Six Most Visited Tourist Destinations
The following tourist destinations are among the most visited attractions in the nation's capital. In addition to these destinations, there are countless other attractions in Washington, and a description of many of them can be found by clicking here.
United States Capitol
A tour of the U.S. Capitol building includes visiting the U.S. Rotunda, old chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives, National Statuary Hall, and the Crypt of the Capitol. While the tour is free, tickets are required, which my Washington office is happy to help you obtain.
Tours are offered Monday through Saturday, 8:45 a.m. – 4:15 p.m, and they last approximately one hour long. It is recommended that you book your tour at least one to two months prior to your visit to Washington.
If you would like to book a tour of the U.S. Capitol, please click here.
The White House
The White House tour includes visiting the White House Dining Room and Library, the Red Room, the Blue Room, the Green Room, and the East Room. The tour is open to individuals, in addition to organized school, youth, veteran, military, or any other groups.
Tours are available Tuesday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (excluding federal holidays). Like the U.S. Capitol tour, the White House tour is free but requires tickets. My Washington office is happy to submit your ticket request, but it is important to keep in mind that tickets are limited and given out at the discretion of the White House. Therefore, it is recommended that you request tickets three to six month in advance.
If you would like to book a tour of the White House, please click here.
If you do not obtain a ticket, you can visit the White House Visitor Center, at the southeast corner of 15th and E Streets, which features many aspects of the White House, including its architecture, furnishings, first families, social events, and relations with the press and world leaders, as well as a thirty-minute video. It is open seven days a week from 7:30 a.m. until 4 p.m.
The United States Supreme Court
The Supreme Court offers a variety of educational programs, including exhibits, lectures, as well as a film on the Supreme Court. Courtroom lectures are held every hour on the half-hour, on days that the Court is not in session, beginning at 9:30 a.m. and concluding at 3:30 p.m. The Supreme Court is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
When the Court is in session, from October to the end of April, you can view oral arguments. Calendar of oral arguments. The Court allows people in at 9:30 a.m. and the oral arguments begin at 10 a.m. Due to limited seating, it is recommended that you arrive at 7 a.m. or earlier to wait in line to secure a seat.
In mid-May the Court takes the bench on Mondays at 10 a.m. for the release of orders and opinions. This practice continues until all the cases heard during the term are decided, usually the last week in June. These sessions typically last anywhere between 15 and 30 minutes, and are open to the public. Again, you should arrive early to secure a seat.
For more information on visiting the Supreme Court, click here.
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing is a government agency that designs and produces all of the paper currency for the United States. During the tour of the Bureau, you will see many of the steps of currency production, which begins with large, blank sheets of paper and ends with wallet-ready bills.
Public tours for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing are offered year round. During the peak tourism season (March-August), tickets are required for the tour. Tickets are given out on a first-come-first-serve basis at the Bureau's ticket booth, which opens at 8 a.m. and closes once all the tickets have been distributed. According to the Bureau's own website, “lines form early (some days as early as 5:30 a.m.) and tickets go quickly, most days (especially during the first two weeks in April ~ Cherry Blossom/Spring Break) tickets are gone by 8:30 a.m.”
During the non-peak season (September-February), tickets are not required.
Click here for more information on Bureau tours.
The Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world, containing more than 32 million books, 61 million manuscripts, 5 million maps, and 6,000 comic books, among other things. A tour of the Library includes visiting the Library's Main Reading Room and the Great Hall, in addition to seeing a 22-minute video about the Library.
The main building (Thomas Jefferson Building) of the Library of Congress is open Monday through Saturday year around (the Library is closed on all federal holidays). Tours are available at 10:30, 11:30, 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30; and Saturday at 10:30, 11:30, 1:30 and 2:30.
Click here for more information on visiting the Library of Congress.
The Smithsonian Museums
The Smithsonian has 19 museums in Washington D.C., including the Natural History Museum, National Portrait Gallery, and the Air and Space Museum. All of the Smithsonian museums are free of charge, and most of the museums are open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Click here for more information on visiting the various museums.
