Union Station

The Union Station dating back to 1907. The beautiful Beaux-Art building was designed by the Chicago architect, Daniel Burnham and has been restored in 1988.

Postal Museum

It is a pretty cool Smithsonian Museum and designed by Daniel Burnham too. It was constructed in 1914 and served as the Washington, D.C., post office from 1914 through 1986. The Museum occupies 75,000 square feet of the building with 23,000 square feet devoted to exhibition space. The Museum also houses a 6,000-square-foot research library, a stamp store and a museum shop.

The Freedom Bell

The Freedom Bell in front of the Union Station is a replica of Philadelphia’s Liberty Bell but twice as big. It was donated to the United States in 1981 in celebration of the nation's bicentennial.

Columbus – or a least a 15ft statue – stands in front of Union Station and is facing the Capitol. The figures on his side represent the new and the old world and the three flagpoles represent his ships.
The circle is ringed by flags of each of the 50 U.S. states in order of admission to the Union plus the flags of the U.S. territories and the District of Columbia.

The Japanese America memorial

The Japanese American memorial is in honor of those who fought and was held prisoners during the period 1942 – 1945.

The Capitol

The Capitol has since the early start in 1793 been through many constructions and stands today as a monument to the American people and their government.
The crowning feature of the capitol building is a bronze statue of freedom, symbolizing that "Freedom triumphant in War and Peace”.
The bronze statue stands 19 feet 6 inches tall and weighs approximately 15,000 pounds and is the tallest statue in Washington. Freedom is higher than anything else.
Besides its active use by Congress, it is also a museum of American Art and history and between 3 to 5 million people are yearly visiting the Capitol.

National Mall

The National Mall and Memorial Parks contains some of the oldest protected park lands in the National Park Service.

The National Gallery

The National Gallery has an impressive collection of European masters – among others; Jan Vermeer, Rembrandt, Monet, Van Gogh and Leonardo Da Vinci. The building dates back to 1937.

The Sculpture Garden

The Sculpture Garden is located next to the National Gallery. 17 works from the National Gallery’s growing collection is on display together with other loans for special exhibitions.

The National Archives

The National Archives is holding the official signed copy of Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights and other important documents such as the 19th Amendment guaranteeing all American women the right to vote!

The National Museum of Natural History

The National Museum of Natural History is dating back to 1910 is of the size of 18 football fields and employs over 1000 staff members.

Here you will find the hall of dinosaurs and the Hope Diamond along with a lot of interactive inspiring learning.

Pennsylvania Avenue and Constitution Avenue

Many years ago the Canal Slum was known as Murder Bay.

Today this wedge of land formed by 15th St., Pennsylvania Ave and Constitution Ave is known as Federal Triangle.

Pavilion Stage

Once it was the largest government building and served as US and DC Post office.

Today it is ranked as one of Washington’s top attractions with among others artists and entertainers performing daily at the Pavilion stage.

…and from the top of the 315 foot tall clock tower you have a 360-degree picturesque view of Washington.

The Clock tower also houses the Congressional Bells, a bicentennial gift from Great Britain to the U.S. Congress modelled after the bells of Westminster Abbey

Fords Theatre

It was at Fords Theatre that President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated.

The Civil war between the United States Federal government led by President Abraham Lincoln and eleven Southern Slave states led by President Jefferson Davis – took place from 1861 to 1865.

When the Civil War began, neither civil rights nor voting rights for blacks was stated and yet it is said that the main cause of this war was slavery.
Many southern farmers had based their economy on slavery and feared the voices from north and their anti-slavery attitude.

Most men from South were used to ride, shoot and knew how to deal with Mother Nature and dangerous animals.

Most from the Northern troops had to learn about guns, horses and nature but took advantage of millions of emigrants who arrived from among other Europe and whom was offered land if they joined the US army.

An important person who also managed to keep the nation together was Abraham Lincoln.

Abraham Lincoln was a great President and mostly remembered for how he managed the Civil War and ending slavery but should also be remembered as the one who fought for democracy and respect for all human beings.

After a long day with meetings about the future and how to gather the nations many states, the President left to attend the play; “Our American Cousin” at Fords Theatre.

John Booth, an actor, crept up behind the President's box and waited for the funniest line of the play, hoping the laughter would cover the noise of the gunshot.

A major heard the shot a momentarily grappled with John Booth but was cut by Booth's knife

The President was taken across the street to the Petersen House, where he laid in a coma for nine hours before he died the following morning.

After 12 days man hunting John Booth was found in a barn house in Virginia.

The Museum at Fords Theatre features artifacts from the assassination and its aftermath.

