District of Columbia · best-of list
10 Top Things to Do in the District of Columbia
All 10 things to do our route editors picked in the District of Columbia, across 3 destinations, gathered in one list. Expect sights and experiences, with Washington, DC contributing the most (5).
Our curated picks
10 things to do in the District of Columbia, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Washington, DC 5 picks
Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building
Washington, DC · On our Capital Cities Corridor route
Ornate Great Hall and the Main Reading Room overlook beside the Capitol.
Tip: Linked by tunnel to the Capitol Visitor Center.
Photo: Rajiv Sukumar · Google
National Air and Space Museum
Washington, DC · On our Capital Cities Corridor route
Wright Flyer, Apollo 11 command module and the Spirit of St. Louis.
Tip: Reserve free timed-entry passes online.
Photo: ajay_suresh · CC BY 4.0
National Gallery of Art
Washington, DC · On our Capital Cities Corridor route
Free galleries including the only Leonardo da Vinci painting in the Americas.
Tip: The Sculpture Garden next door hosts summer jazz on Fridays.
Photo: ajay_suresh · CC BY 4.0
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Washington, DC · On our Capital Cities Corridor route
Smithsonian museum tracing African American history from slavery to today.
Tip: Start in the lower history galleries; allow 4 hours. Free timed passes may be required.
Photo: Phil P. · Google
U.S. Capitol Visitor Center
Washington, DC · On our Capital Cities Corridor route
Free guided tours of the Capitol Rotunda and crypt.
Tip: Book tours online in advance.
Photo: The U.S. Capitol Visitor Center · Google
National Mall & Downtown 4 picks
Lincoln Memorial
National Mall & Downtown · On our Washington, DC New Year's Eve route
Open around the clock; its steps look down the Reflecting Pool to the Washington Monument and the Capitol.
Tip: The steps are the classic place to watch the Mall at midnight; go after 10 p.m., when the monument is quietest and lit.
National Museum of Natural History
National Mall & Downtown · On our Washington, DC New Year's Eve route
Smithsonian museum of the Hope Diamond, dinosaur hall and ocean hall; free, and open on Jan 1.
Tip: Smithsonian museums close only on Dec 25, so this works for a slow New Year's Day too.
New Year's Eve on the National Mall
National Mall & Downtown · On our Washington, DC New Year's Eve route
In 2025, Freedom 250 projected a 250-foot birthday candle onto the Washington Monument and fired fireworks at midnight.
Tip: That free show was part of the 250th anniversary; confirm whether a show is planned before you plan the night around it.
Photo: NASA Headquarters / NASA/Bill Ingalls · Public domainThe Wharf
National Mall & Downtown · On our Washington, DC New Year's Eve route
Southwest waterfront district of piers, bars, restaurants and The Anthem concert hall on the Washington Channel.
Tip: New Year's Eve here means ticketed shows and bar parties; buy tickets weeks ahead.
Georgetown 1 pick
Washington Harbour Ice Rink
Georgetown · On our Washington, DC New Year's Eve route
Outdoor rink on the Potomac at Washington Harbour, typically open from mid-November to early March.
Tip: Sessions run 90 minutes; skate rental is extra.
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the things to do in the District of Columbia?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 10 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of the District of Columbia has the most things to do on this list?
Washington, DC has the most (5 of 10), followed by National Mall & Downtown (4) and Georgetown (1).
Are any of these free?
8 picks on this list are marked free in our route notes: Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building, Lincoln Memorial, National Air and Space Museum, National Museum of Natural History, National Gallery of Art, and more. Check ahead, since parking or special exhibits can cost extra.
More lists for District of Columbia
Top things to do nearby
Destinations on this list
- Washington, DC 5 on this list
- National Mall & Downtown 4 on this list
- Georgetown 1 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.