Washington, DC: places to go and things to do

Getting around Washington, DC

Use Metro and buses for neighborhood changes, then walk within a chosen Mall section. The Mall is longer than it appears in a landmark collage. Penn Quarter is a different cluster from the Lincoln Memorial, while Rock Creek Park needs a specific entrance and return route.

Plan for the weather

Summer walks can be hot and humid with limited shade on the Mall. Carry water and put a museum break between outdoor sections. Rain and winter cold favor shorter memorial walks; check park alerts, closures, and museum entry arrangements before leaving.

Places covered in these guides

• National Mall

  National Mall · Civic landscape. A civic landscape connecting museums, public green space, monuments, and memorials.

• National Museum of Natural History

  National Mall · Museum. A Smithsonian museum with collections and exhibitions about the natural world and human histories.

• National Gallery of Art

  National Mall · Art museum. An art institution with two main buildings and a sculpture garden on the National Mall.

• National Portrait Gallery

  Penn Quarter · Art and history museum. A Smithsonian museum exploring people and American history through portraiture in Penn Quarter.

• National Air and Space Museum

  National Mall · Museum. The Smithsonian’s National Mall museum of aviation and spaceflight.

• United States Botanic Garden

  Capitol area · Botanical garden. A botanical institution with conservatory displays and outdoor garden areas near the Capitol.

• Lincoln Memorial

  West Potomac Park · Memorial. A memorial to Abraham Lincoln at the western end of the National Mall landscape.

• Rock Creek Park

  Northwest DC · Park and trails. A large park with wooded trails and visitor facilities in northwest Washington.