Washington, D.C.

Photo: Jogger on steps of the Lincoln Memorial

At sunrise, a jogger reaches the top of the 56 steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

Photograph by Dan Westergren

Designed by an idealistic Frenchman, constructed (largely by slave labor) upon dredged marshland, named for a fledgling nation’s founding father, and established as the seat of the U.S. government, Washington, D.C., is a fitting Main Street for an upstart nation. Today’s Washington is a capital of interconnected neighborhoods and identities, a quixotic place of grand boulevards and marbled monuments seaming into age-worn cobblestone streets and gossiping-on-the-front-stoop neighborliness. At the heart of this so-called “capital of the free world” is a small town far more romantic than most politicians would admit.

Washington, D.C. Photos and Quiz

Related Features

  • Photo: National World War II Memorial

    Washington, D.C. Must-Dos

    Our experts recommend the top attractions in and around Washington, D.C—with advice on how to get the most out of your visit.

  • Photo: Tombstones amid trees

    Arlington Cemetery

    No land in America is more sacred than the square mile of Arlington National Cemetery.

  • 35126.jpg

    American History Drive

    Drive through America's rich history, visiting presidential estates, mountain vistas, battlefields, and rolling pastures.

  • 35113.jpg

    James River, Virginia Drive

    Wind your way deep into American history and see the forces that shaped our nation.

Adobe Flash Player This requires the latest version of Flash Player. Click here to download.

Travel With Us

All Upcoming Trips »

Travel Top 10

Travel Blog

More From Travel & Cultures