The capital is the best-value city trip in America: almost everything worth seeing is free. The Smithsonian’s museums line the National Mall — air and space, natural history, American history, African American history, art — with the great memorials at the end of it. Three days is the minimum; museum lovers will want more.
Things to do in Washington
The National Mall & memorials
Two miles from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial, past the Washington Monument, the World War II Memorial and the Reflecting Pool. Branch off to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial’s black granite wall, the Korean War Veterans Memorial and, across the Tidal Basin, the Jefferson and Martin Luther King Jr. memorials.
Walk it after dark: the memorials are open 24 hours, floodlit, and almost empty.
See tours and tickets partner linkLincoln Memorial
The seated Lincoln, the Gettysburg Address carved on the wall, and the steps where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963 (a marked stone shows the spot).
The Smithsonian museums
All free. The essentials: the National Air and Space Museum (the Wright Flyer, Apollo 11’s command module), the National Museum of Natural History (the Hope Diamond, the dinosaur hall), the National Museum of African American History and Culture (timed entry passes), and the National Museum of American History (the Star-Spangled Banner).
The African American History museum releases free same-day passes online each morning, and advance passes weeks ahead.
4The U.S. Capitol
Free guided tours of the Rotunda and Crypt from the underground Visitor Center, bookable online. From the Senate and House galleries you can watch Congress in session (passes from your embassy or member of Congress, or same-day at the Capitol for international visitors).
5The White House
Most visitors see it from Lafayette Square to the north or the Ellipse to the south. Public tours exist but must be requested well in advance: Americans through their member of Congress, foreign visitors through their embassy in Washington.
6National Gallery of Art
Free, on the Mall: the only Leonardo da Vinci painting in the Americas (Ginevra de’ Benci), Vermeers, the Impressionists, and I. M. Pei’s East Building for modern art.
7Arlington National Cemetery
Across the Potomac: the Kennedy graves and eternal flame, and the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, every hour (every half hour in summer).
8Georgetown
Federal-style townhouses, the C&O Canal towpath, the waterfront and the “Exorcist steps”. Best for an afternoon stroll and dinner.
Cherry blossoms and the best time to go
The Japanese cherry trees around the Tidal Basin, a gift from Tokyo in 1912, usually peak in late March or early April; the National Park Service announces the predicted peak a few weeks before. The National Cherry Blossom Festival runs for about four weeks around it. Hotels are full and pricey: book early.
Summer is hot and humid, with July 4th fireworks on the Mall. September and October are pleasant and calmer. Winters are mild to cold and the cheapest time, except around a presidential inauguration (January, every four years).
Getting around
The Metro is clean and simple: tap a contactless card or use a SmarTrip card. Reagan National (DCA) is on the Metro, 15 minutes from downtown; Dulles (IAD) has the Silver Line, about 50 minutes. The Mall itself is best on foot or on a Capital Bikeshare bike. Don’t drive in the city.
Washington sits midway on the East Coast road trip: New York is 3 hours by Amtrak, Philadelphia 2 hours, and Shenandoah National Park’s Skyline Drive starts 70 miles west.
Where to stay in Washington
Washington is compact; stay within walking distance of a Metro station and you will reach everything in 20 minutes. Prices fall sharply on weekends, when the business travellers leave.
Our 2 hotel picks in Washington
Photos, facilities and tips →
Luxury$$$$The Jefferson
Downtown, near Dupont Circle, at 16th and M Streets NW
An independent 1923 Beaux-Arts landmark three blocks from the White House, with a skylit restaurant and a celebrated cocktail bar.
Family$$$$Capitol Hill Hotel
Capitol Hill, one block from the Capitol South Metro
Rooms and suites with kitchenettes in Capitol Hill row houses, one block from the Capitol South Metro.
Downtown & Penn Quarter
$$$$Best for: first-timers
Walk to the Mall, the Smithsonian and the White House; restaurants around Capital One Arena.
Hotels in Downtown & Penn Quarter partner linkDupont Circle
$$$$Best for: charm, restaurants
Embassies, Victorian townhouses, bookshops and cafés, on the Red Line.
Hotels in Dupont Circle partner linkCapitol Hill
$$$$Best for: a residential feel
Row houses and Eastern Market, near the Capitol and Union Station.
Hotels in Capitol Hill partner linkThe Wharf & Navy Yard
$$$$Best for: waterfront, nightlife
New waterfront districts with concert halls, rooftop bars and the Nationals ballpark.
Hotels in The Wharf & Navy Yard partner linkArlington (Rosslyn, Crystal City)
$$$$Best for: value
Across the river in Virginia, one or two Metro stops from the Mall, often much cheaper.
Hotels in Arlington (Rosslyn, Crystal City) partner linkWhere to eat
D.C. has a serious food scene, thanks to its embassies and immigrant communities — Ethiopian food especially.
Ben’s Chili Bowl
U Street
The “half-smoke”, a spicy sausage in chili, at a landmark of Black Washington since 1958.
$
Old Ebbitt Grill
Near the White House
A Washington saloon since 1856: oysters, politicians and journalists.
$$
Ethiopian on 9th Street
Shaw
Little Ethiopia’s restaurants serve injera and stews for a few dollars a plate.
$
Union Market
NoMa
A food hall in a 1930s market: oysters, Korean tacos, Indian street food.
$
Weather in Washington by month
Compare every destination month by month in the when-to-go explorer.
Washington: your questions
Are the museums in Washington, D.C. really free?
Yes. All Smithsonian museums, the National Zoo and the National Gallery of Art are free. Some, like the African American History museum, require free timed passes.
How many days do you need in Washington, D.C.?
Three days for the memorials and three or four museums. Five if you want Arlington, Georgetown, Mount Vernon and a deeper museum crawl.
Can foreigners tour the White House?
Yes, but the request goes through your country’s embassy in Washington, often months in advance, and is not guaranteed.
When do the cherry blossoms bloom?
Usually between late March and early April. The National Park Service publishes the predicted peak bloom dates in early March.
Is Washington D.C. easy to visit without a car?
Very. The Metro links the airports and every neighborhood, and the Mall is best on foot or by bike.
Written by Kylian Dev · Last reviewed October 21, 2026. Prices are in US dollars, before sales tax.