By air
Reagan National (DCA) or Dulles (IAD), DCA ~8 km
North America · United States
Washington, D.C., United States
Monuments, museums and cherry blossom
Getting there
Best time to visit
March to May — cherry blossom in late March or April
Don't miss
The Lincoln Memorial
The Capitol
The Smithsonian museums
The White House
Things to do
The Smithsonian museums (free)
The National Mall
The Capitol
Where to eat
What to pack
Comfortable shoes
A quieter corner
The monuments lit up at night
Questions travellers ask
When does the cherry blossom bloom in Washington, D.C.?
In late March or April. March to May is the best time to visit.
Which airports serve Washington, D.C.?
Reagan National (DCA), about 8 km away, or Dulles (IAD).
Which monuments and museums should I see in Washington, D.C.?
The Lincoln Memorial, the Capitol, the White House, the National Mall and the Smithsonian museums. Wear comfortable shoes, and come back at night to see the monuments lit up.
What local food should I try in Washington, D.C.?
Half-smokes, and Ethiopian food in Shaw.
About Washington, D.C.
- Riverside
Where it is
Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States, lies on the east bank of the Potomac River where it meets the Anacostia, between Maryland and Virginia. It is a federal district rather than part of any state.
History
Congress chose the site on the Potomac in 1790, and the city was laid out to Pierre L'Enfant's plan of broad avenues radiating from the Capitol and the White House. The government moved here in 1800, British troops burned the Capitol and the White House in 1814, and the city grew with the federal government through the Civil War and the 20th century.
People
Washingtonians include federal workers, diplomats and students from around the world, and the city has a long African American history, from the U Street corridor, once called Black Broadway, to go-go, its home-grown funk music. The half-smoke sausage and the city's many Ethiopian restaurants are local favourites.
Known for
- The National Mall and its memorials
- The Smithsonian museums
- The Capitol and the White House
- Cherry blossom around the Tidal Basin
- Georgetown's historic streets
Did you know?
The Smithsonian Institution was founded with a bequest from James Smithson, a British chemist and mineralogist who never visited the United States.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.