This building has amazing architecture and paintings. Get the free tour with a volunteer guide…read more She pointed out so many interesting facts that I would have missed on my own. You can also get a free library card if you want to do research or go into the reading rooms. First time visiting this beautiful building.

If you're in DC for just a few days, I'd add Library of Congress to the list. Note that you do need…read moretickets to enter, but the best part about the tickets is that it's free. The architecture is beautiful. There was a lot of thought that went into the structure and design of the building. I took the advice of one of the people and went into the viewing room first, but I wish I had gotten a later "timed entry" to see the library itself so that I could've taken the time to learn what I was looking at. If I were to do it again, I'd follow the order online of how to view the Library of Congress, and I'd time the viewing of the library itself to be the last part. Fun fact: you also can get a library card for the Library of Congress! As long as if you fill out the form and have an ID, you can get a library card the same day and it'll last for 2 years.

Didn't do the tour this time. Like the White House, the interior isn't worth the wait (we didn't…read moresee the chambers of the deliberative bodies) Glad I did I it before though. My rating is for the building. This is architecturally the most breathtaking building in our great country. Worth going up to take a picture or just take it in If a natural beauty site can be five stars why can't this sublime building? Sigh

Very cool to see the US Capitol. It's located right in the center of everything, so everywhere you…read morelook there's something really cool to see. It was busy at the time because of some apparent construction, as well as the Great American State Fair going on, so some areas were blocked off. Years ago when I visited here, I was able to get a tour by going through my Representative's office. I'm sure that's probably still how it works. We weren't really interested in doing that while we were here this time, but it was still cool to see this during the day, and again during our DC at Dusk tour.

The James Madison Memorial Building is part of the Library of Congress, but is often overlooked…read more It's close to the US Capitol Building and mainly houses the administrative offices for the Library of Congress. However, tourists should note four things worth visiting: 1) You can get a readers card for free in just 5-15 minutes during the week to go into the famous Reading Room in the Library of Congress. 2) There's a beautiful marble lobby with a statue of James Madison inside. 3) The outside is beautiful to photograph and many DC Instagrammers highlight the tall columns in their feeds. 4) There are picnic tables outside for you to enjoy lunch or the sunshine with a good book. If you just have 36 hours in DC, skip this one, but if you live here, stop by this lesser known building.

Some extra things you may not know about when visiting the library of congress. You can come here…read moreand get your official library readers card. They also have some small exhibits that change from time to time. Cool spot, but certainly not part of "must see D.C."

The National Mall was absolutely beautiful! Walking among the iconic monuments and memorials was…read moresuch a special experience for our family. The views, history, and atmosphere were incredible, and there was so much to see and explore. Definitely a must-visit when traveling to Washington, DC!

I love the National Mall and when lobbying on The Hill, find myself walking through multiple times…read morea day, a couple of times a year. In addition to all of the monuments and museums, there are nice areas to just stroll or sit and relax. I do enjoy grabbing lunch and finding a cozy spot on the mall to enjoy it. You don't want to miss out on all that this garden has to offer. History and nature all rolled into one.

What's prettier than the White House, the Monument, the Lincoln Memorial and the Smithsonian put…read moretogether? Yes, Ariana Grande is a good answer, but I was looking for the Executive Office on 17th St! A long time ago, the love of my life used to say that this building was the highlight of her trips to DC, and I can see why. I remember walking with her in the pouring rain next to it, and taking pictures of her exposing herself in front of it. Times change... But this building never did. It's glorious and resplendent. It reminds me of something in France, but better kept, perhaps. It looks palatial. If the White House is a little underwhelming then this executive office is completely awe-inspiring. It's level with the Capitol as my favourite building in the DC area, and is the easiest 5-star rating I've given since my Cousin Daniel got drunk and showed me the ropes.

Didn't really have a lot of time to roam around Pennsylvania Ave. And my friend and I, being…read moreslightly less than ignorant didn't know that the BACK of the WHITE HOUSE would be on Pennsylvania Ave. ** Not impressed** So our pictures we're not exactly anythng to brag about. So we decided to take pictures in front of the Executive Office of the President where the FRONT of this architecture was much more impressive than the BACK of the White House on Pennsylvania Ave. Still a great experience to roam DC and take in the history and political side of the US. (You don't get much of that or appreciate it as much coming from the west coast. Hence, the ignorance of the FRONT vs the BACK of the WHITE HOUSE. =X)

On the U.S. Capitol grounds is a historic summer house that's often open to the public to escape…read morethe sun, use the drinking fountain or east on one of the seats inside.

