Washington, DC, is a top travel destination for visitors from all over the world—and for good reason. For those living in the United States, there’s something undeniably special about experiencing our nation’s capital in person. And for international travelers, it’s a window into American history, culture, and government. While DC is a hub for politics and diplomacy, it’s also a vibrant city bursting with culture, world-class cuisine, iconic monuments, renowned museums, and an exciting lineup of annual events and sports.
With so much to see and do, planning a trip to Washington, DC, can feel overwhelming. It’s nearly impossible to check off everything in one visit, so don’t stress about trying to see it all—just focus on making the most of your time. This guide will help you kick-start your planning, and we’ll also provide links to additional resources covering transportation, accommodations, neighborhood highlights, and more to ensure a smooth and memorable trip.
For starters, we’d just like to set the record straight that this section of the guide is not the end-all-be-all for everything there is to do in Washington, DC. Instead, we’d like to offer an overview of the sights, landmarks, and activities that are some of the most popular for visitors that you should add to your itinerary, if not look into further. Another point we’d like to stress is that DC is a great destination to take advantage of local tour guides. Whether it’s by foot or by bus, tours will allow you to get the most out of the city, especially in the aspects that interest you most.
Can’t-Miss Monuments
Let’s start with the classics. What you’ve seen in your history books, and in the tv shows and movies you love, now you’ll get to experience them in person—how exciting!
To kick this section off, we’re going to highlight the White House. What’s a trip to Washington, DC without walking up to the gates of the most famous house in the United States? While anyone can stroll by and snap a picture, tours of the President’s home are, in fact, available—if you can swing it! This tour is by far the most exclusive tour in DC, and tour requests must be made through your member of Congress within 7-90 days before your requested date. Tours of the White House are only available within a small timeframe each week, but depending on the schedule that day, hours might get extended—or cut completely with little notice. But hey, these tours are free, and who wouldn’t love the chance to walk the infamous halls?
The back of the White House faces another iconic DC landmark, the Washington Monument. A short drive away—or if you’d prefer, a 20-minute walk—this 555-foot marble Egyptian-style obelisk was completed in 1884 to commemorate George Washington’s greatness in his military and political leadership that helped found the United States. Visitors can actually enter the monument and ascend to the top floor’s observation deck on a nonstop elevator ride. Tickets are free for walk-up guests and are given on a first-come, first-served basis. If you want to ensure your ticket, advanced reservations only cost $1.00. Those who aren’t fans of heights or enclosed spaces should probably sit this experience out, though.
From the top of the Washington Monument, you’ll be able to spot other landmarks that should be on your itinerary as well. Directly to the east is the World War II Memorial. Very easy to access from 17th St SW, visitors can walk around the Rainbow Pool and its two fountains, to view the twelve bronze reliefs throughout the north and south ends of the monument, to symbolize both the victories in Europe and the Pacific. The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool bridges the space between the eastern edge of the World War II Memorial, and the Lincoln Memorial. Walk between the pool and the beautiful elm trees, and you’ll arrive at the steps of the awe-inspiring Lincoln Memorial. Also free to explore, visitors can see the larger-than-life marble statue of the 16th president of the United States, as well as read Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address and Gettysburg Address in the carved inscriptions on the memorial’s walls.
Within walking distance, and located on either side of the Reflecting Pool, are the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Korean War Veterans Memorial. Both honor those who served in either war, and both memorials are worth seeing. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial lists the names of more than 58,000 servicemen and women who were killed during the Vietnam War on a long, black granite wall. The Korean War Veterans Memorial features a Pool of Remembrance, statues of soldiers representing military branches, the United Nations Wall, and more.
These last few monuments are all located within the eastern side of what’s widely known as the National Mall, but sometimes just called The Mall. To the south of this area, is another popular space called, the Tidal Basin. Visitors can walk around the body of water to not only view the beautiful cherry blossom trees given to the United States as a gift from Japan, but to see other iconic monuments such as the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, and the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. Visitors can also rent paddle boats from spring until fall to get a unique view from out on the Tidal Basin, as well!
Additional memorials that you should be on the lookout for that are located in Arlington are:
Iwo Jima Memorial
Head across the Potomac River from Downtown DC to view the famous statue of soldiers raising an American flag, that’s dedicated to all Marines who gave their lives to defend our country.
Arlington National Cemetery
The largest cemetery in the US, it includes memorials like the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Women in Military Service for America Memorial, and more. Self-guided walking tours are available.
Must-See Museums
Washington, DC is an incredible destination for those looking to learn about not only our nation’s history but the history of the world. The city has one of the largest collections of museums in the country, and the most well-known allows visitors to enter for free! The Smithsonian is actually considered to be the world’s largest museum complex, and some traveler’s main reasons to DC are to visit the many museums including the popular, Natural History Museum, Air and Space Museum, African American History and Culture Museum, and more, as well as the National Zoo. Click here for a full list on the Smithsonian’s website.
