Washington Dc Packed with awe-inspiring monuments, world class museums, stately government buildings and numerous significant historical sites, the US capital is a delight to explore.

A trip to Washington D.C. feels like a journey through history. Visitors can stroll along the National Mall, an open-air national park which stretches three kilometres and was the site of Dr Martin Luther King Jr’s famous “I have a dream” speech. Capitol Hill sits at one end of the Mall, with the Lincoln Memorial and its Reflecting Pool located at the other. The Washington Monument, a 169 metre tall obelisk, towers over the middle of the Mall.

Numerous memorials, such as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, are sprinkled along its length. In the 19th century, English scientist James Smithson willed his estate to the USA, for the purpose of founding an “establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge”. The Smithsonian Institution was borne of this bequest and its many museums and research centres are considered to be among the best in the world. Many of its museums and galleries line the length of the National Mall, including the National Museum of Natural History, the National Air and Space Museum, the National Museum of American History and the National Museum of the American Indian. Visitors can soak up knowledge to their heart’s content, as admission is free for all of the Smithsonian Institution’s facilities.

The United States Capitol, the seat of the US Congress, sits perched atop Capitol Hill. Completed in 1800, visitors to this historic building can see Congress in action when the chambers are in session, or watch Congressional committee hearings. Of course, no visit to Washington D.C. would be complete without seeing the White House. Tour slots are notoriously difficult to obtain and must be arranged months in advance, but visitors can view the building from Pennsylvania Avenue.

Across the Potomac River, you'll cross into Arlington County where you'll find the hallowed ground of Arlington National Cemetary. A military cemetary, it is also home to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier where you can witness the changing of the guard. You can also see the grave of John F Kennedy and the Eternal Flame which burns at the head of the grave.

Getting to Washington D.C. is easy. The region’s three airports – Washington Dulles International Airport, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport – all serving as major hubs for flights from around the world and the other cities of the USA. Amtrak trains also run to D.C. from cities such as NYC and Chicago.