We were excited to stumble upon this cute little place outside the Capitol building. It's actually…read morea virtual geocache site so we were excited about that as well. It's a great place to take a seat in the shade. There's a fresh fountain there so you can wash your hands or cool off there as well.

We were taking a walk on the Wharf and came unexpectedly to the Titanic Memorial. I used to read…read moreeverything about the Titanic but I was not aware that this memorial was here, dedicated to the men who sacrificed themselves so the women and children of the Titanic would be saved. Just 10 days after the sinking, a group of women formed a committee to raise money for a memorial. This is a quiet corner of DC (the memorial was moved for the Kennedy Center), and a beautiful tribute.

The Titanic Memorial was organized by influential women of the United States to honor the men who…read moregave their lives by giving up their opportunity for seats on lifeboats to women and children aboard the RMS Titanic that sank after collision with an iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean on April 15, 1912. 531 women and children were on board that day, 70% of which were rescued compared to only 20% of men. If you've seen the 1997 movie entitled 'Titanic," starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet then you can better understand the cost paid by many men to preserve the lives of many women and children on board the vessel that day. The memorial is located at the far end of The Wharf between the marina and U.S. Army post, Fort McNair. A true concrete park, the grounds has benches and when the weather is nice, it is a place for strollers, joggers, dog walkers, and picnic goers. This area also entertains people migrating from the marina and The Wharf. You'll often find locals pass through here as the memorial is adjacent to multiple mid- and high-rise housing units. The area isn't the most pristine, however, it is a great place to hang out during great weather as it is along the waterfront and is slightly shaded by trees. Historical Fact: this isn't the memorial's original location. The statue once stood at the current site of The Kennedy Center in Northwest DC. When The Kennedy Center was constructed in the 60s, the statue was removed and eventually relocated to its current home on the Southwest Waterfront. I believe the memorial is due for another relocation as it doesn't seem fitting in its current spot and is overshadowed by the commercial development on the Southwest Waterfront.

It just occurred to me that I've been on this thing during a trip to DC in 8th grade…read more I have nothing else to say. I just wanted to blatantly humblebrag this.

I almost got ran over by John McCain while he was rushing back to his office…read more No joke. (The railway goes 500 ft, it seems. For the lazy or old, apparently.)

Food, family friend, beautiful sights, baseball, soccer, great restaurants & bars & shops!…read more What doesn't the Navy Yard offer?! This feels like one of the safest & less busiest areas of DC. We enjoy bringing our bikes, & bikes around the city stopping in to grab a bite to eat or shop.

Amazing neighborhood. Nats Park is here as are a great variety of restaurant and nice parks as…read morewell. Looking forward to the continue growth here in years to come.

A free and excellent view of Downtown Washington DC can be viewed from the Old Post Office and…read moreClock Tower, which is the 3rd tallest structure in DC. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and it was completed in 1899. This is attached to the (now) Waldorf Astoria, however the Tower is manned by the National Parks Service. The entrance is in the back of the hotel, and the elevator looks out into the hotel's atrium. When you reach the open air top floor, you'll look out for a 360 degree view. One lonely park ranger is up there, and they are there year-round. When we visited, it was completely empty and we had the space to ourselves (and the ranger).

Actual rating: 3.5/5…read more Ok so in fairness, I have never cared for panoramic views. I came here with my friends on a day trip to DC after seeing a post about this place on social media. The entrance to the this place to see the views is incredibly tricky to access. The Waldorf took over and shut down the way to access through the building so you'll have to walk around and find the nearly completely hidden from street view entrance. For ease, I have linked the approximate location from Apple Maps below. There is a small historic background museum when you enter following the bag search and this is part of the National Parks stamping service so if you collect those speak with the nice ranger on duty. There are two elevators to travel to get to the top, the first takes you up to see views of the Astoria and the second will show you the rooftop from the Old Post Office Tower. This view is obscured by bars that make photography challenging. Would I, who does not like views, come again? No. But!!! If you are into views this is quite nice and free so I would recommend.