Washington has an unrivaled collection of free museums and the country’s most important monuments. With a large green area covering the city, it is also the ideal place to enjoy outdoor activities, many of which are organized by the municipality itself in the hottest seasons, such as spring and summer. The main park is the imposing National Mall, on the edge of Constitution Avenue, but there are others that deserve to be known, such as Georgetown Waterfront Park and Theodore Roosevelt Island Park.
If you like to tour, know that most attractions in DC are concentrated in the National Mall, the West End and Capitol Hill. When you arrive in the city, start by exploring the political circuit, where the Capitol and various memorials and monuments that honor US presidents, victory in World War II and Vietnam veterans are located. It is a true history lesson!
The most prominent tourist spots in this region you have probably seen on TV, on the internet or heard of. Among them are the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, Thomas Jefferson Memorial, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the World War II Memorial and the Korean War Veterans Memorial.
And you must be wondering about the White House. A visit to see its exterior is possible, however, for internal visits, the bureaucracy is much greater! Brazilians must make a formal application at the Brazilian Embassy in Washington in order to obtain this permission. On the White House website, you can get all the details of this process, if you are interested.
In addition to the monuments and memorials, be sure to visit the 14 museums maintained by the Smithsonian Institute around the National Mall, and the other 3 in the city’s metropolitan area. All of these are among the best in the country, with exhibitions of various subjects, from the arts to science. The best of everything? They’re all free!
One of the most unmissable is the National Museum of American History, an American history museum that collects, preserves and displays the United States’ heritage in the areas of social, political, cultural, scientific and military history. Another highlight is the Air and Space Museum, where the Apollo 11 command module is located, which brought back the first astronauts who went to the Moon. And be sure to also visit the National Museum of Natural History, with a huge collection of ancient Egyptian objects and dinosaur fossils!
In addition to the rich cultural, political and peaceful life of the parks, visitors are also faced with another face of the city, which oozes cosmopolitan daytime life and an intense night. Washington has countless restaurants with international flavors, chains of desired stores, trendy nightclubs and trendy bars, which mainly serve the city’s large university community.
In the Georgetown neighborhood, M Street is the main point for good shopping. The Adams Morgan district is more hipster, with its alternative trade. And even if you’re not a fan of shopping, be sure to stop by the lush Union Station, the city’s main train station that has several stores inside. And if you love visiting city markets when you travel, you will be impressed by the Eastern Market on 7th Street! Located in the heart of the historic Capitol Hill neighborhood, it brings together vendors of food, clothing, antiques and crafts on weekends.
To complete your stay, how about taking a different tour around the capital? The picturesque Old Town Alexandria, a historic city founded in 1749 and the birthplace of George Washington, is that charming little town with a country atmosphere. Its 18th and 19th century buildings form an enchanting landscape, with red brick walls in sight. To get there, just take the subway and get off at King St-Old Town station.
For those who lack the time, experience and patience to plan a trip to Washington DC, a good option is to opt for a travel package. Many of these travel packages already include airfare, accommodation, transportation from the airport to the hotel, tours and other services, all contracted at once. In addition to this convenience, payment is made in reais and can be made up to 10x interest-free at most branches.
Here is a list of travel packages to Washington DC , with base price from São Paulo, from the main online travel agencies. We always try to keep prices up to date, but they can vary according to the day, dollar rate, origin, taxes, options included and subject to availability. Always check the agency’s website for updated prices and conditions.
