Washington D.C.
Washington D.C. is the capital of the United States and one of the most interesting cities in the country. The White House, the Lincoln Memorial, Arlington Cemetery, and many more attractions make up the list of essential things to do in Washington D.C.
As a brief introduction, Washington D.C. was built with the idea that it would become the country’s capital. Commissioned by the 1790 US Congress, French architect Pierre L’Enfant designed the city at the end of the 18th century. Its name commemorates the first President of the United States.
Presently, D.C. is home to 8 million people.
Things to Do in Washington D.C.
Washington D.C. is a city full of governmental buildings, museums, and historic monuments, mostly concentrated in the National Mall area, a park-like grand avenue in the city center. The most important ones are:
- Governmental buildings: The White House, The Capitol, and the Supreme Court
- Monuments commemorating the different Presidents: Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, and Roosevelt
- Smithsonian Museums: The National Air and Space Museum (not to be missed!), National Museum of Natural History, National Museum of American History, etc.
- Monuments commemorating the different wars: The Second World War, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, and Battle of Iwo Jima.
- Other visits: Arlington cemetery, Pentagon
Besides these top attractions, if you decide to spend a night in Washington and have more time to spare, you can visit a lot of other interesting monuments and museums.
At night, the best idea is to visit the relatively lively area of Georgetown. You’ll also find visitors going to the Lincoln Monument.
The majority of tourist attractions in Washington are free, which is certainly a plus.
How to Get to D.C. from NYC
There are several options to get to Washington D.C. from New York City:
- Guided Tour: Our tour to Washington DC is currently at a discount US$ 130 per person (originally US$ 140) and includes the pick up at your hotel and an English-speaking guide. You can book it here.
- Going at your own leisure: A return train ticket to Washington D.C. is approximately $150 (Amtrak from Penn Station) or US$ 40 by bus (several bus companies, check out Megabus or Greyhound).
- Renting a car: This is a good option if you’re going to stay several days or use the car for over a day. If not, the easiest option is to take the bus or the train. If you are convinced a car is the best traveling method for you, keep in mind that driving in the city can be extremely stressful, so the best thing to do is leave the car in a car park or in the outskirts and take the subway to the center of D.C.
Visiting Washington on Your Own
If you want to visit Washington at your own pace and wish to learn about the city on a guided tour once you get to the city, you can book one here:
If you don’t have a hotel booked in Washington, you can check out our hotel search engine to find the best deals.
