Washington, D.C.: Exploring Washington's Historic Landmarks and Neighborhoods

Most visitors to Washington, D.C. come strictly to see the big names: the Mall, the Lincoln Monument, the White House, and the Smithsonian Institute. These are grand, worthy emblems of American accomplishments, but delve deeper into this city, and you'll discover lesser-known treasures. Washington, D.C. holds a unique position in the United States as both a testament to its past and an indicator of its future, and its many creative galleries and eateries reflect that ethos.

Take the National Gallery of Art, for instance. While the massive building doesn't exactly cower in the shadows, tourists intent on sticking to the regimen prescribed by their handbooks often overlook it. Not only is the National Gallery free, but it also serves as a repository for some of the world's most renowned works and stages temporary exhibitions of everything from Rembrandt portraits to Art Nouveau posters. For a glimpse into the glamorous life, don't miss Hillwood Museum and Gardens; this mansion showcases lavishly decorated rooms and a comprehensive collection of the royal Russian art that owner Marjorie Merriweather Post began collecting in the 1930s. Dumbarton Oaks in Georgetown also presents treasures (Pre-Columbian and Byzantine) within a stately home.

If you like your art contemporary and your food cutting edge, head for Dupont Circle. Here you can browse trendy galleries like Burton Marinkovich Fine Arts, and then indulge your taste for the exotic at Ten Penh, purveyors of Asian nouvelle cuisine. As expected, Washington also serves up ample helpings of political insider chit-chat at bars like the Brickskeller and the Round Robin. As you sip one of the Brickskeller's 800 different brands of beer, congratulate yourself on becoming a cultural insider.