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After 217 years as the nation’s capital, Washington is a place brimming with a unique history of its own. It has developed as a complex and layered city with multiple personalities. As home to the federal government, it has attracted a diverse mix of government workers, members of Congress from every state, foreign emissaries, lobbyists, petitioners and protestors. While elected and appointed officials come and go giving the city its reputation as a transient community, many of the city’s residents have called Washington home for multiple generations. Their stories give Washington its distinctive character as both a national and local city.
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Top attractions include:
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Smithsonian’s: National Museum of Natural History (7 million visitors)
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National Air & Space Museum (6 million visitors)
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National Museum of American History (3 million visitors)
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National Zoological Park (3 million visitors
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Lincoln Memorial (4 million visitors)
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World War II Memorial (4 million visitors)
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Vietnam Veterans Memorial (4 million visitors)
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Korean Memorial (3 million visitors)
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FDR Memorial (3 million visitors)
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Rock Creek Park (2 million visitors)
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DC is also home to 4 major sporting event venues with 167,000 total seats and 8 major professional teams including the Redskins, Wizards, Mystics, Nationals, United and Capitals
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There are more than 40 performing arts/theatre venues with 31,000 total seats.
If your group has a strict budget, check out this link on D.C.'s website listing 100 free (or mostly free) things to do in the city!
Here's an example itinerary for three event-filled days!
| The National Mall, home to many of the magnificent museums of the Smithsonian Institution, is a great place to start your day. See the magnificent jewels, dinosaurs and mammals on display at the National Museum of Natural History, the airplanes and interactive flight simulators at the National Air and Space Museum, and the stories, arts and crafts at the National Museum of the American Indian. And it's all free of charge. The museums also offer free tours to groups who reserve in advance. There's more to explore on the National Mall than just the Smithsonian Institution. Art lovers won't want to miss a visit to the National Gallery of Art, while the National Archives is a must for any American history buff. |
Enjoy a quick dinner in downtown or at a Capitol Hill neighborhood eatery then go to Union Station. The glorious train station is the departure point for tours of the monuments at moonlight offered by Tourmobile and Old Town Trolley. Bike and Roll and City Segway Tours (ages 16 & up) also offer evening tours in season departing from other points in the city. If you've booked a private charter, resist the temptation to see all of the monuments during the day and stop on your way back from dinner to see a few of them at night time. |
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Touring the White House: Contact your Representative or Senator at least two months before you arrive. International visitors should contact their embassies.
Book in advance: Reserve tickets for attractions like the Washington Monument, Spy Museum, Bureau of Engraving and Printing and Holocaust Memorial Museum in advance.
See what's going on: Search the calendar on washington.org to see what's going on.
Budget tips: You'll generally find the best hotel rates on weekends and in late summer and winter.
Tour at "off-peak" hours. Check for special early hours or late hours at select museums, or check out the monuments at dawn or dusk.
Great views: Ride to the top of the tower at the Old Post Office Pavilion or cross the Potomac River to the U.S. Marines Memorial (Iwo Jima). The Frederick Douglass House in Anacostia also boasts a great view.
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| Head to U Street for breakfast at a DC institution, Ben's Chili Bowl. Or, if you're visiting on a weekend, visit the colorful farmer's market at Dupont Circle or Eastern Market on Capitol Hill. After breakfast, tour the Capitol Hill neighborhood and explore the U.S. Capitol, Library of Congress and Supreme Court. The neighborhood is also home to Union Station and the Folger Shakespeare Library, which houses the largest collection of Shakespeare memorabilia outside of England. For lunch, take Metro to downtown's Penn Quarter neighborhood. You'll also find lots of dining options (from casual barbeque to elegant French) near the Verizon Center. Or, feast on fresh noodles and flavorful soups in DC's Chinatown. |
Go undercover at the International Spy Museum, where you can crack codes, take on covers and even let your group take on its own covert operation. Or, stop by the National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum, the newest addition to the Smithsonian system. Ride to the top of the Washington Monument (tickets required) or the Old Post Office Pavilion for a panoramic view of the city. Animal lovers may also wish to pay a visit to the National Zoo, home to giant pandas, cheetahs, tigers and other exotic species. |
Discover DC's theatre scene. The Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage offers free performances at 6:30 pm nightly. Other theatres, such as the Shakespeare Theatre Company, Arena Stage, Warner Theatre, National Theatre, regularly present familiar classics. For something a bit more contemporary, catch a show at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company or Studio Theatre. |
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| Start your morning in one of DC's prized neighborhood attractions, like the Anacostia Community Museum, The Phillips Collection, Washington National Cathedral or Hillwood Museum and Gardens, then head to Georgetown for fantastic shopping and sightseeing in a charming historic setting. Step back in time with a mule-driven barge ride on the historic Chesapeake & Ohio Canal and stop for lunch at a casual bistro. |
Sports fans can watch the Washington Nationals, Washington Wizards, Washington Mystics, Washington Capitals or DC United in action. If your group is looking for nightlife, head to U Street for live jazz music or Adams Morgan to experience DC's eclectic, international scene. |
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Washington D.C.