While the Smithsonian museums alone can fill up a week’s itinerary, there are other museums in DC that you should consider visiting. A powerful and deeply moving museum that visitors should make time for is the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, where the tragic events of the Holocaust are documented with artifacts, personal stories, and other exhibits.
Fans of the arts should visit the National Museum of Women in Arts, the Phillips Collection, and even the National Building Museum which showcases architecture, engineering, and urban design. We’d also like to highlight the Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden (even though it is technically a Smithsonian museum) as it’s a great place to view contemporary art.
Enter the world of espionage with a visit to the International Spy Museum, where you’ll be met with interactive exhibits and actual spy artifacts–move over, James Bond! Or, maybe you’d rather experience immersive exhibits about nature and exploration at the National Geographic Museum. This museum is temporarily closed, but the reopening is set for 2026!
Outdoor Adventures
Make sure that you bring your best walking shoes when visiting Washington, DC, since you’ll be exploring this beautiful city on foot the most. Actually, between exploring monuments and walking from museum to museum, you’ll be outside a large amount of the time. However, DC was planned to make navigating the city easy and allow residents and visitors to enjoy green spaces. The National Arboretum is open to the public and allows visitors to explore its gardens and exhibits. Another great chance to explore the outdoors is Rock Creek Park, a 1,754-acre city park that lets visitors play golf and tennis, go hiking, fishing, biking, and even horseback riding. In addition to going out on the Tidal Basin in a paddle boat, paddle boarding, kayaking, and other rental water crafts are also available for visitors to explore the Potomac River.
Other Resources
The following topics are all covered by the experts themselves, Destination DC, the city’s leading tourism organization. Palmera Vacation Club is not affiliated by this company, but we always recommend taking advice from local experts!
- Learn more about the many neighborhoods in Washington DC.
- Calling all Foodies: take a look at these guides to help you discover the city’s culinary scene!
- Check out DC’s calendar of festivals and events.
By far, the most popular time to visit Washington, DC is spring, but don’t let that deter you over fear of crowds! Sure, if you really want to escape the throngs of tourists, keep reading, and we’ll recommend some other times, but there’s a super neat reason by everyone wants to go to DC in the spring. Two words: cherry blossoms. Remember those cherry blossom trees around the Tidal Basin that we mentioned before? Well, the National Cherry Blossom Festival attracts large amounts of visitors and even if the actual festival isn’t your cup of tea, to be able to walk through our Nation’s Capital while the beautiful, pink clouds of cherry blossoms are in boom, that’s reason enough! Plus, you get to explore the city in milder weather.
Another popular time to visit is during summer vacation. Field trips to the city are all the rage, and Washington, DC makes for a great travel destination for families wanting not only a fun vacation but an educational one. And let’s not forget, the ever-important, Fourth of July Weekend festivities! We can’t think of a better place to celebrate our nation’s Independence Day than in its capital city! If you are planning on visiting during the warmer weather seasons, just ensure that you stay hydrated, pace yourself, and bring that raincoat or umbrella.
The fall season sees significantly fewer visitors than summer, and while temperatures are milder like those during springtime, it would seem that the cherry blossoms are a bigger attraction than the beautiful colors of DC’s fall foliage. So, if you’re a fall weather type of person, and you’re interested in exploring Washington, DC with a few fewer crowds, aim to visit between late September to October. If you want the least amount of crowds, January and February are historically slower–unless it’s an inauguration year, of course!
Before planning your trip to Washington, DC, take a moment to consider your group’s budget, must-see attractions, and preferred activities. Think about how you’d like to get around—whether you plan to explore primarily on foot, take advantage of the city’s public transportation, or make multiple day trips that might make staying on the outskirts of town a more convenient option for driving. If you want to be within walking distance to major attractions, aim to find a hotel in Downtown. If you’re interested in historic charm, find your accommodations in Georgetown, and if you want to stick to a strict budget, search for hotels in Arlington or other nearby Virginia towns.
Palmera Vacation Club allows its members to not only travel back to their home away from home, Hilton Head Island but to explore the United States and other global destinations. By using Palmera’s Six Ways to Travel, members can easily plan their future trips from finding the perfect accommodations to even booking transportation like rental cars and flights. By using the RCI Exchange to find discounted weeks that use Palmera Vacation Club points, or, by using Quest Travel Club to discover exclusive discounts on all things travel around the world, Palmera members have the best of both worlds!
Here are a few examples of randomly chosen accommodations found on the RCI Exchange:
**Availability and points range are subject to change.
Here are a few examples of randomly chosen accommodations found on Quest Travel Club:
**Discounts are subject to change.