Washington Monument

The tall Obelisk is to be seen from many places throughout Washington D.C. and is known as Washington Monument. It is one of the older monuments in Washington and honors the first President of The United States. With its 555 ft 5⅛ inch it is the tallest construction in DC. A federal law from 1910 does not allow buildings to be more than 20 feet greater than the width of the street it is build on so the monument will continue as tallest for many years.

It was also the tallest building in the world until 1889 when the French finished the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

The cornerstone was laid on July 4th, 1848.
In 1854 construction ran out of donation and construction was on hold for 25 years until 1879. This is why you can see a different in the shade of the stones.

Constitution Garden

The 50 acres Constitution Gardens were dedicated in 1976 to serve as on oasis in the bustling city.

At the turn of the century the gardens were beneath Potomac River.

Mayflower Hotel, Edgar Hoover, Bill Clinton, Monica Lewinsky

The glamorous hotel Mayflower has hosted many presidents but also high-profile diplomatic luncheons and off-the-record journalistic meetings is said to have taken place at the Mayflower Hotel.

With a 500 foot long promenade and an impressive lobby it is suddenly worse a visit and if not for the night then just for a cop of coffee.

Incoming presidents have danced the night away in the Ballroom and Franklin D. Roosevelt lived for a while at the Mayflower.

When J. Edgar Hoover was head of FBI he had his daily lunch at this fine hotel that also accommodated a young lady by the name Monica Lewinsky who was interviewed in her suite by Kenneth Star’s prosecutors. That was of course during the presidency of Bill Clinton.

Dupont Circle, Harry S. Truman, President Coolidge, The Patterson House

Dupont Circle is a vibrant cosmopolitan.

Once Dupont Circle was home to the wealthy and powerful elite of Washington and still today we can enjoy their grand mansions including The Patterson House at 15 Dupont Circle has an interesting history.

Not only Harry S. Truman had to move out while the White House was undergoing repair. So did President Coolidge and family in 1927. They were living at The Patterson House where also Charles Lindbergh has been a guest after his transatlantic flight.

The neighborhood changed during the great depression in 1930’s, and as many other neighborhoods around the world it was relived with the hippies in the 60’s and stands today as a lively place to live, work and hang out.

Many Washingtonians prefer to forget about the nation’s capital at a cozy café with an extra good latte and today’s newspaper or to get inspired by the many artists, galleries and of course tempted in the wide range of special shops here at Dupont Circle.

Dupont traffic circle is one of the busiest hubs around DC.

The fountain is in honor of Civil War Admiral Dupont and symbolizes sea, stars and wind.

The Philips collection – museum of modern art

America’s finest museum of modern art – The Phillips collection is located close to Dupont Circle.

Washington National Cathedral

In the early 1790’s Pierre L’Enfant had an idea; A church for national purpose and open to all!

Construction of The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul – just called The Washington National Cathedral – begun September 29, 1907.
83 years later on the day of September 29, 1990 was completed.

The nation’s capital ha a national house of prayer for all people

The total area is 83,012 sq. ft. and the total weight is impressive 150.000 tons.
With its 301’ the Central tower is the highest point and there are 215 stained glass windows in the Cathedral. The Cathedral welcomes nearly 700,000 visitors and worshipers annually.

The cornerstone came from a field near Bethlehem and was inserted into a larger piece of American granite. It was laid by President Theodore Roosevelt.

Many presidents have had their funeral or memorial service at the Cathedral. President Ronald W. Regan had his state Funeral on June 11, 2004 and President General R. Ford was held on January 2, 2007

Not only presidents but also other high-profiled events and persons are related to the Cathedral.

On March 31, 1968 Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. preached his last Sunday sermon at the Cathedral. Five days later, a memorial service was held for Martin Luther King in the Cathedral.

The Cathedral is open to public and we strongly recommend you to pay this attraction a visit.
There are a number of different tours to choose.
Quote from the Cathedral’s own information:
Guided tours of the Cathedral are offered, most weeks:
Monday–Friday, 10–11:30 am and 12:45–3:30 pm
Saturday, 10 – 11:30 am and 12:45 – 3:30 pm except during special events.
Sunday, 12:45–2:30 pm
The Cathedral asks $3 per adult, $2 per senior citizen, and $1 per child for guided tours. Tours meet at the docent station at the west end of the nave, main level, just inside the main doors.
Tours are sometimes not available due to special services or programs.

US Naval Observatory

Stately white ships anchors frame the entrance to the US Naval Observatory. Besides being one of the oldest scientific agencies in this country it play an important role to determining the positions and motions of earth, sun, moon, planets, stars and other objects providing astronomical data but also to maintain the Master Clock for the United States.

