Washington Attractions
Things to do in Washington
Washington Attractions. Looking for something fun to do with your family? Want something kid friendly? Need to find a good park to play with your dog? Then look no further because HelloWashingtonDC.com has you covered. We've sought out the best attractions in Washington and have detailed information about parks, museums, festivals, zoos and more.
Located unassumingly on the corner of M and 17th streets in Northwest D.C., the brick, three-story Charles Sumner School is unquestionably a historic building among the modern offices surrounding it.
From the original Wright Brothers flying machine to Captain Kirk’s legendary U.S.S. Enterprise, there’s a reason why the National Air & Space Museum is the most popular museum on the planet.
Gadsby's Tavern is a prime example of how bars literally served a prominent role in shaping American history. This tavern existed before the United States did, starting as a different business in 1749 and changing names, owners and purposes (including a law office, auction house and hospital). Today, it is a functioning restaurant and museum showcasing life in Alexandria around the time of the Revolutionary War.
If you wonder how Georgetown residents decorate their expensive little townhouses with shabby chic décor and unique antique finds, then travel no farther than the Georgetown Flea Market.
4 Mile Run in Arlington is in fact more than nine miles long, yet it remains the “4 mile run” from a mistake on an old map. Whether it is four or nine miles does not matter, as it remains incredibly popular for northern Virginia residents.
If there ever was a more perfect museum for self-proclaimed geeks, spy enthusiasts, gadget-types and conspiracy theorists, the National Electronics Museum will fulfill all those wonderments. With 12 galleries dedicated to radars, sensors and other defense products, the National Electronics Museum provides an interesting look into the technical and functional work of electrical engineers and their products not found anywhere else in Washington, D.C.
The National Museum of the United States Navy is the main flagship of the 15 naval museums around the country, providing a detailed account of the Navy through the course of the American history. Located in Washington Navy Yard in the former Naval Gun factory, the museum gives a thorough overview of maritime operations during wartime and peace, and its importance in the U.S. military. It’s an excellent place for any military or history buff, former Navy and for children.
One of Washington's slightly newer museums is the Kreeger Museum, an eclectic collection housed inside an eclectic house in Foxhall. Opened in 1994 as a gift by David and Carmen Kreeger, the Kreeger Museum exhibits the art and music collections of the couple, as well as their architectural tastes encompassed in the walls of the building.
All urban centers need a grassy relief, and Baltimore is no different. Patterson Park is a popular space for eastern Baltimore residents, whether as a place to cheer on Little League or to take your dog running alongside you. If your own yard doesn't let you or your kids run as freely as you'd hope, head out to the park for a morning or afternoon of leisurely play.
There is a ghostly quality to the Antique Toy Museum toys preserved in a fashion of yesterday that makes them almost come to life.
The Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center is a large contemporary complex steps from the National Mall and an interesting contrast to the rest of Washington. On the outside, it resembles many of Washington's other grand buildings, with its commanding columns and round architecture. However, once inside, visitors see that it's actually quite a departure from the typical: it's adorned with contemporary works of art, modern design and high-tech facilities.
Baltimore has its fair share of the wild side – wildlife, that is. The Maryland Zoo, once known as the Baltimore Zoo, brings some of the most exotic and interesting animals around the world to Marylanders as part of a conservation and educational effort. Opened in 1876, the Maryland Zoo is the third oldest zoo in the country and a great place to bring families and children on a weekend.
As the country's biggest port, once upon a time, it only made sense that Baltimore would then develop the first major commercial railtrack in 1829. All this history is carefully preserved at the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum in West Baltimore. Once the campus for surveyors, engineers, and businessmen to build America's railways is now a museum of history for many of the country's railroad artifacts. It is an extremely popular place for visitors to browse around old locomotives and rolling sto
Anyone who's traveled the I-95 in northern Maryland has seen and at least been intrigued by the sign marked “Decoy Museum.” The smarty-pants might remark, “is it a building pretending to be a museum and the actual museum is located somewhere else?” But in fact, the Havre de Grace Decoy Museum is an actual museum, located in the Susequehanna Flats, dedicated to the history and art of decoy ducks.
Maryland would be lost without its waterways, and even those who live away from the Chesapeake still yearn for a taste of the waterfront. Enter Sligo Creek, a tributary from the Anacostia River which flows through Silver Spring and serves as a popular place for suburbanites of the Northeast section of Washington to escape to on weekends.
Both the world's tallest stone structure and the world's tallest obelisk, the Washington Monument for 125 years has served as the primary memorial to America’s Founding Father and first president.
Rising above the Beltway comes a sudden vision – a gold-spired, castle-like infrastructure soaring over the hills and from the clouds, shining from the stars, with a need for a choir of angels to accompany its existence. In fact, it is the Church of Latter-Day Saints, a famous and infamous building to all Washingtonians who travel the I-495, and a wonderful landmark to Mormons and non-Mormons alike when sitting in traffic on the Beltway.
Out of all the historic homes in Washington, probably one of the most favorite is the small, modest little Old Stone House in Georgetown.
For decades, American political figures have endured the risk of being mocked, and in Washington, no one does it better than the Capitol Steps. This live comedy troupe has been poking fun at presidents, congresspersons, news media, lobby groups, Republicans, Democrats, and the Washington Metro since 1981, when the group were six Republican Congressional staffers working on the Senate Subcommittee on Energy, Nuclear Proliferation and Government Processes. Ever since then, the Capitol Steps are as
More than just a “how things work” or a hands-on version of your old biology textbook, the Marian Koshland Science Museum is fun, new, modern, hip and most of all, relevant to its everyday visitors. Founded in 2004 by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the museum is dedicated to educating people about science issues related to current public policy and public health in the country and world.
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