Get great ideas for free sights and activities in Washington, D.C. Then, after your trip, share what you’ve found with other MSN Travel readers by contributing your own suggestions to the list.
With all the free monuments, museums and gardens around town, Washington, D.C., is a budget-friendly city. Here’s a list of our favorite ways to spend time and save money in the nation’s capital. Do you know D.C.? We need you to share your ideas! Visit our message boards to post your own favorite free things to do in Washington, D.C. We’ll keep adding to this page, so keep checking back as the list grows with your suggestions.
1. Stroll through the National Mall: Wear your walking shoes! The mall — bordered by Constitution and Independence avenues and the U.S. Capitol Building and Washington Monument — encompasses 60 statues, memorials, historic sites and buildings. Highlights include the Korean War Veterans Memorial and Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial and Jefferson Memorial, Constitution Gardens and Ford’s Theatre.
2. Visit the White House: Self-guided tours of the White House are free and available from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday (excluding federal holidays). However, they are open only to groups of 10 or more; a request for the tour must be submitted by contacting your member of Congress ahead of time. If you can't arrange a tour, stop by the White House Visitor Center instead.
1. Stroll through the National Mall: Wear your walking shoes! The mall — bordered by Constitution and Independence avenues and the U.S. Capitol Building and Washington Monument — encompasses 60 statues, memorials, historic sites and buildings. Highlights include the Korean War Veterans Memorial and Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial and Jefferson Memorial, Constitution Gardens and Ford’s Theatre.
2. Visit the White House: Self-guided tours of the White House are free and available from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday (excluding federal holidays). However, they are open only to groups of 10 or more; a request for the tour must be submitted by contacting your member of Congress ahead of time. If you can't arrange a tour, stop by the White House Visitor Center instead.
3. National Archives: See the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights and Constitution all housed in the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom (http://archives.gov/nae/visit); the Public Vaults include handwritten letters by George Washington and telegrams from Abraham Lincoln. (To avoid waiting in line, call at least six weeks in advance for a reservation.)
4. Arlington National Cemetery: Pay respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and visit the eternal flame that burns at the grave of President John F. Kennedy.
5. Smithsonian Museums: It’s hard to believe that these amazing storehouses of history are free. Start at the National Museum of Natural History, the Air and Space Museum or one of more than a dozen others.
6. U.S. Botanic Garden: Stop and smell the roses, and peonies, and cherry blossoms and more. Run by the U.S. Congress, the garden features rotating exhibits, 26,000 plants and a butterfly garden, among other attractions. The garden is located across from the Capitol Building and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (http://www.usbg.gov/index.cfm)
7. U.S. Naval Observatory: Its lofty mission includes “determining the positions and motions of the Earth, sun, moon, planets, stars and other celestial objects … measuring the Earth's rotation; and maintaining the Master Clock for the United States.” Tours are generally available on Monday evenings. (http://www.usno.navy.mil/tour_info.shtml)
8. National Zoo: Lions and tigers and giant pandas, oh my! This free zoo is a national treasure and a great change of pace from D.C.’s museums and monuments.
9. The “Exorcist Stairs”: For something on the quirky side, visit Georgetown to see the 75 steep steps that connect Prospect Street with M Street; they’ll be recognizable to fans of "The Exorcist" as the stairs that were featured in the climactic scene with the priest. Today, it’s just a great workout – about the equivalent of walking to the roof of a five-story building.
6. U.S. Botanic Garden: Stop and smell the roses, and peonies, and cherry blossoms and more. Run by the U.S. Congress, the garden features rotating exhibits, 26,000 plants and a butterfly garden, among other attractions. The garden is located across from the Capitol Building and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (http://www.usbg.gov/index.cfm)
7. U.S. Naval Observatory: Its lofty mission includes “determining the positions and motions of the Earth, sun, moon, planets, stars and other celestial objects … measuring the Earth's rotation; and maintaining the Master Clock for the United States.” Tours are generally available on Monday evenings. (http://www.usno.navy.mil/tour_info.shtml)
8. National Zoo: Lions and tigers and giant pandas, oh my! This free zoo is a national treasure and a great change of pace from D.C.’s museums and monuments.
9. The “Exorcist Stairs”: For something on the quirky side, visit Georgetown to see the 75 steep steps that connect Prospect Street with M Street; they’ll be recognizable to fans of "The Exorcist" as the stairs that were featured in the climactic scene with the priest. Today, it’s just a great workout – about the equivalent of walking to the roof of a five-story building.
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