20 Essential Tips for a First Visit to Washington, DC

The National Cherry Blossom Festival takes place from mid-March through mid-April every year with a full calendar of cultural events held around the city.

The museums and landmarks along the expansive green space of the National Mall are better experienced on foot.

The National Archives Museum houses the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.

Tours of the White House can be arranged by contacting your member of Congress.

Advance reservations are required to tour the U.S. Capitol Building, which includes the rotunda, National Statuary Hall, and the crypt.

The Library of Congress, located across from the Capitol, is the world's largest collection of books.

Dupont Circle is a neighborhood where you can find galleries, boutiques, and eateries.

Georgetown is known for its cobblestone sidewalks, gorgeous architecture, and upscale home design stores.

The Friendship Archway is located in Chinatown.

Make it a point to grab a photo of the Friendship Archway in Chinatown.

U Street is where you can indulge at the original location of Ben's Chili Bowl.

Ben's Chili Bowl is located on U Street.

Second Story Books is a bookstore in Dupont Circle.

Kramers is a bookstore in the Dupont Circle neighborhood.

The National Museum of African American History and Culture requires timed passes to save visitors from waiting in long lines.

The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum requires timed passes to save visitors from waiting in long lines.

The National Zoo requires timed passes to save visitors from waiting in long lines.

The Lincoln Memorial is an iconic monument that is hard to miss because of its placement.

The Jefferson Memorial is an iconic monument that is hard to miss because of its placement.

The Washington Monument is an iconic monument that is hard to miss because of its placement.

The FDR Memorial is on a 7.5 acre more secluded plot along the southwest side of the Tidal Basin.

The MLK Memorial is located at the northwest corner of the Tidal Basin on a sight line connecting the Lincoln Memorial to the northwest and the Jefferson Memorial to the southeast.

The black granite walls of the Vietnam Memorial are within Constitution Gardens adjacent to the National Mall and a short walk from the Lincoln Memorial.

The Vietnam Memorial's black granite walls are within Constitution Gardens, adjacent to the National Mall and a short walk from the Lincoln Memorial.

Arlington National Cemetery, across the Potomac River from downtown, is where the heroes who served in the nation's military are laid to rest.

The Tomb of the Unknowns is located in Arlington National Cemetery.

Search out more than a hundred gargoyles and grotesques at the Washington National Cathedral, a neo-Gothic building constructed in the 20th century.

The Kennedy Center is the nation's busiest performing arts center, offering free guided tours and spectacular views of the city from the rooftop terrace.

Union Market is a gourmet food hall with food stalls, informal restaurants, and kitchenware boutiques.

Established by an act of Congress in 1927, the National Arboretum covers nearly 450 acres and is free to visit, with the grounds coming alive during the springtime.

On site at the National Arboretum you'll find the National Capital Columns, the same set of Corinthian columns that once supported the east portico of the Capitol Building.

Mount Vernon, overlooking the Potomac, was home to founding father and the nation's first president George Washington.