Get your bearings
The
National Mall marks the centerpiece of Washington, home to the capital’s finest monuments and museums as well as the seat of modern government. Northwest lies
Foggy Bottom and George Washington University. Further west, in
Georgetown, political players live in beautifully-tended colonial brick homes and visitors shop in sophisticated boutiques and wine shops. North of the Mall,
U Street is Washington’s traditionally African-American neighborhood, and is still home to an Ethiopian community. West of U Street
Adams Morgan keeps younger residents hopping at bars and nightclubs.
American history
America’s history is carved in white marble along the
National Mall. It recalls the nation’s most inspiring presidents, remembers its most difficult wars and serves as home and office space to the government in the
White House and the
US Capitol. The
National Archives hold original copies of the
Declaration of Independence and the
Constitution of the United States. Across the Potomac River,
Arlington National Cemetery reminds visitors of history’s human cost. The grounds are the final resting places of soldiers from the Civil War to the present. President John F Kennedy and astronauts are also buried here. Watch congressional leaders in debate and tour the
US Capitol building.
Museums galore
Washington is a city packed with museums, most of them near the
National Mall. The
Smithsonian Institution represents the world’s largest museum complex. Its 19 museums and the National Zoo are free. America’s most cherished emblems are displayed at the
National Museum of American History, including Abraham Lincoln’s hat and Muhammad Ali’s boxing gloves. The 1903 Wright Brothers’ Flyer and Apollo spacecraft draw crowds to the
National Air and Space Museum. The
Newseum documents the media. The
International Spy Museum recreates secret tunnels and explains the fine art of code-breaking.
Portraits, pottery and porcelain
Stand face-to-face with America’s most well-known figures — Henry Ford, Elvis Presley and Barack Obama — at the
National Portrait Gallery. Native American paintings, pottery and clothing are the focus of the
National Museum of the American Indian. The
Freer and
Sackler Galleries display Asian jewelry, porcelain, calligraphy and textiles from Japan, China, Iran and Turkey.
Green spaces
Visitors can relax on their Washington city vacation in
Potomac Park. Bordering the
Potomac River and the National Mall, the park includes the
Jefferson Memorial, Washington’s famous
cherry trees and
East Potomac Golf Course. The
National Zoological Park in the
Woodley Park neighborhood contains thousands of exotic animals including giant pandas.
Restaurants
French bakeries, bistros and wine bars line
M Street in sophisticated
Georgetown. Penn Quarter, immediately east of the White House,
has earned a reputation for fashionable restaurants and diverse cuisine from India, Lebanon, the Philippines and New Orleans. In
U Street, the centre of African-American culture, modest family-run Ethiopian restaurants like
Dukem fill the air with the smell of spicy wot stew and the sound of traditional music.
Ben’s Chili Bowl, also on U Street,
is a Washington favorite, serving up chili “half-smoke” sausages. Expect a line.
