Washington Dulles International Airport is a public airport in Dulles, Virginia, located 26 miles west of downtown Washington D.C. It is the second busiest airport in the larger Baltimore–Washington Metropolitan Area with over 22 million passengers a year.
Washington D.C., which was formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, is the capital of the United States. The centres of all three branches of the Federal Government of the United States are situated in this area.
What is There to Do in Washington D.C?
Go and visit the White House which is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the United States. Guided tours are available for one of the most recognisable buildings in the world. Take a tour of the United States Capitol building that sits on top of Capitol Hill. This is the meeting place of the U.S. Congress and the legislature of the U.S. Federal Government.
Take a trip to one of a number of memorials that include the Lincoln Memorial. It is an American National Monument built to honour the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. Located on the National Mall, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial is a presidential memorial in Washington D.C dedicated to Thomas Jefferson. He was an American Founding Father and the third President of the United States. The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial is located in West Potomac Park or there's the U.S. National World War II Memorial, a national memorial dedicated to Americans who served in the armed forces and as civilians during World War II. These are just a selection of the monuments here.
Head over to the Smithsonian Institution, established in 1846 for the increase and diffusion of knowledge. These are a group of museums and research centres administered by the United States Government. The National Zoological Park, commonly known as the National Zoo, is one of the oldest zoos in the United States, and as part of the Smithsonian Institution does not charge admission.
The Washington Monument is an obelisk on the National Mall in Washington D.C. built to commemorate George Washington. He was a commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and the first American president. Alternatively visit the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in the City and Diocese of Washington, operated under the more familiar name of Washington National Cathedral.
With Washington being home to a wide variety of restaurants offering an array of cuisines from fresh seafood and steak houses to restaurants that specialise in tofu dishes, you must indulge and try some local specialities on your trip.
Day Trips From Washington D.C.
Baltimore is the largest city in the state of Maryland. It is located to the north east of Washington D.C and only a short drive away. It has popular attractions including the National Aquarium, Maryland Zoo, Maryland Science Centre and the Baltimore Museum of Art to name a few.
Richmond to the south via interstate 95 from Washington is home to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, or VMFA, and the Science Museum of Virginia which was established in 1970. Why not catch a concert at the Richmond Coliseum, a major sports venue in the area?
Norfolk, located south east from Richmond, is easily reachable with a rental car. This coastal city is the second largest in the state of Virginia and home to the largest naval bases in the world. Enjoy the plentiful supply of bars and restaurants offering fresh and locally caught seafood along with attractions such as the Virginia Zoological Park and the Chrysler Museum of Art. There are also plenty of opportunities to go fishing out at sea and the Chesapeake Bay area. Alternatively you could try inland at Lake Drummond in nearby Dismal Swamp State Park or one of the many nearby rivers.
