Washington, D.C. is a tourism mecca, from its free museums to its vast collection of monuments and memorials. But just because these places are frequented by escalefting out-of-towners, doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be enjoyed by locals. Below, DCist presents the ten best tourists spots that every Washingtonian should take advantage of.
The National Arboretum. Photo by wgestalten.
NATIONAL ARBORETUM: Wedged in between busy New York Avenue and Bladensburg Road in the Northeast, the National Arboretum offers cement-weary Washingtonians and tourists the chance to spend some time with nature. For locals, it can provide a day of restful reflection in the presence of beautiful plants and trees. For tourists, it’s a chance to see a landmark off the beaten path of the National Mall: the National Capitol Columns. Sequester cuts have forced the arboretum to close on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. But that still leaves the whole weekend to enjoy the 412-acre spot. Wear comfortable shoes, said your mother! — Sarah Anne Hughes
The National Arboretum can be entered from 3501 New York Avenue NE or 24th Street and R Streets NE, off Bladensburg Road.
EASTERN MARKET: Eastern Market is a great place for tourists and locals alike, whether you want to stop by on the way to the Smithsonian or make a day of your visit. Shop and admire the unique jewelry, paintings, photos and more by D.C. artisans, and enjoy the fresh produce sold by local growers and homemade sauces and snacks. The flea market on 7th Street also has antique furniture and other household items. Vendors stay out til about 5 p.m. on weekends, and there are plenty of stands (including one that sells excellent crepes), restaurants and cafes nearby where you can enjoy a meal. — Nicole Dubowitz
Eastern Market is located 225 7th Street SE.
Photo by Wally Gobetz.
NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM: Yes, this Smithsonian installation might be largely unchanged in recent years, and it has the most utilitarian design of any of the museums that line the National Mall, but it features one thing that the rest of D.C.’s cultural institutions cannot claim: Airplanes and spaceships. From the Wright brothers’ 1903 craft that soared above Kitty Hawk, N.C. to the Apollo 11 command module to the piece of Skylab, the museum’s entrance alone is a soaring history of humankind’s aspirations to explore the skies above us. Visitors can touch a moon rock—again, a long-standing exhibit, but one that never loses the awe of originating from a foreign celestial body. The dangers of aviation are just as visible in the museum’s heady collection of military aircraft and rocketry. And no visit to Air and Space should forgo a screening of To Fly!. The museum’s flagship film might be 37 years old, but it remains a perfect capture of the innate wonder of leaving Earth. Because for all of its inveterate, space-age hokeyness, the Air and Space Museum remains a destination for residents and tourists alike who are fascinated by how boldly we might go. Hell, the place even has the Enterprise hanging in the gift shop. —Benjamin R. Freed
The National Air and Space Museum is located at Independence Avenue and Sixth Street SW.
NEWSEUM: When the regular admission price is $21.99, it’s really hard for the Newseum to compete with all of the Smithsonian’s free museums and galleries (especially considering those museums and galleries are awesome). But take our word for it: It’s worth it. The staggeringly large museum traces the origins of journalism from its early days onward, including fascinating exhibits highlighting the development of The First Amendment, the tearing down of the Berlin Wall, the rise of digital journalism, a gallery of Pulitzer Prize-winning photos, and a moving 9/11 gallery. With five floors of exhibits and a massive, 4-D interactive theater, it’s easy to lose 5+ hours in the Newseum and still not see everything. Good thing those tickets are good for two consecutive days.— Matt Cohen
The Newseum is located at 555 Pennsylvania Avenue NW.
Photo by Dan Dan the Binary Man.
NATIONAL ZOO: If you don’t have any moral objections to animals living in captivity, the National Zoo may be the cutest place for tourists and locals alike to spend an afternoon. Eat a sandwich while watching adorable seals and seal lions, who even show concern about falling children. Gawk at the zoo’s famous pandas, then head to the Small Mammal House to discuss the naked mole rats. Whatever you do, don’t miss the sloth. Tourists love this spot, as it’s free, metro-accessible and very kid friendly. And for local sadists out there, it can be fun to watch tourists struggle to climb the large hill to the Connecticut Avenue entrance. — Sarah Anne Hughes
The National Zoo is located at 3001 Connecticut Avenue NW.