Vice President of the United States

On the same ground as the US Naval Observatory, we will find the Admirals House which is a 33 rooms mansion established by Congress in 1974 housing another very important and powerful person: The Vice President of the United States.

The Vice President of the United States is only a heartbeat away from the most powerful elective office in the world.

In history 14 vice presidents have become president. Eight out of 14 was because of the death of the president. Out of the remaining six vice presidents, all but Nixon took over the office immediately after serving as vice president.

President Ford was the only vice president to take over because of the president’s resignation – We are here talking about Watergate… which we return to later on.

The residence is closed for the public and it is secret service agents that guard the vice president.

Embassy Row – Massachusetts Avenue

Massachusetts Avenue is also known as Embassy Row and the first large building coming up right is the British Embassy.

Hints like private jets in the airports, limos in the streets, private clubs, suites, body guards and secret agents – gives us a touch of power, importance and many big decisions to be made…

Others might think that the difference between men and boys are the price on their toys…

But, Embassy Row is unique because nowhere else you will find so many embassies door-by-door. Ambassadors and their staff are bringing local culture to the street where you will hear hundreds of different languages. Washington DC is unique because about 170 embassies are present here so there is no doubt that Washington DC is a powerful place to be.

Prime Minister Winston Churchill in Washington D.C.

A statue of formerly Prime Minister Winston Churchill is standing with one foot inside the embassy ground and the other within the District of Columbia.

Islamic Centre and National Mosque For American Muslims

When you stroll Embassy Row you’ll see many flags in front of the Islamic Centre and National Mosque for American Muslims.
It is open for everyone but remember to take off your shoes and women to bring scarves to cover your hair.
The beautiful building incongruous from many of the other buildings on Embassy Row – once called millionaires rows when industrialists and financiers had their residence here.

Sheridan Circle and General Philip Sheridan

At Sheridan Circle you’ll find the equestrian statue of Civil War General Philip Sheridan.

Georgetown

Georgetown is somehow a mixture of American comfort and European charm and widely known for its village attitude with cozy bars, restaurants and cafes. Here you’ll find everything from fashion mode to antique and arts.

But Georgetown is also a historical place. It was founded in 1751 and named Town of George after George Beal and George Gordon.

Town of George acted as a busy trade port long before another George arrived and decided this spot to be the federal city.

One of the oldest known houses – The old stone house – is located here in Georgetown too.

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal

The historic Chesapeake and Ohio Canal runs unbroken 185 miles to Cumberland in western Maryland.

On July 4, 1828 the first spadeful of earth was moved and on the same day the railroad had begun a move. The same railroad became the greatest competitor and in 1924 had the railroad captured most of the coal operators and the use of the canal came to an end.

John F. Kennedy Center for the performing arts

The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a kind of a living memorial to John F. Kennedy and a national cultural centre with theatres, cinema, opera house, concert hall and a stage for new or experimental theatre as well as fine restaurant.

Arlington Cemetery

The gateway to Arlington cemetery is this beautiful Memorial Bridge, which links the Lincoln Memorial and the Robert E. Lee Memorial House up on the hill and fits in the neoclassical urban design of Washington. Symbolically the bridge also links North and South.

4 gilded equestrian sculptures on identical pedestals were a gift from the Italian people to The United States. The pair at the end of the bridge is called “The art of war”, the one to the left is “Valor” and to the right “Sacrifice”.

The second pair at the end of the parkway is on the left: “the Arts of Peace”, “Music and Harvest” and on the right it is “Aspiration and Literature”.

The Potomac River beneath the bridge runs more than 380 miles from Fairfax Stone in West Virginia through the mountains and valleys of Appalachia to it reaches Chesapeake Bay at Point Lookout, Maryland.

The yellow Arlington House located on the hill was built in 1802 – 1818 by George Washington Park Custis and his slaves.

It was built to be his home and a memorial to his step grand father: George Washington.

Before the civil war it was the residence of General Robert E. Lee.

When he left the U.S. Army and joined the Confederated State Army to support Virginia, the mansion was occupied by the US army.

Due to lack of military cemeteries Arlington land was chosen as a place to burry the dead soldiers which in a convenient way also prevented Robert E. Lee for returning to his mansion.

The gravesite and eternal flame of John F. Kennedy is just down the hill from Arlington House.

On the next hill to the south is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This is where the changing of the guard takes place.

But, at Arlington Cemetery you can also see the gravesite of Major and Big Band leader Glenn Miller as well as many astronauts and other prominent persons who have made a difference in our life.

