I am an Air Force retiree but never visited the Pentagon. My daughter is badged for the Pentagon…read moreand signed us up to get a tour. First impression of the building was how ugly it was, but I knew that before hand. Inside the building was amazing and I can see how people could get lost there. The tour exhibits are spread throughout multiple corridors and we walked a lot to see everything we wanted. I saw exhibits with details on three organizations that I knew of, and pictures of three general officers I've met over the years. We were amazed at all the food and services options available within the building. But with the traffic situation in DC, it is not a place where you can easily run at lunch time and get things done so having the various options available in the building makes complete sense.

Reservations required Background check mandatory…read moreUtilize the metro Amazing tour No cameras allowed No beverages allowed

Right next to the Pentagon is a powerful memorial honoring the lives lost during 9/11. It's open…read moreall the time, but plan to Metro there. Parking is sparse. Each life lost is honored as a bench where you can reflect on their life. If the bench faces the Pentagon, they passed away on the flight that ran into it. If the bench faces away from the Pentagon, they died while inside the Pentagon. It's a very powerful mme

A creative and worthwile memorial. Yeah, its just benches, but the design is creative and thought…read moreout. Factoring in age and aircraft passenger and pentagon employee the benches are placed a certain way. Is it worth a special trip? Probably not, but its something that is worth being on your to do list. As a side note, make sure to only take pictures from inside the memorial. They will confiscate your phone if you take pictures outside of it. Even though there are probably hundreds of cats going by every day with dash cams and you can literally go on Google maps and see pictures that would be nearly identical to what you would be taking in nearly the same spots, they don't play around with that. So make sure to keep your camera away until you're in the memorial.

I'm an executive branch alum, so I give the EEOB five out of five bald eagles. Sure, the United…read moreStates Capitol houses TWO chambers, and the Supreme Court Building allegedly has a basketball court at the top. But can you bowl a perfect game at the legislature or the judiciary? NOPE. President Truman was a visionary for having this bowling alley installed. Truly ahead of his time, making sure pins could fall while democracy stands strong. Absolutely worth getting a job in the executive branch to sign up for a chance to bowl here. Oh, and there's other stuff in the building too, but bowling in the basement is what really drives good government.

I love visiting this building more than the White House. It has such a history and great people…read morewatching. Try to contact your Congress person to get a tour.

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)

I love the history VA has. This memorial is free and has parking. It might looked closed because of…read morethe cones. But pull forward and a security guard will let you in (during business hours). You can walk through it and read within half an hour. So I'd combine this with other things to do in the area. Like the cemetery across the street. Take some photos and learn something. That's what it's there for. God bless the USA

Beautiful memorial located inside of Arlington Cemetery and wish we could've had enough time to get…read morecloser, but we were on a speedy trip on the tour trolley to see as much as possible for a brief visit in the area. We were also fortunate to see this memorial as our plane departed from DCA at 5 PM and it was thrilling to see it from this vantage point. Love the depiction and homage to the planes in flight and missing man formation.

The Lincoln Memorial was honestly such a cool experience. Seeing it in person was completely…read moredifferent than seeing pictures of it online. The statue is HUGE and the whole memorial is beautiful. I really enjoyed learning about the history behind the memorial and seeing such an important part of D.C. in person. Definitely a must see if you're visiting Washington, D.C.!

Beautiful memorial with poignant views of the reflecting pool. Gift shop and restrooms inside…read more Refreshments nearby. Reflecting pool is currently under construction. Park on constitution Avenue and read the signage to avoid parking tickets.

If you come to visit Arlington, please do not leave without visiting the Tomb of the Unknown…read moreSoldier. It is one of the most moving and solemn ceremonies you will ever witness in your lives. This tomb is the most heavily guarded grave in the world; guarded by the elite soldiers from the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Regiment, known as "The Old Guard." They are there 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, through all weather conditions. The guards march exact patterns of 21 steps, pause for 21 seconds, and turn meticulously, all to honor the fallen. The tombs holds unidentified American service members from World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. The inscription reads: "Here Rests in Honored Glory an American Soldier Known but to God." The Changing of the Guard ceremony lasts about 15 minutes. This ceremony represents one of the highest honors in the United States military. During the ceremony, one Sentinel is relieved by another in a series of precise movements. The guard's weapon is inspected, and a slow salute is exchanged. In the summer, the guards change every 30 minutes. At night, the schedule extends to two-hour shifts, but the watch never ends. Visitors who plan to attend should arrive a few minutes early and remain silent throughout. Being silent during the ceremony only enhances your experience of this solemn event. This changing of the guard has been happening without interruption since 1948. On the day we were there, we not only had the privilege of the changing of the guard, but we also had the honor to witness a wreath laying ceremony, which was a really moving experience.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was such an amazing experience…read more I thought it was for one person, but it's a beautiful memorial to all of the unnamed soldiers that pass in battle. We were lucky enough to whiteness the changing of the guard. It only lasts a few moments , but it's such an amazing thing to experience.

