The DC visitor center does not have a walk in section last time we called. (202) 789-7000

Government

White House  
Guided tours Self-guided tours of the White House are free and can be taken mornings, Tues to Sat. Pick up tickets at the White House Visitor Center, 15th and E Sts NW. The Visitor Center opens at 7:30am. Get there early – tickets go fast. 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. (202) 456-7041

Bureau of Engraving & Printing  
Show me the money! They print 8,000 sheets per hour here. Take their free self-guided, 35-minute tour, but you must get tickets first which are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Open Mon to Fri, 9am to 2 pm. U.S. Treasury Dept. at 14th & C Sts. SW. (202) 874-8888

Supreme Court   
Public courtroom lectures are delivered every hour on the half-hour from 9:30am to 3:30pm. A free public tour of the US’s highest court of law is given every weekday at 2pm. Tours are first come, first serve. 1st and East Capitol Sts. NE. (202) 479-3211

Memorials

Jefferson Memorial  
This tribute to former US president Thomas Jefferson has an enormous statue of the president and engravings of some of his timeless quotations. Open daily. 900 Ohio Drive SW. Free.

Arlington Nat’l Cemetery  
One of only two national cemeteries administered by the US Army. See the changing of the guards at the Tomb of the Unknowns every half hour during the summer, every hour the rest of the year. Take the Metrorail to the Arlington Cemetery stop. Open daily. Free.

Lincoln Memorial  
Tribute to former President, Abraham Lincoln. One of the more popular tourist destinations in DC. 900 Ohio Drive SW. Open daily. Free.

Vietnam Vets Memorial  
The polished granite wall is engraved with more than 58,000 names of the men and women of the Vietnam Conflict who died or remain missing. Constitution Ave. and Henry Bacon Drive NW. Open daily. Free.

Washington Monument  
555-foot tall white monument that can be seen over the short DC skyline. Located on the west end of the Mall. Open daily. Free.

Museums

Holocaust Museum  
Documents the history of the Holocaust and is a memorial to the millions that did not survive. Open daily. 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place SW. Free.

Nat’l Air & Space Museum  
Planes, spaceships and other wonders of technology. Open daily. Independence Ave. and 7th St., SW. Free.

National Museum of American Art  
Dedicated to America’s native cultures and history. Open daily. 8th St. and G St. NW. Free.

National Museum of Natural History  
Dedicated to exploring the natural world. Open daily. 10th St. and Constitution Ave. NW. Free.

The National Zoological Park  
More than 3000 animals, many endangered species, occupy this 165-acre park in uptown DC. It is a 4 to 5-block walk from Cleveland Park, on the 3000 block of Conn. Ave. NW. (202) 633-4800

Ford’s Theater  
President Abraham Lincoln was shot here by John Wilkes Booth in 1865. Restored and open for self-guided or ranger-led tours when shows and rehearsals are not in progress. Open daily with free admission. 511 10th St. NW, (202) 426-6924

The Newseum   
Interactive museum of news with videotapes of the world’s most fascinating news events. Open Wed to Sun. Take the Metrorail orange or blue line to Rosslyn Station. 1101 Wilson Blvd. $20/ $18 for students.

Neighborhoods

Foggy Bottom
Georgetown
Adams Morgan
Dupont Circle
Penn Quarter

Nightlife

Pick up a copy of the Washington City Paper for info on concerts, plays, festivals, films and exhibits. Head to Georgetown for the excellent university bar scene. The G-2, D-2 and D-4 Metrobuses serve the Georgetown University area. The nearest Metrorail is the Red Line’s Dupont Circle.