I don’t know if I should say this, but I enjoyed Washington D.C. more than New York. New York is a great place to visit, but as a fan of the TV series West Wing, I enjoyed seeing the places they talk about on the show. Even if you have never heard of West Wing, Washington has much to offer the tourist.
There are many things to see and enough museums to keep you going for weeks. The best part is that most are free and in the same area.
The White House
Having seen the White House on TV many times, I found it interesting to see it in person. Although the President lives and works in a house, it is a big house. There are 132 rooms.
Unfortunately, as a non-American citizen, I couldn’t get inside. American citizens can apply to the state governor for access. Foreign nationals need to apply to their country’s embassy in Washington, D.C. The British Embassy is unable to grant access for the foreseeable future. If you can’t get a ticket, an online tour is available.
You can see both the back and front of the White House. If you want to take a good photo, it is better when the President isn’t at home as then you can get closer.
Next to the White House lies a park known as Lafayette Square. If you position yourself behind the statue of Andrew Jackson on horseback, you can capture a photograph of the statue with the White House and the Washington Monument in the background.
The Capitol
This is where the government meets and is another iconic symbol of the USA. You can do a free tour of the Capitol, but you need to request your tickets in advance. You will watch a video and then be taken on a short tour. The building is massive. You can get a good photograph outside with the Capitol reflecting pool in front of it. This is also a good place just to chill.
Washington Monument
Washington Monument is a 555-foot-high marble obelisk towering on top of a mound. You will need a ticket to get to the top of the monument. They release a few tickets on the day (free), you can also buy a ticket in advance ($1). Whichever method you use, it’s not easy to get a ticket, as demand is high.
You go up the tower in an elevator; at the top, there are several windows to look out with great views. If you can’t get tickets to go inside, it is still worth a visit. You can see a change in the stone’s colour when they had to stop building it for twenty years because they ran out of money.
Lincoln Memorial
With its 36 marble columns, this memorial was built to resemble the Parthenon. The names of 48 of the states are listed at the top. Hawaii and Alaska later became part of the Union, so they are listed on a plaque by the front steps.
Walking up the steps feels as if you are entering something very grand. You then stand in front of a 19-foot statue of Abraham Lincoln sitting in a chair. He is tall, with an almost stern-looking face. As you gaze up at him, you can’t help but feel you are in front of a school headmaster. On the walls are Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address and his Second Inaugural Address.
The Lincoln Memorial symbolises human rights. Martin Luther King delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech here. However, during the dedication ceremonies, people, including a guest speaker, were strictly segregated.
The Memorial is lit up at night. We thought seeing this place at sunrise would be special, but we found at least 100 young people dressed up in their finery when we arrived. It was obvious that they had spent the whole night up and were finishing their celebrations watching the sunrise.
You can get a lovely view of the Washington Monument in the reflecting pool from here.
Vietnam and Korean Veterans Memorials
Near the Lincoln Memorial is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which has the names of those who died in the Vietnam War inscribed on the black wall. Tokens, primarily flowers and odd beer bottles have been left at the memorial. There are a few laminated sheets left by family and friends giving more details of their lost ones.
This gives a more personal connection to the names, especially as the first sheet I looked at was a woman, and I hadn’t thought about the women who must have died.
The nearby Vietnam Women’s Memorial shows three uniformed women helping a wounded soldier. This might not be accurate as women didn’t work on the front line, but it does remind you that some who served were women.
The Korean Memorial has 19 steel statues of soldiers on patrol. All are wearing ponchos; their expressions show how grim and bleak things were for them.
Jefferson Memorial
This memorial is a little further away than the rest of the places around The Mall, but you can take good photos of it across the Tidal Basin, especially when the blossoms are out.
If you go closer, you will see the 19-foot bronze statue of Jefferson standing up, holding the Declaration of Independence. From here, you can just about see the White House.
