7/10/2025

“MUST SEE” WASHINGTON DC ATTRACTIONS – SORTED BY INTEREST


“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?”

The following list attempts to sort DC’s top-tier attractions by their central appeal. Skim the list, figure out what categories are of most interest to you, and then use the suggestions to begin narrowing down your personal list of ‘must sees’. 

In order to avoid excessive duplication, each attraction is listed by its primary mission; however, a very few attractions do pop up more than once. (FYI, there are around 200 separate destinations here, and this list is by no means comprehensive!)

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
National Museum of the U.S. Army

·          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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