Places to See in DC, by Rithrandil
The Smithsonian Museums are primarily situated on the National Mall.
Most of the Museums are centered around the National Mall. The most popular museums are:
a. The Air and Space Museum! See Apollo 11! A Predator drone! A V-2 missile, and much much more! ( http://www.nasm.si.edu/ )
b. National Museum of American History! Come see artifacts of the Presidency, popular culture, military history, and much, much more! ( http://americanhistory.si.edu/ )
c. Natural History Museum! Its like the Creation Museum for smart people. (http://www.mnh.si.edu/ )
d. National Portrait Gallery! I think they have pictures of some dudes here. (http://www.npg.si.edu/ )
2) THE ZOO! The Zoo is also run by the Smithsonian! http://nationalzoo.si.edu/
a. Take the Red Line to the Woodley Park/Zoo/Adams Morgan stop or the Cleveland Park stop. The Zoo entrance lies halfway between these stops, and both are a short walk from the Zoo.
b. Tip: It's an uphill walk from Woodley Park to the Zoo, and a level one from Cleveland Park. We suggest you arrive at Cleveland Park and leave from either Metro station.
c. If you exit at the Woodley Park–Zoo/Adams Morganstop, walk north (away from McDonald's and CVS). The Zoo is about three blocks from the stop, on the right (east) side of Connecticut Avenue.
d. If you exit at the Cleveland Park stop, take the exit on the east side of the street and walk south, toward the Uptown movie theater and the restaurants that line Connecticut Avenue (away from 7-11 and the Exxon station). The Zoo is on the east side of the street, about three blocks from the stop, after a bridge and just past a large apartment building.
3) The National Archives! ( http://www.archives.gov/nae/ )
a. To reach the Archives: In Washington, DC, take Metrorail's Yellow or Green lines to the Archives/Navy Memorial station. The Archives/Navy Memorial stop is across Pennsylvania Avenue from the Archives building.
b. The National Archives contains the original Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and the Bill of Rights. They also have records from other American time periods.
4) Holocaust Museum (http://www.ushmm.org/)
a. Very powerful. I recommend seeing the Permanent Exhibit.
5) Spy Museum (http://spymuseum.org/)
a. This costs $18 to get in, but it’s a pretty nifty exhibit.
b. The International Spy Museum is easily accessible by Washington, DC's Metrorail system. The closest Metro station is the Gallery Place/Chinatown stop, served by the RED,YELLOW and GREEN lines. Also nearby is the Metro Center station, served by the ORANGE, BLUE, and RED lines. (http://spymuseum.org/plan/directions.php)
6) Newseum (http://www.newseum.org/)
a. This also costs $20-ish to get in. I have heard it is very fun, though. (http://www.newseum.org/plan-your-visit/directions/index.html )
b. They have exhibits on the Berlin Wall, 9/11, Watergate, exhibits on the Unabomber, etc.
7) The National Cathedral! (http://www.nationalcathedral.org/)
a. Come contribute to the violation of Separation of Church and State! (They request $5).
b. Very beautiful building. Getting there will require a metro ride plus a bus ride or a bit of walking. Directions can be found at : http://www.nationalcathedral.org/visit/directions.shtml
8) The Capitol!
a. You can see the grounds and the outside of the building without a tour, but you need to book a tour in advance if you wish to visit the inside. There are same-day passes, but they are limited in number and take a while to get. I recommend booking this as far in advance as possible: http://www.visitthecapitol.gov/Visit/Page%20-%20Tour%20Information.html
9) The Supreme Court
a. This will only be open during the week from 9:00-4:30. Sometimes if you get there early enough and if court is in session you can go hear an Oral Argument. http://www.supremecourt.gov/visiting/visiting.aspx
10) The Pentagon.
a. This place is cool. Tours occur from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM on weekdays. Book in advance! http://pentagon.afis.osd.mil/tour-selection.html
11) The White House
a. Some dude lives here. Book tours as far in advance as possible. http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/tours-and-events
12) Union Station (http://www.unionstationdc.com/ )
a. Apparently the most visited tourist attraction. Some nice shops, places to get food, and you can get bus tours of the city from there if you are interested.
b. Directions: It has a metro station. That’s all the help I’m giving you.
13) The Old Post Office (http://www.oldpostofficedc.com/)
a. Cool place. Interesting building, nice food, some shops. You can go up to the top of the Old Clock Tower and get an awesome view of the city.
14) The Mall (http://www.nps.gov/nama/index.htm)
a. Lots and lots and lots of memorials and stuff here. This is where the main Smithsonian museums are, plus virtually every monument in town. Walking from Lincoln to Congress is about a 30 minute brisk walk. Also you can have a picnic here if you are a loser.
15) Arlington Cemetary (http://www.arlingtoncemetery.org/)
a. You can see a lot of things here. The Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers, the Eternal Flame for JFK, etc.
b. You get here from the Metro, but BE WARNED – THE METRO STOP CLOSES AT 7 PM. DO NOT STAY HERE LATE UNLESS YOU WANT TO WALK SEVERAL MILES TO THE NEAREST METRO STOP.
16) BOOZE ADVENTURES!
a. Locations: Chinatown metro, Dupont Circle, Adams Morgan.