MERIDIAN HILL PARK: This serene, picturesque park situated just north of U Street in between 15th and 16th Streets is one of D.C.’s best parks that’s also rich with history. It sits exactly 1.5 miles directly north of the White House and, in fact, was once the location for a proposed expansion of the White House in the early 1900’s. Nowadays, the quiet, 12-acre park boasts lush fauna, a number of finely crafted statues (including those of Joan of Arc, Dante, and James Buchanan), and a 13-basin cascading waterfall system centrally located in the center of the park. It’s a bit of hike from the tourist hub of the National Mall and downtown D.C., but is certainly worth the trek for a quiet, beautiful place to read a book or go for a peaceful park stroll.— Matt Cohen
Meridian Hill Park is located between 16th and 15th Streets NW.
THE HIRSHHORN MUSEUM AND SCULPTURE GARDEN: Modern art an be confusing and strange, but that’s what makes it thought provoking and fun. There’s always something interesting to consider at the Hirshhorn and, since the art is less mainstream, it also draws fewer crowds. You’ll leave with a fresh perspective and an alternative view to consider if you also have a chance to make it to the National Gallery and the other art museums in D.C. — Elisabeth Grant.
The Hirshhorn is located at 700 Independence Avenue SW.
Photo by Daimon Eklund.
NATIONAL ARCHIVES: With museums that house spaceships and dinosaur bones in close proximity to its collection of drafty old papers, it’d be easy to think that the National Archives is like the old, fussy cousin of the National Mall family of museums. And hey, it’s fine if tourists continue to think that. It keeps the line to this treasure trove from ever being too formidable. The most well-known display is, of course, the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom, a.k.a the Founding Fathers Triple Threat Smackdown: The Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights. Ah, it sends shivers down the spine. But beyond that, inside the public vault, you can see “at any given time,” according to the Archives website, “about 1,100 records-originals or facsimiles of documents, photographs, maps, drawings, film or audio clips.” These range from telegrams sent by Lincoln during the Civil War to official “investigations” on UFO activity. (Really.) You can make a reservation for a 90-minute tour, if you don’t want to go through the general public entrance (though, again, line isn’t too bad usually). — Alexis Hauk
The National Archives is located on Constitution Ave. NW, between 7th and 9th Streets.
THE NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY: Ask a local which museum they tend to wind up returning to over and over, and I bet the answer is the National Portrait Gallery. Why? Because it’s multi-purpose. Sure, the exhibits are great. But it also offers a respite from the insanity of Chinatown and the Verizon Center. The third floor usually has free coffee on weekend afternoons. Correction: The coffee cart is inside the Smithsonian American Art Museum. And it has the tendency to satisfy whatever any of your visiting friends or relatives’ expectations were of the “D.C. museum experience.” My family came into town recently, for instance, and we managed to catch an exhibit on famous poets. My highly literary mother actually exclaimed out loud, “Oh, there’s my darling Stanley Kunitz! Take my picture with him!” Personally, I like to hang out and read or get work done inside the Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard, which gives the impression of sitting back in a chic, lush, climate-controlled piazza (the town squares of the future!). Also? The Norman Rockwell portrait of Nixon is hilarious. — Alexis Hauk
The Portrait Gallery is located at 8th and F Streets NW.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT ISLAND: For those looking for a nice stroll or hike in the greet outdoors, Roosevelt Island is a great option. Located in the Potomac River, the 88.5-acre island features a statue of America’s 26th president, as well as many trails. Pedestrians may only enter the island from a footbridge in Rosslyn, while drivers enter from the George Washington Memorial Parkway. While pets are welcome, bikes are not. Bonus for locals? It’s one of the least visited tourist attractions in the area. — Sarah Anne Hughes
Theodore Roosevelt Island is located in the Potomac River.
