Places to Visit in Washington DC
The capital of the most powerful country of this world, Washington DC has numerous places for sight seeing. There are many options, from fantastic museum sites to contemporary theme parks to drama theaters. So if you are wondering where to go, read on.
Top 10 Places to Visit in Washington DC
The Mall, Et All
Well if you are a first timer most probably you would hear from the guide or those who have gone earlier about the National Mall. What is amazing about this central point of DC's sight seeing venture is its combination of architectural monuments and natural surroundings. This area has constitution avenue in the north, 14th street to the west, Independence Avenue to the south and 3rd street to the east. The Washington Monument stands tall amidst the other monuments at the west end of the Mall and Capitol Building towers on the east. In addition to this, there is the Lincoln memorial commemorating the contribution of the 16th President of the USA, Abraham Lincoln to the country's history. Other memorial monuments include the Korean War Memorial as well. Furthermore, you have the Smithsonian Institution Museums dotting the Mall. If you are tired of memorials, catch an IMAX movie. So after making the visitors spoiled for choice, it is no wonder the tourists or visitors within the country spend a whole day here.
Muse About Museums
If you are wondering which museum or museums to visit, let me begin with the most popular ones. The most popular museums are National Museum of Natural History and National Air and Space Museum. Both these, are located in the National Mall area and are Smithsonian museums. The museum of Natural history has a collection of more than 100 natural science specimens and cultural artifacts. This is one of the best places to see in Washington DC for kids. The National Air and space museum is another museum which is loved by kids of all ages. This museum has the biggest collection of historic air and spacecraft in the world. Amongst the whopping number of exhibits, are the original Wright 1903 flyer, Apollo 11 command module and Spirit of Saint Louis. Another addition to this list is the National Museum of American History. Check it out for a mind-boggling experience (in the form of artifacts) of the American History!
To The 'Pont'
The Dupont Circle is a nice, cosmopolitan neighborhood, a home for DC's ethnic restaurants, finest museums, book stores and art galleries. Heart of Washington's nightlife, this has a lovely park, with fountain, where people can gather and have a great time. You can also see lots of high-rise apartments here. All in all, a place to chill after you are tired of the umpteen places to see in Washington DC.
Great Falls
No no, I do not intend to say that you fall somewhere, I am making an allusion to the Great Falls Park. This is a must watch when you are visiting DC. This is an enormous 800 acre park located on the river Potomac. In the DC metropolitan area, this is undoubtedly the most vouched for natural landmarks. This park offers a plethora of activities picnicking, hiking, kayaking, horseback riding and rock climbing, all on the backdrop of beautiful blue 20-feet cascading waterfalls. So have a ball at the Fall!
Old Town
By this, I want to bring about another amazing place to go in Washington DC and that is the Old Town Alexandria. This is a quaint historic town, on the other side of the Potomac. What gives this spot or the area a historical significance is the fact that the Alexandria riverfront was a colonial port and important one at that. It has been a witness to the Colonial, revolutionary and the civil wars. Enjoy the taste of vintage USA, with cobblestone streets, colonial houses and so on.
Echo Around
The Glen Echo park is a premier amusement park, one of the best places to visit in Washington DC. Over the years, after being established in 1891, this park is a hub for vibrant humanities and arts, run and managed by the Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture. The performances in Spanish Ballroom, annual Labor Day Art Show are some of the attractions of the Glen Echo Park. You have to go there to experience it!
Just a Quarter
Penn Quarter is a whole district or neighborhood, dedicated to arts and entertainment accompanied by nightclubs, restaurants, art galleries, trendy stores and so on. It is in 'downtown' Washington and is located halfway between the White House and US Capitol Building.
For the Party People
Adams Morgan, has undoubtedly the most exciting nightlife. This area is decked up with nightclubs and restaurants offering exotic cuisines ranging from the Oriental to the African. Latin American Youth Center and Latino Community Heritage Center, District of Columbia Arts Center, Patricia M. Sitar Center for the Arts and Meridian Hill Park are a few other places in Washington DC around Adam's Morgan, which are worth paying a visit to.
Show Me the Money
Well, no, I am not uttering Tom Cruise's dialog from Jerry Maguire, here! All I want to say is do visit the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Here you would be able to watch real money being printed. Catch a glimpse of how the most powerful currency of the world is printed, stacked, cut and thoroughly checked. If you are lucky, you might come a cross a glimpse of Obama inviting the senators or the security advisers in the form of a White House invitation, which is also printed here!
Zoo'ing' the City
Last, but not the least is the National Zoo. With more than 400 species of animals set in a 163-acre area, this park is not to be missed. This can consume several hours of your day because of its sheer size and you need to do a lot of walking. So heels and trendy and dainty shoes are a big no no!
Go for what interests you more and what you enjoy. Have fun!
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