Planning a trip to DC what should i see?

Hi Mitch, Welcome to Mylot. I lived and worked in Washington DC for almost two years and there are lots of places that you can explore and visit. You're right you can go to South Capitol, The White House of course, The Monument, Museums, Park, Zoo, Pentagon, Arlington (Virginia) and lots of historical places within the area. When are you planning to visit the place? You've mentioned them all. Maybe you can explore the net for additional information as far as other tourist spots in DC is concerned. You can take the subway train and you will be in virginia and/or maryland in just 15 to 30 minutes. Good luck and happy trip. Visit more places and maximize your stay in the US.

Some things that you can do are listen to free live music at the National Gallery of Art and at the East Garden Court. Also, visit Old Stone House, one of the oldest houses in the city for free. There you will see live workers demonstrate different crafts as they were performed in the Revolutionary Days. A number of government sites are free to see and endure. See Congress in action at the Capitol or a trial open to the public at the Supreme Court. You can see FBI fingerprinting rooms and labs of crime-detection at the J. Edgar Hoover Building. Or visit the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to see old money being burned or new money being made. The Treasury Building displays an exhibit of rare money while the Interior Department has historic exhibits available. Some sites that normally charge admission in other cities, offer free admission in Washington D.C. These include: the U.S. Botanic Gardens, the National Zoological Park, the U.S. National Arboretum, and the National Air and Space Museum. Here is an article titled How to Travel to Washington D.C. on a Budget. http://www.ehow.com/how_5056137_travel-washington-dc-budget.html

There is so much to see in D.C. that you will have a very busy 4 days. Definitely want to see the Capitol building and a session of Congress is worthwhile. I love the Lincoln memorial and the Jefferson monument. You'll probably want to see Arlington cemetary. JFK's grave site is very touching. I don't think that anyone has mentioned the Smithsonian Institute (truthfully, you could easily spend 4 days there). I also enjoyed the tour of the U.S. Mint and we were also able to drive to Mount Vernon to see George Washington's home and his and his wife's burial site. There's always Georgetown and Arlington, Va. I could go on and on. It's a great place to visit and you will have a wonderful time.

Visit the Air and Space Museum - it is wonderful and free to get into. The Holocaust Musuem was excellent but might not be good for small children. The spy museum costs to get into and it was just ok. Little kids would like it.