry
Blossoms (seasonal) ·
Potomac
River boats & cruises (Fletcher’s Boathouse) ·
Roosevelt
Island ·
Meridian
Hill Park |
GARDENS ·
U.S.
Botanical Gardens ·
U.S.
Arboretum ·
Dumbarton
Oaks ·
Hillwood
Estate, Museum & Gardens ·
Kenilworth
Park & Aquatic Gardens ·
Enid
A. Haupt Garden |
HISTORIC HOMES ·
Mt.
Vernon ·
President
Lincoln’s Cottage ·
Woodrow
Wilson House ·
Tudor
Place ·
Frederick
Douglass National Historic Site ·
Mary
McLeod Bethune Council House ·
Arlington
House/ Robert E. Lee House Old Stone House ·
Brewmaster’s
Castle/Christian Heurich Mansion ·
Decatur
House ·
Octagon
House |
HISTORIC HOTELS ·
Hay-Adams ·
Willard
InterContinental ·
The
Jefferson ·
Mayflower
Hotel ·
Omni
Shoreham Hotel ·
Washington
Hilton ·
Capital
Hilton (formerly Hotel Statler) |
OLD TOWN
EXPERIENCES ·
Georgetown ·
Old
Town Alexandria ·
Annapolis |
ART ·
National
Gallery of Art (+Sculpture Garden) ·
National
Portrait Gallery ·
National
Museum of African Art ·
National
Museum of Asian Art (prev. Freer + Sackler) ·
The
Phillips Collection ·
National
Museum of Women in the Arts ·
Hillwood
Estate, Museum & Gardens ·
Kreeger
Museum ·
Artechouse ·
Hirshhorn
Museum of Modern Art ·
Renwick
Gallery ·
Munroe
House/Arts Club of DC ·
Dupont
Underground |
RELIGION ·
Washington
National Cathedral ·
Museum
of the Bible ·
Basilica
of the National Shrine of Immaculate Conception ·
Franciscan
Monastery (+Roman Catacombs) ·
St.
John Paul II National Shrine ·
Capital
Jewish Museum ·
Cathedral
of St. Matthew the Apostle |
COLLEGES &
UNIVERSITIES ·
George
Washington University ·
Georgetown
University ·
American
University ·
Howard
University ·
Gallaudet
University |
WATERFRONT
DEVELOPMENTS & RIVERWALKS ·
The
Wharf ·
Yards
Park ·
Alexandria
Waterfront ·
Capitol
Riverfront ·
C&O
Canal ·
Washington
Harbor ·
Potomac
Heritage Trail ·
Anacostia
Riverwalk Trail |
VIEWS OF THE
CITY ·
Washington
Monument ·
Old
Post Office Pavilion Clock Tower ·
The
VUE rooftop bar ·
Top
of the Gate @ Watergate Hotel ·
Balcony
@Kennedy Center ·
Arlington
House @ Arlington Cemetery |
SPORTS ·
Washington
Commanders (football) ·
Washington
Nationals (baseball) ·
Washington
Wizards (men’s basketball) ·
Washington
Mystics (women’s basketball) ·
Washington
Capitals (ice hockey) ·
DC
United (men’s soccer) ·
Washington
Spirit (women’s soccer) |
BLACK HISTORY
& CULTURE ·
Smithsonian
Museum of African American History ·
Mary
McLeod Bethune Council House ·
Black
History National Recreation Trail ·
MLK
Monument ·
Frederick
Douglass home ·
Howard
Theatre Walk of Fame ·
Carter
G. Woodson Home National Historic Site ·
Lincoln
Park (Emancipation Memorial + Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial) ·
Ben’s
Chili Bowl mural ·
Step
Afrika |
WOMEN’S HISTORY
& CULTURE ·
Belmont-Paul
Women’s Equality National Monument House & Museum ·
National
Museum of Women in the Arts ·
Mary
McLeod Bethune Council House ·
Clara
Barton’s Missing Soldiers Office Museum ·
Military
Women’s Memorial |
HISPANIC
HISTORY & CULTURE ·
National
Museum of the American Latino ·
GALA
Hispanic Theatre ·
La
Cosecha marketplace |
THEATERS ·
Kennedy
Center ·
Ford’s
Theater ·
Shakespeare
Theater/Sidney Harman Hall ·
Folger
Theater ·
Arena
Stage ·
Studio
Theater ·
Warner
Theater ·
National
Theater ·
Signature
Theater · Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company |
