Be sure to look for these while in Rock Creek Park but be prepared to look awhile. It can be hard…read moreto find. The Capitol Stones are exactly that. Leftover stones from renovation of the Capitol Building. Somewhere there's a big pile in the woods. Finding these can take awhile. If you don't know where to go of course. The first place to head towards is the horse stables. After you get here go along the trail east. The stones are off to the side of this trail after a ways. Look for a do not enter sign. When you see this enter there. Ignore what the sign says and just go. The stones are in a few piles. It doesn't seem like much to look at. Just a lot of stones that are piled high. These are of course more than that so it's worth a visit.

Visit the hard-to-find Capitol Stones, hidden in the wilds of Rock Creek Park; easy to find if you…read moreknow where to look. We wandered the foot paths of the park for an hour, and even with the help of Google Maps (which showed the wrong location), we couldn't find the famous pile of discarded sandstone and marble sections that were removed the original US Capitol during the 1958 renovation of the West Front, until someone told us where to look. Park at the Rock Creek Park Horse Center, 5100 Glover Road. Walk over to the horse barns adjacent to the Horse Center's office. Locate the walking path near the southeast corner of horse barns. Follow that path in an easterly (ENE) direction, downhill. In 100 feet or so you pass a building on the right side of the path, beyond the trees and foliage. Continue along the path for another 400-500 feet, past the buildings visible on the right. On the right side of the path, past trees and foliage you will see a cyclone fence. There are two narrow dirt foot paths from the main path to the cyclone fence. The second one was much easier to traverse the day we were there. The Capitol Stones are piled up inside the fenced area. From outside the fence, it doesn't look like much. But there is a break in the fence, on the south side, and it is well worth climbing through to wander among the piles of discarded building blocks from the old Capitol building. You will come across carved pieces like the one shown below, sometimes stacks of them. The history of our city and country, discarded like trash in a landfill. A poignant bookend to every visitor's tour of the monuments.

Water you doing here? You're here to admire the amazing view of the Potomac, of course…read more I love it here. It's one of my fave places on the Potomac. Of course there have been concerts here, as well as heads of state and famous celebrities walking up these steps to Kennedy and the Hotel and what not. But for me, it's a place to relax, to stare across the river into the land of illegal radar detectors, and to watch the world go by.

The Watergate Steps are 40 steps directly behind the Lincoln Memorial along the Potomac River. They…read morewere originally made for VIPs visiting the National Mall who docked along the Potomac River. However, the steps were never used for that. Instead, they were used for sunset orchestra concerts. The orchestra would play from a barge on the river and the audience would sit on the steps. Today, the steps are used by mostly locals for one of two reasons- 1) To watch the sunset over the Rosslyn skyline across the river and 2) For workouts.

The Thomas Jefferson Memorial feels quieter and more tucked away compared to the busier parts of…read morethe National Mall. Sitting right along the Tidal Basin, the white marble structure stood out immediately once I got closer, especially with the circular colonnade and large dome opening up toward the water. The walk over felt slower and calmer than the main monument loop, and once I was there, the views across the basin made the entire area feel more open and relaxed. At sunset and at night, the lighting reflecting off the water gave the memorial a completely different atmosphere compared to the daytime crowds. Inside, the statue of Jefferson and the engraved quotes gave the space a more reflective feel rather than just being a photo stop. The architecture is what really carried the experience though, with tall columns, wide open archways, and the bright white stone against the water making it one of the more visually striking memorials in D.C. Even with tourists moving through, it still managed to feel peaceful once I stepped away from the entrance area. During cherry blossom season I imagine this becomes one of the busiest spots in the city, but the location around the basin made it worth lingering around longer than I expected. The area itself is well maintained and surprisingly easy to walk through, with pathways wrapping around the water and plenty of space to stop for photos or just take in the view. It is also one of those memorials that feels better the longer you stay. What started as a quick stop turned into walking around the basin, watching the light change over the water, and taking in the quieter side of the city away from the heavier crowds near the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial.

