7 amazing reasons to visit Washington, DC (that will surprise you)

Soak up America’s rich history and explore eclectic neighbourhoods in the nation’s capital, where art, music, architecture, food and live events collide.

Washington, DC has long been one of America’s most dynamic cities, a historic seat of power that has evolved into an alluring mash-up of political history, architectural might and cultural and culinary innovation – all set against a striking natural landscape. Here’s why there’s never been a better time to experience the city’s rich history and bright, complex present.

1. World-renowned art museums

Washington, DC’s storied art collections include the National Gallery of Art, which was established under President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1937 with funds from a private philanthropist. Today, the gallery owns 150,000 masterworks by American and European artists, including Ginevra de’ Benci, the only painting by Leonardo da Vinci on view in the Americas.

Located nearby along the scenic National Mall, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art houses one of the world’s most important collections of Asian art. The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, meanwhile, collects and commissions portraits of impactful Americans throughout history, including the famous Obama paintings by artists Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald.

Splendour in the world’s pivotal collections of Asian art.

2. Immersive experiences

Since opening in 2020, Planet Word has billed itself as “the world’s first voice-activated museum” and offers a self-guided tour through the power and potential of language. Showstopping exhibits include the Speaking Willow, a tree that murmurs at you in hundreds of languages, and Word Worlds, where you can use words to transform the colour of your environment.

Similarly inventive is Artechouse, a first-of-its-kind art space that showcases experiential installations through technology.

Prepare to be amazed by the world’s first voice-activated museum.

3. Cultural discoveries

Washington National Cathedral is a stunning gothic masterpiece that famously took 83 years to complete – construction started in 1907, under President Theodore Roosevelt, and wrapped up in 1990, under President George H.W. Bush. The second-largest cathedral in the USA (after St John the Divine in New York) features 112 gargoyles and has hosted the funerals of multiple presidents, including Eisenhower and Reagan. As an Episcopalian house of worship, it has also (bless!) ordained female priests for 50 years. Check out the full schedule of concerts or catch a shorter organ or choral performance during sightseeing hours.

Another highlight in scenic, suburban Northwest DC is Hillwood Estate Museum & Gardens, the grand stately home and gardens of Marjorie Merriweather Post, a cereal heiress, philanthropist and avid art collector who was once the richest woman in the USA. Set on 25 acres overlooking the sprawling and wooded Rock Creek Park, the mansion features 13 acres of lush formal gardens, including a Japanese garden and French parterre, and an adorable gift shop and cafe.

Catch a brief organ or choral performance while sightseeing Washington National Cathedral.

4. Historical moments

The National Mall is the beating heart of historic Washington, DC, comprising three walkable, tree-lined kilometres between the United States Capitol and the glittering Lincoln Memorial. It’s home to many of the city’s best museums – most of them free – as well as the Washington Monument, which defines the skyline at 169 metres high.

Among the mall’s most beloved attractions is the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, which houses the largest collection of historic air and spacecraft in the world. Standout displays include the Apollo 11 module that delivered Neil Armstrong to the moon in 1969, as well as the 1903 Wright Flyer, the world’s first successful aeroplane.

Just off the National Mall, don’t miss The People’s House: A White House Experience, opening late September 2024. Designed to offer a cutting-edge, technology-driven primer on White House and presidential history, it includes a full-scale replica of the Oval Office.

Explore the skies at the National Air and Space Museum.

5. Cultural events

Spring – aka March to June – is one of the most exciting times of year in Washington, DC. It’s when the Yoshino cherry trees planted along the Tidal Basin and at the Washington Monument explode into delicate white clouds, their annual bloom monitored by a live bloomcam. The trees were a gift from Japan in 1912 and have since inspired a four-week celebration that attracts over a million visitors per year. The National Cherry Blossom Festival includes a parade, kite festival, live music and fireworks at ‘Petalpalooza’.

DC JazzFest, meanwhile, which recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, attracts rising stars and established artists to venues around the city each Labor Day weekend (at the end of August/ early September). It offers up-close-and-personal encounters with this classic art form.

Visit in spring to view cherry blossoms with a view of the Jefferson Memorial.

6. Performing arts and music

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a legendary national hub for symphony, opera and a wide variety of other dance and musical genres. Take a free guided tour even if you can’t catch a performance.

Two blocks from the White House there’s the opulent Warner Theatre, which dates back to 1924 and books big-name comedians, Broadway shows and local and international musicians.

The thriving and diverse music scene also extends through its bars, clubs and newer venues. These include The Anthem, a mid-sized concert hall at The Wharf on the waterfront in Southwest DC, which is operated by the owners of the legendarily intimate 9:30 Club. Or head to historic, impossibly quaint Georgetown for Blues Alley, the nation’s oldest continually operating jazz supper club, which has hosted greats including Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Byrd and Sarah Vaughan.

Enjoy live music at The Anthem.

7. Global dining

Washington, DC is known as a hotbed of culinary creativity, a wildly diverse yet still somehow underhyped food scene that’s unquestionably one of the best in the USA. Eat high-end sushi by chef Kwang Kim (of Morimoto and Nobu) at the stately SHŌTŌ, or try authentic doro at Ethiopic, one of many outstanding Ethiopian restaurants around the city. Sample spicy Laotian cuisine at famed Thip Khao, one of several outposts of chef Seng Luangrath, and nibble Korean bar food by chef Angel Barreto at the sleek Anju.

Don’t miss the institution that is Ben’s Chili Bowl, a Black-owned neighbourhood business that dates back to 1958. Its half-smokes (a large hot dog, for the uninitiated) doused in chilli are iconic.

Try a range of international cuisines, including the mouthwatering dishes at Ethiopic Restaurant.

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