DC IN A DAY

Washington, D.C. is famous not only for being this nation’s capital, but also for how easy of a day trip it can be from anywhere on the East coast. With plenty of awe-inspiring (and free!) things to do, consider a layover here to spend the day exploring museums and monuments.

Capitol Hill

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Start your day by getting off the train from the airport, turning right, and taking a tour of the Capitol Building. During peak season, it’s best to book reservations for the Capitol tour in advance. If you would like to place your time elsewhere, you can get a pretty spectacular view of the building even from the middle of the mall.

Smithsonian Museums

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After lunch at one of the many food trucks in the area, spend time at a few of the many free and famous Smithsonian Museums. The most popular are the Air and Space, Natural History, and American History Museum, though some other options include the Hirshhorn Museum, National Museum of the American Indian, and the National Gallery of Art (not a Smithsonian but free and worth a visit!).

White House

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Here, you can take a detour from the national mall, take the metro from Smithsonian Station to McPherson Station (blue line) and then exit toward Lafayette Square. In less than 5 minutes you will be at the White House and ready for some pictures! Unfortunately, White House tours are hard to get into, but if you have the luxury to plan far in advance, it is quite the experience.

Memorials on the National Mall

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Now it’s time to see the memorials illuminated in all their glory! Start at the Washington monument, the giant obelisk that serves as the first indication of DC when arriving via plane. Continue strolling down the mall, past the reflection pool, constitution gardens, and Korean war veterans memorial to arrive at the Lincoln memorial. From the steps of this memorial, at Lincoln's feet, you can see all the way back down the length of the mall-- a perfect end to a day in DC!

To book a trip to D.C. (or even an intentional layover there), contact us at travelsbydonna@knology.net to get started!

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Cover photo by Caleb Fisher on Unsplash