Washington, DC Travel Information - Key Landmarks, Advice, and Other Info

DC in a Day Tour

Capital Dome

The All Day Washington, DC tour will take you to the area's popular monuments and museums.

The two major industries of Washington, DC, are Federal Government and Tourism. With the District of Columbia being a mere 69 square miles in area, there's not much land mass to fit anything else. DC is often lumped together demographically with the nearby portions of two adjacent States (Maryland and Virginia) in what is known as the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area.

Washington, DC's Quadrants

• DC is divided into four quadrants, with the Capitol in the center, like the pivot point of a compass needle. Four streets branch out into the four directions: North Capitol Street, East Capitol Street, South Capitol Street and the Mall. Identical addresses appear in all four quadrants.

"Taxation Without Representation"

• Residents of DC are unique -- both in the U.S. and the world -- in that they do not have a voting representative in Congress, nor do they have a State Senator. They do have voting rights in Presidential elections and they have a non-voting delegate in the House. In 2000, the phrase "taxation without representation" was added to DC license plates.

Key Landmarks in Washington, DC

• Washington has numerous national landmarks, including Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, Library of Congress, Lincoln Memorial, Smithsonian Institute, and of course, the White House & U.S. Capitol. It is also home to no less than twelve colleges and universities.
• The National Mall is a stretch of open public area that sits between the Washington Monument and the Capitol. Many museums and monuments are located all along the Mall. Several DC tours make use of the proximity of attractions around this landmark. These include the Lil Red Trolley Tour, an All Day Washington, DC Interior Buildings Tour and a Washington After Dark Tour.
• Ford's Theatre, where President Lincoln was assassinated in 1865, still stands in Washington, as well as the Peterson House across the way, where Lincoln was brought after being shot. In 1893, all three floors of the theatre collapsed, killing 22 workers.
• The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum complex and research organization. It consists of 14 museums, as well as the National Zoo. Admission is free. The Smithsonian Information Center, also called "the Castle", undoubtedly has the most charming exterior architecture of the complex. The award for best interior goes to the National Air & Space Museum, with its high tech gadgetry and over a century of documented historic breakthroughs in aviation. In fact, the National Air & Space Museum is the most popular museum in the world.

• Despite its size, Washington hosts several professional sports teams in soccer (DC United and Washington Freedom), hockey (Washington Capitals), baseball (Washington Nationals), and basketball (Washington Mystics and Washington Wizards).

• Washington, DC, is in a temperate weather zone. Expect the weather to be fairly mild in the summer and rather brisk in the winter. Some average temperatures in degrees Fahrenheit: winter - 37; spring - 56; summer - 77; and fall - 60. Although summer temperatures appear moderate, the humidity in late summer can be quite high. Spring and fall are the best times to visit. Don't forget to bring your walking shoes!