Insider’s Guide: Washington DC

Hello, DC!

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Much more than a field trip for kids, Washington DC is a graceful, funky city full of surprises. Within a few square blocks, you can wander historic squares (and triangles) amidst an exciting architectural mix inspired by Ancient Greece, mid-19th-century Paris, the Victorian era and glassy, über-modern design.

The Smithsonian’s dizzying array of museums and galleries serve as a magnet for young historians, scientists and artists from across the globe, creating a demand for independent bookstores, cafés, wine bars and refurbished historic taverns that serve the city’s wildly diverse population. A hopping jazz scene mingles with Ghanaian beats and Central American salsa, and restaurants (and food trucks) from top chefs serve cuisines from countries as varied as Tibet, Ethiopia, Afghanistan and more.

In this guide we’ll show you the very best of what makes the nation’s capital so special — both on and off the beaten path — so you can travel like an insider in Washington DC!

Meet the Insiders

From the political buzz to access to countless monuments and museums, North American Market Manager Marissa

loves the energy that surrounds the nation’s capital.

Melanie grew up in DC, and though she now calls LA home, she still visits the

nation’s capital a few times a year.

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Best Way to See DC’s Main Attractions: Without the LinesDC has beautiful buildings, but a distinct lack of skyscrapers. That’s what makes the Washington Monument’s 500-foot-high (152-meter) observation deck a draw for visitors; its one-of-a-kind, 360-degree view of the capital not only orients you, but also takes your breath away.

However, the number of people per day allowed inside the world’s tallest obelisk is limited, so without advance planning, you can do no more than stare at its exterior. A skip-the-line tour ensures you get in first and avoid the crowds. The tour also includes coach transport to landmarks such as the White House, Lincoln Memorial and Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, pausing at each stop for interesting facts and those all-important photos.

See all Viator VIP and Exclusive tours of DC

Insider’s TipVisit the Supreme Court and learn about the real “highest court in the land”; there’s a basketball court just one level up from the famous courtroom where the country’s most important cases are heard.

Exclusive Access

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Best Day Trip: Mt Vernon and Arlington National CemeteryA visit to George Washington’s Virginia home, Mount Vernon, is an easy escape from DC. It’s also a journey through history: the country estate has been meticulously restored and affords a glimpse of rural gentility from a time long gone.

Arlington National Cemetery contains graves of soldiers from every war the US has fought since the American Revolution. It’s also a resting place for such American leaders as John F. Kennedy and Oliver Wendell Holmes. Among the many memorials on the grounds, the Tomb of the Unknowns holds unidentified bodies from World War I and II, and the Korean War.

See them both on a Mt Vernon and Arlington day trip from DC or view all day trips from DC

Insider’s TipSoldiers keep watch over Arlington’s Tomb of the Unknowns 24 hours a day, performing an impressive ceremonial changing of the guard every half-hour.

Detour

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Best Culinary Experience: Eat Like a LocalOne of DC’s best-kept secrets is that it’s become quite the foodie destination. And in recent years, the name of the game has been food trucks — cheaper than the swanky places where lobbyists expense their lunches, more convenient than a sit-down joint and more varied than any single menu. You haven’t truly tasted DC until you’ve ordered from these mobile kitchens.

There are also four breweries in the DC area; visit them all on a breweries tour with food pairings, which takes visitors into the craft beer scene and offers beer-friendly pub food like hickory-smoked ribs and buffalo wings. If you prefer to combine your indulgence with sightseeing, a pedicab wine tasting tour of DC will satisfy both cravings.

Insider’s TipIf you’re visiting the Steven F Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, make sure to stop by the Lotte Plaza shopping mall, whose food court is famous among locals for its selection of amazing international foods.

Indulge

Insider’s Guide: Washington DC

After Hours

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Don’t stop exploring when the sun sets; touring DC at night means you’ll see the city at its most atmospheric while escaping the daytime crowds. A Moonlight Night Tour by Trolley passes more than 100 floodlit landmarks and monuments, including the White House, Washington Monument, Capitol Building and Lincoln Memorial.

For a more personalized experienced, try a Moonlight Electric Cart Tour using eco-friendly electric carts to zip through traffic and take in the sights of Capitol Hill and the Mall illuminated against the night sky. Or experience the city by night on a Moonlight Cruise along the Potomac River, offering dazzling views of the beautifully lit memorials that line the scenic waterfront. Nighttime bike and Segway tours are also available.

Best Nightlife Experience: Night Tours of DC’s Monuments

“ This was a great tour. There is nothing quite like Washington at night.

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-Dawn K.

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Best Museum Experience: The SmithsonianThe Smithsonian Institution museum network includes nine research centers, the National Zoological Park and 19 world-class museums, such as the National Air and Space Museum (and its extension, the Steven F Udvar-Hazy Center), National Museum of African Art, National Museum of American History, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery — to name just a few.

But, of course, the Smithsonian doesn’t have a monopoly on the museum scene. Check out the Spy Museum, with interactive experiences from the shadowy world of espionage, or head to the Newseum for a glimpse into just what it has taken throughout history to defend the First Amendment.

Insider’s TipTen of the Smithsonian’s 19 museums are located on the National Mall. Get your bearings at the Smithsonian Castle, which houses the Smithsonian visitors center, where you can watch an orientation film and pick up free guides and maps.

Learn

Insider’s Guide: Washington DC

Relax

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From its source in West Virginia to where it empties into Chesapeake Bay, the Potomac River is so tied to American history that it’s often called “the Nation’s River.” George Washington was born along its banks, and all of DC lies within the watershed.