This memorial makes a great stop along the way when walking around the tidal basin especially…read moreduring the cherry blossom season. It's a beautiful memorial, well worth the effort. A couple of notes, the road seems to be blocked off (March 2025). I'm not sure if this is because of the cherry blossom festival or something other reason. Also, the tidal basin is undergoing major renovations so the west side of the tidal basin is not accessible.

What's prettier than the White House, the Monument, the Lincoln Memorial and the Smithsonian put…read moretogether? Yes, Ariana Grande is a good answer, but I was looking for the Executive Office on 17th St! A long time ago, the love of my life used to say that this building was the highlight of her trips to DC, and I can see why. I remember walking with her in the pouring rain next to it, and taking pictures of her exposing herself in front of it. Times change... But this building never did. It's glorious and resplendent. It reminds me of something in France, but better kept, perhaps. It looks palatial. If the White House is a little underwhelming then this executive office is completely awe-inspiring. It's level with the Capitol as my favourite building in the DC area, and is the easiest 5-star rating I've given since my Cousin Daniel got drunk and showed me the ropes.

Didn't really have a lot of time to roam around Pennsylvania Ave. And my friend and I, being…read moreslightly less than ignorant didn't know that the BACK of the WHITE HOUSE would be on Pennsylvania Ave. ** Not impressed** So our pictures we're not exactly anythng to brag about. So we decided to take pictures in front of the Executive Office of the President where the FRONT of this architecture was much more impressive than the BACK of the White House on Pennsylvania Ave. Still a great experience to roam DC and take in the history and political side of the US. (You don't get much of that or appreciate it as much coming from the west coast. Hence, the ignorance of the FRONT vs the BACK of the WHITE HOUSE. =X)

Almost all the museums in DC are close around the Mall. In contrast, the African American Civil War…read moreMuseum is in another neighborhood. This is luckily close to a Metro station. Going to Ben's Chili Bowl gives you a reason to stop in. Since it only has one room, it won't take that long to visit. Being in a historic African American neighborhood is appropriate. It fits in. There's a memorial on Vermont Avenue that's across the street from the museum. Once you see that, head across the street and walk a few more feet until you get to an alley. The signs point the way. It has free admission, but they could use donations. The museum is basically a room filled with dividers covered in information. It doesn't take that long to get through, compared to the larger museums that are crowded. You can still spend lots of time reading all the information about the African American soldiers. It has lots of artifacts and information for such a specific focus. It's a nice compliment to the National African American History Center. The admission is free too.

This place is huge, it'll definitely take more than 1 visit to capture it all…read more So much information to take in, you even need a moment to process all the information. There is a restaurant in the basement of the museum, a must try. Very pricey, but the food is really good. The dining area is huge. You can start the tour from the basement and work your way up. The staff was real friendly from the time we were outside to the time made our exit. The museum itself was clean, floor to floor. The restrooms were clean and there was someone on point keeping it clean. The artifacts and the displays were amazing. Some areas bought me back to my time growing up. It was nice. Some areas are very emotional because it tells so many stories of what our people faced. It's so much information. There is a lot of walking to do so be prepared to walk, wear comfortable shoes. This is a must see if in Washington DC!

Interesting memorial to the Union General who defeated Lee at Gettysburg. I had to look that up…read moresince I wasn't sure who he was either. It's in front of the courthouse and worth a look if you're walking by like I was but not really worth a separate trip unless you're a big Civil War buff.

Another obscure memorial of an obscure American. It doesn't mean it's not enjoyable. The George…read moreGordon Meade Memorial honors a Civil War hero. It seems many statues in DC do. This doesn't take long to look at, so it's more of a stop. General Meade was another war hero. It was his service in the Civil War that helped the Union. The Battle of Gettysburg was an important turning point in the war. He led the troops against General Lee in that battle. This was an important victory. It was legendary enough that it was the subject of the Gettysburg Address. The statue has some notable details on it. Surrounding it are six figures. They represent chivalry, energy, fame, loyalty, military courage, and progress. It can be found on Constitution Avenue at Pennsylvania Avenue. It's in front of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The John Marshall Park is near there.

