What Is There To Do In Washington DC?|10 Must Go-To Places in Washington DC (2024)
What Is There To Do In Washington DC?
Washington DC has one of the most exciting and world-class museums in the world. With attractive monuments, Washington DC is every history enthusiast’s dream destination. With the capital state preserving the country’s long history, Washington DC is a go-to destination.
The capital city offers an intermingling of culture and filmic experience to its tourists. With its neoclassical buildings and iconic Potomac river, there are plenty of the best places to see in Washington.
10 Must Go-To Places in Washington DC
Here is the list of the 10 best places to see in Washington:
1. The United States Capitol and Capitol Hill
This place is recognized as the world symbol of the United States of America. The Senate and the House of Representatives are seated here. Made like the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, it is an iconic building in Washing DC.
The main façade is the place where newly elected presidents take oath as the president. A large marble terrace gives a magnificent view of the city and the buildings. The interiors contain reliefs and paintings from historical times. The chamber of the House of Representatives has statues of prominent historical figures.
Free tours of the United States Capitol and Capitol Hill can be reserved online, on weekdays explore the paintings on the walls of the wing of the Senate of the House of Representatives. You can also visit the Senate in session, and you need to get a pass from your senator. The Library of Congress can also be visited here. It is the largest library in the world modeled over the Opera House in Paris.
Address: Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.
Official site: https://www.aoc.gov/
2. The Lincoln Memorial
One of the must go-to places in Washington DC, the Lincoln Memorial was built to commemorate the 16th president of the United States of America, Abraham Lincoln. The Washington Monument separates it by the Reflecting Pool. World-renowned sculptor Daniel Chester French designed this famous monument.
The Lincoln Memorial is a place of great historical significance. Martin Luther King’s famous “I have a dream…” speech was delivered at the Lincoln Memorial in 1963.
The monument is well lighted and opens 24/7. The statue of Lincoln is lighter ideally at night inside the dark interior, making it a sight to see.
Entry Fees: No Entry Fee
Address: 2 Lincoln Memorial Cir NW, Washington, DC 20037, USA
3. Washington Monument
The structure at 555 feet and 5 inches was built in honour of another powerful and great man. Named in the name of the first-ever president of the United States of America, the Washington Monument is an exciting place of interest in Washington DC.
There is a glass-encased elevator that goes to the top of the monument to give you a 360-degree complete view of the city. 50 American Flags encircle the base of the monument.
Entry Fees: No Entry Fee
Timings: 9 am – 10 pm
Location: 2 15th St NW, Washington, DC 20024, USA
4. The White House
The White House is the residence of the most powerful man in the world, the President of the United States of America. It has housed every president except George Washington. It is one of the must go-to places in Washington DC. The White House Visitor Center comprises interactive exhibits that show the history of the presidents of the united states of America.
The White House contains the Ellipse, which is a 54 acre stretch of lawn, the Treasury Building, and the Executive Office Building.
Address: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C.
Official site: http://www.nps.gov/whho/index.htm
5. National Air and Space Museum
With a collection of history-making artifacts of air and space crafts ranging from the 1903 Wright Brothers Flyer and the first plane that flew solo all across the notable Atlantic, the Spirit of St. Louis, the National Air and Space Museum is one of the world’s most popular aeronautical museums in the world.
The Apollo 11 command module, part of the human-crewed lunar landing mission, is also located here. Exhibits in the field of science, history, and technology of aviation are seen here. The interactive exhibits cover topics of aviation during the world wars, the space race and space technology. There are also moon rocks that you can touch.
The Albert Einstein Planetarium is also located here, where you can see lunar craters and astronomical features through high tech telescopes.
Photo By Pedro Szekely Image Source
Address: 600 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, D.C.
Official site: www.nasm.si.edu
6. National Mall and Veterans Memorials
The Veterans Memorial is one of the most moving war memorials in the world. The war memorials include the veterans belonging to the World War II, the Vietnam war and the Korean War.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, also called “The Wall,” is a black long granite wall containing the names of more than 59,000 Americans who died in the Vietnam war. The names of the soldiers who died are arranged based on when they died and not alphabetically. It is said that everyone would at least get a little emotional reading the names on the wall. The Korean War Veterans memorial contains nineteen steel sculptures of soldiers.
The National Mall is the location where the independence day celebration takes place in Washington DC. The Smithsonian American Folk Festival and the Smithsonian Kite festival occur here annually.
Location: Between Constitution Avenue and Independence Avenue, Washington, D.C
7. National Gallery of Art
With its extensive, diverse collection of European and American paintings, the National Museum of art in Washington DC is one of the most premier locations of art in the world.
The only da Vinci painting in America, the Ginevra de Benci, is located here. There are also art pieces from Monet, Renoir, Rembrandt, and Vermeer.
The East Wing has displays of sculptures by Henry Moore. Free concerts are held in the National Gallery every Sunday evenings from fall to spring. The Freer Gallery of Art has nearly 28,000 pieces of Asian masterpieces, which is one of the largest in the world. The National Museum of African Art displays thousands of artworks from Africa, including masks, costumes, and ceramics.
Address: 600 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, D.C.
Official site: www.nga.gov
8. The National Cathedral
The National Cathedral is an epitome of the rich culture and fantastic architecture of Washington. The church provides a peaceful and heavenly experience.
The Cathedral is built in English-style with neo-gothic touches, which is one of the world’s biggest cathedrals. It took 83 years to build. The Cathedral is where former President Woodrow Wilson and famous Hellen Keller are buried. The top of the 300-foot central tower is said to be the highest point of visit in Washington.
The peal bells are rung every Tuesday evening from 7 pm to 9 pm and also after the service on Sunday.
Address: Massachusetts & Wisconsin Avenues NW, Washington, D.C.
Official site: www.cathedral.org
9. National Museum of Natural History
The world-renowned Hope Diamond is located in the National Museum of Natural history in Washington DC. The Ocean Hall features spectacular underwater photography and also contains a replica of a 45-foot north Atlantic whale. People of all ages can enjoy the dinosaur exhibits.
Address: Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, D.C.
Official site: http://www.si.edu/Museums/natural-history-museum
10. Newseum
Newseum in Washington DC is the destination for modern American History. The Newseum combines filmography and displays to show their exhibits. Sections of the Berlin Wall can also be seen here. Newspaper articles on the assassination of President Lincoln and news reports of the assassination of President John F Kennedy can even be gone through here.
Events of 9/11, collections of Pulitzer winning photos shows a spectacular intuitive view on modern history.
Address: 555 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, Washington, D.C.
Official site: www.newseum.org
Washington is a brilliant tourist destination for people of all interests. From historical buffs to airplane enthusiasts, the best places to see in Washington satisfies people of all needs. It is the destination to visit at least once in your life.
