The Traveling American Names Washington, D.C. One of the Top Ten Large Cities in the United States and Canada to Visit
The Traveling American has visited more than sixty cities in the United States and Canada over the past thirty years. The task of naming the Top Ten large cities in these two countries was a difficult one. We defined large cities as those with a metropolitan population of at least 300,000 and ended up placing thirteen cities on our list (there were a few ties). We believe these cities are the most memorable places in these two countries for travelers to experience during a short visit.
THE CITY NAMED NUMBER 4 IS WASHINGTON, D.C.
Background of Washington, D.C.- In 1790, a 100 square mile, diamond shaped parcel of land located along the Potomac River, controlled by the states of Maryland and Virginia was designated as the site for the permanent capital of the new United States of America by the Congress. George Washington believed that the land was well situated for future development since it was close to existing river ports at Alexandria and Georgetown and had ready access through navigable waters to the eastern seaboard and the important western territories. Nevertheless, few others felt that the new federal territory known as the District of Columbia consisting mostly of farmland and marshland would amount to much or be able to compete with existing centers of political power such as Williamsburg, Philadelphia, Boston, and New York City.
More than two centuries later, Washington, D.C. has become one of the world's most important cities and the center for political, military, diplomatic, and economic affairs for the United States. The city has a population of 715,000 people and 5.5 million people live in the metropolitan area that includes parts of Virginia and Maryland. There are dozens of places in the city that are considered monuments, historic sites, or great museums, and the city attracts twenty-two million visitors annually.
Here are some of the best things to do when visiting the District:
Visit the Monuments and Memorials Near the National Mall
Memorial to the Signers of the Declaration of Independence - This memorial is one of the least known landmarks in Washington, D.C., but in some ways its importance is unmatched. The Memorial to the 56 Signers of the Declaration is on a small island reached by a footbridge in the Constitution Gardens located between the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the World War II Memorial. It consists of a semicircular stone platform facing the water with the engraved names and backgrounds of the fifty-six people who signed the Declaration of Independence at the Continental Congress held in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776. They made an eloquent statement of the need for independence from the powerful English empire and raised important questions for future generations to consider as to the role of government and the right of individuals to participate in their own affairs. These fifty-six brave individuals committed treason against the crown by signing the document and placed the lives and property of their families and their own communities at risk.
Lincoln Memorial - The Lincoln Memorial is the most visited monument in Washington, D.C. In addition, it is one of the most visited places in the National Park System, attracting approximately seven million people annually. Completed in 1920, the rectangular monument has thirty-six columns representing the thirty-six states which existed at the time of Lincoln's assassination in 1865. Most visitors climb the marble steps and platforms on the east side of the building. Inside is a seated statue of a solemn Abraham Lincoln which looks out across the one third mile long reflecting pool. The statue is surrounded by walls carved with Lincoln's most famous remarks to the nation including portions of the Gettysburg Address. The grand building has served as the location for important speeches and rallies over the past hundred years.
World War II Memorial - Since its completion in 2004, the World War II Memorial located on seven acres of land at the east end of the reflecting pool has become a popular place for the families and friends of the "Greatest Generation". It commemorates the more than 400,000 Americans who died on battlefields around the world in winning that war. The center of the monument is a large pool and fountains known as the Rainbow Pool, but many people are drawn to the 43-foot-high arches and entrances at each end of the pool called The Atlantic and The Pacific.
Jefferson Memorial - The inspiring words of Thomas Jefferson about the democratic rights of citizens to participate in self-government have influenced many nations and revolutionaries ever since he drafted most of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Centuries later those words, and a majestic 19-foot-high bronze standing statue of Jefferson, lie at the center of the famous Jefferson Memorial finished in 1943 on the banks of the Tidal Basin that abuts the Potomac River. With a domed roof and supporting columns, the Memorial is seen by tens of thousands of drivers every day commuting into downtown Washington.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial - The Vietnam Veterans Memorial was created by an act of Congress to recognize the American soldiers who fought in this long and controversial war in southeast Asia. Completed in 1984, the memorial includes a 250 foot long, black granite, angled wall engraved with the names of the 58,267-service people that died because of the conflict. It also features a recessed walkway and a bronze statue of three "Faces of Honor' representing service members in the field. Friends and families regularly visit the memorial to take rubbings of the names, leave notes, and remember their loved ones.
Korean War Memorial - The Korean War is often referred to as the forgotten war even though an estimated 43,774 American soldiers and Korean support forces died there as part of a United Nations force that repelled the North Korean army and Chinese "volunteers" from overrunning South Korea from 1950 to 1953. When the memorial was dedicated in 1995, it included a unique 164-foot-long mural wall with forty-one panels showing more than two thousand computer enhanced photographs of the Korean War obtained from the National Archives. The starkest part of the memorial is a triangular lawn with 7-foot-high steel statues of nineteen armed soldiers. They are depicted as marching across the rice paddies of Korea covered by cold weather ponchos.