All the statues on the sculptures on Memorial Avenue are memorials. The bronze on right is in memory of the Seabees and across we’ll see the “Hiker”.
More than 300.000 people are buried at Arlington Cemetery, and it is said that nearly 100 services are conducted weekly.
Veterans from all US wars are represented here; even veterans from pre-civil wars were reinterred after 1900.
The visitor Centre is located by the entrance.

Korean War Veterans Memorial

The Memorial in Washington D.C. is dedicated in 1995.

The soldiers who fought in the Korean War were unlike those who fought the Vietnam War sent into battle in the name of the United Nations. More than 24 countries contributed to the Korean War.

Vietnam Veteran Memorial

The Vietnam Veteran Memorial is located nearby The Korean Veterans Memorial and is dedicated in 1982.

The Second World War

The Second World War memorial is in honor of those 16 million who served during the Second World War.

This war began in 1939 when Nazi Germany invaded Poland.
The United States joined the allies in 1941. That was after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor.
D-Day was in 1944 and the turning point of World War II which came to an end in 1945.

The Second World War Memorial is the newest war memorial in Washington D.C. and opened to the public in 2004

Jefferson Memorial

The Jefferson Memorial is in memory of the nation’s third president and a very unique person.

Jefferson was also known as the "silent member" of the Congress. He was a great writer but not a great public speaker.

Jefferson was only 33 years old when he - more or less – on his own hand drafted the Declaration of Independence.

The Holocaust Museum

It is recommended to spend between two and three hours in the self guided exhibition at the Holocaust Museum.

Bureau of Engraving

The Bureau of Engraving is located next to the Holocaust Museum. This is where the US Dollars are being printed but also where other U.S. securities such as White House invitations are produced

National Air and Space Museum

The National Air and Space Museum holds in trust some 50.000 artifacts, historic aircrafts and spacecraft such as the Wright Flyer and Apollo 11 Command Module and much more.

The National Museum of American Indian

The National Museum of American Indian opened in September 2004 and is the first national museum in the country dedicated exclusively to Native Americans.

President Eisenhower or Senator Taft

Senator Taft was a powerful Ohio senator who served three terms. Despite his nickname as Mr. Republican he never captured the nomination for the presidency. Eisenhower did.

Taft was powerful behind the Taft-Hartley Act, which authorizes the Federal Government to order striking union members back to work.

Today The Brotherhood of teamster has it’s headquarter almost opposite the statue at Louisiana Ave in Washington D.C.

Watergate

To many people Watergate is synonymous of abuse of power.

President Lyndon B. Johnson was destroyed by the Vietnam War and Richard M. Nixon was elected President on a pledge of ending the war. That was in 1968.

In 1971 secret documents on the American involvement in the Vietnam War - known as the Pentagon Papers – were leaked to the New York Times.

Nixon challenged the publication but lost in the Supreme Court.

Though the chair was hot President Nixon was re-elected in 1972 taking more than 60% of the votes.

But, on August 8, 1974 President Nixon became the first US President to resign after The Watergate office of the Democratic National Committee were burgled on June 17th 1972 leaving six persons connected to CIA, The White House and Nixon convicted in 1973.

Vice President Ford took over the highest office and managed to reunite the nation but did also pardon Nixon on all charged relate to Watergate.

John F. Kennedy

Abraham Lincoln was the first president to be murdered on April 14th 1865. Almost 100 hundred years later the fourth president was assassinated.

People who remember November 22nd 1963 knows exactly where they were and what they were doing when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

The thirty-fifth president of the United States was a caring and loved president and hundred of thousands were lined up in the streets of Washington DC during his three days funeral ceremony.

Representatives from more than 90 countries attended the State funeral on Monday, November 25.
After the funeral service at St. Matthew’s Cathedral, the late president was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia where Mrs. Kennedy expressed a desire to mark the president's grave with an eternal flame.

Where to buy sightseeing tickets

Besides www.opentopsightseeing.com you may purchase tour tickets at the Visit California Welcome Centre at Pier 39 or from Open Top Sightseeing at 99 Jefferson Street, Washington D.C., CA 94133 at the corner of Mason Street at Fishermans Wharf.

What else to do in Washington D.C.

There is so much to do when in Washington D.C. and on Open Top Sightseeing’s to do list is among other:

Cruise Potomac River and explorer all the monument from the waterside. It is a very different experience. Ask you Open Top Sightseeing staff for further information and how to purchase tickets for the best River Cruise.

HOP ON – HOP OFF Open Top Double-decker City sightseeing

Please visit www.opentopsightseeing.com to learn more about Washington D.C. and about our tours in Washington D.C., San Francisco, Las Vegas and Paris, France.

Learn more about sightseeing in Washington DC