What's MUST SEE In Washington DC?

[Stinky The Clown]

18. Good luck on the cherry blossoms. Looks like they got done in by climate change

They are encased in ice that is there because of unseasonably frigid temps. However, worry not. While the blossoms are likely to be less than spectacular, they're still worth seeing.

But DC is really a visitor's bargain destination. All the government attractions are free or nearly so.

If this is your first time here, try for the Capitol. Not sure if you have to get tickets in advance, but you really should take the tour to get a sense of what our country and government once was and (hopefully) will be again. If you go to the Capitol, stop in the Senate or House office buildings. They're open to everyone. You have to go thru a metal detector, but that's it. I suggest Cannon House Office Building. It is right across from the House side of the Capitol and right at the Capitol South Metro stop. The Rotunda (at the northwest corner of the building) is where all the news organizations set up cameras for live shots. Walk through and you can see the Members' offices. Pelosi is in that building. It is undergoing a renovation, so some of it will be closed off.

The Smithsonian Museums offer something for everyone with almost any interest. If it were my first time there, I'd do the American History Museum. It captures who we are as a nation. Every other museum is just as important. They just have different focuses.

If you appreciate airplanes, consider instead of the Air and Space Museum, the Udvar-Hazy Center at Dulles Airport has an amazing collection of complete aircraft. The Enola Gay, a real SR-71 Blackbird and a real Space Shuttle. Lots of other displays, too. https://airandspace.si.edu/udvar-hazy-cente.r

On the Mall is the display that moves me deeply - the Viet Nam Memorial. Nearby are the Korean War Memorial and the WWII Memorial, but worth the time.

The sleeper, and right off the route of the Cherry Blossom walk around the reflecting pool is the FDR Memorial, which we found to be the best of the large presidential Memorials. Yes, Lincoln is great, but the FDR has a message and a theme that resonates even today.

Anyway, welcome to DC. There is more to do than you'll have time for in a month, let alone a weekend or a week.