3 Days in Washington, D.C.: Monuments and Free Museums

TripSora Editors
@tripsora_editors
πŸ“ Washington, D.C., United StatesπŸ—“ 3 daysπŸ‘₯ Families and history fans

Photo by Paula Nardini on Pexels

3Days
11Stops
3Meal tips
About Β£130-210 a day, mid-range, flights excludedBudget

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Three days in D.C.: the National Mall, Smithsonian museums (free), the Capitol and Georgetown. Book tours of the White House and Capitol well ahead through your representative.

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Book a place to stay and the popular tickets early for Washington, D.C., United States.

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Where TripSora Editors stayed and what to book

Day by day

The United States Capitol Building in Washington, DC, with a clear blue sky.
1

National Mall

08:30

Lincoln Memorial and Reflecting Pool

Iconic monument.

πŸ“ National Mall⏱ 1 hourπŸ’· Free
View on map β†—
10:00

Vietnam Veterans Memorial and WWII Memorial

Moving memorials.

πŸ“ National Mall⏱ 1.5 hoursπŸ’· Free
View on map β†—
12:00

Washington Monument

Views from the top.

πŸ“ National Mall⏱ 1 hourπŸ’· Free (timed ticket ~$1)
View on map β†—
14:00

National Museum of American History

Free.

πŸ“ National Mall⏱ 2 hoursπŸ’· Free
View on map β†—
πŸ’‘ Timed passes may be required.

🍽 Where to eat

lunchMuseum cafΓ©sAmerican Β· $$
A stunning image of the US Capitol building with a foreground fountain in Washington D.C.
2

Capitol Hill

09:30

US Capitol tour

Free tours with advance booking.

πŸ“ Capitol Hill⏱ 1.5 hoursπŸ’· Free
View on map β†—
11:30

Library of Congress

A magnificent reading room.

πŸ“ Capitol Hill⏱ 1.5 hoursπŸ’· Free
View on map β†—
14:00

National Air and Space Museum

Aircraft and spacecraft.

πŸ“ National Mall⏱ 2 hoursπŸ’· Free
View on map β†—
17:00

Eastern Market

Local market.

πŸ“ Capitol Hill⏱ 1 hourπŸ’· ~$12
View on map β†—

🍽 Where to eat

dinnerDinner on the WharfAmerican Β· $$$
🎟 Book ahead for day 2Tickets and tours: US Capitol tour
American flag waving in front of the Washington Monument under a cloudy sky in Washington, DC.
3

Georgetown and Arlington

10:00

Arlington National Cemetery

Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown.

πŸ“ Arlington⏱ 2.5 hoursπŸ’· Free
View on map β†—
14:00

Georgetown

Historic streets and the canal.

πŸ“ Georgetown⏱ 2 hoursπŸ’· Free
View on map β†—
17:00

Kennedy Center roof terrace

Sunset views.

πŸ“ Foggy Bottom⏱ 1 hourπŸ’· Free
View on map β†—

🍽 Where to eat

lunchLunchAmerican Β· $$

Good to know

✈️ Getting thereReagan Airport connects by Metro in 20 minutes.
πŸš† Getting aroundMetro subway and buses; use a SmarTrip card.
πŸ’· CurrencyUS dollar ($). Tipping 18-20%.
πŸ—£ LanguageEnglish.

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Photos: Paula Nardini, Ramaz Bluashvili, Chris on Pexels.

TripSora Editors

Guides from the TripSora editorial team. These itineraries are drafted with AI assistance from public information and general travel knowledge, not from a personal visit, so treat prices and opening hours as a starting p

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