by Jamie Elizabeth

Created on: July 06, 2009   Last Updated: April 26, 2010

The city of Washington, DC, has no shortage of interesting, educational, and fun sites to visit. As the capital city of the United States, many of its most prominent sites are national monuments, memorials, and museums. The large majority of these sites are free to visit as a result, and effectively planning a trip to see these sites is made much easier because of their relative proximity.

Washington, DC, is organized within a 10-square-mile boundary, and many of the national monuments and memorials are located on the National Mall, which stretches from the United States Capitol Building to the Lincoln Memorial. Because of this setup, walking is the ideal way to see and experience all that the city of Washington, DC, has to offer. While tour buses and even Segway tours are available, walking is not only free, but it allows you to go at your own pace and even take multiple days during your trip to see the entire National Mall.

The best way to start your day, or days, on the National Mall is to take the Red Line on the city's Metro system to Union Station. The Metro is cheap, convenient, and easy to use. It has great signage, and each station has managers who are more than willing to help you. For more detailed information on using the Metro during your trip to Washington, DC, including maps, fares, and schedules, visit their website at www.wmata.com.

Once at Union Station, be sure to take some time to explore it. Union Station is not only home to Amtrak, Metro, and MARC trains, but it also houses dozens of shops and restaurants and is a beautiful, historic building. Union Station is a convenient starting point, as it is located only a few blocks from the United States Capitol and is a mere five-minute walk from the United States Senate Office Buildings. If you would like to tour the United States Capitol, be sure to contact your United States Senator or United States Representative in advance of your trip to DC.

Looking out from the Capitol Building over the National Mall, you are able to see the Washington Monument directly in front of you, and the Lincoln Memorial farther on down the Mall. To your left are the House of Representatives Office Buildings, and to your right are the Senate Office Buildings and Union Station. On both sides of the Mall are museums that make up the Smithsonian Institution. These are all free of charge to enter and are open 7 days a week, with the exception of major holidays. These museums include the National Museum of American History,

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