Washington, the District of Columbia, our Nation's Capitol

Vintage Multi View Postcard

Where do you begin in Washington, D.C.?  Of all the cities in the United States, I feel this city has the largest number of interesting places to visit.  Besides the expected sites like the White House, the Capitol Building and the Washington Monument, there are dozens of other places to choose from.  We spent a week there and left without seeing some of the places we had planned to visit because our time just ran out. 

The Metro rail system allowed us to stay outside the city in Arlington, VA, yet remain just a short ride to the center of activities.  There are bus tours available including tours that allow you to hop on and off multiple times or tours with specific stops.  The National Mall is an open green area and ideal for walking from one place to another. 

US Marine Corps Memorial - Iwo Jima Statue

I love the Museums on the National Mall.  The Smithsonian Institute has several including the National Museum of Natural History.  It is a marvelous museum with many unique exhibits.  The National Air and Space Museum is another great place with the Wright Brothers flyer to Space Ship One.  The International Spy Museum, The National Geographic Museum, The National Postal Museum and many others are found in the Washington, D.C. area. 

Monuments, Memorials, Theaters, Art Galleries, Federal Buildings such as the National Mint and many others are located in the area.  Many have interesting tours or exhibits.  Doesn't everyone want to see how they make money?

Washington Monument in Cherry Blossom season

If you arrive in spring you can enjoy the Cherry Blossom Festival.  In 1912 the cherry trees were given to the United States as a token of goodwill by Japan.  The 3,000 trees line the tidal basin with their blossoms each spring.  Many events are held during the three week Festival.

A one mile Red Line Metro ride from the National Mall brings you to The Smithsonian National Zoological Park which features many exotic animals including Giant Pandas.  Admission to the zoo is free.   A solar powered carousel features over 50 different animals for children to ride. A small fee is charged for rides.

The Giant Panda exhibit 

These are just a few of the many wonders of our nation’s capitol city.  To enjoy your visit, I encourage you to plan ahead by searching their website.  It is a very good website with an interactive map to help you locate your “must see” places.  There are other maps showing just museums, etc.  They also have a feature of 100 free (or almost free) places to see in D.C.  You can find their website at http://www.washington.org .