Washington DC is a great place to visit and a good base to start a road trip into Virginia or to combine with a trip to New York.
For whatever reason, it is often perceived as a bit of a dull place for a trip, at least it seems to be among the people I hang out with. However, nothing could be further from the truth. As well as being the US capital city and home to the buildings you have seen on countless TV shows and films; The White House, The US Capitol and The Lincoln Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, to name just a few, it is also home to the wonderful Smithsonian Institution, some great restaurants and interesting shopping.
The Smithsonian Institution offers 19 free museums so there is something to interest everyone. My personal favourite is the National Air and Space Museum.
In addition to all of this you can wander the historic Georgetown district and enjoy some great restaurants and shopping while you are there, go bar hopping around the lively U Street Corridor and enjoy the cafes, restaurants and atmosphere in Dupont Circle.
Washington DC Top 10 Attractions
Washington is a fascinating city with loads has tons of great things to see and do. Many of the sights are hugely familiar to us, having been the setting for countless films and TV shows, not to mention regular appearances on the news! Here is our pick of the best of them.
Don’t miss…
1) The United States Capitol with it’s iconic Dome has to come in at number one on any trip to Washington. Check out the west front, the setting for the presidential inaugurations, don’t worry, you will recognise it when you see it!
The Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC
2) The Capitol has to be closely followed by the White House in terms of Washington must sees. Maybe you’ll be super lucky and get to see the President coming or going……
3) Further down the Mall, the Lincoln Memorial is my favourite of the memorials. The 19ft high statue of a seated Lincoln, the sheer size of the memorial and its setting are amazing. This is where Martin Luther King made his “I have a dream” speech in 1963. It echoes beautifully with the inscriptions on the walls of the memorial.
4) On a similarly lofty note, the National Air and Space Museum is fabulous. The history of aviation is here from the 1903 Wright Flyer to the command module for Apollo 11.
5) If you are looking for inspiration of a different type, head to the National Gallery of Art. I love the East Building with its massive Calder mobile.
Pressure suit, Apollo 11, National Air and Space Museum, Washington DC
6) I think the Mall at night is a sight in its own right. Go during the day and head back in the evening to see how different everything looks when it is lit. The Korean War Veterans Memorial is especially evocative at night.
7) If you need to come back to earth, leave the grand sights of the Mall behind for a while and enjoy a wander around Georgetown. I like the shops, the restaurants and the atmosphere.
8) Get out of the city and head to Mount Vernon, George Washington’s country house on the banks of the Potomac River.
9) Take some time out for reflection and where better to do that than Arlington National Cemetery. The Lawns of Graves are a sobering reminder of the cost of war and a place to remember the fallen.
10) If you feel the need to stretch your legs and check out some stupendous views, , head out of town to the amazing views of the Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park.
To get you in the mood for your trip…….
Listen; Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech
Read; “All the President’s Men” by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward
Watch; Lincoln or The West Wing
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