Visitors can enjoy the Potomac not only from land, but from its waters as well, all year round. In spring, a cherry blossom boat cruise lets you see this stunning natural phenomenon without the crowds. In the fall, a leaf-peeping cruise is another front row seat to nature’s fiery beauty. Meanwhile, daytime duck tours and nighttime cruises available throughout the year lend a whole new perspective on Washington’s iconic monuments.

Best Way to Get on the Water: A Sightseeing Cruise

“Very relaxing tour, and a great view from the water.

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-Joe S.

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Best Way to Understand Modern DC: Learn About Its PastDC is the keeper of America’s history, which you’ll learn on a VIP Best of DC tour, which starts at the National Archives with an exclusive look at the original Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence and US Constitution. On a visit to the US Capitol Building, you’ll see where these centuries-old documents still affect us today.

At the Holocaust Museum, more than 12,500 artifacts reveal the history of the Jewish experience; visitors are given the identity card of a single Holocaust victim, narrowing the scope of suffering to the individual level while paying tribute to the museum’s powerful subject.

Insider’s TipThe Holocaust Museum is not recommended for children under 11, but there is a Remember the Children exhibit that will help kids understand the horrific events.

Explore

Insider’s Guide: Washington DC

Understand

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In 2015, DC honors the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War. Year round, you can honor the legacy of President Abraham Lincoln on a historian-led tour of Lincoln-related sights, which examines DC through the lens of the war and explains the events leading up to Lincoln’s assassination by John Wilkes Booth at the Ford’s Theatre — and the conspiracy theories that persist to this day.

Learn more about the war on a day trip to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The eponymous battlefield still exists untouched; the adjacent Gettysburg National Military Park Museum helps visitors understand the dramatic military operation that took place here. It’s also the location of Cemetery Ridge, the site of Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg Address.

Best Way to Learn Civil War History: Walk in Lincoln’s Footsteps

“Walking to the places where history happened, seeing the places I’ve only read about and having it explained enthusiastically by the guide made this tour a highlight of my first visit to Washington DC.

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-Ronald L.

Insider’s Guide: Washington DC

Pssst!

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DC Lives in the Present, Not Just the PastWashington DC is more than just government and history — it’s a cosmopolitan city with fantastic food, an exciting nightlife, shopping, art, culture, theater and more.

For example, Sixth & I isn’t just an address; it’s a multi-faceted community center that combines Jewish cultural traditions with a wide range of arts and culture experiences ranging from concerts and readings to beer tastings and bike rides. If you’re looking for Broadway shows, opera, ballet or even hot-ticket comedy, then the Kennedy Center is for you. Its jam-packed calendar of featured events represents the finest in American culture today.

Outdoor activities are within city limits at Rock Creek Park. With 32 miles of hiking trails, paved lanes for biking, a tennis center, horseback riding, water sports on the Potomac and even an 18-hole golf course, there’s something for every outdoor interest. There’s also a planetarium and an amphitheater for live concerts.

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Best Family-Friendly Activity: Busch GardensBusch Gardens combines action, adventure and history-themed entertainment that makes for a great day outside the Beltway. Open from March through October, the park has some of the world’s most highly rated roller coasters, entertaining shows, animal tricks and even nighttime events for kids of all ages. Another fun time for the family is Madame Tussauds, which features exhibits unique to the nation’s capital, including George Washington’s inauguration and the Watergate scandal.

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Best Way to Get: Bike ToursWhen the weather’s nice, there’s nothing better than a bike tour of Washington DC. A seasonal Cherry Blossom Bike Tour lets you see these beauties up close and personal. A bike tour of Mount Vernon helps you appreciate the natural beauty of this bucolic estate. And a nighttime bike tour reveals the stunning monuments of DC all lit up. Other options, include a monuments tour via Segway, a nighttime pedicab tour with wine and a tour of the many varied neighborhoods of the District by electric car.

Best Way to See It All and Save: Hop-On Hop-Off BusesHop-on hop-off bus tours are more than just sightseeing. With three different routes and two full days from time of validation, they’re a way to get around the city while ensuring that you see everything on your itinerary. With a combined sightseeing pass, gain free access to the Newseum, International Spy Museum, Albert Einstein Planetarium at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, or even take advantage of a free, day-long bike rental.

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Colonial WilliamsburgIn Colonial Williamsburg, visitors can experience daily life in colonial times, and gain an understanding of how food was cooked without modern technology and the tactics of warfare and weaponry of the time. Some of the more popular attractions involve visits to the local blacksmith and silversmith, browsing the wig shop and seeing the costumes of the era. In total, Colonial Williamsburg has 35 exhibition sites and more than 100 garden areas.

National Gallery of Art The National Gallery of Art is a massive collection of more than 110,000 pieces housed in two buildings and a sculpture garden. The best way to see the masterpieces housed here is on a small-group tour led by an art historian, which provides a unique perspective on the art, as well as an understanding of how this collection has evolved over 70 years.

Cherry Blossom SeasonIn 1912, the United States was given 3,020 cherry trees as a gift of friendship from Japan, and these were subsequently planted around the District. While spring is the best time to see the cherry trees in bloom, the exact dates vary each year; the National Cherry Blossom Festival takes place in West Potomac Park from the end of March to mid-April. Events include a parade, kite-flying competitions, fireworks, cherry-inspired foods and drinks and the largest Japanese cultural festival in the country.

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