As the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C. offers a large variety of attractions.
Big Bus Tours
Description: Take a tour of Washington, D.C. and visit iconic landmarks. Choose one of three different routes and hop-on and -off as desired. Tickets can be purchased for one or two day time spans.
Bus Hours: Daily, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Ticket Price: $49-$62.10
Address: 50 Massachusetts Ave. NE, Washington, DC 20002
J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building
Description: Tour the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Hours: Business days, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Admission: Free, tours by reservation only.*
Address: 935 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20535
*NOTE: A tour must be requested no later than four weeks in advance.*
Mount Vernon
Description: Historic site of George Washington’s plantation. 18th-century home, garden and grounds, museum galleries, immersive programs, and dining and shopping.
Hours: Daily, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.*
*Museum and Education Center open until 6:00 p.m.
Admission: $20/adult ($2 discount if bought online)
Address: 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway Mount Vernon, VA 22121
National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial
Description: Learn about the events of September 11, 2001 at the Pentagon, the history of the Pentagon, and the purpose of the Pentagon Memorial’s design.
Hours: Daily, 24-hours a day
Admission: Free
Address: 1 Rotary Rd., Arlington, VA 20301
Located on the west side of the Pentagon Grounds.
National Archives
Description: The National Archives holds the permanent records created by: the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Supreme Court, the Federal District Courts in the District of Columbia, and select Federal Agencies. The National Archives also holds some pre-World War I military service records.
Hours:
Research Room: Mon.-Fri., 8:45 a.m. – 5:45 p.m.
(View website below for when the records are retrieved from stacks)
Museum: Daily, 10:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Admission: Free
Address: 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20408-0001
The Pentagon
Description: The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense.
Hours: Mon.-Thurs., 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.; Fri. 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Admission: Free, tours by reservation only.*
Address: The Pentagon, Washington, DC 22202
*NOTE: Reservations must be made between 14 to 90 days in advance.*
Smithsonian Museum of Natural History
Description: The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History contains a hall of mammals, a butterfly pavilion, a bone hall, fossils, relics from life in ancient Egypt, a hall of geology, gems, and minerals, an insect zoo, objects of wonder, and many more amazing artifacts of natural history!
Hours: Daily, 10:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Admission: Free
Address: 10th St. & Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20560
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Description: The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum contains thousands of objects on display. There are exhibits on aerobatic flight, applications satellites, pioneers of flight, milestones of flight, business aviation, cold war aviation, commercial aviation, the race to the moon, early flight, Universe exploration, and many more!
Hours: Daily, 10:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Admission: Free
Address: Independence Ave at 6th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20560
Smithsonian National Zoo
Description: The Smithsonian National Zoo has 163 acres and is home to 2,700 animals representing over 390 species. The zoo has: otters, tigers, lemurs, leopards, peafowl, fennec foxes, giant pandas, maned wolves, red pandas, sand cats, and many more incredible creatures!
Hours:
Grounds: 8:00 a.m. – 7 p.m. (last admittance is at 6:00 p.m.)
Exhibit Buildings: 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Visitor Center: 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Dining & Shopping: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
General Admission: Free
VIP Access: $19.95
Address: 3001-3047 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008
*NOTE: There is a $25 parking fee for cars. View “Visit: Parking & Directions” on the Smithsonian National Zoo website for alternative travel options such as walking, biking, or public transport.*
Washington Monument
Description: The Washington Monument was built in 1884 to honor the United States of America’s first president,
George Washington.
Grounds Hours: Daily, 24-hours a day
Tour Hours: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (the last tour begins at 4:00 p.m. and tickets are needed*)
Admission: Free
Address: 2 15th St NW, Washington, DC 20024
*NOTE: For the tours, it is a first-come, first-served basis starting at 8:30 a.m. One person can obtain up to six tickets as well as request the preferred ticket time. Tickets can be reserved in advance for a reservation fee of $1.50. Order tickets online or call 1-877-444-6777.*
The White House
Description: The White House is the official residence and workplace of the President of the United States of America.
Hours: Tues., Wed., & Thurs., 7:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.; Fri. & Sat., 7:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Admission: Free
Tours: First-come, first-served basis.*
Address: 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20500
*NOTE: A tour must be requested at least 21 days in advance.*
Attractions at BPA NLC 2020 Map
Links for “Attractions” around Washington, D.C.
Tripadvisor
Washingtonian - The website that Washington lives by.