Washington DC

Washington DC is the capital of the United States. The city is located on the north bank of the Potomac River and is bordered by the states of Virginia to the southwest and Maryland to the other sides. It is a planned city, designed specifically to house the federal government, and is not part of any state. Its history, beautiful architecture, and excellent cultural centers attract millions of visitors each year.

The National Mall is the primary tourist attraction. It is a unique National Park, filled with an intense concentration of monuments, memorials, museums, and monumental government buildings instantly recognizable to people all over the world. These include the White House, the US Capitol Building, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial and Reflecting Pool, the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, the Vietnam War Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial, the National Gallery of Art, the Air and Space Museum, the National Natural History Museum, the Holocaust Museum, the International Spy Museum, the National Portrait Gallery—just a few of the top national attractions here, all within walking distance of each other.

Things to see and do

* The National Mall memorials, museums and buildings
* Downtown
* Washington Zoo
* National Cathedral
* Embassy Row

General information

Cruise Season – May - Sept
Currency – US Dollar (US$)
Language – English
Land Area – 159.0 km²
Population – 592,000 approx
Electricity – 2 perpendicular flat pins USA style or with a round pin below
Time – GMT minus five hours
International Country Telephone Code – 1

Transport Links – Washington is served by three major international airports. The Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is located in Arlington, Virginia on the west bank of the Potomac River just south of the city, is the closest and most convenient.

Amtrak services arrive from all over the country, particularly the Northeast Corridor (Boston-to-Richmond). All stop at downtown Union Station, 50 Massachusetts Ave NE, on Metro's Red Line — a few blocks from the U.S. Capitol steps.

There are numerous bus services which run to and from Washington, including Greyhound, Apex Bus, Vamoose Bus, Megabus and BoltBus.