Choose from 95 Fun Things to Do in Washington Dc
Korean War Veterans Memorial
These steel statues, when reflected on the walled triangle, appear to be 38 figures, representing the 38th parallel, Korea’s location on a map. The wall of the triangle itself incorporates over 2,500 sandblasted photographic images depicting scenes from the Korean War. The memorial’s circle encloses a reflecting pool, a grove of trees, and a ring of benches, as well as inscriptions of the numbers of people who were wounded, killed, missing in action, and more. Juniper and Rose of Sharon bushes planted around the memorial symbolize the South Korean landscape.
The closest Metrorail station is Foggy Bottom at 23rd and I Streets, approximately 7/10 of a mile away and serving the Orange and Blue Lines.
Octagon House
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Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
Designed by an art collector for an art collector, the Hirshhorn was originally conceived by architect Gordon Bunshaft to house a bequest of 6,000 artworks by financier Joseph Hirshhorn. Hirshhorn’s art collection is composed of work by the greatest living artists of his 20th century life: Picasso, Matisse, Willem de Kooning, Louise Nevelson, Jackson Pollock and many more. The museum is surrounded by a four-acre, two-level sculpture garden highlighting works by Henry Moore, Alexander Calder, and more recently, Jeff Koons.
The museum today features rotating exhibits by the world’s most accomplished and controversial artists, like Chinese dissident Ai Wei Wei. One of the most popular outdoor attractions here is a Wishing Tree by Yoko Ono, a live tree to which you’re invited to pin a piece of paper with your fondest wish.
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Christian Heurich House Museum
Christian Heurich, a German immigrant, rose to prominence in D.C. society as a result of his company’s success, and this 31-room mansion was the major showplace of his wealth. State-of-the-art in its day, it features indoor plumbing, heated hot water, and an elevator. Its well-preserved interior is a microcosm of life in a late 19th-century Dupont Circle mansion, which at that time was the “it” address for the city’s rich and famous.
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Jefferson Memorial
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The Thomas Jefferson Memorial sits on the south shore of the Tidal Basin, in East Potomac Park, just south of the National Mall. The memorial is accessible by metro. Nearby are the Smithsonian museums and the Lincoln Memorial. Allow 20 to 30 minutes for a visit.
Newseum
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Embassy Row
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Old Post Office Pavilion
By the late 1920s, popular sentiment in Washington was that the building should be torn down, but the Great Depression prevented the demolition; instead, the Old Post Office was left to molder for about 40 years. In the 1970s, it was saved by community support and the National Endowment for the Arts, which now has its headquarters here; in addition to a few other government agencies, the Pavilion houses several restaurants, eateries, shops and services.
Free tours of the Pavilion’s 315-foot clock tower, which offers 360-degree views of downtown Washington, are given daily by National Park Service Rangers; tours meet by the glass elevators on the Pavilion’s stage level.
Despite its modern-day popularity, the Pavilion has proved a financial liability for the city. In 2012, real estate developer (and reality show star) Donald Trump announced he’d been approved to renovate the Pavilion into the Trump International Hotel Washington, D.C., which will include 250 hotel rooms, a conference center, a spa, restaurants and a museum dedicated to the building's history.
Capitol Hill
- You must reserve tickets to the Capitol Building interior in advance.
- Bars and restaurants are sprinkled throughout the Hill, especially in the Atlas District, along H Street NE.
- Though most of Capitol Hill is walkable, you can cover more ground on a bike, Segway, or electric cart tour.
- The US Capitol Visitors Center and information desk is a great place to start your visit.
- The Capitol Hill area, including the Capitol Building, is kid-friendly and wheelchair accessible.
Madame Tussauds Washington DC
The Madame Tussauds in D.C. focuses largely on famous political figures; one of the most photographed wax figures here depicts Marion Barry, the city’s controversial (and now deceased) former mayor. All 44 past presidents are represented, as well as President Barack Obama. And in addition to famous Hollywood and sports stars, you’ll find a figure of civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks. Each hyper-detailed wax likeness at the museum is assembled by a team of sculptors and requires approximately 100 hours to create; for instance, each strand of a figure's hair must be individually set by hand.
National World War II Memorial
Each 17-foot pillar symbolizes a different U.S. state or territory, and the two 43-foot arches are dedicated to America’s victory in the Atlantic and Pacific theaters, respectively. On 24 bronze panels at the memorial’s entrance, moving bas-relief scenes depict the process of drafting and training soldiers, sending them overseas and into battle, and welcoming them back home, either alive or dead. A series of over 4,000 gold stars symbolizes the sacrifices made by over 400,000 Americans from “the Greatest Generation,” and two pieces of “Gilroy Was Here” graffiti allude to the importance this cartoon soldier had for American troops abroad.
