Washington DC Tourism Information
Washington, DC is a great city that has lots to offer its visitors. My office can help you navigate scheduling tours to a handful of attractions in the city, and you can learn more about those places here. However, there are plenty of other things that Washington, DC has to offer that you might want to explore on your own. Below you can learn about some of those places, so that you can plan your own trip through our nation’s capital.
· The Arboretum grounds are open every day of the year except December 25 from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The Visitor Center is open from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM daily except for federal holidays November through February. Admission is free.
· Public tram tours of the Arboretum grounds are available at 12:00 PM, 1:00 PM., 2:00 PM., 3:00 PM on weekends and holidays. Tickets may be purchased at the Information Desk located in the Administration Building on the day of your tour. Pricing is detailed here.
· Metro stop: Stadium Armory. Transfer to Metrobus B-2; disembark the bus on Bladensburg Road and walk 2 blocks to R Street. Make a right on R Street and continue 2 blocks to the Arboretum gates.
· The Cemetery is open 365 days a year, from 8am to 7pm April through September and 8am to 5pm October through March.
· Paid, guided tours of the cemetery are available through Arlington National Cemetery Tours, Inc., the cemetery’s authorized tour provider. More information can be found here.
· Arlington Cemetery’s ANC Explorer app can be used to locate gravesites and other points of interest throughout the cemetery.
· Metro stop: Arlington Cemetery
· Admission to the U.S. Botanic Garden is free. The Conservatory and National Garden are open every day of the year from 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM. Bartholdi Park is open every day of the year from dawn till dusk.
· Free 45-minute highlight tours of the U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory may be available on the day of your visit. Please check at the Visitor Information Desk upon your arrival.
· Tours on specialized topics or temporary exhibits are scheduled seasonally. Please check the Garden’s calendar of events to see what may be available as you plan your visit.
· Metro stop: Federal Center SW
· George Washington’s Mount Vernon is open 365 days a year from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
· Mount Vernon charges $17 admission for all adults aged 12 and over; seniors (62+) may purchase admission at a reduced rate of $16; Youths (ages 6 to 11) enter at a rate of $9 and Children 5 and under may enter for free. Members of the Military, Veterans and their dependents are eligible for $3 off general admission prices.
· Guided tours covering various topics at Mount Vernon may be purchased at the same time as your general admission. You can find more information Mount Vernon’s ticketing page.
· Metro stop: Huntington. At the station, board the Fairfax Connector Bus #101, the Fort Hunt Line, for a 20-minute trip to Mount Vernon's entrance gate. For more information, refer to Mount Vernon’s page on parking and directions.
· The Newseum is open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. It is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
· The Newseum charges $22.95 admission for all adults aged 19 to 64; seniors (65+) may purchase admission at a reduced rate of $18.95; Youths (ages 7 to 18) enter at a rate of $13.95 and Children 6 and under may enter for free. Tickets are good for two consecutive days.
· 60-minute guided tours can be purchased, and are available at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis and must be purchased on the day of visit.
· Metro Stop: Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter
· Shenandoah National Park is always open. Most visitor facilities and services begin operating in March and close down completely in late November. Visit the park’s facilities schedule page for more information. Schedules can also be found the park’s downloadable guides page.
· Single person admittance to the park is $10 and provides unlimited entry for 7 consecutive days. Additional fees are applied for those entering the park with motorcycles or vehicles, for utilizing campgrounds, and for other purposes. For a complete list of fees, visit the park’s fees & passes page.
· All Smithsonian Institution museums in Washington DC are free and most are open every day of the year except December 25th. A full list of the Smithsonian museums located on the National Mall and their hours of operation can be found here.
· Metro stops: Smithsonian, Federal Triangle, L’Enfant Plaza, Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter
· The International Spy Museum is open every day from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM
· The Museum charges $21.95 admission for all adults aged 12 to 65; seniors (65+), Military personnel and law enforcement may purchase admission at a reduced rate of $15.95; Youths (ages 7 to 11) enter at a rate of $14.95 and Children 6 and under may enter for free.
· Metro stop: Gallery Place/Chinatown
· Open every day of the year, except December 25th. The grounds are open from 6am to 8pm April through October and 6am to 6pm November through March. Buildings are open 10 am to 6pm April through October and 10am to 4pm November through March.
· Zoo admission is free. Paid, guided tours of the zoo are also available. Further information on reserving tour tickets can be found here.
· Metro stops: Woodley Park/Zoo/Adams-Morgan, Cleveland Park.
Memorials and Monuments
· Washington DC is host to numerous monuments and memorials dedicated to prominent Americans from our nation’s history. The National Parks Service and the National Capital Planning Commission provide an interactive map to assist you in locating monuments all throughout the our capital city.
· The National Parks Service also provides a list of locations in Washington DC that are on the National Register of Historic Places, which includes some of Washington DC’s monuments and memorials.