Such an amazing memorial. This was our first stop on our DC at Dusk tour. It was very warm and…read morehumid when we went, but everyone was so respectful around the memorial. It's located right next to Arlington Cemetery, another place that can't be missed. We enjoyed a nice stop here to admire the memorial and learn some amazing facts about it from our tour guide. Wish it had been a little darker so we could have seen it when it is lit up at night!

I come year almost yearly with a student group and always appreciate America's history.read more

The Library of Congress was definitely worth the stop! Admission is free, but you do need a…read moretimed-entry ticket, like most places in DC. We arrived about 20 minutes before opening, which I would highly recommend, because the security line got long fast. We were able to go inside before many got in and had beautiful views without crowding. The inside is absolutely beautiful. Several displays explain the paintings and architecture which was really interesting to read about. We were also able to see the original rough draft of the Declaration of Independence. It will only be on display for three months so this was really neat we were here for that. Definitely take your time and look around instead of just walking through. There is so much detail everywhere you look.

The Library of Congress is a very cool place. This was my second time visiting here and my…read moreyoungest's first. I reserved free timed entry tickets on their website and there was a decent line waiting to get in. Security is heavy here. Very thorough like an airport. The architecture is breathtaking. The staff is also very helpful. My daughter and I looked around a bit and checked out some of the exhibits. We got a timed entry sticker for the main reading room, however we were informed we couldn't go in the room with our backpacks. We could have opted for the unsecured bag check or go back down to security to rent a locker. So we skipped it. My daughter was excited to check out The Source which is their new young readers room. There were advertisements and directional stickers for it everywhere. When we got there, it was closed and the security guard said it didn't open until 1pm. Then they opened it at 11am and said we could come in. My daughter was a little disappointed because while marketed for 8-15 year olds, it appeared to be for much younger visitors. I went through the process of getting myself a LOC reader identification card so I could book a reading room and work there for a couple hours. I filled out the online form, went to get my picture taken, got my card, had the information desk tell me where to go, only for security to tell me I couldn't get a reading room while I had a backpack either. I guess I'm just supposed to carry my laptop out in the open? Anyway, my daughter and I decided to bail and head to Starbucks so I could get some work done. It wasn't worth the hoops to jump through. Upon trying to exit, the same security guard asked to search my backpack prior to leaving. I'm not sure if they do that to everyone, but it all seemed a little extreme to me for a library. Overall, don't skip this place for the exhibits and experience, but don't plan on bringing any bags with you or working here.

A free and excellent view of Downtown Washington DC can be viewed from the Old Post Office and…read moreClock Tower, which is the 3rd tallest structure in DC. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and it was completed in 1899. This is attached to the (now) Waldorf Astoria, however the Tower is manned by the National Parks Service. The entrance is in the back of the hotel, and the elevator looks out into the hotel's atrium. When you reach the open air top floor, you'll look out for a 360 degree view. One lonely park ranger is up there, and they are there year-round. When we visited, it was completely empty and we had the space to ourselves (and the ranger).

Actual rating: 3.5/5…read more Ok so in fairness, I have never cared for panoramic views. I came here with my friends on a day trip to DC after seeing a post about this place on social media. The entrance to the this place to see the views is incredibly tricky to access. The Waldorf took over and shut down the way to access through the building so you'll have to walk around and find the nearly completely hidden from street view entrance. For ease, I have linked the approximate location from Apple Maps below. There is a small historic background museum when you enter following the bag search and this is part of the National Parks stamping service so if you collect those speak with the nice ranger on duty. There are two elevators to travel to get to the top, the first takes you up to see views of the Astoria and the second will show you the rooftop from the Old Post Office Tower. This view is obscured by bars that make photography challenging. Would I, who does not like views, come again? No. But!!! If you are into views this is quite nice and free so I would recommend.