Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Favorite Attractions in Washington DC

Fodor's Travel Talk Forums (https://www.fodors.com/community/)

- United States (https://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/)

- - Favorite Attractions in Washington DC (https://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/favorite-attractions-in-washington-dc-258930/)

Favorite Attractions in Washington DC

We just returned from a weekend trip to Washington DC. I've visited five times or so now and I still can't get over how many amazing FREE museums (and other attractions) are in DC. I'd love to hear what other people's favorite museums and/or attractions are in DC. I especially would love to hear about any relatively unknown attractions. I'll list some of mine. National Building Museum: This has to be my favorite. I'm very interested in urban planning and engineering issues, so it suits my tastes perfectly. It seems to be somewhat off the main tourist radar. The museum is housed in a magnificent, massive building and has the most incredible gift store (the perfect place to find unique/interesting souvenirs and gifts). Take the Red Line to Judiciary Square. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden: I have a real interest in modern art, and this certainly is one of the best modern art museums I've ever seen. The building itself is quite interesting as well. The sculpture garden is sunken below street level right against the Mall and is another impressive collection. The Smithsonian exit from L'Enfant Plaza station (Yellow/Green, Orange/Blue lines) National Gallery of Art: I'm not much of a fan of classical art, but there is such a collection here that I always find something that catches my eye. The West building is very serene, especially the two "garden courts" complete with fountains. I also love the spaciousness of the IM Pei designed east Building, including the pyramid waterfall (guess who designed the Louvre pyramid as well.....). Again, a great gift shop (incredible selection of art/architecture books). Yellow/Green lines to Archives/Navy Memorial. Union Station: The renovation that was completed in the 80s or 90s has made this one of the most beautiful train stations in the world. Now, it's been turned into more of a shopping mall than a train station, though it is Amtrak's third busiest station. It's just stunning to walk through. Red line to Union Station. Postal Museum: I never though it would be interesting, but it was. I expect that children would find it even more intriguing. It's directly across 1st Street NE from Union Station. Old Post Office Pavilion: It's also been turned into a shopping complex. However, there is a fairly unknown lookout tower in the building, which is free to go up to (an elevator and the a few stairs, if I remember correctly). You can see quite a fair amount from the top. Orange/Blue to Federal Triangle. Metro Center Metro Station: Yes I know, it's a subway station. But standing on the red line platforms with the two massive vaults meeting high above your head is something pretty spectacular. Orange/Blue or Red lines. Walking down Embassy Row: The mansions are incredible to walk by, and it's kind of fun to try and see how many countries' flags you recognize. Red line to Dupont Circle, walk northwest along Massachusetts. (There are a lot of Embassies on New Hampshire northeast of the circle and Massachusetts southeast of Dupont).

James, Glad you enjoyed the trip. I love DC. I agree with you on the Building Museum. I had the great fortune to be at two receptions there and found it magnificent. My favorite museum is the American History Museum. I find new things every time I go there. The thing I love the most is wandering around the Lincoln Memorial at night. I can't explain the feeling but I have to go there on every vist. Ah I feel like I need to plan a trip soon!

James: I use to live in the D.C. and always loved to tour. I must have visited Mount Vernon about 10 times, while living in the area, just to walk around the grounds and to sit on one of the chairs on the porch that overlooks the Potomac River and Maryland. I would like to go back soon to D.C. and go to the Old Post Office, love the souvenir shops, and also to the J.W. Marriott. for the specialty shops and food. Between those places I'd visit Ford's Theatre for the verbal tour and to go downstairs and look at the few artifacts and then I go to the Smithsonian American History and Air and Space Museums (there Imax theatre has a good show there). On the second day I spend time in Old Town Alexandria, VA and tour the Carlyle House, Gatsby Tavern and the Lee Fendell Homes.

I get goose bumps at the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials, and the eternal flame at Arlington. But I can never get enough of the Air & Space museum...I want to read every exhibit, but never get to do it. I still can't believe that Alan Shephard, John Glenn, Guss Grissom and the rest of the mercury 7 strapped themselves into a coffee can at the ent of a rocket...

The best kept secret in town: The Library of Congress.

I agree with Kellie. The interiors of the Library of Congress(Jefferson Building) are among the most spectacularly beautiful I have ever seen.

