What to do in New Carrollton, MD

Admire the memorials dedicated to Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln, or relax in the immaculately kept gardens of D.C.’s most recognizable strip. With its wealth of monuments, museums and grand gardens, the National Mall can easily occupy two or three days of your visit to Washington.

Walk the corridors of power and see where presidents entertain heads of state at one of the most famous residences in the world, the White House. The neoclassical-style mansion has been the home and office of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800.

For many, the most sobering experience of their Washington is gazing across the seemingly endless rows of small, white headstones, all marked with U.S. flags. Here, in the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery, the graves of veterans from America’s wars, past and present, are lined up in military precision.

The United States Capitol is one of the most powerful places in the country. Within its chambers, laws are written, debated and passed. The magnificent 18th-century neoclassical-style building sits atop Capitol Hill and is home to the United States Senate and House of Representatives.

Erected in honor of the first American president, the Washington Monument is one of America’s oldest and most recognizable symbols of national pride. The alabaster obelisk at the west end of the National Mall offers not-to-be-missed views of the White House, the Capitol, the Lincoln memorial and other surrounding monuments.