{"id":9410,"date":"2022-01-09T14:58:28","date_gmt":"2022-01-09T14:58:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/justpaste.in\/blogs\/10-first-time-things-you-have-to-do-in-washington-d-c\/"},"modified":"2026-08-04T10:07:43","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T10:07:43","slug":"10-first-time-things-you-have-to-do-in-washington-d-c","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/justpaste.in\/blogs\/10-first-time-things-you-have-to-do-in-washington-d-c\/","title":{"rendered":"9 Best Places To See In Washington D.C."},"content":{"rendered":"

Nestled on the East Coast<\/a> of the United States<\/a>, Washington, D.C., is a capital that’s perfect for a first-time visit to the east coast<\/a>. Plus, it has a heap of the best places to see in Washington, D.C., that are dotted all across the city. <\/p>\n

Honestly, Washington, D.C. is home to many amazing sights and history that you really shouldn’t miss. From the home of the United States\u2019 President to delicious food and historic national monuments. It’s a place you can easily spend a long weekend (or even longer) exploring. <\/p>\n

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Now, if it’s your first time in the city, you’ll want to see some of the best, world-renowned sights. This is exactly why I wanted to share some of the best places to see in Washington, D.C. that you should include on any trip to the city. \"Best<\/a><\/p>\n

Take a look below at the very best places to see in Washington, D.C. when you’re here. <\/p>\n

1.) Go Inside The White House<\/strong><\/h3>\n

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A trip to the nation\u2019s capital just wouldn\u2019t seem complete without a visit to the White House. With its famous address of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, the White House is the primary living and working space of the President of the United States<\/a>.<\/p>\n

We can all stand outside the property\u2019s gates and marvel at the world’s most famous house, but getting inside is a little trickier. For obvious reasons, security here is tight! If you want to be able to actually go inside the White House and tour it, you have to submit a tour request through your Member of Congress.<\/p>\n

Not from the U.S.? Not a problem! Simply contact your country\u2019s embassy in Washington, D.C., for help with submitting a tour request. It really is one of the best places to see in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n

Now, all requests should be done well in advance. Don’t expect to rock up and just be allowed in! <\/p>\n

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2.) Stroll the National Mall<\/strong><\/h3>\n

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A perfect starting point for some of the most famous museums and monuments in the city, the National Mall. The mall itself is a long strip of the grassy park and pond area, which stretches from the Capitol building in the east to the Lincoln Memorial in the west.<\/p>\n

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Take a stroll across the mall, which is especially great on a sunny day and easily one of the best places to see in Washington D.C. for a stroll. <\/p>\n

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3.) Visit the U.S. Capitol Building<\/strong><\/h3>\n

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Home of the U.S. legislature, the Capitol building is full of lawmakers and politicians who help decide what goes on in the country and is one building that us visitors can still go into and tour. For tours of the Capitol, you can contact your state Senator or Representative (if you live in the US), who will give you a pass that allows access to the building.<\/p>\n

Alternatively, if you’re visiting from another country, you can purchase tickets for an official tour just outside. I loved it around this area, and it’s easily one of the best places to see in Washington D.C., which is so iconic. You can’t really miss it. <\/p>\n

4.) Gorge on delicious food<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Whilst wandering around this fabulous city, don’t forget to gorge on its delicious foody joints like the Good Stuff Eatery, where you can devour some of the city’s yummiest burgers and creamy shakes.<\/p>\n

For something a little special, head towards Marcel’s by Robert Wiedmaier, where you can sit back, relax and enjoy their incredible tasting menu. If you’re hankering for a sweet treat, pop over to Georgetown Cupcake, where they have a dizzying selection of freshly-baked cupcakes in every imaginable taste. Their coconut cupcakes are delicious.<\/p>\n

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5.) Tour the Library of Congress<\/strong><\/h3>\n

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The Library of Congress is both the world\u2019s largest library and the oldest cultural institution in the country. Try taking a free, one-hour guided tour of the building, which is great for us history buffs. Honestly, it’s so stunning and easily one of the best places to see in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n

Plus, various exhibitions and galleries can also be found here, showing some of the very best collections in the Library.<\/p>\n

6.) Explore the Smithsonian Museums<\/strong><\/h3>\n

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With 18 world-class institutions in the D.C. area alone, you can be sure that there is going to be a Smithsonian Museum which interests you.<\/p>\n

A few of the most notable museums to see are the National Air and Space Museum<\/a> and the Museum of Natural History, too. Truth be told, you can easily spend months exploring all the museums here; they’re huge and easily one of the best places to see in Washington, D.C. Oh yeah, and since these three are located right on the Mall itself, it makes for easy access after your stroll.<\/p>\n

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7.) See the Lincoln Memorial<\/strong><\/h3>\n

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No trip to D.C. would be complete without a stop next to Abe Lincoln on the Lincoln Memorial. Certainly one of the most iconic memorials in the city, the Lincoln Memorial sits at the west end of the National Mall, just on the edge of the Potomac River.<\/p>\n

Once you\u2019ve taken your picture with the seated, marble version of the nation\u2019s 16th President, be sure to turn around to take in the gorgeous views of the Reflecting Pool and the Washington Monument, which is perfect to see around sunset. Looking for a swish place to stay? Make sure you check out the gorgeous Dupont Circle, which has a pretty epic rooftop bar.<\/p>\n

8.) Indulge your inner spy at the International Spy Museum<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Who hasn\u2019t dreamt about being a spy at least once in their life? If you’re anything like me, it will have crossed your mind at least once! The museum houses the largest collection of espionage items in the world and offers a uniquely global perspective on the importance and impact of spies. With plenty of exhibitions and interactive displays, and even a lipstick pistol from 1965.<\/p>\n

9.) Step back in time in Alexandria, Virginia<\/strong><\/h3>\n

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Technically not in Washington D.C., Alexandria<\/a> is right across the river, and certainly worth a trip. This beautiful old town is a major part of the D.C. area, allowing visitors to escape the more governmental parts of D.C. and stroll the cosy old streets that line this area.<\/p>\n

Known for its 18th and 19th-century architecture, fabulous restaurants, boutiques, and its arts and culture scene, Alexandria is one little spot you should definitely explore.<\/p>\n

Read more: Best places in the USA to visit<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Nestled on the East Coast of the United States, Washington, D.C., is a capital that’s perfect for a first-time visit to the east coast. Plus, it has a heap of the best places to see in Washington, D.C., that are dotted all across the city.  Honestly, Washington, D.C. is home to many amazing sights and … Continue Reading<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9411,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[40,354],"tags":[707,393,708],"class_list":["post-9410","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travel","category-travel-advice","tag-district-of-colombia","tag-usa","tag-washington-dc"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/justpaste.in\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9410","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/justpaste.in\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/justpaste.in\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justpaste.in\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justpaste.in\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9410"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/justpaste.in\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9410\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justpaste.in\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9411"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/justpaste.in\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9410"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justpaste.in\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9410"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justpaste.in\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9410"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}