Pennsylvania Avenue is a world famous 35.1 mile roadway that travels northwest to southeast from…read moreGeorgetown to Wayson's Corner, Maryland. 5.8 miles of the road are in Washington D.C., with the most famous 1.2 mile segment connecting the White House to the Capitol. Pennsylvania Avenue is also a linear historic site dating back from 1791 when President Jefferson made a reference to it in a letter. Pennsylvania Avenue is a famous Avenue of numerous names. President Washington called it "A Grand Avenue." It is called the "Ceremonial Heart of the Nation" and "America's Main Street". I see it as the paved carpet joining the White House gate to the Capitol steps. This review is based on my experiences touring Pennsylvania Avenue between the White House and the Capitol. When reviewing a fascinating subject like Pennsylvania Avenue which just so happens to be a road, it is a written report on a disjointed Boulevard with numerous segments. The 1.2 mile segment is made up of the pedestrianized walkway in front of the White House and the 8-lane commuter Boulevard from 14th Avenue to the White House. In my opinion, Pennsylvania Avenue overlaps 14th Avenue from Freedom Park to the White House segment. A White House Promenade: 17th to 14th Street: The Oklahoma City bombing and 911 tragedies changed Pennsylvania Avenue into a pedestrian promenade. We spent a lot of time here looking at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue which is the White House. Bordering the Avenue to the north is Lafayette Park, which is the only place in the World where you can have a picnic in the shadow of the White House. A Grand Avenue: 14th Avenue to the Capitol steps From the moment you turn the bend east of Freedom Park, sensory overload takes affect when you set eyes on the distant Capitol with several historical buildings and Lombardy poplars between. When I toured this segment of Pennsylvania Avenue, I was surrounded by Federal buildings and museums. There was zero doubt that I was walking in the Federal Capital. Pennsylvania Avenue is to Washington D.C., what the Las Vegas Strip is to Las Vegas. I was experiencing one of Pierre Charles L' Enfant's first grand Boulevards of the Federal Capital. I'd pass many points of interest including the FBI Headquarters, Newseum, Ronald Reagan Building, U.S. Navy Memorial, & museums. Photographing Trump Tower, I thought to myself that is Donald Trump is elected, he will be the first to have a monument before the primaries. The Lombardy poplars that have roots to the Jefferson administration provided shade that made for comfortable resting points. Pennsylvania Avenue is where parades and processions are held. On our visit we saw a motorcade carrying Vice President Bidden. Pennsylvania Avenue with the National Mall and 14th Avenue makes for a nice triangular- loop walk in the heart of the Nation's Capital. I suggest walking the National Mall East towards the Capitol with a couple museum stops, take in the Capitol at sundown, then walk northwest on Pennsylvania Avenue with a stop for dinner. I recommend Plan B Burger & Capitol Grill. Then ultimately walk south on 14th to the Washington Monument or north to the White House Promenade. No matter how you tour it, the asphalt carpet joining the White House to the Capitol is a must see when visiting Washington D.C.

MERICA!! As long as…read morewe're not building walls then I'll leave this 5 star up.... but as soon as some walls start going up -- going down to 2 stars no joke.

Decided to volunteer my time earlier this year to help with registration at the brain cancer/tumor…read morerun. It was a rainy day but the organization is pretty well on top of things so I was able to assist several people during their check-in's smoothly. Freedom plaza feels right in the heart of DC and with police regulating traffic and parking, everything was straightforward. Freedom plaza is a great location for DC events.

This plaza is along Pennsylvania Avenue, directly between the White House & the Capitol. The stone…read morepavers of Freedom Plaza depict a map of Washington, DC, according to planner Pierre Charles L'Enfant's plan for the city. There were tiles with profound sayings by: George Washington, Alexander Graham Bell, Mark Twain, Fredrick Douglas, MLK, Lincoln, Hoover, Emerson, Henry James ... I enjoyed reading the meaningful sayings in the pavement & some are totally worn out. There was a lot to read & look at, i didn't want to bore you by cutting @ pasting. The plaza could easily be overlooked, but it's worth stopping to read.