Why Washington, D.C. is Cool

Museums

We have a bajillion museums, including:

  • 17 Smithsonian museums (admission FREE) featuring art, history, and Air & Space
  • The International Spy Museum
  • The Newseum
  • The U.S. Botanic Garden (FREE)

Monuments & Memorials

Walk around and visit these reminders of significant dead Americans.

  • Washington Monument
  • Jefferson Memorial
  • Lincoln Memorial
  • Korean, Vietnam, WWI and WWII Memorials
  • Martin Luther King Memorial
  • The "Dead Kennedys" (Arlington National Cemetery)

Democracy

See gridlock in action!

  • The White House
  • The Capitol
  • The Supreme Court
  • All the "Alphabet Soup" Agencies

Other Historical Places

Many treasures can be found off the beaten path.

  • Ford’s Theater where Lincoln was shot
  • The National Archives where you can see the Declaration of Independence
  • Frederick Douglass house (circa 1895)
  • National Cathedral (Gothic architecture)
  • Steps in Georgetown where The Exorcist was filmed

Nightlife

Certain neighborhoods in DC have good food, drink & entertainment.

  • Dupont Circle (old school)
  • Adams Morgan (still eclectic after all these years)
  • H Street (trendy and hip!)