A trip to Washington D.C. isn't complete without a tour of the monuments and memorials located on the National Mall and along the Potomac River. One of the great things about D.C. is the National Park Service doesn't charge entry fees for the monuments.
The best way to navigate the district is on foot and by Metro. Parking is free by the monuments, but unless you're a real early bird, spots fill up pretty quickly and some lots limit parking hours. Paid parking is farther away and it is not cheap, however if you take the Metro and walk, you avoid wasting time with the parking hassles, and you see much more if you are on foot anyway.
The Smithsonian Metro station is the most convenient stop because it is located right in the midst of the National Mall, close to center of the museums, monuments and the Capitol building. Plan to wear a good pair of walking shoes because while the monuments look close together on a map, in reality you will have to do some walking.
Since the memorials are laid out symmetrically, it is easy to make the most of your time and see it all. The best place to start is the Washington Memorial because this is the only monument where you need tickets if you want to go inside and climb to the top. Tickets tend to go quickly, so you will want to secure these as early as possible. Tickets are free and distributed on a first-come, first-served basis; you can get these at the 15th Street and Jefferson Drive kiosk. If you wait too long to get them, there may be no availability or a wait of several hours to get inside the memorial, taking away time from seeing everything else.
After you get tickets, it is a relatively short walk to the World War II Memorial. After a tour of the WWII Memorial, you can walk along the reflecting pool to get to the other side where the Lincoln, Vietnam Veterans and Korea War memorials are located. This a bit of a walk, but what better scenery than to stroll among such famous U.S. landmarks? Down on the National Mall, there is not much in terms of food, but there is a kiosk located near the Washington Monument and there are usually vendors situated near the Vietnam and the Lincoln Memorials.
If you are ambitious and want to see most, if not all of the monuments at once, after visiting the Lincoln Memorial, head south to loop around to the FDR Memorial on Ohio Drive and Jefferson Memorial on Raoul Wallenberg Place. This is a bit of a hike, but a neat walk. There is also a hidden gem along this route, the not highly publicized District of Columbia War Memorial. This memorial is located off Independence Ave (SW), and if you are not looking, you can easily miss this one, so keep an eye out. The memorial commemorates District of Columbia citizens who served in WWI; you can pass through here on your way to visit FDR Memorial which is off to the western side of DC. If you want to see it all, and don't mind the walking, after seeing the FDR Memorial, the Jefferson should be next on the list. After visiting the Jefferson Memorial, continue around and see the Holocaust Museum on Raoul Wallenberg Place.
This will loop you around and bring you closer to the center of the Mall and where the rest of the museums are located. Chances are visiting the monuments will take up most of the day; if you're pressed for time, all can be seen in the same day, but if you have time to linger you can always pick up where you left off the next day.
Closer to the Smithsonian Metro Station, are the other Smithsonian museums, there are several on this side of the Mall, the American History, Natural History, and the often-overlooked Freer & Sackler Gallery, which focuses on Asian Art and has some interesting exhibits (also rarely crowded!); all are right near the station; the Smithsonian museums are free.
Up this way, there are a lot more options to eat. If you are looking to splurge a bit, try hopping on the Metro up to Union Station; it's only about 2 stops on the Red Line. There are several restaurants inside the historic train station's mall. On the other hand, if you're looking to eat on the cheap, your best bet is right near the museums in the Old Post Office Pavilion. You'll have to pass through security, but once you get inside, there's a goldmine of International and American food.
The Pavilion eatery is set up food-court style and has great ambiance. If visiting on a budget, this is a great spot to eat and enjoy some entertainment; frequently live music is played here. For the video game lover, there's also a small arcade toward the back of the first floor; there's a free glass elevator ride to the top of this historic building for visitors.
Lodging is plentiful in D.C. For high-end accommodations, try the historic and famous Willard InterContinental on Pennsylvania Avenue, a couple of blocks from the White House. The best budget hotels can be found in nearby Virginia and Maryland, but if your heart is set on downtown, the Beacon Hotel is a decent choice.
You can get the most from your Washington, D.C., visit by planning where and what you want to see. There's much to see, but by planning it well, you can indeed see everything you want and more.
Be warned: No matter how much you do, your visit is likely to leave you hungering for more.