Smithsonian Museums
There are plenty of Smithsonian museums to visit, and the best news is that they are free, although some require a booking so they can control the number of visitors. I had heard there could be long queues to enter the National Museum of Natural History, but we walked straight in on a national holiday weekend. Here is a list of a few of them.
The National Museum of Natural History contains the Hope Diamond, Egyptian mummies, ocean animals, insects, mammals, fossils, and the Hall of Human Origins.
The National Museum of the American Indian includes objects such as beads, dolls, artwork, a video show, philosophies on creation and man’s relationship with nature, and treaties between the United States and American Indian Nations.
The National Museum of American History has the Star-Spangled Banner, a recreation of Julia Childs’ kitchen, ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, cars, trains, and Lincoln’s top hat.
The National Museum of African Art contains modern and ancient art.
The National Museum of African American History and Culture shows how African Americans shaped American history and their experiences, Nat Turner’s bible, Michael Jackson’s fedora, a plantation cabin, and a guard.
The National Air and Space Museum has planes, rockets, balloons, and space capsules. You can see a Wright brothers’ plane or a Star Trek Enterprise studio model.
Other Museums
The National Archives Museum is also free and contains the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights. It exhibits American history, which, when I was there, caused one army cadet to burst out in tears of patriotism.
The National Gallery of Art, also free, has paintings by Da Vinci, Monet and American artists.
Other places you might want to consider which are further afield are –
Washington National Cathedral– look out for the piece of moon rock in one of the windows.
The Washington National Zoo has free entrance, but parking is expensive. It is a small, hilly zoo.
Arlington National Cemetery is a military cemetery first used during the Civil War. Servicemen and their families are buried here.
Getting around
Most of the museums are near The Mall, a one-mile boulevard from the Capital to the Washington Monument. If you want to walk from the Lincoln Memorial to the Capitol, it is two miles, although, after a day of sightseeing, you might want to catch the bus.
Buses are easy to use, as you can pay in cash. Regular bus routes cost $2.25 per person.
Accommodation location
As most of the main sights are in one area, choose accommodation near The Mall if you are here briefly. For more extended visits, choose an area outside the central downtown. We chose a hotel near the White House in Foggy Bottom. Washington, D.C., has the usual selection of hotels, and they are cheaper than in New York.
Restaurants
Generally, there isn’t a great place to eat meals while sightseeing. Many of the places are overpriced for mediocre food. We tended to use the cheaper food trucks, especially as the currency exchange rate was painfully high. However, Old Ebbitt Grill, near the White House, provides excellent food and good service if you want to splash out.
After long days of sightseeing and adjusting to the time differences, we ordered takeaways to eat in our hotel room.
Climate
If you want to see the apple blossom, come at the end of March and the beginning of April.
According to the statistics, May is the wettest month, but June has the most days with rain. However, we were there at the end of May and the beginning of June, and there was no rain, and it was hot—90F one day (it isn’t usually that high). It can rain any time of the year, but you don’t need to worry too much because there is a good mixture of indoor and outdoor things to see.
July, August, and September can sometimes be hot and muggy. However, the museums are air-conditioned. It can snow from the end of November to mid-March.
Summary
I enjoyed Washington, D.C., because the weather was hot, everything was near our hotel, and most attractions were free. There was also a nice mixture of things to do outside and indoors. The National Mall is a large area of grass with fountains and trees, which gives the city a relaxed feeling.
I even got to be a few feet from the President (he was in a car, but I couldn’t tell which car).
We were there on Memorial Day and watched an exciting parade, which allowed us to explore American culture.
There are many great cities to visit in the USA, but Washington, D.C., is often underestimated. I am sure its charm and wealth of places to visit will soon make you regret not staying longer. I hope to return someday, so maybe I will see you there.
March 2025 The political landscape in the USA has changed in the last few months; please familiarise yourself with your government travel advice. Entry conditions are strictly enforced even if you make a minor mistake. The UK government warns, “You may be liable to arrest or detention if you break the rules”.
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