MAJOR PERFORMANCE VENUES ·
Kennedy
Center ·
Capital
One Arena ·
DAR
Constitution Hall ·
Atlas
Performing Arts Center ·
Lisner
Auditorium ·
Wolftrap |
MUSIC ·
Blues
Alley ·
The
Anthem ·
9:30
Club ·
Howard
Theater ·
Hamilton
Live ·
DC
JazzFest ·
Kennedy
Center Millenium Stage ·
The
Strathmore ·
Go-Go
Museum & Cafe |
SHOPPING
IN/NEAR DC ·
Georgetown ·
CityCenterDC
(+Palmer Alley) ·
Union
Market ·
Dupont
Circle ·
U
Street ·
H
Street corridor ·
Gallery
Place ·
Mazza
Galleria ·
Eastern
Market ·
Tanger
Outlet Mall @ National Harbor |
BIBLIOPHILES ·
Library
of Congress ·
Folger
Shakespeare Library ·
National
Book Festival ·
Politics
& Prose bookstore ·
Busboys
& Poets bookstore ·
KramerBooks
bookstore ·
Second
Story Books bookstore ·
Capital
Hill Books Bookstore |
KIDS ·
National
Zoo ·
National
Children’s Museum ·
Paddle
boats on the Tidal Basin ·
DC
Scavenger Hunts ·
Ghost
Tours ·
East
Potomac Park Mini-Golf ·
Capital
Wheel @ National Harbor ·
Anacostia
Park (outdoor roller skating rink) ·
Ice
skating @National Gallery of Art (seasonal) |
DC DINING
INSTITUTIONS (historical/traditional) ·
Old
Ebbitt Grill ·
Ben’s
Chili Bowl ·
Beuchert’s
Saloon ·
The
Hamilton ·
The
Occidental ·
Café
Riggs ·
Martin’s
Tavern ·
Monocle ·
Florida
Avenue Grill ·
Reeves
Bakery ·
Robin’s
Bar @ Willard ·
Sky
Terrace @ Hotel Washington ·
1789 |
FARMERS
MARKETS/FOOD HALLS ·
Union
Market ·
Eastern
Market ·
Main
Avenue Fish Market ·
The
Roost ·
Western
Market |
|
FESTIVALS &
PARADES ·
Smithsonian
Folklife Festival ·
Cherry
Blossom Festival ·
Passport
DC Embassy Week ·
National
Pride Day ·
Capital
Fringe Festival ·
National
Capital BBQ Battle ·
A
Capital Fourth ·
National
Book Festival ·
National
Memorial Day Parade & Concert |
THINGS TO DO
EVENINGS/NIGHTS IN DC ·
Evening
monument tour ·
Evening
history or ghost tours ·
Performances
(see THEATERS, MUSIC, MAJOR PERFORMANCE VENUES) ·
Sporting
events (see SPORTS) ·
Riverwalks/shopping
districts (see RIVERWALKS, SHOPPING) ·
Museums
with evening hours (see QUIRKY MUSEUMS; also, some Smithsonians stay open
late on specific nights during summer) ·
Potomac
dinner cruise ·
Dining
(see DC DINING INSTITUTIONS) ·
Novelties:
clubs, pubs, speakeasies, indoor minigolf, ax throwing, etc. ·
Ice
skating (seasonal) |
CHRISTMAS IN DC ·
National
Christmas tree ·
Capital
Christmas tree ·
Holiday
display @ U.S. Botanical Gardens ·
White
House Christmas decorations ·
Christmas
Carol @ Ford’s Theater ·
ZooLights
@ the National Zoo ·
Nutcracker
@ Kennedy Center ·
Model
trains @ Union Station ·
Holiday
Boat Parade @ the Wharf ·
Ice
Skating @ National Gallery of Art ·
Gingerbread
display @ the Willard Hotel ·
German
Christkindlmarket @Heurich House Museum ·
Downtown
DC Holiday Market |
HIKING (NOTE: most of
these are located on outskirts of downtown or in suburbs) ·
Mt.
Vernon Trail ·
Rock
Creek Park ·
Western
Ridge Trail ·
Roosevelt
Island ·
Capital
Crescent Trail ·
Great
Falls Park |
DAY TRIPS ·
Great
Falls (~30mins) ·
Baltimore/Inner
Harbor (+National Aquarium) (~1hr) ·
Manassas
Battlefield (~1hr) ·
Loudon
Wine Country (~1hr) ·
Six
Flags America (~1hr) ·
Sandy
Point State Park (~1hr) ·
Gettysburg
(~1.5hrs) ·
Kings
Dominion (~1.5hrs) ·
Williamsburg
(~2.5hrs) ·
Skyline
Drive (~2.5hrs) |
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