One of the most fascinating places to visit in the US is the nation’s heart of government: Washington, DC. While many of us living within the United States have had the chance to visit Washington, there remains a large percentage of the population that has not had the opportunity. Some may scoff at the thought and proclaim that they are not missing anything, but there is so much history and so many attractions in Washington, DC, that even a cursory look may surprise the most recalcitrant reader.
Depending on where you live in the country, you may be able to drive your own car to the various attractions, but should you require a car service from Washington DC airport, there are several from which you may choose. Once you have your transportation set, you are free to look at the many places of interest. Since there are so many, the following will represent a small percentage of the “must sees” while in Washington, DC.
For those of us on a budget, never fear: there are plenty of things to do and see in Washington that are free to all visitors. In fact, it would take several weeks to visit all of the free attractions. A few of the most prominent include:
- The Pentagon – the external building can be seen by all, and groups who book in advance can also gain access to the interior tours.
- The Lincoln Memorial – this nineteen foot statue should not be missed. It overlooks a reflecting pool so often seen in movies and on television, and is open every day except Christmas day.
- The Library of Congress – where guided tours are offered through the Thomas Jefferson building, a wonder of nineteenth century architecture.
- National Air and Space Museum – where you can see flying machines from the original Wright Brothers flyer to the command module of the Apollo 11 spacecraft.
- National Museum of American History – wherein reside thousands of objects from throughout the history of the US. Such objects include items as diverse as The Star Spangled Banner to Dorothy’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz.
- The White House – while free, this one is a little more difficult since tours must be scheduled through your member of congress six months in advance and require a minimum of ten persons for the tour, though the visitors’ center is open to everyone and has a great deal of interesting attractions to keep you happy for several hours.
This small selection is just the tip of the iceberg, so buy your plane ticket, take advantage of the Washington, DC airport car service, and start sampling what the city has to offer. You’d be amazed at how much there is to do and see for you and for your entire family.