Museums, galleries, monuments and historical places: here's how to get around and what you shouldn't miss in the capital of the United States of America.
Washington DC: low cost guide to visit the city, everything you need to know to spend little in Washington.
Washington is the capital of the United States of America, is located 374 km from New York between the state of Maryland and northern Virginia. Known throughout the world as the seat of the country's major government institutions.
In Washington resides the president of the United States of America in the famous White House. Many events have been held here, the best known is certainly the one in which Martin Luther King pronounced the phrase "I Have a Dream ". Who hasn't dreamed of seeing the White House at least once in their life?
How to spend cheap in Washington DC
What does low cost driving mean? Why am I telling you that visiting the city of Washington does not have an exorbitant cost?
Let's start with the ideal period
The best time to visit Washington is definitely there spring where the 3000 cherry trees donated by Japan are in bloom and cover the streets of the city with a romantic pink color. But unfortunately you won't be the only person who wants to go see this show so both the flights and the cost of the hotels will be higher. In winter, in addition to the bitter cold, there are many politicians and businessmen who will go to Washington and even here hotels will not be cheap.
Going to Washington in the summer will allow you to take a low cost vacation. Between June and July, hotels drop in price, the weather is good, around 30 degrees, and even for flights, if booked in time, there will be good offers.
Washington is a low cost city for me because you can spend a whole day visiting museums, beautiful museums, for free, always, 7 days a week. Well yes, in Washington a cultural institution, the Smithsonian it has 19 museums and galleries in addition to the zoo and many of these are completely free. Other museums are free but government owned. Before arriving in Washington we visited New York and I couldn't help but show my children the Natural History Museum famous for the films “A Night at the Museum”. I assure you that the Natural History Museum in Washington is no exception.
Washington's free museums
The National Air and Space Museum, welcomes you with a huge space rocket at the entrance, a simulation to entertain children always on the ground floor and lots of planes from all eras. Here you can get inside an old plane and dream of flying across the great American prairies.
Admire the various outfits worn by pilots of all eras and much more. In this museum you will find the largest collection of planes and spacecraft in the world.
National Museum of Natural History: here you can find dinosaurs and vertebrates, areas dedicated to human origins, geology and minerals. The ocean wing with a huge whale flying over visitors' heads, giant colorful jellyfish, cuttlefish and other specimens.
National Museum of African Art, where to find contemporary and traditional objects from the African continent.
National Museum of American History: Here is a collection of various themes representing America in culture, politics, science, transportation and cuisine. An evolution of America in all its facets.
National Archives in which the Indipendence declaration, the Constitution and the Charter of Citizens' Rights.
National Gallery of Art with American and European works of art on display including works by Monet, Van Gog, Picasso and Da Vinci.
What to see in Washington
You can admire theJefferson Memorial dedicated to the author and signatory of the Indipendence declaration. The visit is completely free. Easily accessible from the National Mall, during the cherry blossom period it is probably the most photographed.
Washington consists mostly of low-rise buildings, you do not have the opportunity to admire the city from above such as in New York. The only vantage point is the Obelisk, 170 meters high, of marble, located in the center of the most important area of ​​Washington between the White House, World War II Memorial and National Mall, the monumental avenue that leads to Capitol Hill and in which the most important events in American history were held. To visit the Obelisk you must book on the official website at least one month in advance.
Spending a day admiring the great monuments that the city of Washington has to offer is unparalleled and most of the structures are concentrated so once you reach the area by bus or subway you don't spend any more money on various trips.
You can visit the Korean and Vietnam Veterans Memorial Reflecting Pool and Lincoln Memory where, from its staircase, you have a more complete view of the most important area of ​​the city of Washington.
For lunch you can opt for the classic Mc Donald's present in the National Mall.
For dinner you can go to Georgetown where you will find original bars and restaurants and at the same time you can admire the old part of the city of Washington.
