Park of China
Overview
| Location | US East Coast, between Maryland and Virginia |
| Latitude, longitude | 38.9, -77.0 Google Maps |
| Nearby sites | Shenandoah National Park, Monticello and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Independence Hall, Moravian Church Settlements |
| Nearby cities | Philadelphia, Atlantic City |
| Highlights | Capital of the United States |
| Top sights | Capitol Hill, the White House |
| Themes | Big City, Building, Museum, River, Culture, Banknote |
In the city
Capitol Hill
The White House
Lincoln Memorial
National Zoological Park
National Gallery of Art
National Museum of Natural History
National Air and Space Museum
Washington Monument
Korean War Veterans Memorial
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
United States Botanic Garden
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Travel tips
Getting there: Washington, D.C. has three airports: Ronald Reagan Washington National is the closest, with a direct Metro link; Dulles International is served by the Silver Line; Baltimore/Washington International is northeast of the city and reached by train. Union Station has Amtrak trains to and from New York and Philadelphia.
Getting around: the Metrorail covers the main sights, and the National Mall is best walked, with tour buses and shared bikes also available. Driving in the centre is not recommended because parking is hard.
The National Mall: the Capitol, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, World War II Memorial and the Vietnam and Korean War memorials stand along the Mall or at its west end, a line you can walk end to end.
Museums: most Smithsonian museums are free, including Natural History, Air and Space and American History; the National Gallery of Art and the National Archives are also free, and the Archives hold the Declaration of Independence.
The White House and Congress: Capitol tours can be booked at the Visitor Center; White House tours must be requested through a member of Congress, or through an embassy for foreign visitors, and places are limited. Most people see it from outside the fence.
Suburbs and nearby: the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, by Dulles airport in Chantilly, Virginia, shows Space Shuttle Discovery, a Concorde and the B-29 that dropped the first atomic bomb; across the river in Virginia are Arlington National Cemetery, the old streets of Alexandria and Mount Vernon, Washington's home; Georgetown is good for walking.
Time: three days cover the main sights, and the museums reward more time. Shenandoah National Park is about two hours away by road and suits a day trip.
Season and lodging: the cherry blossoms in late March and early April draw the biggest crowds; spring and autumn are best; summer is humid with thunderstorms, and snow falls occasionally in winter. Hotels around Pennsylvania Avenue, Dupont Circle and Capitol Hill are convenient; Arlington and Alexandria in Virginia are cheaper.
Outside the city
Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum: south of Dulles Airport. Its collection includes the B-29 bomber that dropped the first atomic bomb and a Concorde.