all 19 of the Smithsonians and the National Zoo are free...expect long lines though...
The Mall has the Capitol at one end and Lincoln at the other ...that could fill almost a day to walk down and see everything...South of the Mall are the Jefferson and the MLK memorials...
The views of Washington from all 4 sides at the top of Washington monument are awesome...I think its open again...again long lines...
Lincoln’s Memorial is inspiring...
Don’t miss the Vietnam Veterans’ Wall or the WWII Memorial
If you want to go up in the gallery of the Capitol to watch the Senate or the House get tickets from your own congress critter’s office staff before you go..either locally or from the Washington office...you wont be allowed upstairs without tickets/passes..
I don’t know how theyre doing the White House tickets now...we use to have to line up at an outside box office on the Ellipse about 6AM to get them on the day we wanted to visit but Obama changed all that...he locked the people out of their own house...
Thank you. I didn’t think of the gallery for watching the heathens hiss at each other. White house tours are supposedly a 2 month advance request. But it’s a tour again thankfully. Obama can kma.
***Don’t miss the Vietnam Veterans’ Wall or the WWII Memorial***
Ditto what Tennessee Nana had to say. Those are must see!
I personally really enjoyed the National Air and Space Museum. There are so many great museums and monuments. I doubt one week is enough, but you’ll get a lot done. Prioritize your list for can’t miss things.
Big tip, wear comfortable shoes that you are used to walking in. Otherwise, blisters will make your visit very difficult.
It’s too bad the people who live in DC are in such a bubble from what the rest of us experience, but the city is really cool to visit. Good luck and God bless you.