Strategy for visiting attractions in Washington DC

The main attractions in DC are all clustered around the National Mall. Perhaps there are buses that allow you to hop on and off the attractions, I’m not sure, but otherwise, you’re in for an exhausting workout on foot. While we were there, the scorching sun made things infinitely worse. It takes more than 45 minutes to walk from the museums to the White House and to the Lincoln memorial, which is pretty much one end to the other end. Furthermore, you’ll be walking about in some of the museums and that adds a lot of walking distance. If you’re planning on spending time in the museums, it makes sense to allocate an entire day just for the museums. Otherwise, with very young kids like we did who cannot appreciate museum exhibits, it is sufficient to just take a quick look at two museums, and complete the rest of the tour of the National Mall within half a day. Though tiring, it is better to get it over with quickly than having to return to see more of less the same sights.

The Air and Space museum has many exhibits of historical importance. The size alone makes them appealing to anyone.

The eagle moon lander.

The Natural History museum is famous for its collection of gem stones including the hope diamond.

An event was being held at the White House.

The Lincoln memorial.

The reflection pool.

If you still have any energy left after walking to the Lincoln Memorial, you can venture another half an hour to the fish market to get some seafood. This is where locals go for seafood. There is only one stall that offers seating though.

This was my first time trying freshly shucked oysters. It came with a little seawater and sand and maybe mud, but it was delicious! You can also find crab legs, mini lobsters, clam chowder etc. They were good.

The Arlington National Cemetery is also near the National Mall. Unlike the National Mall for which car parking could be a hassle, you can park inside the Arlington National Cemetery. Two hours is about enough for walking about and visiting the sights.