If you haven’t toured Washington D.C., you’ve missed some of the most stunning sights in America.

There’s so much to do in Washington D.C., you could stay there for weeks and still not see it all. But you can certainly hit some of the highlights in a few days. Here’s a list of some of the must-see, must-do, and can’t-miss sights to include in your Washington D.C. tours. 

•     The Government Buildings: There aren’t too many things as exciting and dramatic as watching government in action at this level. You can see the meeting chambers for the Senate and House of Representatives in the Capitol Building, and even watch them in session. The Supreme Court in action is extraordinary – court is in session from 10:00 a.m. until noon, Monday through Wednesday, October through April. But if you go in the summer, it’s still stunning. And then, of course, is the White House. You have to book in advance for the full tour of the White House, but you can still go to the visitor center any time.

•     The Smithsonian. Just about everyone has heard of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum and the Museum of Natural History, but the Smithsonian actually offers 16 different museums, galleries and other incredible sight-seeing opportunities. The Hirshhorn Museum, for example, displays about 11,500 works of modern and contemporary art – including a magnificent sculpture garden. Also not to be missed are the National Museum of African Art, the American History Museum, and the zoo. That’s right – the Smithsonian has a zoo! Of course, make sure you see the Smithsonian Institution itself – aka, the castle.

•     Monuments and Memorials. Although the most famous are in the National Mall, the entire city is dotted with plaques and statues. From presidents to poets, those who helped shape the American dream are represented. Icons include the Washington Monument, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, and the World War II Memorial. But there are about 15 others, not to be missed. Were any members of your family in the wars? Honor them by visiting these sites.

•     George Washington’s family estate: 500 acres in Northern Virginia, just a few minutes from Washington D.C., is George Washington’s beautifully restored 14-room mansion, complete with furniture from the 1740’s. Be sure to check out the kitchen, in a separate building, the stables and coach house

•    Georgetown: See the 200-year-old homes with their beautiful gardens and stroll along the waterfront that was the port and hub of commerce in Colonial times. Today Georgetown is still of hub of activity – with restaurants of every nationality and shops that will make you want to dig deep!

•     If you’ve got the kids with you, you’ll definitely want to hit the zoo and the Natural History Museum – no kid can resist dinosaurs – but you should also check out the Discovery Theatre’s live shows of classic children’s stories. They’ll also love watching real money being printed at the Bureau of Engraving & Printing, and the Six Flags America theme park with over 100 rides and a huge water park

•     Older kids will appreciate many of the above sights, but also make sure you take them to the IMAX theatres in the National Museum of Natural History and the National Air and Space Museum. The Art and Space Museum also houses the Albert Einstein Planetarium with it’s very high tech projection and sound system that takes you on a 20-minute journey that’s so realistic you feel like you’re traveling through the galaxy.

•     The new Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, built in 2003 to accommodate the space shuttle Enterprise and other air and spacecraft too large for other Smithsonian locations, also has an IMAX theater and offers hair-raising flight simulator rides.

Of course, many of these locations and activities have a schedule – you’re probably best to arrange your stay through a Washington D.C. tours planner. They know when and where everything’s happening, and can work out an itinerary for you to accommodate the number of days you have available and the things you want to see.

Washington D.C. is steeped in history and culture, and is one of the most popular adventure tours in the U.S. and the world! If you haven’t seen it, you’ve missed some of the most stunning sights in America. Go soon – you’ll have a great time!