Toured the capital years ago but at that time I would not have paid special attention to the King Kamehameha statue. Looking forward to checking this out along with Elizabeth Katy Stanton statue and others. Anybody done this tour recently. The only down side is that you have to line up at 8am in the morning to get a spot. I missed it twice over the summer with this problem, also no Sunday tours!!!

Anybody ever do any research at the Library of Congress or Smithsonian Libraries. I know you can look up some itneresting things but you have to have an appointment. One thing I wanted to look into and I am sorry if I am making anyone gag (I know I am a bit obsessed with Hawaii), but there are records from families on the islands that pleaded with the US to not annex the independent nation. I think it would be interesting to look up these and other documents. Online you can look up your hometown and in many situations see a photo taken in the area 100 years ago. Can't imagine what you would have access to if you were aloud to look at records not available online.

Those letters and petitions from Hawaiian families are in the Smithsonian Library and you only need an appointment no other professional or educational pursuits.

I'm so glad you enjoyed our city. It is truly beautiful isn't it? There are few places you can visit that offers as many free museums and activities as Washington DC does. Thanks for coming - now - Everybody come on down!!!!!

We returned from our second trip two weeks ago and had a great time. I know it sounds weird, but we like to ride the Metro! My favorite is the Museum of Natural History. I'm amazed by the dino bones! I could spend days there. We checked out the Holocost Museum this time. It's wonderfully done, but terribly sad. I couldn't stay there very long as it's too depressing. It's well worth checking out, but may not be for the younger folks. The monuments are amazing as always. I think every US citizen should take the opportunity and visit D.C. as it's a wonderful place. Tia

Interesting how my old thread was revived..... DC really is one of the most interesting cities from a beauty perspective, an urban planning perspective and a cheapskate perspective too :-) Hehe. Thankfully, I appreciate all those things. I've never seen the cherry blossoms, but I am always amazed at how many trees are in the city (Dupont Circle area, Embassy Row, Capitol Hill neighborhood, Georgetown, etc). Plus, the way the city was laid out my Pierre L'Enfant affords incredible views from so many areas. The broad avenues are quite spectacular. And Tia, I too think the Metro is great. Especially the transfer stations like Metro Center where the two vaulted ceiling sections meet in a monumental arch. I just wish there was a bit more variety in the stations. I don't think I will ever be able to visit the Holocaust museum, however. I have a very hard time dealing with those kind of emotions within myself. I can only imagine how haunting and emotional the experience is. The WTC exhibit in the Museum of American History almost tore me apart. Anyway, I think for any family, DC is certainly a great cheap destination. You can easily stay in cheaper hotels at Crystal City and still be 15/20 mins from central DC on the Metro. You definitely don't need a car. There are so many free museums and sites. About the only thing that will cost you is eating. And there is so much good food in DC that's fairly cheap.

My husband & I & the inlaws just returned from DC too. Along with the above poster's comments, my inlaws decided to visit the Holocoust museum too - spent the whole day there and didn't see everything. A guide there told them if one was to read every display and watch every video it would take approx. nine hours. The new Spy museum is really good also - though it doesn't show too much in modern technology it was neat to hear the stories from former spies. After reading James' comments I wish we'd visited Embassy Row. We were there a week and still didn't get to see everything =)

As far as the expense of eating - "Budget Travel" Nov 2002 edition has an article on various cafeterias in DC government office buildings with tax-payer subsidized food at reasonable prices and (mostly) good quality. I also prefer the outskirts of DC. Have stayed near Rosslyn station several times now. I might give Harrington or RedRoof a try sometime.

As a former docent at Air and Space, I must say that is truly my favorite place. I can never get enough of being near those artifacts that shaped our aeronautical and space histories. I can also never get enough of the opportunities the museum provides to meet astronauts and aviation pioneers. On that same theme, I also love the statue at the Capitol of Jack Swigert (Apollo 13) in his spacesuit.

As a resident of the DC area, one of my favorite places to take visitors is the National Cathedral. One can view the city and surrounds from vantage points in the turrent tops and for a minimal donation, take a tour of the facility. (The gift shop is superb!) The momuments at night...that's a whole other experience. And the new (?) FDR Memorial is fantastic in any season. I have been there when there was ice in the waterfalls, when the dogwood/azaleas/cherry trees were blooming, when the sweltering heat made the fountains look most inviting, and in the fall when the earth colored foliage graced every corner. Cannot vote for one over the other.