Ulysses S. Grant Memorial - An impressive memorial to Civil War General and Former U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant dedicated in 1922 lies at the base of Capitol Hill. This 100-year-old memorial was erected on a 71-foot-long terrace that includes a bronze statue of Grant mounted on his horse. Grant and his troops are depicted fighting through the toil and struggle of one of the many bloody battles that Grant led to help win the Civil War. Grant later faced another challenge serving as President from March 1869 to March 1877. He was tasked with trying to reunite the divided nation, handle the rapid expansion of the country to the west, and control the four million decommissioned soldiers that had fought in the war.
Washington Monument - In one respect, the Washington Monument is the grandest of all the city's landmarks and memorials. Visible from every direction, the obelisk rises 555 feet above the middle of the National Mall and is the tallest stone structure in the world. The monument was completed in 1888 using several different kinds of stone from multiple quarries and topped off with an aluminum capstone. While the staircase is rarely used today, access to the top is available to ticketed visitors for no charge by elevator. The view is spectacular for those able to include it in their itinerary.
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial - In 1983, President Reagan signed a congressional bill establishing a national holiday in 1986 honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, for his important work in the civil rights movement. In 2011, a memorial was erected on a four-acre site along the western bank of the Tidal Basin. The location is close to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial where Dr. King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963. The entrance passes between two large boulders designed to represent the "Mountain of Despair" described in his speech. On the other side is a 30-foot carved statue of Dr. King with his arms crossed and a speech in his hands emerging from a huge stone which represents a "Stone of Hope" for future generations.
Enjoy the Museums in the Capitol
Some of the nation’s best museums are in the capital city including museums that recognize contributions made to the country’s culture and history by American Indians and African Americans. Other important collections are on display at the National Gallery of Art, The National Archives, and the National Museum of American History. Many visitors flock to the following museums as well:
National Air and Space Museum- The National Air and Space Museum contains the largest collection of historic aircraft and space vehicles in the world along with exhibits and movies about the history of flight. It was renovated in 2022 to include new exhibits and more interactive displays. The planes and spacecraft flown by the Wright Brothers, Charles Lindbergh, and John Glenn are some of the items on display on Independence Avenue. Dozens of other jets and spacecraft can be seen at the large annex in Chantilly, Virginia.
National Museum of Natural History- The National Museum of Natural History brings to life the many species that have inhabited our planet over millions of years including exciting displays about the origins of humanity and extinct creatures. However, the Natural History Museum is more than a dustbin of old bones. It is a modern facility that has used the funds donated by generous benefactors to display its collections creatively using interactive exhibits and learning tools. This majestic old building built in 1910 has five stories of functional space and a four-story rotunda that soars 165 feet. One popular section called Giant Creatures of the Earth displays a variety of huge beasts including an eleven-ton, African bull elephant named Henry mounted on a pedestal in the rotunda. Other popular sections include exhibits showing Giant Creatures of the Ocean, skulls and bones from humanity’s ancestors, a hall on dinosaurs and other fossils from deep time, the Annenberg Hall of Geology and Gems, and exhibits on insects and butterflies.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum- This museum provides a moving memorial to the millions of Jewish people who were victims of the Holocaust. Using historical objects, news reports, propaganda, and individual testimonies, it tells the horrific story of how Nazi Germany employed antisemitism to commit the genocide of people throughout Europe. The museum’s stark depiction of life for Jews in Nazi controlled territories and of death in the concentration camps serves as a challenge to prevent future genocides.
International Spy Museum – Opened in 2002, this museum recently moved to new quarters in downtown Washington. The International Spy Museum explains the important work done by the CIA and other government intelligence agencies around the world. It features a "140,000 square foot purpose-built facility, interactive exhibits, and the world's largest public display of authentic spy tools and gadgets, augmented by first person accounts from real spies along with new technologies that invite visitors to undertake their own spy missions." The museum provides a satisfying experience for the adults and teenagers seeking to understand real intelligence work while also being entertained with elements of pop culture from the world of spies.
Explore Other Landmarks and Neighborhoods
Washington, D.C. is full of other landmarks and neighborhoods to explore. Some people will enjoy touring the United States Capitol or the White House by prior reservation and see the places where important decisions have been made over the past two hundred years. Another place worth touring or attending an event is the majestic John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Programs held there range from award ceremonies to performances by treasured musicians, plays and concerts, and occasional conferences and lectures. For a walking tour, people enjoy exploring the picturesque streets of the Georgetown section of the city on Wisconsin Avenue and M Street which are full of restaurants, cafes, shops, and stores.