Visitor parking is available for free along Ohio Drive south of the Lincoln Memorial, or just south of the Jefferson Memorial in Lots A, B and C. No Metrorail stations are entirely adjacent to the Memorial, but the Farragut North, Metro Center, Farragut West, McPherson Square, Federal Triangle, Smithsonian, L’Enfant Plaza and Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter stations are all within several blocks’ walking distance.
Park rangers are on-site each day and offer tours every hour on the hour, from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
National Archives Museum
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Old Town Alexandria
Many of the neighborhood’s most popular dining destinations offer sustainable takes on American cuisine, like Hank’s Oyster Bar and Restaurant Eve, and vintage pubs and taverns harken back to the area’s early days. Thai, Vietnamese, Mexican and Afghan eateries are common sights in Old Town, reflecting a steady influx of immigrants to Alexandria since the late 1980s.
Local attractions include steamboat tours on the Potomac; Colonial homes that offer daily tours, such as the Carlyle House (1753); and the Torpedo Factory Art Center, which used to be a center for munitions manufacturing and now houses a warren of artists’ studios. From 7 a.m. to 12 noon every Saturday, one of the country’s oldest farmers’ markets is held in Old Town’s Market Square.
Free 24-hour parking passes called “proclamations” are available at the Alexandria Visitors Center (221 King Street), provided only to non-Alexandria residents. Proclamations are valid at two-hour metered spaces around Old Town and may be renewed once.
The area’s Metrorail stop is King Street-Old Town, which serves the Yellow Line from downtown Washington, D.C. From the King Street station, visitors can catch the Free King Street Trolley, which is free to ride, runs every 15 minutes, and stops at 20 different points around Old Town.
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
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National Air and Space Museum
- Bring small, easy-to-search bags to speed up your passage through security.
- Tickets are required for IMAX and Planetarium shows, and for the flight simulators.
- The National Air and Space Museum is accessible to wheelchairs.
- Wi-Fi is available at the museum.
FBI Headquarters
The J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building, also known as the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Headquarters, is the brain of the FBI’s activities around the world. The building, named after Hoover, who was the first FBI director, is located downtown in Washington DC, within walking distance of many other popular attractions. It also has a unique history, including a story that the famous FBI crime laboratory may have also been used as a smoking lounge.
The FBI has multiple locations, each of which handles various parts of the organization. The headquarters centralizes and coordinates activities at the highest levels. It serves as a hub for intelligence and information gathering. It’s also the location that takes the lead for the FBI during times of crisis or emergency.
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The FBI Headquarters is currently located at 935 Pennsylvania Ave NW. There is metered street parking nearby, but it can often be difficult to find a spot. The best way to reach the headquarters is by public transportation. The closest metro subway stops are Federal Triangle, Gallery Place/Chinatown, Metro Center, and Archives/Navy Memorial. As of July 2014, the FBI is in search of a new location for the headquarters.
Potomac River
The Basics
- Well-timed visits will bring spectacular views of spring cherry blossoms and fall foliage.
- Many boat tours are not wheelchair accessible; it's best double-check before you book.
- Don't forget sunscreen and a hat when you're out on the water.
- Keep in mind that some Potomac River activities are seasonal.
The Potomac River has many access points throughout the DC area, including in the East and West Potomac parks (both easily accessed on foot from the National Mall). For visitors riding the Washington Metro, the station nearest the river is Foggy Bottom/George Washington University. Various sightseeing cruises and boat tours on the river depart from the downtown waterfront, Georgetown, Alexandria, and Mount Vernon.
When to Get There
Where to Get the Best Views of the Potomac
Old Executive Office Building
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Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial
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National Zoological Park
A 2011 addition to the Zoo is The American Trail, featuring U.S. natives like California sea lions, bald eagles, grey wolves and brown pelicans. Nearby, the 15,000-square-foot Amazonia exhibit mimics the ecosystem of the Amazon Rainforest, with a cascading river, native palms and a 55,000-gallon aquarium; set underneath a soaring dome, the tropical landscape here is full of live creatures like toads, hummingbirds, monkeys and more.
Full of hilly terrain and steep paths, with both indoor and outdoor exhibits, it’s ideal to wear comfortable walking shoes and layered clothing for your visit to the Zoo. For refreshments along the way, there are five food stands from which to choose, including a West Coast-style surf shack and a Mediterranean café.
There is limited on-site parking available at the Zoo, but it’s set between two Metrorail stations -- Cleveland Park and Woodley Park/Zoo/Adams Morgan -- both of which serve the Red Line. Since the walk from Cleveland Park is level rather than uphill (as it is from Woodley Park), the Zoo recommends arriving at Cleveland Park and leaving from either station.