DK Travel : Washington, D.C.

A symbol of democracy the world over and the seat of American government, Washington, D.C. confronts visitors with stirring icons and monuments at every turn. This sparkling self-styled city on the Potomac River is full of marble and light, with beautiful landscaping touches and centuries-old architecture. Built on top of former swampland, Washington was deliberately designed into quadrants, with the US Capitol at its hub. Its many unmissable sights provide unparalleled access to the workings of government, internationally famed museums with priceless exhibits, and the cultural and spiritual foundations of the city and the nation.

National Postal Museum

Mail and fun don’t naturally go together, but at this wonderfully conceived museum, they do. The little Pony Express saddlebags, the tunnel-like construction representing the desolate roads faced by the earliest mail carriers, and the mail-sorting railroad car entertain and inform visitors.
National Postal Museum

The US Postal Service delivers over 600 million items of mail every day, and this ingenious museum manages to communicate the human scale of the system. The vast airmail system, with its thousands of employees, is shown to be based on individual pilots and airplanes. An interactive display enables visitors to dive into direct marketing and mail order, even designing their own advertising piece.
National Symphony Labor Day Concert

The official end of summer.
National Theatre

A wonderful venue for touring shows, the National Theatre opened in 1835. Since then every US president has attended at least one of its performances. Many Broadway hits have staged their premiere here, including Showboat and West Side Story .
National Zoological Park

The animals in Washington, D.C.’s zoo are housed in large, recreated natural habitats and are close enough to be clearly observed. Sea lion demonstrations never fail to delight. The Kids’ Farm is an educational, interactive, outdoor exhibit, where children can touch and learn about farmyard animals.
National Zoological Park

Animals from across the world’s varied habitats can be seen and learned about at this internationally recognized leader in animal care, breeding of endangered species, and public education.
Naval Academy Football

The spectacle and tradition at these games is unmatched. Schedule and ticket info: 800-US4-NAVY or 410-293-2700.
Neptune Fountain

Roland Hinton Perry created this grouping at the Library of Congress.
New Deal

The Roosevelt era (1933–1945) brought tremendous growth to the city. Efforts to bring the nation out of the Great Depression increased the size and number of government agencies, and provided direct funds for construction. Most of the buildings in the Federal Triangle, the completion of the Supreme Court, and the National Gallery of Art were New Deal works.
Nissan Pavilion

Rock stars perform at this open-air arena.